John B. Benham
Sheriff

John B. Benham

Veteran → Felonious
End of Watch December 18, 1880
Age 51
The Vigil Panel 6 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Sheriff John Benham was shot and killed while attempting to make an arrest.

Sheriff Benham was survived buy his wife and four children. He was a Civil War Veteran having served both sides. Captain Benham deserted the Union Army in 1864 and joined Clardy's Battalion, Missouri Calvary, with the rank of 1st Lieutenant.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-MO-E1E951AF
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

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.
Sheriff Benham served with the St. Francois County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Farmington community. Thank you for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Type Other
Location Farmington, MO
Platform Identity sfcso.stfrancois.mo.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 18, 1880
Age 51
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

Military Service

John B. Benham served in the the United States military before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Sheriff John B. Benham 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 MO, 516 of 813 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.5% of this state's fallen. That is 63.5 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At St. Francois County Sheriff's Department, 4 of 5 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 80% of this agency's fallen.

St. Francois County Sheriff's Department
4
of 5 officers
80% Felonious
MO — Statewide
516
of 813 officers
63.5% 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 B. Benham's cause is highlighted.

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

How John B. Benham Compares

Age at Death
51
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. John B. Benham is highlighted in Dec.

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 B. Benham was killed by gun.

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

Military Service

John B. Benham served in the United States military before joining law enforcement.

Visit John B. Benham’s page on salute.nw →

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