Granville A. Hayden
Agency patch
Deputy Sheriff

Granville A. Hayden

Felonious
End of Watch April 28, 1873
Age 36
The Vigil Panel 4 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Deputy Hayden and Deputy William Hubbard were killed by a subject they had apprehended. The deputies had tracked the suspect through the wilderness of Aroostook County until they captured him late in the day at a camp near Mapleton. The deputies decided to secure their prisoner at a nearby sawmill and get a good night's sleep before making the long hike back to the county seat. Sometime during the night, the prisoner was able to get loose. He obtained an axe and killed both deputies. Two other deputized civilians with the group were able to escape and raise an alarm. A posse was formed and located the suspect at his home the following morning. As the suspect was being taken to jail by a constable and jailer, a group of 50 masked citizens seized him and hung him from a tree. Deputy Hayden was survived by his wife and two children. He was predeceased by one child. He is buried in Fairmount Cemetery, Pesque, Maine.

Survivors

Deputy Hayden was survived by his wife and two children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-ME-DA03DAB5
Stewardship
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Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

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

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

Agency

Type Sheriff's Office
Location Houlton, Aroostook County, ME
Platform Identity acso.aroostook.me.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 28, 1873
Age 36
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Edged weapon

Deputy Sheriff Granville A. Hayden is one of 17,558 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 53.9% of all 32,585 officers honored here.

In ME, 43 of 102 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 42.2% of this state's fallen. That is 11.7 percentage points below the national rate of 53.9%.

At Aroostook County Sheriff's Office, 4 of 5 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 80% of this agency's fallen.

Aroostook County Sheriff's Office
4
of 5 officers
80% Felonious
ME — Statewide
43
of 102 officers
42.2% Felonious
Nationwide
17,558
of 32,585 officers
53.9% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Granville A. Hayden's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
17,558 (53.9%)
Accident
10,094 (31%)
Illness
3,037 (9.3%)
Cardiac
1,306 (4%)
Undetermined
334 (1%)
Suicide
256 (0.8%)

How Granville A. Hayden Compares

Age at End of Watch
36
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Granville A. Hayden is highlighted in Apr.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,516
May
1,504
Jun
1,442
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,516
Sep
1,491
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Granville A. Hayden was killed by edged weapon.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909