History of the Board of Supervisors

From the creation of Orange County in 1734 until the adoption of the Constitution of 1870, the County was governed by the County Court, consisting of “Gentlemen Justices” appointed by the Governor until 1852 and elected thereafter. In 1870, the legislative powers of the County Court were transferred to a Board of Supervisors elected from four magisterial districts (Madison, Taylor, Barbour, and Gordon). A fifth district (Spotswood) was created in 1963. Names of election districts were changed to numbers in 1991. The first Board of Supervisors took office on September 5, 1870, and consisted of the following: B. Johnson Barbour – Barbour District; Philip B. Jones – Madison District (Chairman); Richard P. Graves – Taylor District; and Caldwell C. Buckner – Gordon District.

This listing was originally compiled in 1995 by Ulysses P. Joyner, Jr., Clerk of Orange County Circuit Court (1982 to 1995). The list has since then been corrected and updated by Supervisor R. Mark Johnson from 2000 to present day.  Supervisor Johnson authored each of the historical narratives.

The following individuals have served as members of the Orange County Board of Supervisors since 1870.  The listed year indicates the year when the person took office. An asterisk indicates service as chairman.

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Benjamin J. Barbour – 1870

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Philip B. Jones – 1870 *

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Richard P. Graves – 1870 *

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Caldwell C. Buckner – 1870

Caldwell Calhoun Buckner

John C. Willis – 1871 *

John Churchill Willis

William F. Brooking – 1873

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Eustace Terrill – 1874

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Robert B. Gibson – 1874

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John M. Shipp – 1877 *

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Frank Cowherd – 1878

Frank Cowherd

William J. Stevens – 1879

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Nathan T. Bartley – 1883

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William T. B. Frazer – 1887

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Thomas J. Almond – 1889 *

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Charles D. Hubbard – 1893

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Charles C. Talliaferro – 1894 *

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Richard O. Eddins – 1895

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Walker W. Sanford – 1895 *

Walker W. Sanford

James C. Graves – 1897

James Conway Graves

Franklin W. Clark – 1897

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William G. Buckner – 1901 *

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James H. Ellis – 1904

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Robert S. Ellis – 1906

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Edward J. Woodville – 1910

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Thomas K. Row – 1915

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Harry E. Sanford – 1917

Harry Estell Sanford

William V. Bowers – 1920 *

William Vernon Bowers

Goree E. Waugh – 1920 *

Goree Edward Waugh

Thomas A. Almond – 1920 *

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William L. Utz – 1924 *

William Lee Utz

Edward E. Wambersie – 1924 *

Edward Ernest Wambersie

Richard S. Knighton – 1928 *

Richard Spencer Knighton

William N. Green – 1932

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Erasmus W. Armentrout – 1934 *

Erasmus Wilson Armentrout

William T. Green – 1935

William Thomas Green

Marcellus D. Douglas – 1936

Marcellus Dabney Douglas

Charles A. Utz – 1940 *

Charles Ashton Utz

Marion G. Coiner – 1940

Marion Gilbert Coiner

Leslie M. Acree – 1943

Leslie Merrick Acree

James T. Payne – 1944

James T. Payne

William T. Woolfolk – 1947

William Thomas Woolfolk

James S. Carpenter – 1948

James Saunders Carpenter

Alfred T. Burruss – 1948

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R. Monroe Waugh – 1948 *

Robert Monroe Waugh

Robert C. Brooks – 1952

Robert Carlton Brooks

Richard L. Sanford – 1956 *

Richard Lewis Sanford

William M. Yager – 1956

William Michael Yager

R. Lindsay Gordon III – 1964 *

Reuben Lindsay Gordon III

Ashby R. Downer – 1964

Ashby Rudolph Downer

Elbert W. Brown – 1968

Elbert William Brown

Ewart C. Hooper – 1972

Ewart C. Hooper

Coleman C. Colvin – 1975

Coleman Clarke Colvin

Robert C. Edwards – 1976

Robert C. Edwards

Arthur T. Wood – 1978

Arthur Tellie Wood

R. Duff Green – 1979 *

Robert Duff Green

Howard F. Lohr – 1979

Howard Franklin Lohr

Robert J. Schwartz – 1980 *

Robert J. Schwartz

Richard O. Blount – 1984

Richard O. Blount

William G. Roberts – 1984

William Gilmore Roberts

Arlene E. Baker – 1988

Arlene Ernestine Baker

John M. Nolan – 1992

John Masters Nolan

V. Rea Jones – 1992 *

Vernon Rea Jones

Grover C. Wilson Jr. – 1992 *

Grover Cleveland Wilson Jr.

Richard D. Wallace – 1996 *

Richard D. Wallace

Clement L. Dodson – 1996 *

Clement L. Dodson

R. Mark Johnson – 1996 *

R. Mark Johnson

Richard K. Wilkinson – 2000

Richard K. Wilkinson

Roderic H. Slayton – 2000 *

Roderic H. Slayton

Thomas E. Graves – 2004

Thomas E. Graves

Teri L. Pace – 2006

Teri L. Pace

Lee H. Frame – 2008 *

Lee H. Frame

S. Teel Goodwin – 2008 *

S. Teel Goodwin

Zack Burkett – 2008

Zack Burkett

Shannon C. Abbs – 2010

Shannon C. Abbs

James K. White – 2012 *

James K. White

James P. Crozier – 2014 *

James P. Crozier

Keith F. Marshall – 2021

Keith F. Marshall