Mabin Alexander Anderson

Duane's take

Now here's my telling of what the official marker has to say, and this one's worth your full attention. Somewhere in Montgomery County, there's a marker for a man named Mabin Alexander Anderson, born August 6, 1869, and the story it tells starts with a single election and a trial that could have broken a lesser man. Anderson won election as Montgomery County Sheriff in 1902, and he didn't walk into a quiet office on a slow Tuesday.

He took office in what the marker calls a critical period, right in the middle of the John Winston murder trial. Now that's a baptism. You want to know what a man is made of, hand him a badge and point him straight at a murder trial before he's even had time to hang a picture on the wall.

Whatever happened in that courtroom, whatever pressures bore down on that county and that new sheriff, Anderson held. And the county noticed. That first term turned into something nobody hands you twice without good reason.

Mabin Alexander Anderson served eighteen years as Montgomery County Sheriff. Eighteen years. He also married Mattie Talley, and together they raised five children.

He lived until February 3, 1940. One election, one trial, and then nearly two decades of a county putting its trust in the same man. That's not luck.

That's a record.

What the marker says

(Aug. 6, 1869 - Feb. 3, 1940) Upon winning election as Montgomery County Sheriff, 1902, took office in critical period of the John Winston murder trial. Success led to his serving 18 years. Married Mattie Talley. They had five children. Recorded - 1968