Roll of Honor
Incident
Deputy Sheriff Samuel Cronk was robbed and beaten to death approximately one mile south of Cottonville.
He had traveled from Andrew to LaMotte the previous day on official business to serve subpoenas and to collect tax receipts. He stayed overnight in Cottonville and was returning to Andrew the following day when he was murdered. Several children on their way to school the following found his body concealed under timber on the side of the roadway. His pants, which had the tax receipts sewed into them, were missing along with his horse.
Three former soldiers whom Deputy Cronk had served with were arrested and charged with his murder. One of them was convicted in Jackson County and sentenced to death. The other two were acquitted after a change of venue to Clinton County. The convicted subject appealed his conviction after the other two were acquitted. Charges against him were dropped at the beginning of the second trial in October 1869.
Deputy Cronk was a Union Army veteran of the Civil War.
Survivors
He was survived by his sister.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-IA-9E848043- 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 served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Deputy Sheriff Cronk served with the Jackson County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Maquoketa community. Thank you for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Samuel S. Cronk served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Deputy Sheriff Samuel S. Cronk 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%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Samuel S. Cronk's cause is highlighted.
How Samuel S. Cronk Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Samuel S. Cronk is highlighted in Jan.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths.