DORCHESTER COUNTY, MARYLAND

CIRCUIT COURT

CLERKS

COUNTY COURT CLERKS

Appointed by Secretary in Maryland:
1669-1678 Edward Savage (died March 1678)
1678-1681 William Smithson (resigned)
1681-1687 Thomas Smithson (died 1687)
1687-1688 Samuel Smith
1688-1689 Thomas Pattison, Sr.

Appointed by act of Convention:
1689-1691 Thomas Pattison, Sr.

Appointed by Secretary in Maryland:
1691-1711 Hugh Eccleston (suspended briefly, 1692) (died 1711)
1711-1728 Covert Loockerman (died c. May 1728)
1728-1738 Charles Goldsborough (resigned)
1738-1746 Howes Goldsborough (died March 30, 1746)
1746-1767 John Caile II (died April 26, 1767)
1767-1777 Richard Sprigg

Appointed by County Court Justices (Constitution of 1776, sec. 47):
1777 Nicholas Hammond
1777-1780 John Caile Harrison
1780-1788 Nicholas Hammond (resigned June 9, 1788)
1788-1810 Henry Dickinson
1810-1842 Ezekial Richardson

Appointed by Governor to 7-year terms (Chapter 224, Acts of 1836, confirmed by Chapter 160, Acts of 1837):
1842-1844 Edward P. LeCompte
1844-1851 William Jackson

CIRCUIT COURT CLERKS

Elected by Voters to 6-year terms (Constitution of 1851, Art. IV, sec. 14):
1851-1865 Francis J. Henry (D)

Elected by Voters to 6-year terms (Constitution of 1864, Art. IV, sec. 29):
1865-1867 Francis J. Henry (D)

Elected by Voters to 6-year terms (Constitution of 1867, Art. IV, sec. 25):
1867-1879 Francis J. Henry (D)
1879-1909 Charles Lake (I)
1909-1915 W. Lake Robinson (D)
1915-1921 William H. Medford (R)
1921-1926 J. Fred Dunn (D)

Elected by Voters to 4-year terms (Constitution of 1867, Art. XVII, added by Chapter 227, Acts of 1922, ratified Nov. 7, 1922):
1926-1938 J. Fred Dunn (D)
1938-1957 Roy S. Melvin (R)
1957-1958 Philip L. Cannon (D)

Elected by Voters to 4-year terms (Constitution of 1867, Art. IV, sec. 25, amended by Chapter 99, Acts of 1956, ratified Nov. 6, 1956):
1958-1994 Philip L. Cannon (D)
1994-2009 Michael L. Baker (D)
2009-2010 Donna L. Pyle (D)
2010- Amy J. Craig (D)

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