Kirkland C. Ayers

Whitewright Police Department — Whitewright, TX

Felonious

End of Watch March 2, 1879

Age 29

The Vigil Panel 6 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 3

Incident

At 4:00 p.m., City Marshal Kirkland C. Ayers responded to a disturbance in a store/saloon in Whitesboro. While attempting to arrest two suspects, City Marshal Ayers was hit in the head with a chair. Ayers died from his injuries at 1:00 a.m. the next morning.

Pat Ware, and his brother, Spence, were both charged with the murder of Marshal Ayers. A Grayson County jury acquitted both brothers in April of 1880. Ayers, was survived by his mother who lived in LaGrange, Troup County, Georgia. His body was shipped by express train back to LaGrange for burial.

Pat Ware, and his brother, Spence, were both charged with the murder of Marshal Ayers. A Grayson County jury acquitted both brothers in April of 1880.

Ayers, was survived by his mother who lived in LaGrange, Troup County, Georgia. His body was shipped by express train back to LaGrange for burial.

Survivors

Ayers, was survived by his mother who lived in LaGrange, Troup County, Georgia.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-TX-ADF070C2
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

147 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
City Marshal Ayers served with the Whitesboro Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Whitesboro community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Whitewright Police Department

Location Whitewright, TX

Platform Identity whitpd.grayson.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 2, 1879

Age 29

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Cause Detail Assault

Weapon Blunt object; Chair

Offender suspects acquitted

City Marshal Kirkland C. Ayers 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 Whitewright Police Department, 3 of 4 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 75% of this agency's fallen.

Whitewright Police Department

of 4 officers

75% Felonious

TX — Statewide

1,463

of 2,421 officers

60.4% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious