Roll of Honor
Incident
Policeman John Matherson succumbed to injuries sustained the previous night when a vehicle struck the three-wheeled motor scooter he was driving in the 900 block of East Lindsay Street in Greensboro.
The crash occurred at about 10:00 pm while Policeman Matherson was on patrol. He initially did not believe he was injured and investigated the crash himself before going home at the end of his shift. Approximately two hours later, he became seriously ill and was taken to L. Richardson Hospital, where it was discovered that he had suffered severe internal injuries when his abdomen struck the scooter's handlebars. He died at approximately noon on March 4, 1959.
Policeman Matherson was a U.S. Army veteran of WWI and a recipient of the Purple Heart. He had served with the North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State College Police Department for 11 years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, son, daughter, three grandchildren, and two sisters.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-NC-51A2C0FE- Stewardship
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- 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.
Policeman Matherson gave the North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University Police Department 11 years.
Thank you for your service to the Greensboro 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
John Angus Matherson served in the U.S. Army before joining law enforcement.
Policeman John Angus Matherson is one of 1 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,759 officers honored here.
In NC, 205 of 664 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 30.9% of this state's fallen. That is 30.9 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. John Angus Matherson's cause is highlighted.
How John Angus Matherson Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. John Angus Matherson is highlighted in Mar.
Incident Location
Military Service
John Angus Matherson served in the U.S. Army before joining law enforcement.
Visit John Angus Matherson’s page on salute.nw →
His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.
Others Who Wore This Badge
0 officers from North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University Police Department are honored on badge.nw.