John Americas Stewart
Agency patch
Private

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

Location: Oklahoma Incident Date: Wednesday, May 15, 1872 Weapon: Handgun Offender: Hanged

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.

Pvt. Stewart, On today, the 150th anniversary of your death I would just like to say thank you for your service and sacrifice for the citizens of the state of Texas.

R.I.P. USBP

Anonymous United States Border Patrol May 16th, 2022

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-TX-C3050864
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 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 97,759 officers honored here.

In TX, 1,460 of 2,421 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
10
of 10 officers
100% Felonious
TX — Statewide
1,460
of 2,421 officers
60.3% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,759 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. John Americas Stewart's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How John Americas Stewart Compares

Age at Death
31
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
0.4
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. John Americas Stewart is highlighted in May.

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. John Americas Stewart was killed by handgun.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909

Military Service

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

Visit John Americas Stewart’s page on salute.nw →

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