Van Zandt was created in 1848 from Henderson County and was named for Isaac Van Zandt, who served as a member of Congress of the Republic of Texas in 1840-41, and was sent as our diplomatic agent to the United States by President Houston. The county was organized in 1848 with Jordan's Saline as the county seat from 1848 - 1850, followed by Canton. Known as "The Free State of Van Zandt" the county encompasses 859.5 square miles. The following is a complete list of the Sheriff's of Van Zandt County since 1848.

• Peter S. Benton was elected the first Sheriff on August 7, 1848 and served until August 2,1850.
• B.W. Anderson was apparently elected on August 5, 1850 and served until January 1851.
• C.P. Parker was shown as Sheriff at the January 28, 1851 Commissioner's Court meeting. There is no mention of him being appointed or elected so he may have been acting Sheriff at that particular meeting only.
• L. J. Soesby was appointed Sheriff as his bond was approved on February 11,1851. He probably served until August 2, 1852.
• B. S. Beason was elected August 2, 1852 and served until December 1853.
• R. W. Parker is shown as Sheriff at the December 24, 1853 Commissioner's Court meeting and then through the August 21, 1854 meeting.
• James Bates was elected August 7, 1854 and served until sometime in April 1855.
• R. C. Tankersly was apparently appointed as his bond was approved and the oath of office given on April 19,1855.
• William P Burnett was appointed Sheriff on May 3rd, 1856 and served until August 3, 1856. He then became a County Commissioner.
• Calvin B. Graham was elected August 4, 1856; re-elected August 2, 1858 and served until August 6, 1860.
• Robert Doyal was elected August 6, 1860 and served until sometime in April 1861. He also served Van Zandt County as a Deputy, County Surveyor and County Clerk.
• J. R. C. Henderson Chief Justice of Van Zandt County served as Sheriff pro-tem at the May 20, 1861 Commissioner's Court meeting.
• J. R. O'Quinn was appointed on May 23, 1861 and had his bond approved on June 5, 1861. He apparently served until August 4, 1862.
• J. M. Burns is shown as Sheriff pro-tem at the June 3, 1861 Commissioner's Court meeting. He apparently served until Sheriff O'Quinn's bond was approved.
• James Marion Youngblood was elected on August 4,1862 and served until August 1, 1864.
• James A. Clark was elected on August 1, 1864 and served until August 28, 1865.
• Henry C. Manning was appointed on August 28, 1865 by Governor A. J. Hamilton and served until June 25, 1866.
• J. White Wood was elected on June 25, 1866 and served until November 1, 1867.
• Ed Perry Moore was appointed on November 1, 1867 by General J. J. Reynolds' Special Order #195 but failed to qualify.
• Joseph S. Meeks was appointed on February 27, 1868 by General Hancock's Special Order #44 and served until February 27, 1869.
• Louis H. Schubert was appointed on February 27, 1869 by General Canbys' Special Order #48 and served until July 1869 when he resigned.
• William T. Buchanan was appointed on July 10, 1869 by General J.J. Reynolds' Special Order #162 and served until September 13, 1869 when he was removed by General J.J. Reynolds' Special Order #215.
• S. Y. Carter was appointed on September 13, 1869 by General J.J. Reynolds' Special Order #215 and served until January 6, 1870 when his resignation was accepted by General J.J. Reynolds' Special Order #4.
• Thomas J. Towles was elected on December 3, 1869 but failed to qualify. He was appointed January 6, 1870 by General J.J. Reynolds' Special Order #4 and served until January 1871.
• D. L. Riley was elected on January 6, 1871 and served until November 8, 1872.
• James E. Parker was elected on November 8, 1872 and served until February 15, 1876.
• Richard Wells was elected on February 15, 1876 and served until November 5, 1878.
• J.T. Hamm was elected on November 5, 1878; re-elected November 2, 1880 and served until August 14, 1882 when he resigned.
• J. W. Clowers was appointed on August 15, 1882 and served until November 7, 1882.
