Mane had U.S. Marshals even before it became a state.
From a letter to U.S. Senators Edward M. Kennedy and John F. Kerry, on their request, from the U.S. General Accounting Office in 2003:
The U.S. Marshal Service was created by the first Congress in the Judiciary Act of 1789. U.S. Marshals were placed in each federal judicial district and were given broad authority to support the federal courts and to carry out all lawful orders issued by judges, Congress, and the President. Early duties of U.S. Marshals included taking the census, distributing presidential proclamations, protecting the borders, and making arrests.
Beginning in the late nineteenth century, some responsibilities of U.S. Marshals were transferred to newly created federal agencies, including the U.S. Census Bureau, Immigration and Naturalization Service, and Federal Bureau of Investigation. Today, the primary responsibilities of U.S. Marshals include protecting federal judges and witnesses, transporting federal prisoners, apprehending federal fugitives, and managing assets seized from criminal enterprises.
The process used to appoint U.S. Marshals to the federal judicial districts has not changed since the founding of the USMS. The President, with the advice and consent of the Senate, appoints U.S. Marshals for a 4-year term.
. . . custom dictates that the President generally nominates an individual recommended by the Senator(s) from the state in which the vacancy is being filled if they are from the same party as the President. If neither Senator is from the same party, the President normally defers to the recommendations of party leaders from the state.
Federal law does not require specific qualifications for individuals to be appointed U.S. Marshals. However, the USMS has developed written qualification guidelines for the position of U.S. Marshal and provides them to interested persons. These guidelines include significant experience in the administration of justice, including experience in law enforcement at a supervisory level, and college-level training.
“The District of Maine was established on September 24, 1789, although Maine was not admitted as a state until March 15, 1820. The following is a listing of Marshals for the District of Maine.” (See: U.S. Marshal Service. District of Maine. below)
| Marshal | Date | Context |
| Dearbourn, Henry | September 26, 1789 (S) | Original Appointment |
| Hobby, John | April 19,1793 (R) December 30, 1793 (S) January 12, 1798 (S) |
Dearbourn (Resigned) |
| Parker, Isaac | March 05, 1799 (R) December 10, 1799 (S) |
|
| Thornton, Thomas G. | December 21, 1803 (S) January 08, 1807 (S) January 10, 1811 (S) December 10, 1814 (S) December 09, 1818 (S) December 20, l822 (S) |
Parker (Term Expired) |
| Green, Benjamin | May 26, 1824 (S) January 09, 1828 (S) |
Thornton (Deceased) |
| Smith, Albert | April 05, 1830 (S) April 24, 1834 (S) |
Green (Removed) |
| Parks, Gorham | April 05, 1838 (S) | Smith (Term Expired) |
| Kinsman, John D. | April 12,1841 (R) July 22, 1841 (S) |
Parks (Removed) |
| Parris, Virgil D. | October 03, 1844 (R) January 15, 1845 (S) |
Kinsman (Removed) |
| McIntyre, Rufus | January 03, 1849 (S) | Parris (Term Expired) |
| Paine, William | April 25, 1850 (S) | |
| Stanley, George W. | April 01, 1853 (S) | Paine (Removed) |
| Kimball, William K. | April 02, 1857 (R) May 15, 1858 (S) |
Stanley (Term Expired) |
| Clark, Charles | April 18, 1861 (R) July 22, 1861 (S) January 15, 1866 (S) |
Kimball (Removed) |
| Marble, Sebastian S. | January 24, 1870 (S) January 14, 1874 (S) |
Clark (Term Expired) |
| Murray, Benjamin | March 06, 1878 (S) | Marble (Term Expired) |
| Bisbee, George D. | February 20, 1882 (S) | Murray (Term Expired) |
| Harmon , Charles B. | February 23, 1886 (S) | Bisbee (Term Expired) |
| Saunders, Hutson B. | February 21, 1890 (S) | Harmon (Term Expired) |
| Donovan, John B. | February 20, 1894 (S) | Saunders (Term Expired) |
| Saunders, Hutson B. | February 07, 1898 (S) March 03, 1902 (S) |
Donovan (Term Expired) |
| Mayo, Henry W. | June 24, 1903 (R) November 17, 1903 (C) December 10, 1907 (C) December 19, 1911 (C) |
Saunders (Resigned) |
| Wilson, John S.P.H. | May 19, 1914 (C) July 06, 1918 (C) |
Mayo (Resigned) |
| Woodman, Stillman E. | July 19, 1921 (C) December 15, 1925 (C) December 18, 1929 (C) |
Wilson (Resigned) |
| Smith, Burton | June 30, 1933 (C.A.) | Woodman (Resigned) |
| Piper, Kingsbury B. | February 03, 1934 (C) | Smith (C.A.) |
| Smith, Burton | January 16, 1935 (C.A.) | Piper (Deceased) |
| Utterback, John G. | February 23, 1935 (C) May 23, 1939 (C) June 25, 1942 (C.A.) |
Smith (C.A.) |
| Curran, Thomas N. | June 29, 1944 (C) February 01, 1949 (C) |
Utterback (Resigned) |
| Pinkham, Harry W. | August 05, 1953 (C) August 28, 1957(C) |
Curran (Resigned) |
| Walsh, Adam J. | June 28, 1961 (C) July 16, 1965 (C) |
Pinkham (Retired) |
| de Winter, John H. | September 10, 1969 (C) November 20, 1973 (C) |
Walsh (Term Expired) |
| Pooler, Charles J. | April 25, 1975 (C.A.) February 26, 1976 (C) |
de Winter (Retired) |
| Dutremble, Richard D. | October 20, 1977 (C) | Pooler (Term Expired) |
| Jordan, Emery R. | October 01, 1981 (C) April 14, 1986 (C) |
Dutremble (Term Expired) |
| Cooper, John | January 27, l990 (A.G.) | Jordan (Resigned) |
| Gilbert, Laurent F. | March 11, 1994 (C) | Cooper (Resigned) |
| Viles, David D. | February 20, 2002 (C) | Gilbert (Resigned) |
| March, Noel C. | December 23, 2009 | Viles (Resigned) |
The following translation of abbreviations applies to the list:
“R” – Recess appointment date
“S” – Senate Confirmation date (used from 1789-1903)
“C” – Commission date (used from 1903 to present)
“C.A.” – Court Appointment date
“A.G.” – Attorney General appointment date
Additional resources
U.S. General Accounting Office. “Subject: Appointment and Qualifications of U.S. Marshals.” Washington, D.C. April 2, 2003. http://www.gao.gov/assets/100/91786.pdf (accessed December 9, 2013)
U.S. Marshal Service. District of Maine. “History.” http://www.usmarshals.gov/district/me/general/history.htm (accessed December 9, 1013)