Cornelius Sage

Yuma County Sheriff's Office — Yuma, AZ

Felonious

End of Watch May 3, 1865

Age 35

Tour of Duty 8 mo

The Vigil Panel 3 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 5

Incident

Sheriff Cornelius Sage and two associates were shot and killed when ambushed by Yavapai Apache tribe members at Willow Springs. The three were en route from La Paz, Arizona, to Prescott, Arizona, on official business when the ambush took place.

He was previously the constable of Castle Dome from September 30th, 1864, until he became the Yuma County sheriff on January 1st, 1865. The Apaches ambushed and killed Sheriff Sage, eleven men, and four soldiers in Arizona in 1865.

Sheriff Sage was survived by his parents, three brothers, and a sister. He was preceded in death by one sister.

Survivors

Sheriff Sage was survived by his parents, three brothers, and a sister.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-AZ-8EF26285
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.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Cornelius. Claim this record.

This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.

Tributes

161 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Sheriff Sage served with the Yuma County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Yuma community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Department Yuma County Sheriff's Office

Location Yuma, AZ

Platform Identity ycso.yuma.az.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 3, 1865

Tour of Duty 8 mo

Age 35

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Cause Detail Gunfire

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Sheriff Cornelius Sage 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 AZ, 204 of 330 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 61.8% of this state's fallen. That is 7.6 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Yuma County Sheriff's Office, 5 of 6 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 83.3% of this agency's fallen.

Yuma County Sheriff's Office

of 6 officers

83.3% Felonious

AZ — Statewide

204

of 330 officers

61.8% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious