Roll of Honor
Incident
Chief Samuel Taylor succumbed to a gunshot wound sustained two weeks earlier.
Early on the evening of November 12, 1905, an intoxicated man fired three shots through the door of a residence in Barnesboro, slightly wounding an occupant of that residence. Chief Taylor located the suspect at a home nearby, and deputized a citizen to help him arrest the suspect.
At first, the suspect agreed to accompany Chief Taylor and the citizen back to Barnesboro. They had only walked about 100 yards toward town when the suspect pulled a revolver from his boot. He shot Chief Taylor once in the face, then fired four more shots before fleeing.
Chief Taylor was taken to a local doctor who had him taken to a hospital in Philadelphia where he was operated on. At first it seemed as if he would recover from his wound, but his condition worsened and he died on November 27, 1905.
In 1910 local newspapers reported the suspect was still at large. It is not known if he was ever apprehended.
Chief Taylor had served as a police officer in Barnesboro for 2 years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and six daughters.
In Our Keeping
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BO-US-PA-04C6EDD6- Stewardship
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- 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.
Chief of Police Taylor gave the Barnesboro Borough Police Department 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Barnesboro community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Chief of Police Taylor.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Chief of Police Samuel Taylor 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 PA, 597 of 1,261 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 47.3% of this state's fallen. That is 6.9 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Samuel Taylor's cause is highlighted.
How Samuel Taylor Compares
Offender Outcome
At large
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Samuel Taylor is highlighted in Nov.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Samuel Taylor was killed by gun; unknown type.