Roll of Honor
Incident
Sheriff Mathis was shot and killed by a murder suspect that he and his posse were in pursuit of.
A few hours earlier, the suspect had shot and mortally wounded a naval stores operator in his commissary on the Suwanee River. When Sheriff Mathis came upon the suspect, a demand to surrender was met with gunfire. Sheriff Mathis fell mortally wounded but was able to return fire and killed the suspect.
He was my Great Grandfather on my Dad's mothers side of the Mathis family.....killed by a colored man hiding behind a large tree while William was tracking him and shot off his horse in the back........had enough left to get up and kill the other man...... William for some reason got ahead of the posy all on horse back and the posy heard the shooting and arrived minutes later to find both dead 10 feet apart from each other..... Left 9 children with out a father in 1901 and all kids were raised by other families after his wife died of heart failure in 1903..... I would do anything to have his badge.... This story was passed down to me from my father....
Don Welch My Great grandfather March 18th, 2024
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-FL-29AF51E6- Stewardship
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- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Sheriff Mathis gave the Lafayette County Sheriff's Office 13 years.
Thank you for your service to the Mayo community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sheriff Mathis.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Sheriff William B. Mathis 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 97,756 officers honored here.
In FL, 539 of 1,008 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.5% of this state's fallen. That is 53.5 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Lafayette County Sheriff's Office, 2 of 3 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 66.7% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. William B. Mathis's cause is highlighted.
How William B. Mathis Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. William B. Mathis is highlighted in Feb.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. William B. Mathis was killed by gun; unknown type.
Others Who Wore This Badge
2 officers from Lafayette County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
