History of the District Attorney's Office
The Franklin County District Attorney’s Office traces its roots to at least 1789 when the position of Prosecuting Attorney was filled by an appointment from the Attorney General. As a result the prosecutors from 1789 until a revision in the laws in 1850 were considered to be deputies of the Attorney General.
These deputy appointments meant they were subject to removal at the pleasure of the Attorney General. After 1850 the law provided for an election of a county District Attorney. Below is a partial list of appointed prosecuting attorneys from 1789 to 1851. It is followed by a complete list of elected District Attorneys from 1851 to the present.
Prosecuting Attorneys*
1789-1851
1789 to 1790 - John Clark
1790 to 1802 - William Brown
1802 to 1812 - William Maxwell
1813 to - Unknown - William M McDowell
1819 to - Unknown - Matthew St Clair Clark
1824 to - Unknown - Frederick Smith
1813 to - Unknown - William M McDowell
1819 to - Unknown - Matthew St Clair Clark
1824 to - Unknown - Frederick Smith
1842 to 1845 - Wilson Reilly
1845 to 1847 - William R Rankin
1845 to 1847 - William R Rankin
1847 to 1849 - George W Brewer
1849 to 1851 - Hugh W Reynolds
*The list is only a partial list because many court records were destroyed when the courthouse was burned by Confederate troops in 1864.
District Attorneys
1851-Present
1851 to 1854 - James S Ross
1854 to 1857 - Thomas B. Kennedy
1857 to 1860 - Lyman S Clarke
1860 to 1863 - George Eyster
1863 to 1872 - William S Stenger
1872 to 1875 - Theodore McGowan
1875 to 1881 - Oliver C Bowers
1881 to 1884 - Charles A Suesserott
1884 to 1887 - W J Zacharias
1887 to 1890 - Hiram J Plough
1890 to 1893 - Horace Bender
1893 to 1896 - Charles Walter
1896 to 1899 - Jeremiah H Light
1857 to 1860 - Lyman S Clarke
1860 to 1863 - George Eyster
1863 to 1872 - William S Stenger
1872 to 1875 - Theodore McGowan
1875 to 1881 - Oliver C Bowers
1881 to 1884 - Charles A Suesserott
1884 to 1887 - W J Zacharias
1887 to 1890 - Hiram J Plough
1890 to 1893 - Horace Bender
1893 to 1896 - Charles Walter
1896 to 1899 - Jeremiah H Light
1899 to 1902 - John W Hoke
1902 to 1905 - George A Kyner
1905 to 1912 - D Edward Long
1912 to 1916 - Frank Nicklas
1916 to 1932 - C H Clippinger
1932 to 1944 - J Glenn Benedict
1944 to 1948 - Leroy S Maxwell
1948 to 1956 - Rudolf M Wertime
1956 to 1960 - George C Eppinger
1960 to 1972 - Jay L Benedict
1972 to 1986 - John R Walker
1986 to 2009 - John F Nelson III**
2009 to Present - Matthew D Fogal
**Mr. Nelson was the longest serving Franklin County District Attorney. In October 2009 he passed away while holding office.
