Roll of Honor
Incident
Deputy Henry Owen was shot and killed near Cleveland by a man he was attempting to arrest for disturbing the peace. When the suspect was captured a short time later it was discovered that he was wanted for shooting and wounding another Rowan County deputy in 1891.
The suspect was convicted of first degree murder and hanged on July 25, 1895. This was the last public hanging in Rowan County. More than 15,000 people attended.
Deputy Owen was survived by his wife. He was a Civil War Veteran, having served with the North Carolina 6th Regiment, Company G, until he was captured at Rappahannock Station, Virginia, in November of 1863.
Survivors
Deputy Owen was survived by his wife.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-NC-6674D1C6- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
131 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Deputy Sheriff Owen served with the Rowan County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Salisbury community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Deputy Sheriff Henry C. Owen is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In NC, 385 of 664 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 58% of this state's fallen. That is 3.8 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
At Rowan County Sheriff's Office, 3 of 8 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 37.5% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Henry C. Owen's cause is highlighted.
How Henry C. Owen Compares
Offender Outcome
Executed in 1895
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Henry C. Owen is highlighted in Feb.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Henry C. Owen was killed by shotgun.
Others Who Wore This Badge
7 officers from Rowan County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
