John Cleophus Ford
Agency patch
Guard

John Cleophus Ford

Accident
End of Watch October 4, 1937
Age 36
Tour of Duty 9 yrs
The Vigil Panel 73 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Guard Johnnie Ford drowned while searching for two escaped prisoners in Sugarland, Texas.

At approximately 2:45 p.m., Guard Ford had taken a squad of convicts to cut wood near the Brazos River about seven miles from the prison farm. Two of the prisoners fled into the woods and river bottoms. Guard Ford and several other guards pursued the convicts. The officers were on horseback and located a spot on the river where they thought the prisoners had crossed. Guard Ford started across the river when his horse floundered, and he fell into the river. Ford went under, came to the surface, and disappeared. The horse went on across the river. The other guards dragged the river and later recovered his body.

Guard Ford had served with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for approximately nine years, assigned to the Central State Prison Farm.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
neuraspine_01krbxtnnc1pvphr85td7cq8vg
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 John. 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.
Guard Ford gave the Texas Department of Criminal Justice 9 years.
Thank you for your service to the Huntsville community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Guard Ford.

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

Agency

Type Corrections
Location Huntsville, Walker County, TX
Platform Identity tdcjcidcorr.walker.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 4, 1937
Tour of Duty 9 yrs
Age 36
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

The Sacrifice · Accident

John is one of 8,275 officers lost to accidents in the United States, 30% of the 27,551 remembered there.

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

  1. See the roll
  2. See the roll
Compare against
I

Time

In 1937, 95 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 10th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

John was 36. Of the 7,718 lost to accidents in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 29 and 46; the middle age was 36. John had served 9 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

October holds 9.1% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.5%. Mondays: 13.4%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Accident deaths account for 30% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the 2nd most common cause.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

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

Across the years
VI

Where

Guard John Cleophus Ford

Texas Department of Criminal Justice - Correctional Institutions Division · End of Watch October 4, 1937

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 31-E

↑