John B. Campbell

Harrison County Sheriff's Office — Marshall, TX

Felonious

End of Watch January 23, 1841

Tour of Duty 2 mo

The Vigil Panel 1 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 5

Incident

The East Texas Regulator-Moderator War was a feud in Harrison and Shelby counties from 1839 to 1844. The Regulators were organized to “regulate” cattle rustling and crime through vigilante justice. The Moderators were organized to “moderate” the vigilante actions of the Regulators. Campbell was appointed sheriff in late 1840 after the elected sheriff resigned. William Pinckney Rose, known as “Captain Rose,” was the leader of the Regulators. Two of his men, George W. Rembert and Isaac Hughes, organized a posse to capture two thieves, but it was a trap set by Moderators. Rembert was shot and killed and the others fled.

Shortly afterwards, a posse led by Sheriff Campbell found Hughes and ordered him to surrender. Hughes refused and Sheriff Campbell ordered the posse to fire. Hughes was killed in the volley. Hughes’ brother sought revenge and was assisted by Captain Rose. On January 23, 1841, Sheriff Campbell was assassinated in Port Caddo by Hughes’ brother and perhaps Captain Rose. Robert Potter, the leader of the Moderators, had Rose charged with murdering Sheriff Campbell and two other men. The President of the Republic of Texas put a reward of $500 for the arrest and conviction of Rose for murdering Sheriff Campbell while he was in the discharge of his official duties.

Potter formed a posse and attempted to arrest Rose and collect the reward on March 1, 1842. Rose was hidden by his slaves and escaped capture. On March 2, 1842 Captain Rose formed a posse and surrounded Potter’s cabin. Potter decided to attempt to escape across the lake and was shot and killed. Potter’s wife filed charges against Rose and nine posse members, but cases were dismissed in 1843. It is believed that Rose died in 1850.

No other personal information is known about John B. Campbell except that he was a medical doctor and moved to Texas in 1839. His place of burial and family history is unknown.

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Permanent identifier: BO-US-TX-0A6E5D13
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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

185 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Sheriff Campbell served with the Harrison County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Marshall community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Department Harrison County Sheriff's Office

Location Marshall, TX

Platform Identity hcso.harrison.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 23, 1841

Tour of Duty 2 mo

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Unknown weapon

Offender Cases dismissed

Sheriff John B. Campbell 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 TX, 1,463 of 2,421 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.4% of this state's fallen. That is 6.2 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Harrison County Sheriff's Office, 4 of 6 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 66.7% of this agency's fallen.

Harrison County Sheriff's Office

of 6 officers

66.7% Felonious

TX — Statewide

1,463

of 2,421 officers

60.4% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious