USDC - District of New Hampshire - United States Marshals

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1. John Parker (1789-1791)
2. Nathaniel Roger (1791-1798)
3. Bradbury Cilley (1798-1802)
4. Michael McClary (1802-1824)
5. Pearson Cogswell (1824-1836)
6. Charles Lane (1836-1841)
7. Israel W. Kelley (1841-1845)
8. Cyrus Barton (1845-1850)
9. Samuel Garfield (1850-1853)
10. Samuel Swasey (1853)
11. Samuel Tilton (1853-1858)
12. Stephen W. Dearborn (1858-1861)
13. Josephy Gilman (1861)
14. Jacob H. Ela (1861-1866)
15. Jocob N. Patterson (1867-1886)
16. Fred A. Barker (1886-1890)
17. Adam T. Pierce (1890-1894)
18. Clark Campbell (1894-1899)
19. Eugene P. Nute (1899-1914)
20. Charles J. O'Neil (1914-1920)
21. William Murchie (1920)
22. Joseph E. LaChance (1920-1921)
23. Thomas B. Donnelly (1921-1923)
24. Perley B. Phillips (1923-1925)
25. Alfred J. Chretien (1925-1934)
26. John M. Guay (1934-1945)
27. Alphone Roy (1945-1953)
28. George A. Colbath (1953-1961)
29. Royal Dion (1961-1963)
30. Paul G. April (1963-1969)
31. Victor Cardosi (1969-1977)
32. Richard Brunelle (1977)
33. Robert E. Raiche (1977-1981)
34. Richard Brunelle (1981)
35. Ronald D. Daniels, Jr. (1981-1988)
36. Donald Waite (1988- ?)
37. Sydney A. Goldberg (?-1990)
38. Robert F. Gilbert (1990-?)

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Office of the United States Marshal

The office of United States Marshal was established by the Judiciary Act of 1789. It was the civilian law enforcement arm of the federal government, and for more than a century, the only nationwide police service. Today, the marshals are thought of almost exclusively as federal court officers. This one aspect of their original mandate stands out as a result of the changes that have taken place in the marshals service over its 200-year history. Those changes took place in four distinct phases.

The first phase concerns the time from the service's inception in 1789 until the Civil War. These were the formative years of the service, when the marshals were asked to perform many varied duties. In addition to law enforcement and courtroom policing, the marshals were asked to handle the national census, the registration of aliens during wartime, the confinement of spies, and United States Customs. In large part, these wide-ranging tasks were the price the marshals had to pay for being the only specialized federal agents established without any restrictions. Marshals prided themselves on two things: the ability to take on any job and the ability to finish any job, often alone. Congress placed few checks upon these marshals beyond placing a time limit upon their office. Each marshal was appointed for a four-year, renewable term, serving at the President's pleasure.

The second phase took place from the Reconstruction until 1900. During this period, the marshals were asked to bring law and order to the American western frontier. It is from this time and place that the stories of United States Marshals, renowned for their heroism, wisdom, and fairness, come to us. In the south, the marshals implemented Reconstruction legislation and litigation. The marshals also rose as the chief adversaries of the moonshiners. The marshals often stood as the sole representatives of the federal government. They were charged with extending the government's authority and protection into local communities. President Washington began the practice of always choosing a well respected resident of each district to be the marshal. This was a way of bridging the gap between the local communities and the federal government. There was a negative side to being the most well-known local representative of the federal government of course. The marshals were frequently the target of dissatisfaction with the federal government's laws and policies. They were taken prisoner in rebellions and uprising such as the Whiskey Rebellion in the eighteenth century. In some instances the force of resistance was the state government. Several marshals throughout history have been arrested by state authorities doing their duty. This form of resistance was used as recently as 1962 when Chief Marshal James J.P. McShane was indicted by the Mississippi courts for inciting a riot on the University of Mississippi-Oxford campus over the enrollment of James Meredith, a black student.

The third phase of the marshals service (1900-1965) was a time of great change. With the rise of the labor movement at the beginning of the century, the marshals were ordered to protect railroads and government properties, often from friends and peers. Throughout this period many specialized federal agencies were created. As the number of the marshals' duties diminished the government attempted to specialize the marshal's office as well. It is from this time that we can date the perception of the marshal as a courtroom functionary, a role that was in fundamental opposition to the character of both the service and the people who belonged to it.

The fourth phase of the marshals service continues today. In these years, the marshals service has begun to re-establish itself and regain lost credibility. The marshals played a prominent role outside the courtroom again, this time during the civil rights movement and peace movements in the late 1960's. They also helped to carry out federal desegregation rulings throughout the country.

The marshals' responsibilities in today's world are far-reaching. They are one of the most active federal agencies, and the least restricted. The marshals are the only generalized federal law enforcement agency. Unlike the many bureaus of the federal government, they are not limited to rigidly structured tasks. As a result, they can accommodate their activities to the changing needs of the federal government and courts. The marshals service has many responsibilities and it performs numerous duties to insure the safety and effectiveness of the federal court system. Among these services are the following: they provide security for the courts and court personnel, jurors and witnesses; they maintain custody and are responsible for the transportation to and from court of federal prisoners; they are responsible for the execution of warrants issued by the US courts, an activity which frequently requires that they conduct investigations to locate and arrest fugitives, including escaped federal prisoners, parole violators and persons wanted for bond default; the marshals service is also responsible for the Witness Protection Program which provides security for federal witnesses and relocates the witness and family if such is required for their safety. The United States Marshal for the District of New Hampshire is Mr. Robert F. Gilbert. Marshal Gilbert heads an office which includes a Chief Deputy Marshal, five Deputy Marshals, and two support administrators.

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