George T. Burrill
In April 1850, George T. Burrill became the first sheriff elected in Los
Angeles County.
In the early 1850's there were just under 7,400 people living in Los Angeles
County. Nearly half that were Indians. Although the population was sparse, the
geographic size of the county was much larger than it is today. Its
boundaries included what is now Riverside, San Bernardina, Orange, and
parts of Venture and Kern Counties.
The term of office was for one year. In that first election of county officials
only 377 votes were cast.
Until 1875 one of the duties of the sheriff was that of ex-officio Tax
Collector. This task caused him to travel throughout the vast county,
eluding hostile Indians, and collecting revenue from the many new settlers.
The sheriff was paid the unusually high salary of $10,000 per year.
During Sheriff Burrill's tenure the Court of Sessions, the official governing
board of the county, authorized the first Sheriff's Mounted Posse.
Sheriff Burrill was re-elected in 1851, and served to the end of the term.
Following his two terms as sheriff, he was elected and served as a Justice
of the Peace. He died in Los Angeles on February 2, 1856, at the age of 46.