Roll of Honor
Incident
Deputy Sheriff Edward Faust, with a posse that included Henry Gonzalvo Woods, and others, went to the homestead of John Kerlick in DeWitt County, near Yorktown. The posse was sent there to arrest Christopher Kerlick for the stabbing death of Thomas Lockhart in Harris County, which had occurred on September 24, 1869.
When the posse reached the homestead, they were told the wanted person was not there. There are several different accounts as to what started the shooting, but the newspaper accounts stated the posse searched the house and as they were leaving, they were fired upon. The shooting left Deputy Sheriff Edward Faust and Posseman Henry Woods dead and at least one other person wounded.
The next day the Sheriff, with a posse, went back to the Kerlick house and arrested Christopher and William F. Kerlick, and started back to Clinton under guard. The two young men allegedly attempted to escape, and were shot by the guard and both killed. The ironic twist is that Christopher Kerlick was no-billed by the Harris County Grand Jury two days before shooting, but this information was unknown to the lawmen. This communication failure cost the lives of 4 men.
Edward Faust was reported to have been 30 years old and a native of Germany. His place of burial has not been located. It is unknown if he had any surviving family members.
Henry Woods was 53 years of age and a former Captain in the Confederate Army. He was survived by his wife. He was buried in the Woods Cemetery in Yorktown, Dewitt County.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-TX-3013D8B4- 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 Woods gave the Dewitt County Sheriff's Office 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the Cuero 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
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Henry Gonzalvo Woods served in the the United States military before joining law enforcement.
Posseman Henry Gonzalvo Woods 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 Dewitt County Sheriff's Office, 3 of 3 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. Henry Gonzalvo Woods's cause is highlighted.
How Henry Gonzalvo Woods Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Henry Gonzalvo Woods is highlighted in Oct.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Henry Gonzalvo Woods was killed by unknown weapon.
Military Service
Henry Gonzalvo Woods served in the United States military before joining law enforcement.
Visit Henry Gonzalvo Woods’s page on salute.nw →
His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.
Others Who Wore This Badge
2 officers from Dewitt County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