• W. D. Thompson was elected on November 7, 1882 and served until November 4, 1884. He later served as Van Zandt County Clerk.
• W. L. Brazelton was elected on November 4, 1884 and served until January 14, 1885 when he died.
• W. Meredith was appointed on January 14, 1885 and served until November 2, 1886.
• H. F. Blackwell was elected on November 2, 1886; re-elected November 6, 1888, November 4, 1890, November 8, 1892, and served until November 6, 1894.
• T.B. Vickery was elected on November 6, 1894 and served until November 3, 1896.
• C.B. Graham was elected on November 3, 1896 and served until November 8, 1898.
• Cicero Rusk was elected on November 8 1898; re-elected November 6 1900 and served until November 4, 1902.
• John W. Howard was elected on November 4, 1902; re-elected November 8, 1904 and served until November 6, 1906.
• J.W. Gentry was elected on November 6, 1906; re-elected November 3, 1908 and served until November 8, 1910.
• John R. Kellis was elected on November 8, 1910; re-elected November 5, 1912, November 3, 1914, and served until November 7, 1916.
• J.A. Carpenter was elected on November 7, 1916; re-elected November 5, 1918 and served until November 2, 1920.
• Ollie Osborn was elected on November 2, 1920; re-elected November 7, 1922 and served until January 1, 1925.
• George T. Stagner was elected on November 4, 1924 and served until January 1, 1927.
• Ollie Osborn was elected a second time on November 2, 1926 and served until January 1, 1928.
• W.P. Nixon was elected on November 6, 1928; re-elected November 4, 1930 and served until January 1, 1933.
• Ira Burnett was elected on November 8, 1932 and served until killed in the line of duty in an automobile accident on April 26, 1934.
• Ethel (Mrs. Ira) Burnett was appointed on April 30, 1934 and served until January 1, 1935. Mrs. Burnett was the first woman to serve as Sheriff in Van Zandt County.
• Ike Allred was elected on November 6, 1934 and served until January 1, 1937.
• James L. Wilson was elected November 3, 1936 and served until January 1 1939.
• Cecil D. "Cotton" Johnson was elected on November 8, 1938; re-elected November 5, 1940 and served until January 1, 1943.
• Russell Galloway was elected on November 3, 1942 and served until November 15, 1943 when he was drafted into the U.S. Army during World War II.
• Romelda (Mrs. Russell) Galloway was appointed on November 15, 1943 and served until January 1, 1945.
• Clyde Elliott was elected on November 7, 1944; re-elected November 5, 1946, November 2, 1948, November 7, 1950, and served until January 1 1953.
• James Forrest Sides was elected on November 4, 1952; re-elected November 2, 1954 and served until January 1, 1957.
• J.W. Burnett was elected on November 6, 1956; re-elected November 8, 1960 and served until January 1, 1965.
• B.W. Ward was elected November 3, 1964; re-elected November 5, 1968, November 7, 1972 and served until January 1, 1977.
• Travis Schafer was elected on November 2, 1976; re-elected November 4, 1980, November 6, 1984 and served until January 1, 1989.
• Pat Jordan was elected on November 8, 1988; re-elected on November 3, 1992 and served until he resigned on May 8, 1995.
• Truman Price was appointed on May 22, 1995 and served until he resigned on August 21, 1996.
• Bill Dean was appointed on August 21, 1996 effective August 31, 1996 and served until he resigned on November 25, 1996.
• Jeryl Cockerham was elected on November 5, 1996 and was appointed on December 2, 1996, took his elected Office on January 1, 1997 and served until he resigned on November 24, 1997.
• Bill Dean was again appointed November 24, 1997, was elected on November 3, 1998, and served until his death in Office on April 3, 2000.
• Kathy Jackson was appointed on April 7, 2000 and served until she resigned on November 14, 2000.
• R.P. "Pat" Burnett Jr. was elected on November 7, 2000 was appointed on November 16, 2000 and took his elected Office on January 1, 2001 and he continues to serve the Citizens of Van Zandt County.