One of the first things necessary in the new county of Brown was the election of the necessary officers for the management of county affairs and the administration of justice. James Dawson was commissioned sheriff by the governor and directed to order an election of a clerk and a recorder, two associate judges of the circuit court and three commissioners. An election was held on the first Monday in June 1836.
James Dawson’s commission as sheriff was dated April 20, 1836, and was to remain in force until his successor was elected and qualified the following August. At the August meeting, James Taggart became the county sheriff.
All of the above brings me to my subject of this writing:
Clinton Eli “Dinty” Moore was the third of the four children, born Feb. 13, 1877, to Henry Jackson Moore and Mary Eliza Werts in Georgetown, now Bean Blossom, Indiana. Clinton descends from Michael Moore of Pennsylvania. The Michael Moore family resided in Wayne Township, Belmont County, Ohio. Michael died in Belmont County, Ohio, in 1846 at age 59. Several of Michael’s sons had already moved to Brown County, and just before the 1850 Census, his widow moved to Van Buren Township.
A native of Jackson Township, Clinton married Miss Sarah Ann Dunham of this county Dec. 25, 1900. Clinton and Sarah had six children, all raised and educated in Brown County.
Clinton and his wife operated a restaurant called Dinty Moore’s in Nashville for 20 years. He was a guard at Arvin Industries in Columbus during WWII.
Clinton was a member of the Baptist faith and the Masonic Order for over 43 years. Clinton was an active Democrat and served as the treasurer of the Democratic Central Committee in 1920. Clinton was elected the 26th sheriff of Brown County. He served from 1918 to 1922.
On Jan. 26, 1922, we find a real estate sale and transfer of 127 acres in Jackson Township indicating Clinton’s move into Nashville. Then on July 17, 1922, we see he offered for sale, at public auction, one touring car, self starter, de-mountable rims and also one .22 Winchester Rifle, 16-shot.
While Clinton was the sheriff, prisoners had to be transferred to the Johnson County Jail because the Old Log Jail, built in 1837, was no longer used to house the prisoners.
Clinton Moore’s term as county sheriff expired Dec. 31, 1922. He was succeeded by Samuel Parks.
— Pauline Hoover, Brown County Historical Society
