John Wilson
Agency patch
Deputy U.S. Marshal

John Wilson

Felonious
End of Watch February 14, 1877
The Vigil Panel 5 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Location: North Carolina Weapon: Rifle Offender: Convicted

Deputy U.S. Marshal John Wilson was shot and killed near Boone, North Carolina, while attempting to arrest a man for making illegal whiskey.

He exchanged shots with the man after locating him near his home, approximately five miles from Boone. The subject pretended to be wounding and then shot Deputy Marshal Wilson twice after he dismounted his horse.

The man was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Rest in peace Deputy US Marshal Wilson.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis February 13th, 2022

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-FED-AAAC5510
Stewardship
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Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

149 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Deputy U.S. Marshal Wilson served with the United States Department of Justice.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Type Federal Agency
Location Washington, DC
Platform Identity usms.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 14, 1877
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Rifle

Deputy U.S. Marshal John Wilson 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 DC, 754 of 1,418 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.2% of this state's fallen. That is 53.2 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service, 251 of 313 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 80.2% of this agency's fallen.

United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service
251
of 313 officers
80.2% Felonious
DC — Statewide
754
of 1,418 officers
53.2% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

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

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

How John Wilson Compares

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. John Wilson is highlighted in Feb.

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 Wilson was killed by rifle.

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

Incident Location