Birth town was Mantua, five miles northwest of Anna, bypassed in 1872 by the Houston & Texas Central Railway and deserted since 1888.
Father of Lieut William Larkin Echols, Jr and Keith Echols.
Will Echols was Chief of the Van Alstyne Police Department at the time of his death. Spanning 46 years, often the only law officer in town, he served as Constable, Deputy Sheriff and City Marshall before becoming Chief of Police. He was patrolling the business district, crossing the alley north of Veazey Hardware Co., pursuing three men preparing to rob a bank, when they fatally shot him. Although escaping at the time, they eventually were arrested and sent to prison.
Estimated at 2,500 to 3,000 mourners, many arriving in 432 automobiles, his funeral drew the largest crowd in Van Alstyne history. Driving in from Denton were both the President and the Dean of North Texas State Teachers College where his two sons were students. Also arriving from Denton were his son William Larkin Echols, Jr., the NTST College football coach, 14 teammates and his youngest son, Keith Echols. His father John Thomas Echols and mother Lydia Clemons (Hendricks) Echols preceded him in death.
The death certificate was filed by Van Alstyne Physician William Veazey who lists the place of death as Van Alstyne but according to the obituary, Chief Echols expired at the Wilson N. Jones Hospital in Sherman, Texas.
Suggested addition October 29, 2022
W.L. "Will" Echols is honored on the Texas Peace Officers Memorial, panel 3B-16, at the State Capital, Austin, Texas
Death Certificate
Father of Lieut William Larkin Echols, Jr and Keith Echols.
Will Echols was Chief of the Van Alstyne Police Department at the time of his death. Spanning 46 years, often the only law officer in town, he served as Constable, Deputy Sheriff and City Marshall before becoming Chief of Police. He was patrolling the business district, crossing the alley north of Veazey Hardware Co., pursuing three men preparing to rob a bank, when they fatally shot him. Although escaping at the time, they eventually were arrested and sent to prison.
Estimated at 2,500 to 3,000 mourners, many arriving in 432 automobiles, his funeral drew the largest crowd in Van Alstyne history. Driving in from Denton were both the President and the Dean of North Texas State Teachers College where his two sons were students. Also arriving from Denton were his son William Larkin Echols, Jr., the NTST College football coach, 14 teammates and his youngest son, Keith Echols. His father John Thomas Echols and mother Lydia Clemons (Hendricks) Echols preceded him in death.
The death certificate was filed by Van Alstyne Physician William Veazey who lists the place of death as Van Alstyne but according to the obituary, Chief Echols expired at the Wilson N. Jones Hospital in Sherman, Texas.
Suggested addition October 29, 2022
W.L. "Will" Echols is honored on the Texas Peace Officers Memorial, panel 3B-16, at the State Capital, Austin, Texas
Death Certificate
Birth town was Mantua, five miles northwest of Anna, bypassed in 1872 by the Houston & Texas Central Railway and deserted since 1888.
Father of Lieut William Larkin Echols, Jr and Keith Echols.
Will Echols was Chief of the Van Alstyne Police Department at the time of his death. Spanning 46 years, often the only law officer in town, he served as Constable, Deputy Sheriff and City Marshall before becoming Chief of Police. He was patrolling the business district, crossing the alley north of Veazey Hardware Co., pursuing three men preparing to rob a bank, when they fatally shot him. Although escaping at the time, they eventually were arrested and sent to prison.
Estimated at 2,500 to 3,000 mourners, many arriving in 432 automobiles, his funeral drew the largest crowd in Van Alstyne history. Driving in from Denton were both the President and the Dean of North Texas State Teachers College where his two sons were students. Also arriving from Denton were his son William Larkin Echols, Jr., the NTST College football coach, 14 teammates and his youngest son, Keith Echols. His father John Thomas Echols and mother Lydia Clemons (Hendricks) Echols preceded him in death.
The death certificate was filed by Van Alstyne Physician William Veazey who lists the place of death as Van Alstyne but according to the obituary, Chief Echols expired at the Wilson N. Jones Hospital in Sherman, Texas.
Suggested addition October 29, 2022
W.L. "Will" Echols is honored on the Texas Peace Officers Memorial, panel 3B-16, at the State Capital, Austin, Texas
Death Certificate
Father of Lieut William Larkin Echols, Jr and Keith Echols.
Will Echols was Chief of the Van Alstyne Police Department at the time of his death. Spanning 46 years, often the only law officer in town, he served as Constable, Deputy Sheriff and City Marshall before becoming Chief of Police. He was patrolling the business district, crossing the alley north of Veazey Hardware Co., pursuing three men preparing to rob a bank, when they fatally shot him. Although escaping at the time, they eventually were arrested and sent to prison.
Estimated at 2,500 to 3,000 mourners, many arriving in 432 automobiles, his funeral drew the largest crowd in Van Alstyne history. Driving in from Denton were both the President and the Dean of North Texas State Teachers College where his two sons were students. Also arriving from Denton were his son William Larkin Echols, Jr., the NTST College football coach, 14 teammates and his youngest son, Keith Echols. His father John Thomas Echols and mother Lydia Clemons (Hendricks) Echols preceded him in death.
The death certificate was filed by Van Alstyne Physician William Veazey who lists the place of death as Van Alstyne but according to the obituary, Chief Echols expired at the Wilson N. Jones Hospital in Sherman, Texas.
Suggested addition October 29, 2022
W.L. "Will" Echols is honored on the Texas Peace Officers Memorial, panel 3B-16, at the State Capital, Austin, Texas
Death Certificate
Family Members
Siblings
