Roll of Honor
Incident
The sheriff organized a posse to arrest a desperado named Sandy Robinson. Robinson was found hiding in a cabin on the Bannerman plantation on the Trinity River in Leon County. One of the posse members, James W. Lathrop, entered the door of the cabin and Robinson shot and killed him. Robinson grabbed Lathrop’s weapon and fled. Robinson was later arrested and placed in the county jail. The sheriff got wind of a lynching and summoned a guard of ten or more men to stay at the jail. Only about six men and the sheriff were present when the masked mob of 75-100 men on horseback arrived at 1:00 a.m. on February 3rd. The sheriff begged the men not to take the prisoner out, but they overpowered him, and took his keys. The sheriff succeeded in drawing his pistol, which fired off in the scuffle. No one was injured. There were about ten prisoners in the jail at the time but none of them were molested. The mob took Robinson from the jail and hanged him near the graveyard.
Lathrop was survived by his wife and at least a daughter and a step-son. His place of burial is unknown at this time.
Survivors
Lathrop was survived by his wife and at least a daughter and a step-son.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-TX-464BF4AE- 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
142 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Posseman Lathrop served with the Houston County Sheriff's Department.
Thank you for your service to the Crockett community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Posseman James W. Lathrop 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 Houston County Sheriff's Department, 2 of 3 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 66.7% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. James W. Lathrop's cause is highlighted.
How James W. Lathrop Compares
Offender Outcome
Lynched
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. James W. Lathrop is highlighted in Jan.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. James W. Lathrop was killed by unknown weapon.
Others Who Wore This Badge
2 officers from Houston County Sheriff's Department are honored on badge.nw.
