O. John Hart
Agency patch
Deputy Sheriff

O. John Hart

Felonious
End of Watch May 1, 1865
The Vigil Panel 3 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Deputy Sheriff John Hart was shot and killed as he and the sheriff attempted to arrest two horse thieves.

He and one of the suspects were fatally wounded in the ensuing gun battle, and the county sheriff was wounded.

The surviving suspect fled the scene but was eventually apprehended and sentenced to eight years in prison.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-OR-A41BC09E
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

161 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Deputy Sheriff Hart served with the Umatilla County Sheriff's Department.
Thank you for your service to the Pendleton community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Type Sheriff's Office
Location Pendleton, Umatilla County, OR
Platform Identity ucso.umatilla.or.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 1, 1865
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

Deputy Sheriff O. John Hart 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 OR, 115 of 197 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 58.4% of this state's fallen. That is 58.4 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Umatilla County Sheriff's Department, 2 of 2 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.

Umatilla County Sheriff's Department
2
of 2 officers
100% Felonious
OR — Statewide
115
of 197 officers
58.4% 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. O. John Hart's cause is highlighted.

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

How O. John Hart Compares

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. O. John Hart is highlighted in May.

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. O. John Hart was killed by gun.

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

Others Who Wore This Badge

1 officer from Umatilla County Sheriff's Department are honored on badge.nw.