J.A. "Doc" Fink, my father, was born June 7, 1888 in the Village of Commerce, Oakland County. His father was a medical doctor and graduate of the University of Michigan and died when "Doc" was five years old, leaving his mother with five small children.
By the time he was 18, he lived in New Haven Township and worked a farm that he had purchased. He also was active in the community being Township Treasurer, and served on the Underwood School Board and worked for the Owosso Sugar Company as Fieldman.
He soon became a deputy under then Sheriff A. J. Hanchett. We moved to Owosso during that time and shortly he became Under-Sheriff for the years 1927 through 1930 for Sheriff George Lawcock.
In those days an elected term of office was for two years. My father ran for office twice, successfully, and we lived in the old jail residence for four years, 1931 through 1934.
Back then (1920s to 1930s, and prior years) county law enforcement officers had no uniforms. They wore business suits and their badges identified them.
Father carried a gun in a holster and handcuffs. Deputies drove unmarked "County Cars" and my father drove his own car while sheriff.
M.G. (Mack) Dickie was Turnkey, George Coe, Under-Sheriff and Ray Gellatly, Deputy Sheriff for the four years my father was in office. Dan Gustin was Durand Deputy for part of that time.
As I recall there were additional men throughout the county who were deputized (no salary ?) and were called 'Vigilantes.'
In the spring of 1932, with approval of the Board of Supervisors, another deputy was added and a 'scout car' was put on night duty, cruising throughout the county. Numerous petty offenders were picked up, and valuable information gained in solving other crimes. However, the Board of Supervisors ordered the 'scout car' discontinued late in the summer and no one named to succeed Deputy Ted Rice when he resigned to become Chief of Police in Owosso. This was done as a matter of economy - the "depression" years.
According to old newspaper items, one year cases involved:
liquor violations, breaking and entering, vagrancy, theft, violation of game laws, disposing of mortgaged
property, larceny, defraud, assault and battery, jumping board bills, embezzlement, profane language
investigations, reckless driving, forgery, cruelty, false pretense, rape, abandonment, window peeping,
uttering and publishing, bastardy, alimony, gross indecency, violating prohibition law, attempted murder,
contributing to the delinquency of minors, unlawful cohabitation, drunk driving, negligent homicide arrests
for other departments, felonious assault and insanity.
Until Prohibition was repealed in 1933 there were numerous raids on bootleggers. There were two armed bank robberies in Vernon. One robber who was apprehended was a member of the Purple Gang of Detroit and until sentenced and transported to a larger facility, there was a bit of suspense around the jailhouse.
At that time there was no sophisticated communication. The turnkey answered the telephone which was number 1307. When calls in the in the middle of the night, he would contact my father on his bedroom extension by ringing a buzzer.
The jail housing the prisoners, sheriffs office and residence were under one roof. The turnkey had a room next to the office.
My mother, the matron, was responsible for preparing the 'inmates meals. Most of the time she had some wonderful live-in help but there were times when she did it all. The turnkey was responsible for getting the food trays to the cells, along with many other duties.
1883 Jail on left
The jail residence was a wonderful building. Records indicate it was built in 1883. A very large building itself, but dwarfed by the courthouse. It's exterior was dark red brick. The interior ceilings were high, the windows were tall and the floors and woodwork had their natural finish. The front entrance of the residence opened to a long hallway and stairway to the second floor bedrooms. There were four large bedrooms, with the only bathroom being located off the landing on the second floor.
On the first floor were two living rooms, south off the hallway; dining room north off the hallway and a very large kitchen east off the dining room. From the kitchen there was access to the first floor cells (bull pen) and office.
A second front door on the north side (on left side of jail in photo) of the jail led directly to the sheriff office. Jail cells were also located on the second floor over the office and first floor jail cells.
At the close dad's last term in office the family moved back to the home in Corunna, which they had purchased when he became Under-Sheriff. He worked for a time for the State Liquor Control Commission and then went back to farming; this time in Hazelton Township, where he was successful in raising sheep along with the usual crops - beans, wheat, oats, corn, hay, etc. My father passed away February 22, 1972, age 83 years, 8 months, 15 days. He had not been well for a few years prior to his sudden death. He was alert to the last.
He did have a good productive life, one of hard work, until his retirement from farming.