William Herrin

William Herrin served in the U.S. Army as a military police officer, K-9 Narcotics Investigator at the tender age of nineteen. The day after leaving the Army, William joined the Orange County Sheriff’s Department and served 33 years in patrol, SWAT, public relations, and as an Airport Watch Commander for the last six years of his career. Extending his 33 years, he served another four years with the Sheriff’s Department, as a level 1 reserve with the Critical Infrastructure Unit of the Orange County Intelligence Assessment Center. His dissatisfaction with the posture of the John Wayne Airport security prompted him to author the book, ‘Airport Warnings: An Airport Policeman Speaks.’

After retiring, William Herrin wanted to teach his granddaughters the value of sharing and what God says is the real meaning of being beautiful, so he wrote an illustrated children’s book called ‘The Peacock and the Bear’ that presented God’s values in a fun and artistic way.

William moved to Cottontown, Tennessee, and while acquainting himself with the beautiful rural farmland dotted with homes and ranches, he discovered a unique and historical community. During this time, he saw Cottontown’s stories and history fading like the sands of time. He decided to capture Cottontown today, and its wonderful history. After a year of photographing Cottontown’s 44 square miles and interviewing many of the residents, he completed the book Cottontown, Tennessee, capturing its people, culture, and history with an eye toward the future.