Interesting facts about Martin County’s Sheriffs — Part 1 | Historical Vignettes

Since the creation of Martin County in 1925, there have been only eight different men appointed or elected sheriff, three of whom — Bert Babcock, Marion McGee and Riley Christensen — had no previous experience in law enforcement.

Did you know?

• Only two — Bob Crowder and William Snyder — graduated from college or a university.
• Crowder had the unique distinction of being sheriff in two different time periods and also served the longest, 20½ years, including five complete terms.
• Crowder can claim the honor of being the youngest sheriff, too, at age 26, but the oldest in office was Riley Christensen, 68.
• Bob Crowder, age 67 at retirement and James Holt who died in office at 60, serving about two weeks less than 20 years, are the only two of the eight born and/or raised in Martin County.
• Babcock, with the least service, was in office for little more than a year, with he, G. Marion ‘Dick’ Hancock and Crowder appointed to the position by the governor.
• Christensen was the only sheriff to resign, due to health reasons.
• Roy Baker had been Chief of Police in Stuart before elected sheriff while Babcock and Holt were at one time firemen for the county.
• Interestingly, since the incorporation of the City of Stuart in 1914, there have been 10 marshals, the position held by nine different men, with 19 chiefs of police to date, represented by 18 individuals. O.B. Padgett is counted as both the last town marshal and first chief, compared to only eight sheriffs for the county.
• There has never been a female sheriff, nor even any candidates, but several women deputies in Martin County’s history.
• Of note, Joan Waldron was the first female chief of police for Stuart, appointed July 1, 1993, in charge of a staff of 54 people, with a salary of $49,431 a year.

Forthwith, a few little known facts and some interesting stories regarding those courageous sheriffs and associated deputies.

Berton H. Babcock: Aug 5, 1925-Nov 30, 1926

The county’s first sheriff, Bert Babcock, appointed by Florida Gov. John Martin, was responsible for establishing the basic procedures and duties for that office.

Born in Denver, Colorado, Nov. 7, 1883, relocating to Stuart in 1912 as a young man, he had been a blacksmith, auto repairman and the town’s first fire chief.     

Bert, as sheriff, was known for keeping good records of arrests, fines and bonds; in fact, Babcock and deputies made 1,002 arrests during the time he held that position.

After serving as sheriff, Bert owned, operated the Hudson and Essex dealerships in Stuart. He was unsuccessful in the 1932 election for Martin County sheriff, receiving the least votes in a field of four candidates in the primary. Bert Babcock died in Stuart in 1957.

Marion M. McGee: Dec 1, 1926-July 2, 1933

Marion McGee was born March 16, 1885 in Starke, Bradford County, Florida.

Prior to being elected sheriff in November 1926, McGee had been a business agent of the local carpenters union and held that post during Stuart’s most active building period in the early 1920s.

He assumed the duties as sheriff Dec. 1, 1926, assisted by four deputies, receiving Babcock’s appurtenances of the office, including a year’s supply of knives, guns, unserviceable warrants, office furniture and pertinent files.

A major problem at the height of the Great Depression, during McGee’s tenure, was the number of hobos from out of the area coming to Martin County. He made it known that the vagrants could voluntarily come to the jail for the night, the cost amounting to about a dollar a day per person, being borne by the sheriff’s budget until the fund was exhausted in July 1932.

Eventually, one solution to the situation would be the establishment of the Civilian Conservation Corps by the U.S. Federal Government to assist in providing work for unemployed vagrants.

On Jan. 17, 1932, some 21 pieces of jewelry valued at about $16,000 were stolen from the apartment of Stuart resident and businessman B.A. Bittan.

Through investigation, Sheriff McGee determined the prime suspect to be Sam Upton, whom he tracked to Ohio.

Upton was held by authorities there until McGee arrived to transport the apparently guilty man back to Martin County.

In October 1932, McGee was involved in a much different kind of incident, restoring order during the Indiantown convict strike.

Evidently, prisoners were outraged with the punishment of four fellow inmates confined in sweat boxes as ordered by prison authorities, and in response refused to return to the stockade quarters.

Guards armed with weapons surrounded the yard where the prisoners assembled.

Sheriff McGee and Florida prison inspector, Joseph Gates, unarmed, reasoned with the 40 striking convicts whose first demand was that the four men be given food and water.

Eventually, the talks instigated by McGee and Gates settled the matter with the reassurance that proper hearings would be held for the strikers’ grievances. Peace and order were restored within 24 hours of the turmoil.

Despite successes as sheriff, McGee lost re-election to businessman C.E. ‘Riley’ Christensen only a month later in November 1932. Unfortunately, he suffered complications from diseases and died in Stuart, July 2, 1933.

C. E. 'Riley' Christensen: Jan 3, 1933-Oct 1944

Riley Christensen, born Aug. 6, 1876 in Hartland, Wisconsin, established the Rio Fish Co. soon after arriving in the little community in 1907.

In 1912, he joined with merchant George W. Parks, Sr. to create the Stuart Mercantile Co., a hardware store.

By 1924, he and partner Parks would also be associated with Pure Oil Company as local distributor, until Riley was elected sheriff in late 1932. Christensen’s chief deputy was G. Marion 'Dick' Hancock who accompanied Riley on many calls, most being auto accidents.

In 1939, a new $18,000 county jail was constructed, opening in September of that year. On average, there were about 20 to 30 prisoners in jail, held on charges ranging from grand larceny to misdemeanor with those serving sentences from 10 days to one year.

In June 1941, Riley Christensen installed the basis for a modern fingerprint laboratory in the sheriff’s office, to assist in crime detection.

He would soon have approximately 1,000 sets of fingerprints on file. It was considered quite an innovative system at the time and an aid in identifying criminals.

Unfortunately Riley suffered a broken leg in the summer of 1944, followed by a stroke, unable to be active in the performance of duty. He resigned as sheriff of Martin County, effective late September 1944. He died July 14, 1955.

This column is one of a series, Interesting Stories, Forgotten Facts, by Alice and Greg Luckhardt. Contact them at gandavignettes@gmail.com

To access all of the Luckhardts' columns that have run in YourNews, please visithttps://www.tcpalm.com/search/historical%20vignettes/.