Ware County was created from a portion of Appling County by an act of December 25, 1824, and was named for United States Senator Nicholas Ware. Early in 1825, an Inferior Court was created with Justices William Smith, Solomon Hall, John L. Stewart Jr., Philemon Bryan, and Absalom Thomas. The first county officers elected in 1826 were William G. Henderson as sheriff, Joseph Bryan as Superior Court Clerk, Zachariah Davis as surveyor, and Joshua Sharpe as coroner. Philemon Bryan was the first State Senator, and John L. Stewart was the first representative.