Roll of Honor

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Constable

James A. Nelms

Grayson County Constable's Office - Precinct 2 — Denison, TX

Felonious

End of Watch July 4, 1879

Age 36

Tour of Duty 9 yrs

The Vigil Panel 6 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice

Incident

Constable James Nelms was shot and killed when he responded to a report of two drunk men fighting at a saloon.

When he attempted to intervene, he was shot and killed. The offender fled but was located soon after and killed by a responding law enforcement officer.

Constable Nelms, who served as Navarro County Sheriff from 1870-1872 before joining the Grayson County Constables' Office, was survived by his wife and four children.

Survivors

Constable Nelms, who served as Navarro County Sheriff from 1870-1872 before joining the Grayson County Constables' Office, was survived by his wife and four children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-TX-366040A0
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

147 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Constable Nelms gave the Grayson County Constable's Office 9 years.
Thank you for your service to the Denison community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Department Grayson County Constable's Office - Precinct 2

Type Other

Location Denison, TX

Platform Identity gccop2co.grayson.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 4, 1879

Tour of Duty 9 yrs

Age 36

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Constable James A. Nelms 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 97,772 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%.

Grayson County Constable's Office - Precinct 2

of 1 officers

100% Felonious

TX — Statewide

1,461

of 2,422 officers

60.3% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,772 officers

0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. James A. Nelms's cause is highlighted.

Felonious

1 (0%)

Accident

1 (0%)

Illness

1 (0%)

Cardiac

1 (0%)

Undetermined

1 (0%)

Suicide

1 (0%)

How James A. Nelms Compares

Age at Death

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Years of Service

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. James A. Nelms is highlighted in Jul.

Jan

1,392

Feb

1,295

Mar

1,373

Apr

1,516

May

1,504

Jun

1,442

Jul

1,587

Aug

1,517

Sep

1,491

Oct

1,371

Nov

1,447

Dec

1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths.

Handgun

3,684

Gun

3,592

Gun; Unknown type

1,492

Shotgun

1,109

Rifle

935

Officer's handgun

909

Others Who Wore This Badge

0 officers from Grayson County Constable's Office - Precinct 2 are honored on badge.nw.