George W. Swank
Agency patch
Posseman

George W. Swank

Nueces County Sheriff's Office — Corpus Christi, TX
Veteran → Felonious
End of Watch March 26, 1875
Age 33
Tour of Duty
The Vigil Panel 5 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Posseman George Swank was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a gang of bandits terrorizing the area.

The sheriff deputized a group of men to arrest a group of bandits who were raiding cattle, robbing ranches, stealing horses, taking citizens hostage, setting fires, and terrorizing Nueces County. Posseman Swank and three other posse members found the group camping in a brush. As they approached, a gunfight ensued and Posseman Swank was shot and killed.

All the bandits fled except for one. He was captured, taken into Nuecestown (current day Corpus Christie), and hung.

Posseman Swank was a Civil War Union Soldier and had served one day with the Nueces County Sheriff's Office.

Survivors

He was survived by his parents and siblings.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-TX-6C7C7053
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Posseman Swank served with the Nueces County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Corpus Christi community. Thank you for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Type Sheriff's Office
Location Corpus Christi, Nueces County, TX
Platform Identity ncso.nueces.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 26, 1875
Tour of Duty
Age 33
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Military Service

George W. Swank served in the the United States military before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Posseman George W. Swank 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 97,759 officers honored here.

In TX, 1,460 of 2,421 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 Nueces County Sheriff's Office, 7 of 9 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 77.8% of this agency's fallen.

Nueces County Sheriff's Office
7
of 9 officers
77.8% Felonious
TX — Statewide
1,460
of 2,421 officers
60.3% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,759 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. George W. Swank's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How George W. Swank Compares

Age at Death
33
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
0
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. George W. Swank is highlighted in Mar.

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. George W. Swank 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

Military Service

George W. Swank served in the United States military before joining law enforcement.

Visit George W. Swank’s page on salute.nw →

His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.