Prev Next
Major Joe Crowson
Agency patch
Prison Guard

Major Joe Crowson

Texas Department of Criminal Justice - Correctional Institutions Division — Huntsville, TX
Felonious
United States flag Texas flag
End of Watch January 27, 1934
Age 33
The Vigil Panel 67 ›
Gender Male
Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 123

Incident

Prison Guard Major Crowson succumbed to gunshot wounds sustained 11 days earlier during an escape attempt at the Eastham Unit Unit. He was shot by members of the Bonnie and Clyde Gang as several members of the gang were making a prison escape. Bonnie and Clyde had smuggled weapons inside and were waiting outside with machine guns during the escape. As Guard Crowson rode up on a horse he was shot and wounded. The two prison escapees were executed for the murder approximately one year later. Guard Crowson is buried in Evergreen Cemetery, Lovelady, Houston County, Texas. The Bonnie and Clyde Gang was responsible for the murder of law enforcement officers in four states - Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas - between 1932 and 1934. Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow started their criminal career by robbing banks and quickly became notorious murderers wanted for the murders of nine law enforcement officers. The two criminals were finally shot and killed in Louisiana when they were ambushed by a task force of Texas and Louisiana officers.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
neuraspine_01krbxtms8jzzgjendad5yd7e8
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Major. Claim this record.

This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.

Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Prison Guard Crowson served with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
Thank you for your service to the Huntsville community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Prison Guard Crowson.

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

Agency

Department Texas Department of Criminal Justice - Correctional Institutions Division
Type Corrections
Location Huntsville, Walker County, TX
Platform Identity tdcjcidcorr.walker.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 27, 1934
Age 33
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Rifle

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Major 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.

  3. See the roll
  4. See the roll
Compare against
I

Time

In 1934, 178 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 16th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Major was 33. Of the 14,220 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

January holds 8% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Saturdays: 16.3%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

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
V

His people

Texas Department of Criminal Justice - Correctional Institutions Division has at least 120 officers remembered here, Major among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Prison Guard Major Joe Crowson

Texas Department of Criminal Justice - Correctional Institutions Division · End of Watch January 27, 1934

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 47-W

↑