Roll of Honor
Benjamin Williamson
Incident
In the early morning hours, Guard Riley Williamson took a squad of six convicts out on a work detail at the Butterfield Coal Camp (managed by Texas prison System as a work camp) about 16 miles south of Rusk in Cherokee County. Williamson was found with several bullet wounds to his head. The convicts had fled with his weapon. The convicts released other squads and the convicts secured more weapons from guards and civilians. Walter Freeman, a former guard at the prison who was fired for negligence, furnished firearms to the convicts who killed Williamson. Freeman was charged with the murder of Williamson, and for inciting a riot. He fled but was arrested shortly afterward at Little Rock, Arkansas. He was taken back to Texas where he posted bond and immediately fled the state. He was arrested again on June 30, 1891 near Princeton, Kentucky, and transported back to Texas to face charges. In July 1891, Freeman was convicted of inciting an insurrection and sentenced to six years in prison. On June 27, 1892, Freeman attempted to escape and was shot and seriously wounded by a guard. He was released October 7, 1896.
Virtually nothing is known about Williamson. He was buried in the Arnold Cemetery in Forest in Cherokee County. He had 10 children in the 1880 census.
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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.
Correction Officer Williamson served with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
Thank you for your service to the Huntsville community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Correction Officer Benjamin Williamson 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 Department of Criminal Justice - Correctional Institutions Division, 31 of 124 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 25% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Benjamin Williamson's cause is highlighted.
How Benjamin Williamson Compares
Offender Outcome
sentenced to 6 years in prison
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Benjamin Williamson is highlighted in Jun.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Benjamin Williamson was killed by shotgun.
Others Who Wore This Badge
123 officers from Texas Department of Criminal Justice - Correctional Institutions Division are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
