Guard John Cleophus (Johnnie) Ford
Texas Department of Criminal Justice
Texas
End of Watch: Monday, October 4, 1937

Biographical Info
Age: 36
Tour of Duty: 9 years
Badge Number: Not available

Incident Details
Cause of Death: Drowned
Date of Incident: Monday, October 4, 1937
Weapon Used: Not available
Suspect Info: Not available

Guard Ford drowned while searching for two escaped prisoners.

At approximately 1445 hours Guard Ford, who was a guard at the Central State Farm in Sugar Land, Fort Bend County, had taken a squad of convicts to cut wood near the Brazos River about seven miles from the prison farm. Two convicts escaped 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 Guards dragged the river and later recovered his body.

Guard Ford had been served with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for approximately nine years. He was survived by his wife.

He is buried in the Rayburn Cemetery in Madisonville, Madison County next to a daughter who died at birth in 1920.