Franklin A. Loyd

Sheriff Franklin Aubrey Loyd died on March 21, 1937, after he went to the Littlefield train station to arrest a drunk man who was holding a gun near a crowd. He told the man to drop it and was shot. His deputy returned fire and made the arrest. The gunman was convicted of murder, sentenced to death and executed on March 15, 1938, a few days short of a year after the shooting. Loyd's name is on the Texas Peace Officers Memorial.

What the plaque says

Franklin A. Loyd Born in Montague County. Taking office as sheriff in 1935, he served with honor until mortally wounded in line of duty. His widow, Mrs. Grace Owen Loyd, served remainder of term. He was father of 8 children. Recorded, 1968

Where it stands

Worth the stop nearby

• Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge — 24 mi
  The oldest national wildlife refuge in Texas, a ring of salt lakes in the sandhills south of Muleshoe where tens of thousands of sandhill cranes winter in a wet year.

More markers nearby

• Replica of XIT's Giant Windmill — 1.8 mi
• In Memory of George W. Littlefield — 1.9 mi
• Town of Amherst — 5.9 mi
• Comanchero Trail — 7.7 mi