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Thomas Jefferson Goff
Agency patch
Private

Thomas Jefferson Goff

Texas Rangers — Austin, TX
Felonious
United States flag Texas flag
End of Watch September 14, 1905
Age 34
Tour of Duty 12 yrs
The Vigil Panel 20 ›
Gender Male
Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 121

Incident

Private Tom Goff was shot and killed while escorting a prisoner to the Texas Ranger's camp in Brewster County.

Private Goff had arrested the subject for creating a disturbance in a saloon in Terlingua, which is located in the Big Bend area of Brewster County. There was no jail in the town so Private Goff, who was on horseback, lead the prisoner up a steep mountainside back to the ranger camp. The prisoner started down a different trail and the Private Goff tried to move his horse in front of him. The horse fell on Private Goff, which allowed the prisoner to grab the ranger's Winchester rifle from its scabbard.

The man opened fire, but missed with the first shot. Private Goff rose to his feet and reached for his pistol. The man fired a second shot which struck him in the spinal column. Private Goff rolled down the mountainside. He was later rescued but died approximately 24 hours later. The subject escaped into Mexico and was never prosecuted.

Private Goff had served with the Texas Rangers Company C for 12 years. He was buried in the Throckmorton Cemetery in Throckmorton County.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and two children.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026
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August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

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

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

Agency

Department Texas Rangers
Type Other
Location Austin, Travis County, TX
Platform Identity tr.travis.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 14, 1905
Tour of Duty 12 yrs
Age 34
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Officer's rifle

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Thomas 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
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1905, 81 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 82nd heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Thomas was 34. 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. Thomas had served 12 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

September holds 9.1% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Thursdays: 14%.

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 officer's rifle, in 0% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Texas Rangers has at least 120 officers remembered here, Thomas among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Private Thomas Jefferson Goff

Texas Rangers · End of Watch September 14, 1905

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 23-E

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