Roll of Honor
Incident
On September 1, 1883, J. W. Woods enlisted as a private in Company B under the command of Captain John H. Rogers. Pay records show Woods still enlisted in Company B as late as February 29, 1884.
On January 1, 1893, Captain John H. Rogers formed Company E and recruited J. W. Woods. Rogers’ biography reported that Woods was promoted to corporal in March 1893, but ranger pay rolls indicate he was a private during this enlistment.
In the summer of 1893, the sheriff of Menard County requested assistance from the Texas Rangers with cattle thefts. Captain Rogers assigned Woods to work undercover and Woods went to work at a local ranch. In July of 1893, Woods simply vanished. His body was never recovered and no one was ever prosecuted for what the Texas Rangers determined was a murder. On November 30, 1893, the Texas Rangers declared him dead since no one had collected his pay check since July.
No personal information is known about J. W. Woods at this time.
Pvt. Woods, On today, the 130th anniversary of your death I would just like to say thank you for your service and sacrifice for the citizens of the state of Texas.
R.I.P. USBP
Anonymous United States Border Patrol November 30th, 2023
In Our Keeping
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BO-US-TX-2E271CFC- Stewardship
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- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
133 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Private Woods 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 J. W. Woods 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. J. W. Woods's cause is highlighted.
How J. W. Woods Compares
Offender Outcome
Never identified
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. J. W. Woods is highlighted in Nov.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. J. W. Woods 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.
