The office of county coroner was established under the territorial government in 1788, and on April 15, 1803, an act was passed making it elective and describing the duties thereof. By subsequent acts the duties were changed and more fully defined. The coroner, in case of the resignation or death of the sheriff, becomes the occupant of that office during the unexpired term, and the sheriff holds the same official relations toward the coroner's office. It has fallen to the lot of the coroner of Madison county to fill the office of sheriff no less than four times in the history of the county. Since the organization of the county this office has been filled by the following men: 1810-13, John Timmons; 1814-16, John Blair; 1817, J. K. DeLashmutt; 1818-19, Amos G. Thompson; 1820, M. H. Alkire; 1821-24, Henry Warner; 1825-27, Josiah James; 1828, John Graham; 1829-34, E. T. Hazell; 1835-48, David Dunkin; 1849-50, George W. Lohr; 1851-52, Samuel P. Davidson; 1853, Toland Jones; 1854-55, David Dunkin; 1856-59, Calvin Newcomb; 1860-61, Andrew L. Brown; 1862-63, Francis M. Chapman; 1864-65, Abraham Zombro; 1866-67, George Harding; 1868-69, Francis M. Chapman; 1870, Owen Thomas; 1871-72, A. V. Chrisman; 1873, Andrew L. Brown; 1874-75, Francis M. Chapman; 1876-83, A. V. Chrisman; Timothy Haley, appointed November 5, 1883, (resigned); L. H. Miller, appointed May 20, 1885, to fill unexpired term, but resigned August 23, 1887; D. L. Fox, appointed August 23, 1887, and served until 1890; J. M. Bunch (colored), January, 1890, until he resigned, October 6, 1890; Daniel L. Fox, appointed October 7, 1890, and served by appointment and subsequent election until January, 1896; Edward H. Parks, 1896-99; W. H. Carl, 1899-1909; H. W. Christopher, 1909-13; W. E. Lukens, 1913-15. (Lukens was elected in the fall of 1914, but failed to qualify for the second term, and consequently the county was without a coroner from the first Monday in January, 1915, until James Baber was appointed by the county commissioners to the office, on July 12, 1915.)