Our Story
“Stars Over Texas”©™ and “Stars Over Tennessee”© are the culmination of a decades-long journey that started when Ronnie and Lynn Erwin purchased a rare antique Texas sheriff’s badge. Setting forth on a quest to unravel the narrative behind their newfound historical gem, they further immersed themselves in a lifelong passion for Western and Southern history.
As Tennessee natives and Texas transplants, the Erwins embarked on the research adventure of a lifetime: one that would take them to every county in both home states, even using archival records to “visit” defunct counties lost to history. The couple immersed themselves in state and county archives, libraries, and local history to uncover the historical facts – some nearly lost to history — to paint a complete picture of County Sheriffs and leadership across the two states. Their mission: to pay tribute to the sheriffs who dedicated their lives to protecting their communities. A special recognition and honor is provided for those Sheriffs who made the Ultimate Sacrifice
The project transformed into a pair of all-encompassing reference books filled with artifacts, anecdotes, and portraits of sheriffs throughout history, as well as the counties they served.
Today, the Erwins’ Stars over Texas and Stars Over Tennessee books are sought after by libraries, genealogy archives, law enforcement headquarters, county and state museums, history and genealogy buffs, antique dealers, and the descendants of sheriffs across both states.
The Erwins’ journey was a true labor of love, culminating in a robust collection of more than a thousand historic badges, and a comprehensive printed portrayal of law enforcement in Tennessee and Texas. Sadly, Lynn passed away before she could see the book projects to completion, leaving Ronnie with the God-led determination to complete the work. The “Stars Over” projects became not just a tribute to sheriffs but a memorial to Ronnie’s late wife, who set the vision and shared the dream. These books are a testament to the couple’s passion, dedication, and promise fulfilled.
