Roll of Honor
Incident
Former Sheriff A. L. Board was assassinated in 1913 by the brother of a man the sheriff and a deputy killed during a lawful arrest in 1901.
On August 18th, 1901, Arnold Bruce and another man were camped on Wagner Creek in Throckmorton County just over the county line from Baylor County. Bruce was acting irrational and several people went to Seymour in Baylor County for the sheriff. Sheriff Board and a deputy responded back to the area to investigate. The two men were standing while their horses drank from the creek. The lawmen ordered them to surrender and consider themselves under arrest. Bruce ran to a wagon and reached for a gun. Again, he was commanded to surrender, but ignoring the command, he started to raise his gun when the deputy shot and killed him.
On October 21st, 1913, the man's brother arrived in Seymour on the morning train. The man went to the second floor of the First National Bank, where former Sheriff A. L. Board worked selling real estate, and shot him six times, killing him instantly. The man ran down the steps and opened fire on Baylor County Sheriff W. L. Ellis. In the ensuing shootout, the subject was shot two times and killed and the sheriff was seriously wounded. Bruce had a letter on his body addressed to his wife and children to have the people of Seymour ship his body back to Ranger. Although the sheriff survived this shooting incident, on August 6th, 1916, he was shot and killed in the line of duty by a prisoner.
Sheriff Board was survived by his wife and two children. He was buried in the Seymour Cemetery in an unmarked grave. He had served as sheriff from 1884 through 1888 and again from 1900 through 1902.
Survivors
Sheriff Board was survived by his wife and two children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-TX-C94A9C95- Stewardship
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- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Sheriff Board gave the Baylor County Sheriff's Office 8 years.
Thank you for your service to the Seymour community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sheriff Board.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Sheriff Abner Leonard Board is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.
In TX, 1,461 of 2,422 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.3% of this state's fallen. That is 60.3 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Baylor County Sheriff's Office, 2 of 2 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Abner Leonard Board's cause is highlighted.
How Abner Leonard Board Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Abner Leonard Board is highlighted in Oct.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Abner Leonard Board was killed by handgun; .38 caliber.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
1 officer from Baylor County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
