Roll of Honor
Incident
Sheriff John N. McKinley arrested Joseph Pierce with a warrant charging Pierce with assault with intent to commit murder. Sheriff McKinley placed Pierce in the log jail house at Old Canton, in southeast Smith County. Threats were made by relatives and friends of Pierce to rescue him from the custody of the sheriff. The sheriff assembled a posse to guard the jail. During the attack on the jail a shootout and fight with knives and an axe resulted in the death of Deputy Sheriffs David Neil and James Holden. Sheriff McKinley and Posseman Thomas Brock were wounded. A bystander was killed when a bullet went though a door. Among the attackers, Robert Pierce and Isaac Moore were shot and killed, and Peter Crawford was severely wounded but escaped. Robert Pierce was reportedly the attacker who killed the two deputy sheriffs.
Peter Crawford was charged with the murder of Deputy Sheriff Neil and Joseph Pierce was charged with the assault with intent to kill Sheriff McKinley. The records also show that from 1852 to 1857, numerous unsuccessful attempts were made to locate and arrest Peter Crawford and Joseph Pierce.
David Neil was survived by his wife and two children. No cemetery records for the burial location have been located.
Survivors
David Neil was survived by his wife and two children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-TX-309F0FCF- 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.
Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew David. Claim this record.
This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.
Tributes
175 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Deputy Sheriff Neil gave the Smith County Sheriff's Office 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the Tyler community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Deputy Sheriff David Neil 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 Smith County Sheriff's Office, 5 of 8 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 62.5% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. David Neil's cause is highlighted.
How David Neil Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. David Neil is highlighted in Sep.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. David Neil was killed by unknown weapon.
Others Who Wore This Badge
7 officers from Smith County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
