Roll of Honor

Prev Next

Deputy Sheriff

Charles Mayes

Dawson County Sheriff's Office — Lexington, NE

Felonious

End of Watch June 17, 1876

Age 36

The Vigil Panel 5 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice

Incident

Deputy Sheriff Charles Mayes was shot and killed while serving a writ of ejectment on a farmer approximately five miles south of Lexington.

The person named on the writ opened fire, killing Deputy Mayes. Two men who had accompanied the deputy subdued the suspect and took him to jail.

Later that night a mob of angry citizens took the prisoner from the jail and hung him from the second floor railing of the courthouse.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-NE-9282DC9C
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: September 9, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Charles. Claim this record.

This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.

Tributes

150 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Deputy Sheriff Mayes served with the Dawson County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Lexington community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Dawson County Sheriff's Office

Type Sheriff's Office

Location Lexington, Dawson County, NE

Platform Identity dcso.dawson.ne.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 17, 1876

Age 36

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Cause Detail Gunfire

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Deputy Sheriff Charles Mayes 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 NE, 97 of 151 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 64.2% of this state's fallen. That is 64.2 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

Dawson County Sheriff's Office

of 1 officers

100% Felonious

NE — Statewide

of 151 officers

64.2% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,772 officers

0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Charles Mayes's cause is highlighted.

Felonious

1 (0%)

Accident

1 (0%)

Illness

1 (0%)

Cardiac

1 (0%)

Undetermined

1 (0%)

Suicide

1 (0%)

How Charles Mayes Compares

Age at Death

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Charles Mayes is highlighted in Jun.

Jan

1,392

Feb

1,295

Mar

1,373

Apr

1,516

May

1,504

Jun

1,442

Jul

1,587

Aug

1,517

Sep

1,491

Oct

1,371

Nov

1,447

Dec

1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Charles Mayes was killed by gun; unknown type.

Handgun

3,684

Gun

3,592

Gun; Unknown type

1,492

Shotgun

1,109

Rifle

935

Officer's handgun

909

Others Who Wore This Badge

0 officers from Dawson County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.