Sergeant

John Sturdy

Felonious
End of Watch April 10, 1863
Age 33
Tour of Duty 7 yrs
Gender Male

Incident

Sergeant John Sturdy was beaten to death by two men with clubs in retaliation for the arrest of the men's friend.

The attack on Sergeant Sturdy took place on Second Street near Cedar Street as he patrolled his walking beat.

Sergeant Sturdy had served with the St. Louis Police Department for seven years.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

163 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Sergeant Sturdy gave the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department 7 years.
Thank you for your service to the St. Louis community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location St. Louis, City of Saint Louis, MO
Platform Identity stlopd.saintlouis.mo.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 10, 1863
Tour of Duty 7 yrs
Age 33
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Blunt object

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
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1863, 10 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 171st heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

John was 33. 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 7 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

April holds 8.4% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Fridays: 14.3%.

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 blunt object, in 1.2% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, John among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Sergeant John Sturdy

St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department · End of Watch April 10, 1863

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 13-E

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