The Effingham County Sheriff’s Office is asking the public to help them piece together the office’s history.

Chief Deputy Richard Bush is trying to develop a type of yearbook that he hopes to have completed before the end of the year. The hardcover book will contain photos depicting the history of the sheriff’s office and photos of all the current employees.

“I just thought it was a great way to capture our history,” he said. “I love history.”

Bush is looking for any old pictures, memorabilia and other information about the sheriff’s early years in the county. He would love to get some photos of old patrol cars, in particular. Yet anything the public can provide would be very much appreciated.

John Dasher, the county’s first sheriff, served from 1852-1863. Nine sheriffs followed him, serving from 1864-1937. The sheriff’s office has no records of these 10 men. They include Cletus Rahn, Nathaniel Shearouse, Littleton B. Smith, T.R. Tarver, W.W. Griffen, W.A. Jaudon, R.B. Seckinger and Benji F. Marsh.

Bush would like to get some pictures of these former sheriffs. Perhaps, descendants of the men have old family photos of them, he said.

“People are dying off and our history is dying with them,” he said.

The sheriff’s office has no archives of its own, save for a few photos of previous sheriffs that hang in the lobby. The Historic Effingham Society also doesn’t have much, just two sheriff photos.

This is the first time the sheriff’s office has done anything like this, according to Bush. Once the yearbook is completed, employees at the sheriff’s office will be able to purchase a copy. In addition, a copy will be given to the Historic Effingham Society for everyone to enjoy.

“They’re preserving the Effingham history quite well over there,” Bush noted.

Any material the public provides will not be kept, but rather scanned and returned to them. Individuals may drop off items at the sheriff’s office or they may place their material on a disk and provide that instead.

Bush encourages the public to respond as soon as they can.

“The sooner the better,” he noted, and added, “I thank the community for their help in keeping Effingham history alive.”

For more information call Bush at 754-3449.