United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service, U.S. Government
End of Watch: Wednesday, October 28, 1891
Age: 38
Tour of Duty: 4 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: October 28, 1891
Weapon Used: Rifle; .45 caliber
Suspect Info: Captured and later escaped
Deputy Marshal George Thornton was shot and killed in the Sac and Fox Nation while trying to arrest two men on warrants, one for horse theft and another for murder.
Marshal Thornton and a posse man went to the house of the horse thief and didn't locate them. They then went to search the house of another outlaw. As they approached the house, they were fired upon. They were fired upon from three locations and returned fire at every opportunity. Marshal Thornton was hit, told his partner "I'm sick," fired one more shot, and fell over dead.
The horse thief was captured two days short of a year afterward but later escaped.
At the time of the organization of the Oklahoma Territory, he was a leading candidate for the appointment of United States Marshal. He had previously served in New Mexico and Texas.
Marshal Thornton was survived by his father and brother. He was buried in Peoria, Illinois.