John Burt McAdams
Agency patch
Deputy Constable

John Burt McAdams

Felonious
End of Watch February 20, 1909
Age 43
The Vigil Panel 23 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Deputy Constable John McAdams was shot and killed outside of Anderson, South Carolina, while responding to a disturbance in the Orr Mill employee village.

One of the mill workers had become drunk and was firing his gun in the village. Deputy Constable McAdams was speaking to the man in an attempt to calm him when the man suddenly shot him.

The subject was arrested a short time later by two other mill employees. The man was convicted of first-degree murder on May 22nd, 1909.

Deputy Constable McAdams had been appointed as a deputy constable by the Anderson County Sheriff to keep order at the mill. Deputy Constable McAdams also served as a Deputy United States Marshal with the United States Marshals Service.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-SC-E6F1A108
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 never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Deputy Constable McAdams served with the Anderson County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Anderson community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Constable McAdams.

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

Agency

Type Sheriff's Office
Location Anderson, Anderson County, SC
Platform Identity acso.anderson.sc.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 20, 1909
Age 43
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Deputy Constable John Burt McAdams 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 SC, 272 of 441 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 61.7% of this state's fallen. That is 61.7 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Anderson County Sheriff's Office, 5 of 9 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 55.6% of this agency's fallen.

Anderson County Sheriff's Office
5
of 9 officers
55.6% Felonious
SC — Statewide
272
of 441 officers
61.7% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. John Burt McAdams's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How John Burt McAdams Compares

Age at Death
43
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. John Burt McAdams is highlighted in Feb.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,516
May
1,504
Jun
1,442
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,517
Sep
1,491
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths.

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

Incident Location