Amid a jovial atmosphere at the Adams County Courthouse Thursday morning, county officials were sworn into office.

More than 100 people gathered in the Chancery Courtroom on the second floor of the courthouse to witness the installation of 19 officials into office. Only four are new to their offices.

The new county supervisor from District 5, Lynwood Easterling, was the first official sworn in.

Chancery Judge George M. Ward, who swore in supervisors and said he knows Easterling personally, had a special message for him.

&uot;The people elected you because they believe you are a fair and level-headed person,&uot; Ward said. &uot;But just remember that in time these same people will second guess you and criticize your decisions.&uot;

Chancery Judge Kennie Middleton also had advice for Easterling following the swearing in of all five supervisors.

&uot;I’ll give you the short version of what Judge Ward said,&uot; Middleton quipped. &uot;Whatever a chancery judge asks of you – give it to him,&uot; he said to rounds of laughter from the courtroom gallery composed of friends and relatives of the elected officials.

Other new county officials taking their positions for the first time were new Circuit Clerk M.L. &uot;Binkey&uot; Vines Jr. and Coroner James Lee. Returning officials sworn in Thursday included: Tommy Ferrell, Jr. as sheriff, Tommy O’Beirne as chancery clerk, Reynolds Atkins as tax assessor, Vernona Sanders as tax collector, Ronnie Harper as district attorney, Sammy Cauthen as district 1 supervisor, Virginia Salmon as District 2 supervisor, Thomas &uot;Boo&uot; Campbell as District 3 supervisor, Darryl Grennell as District 4 supervisor, Mary Lee Davis Toles as justice court judge for the north district, Danny Barber as justice court judge for the southeast district, Charles L. Vess as justice court judge for the south district, Ray Brown as constable for the north district, Danny Rollins as constable for the southeast district and Ronnie Wells as constable for the south district.

Rosie Newman was sworn in as deputy coroner at the end of the program, and Barret Martin did not attend the ceremony to be sworn in as county attorney.