Ontario. Sheriffs (1791-1968)

• Sheriffs

• Upper Canada. Sheriffs

• Canada (Province). Sheriffs

Although no specific legislation appears to have been passed regarding the district/county Sheriffs until 1833, the office of Sheriff has existed in what is now Ontario, at least since 1791.

At that time, four Sheriffs existed - one for each of the four districts of the new Province of Upper Canada. Then, as new districts were created in the province, Sheriffs would be appointed to those new districts. In 1850, the districts of the province were dissolved and the district Sheriffs became county Sheriffs (see below for a listing of all the districts/counties that existed within the province between 1791 and 1968).

In 1968, the Government of Ontario, through the Department of the Attorney General, became responsible for all aspects of the administration of justice in the province. As a result, the Sheriffs became officials of the Department of the Attorney General.

The following is a simple alphabetical listing of the counties/districts/judicial districts that existed within the Province between 1791 and 1968 (with Dt.= District, Co.=County, and J.D.=Judicial District), along with the dates for which they existed: Algoma Dt. (1859- ); Bathurst Dt. (1822-1849); Brant Co. (1853- ); Brock Dt. (1839-1849); Bruce Co. (1867- ); Carleton Co. (1850-1969); Cochrane Dt. (1922- ); Colborne Dt. (1841-1849); Dalhousie Dt. (1842-1849); Dufferin Co. (1881- ); Eastern Dt. (1792-1849); Elgin Co. (1853- ); Essex, Kent and Lambton United Cos. (1850- 1851); Essex and Lambton United Cos. (1851-1853); Essex Co. (1853- ); Frontenac, Lennox and Addington United Cos. (1850- 1865); Frontenac Co. (1865- ); Gore Dt. (1816-1849); Grey Co. (1853- ); Haldimand Co. (1851-1974); Haliburton Co. (1874- ); Halton Co. (1855- 1973); Hamilton-Wentworth J.D. (1974- ); Hastings Co. (1850- ); Hesse Dt. (1788-1792); Home Dt. (1792-1849); Huron District (1841-1849); Huron, Perth and Bruce United Cos. (1850-1853); Huron and Bruce United Cos. (1853-1867); Huron Co. (1867- ); Johnstown Dt. (1798-1849); Kenora Dt. (1898- ); Kent Co. (1851- ); Lambton Co. (1853- ); Lanark and Renfrew United Cos. (1850-1866); Lanark Co. (1866- ); Leeds and Grenville United Cos. (1850- ); Lennox and Addington United Co. (1865- ); Lincoln, Haldimand and Welland United Cos. (1850-1851); Lincoln and Welland United Cos. (1851-1856); Lincoln Co. (1856-1970); London Dt. (1798-1849); Luneburg Dt. (1788-1792); Manitoulin Dt. (1899- ); Mecklenburg Dt. (1788-1792); Middlesex Co. (1850- 1851; 1853- ); Middlesex and Elgin United Cos. (1851-1853); Midland Dt. (1792-1849); Muskoka and Parry Sound Dt. (1888-1898); Muskoka Dt.Newcastle Dt. (1802-1849); Niagara Dt. (1798- 1849); Nipissing Dt. (1858- ); Norfolk Co. (1850-1974); Northumberland and Durham United Cos. (1850-1973); Ontario Co. (1853-1973); Ottawa Dt. (1816- 1849); Oxford Co. (1850- ); Parry Sound Dt. (1898- ); Peel Co. (1866-1973); Perth Co. (1853- ); Peterborough Co. (1850-1851; 1863- ); Peterborough and Victoria United Cos. (1851-1863); Prescott and Russell United Cos. (1850- ); Prince Edward Dt. (1834- 1849); Prince Edward Co. (1850- ); Rainy River Dt. (1909- ); Renfrew Co. (1866- ); Simcoe Dt. (1837-1849); Simcoe Co. (1850- ); Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry United Cos. (1850- ); Sudbury Dt. (1907- ); Talbot Dt. (1837-1849); Temiskaming Dt. (1913- ); Thunder Bay Dt. (1884- ); Victoria Dt. (1839-1849); Victoria Co. (1863- ); Waterloo Co. (1850-1851; 1853- 1973); Waterloo, Wellington and Grey United Cos. (1851-1853); Wellington Dt. (1840-1849); Wellington Co. (1853- ); Welland Co. (1856-1970); Wentworth and Halton United Cos. (1850-1851; 1853-1855); Wentworth, Halton and Brant United Cos. (1851-1853); Wentworth Co. (1855-1973); Western Dt. (1792-1849); York Co. (1850-1851; 1866-1970); York, Ontario and Peel United Cos. (1851-1853); York and Peel United Cos. (1853-1866).

Sheriffs executed all processes issuing from the Courts of Justice in Upper Canada (1791- 1841), Canada-West (1841-1867), and Ontario (1867-). Sheriffs also registered and executed writs of execution and served documents on behalf of members of the legal profession and the public; summoned jurors for jury duty; made arrests; kept jails; attended Quarter Sessions; and maintained general order in the county court house.

An Act to make certain regulations relating to the Offices of the Sheriffs in this Province, and to require the several Sheriffs of this Province to give security for the due fulfilment of the duties of their office, Statutes of Upper Canada 1833, Chap. 9

An Act respecting the Office of Sheriff, Consolidated Statutes of Upper Canada 1859, Chap. 38

Court Reform Statute Law, Statutes of Ontario 1989, Ch. 56

RAD: Rules for Archival Description, 2nd edn (2008)

2026-11-16: migrated to AtoM

Armstrong, Frederick. Handbook of Upper Canadian Chronology (1985)

KWIC Indexes, 1981-1995

Caldwell, A.C. Sheriffs' Handbook (1949)

Agency not found in Canadiana Name Authorities, 1996-12-25

Archivist(s):
R. Anger