Created by Act of May 15, 1821, Monroe County, an original county containing all of Pike and parts of Bibb, Butts and Lamar Counties, was ceded by the Creek Indians in early 1821. Laid out by the Lottery Act, it was rapidly occupied by large numbers of small landowners. The county was named for James Monroe, President of the U.S. (1817-1825) . First officers, commissioned Apr. 1, 1822 were: John Cureton, Sheriff; Wilkins Hunt, Clk. Sup. Ct.; Isaac Welch, Clk. Inf. Ct.; John Tomlinson, Coroner; James Holloway, Surveyor. James Whatley became Surveyor and Henry Jourdan, Coroner, on Sept. 17, 1822.
