Sheriff James C. Burns

James C. Burns was born on September 18, 1849, in Linden, Missouri. The Burns family migrated to Utah in 1850 and eventually settled in Sanpete County. James Burns was elected sheriff of Sanpete County.

In 1894 sheep rancher Scott Bruno contacted Sheriff Burns and requested assistance in recovering some of his sheep that had been rustled. On September 26, 1894, Sheriff Burns, Scott Bruno and two other unidentified persons went to the sheep corrals located at the top of Reeder Canyon. At the corrals Sheriff Burns noticed Moen Kofford and James Mickel (Peterson) with some sheep that belonged to Bruno. Sheriff Burns ordered the sheep to be turned over. Kofford and Mickel did not comply. Sheriff Burns attempted to arrest Kofford. Kofford went for his pistol. Sheriff Burns attempted to gain controll of the gun. Kofford was able to free the pistol and shot Sheriff Burns in the jaw. Sheriff Burns released his hold on Kofford. Kofford then jumped back and fired again at Sheriff Burns. Mickel then grabbed his rifle and also fired several shots at the sheriff. It was estimated that Sheriff Burns was shot 8-9 times. After the shooting, Scott and the two other persons left the scene. The body of Sheriff Burns was recovered a short time later and was taken to a sawmill and then off the mountain to Mount Pleasant were he was buried. Sheriff Burns left behind a wife and five children.

To this day, Sheriff Burns is the only officer from the Sanpete County Sheriff’s Office killed in the line of duty.

Despite a reward of $500 for Moen Kofford and $250 for James Mickel, neither were ever located. It was suspected that after the murder of Sheriff Burns, Kofford and Mickel left for the Robbers Roost area near Hanksville and eventually left the State of Utah.

Sheriff Burns left behind a son, James M. Burns who became a deputy for the Sanpete County Sheriff’s Office and would eventually work as the town marshal for Castle Gate in Carbon County. On June 16, 1925, Marshal Burns was making his night rounds and noticed Robert Marshall on a bridge holding a brown paper bag. Inside of the brown bag, Robert had a concealed handgun.. Robert took out the hidden pistol and shot Marshall Burns. Robert fled the scene and was later apprehended. Marshal Burns died 24 hours later. Robert was taken to Price where a mob took possession of him and hanged him.

To this day Sheriff James C. Burns and his son Marshal James M. Burns are the only father and son to be killed in the line of duty in the State of Utah.

The text above is from a historic marker on Skyline Drive at the Reeder Ridge Historical Kiosk.

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