List of sheriffs of Worcester County, Massachusetts

This is a list of sheriffs of Worcester County, Massachusetts. The sheriff originally was an appointed office, it has been an elected position since 1856.[1] The sheriff is elected to serve a six-year term.

The current Worcester County Sheriff is Lewis Evangelidis

No. Sheriff Picture Term Party Note
1 Daniel Gookin June 30, 1731 – June 1743
2 Benjamin Flagg 1743–1751
3 John Chandler 1751 – August 7, 1762
4 Gardner Chandler 1762–1775 Last Worcester County sheriff of the royal Province of Massachusetts Bay.
5 Simon Dwight 1775–1778
6 William Greenleaf 1778–1788 Impeached and removed for misconduct.
7 John Sprague 1788–1792
8 Dwight Foster 1792–1793 Federalist
9 William Caldwell 1793–1805
10 Thomas Walker Ward 1805–1824
11 Calvin Willard 1824–1844 Resigned rather than hang a condemned prisoner.
12 John W. Lincoln 1844–1851
13 James Estabrook 1851–1853 Democratic
14 George W. Richardson 1854–1856 Know Nothing
15 John S.C. Knowlton 1857–June 11, 1871 Democratic First sheriff elected by popular vote. Died in office on June 11, 1871.
16 Augustus B. R. Sprague July 5, 1871[2] – January 1890 Appointed to fill the vacancy

caused by the death of sheriff John S.C. Knowlton who died in office.
Subsequently elected for six three year terms.[2]

17 Samuel D. Nye 1890–1892 Democratic
18 Robert H. Chamberlain 1892 – January 14, 1910 Republican Resigned on January 14, 1910.
19 Benjamin D. Dwinnell 1910 – December 15, 1916 Republican Died on December 15, 1916.
20 Albert F. Richardson December 1916 – March 13, 1932 Republican Died on March 13, 1932.
21 Henri Oscar Rocheleau March 23, 1932 – January 1945 Democratic Appointed to the office by Joseph B. Ely to fill the vacancy
caused by the death of sheriff Albert F. Richardson.
22 William A. Bennett January 1945 – January 1963 Republican
23 Joseph A. Smith January 1963 – 1977 Democratic
24 Francis J."Bud" Deignan, Jr. January 1977 – 1983 Democratic
25 Theodore M. Herman January 4, 1983 – 1987 Democratic Appointed Worcester County Sheriff, to fill vacancy;
on January 4, 1983, by Governor Edward J. King. Herman won the 1984 Democratic primary and the subsequent November 1984 election to fill the unexpired term.
26 John M. Flynn 1987–2005 Democratic
27 Guy Glodis 2005 – January 5, 2011 Democratic
28 Lewis Evangelidis January 5, 2011 – present Republican
  1. ^ Hurd, Duane Hamilton (1888), History of Essex County, Massachusetts: With Biographical Sketches of Many of Its Pioneers and Prominent Men, Volume I., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: J. W. Lewis & Company, p. xi.
  2. ^ a b Herndon, Richard (1896), Bacon, Edwin M. (ed.), Men of Progress: One Thousand Biographical Sketches and Portraits of Leaders in Business and Professional Life in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Boston: New England Magazine, p. 347