History of Court
Probate Judges of Jefferson County Alabama
Before the creation of the probate courts in each county of Alabama by the Alabama Legislature in 1850, the probate of wills, the administration of estates, and other similar functions were carried out by a county court.
When Alabama became a state in 1819, each county court consisted of five justices. In 1821 that system was changed so that one judge presided over the county court.
The following is a list of the presiding county judges of Jefferson County and their terms of service:
| Judge | Term of Service |
|---|---|
| Thomas W. Farrar | June 14, 1821 to August 31, 1822 |
| John (Red) Brown | September 7, 1822 to January 1, 1823 |
| Peter Walker | December 1, 1825 |
| Walker Keith Baylor | Date of Governor’s appointment not certain |
| John F. Forrest | Elected January 22, 1839 Reelected January 22, 1845 |
| James Wilcox | May 1, 1848 (Resigned 1st Monday of May, 1850) |
A “court of probate” was established in each county of Alabama by Act No. 3 of the 1849-50 Session of the Alabama Legislature which passed on February 11, 1850. The court was composed of one judge for each county with the title of “judge of probate”. This individual would be elected by the qualified voters of the county and would hold office for a term of six years.
The following is a list of Jefferson County probate judges and their terms of service beginning in 1850:
| Judge | Term of Service |
|---|---|
| Joab Bagley | Elected May 20, 1850 Served July 1850 to July 1856 |
| Moses Kelley | Elected May 14, 1856 Served July 1856 to May 1862 |
| William L. Wilson | May 5, 1862 to August 1865 |
| John Calhoun Morrow | August 1865 to November 1884 (Resigned October 16, 1884, effective November 8, 1884) |
| Mitchell T. Porter | November 8, 1884 to October 1898 |
| J. P. Stiles | November 1898 to November 1904 |
| Samuel Earle Greene | December 1904 to January 1911 |
| J. P. Stiles | January 1911 to August 1931 |
| Eugene H. Hawkins | August 1931 to June 1942 |
| Henry R. Howze | June 1942 to September 1945 |
| Eugene H. Hawkins | September 1945 to January 1947 |
| Tom C. Garner | January 1947 to August 1955 |
| G. C. Boner | September 1955 to June 1956 |
| Guy W. Hanna | June 1956 to November 1956 |
| J. Paul Meeks | November 1956 to January 1977 |
| O. H. Florence | January 1977 to 1980 |
In 1980, the Alabama Legislature created a second probate judge position for Jefferson County.
The following is a list of the probate judges under the two probate judge system:
Place 1
| Judge | Term of Service |
|---|---|
| O.H. Florence | 1980-1989 |
| George R. Reynolds | 1989-2001 |
| Michael F. Bolin | 2001 – 2005 |
| Mark L. Gaines | 2005 – 2007 |
| Alan L. King | 2007 to 2020 |
| James Naftel | 2020 to 2025 |
| Yashiba Glenn Blanchard | 2025 to date |
Place 2
| Judge | Term of Service |
|---|---|
| George R. Reynolds | 1980-1989 |
| Michael F. Bolin | 1989-2001 |
| Alan L. King | 2001 to 2007 |
| Sherri C. Friday | 2007 to 2025 |
| Jameria Johnson Moore | 2025 to date |
In 1915, the Alabama Legislature created the Bessemer Cut-off of the Tenth Judicial Circuit. Local legislation later established the position of Bessemer Deputy Probate Judge.
The following persons have served in that position:
| Deputy Judge | Term of Service |
|---|---|
| Sam T. Huey | 1926 – 1938 |
| J. C. B. Gwin | 1938 – 1946 |
| Gurley Vines | 1946 – 1953 |
| Frances Patton (Acting) | 1953 |
| Charlie Thames | 1953 – 1956 |
| J. Harris Moore | 1956 – 1967 |
| A. Guy White | 1967 – 1972 |
| Geraldine Matthews | 1972 – 1974 |
| O. D. Huey | 1974 – 1980 |
| Mildred G. Wright | 1980 – 1989 |
| John C. Rockett | 1989 – 1992 |
| Grover Dunn | 1993 – 2001 |
| Eddie C. Vines | 2001 – 2005 |
| Matthew A. Reynolds | 2005 – 2007 |
| Cynthia Vines Butler | 2007 – 2013 |
| Elizabeth North | 2013 to 2025 |
| Jacqueline Knox | 2025 to date |
