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William M. Rader
Agency patch
Guard

William M. Rader

Texas Department of Criminal Justice - Correctional Institutions Division — Huntsville, TX
Felonious
United States flag Texas flag
End of Watch July 22, 1926
Age 55
The Vigil Panel 51 ›
Gender Male
Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 123

Incident

Guard Will Rader was shot and killed during a prison escape from Ferguson State Farm in Madison County, Texas.

Two prisoners who had previously escaped returned to the farm in an attempt to free six other inmates. When the two returned, they immediately shot and killed Guard Rader with a shotgun.

Other guards immediately came to the scene and exchanged shots with the suspects. The two prior escapees and the six inmates were able to flee the prison farm. One of the escapees who was recaptured participated in another prison escape on July 27th, 1928, in which Dog Sergeant Henry Ward was shot and killed and two Fort Bend County deputies, including Deputy Sheriff Frank Bell, were wounded.

Deputy Bell would later die in the line of duty in an automobile crash on October 10th, 1930.

The prisoner who participated in both escapes was released on April 5, 1940.

Guard Rader was a widower twice-over and was survived by his five children. He was buried at Midway Cemetery in Midway, Texas.

Survivors

Guard Rader was a widower twice-over and was survived by his five children.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Guard Rader 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, Guard Rader.

— 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 July 22, 1926
Age 55
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Shotgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

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

33,917 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

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Compare against
I

Time

In 1926, 209 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 9th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

William was 55. 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

July holds 9.3% 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 shotgun, in 7% 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, William among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Guard William M. Rader

Texas Department of Criminal Justice - Correctional Institutions Division · End of Watch July 22, 1926

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 22-E

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