Note by David Johnson: While this a very good record of the County officials it is by no means "complete" as is claimed. I have possession of a certificate of election that was given to my grandfather, David James "Jack" Rowland, in the 1930s when he was elected to the office of "Road Commissioner". This was not the office of "Road Supervisor". There were other Road Commissioners before and after my grandfather, and they are not mentioned.

Dekalb County was formed on 2 December 1837 by an act of the General assembly of the State of Tennessee. The Legislature also specified that the County Seat should be named Smithville, in honor of Samuel Granville Smith, who had died in 1835. He has served as the first Mayor of Gainsboro, as a state Senator, and was Tennessee's Secretary of State at the time of his death.

The geographical center of the new county was located about a mile northwest of the present Courthouse. Bernard Richardson, who had recently moved into the area, offered to donate 50 acres at the present site of Smithville, and his offer was accepted . The first County court met in March of 1838 at Mr. Richardson's log home on the bank of Fall Creek just east of the town site; They continued to meet there for more than a year. Construction was started on a courthouse. In July of 1840 the court met in the completed Courthouse, a brick building with four offices on the main floor and a large Courtroom on the second floor.

A complete list of all Dekalb County officials to the present time follows.

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SHERIFF and
QUARTERLY COURT JUDGE

COUNTY COURT CLERK,
CIRCUIT COURT CLERK,
CLERK AND MASTER

TRUSTEE and
GENERAL SESSIONS JUDGE

REGISTER OF DEEDS,
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS,
TAX ASSESSOR,
ROAD SUPERVISOR