Founders Council

The founders council is made up of members of  the founding families in Mystic Falls, dating back to 1864. On the surface they organise community events and run the founders day celebrations but behind closed doors they are known as ‘The secret council”, protecting the town against vampires.

The original 1864 council consisted of , Giuseppe Salvatore, Johnathan Gilbert, Sheriff William Forbes, and Barnette Lockwood. They attempted to wipe out the vampires when they planned to burn them in the church, during the battle of willow creek. The vampires who weren’t burnt were trapped in a tomb, sealed with a spell. Giuseppe was Damon and Stefan’s father, he was suspicious of Stefan’s doubt about capturing all the vampires, so he spiked his drinks with vervain, catching Katherine when she bit him.

The present day founders council members are Mayor Lockwood, Mrs. Lockwood, Sheriff Forbes, Logan Fell, Zach Salvatore, John Gilbert, Grayson Gilbert, and Miranda Sommers Gilbert. When ‘animal attacks’ became more frequent they became sure that vampires were back in Mystic Falls, the attacks were blamed on animals to give the town a slightly less frightening explanation. They relied on the old journals of the members of the 1864 council to find the best methods of catching and killing the vampires. Sheriff Forbes explained their problem to Damon, not knowing he was a vampire himself and asked him to be the new head of council. Sheriff Forbes, Carol Lockwood  and Damon are the only surviving members at the end of season 1, the rest were killed apart from John who left town on Stefan’s command.