Roll of Honor
James N. Hamilton
Incident
Location: Arkansas Weapon: Handgun Offender: Lynched by mob
Deputy Collector James Hamilton was shot and killed in his home on a farm near Harrison, Marion County, Arkansas, in an act of revenge.
Two years earlier Deputy Collector Hamilton had raided an illegal still in Johnson County, but the operator of the still escaped and remained in hiding. Prior to murdering Deputy Collector Hamilton, the man appeared at his farm and applied to be a farmhand under an assumed name. Deputy Collector Hamilton, who was running for sheriff of Marion County, hired him. The man worked on the farm for several days. On October 18th, 1886, the man sneaked into Deputy Collector Hamilton's home at around midnight and shot him in the head as he slept.
The man fled but was captured by a mob of citizens and admitted his true identity and motive in murdering him. As the mob prepared to lynch him they were interrupted by another group of citizens and the man was able to escape again. He was captured again the following day and put in jail. On November 11th, 1886, another mob of citizens removed him from jail and lynched him.
Deputy Collector Hamilton had served with the Department of the Treasury for four years and had served two terms as sheriff of Searcy County, Arkansas.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and three children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-FED-ADB6A5C0- 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 James. 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
140 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Deputy Collector Hamilton gave the United States Department of the Treasury 8 years.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Deputy Collector James N. Hamilton 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 DC, 754 of 1,419 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.1% of this state's fallen. That is 1.1 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.
At United States Department of the Treasury - Office of Internal Revenue, 25 of 27 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 92.6% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. James N. Hamilton's cause is highlighted.
How James N. Hamilton Compares
Offender Outcome
Lynched by mob
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. James N. Hamilton is highlighted in Oct.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. James N. Hamilton was killed by handgun.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
26 officers from United States Department of the Treasury - Office of Internal Revenue are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
