Guard

James Monroe Butler

Accident
End of Watch May 25, 1882
Age 29
Tour of Duty 3 yrs
The Vigil Panel 7 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Guard James Butler was struck and killed by a train while supervising a prison work crew working on the Missouri Pacific Railroad tracks in Fort Worth, Texas.

A train engineer operating one of the trains backed an engine up too rapidly, striking several railroad cars, causing them to derail. One of the derailing cars struck Guard Butler, causing major injuries.

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August 2, 2026
Last updated
September 9, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

144 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Guard Butler gave the Texas Department of Criminal Justice 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the Huntsville community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

— 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 May 25, 1882
Tour of Duty 3 yrs
Age 29
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

The Sacrifice · Accident

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

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

  1. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1882, 4 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 145th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

James was 29. 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. James had served 3 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

May holds 8.6% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.5%. Thursdays: 14%.

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, James among them.

Across the years

Guard James Monroe Butler

Texas Department of Criminal Justice - Correctional Institutions Division · End of Watch May 25, 1882

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 54-W

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