Roll of Honor
Incident
Dave Anderson arrived in Orange County on a train. Anderson was wanted in Nashville, Tennessee, for the murder of I. B. Buddington, a brakeman on the Louisville and Nashville railway on August 16, 1885. The brakeman had tried to stop Anderson from stealing a ride on the train and Anderson killed him.
Orange County Sheriff J. C. Fennel attempted to arrest Anderson on a murder warrant from Tennessee. No details are given but Anderson shot the sheriff during the arrest attempt. Sheriff Fennel died around 9:30 p.m. on September 25, 1885.
Orange City Marshal Davis gathered a posse and tracked down the killer, and lodged him in the county jail. After dark, a torch-light mob of masked men marched to the jail, and “at the point of 100 cocked revolvers,” forcibly removed the prisoner. He was quickly carried to an oak tree and hanged on First Street, after which the mob quickly dispersed, leaving Anderson’s body “literally riddled with bullets.”
Sheriff J. C. Fennel was buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Orange, Orange County, Texas in an unmarked grave. Burial records indicate Fennel was born on January 29, 1853. He was survived by his wife, Lucy Junker Fennel. Fennel was elected sheriff of Orange County on November 4, 1884. His name has also been reported as Fennell. His first name was either James or Jasper.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, Lucy Junker Fennel.
In Our Keeping
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BO-US-TX-BD2A545B- Stewardship
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- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 tribute.
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Tributes
141 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Sheriff Fennel served with the Orange County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Orange community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Sheriff J. C. Fennel 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 TX, 1,461 of 2,422 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 Orange 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.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. J. C. Fennel's cause is highlighted.
How J. C. Fennel Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. J. C. Fennel is highlighted in Sep.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. J. C. Fennel was killed by unknown weapon.
Others Who Wore This Badge
4 officers from Orange County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
