The Franklin County District Attorney’s Office traces its roots to at least 1789 when the position of Prosecuting Attorney was filled by an appointment from the Attorney General. As a result the prosecutors from 1789 until a revision in the laws in 1850 were considered to be deputies of the Attorney General. These deputy appointments meant they were subject to removal at the pleasure of the Attorney General. After 1850 the law provided for an election of a county District Attorney. Below is a partial list of appointed prosecuting attorneys from 1789 to 1851. It is followed by a complete list of elected District Attorneys from 1851 to the present.
Prosecuting Attorneys
1789-1851
| 1789 to 1790 - John Clark |
1824 to - Frederick Smith |
| 1790 to 1802 - William Brown |
1842 to 1845 - Wilson Reilly |
| 1802 to 1812 - William Maxwell |
1845 to 1847 - William R Rankin |
| 1813 to - William M McDowell |
1847 to 1849 - George W Brewer |
| 1819 to - Matthew St Clair Clark |
1849 to 1851 - Hugh W Reynolds |
District Attorneys
1851-Present
|
1851 to 1854 - James S Ross |
1899 to 1902 - John W Hoke |
|
1854 to 1857 - Thomas B. Kennedy |
1902 to 1905 - George A Kyner |
|
1857 to 1860 - Lyman S Clarke |
1905 to 1912 - D Edward Long |
|
1860 to 1863 - George Eyster |
1912 to 1916 - Frank Nicklas |
|
1863 to 1872 - William S Stenger |
1916 to 1932 - C H Clippinger |
|
1872 to 1875 - Theodore McGowan |
1932 to 1944 - J Glenn Benedict |
|
1875 to 1881 - Oliver C Bowers |
1944 to 1948 - Leroy S Maxwell |
|
1881 to 1884 - Charles A Suesserott |
1948 to 1956 - Rudolf M Wertime |
|
1884 to 1887 - W J Zacharias |
1956 to 1960 - George C Eppinger |
|
1887 to 1890 - Hiram J Plough |
1960 to 1972 - Jay L Benedict |
|
1890 to 1893 - Horace Bender |
1972 to 1986 - John R Walker |
|
1893 to 1896 - Charles Walter |
1986 to 2009 - John R Nelson** |
|
1896 to 1899 - Jeremiah H Light |
2009 to Present - Matthew D Fogal |
**Mr. Nelson was the longest serving Franklin County District Attorney. In October 2009 he passed away while holding office.