Private

Joseph Benjamin Buchanan

Texas Rangers — Austin, TX
Felonious
End of Watch December 26, 1921
Age 31
Tour of Duty 9 mo
The Vigil Panel 42 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Joe Buchanan was appointed as a Special Ranger in December 1917 for some unspecified period of time. On March 1, 1921, he was appointed as a Regular Ranger in Company A and stationed in Presidio County.

Around midnight on Sunday night, December 25, Private Buchanan was at a Mexican baile (dance) in the mining town of Polvo. Two strange men entered the dance. Private Buchanan approached the men and asked for identification. The men drew pistols and Private Buchanan drew his pistol. He was shot in the right shoulder and was unable to use his gun hand any further. The men shot Buchanan nines times, killing him instantly. The murderers fled into Mexico and were never captured.

Private Joe Buchanan was 31 years old and married. He was buried in the Marfa Cemetery in Presidio County.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026
Last updated
September 9, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Private Buchanan served with the Texas Rangers.
Thank you for your service to the Austin community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Private Buchanan.

— 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 December 26, 1921
Tour of Duty 9 mo
Age 31
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Handgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Joseph 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.

  1. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1921, 248 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, more than in any other year.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Joseph was 31. 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. Joseph had served 0.7 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

December holds 9.4% of these deaths in the United States, more than any other month. Mondays: 13.8%.

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 handgun, in 23.4% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

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

Across the years

Private Joseph Benjamin Buchanan

Texas Rangers · End of Watch December 26, 1921

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 54-E

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