613 Court St. Waynesboro, MS 39367  Emergency Ph:(601)735-2323 or Dial 911

Administration Ph:(601)735-3801   Fax:(601)735-6262

The History of
Wayne County Sheriff's Department




      FORMER SHERIFF'S OF WAYNE COUNTY
Henry "Harry" Gray 1842 - 1848
Q. J. Martin 1888 - 1892
James C. Green 1900 - 1904
Francis Marion Gray 1904 - 1908
E. L. Martin 1912 - 1916
R. S. (Tabe) Burke) 1916 - 1920
Ulmer L. Busby 1924 - 1928
Thomas Spain Busby 1932 - 1936
Harry G. Norsworthy 1936 - 1940
C. L. "Dob" Westover, Sr. 1940 - 1944 & 1952 - 1956
W. M. "Bill" Bankston 1944 - 1948
James R. Cochran 1948 - 1952 & 1956 - 1960
Hardy Lee Leggett 1960 - 1964
Buford W. Gandy 1964-1968
Marvin M. Farrior 1968 - 2000
John Stein Farrior 2000 - 2012
Darryl Woodson 2012 - 2016
Joseph "Jody" Ashley 2016 -        

Previous patches used by the Wayne County Sheriff's Department

Old SO Patch   SO Patch 2.jpg

Deputy Curtis Chapman, or Chet, as he was known to many, was the first black man to ever serve as a Deputy in Wayne County. Sheriff Marvin M. Farrior hired Curtis Chapman on the recommendation of the Voter’s League during Sheriff Farrior’s first term in 1968. Curtis Chapman served the department until he died after fighting a four year battle with prostate cancer.

Sheriff Marvin M. Farrior’s words about Deputy Chapman were featured in a Wayne County News article as “One of the most dedicated men I’ve ever known. Chapman was better at serving processes than anyone else in the department because he knew and got along well with the people of the community. It’s very hard to replace a man of that caliber.”

Deputy Curtis

Photograph reprinted by permission from the The Wayne County News.



Former Sheriff Marvin M. Farrior and Sheriff John Stein Farrior pose together after Sheriff John Stein Farrior accepts oath of office in January 2000.


January 2000 Oath of Office

Sheriff Marvin M. Farrior with his staff in 1999


Marvin M. Farrior With Staff In 1999