Jessie Garfield First Sheriff of Golden Valley County
Ruth Lane Garfield, Second Sheriff of Golden Valley County
Sheriff Jesse Garfield was the first Sheriff of Golden Valley County. He was only 37 and had only been the Sheriff for 6 months when he was called to investigate a complaint on December 6th 1920 on a rancher by the man's neighbor. As Sheriff Garfield knocked on the door the rancher opened fire with a shotgun, seriously wounding him. Sheriff Garfield attempted to drive back to town, but his patrol car's gas tank was also struck by the shotgun blast and his car ran out of gas. He was able to make it back to town after getting help from a railroad work crew. He succumbed to his wounds in a Billings County hospital two weeks later. His wife Ruth was appointed Sheriff to complete his un-expired term.