Quitman County’s original jail was a wooden structure built in 1859. In 1891 it was replaced with a brick building typical of rural jails constructed during this period in southeast Alabama and southwest Georgia counties. The county commissioners in 1890 - 1891 were J. E. Harris, Dr. P. M. Bledsoe, J. P. Kimble, and W.A. Cumbie; the Judge of Superior Court was James H. Guerry, the Ordinary was M. L. Albritton, the Clerk of Court was G. A. Whitaker, and Quitman County’s first sheriff was Sam Guerry.