For 130 years, the grave of LIttle Rock Chief of Police George A. Counts, who died in 1884 at the age of 35, has not been marked. Thanks to his great-grandson Jim Counts, current Little Rock Chief of Police Stuart Thomas, and the Little Rock Police Department, that has been remedied. The Little Rock Police Department will dedicate the marker on Friday, March 28th at 2:00 P. M. The public is invited.
There is an interesting story behind the story. Counts was nominated for the position of Chief of Police by Isaac Taylor Gillam, a former slave. Gillam had been a jailer and a LIttle Rock policeman as well.
Chief Counts contracted tuberculosis in 1883 and had to resign his position. He died in 1884. According to our records he would have been a very young man of 29 years old when he was elected Chief of Police.
Chief Counts was the grandfather of Hollywood actress Eleanor Counts, whose grave at Mount Holly was marked last year by the Downtown Dames.
UALR Public Radio (KUAR) covered the story, as did the Washington Times.