Roll of Honor
Incident
Location: North Carolina Weapon: Gun; Unknown type Offender: Arrested
Sheriff Joseph Dawson was shot and killed in Haywood County, North Carolina, while accompanying a posse in a search for illegal stills.
The posse had located a still and had arrested one person. As they headed back to Cocke County in the darkness they stopped to discuss the prisoner. They deputies were illuminated by a lantern when a shot was fired from the woods and struck Sheriff Dawson in the neck.
Two men were arrested and charged with murder.
Sheriff Dawson was murdered approximately 400 yards from where Posseman John Carver, of the United States Department of the Treasury, was slain on January 10th, 1905, while attempting an arrest.
Sheriff Dawson had served with the Cocke County Sheriff's Department for three years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and two children and is buried Campbell Cemetery in Cocke County, Tennessee.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-TN-3D2DB782- 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
127 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Sheriff Dawson gave the Cocke County Sheriff's Office 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the Newport community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Sheriff Joseph S. Dawson 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 TN, 498 of 769 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 64.8% of this state's fallen. That is 10.6 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
At Cocke County Sheriff's Dept., 7 of 9 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 77.8% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Joseph S. Dawson's cause is highlighted.
How Joseph S. Dawson Compares
Offender Outcome
Arrested
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Joseph S. Dawson is highlighted in Apr.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Joseph S. Dawson was killed by gun; unknown type.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
8 officers from Cocke County Sheriff's Dept. are honored on badge.nw.
