Roll of Honor
Incident
Sheriff Noah McGinnis was shot and mortally wounded by two notorious train robbers that he and his posse were attempting to arrest near Plainville.
As Sheriff McGinnis and his deputies surrounded their log cabin, gunfire erupted. Sheriff McGinnis was struck in the abdomen with a load of buck-shot, and one of his deputies was seriously wounded. After a lengthy gun battle, one suspect surrendered but the second escaped. Sheriff McGinnis died from his wounds two days later.
The captured suspect, 34, was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison May 27, 1893. On September 2, 1893, he and five others escaped from the Floyd County Jail. He was captured in Fort Smith, Arkansas, on November 4, 1893. His sentence was reduced to 20 years September 5, 1899. He was pardoned by Governor Joseph M. Terrell on January 15, 1903. Over a 15 year period, since Sheriff Mcginnis' murder officials arrested who they thought was the second suspect three times, only to find out they had the wrong man. The two suspects and their gang were responsible for several robberies in Floyd County and surrounding counties.
Sheriff McGinnis was a Civil War veteran, having served with the Georgia Calvary.
In Our Keeping
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BO-US-GA-A47D3161- Stewardship
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- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 tribute.
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Tributes
134 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Sheriff McGinnis served with the Gordon County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Calhoun community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Sheriff Noah H. McGinnis 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 GA, 549 of 905 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.7% of this state's fallen. That is 60.7 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Gordon County Sheriff's Office, 1 of 3 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 33.3% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Noah H. McGinnis's cause is highlighted.
How Noah H. McGinnis Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Noah H. McGinnis is highlighted in Nov.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Noah H. McGinnis was killed by shotgun.
Others Who Wore This Badge
2 officers from Gordon County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
