Memorial Day has Historic Jacksonville, Inc. thinking about others who have sacrificed their lives for the public good. Did you know that August Singler was the first Oregon sheriff and the first (and to date only) Jackson County sheriff to be killed in the line of duty?
Shortly after being elected sheriff in November 1912, Singler, his wife Rose, and their brood of 8 had moved into the sheriff’s quarters at the corner of East 6th and D streets in Jacksonville behind the 1883 Jackson County courthouse. Prior to Singler’s election, he had gained a reputation as a dedicated constable who did his duty no matter what. He had introduced the art of fingerprinting to Jackson County and had been the first lawman in the area to use bloodhounds. His exploits were often reported in the local newspapers.
On April 22, 1913, Singler was serving a warrant on a man name Lester Jones who was hiding out in a rural cabin about a mile south of Jacksonville. Jones had been accused of theft a year earlier but had escaped after disarming the town marshal who tried to arrest him. When Singler opened the cabin door, Jones shot the sheriff in the chest. A second bullet smashed Singler’s right hand. Although right-handed and mortally wounded, Singler switched hands and shot Jones six times, killing him. Surgeons tried to save Singler, but the shot proved fatal. Singler died the next morning. He was 36 years old.
On April 25, Medford stopped all commerce for Singler’s funeral. The procession from the church to the IOOF/Eastwood Cemetery was over 12 blocks long.
Singler may be gone, but he has not been forgotten. In 1993, Medford dedicated the August D. Singler Memorial Plaza between the Jackson County Justice Building and the county jail. One hundred years after Singler’s death, U.S. Rep. Greg Walden recognized Singler’s service and sacrifice with an entry in the “Congressional Record.”