Roll of Honor

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Town Marshal

James W. Busby

Paton Marshal's Office — Paton, IA

Felonious

End of Watch May 7, 1911

Age 53

The Vigil Panel 25 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice

Incident

Town Marshal James Busby was shot and killed as he attempted to apprehend two men who had blown the safe inside the Paton Post Office minutes earlier.

Marshal Busby and several armed citizens chased the suspects into a nearby schoolhouse. As they ran through the door, one of the suspects turned and shot Marshal Busby as he entered behind them. In a gun battle that followed, the citizens killed one suspect and severely wounded the other.

The wounded suspect was charged with first-degree murder. On November 4th, 1911, he was found guilty of manslaughter after his attorney convinced the jury that his accomplice shot Marshal Busby.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-IA-5286F527
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.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Town Marshal Busby served with the Paton Marshal's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Paton community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Town Marshal Busby.

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

Agency

Department Paton Marshal's Office

Location Paton, IA

Platform Identity pmarshal.greene.ia.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 7, 1911

Age 53

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Cause Detail Gunfire

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Shot and killed

Town Marshal James W. Busby 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 IA, 129 of 226 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 57.1% of this state's fallen. That is 2.9 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

Paton Marshal's Office

of 1 officers

100% Felonious

IA — Statewide

129

of 226 officers

57.1% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. James W. Busby's cause is highlighted.

Felonious

17,623 (54.2%)

Accident

10,088 (31%)

Illness

2,974 (9.1%)

Cardiac

1,306 (4%)

Undetermined

260 (0.8%)

Suicide

256 (0.8%)

vehicular

1 (0%)

How James W. Busby Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Offender Outcome

Shot and killed

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. James W. Busby is highlighted in May.

Jan

1,392

Feb

1,295

Mar

1,373

Apr

1,517

May

1,505

Jun

1,443

Jul

1,587

Aug

1,516

Sep

1,553

Oct

1,371

Nov

1,447

Dec

1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. James W. Busby was killed by gun; unknown type.

Gun; Unknown type

5,083

Handgun

2,077

Shotgun

922

Officer's handgun

909

Automobile; Alcohol involved

530

Rifle

518