John Dudley White, Sr.

Texas Rangers — Austin, TX

Felonious

End of Watch July 12, 1918

Age 39

Tour of Duty 12 yrs

The Vigil Panel 34 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 121

Incident

Privates John Dudley White and Walter Rowe went to the home of Bose (or Boze) Williams near White City in San Augustine County to arrest two of his sons who were deserters from the U.S. Army. They searched the house, but the boys were not home. The rangers decided to wait for them on the porch outside the house. About 2 a.m., Rowe heard a noise and then a shot rang out. A second shot struck him in the right thigh and he fell on the porch. White stood and emptied his pistol in the direction of the gun fire. A third shot hit White in the back, killing him instantly. Rowe said he saw one of the sons, Sam Williams, shooting at White. Mrs. Williams, mother of the boys, came out and refused to assist Rowe because she claimed he had come to kill her boys and they needed her. Rowe lay on the ground wounded for seven hours until officers arrived at the scene and transported him to the hospital at Beaumont. Samuel M. Williams and Daniel H. Evans were convicted and sentenced to death. Their sentences were later commuted to life in prison. White had turned 39 years old on June 25. He had been a Texas Ranger off and on from 1907-1911, 1913 and re-enlisted in 1916. In the interim, he was a Houston policeman and U. S. Mounted Customs Inspector on the Mexican border. He was buried in the Masonic Cemetery in the Oak Hill area of Austin in Travis County. He was survived by his wife and three children, one of whom, John Dudley White, Jr., would also serve as a Texas Ranger. White's father served as Travis County sheriff, county judge, Austin mayor and Travis County road commissioner. His three brothers were all Texas Rangers.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and three children, one of whom, John Dudley White, Jr.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-TX-CA233A81
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

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Private White gave the Texas Rangers 12 years.
Thank you for your service to the Austin community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Private White.

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

Agency

Department Texas Rangers

Location Austin, TX

Platform Identity tr.travis.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 12, 1918

Tour of Duty 12 yrs

Age 39

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Sentenced to life in prison

Private John Dudley White, Sr. 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 Rangers, 104 of 122 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 85.2% of this agency's fallen.

Texas Rangers

104

of 122 officers

85.2% Felonious

TX — Statewide

1,463

of 2,421 officers

60.4% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious