Prohibition-Era Sheriff’s Guns Return Home to Belmont County Museum

ST. CLAIRSVILLE -- A piece of Belmont County history is back home and will be on display at the Belmont County Heritage Museum.

A revolver and rifle that had belonged to Prohibition-era sheriff Sam Dunfee were delivered Wednesday by the late sheriff's great-granddaughters.

The Marlin Model 1897 lever-action rifle and Colt Army Special .38-caliber pistol will be showcased in the building where Dunfee once lived, since the museum occupies the former sheriff's residence, located next to the courthouse on Main STreet in ST, Clairsville.

Dunfee was a casualty in the war on bootleg liquor and is the only Belmont County sheriff ever killed in the line of duty. Dunfee served as sheriff from 1923-26. He was gunned down while attempting to make an arrest in Provident, a community once situated north of St. Clairsville that is now part of the city.

Dunfee's wife, May, finished his unexpired term, serving from 1926-1927.

Belmont County Tourism Director Jackee Pugh welcomed the couple's great-granddaughters, Ellen and Luann Hoover, from Columbus.

"It's exciting for the museum because of the history of the sheriff," Pugh said. "The family had reached out to us, and we were more than happy to accommodate and thrilled to have this donation."

The sheriff's descendants were pleased to bring the weapons back to his former home.

"Our parents moved to a smaller home and we were going through all the things," Ellen Hoover said. "We thought the Belmont museum would be the best place for them, obviously."

"He was married and had five children and he lived in this house when he was sheriff," Luann Hoover said.

They added that this was their first visit to the museum and said they were impressed by the work of the tourism council in turning the former residence into a display of the county's communities.

They said they had learned more about the efforts to preserve area history due to the Great Stone Viaduct Historical Education Society's winter lecture series. Dunfee's murder and the subsequent trial were the subject of Belmont County Common Pleas Judge Frank Fregiato's 2021 presentation, "Who shot the sheriff?"

"That was enlightening for us," Ellen Hoover said.

"We feel proud of our great-grandfather and his bravery," Luann Hoover said. "We feel that bringing (the guns) here is bringing them where they belong in the history of this county."

Sheriff David Lucas and Chief Deputy James Zusack were also on hand. The sheriff's office will render the firearms inoperable so they can be safely displayed.

"These two weapons – the revolver and the rifle – will put a really nice touch on the museum and a piece of history of one of our previous sheriffs from the Roaring '20s. It's exciting when you get artifacts from the '20s," Lucas said. "He gave his life in the line of duty."

He thanked the Hoovers and said the museum would continue to feature memorable history of Belmont County.

There were numerous odd occurrences surrounding Dunfee's murder and the accused's trial. No one was ever convicted of Dunfee's death. One rum runner was charged with murder but acquitted when it was determined the bullet that killed Dunfee came from a deputy's revolver.

During the period, there were two fires and most of the newspaper records about the murder were destroyed. One witness also broke his shoulder before the trial began and was unable to testify.

Luann Hoover said the Prohibition era was a tumultuous time.

"Like today, things involving drugs or alcohol, things can be confusing and also money's involved," she said. "When money's involved, things happen."

The museum is located at 101 E. Main St., St. Clairsville. The museum can be contacted at 740-298-7020 and on Facebook.