Roll of Honor
Incident
Incident Date: Friday, November 10, 1916 Weapon: Gun; Unknown type Offender: Shot and wounded
Deputy Sheriff Lem Nolan was shot and killed near the mouth of Buffalo Creek, near Hazard, Kentucky, while attempting to arrest two men for illegal shooting.
One of the men opened fire on Deputy Nolan, mortally wounding him. Despite his wounds, Deputy Nolan returned fire and wounded the man. The subject Deputy Nolan shot was arrested by a posse near the headwaters of Eagle Branch.
Deputy Nolan was survived by his wife.
Survivors
Deputy Nolan was survived by his wife.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-KY-DBA26768- 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
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Deputy Sheriff Nolan served with the Perry County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Hazard community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Nolan.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Deputy Sheriff Lem Nolan 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 KY, 755 of 983 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 76.8% of this state's fallen. That is 22.6 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
At Perry County Sheriff's Office, 19 of 19 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. Lem Nolan's cause is highlighted.
How Lem Nolan Compares
Offender Outcome
Shot and wounded
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Lem Nolan is highlighted in Oct.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Lem Nolan was killed by gun; unknown type.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
18 officers from Perry County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
