Roll of Honor
Incident
Company D of the Texas Rangers under Captain Frank Jones was moved to the Trans Pecos area in far West Texas on May 30, 1890. The Shafter settlement in Presidio County was a mining town and there had been a number of disturbances.
On Monday, August 4, 1890, a fight broke out at a dance at a private residence in Shafter. Ranger Private John F. Gravis was at the dance when a wild gunfight erupted in which several people were killed. Gravis was shot and instantly killed in the shooting. Captain Jones arrived with several rangers and began rounding up suspects. He returned to Marfa with seven men under arrest for murder. Other rangers and a civilian posse brought in another dozen suspects. Rangers later arrested three men fleeing to Mexico. While one newspaper account in September 1890 reported that a man was to be tried at Marfa for the murder of Private Gravis, it is unknown if anyone was ever convicted.
John F. Gravis enlisted in the ranger service on February 24, 1890 and had served for a little more than 5 months when he was killed. The newspaper reported that his body was shipped to his home in Laredo, Webb County, Texas. His place of burial has not been located. There is no information as to whether Gravis was married or had any children.
As a postscript, Ranger Captain Frank Jones would be killed in the line of duty on June 30, 1893 in El Paso County.
Rest in peace always knowing that your service will never, ever be forgotten as no passage of time will ever erase your sacrifice.
Detective Cpl/3 Steven Rizzo Delaware State Police (Retired) August 4th, 2020
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- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
136 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Private Gravis served with the Texas Rangers.
Thank you for your service to the Austin community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Private John F. Gravis 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 Texas Rangers, 104 of 122 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 85.2% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. John F. Gravis's cause is highlighted.
How John F. Gravis Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. John F. Gravis is highlighted in Aug.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. John F. Gravis was killed by unknown weapon.
Others Who Wore This Badge
121 officers from Texas Rangers are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
