Josiah Poorboy

United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service — Washington, DC

Felonious

End of Watch December 8, 1891

The Vigil Panel 11 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 312

Incident

Special Deputy Marshal Poorboy and Deputy Marshal Thomas Whitehead were shot and killed by three men who were hired to kill them by the daughter of a Cherokee Nation judge. The woman's lover had been charged with adultery and was arrested, but had escaped custody. The marshals were watching the home in case the man returned there. The woman hired three outlaws to murder the lawmen to protect her lover. When the outlaws arrived at the home they called to the lawmen to come out and then shot them with rifles when they exited the home. All three suspects fled the scene. One of them was later shot and killed and the other two apprehended. One the captured suspects testified against the other one, who was sentenced to death but later had the sentence reduced to 1 year in the federal prison in Columbus, Ohio.

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Last updated: August 2, 2026

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Tributes

135 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Special Deputy Marshal Poorboy served with the United States Department of Justice.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Department United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service

Type Federal Agency

Location Washington, DC

Platform Identity usms.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 8, 1891

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Rifle

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Josiah is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,117 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

Compare against

Time

In 1891, 62 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 121st heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States

When

December holds 9.4% of these deaths in the United States, more than any other month. Tuesdays: 13.4%.

By month

By day of the week

III

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was rifle, in 5.9% of these deaths.

Every cause

Weapons recorded