Roll of Honor
Incident
During this time period, many Texas counties operated “poor farms” and "convict farms" which were correctional facilities where the inmates were required to work off their fines or debts. The armed guards were employed by the county, and not the sheriff. Ellis County operated a poor farm from 1883 until the early 1960’s.
Guard Charlie D. Cain was employed at the Ellis County Poor Farm. In the late afternoon he was returning with the convicts who had been working in the fields all day. Cain stepped on a trough that had been used for feeding or watering stock, and it turned or he stumbled. He was carrying his shotgun by his side and apparently struck the hammer some way. The shotgun discharged, the load passing through his right hand and entering just beneath the right jaw bone, ranging upward. He died in two to three hours. The newspaper reported he was a young man of good standing in the community and was the brother-in-law of the manager of the poor farm.
Cain was born on February 28, 1869 and was 22 years of age at the time of his death. He was buried in the Waxahachie City Cemetery.
Charles, On today, the 130th anniversary of your death I would just like to say thank you for your service and sacrifice for the citizens Ellis County. There is no tougher job in Law Enforcement than that of a Corrections Officer.
R.I.P. USBP
Anonymous United States Border Patrol July 9th, 2021
In Our Keeping
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BO-US-TX-79275F8C- 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
135 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Guard Cain served with the Ellis County Poor Farm.
Thank you for your service to the Waxahachie community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Guard Charlie D. Cain is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In TX, 653 of 2,421 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 27% of this state's fallen. That is 4 percentage points below the national rate of 31%.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Charlie D. Cain's cause is highlighted.
How Charlie D. Cain Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Charlie D. Cain is highlighted in Jul.