John Americas Stewart

Texas State Police — Austin, TX

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch May 16, 1872

Age 31

Tour of Duty 5 mo

The Vigil Panel 4 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Also Remembered Department 9

Incident

The Texas State Police were formed during the administration of Texas Governor Edmund J. Davis on July 22, 1870, to combat crime statewide in Texas. It was dissolved on April 22, 1873. On July 22, 1871, two men named Barnes and Kimble killed Joseph Philpot and robbed him. They were arrested and held in jail. On October 7, 1871, Kimble escaped from the Williamson County jail in Georgetown, Texas. Texas State Police Captain J. M. Redmon, Private John A. Stewart and Travis County Special Deputy Sheriff Day left Cooke County, Texas and entered the Chickasaw Nation (present day Oklahoma) accompanied by five Chickasaws with an arrest warrant for Kimble. They located Kimble, his brother and woman in a wagon, and when they attempted to arrest him, a gun battle ensued. Kimble jumped from the wagon and shot Private Stewart, mortally wounding him, and shot Deputy Day in both thighs. Captain Redmon shot and killed Kimble’s brother after he fired 4-5 shots wounding two of the Chickasaws. Kimble was arrested. Private Stewart died the next day from his wounds.

Stewart was married and had two children. He had enlisted in the Texas State Police in December 1871 and served only 5 months. He was elected tax collector of Burnet County in 1865 after serving in Colonel Burford’s Regiment, 19th Texas Cavalry in the Civil War. He was buried with Odd Fellow honors, but the location is unknown at this time.

Barnes and Kimble were convicted of the murder of Philpot in October 1872 and sentenced on March 7, 1873 to be hanged on April 11, 1873. The execution was delayed until April 14, 1873, when Barnes and Kimble were hanged in Austin.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-TX-C3050864
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: September 9, 2026

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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.
Private Stewart served with the Texas State Police.
Thank you for your service to the people of Texas, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department Texas State Police

Type State Police

Location Austin, TX

Platform Identity tsp.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 16, 1872

Tour of Duty 5 mo

Age 31

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun

Military Service

John Americas Stewart served in the the United States military before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Private John Americas Stewart is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,787 officers honored here.

In TX, 1,461 of 2,422 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.3% of this state's fallen. That is 60.3 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Texas State Police, 10 of 10 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.

Texas State Police

of 10 officers

100% Felonious

TX — Statewide

1,461

of 2,422 officers

60.3% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,787 officers

0% Felonious