John Nathaniel Merritt
Agency patch
Deputy U.S. Marshal

John Nathaniel Merritt

Veteran → Felonious
End of Watch March 6, 1886
Age 43
Tour of Duty 3 mo
Gender Male

Incident

Location: Georgia Weapon: Handgun Offender: Acquitted

Deputy U.S. Marshal John Merritt was shot and killed in Lula, Georgia, while speaking to the owner of a local distillery.

Deputy Marshal Merritt had accompanied a raiding party of other deputy marshals and Internal Revenue deputy collectors in search of illegal distilleries in Banks County. They were unable to find any illegal activity and returned to Lula to catch the passenger train south. They were in a local restaurant across the tracks from the railroad depot when the distillery owner entered and asked to speak to Deputy Marshal Merritt outside.

The man shot Deputy Marshal Merritt immediately upon exiting the restaurant and then fled. He remained at large for several years until being arrested in Texas in 1889. He was acquitted of Deputy Marshal Merritt's murder in 1890.

Deputy Marshal Merritt was a United States Civil War veteran and had served with the United States Marshals Service for only three months.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and children, as well as his parents and four siblings.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
neuraspine_01krbxtnwspf55ep77m16wda18
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew John. Claim this record.

Also honored at salute.nw. One record, 2 gates. John is one person.

This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.

Tributes

I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Deputy U.S. Marshal Merritt served with the United States Department of Justice.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Type Federal Agency
Location Washington, DC
Platform Identity usms.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 6, 1886
Tour of Duty 3 mo
Age 43
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun

Military Service

John Nathaniel Merritt served in the the United States military before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

The Sacrifice · Felonious

John is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,552 remembered there.

34,103 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
  2. See the roll
Compare against
I

Time

In 1886, 51 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 139th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

John was 43. Of the 14,219 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. John had served 0.2 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

March holds 7.5% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Saturdays: 16.3%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,552 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was handgun, in 23.4% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service has at least 120 officers remembered here, John among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Deputy U.S. Marshal John Nathaniel Merritt

United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service · End of Watch March 6, 1886

Military Service

John Nathaniel Merritt served in the United States military before joining law enforcement.

Visit John Nathaniel Merritt’s page on salute.nw →

His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.

Where the Name Is Cut

Also Remembered

salute.nw →

↑