Moore C. Wisdom
Agency patch
Constable

Moore C. Wisdom

Felonious
End of Watch August 30, 1834
Age 25
The Vigil Panel 1 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Constable Moore Wisdom was stabbed to death by a prisoner he was escorting to the town jail.

A citizen had obtained a warrant for the man for engaging in an illegal game of sleight of hand involving a thimble and a ball. Constable Moore located the subject three miles north of town, and the two rode back to town on Constable Moore's horse.

As they arrived at the jail, the subject suddenly produced a long knife and stabbed Constable Wisdom several times, inflicting fatal wounds. The man was charged with murder, and an accomplice was charged as an accessory to murder for having given him the knife.

Constable Wisdom was a McNairy County constable assigned to the town of Purdy.

Survivors

He was survived by his parents and several siblings.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-TN-8AA90849
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

192 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Constable Wisdom served with the McNairy County Constable's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Selmer community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Type Other
Location Selmer, TN
Platform Identity mcco.mcnairy.tn.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 30, 1834
Age 25
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Stabbed
Weapon Edged weapon; Knife

Constable Moore C. Wisdom 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 TN, 498 of 769 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 64.8% of this state's fallen. That is 64.8 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At McNairy County Constable's Office, 2 of 2 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.

McNairy County Constable's Office
2
of 2 officers
100% Felonious
TN — Statewide
498
of 769 officers
64.8% 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. Moore C. Wisdom's cause is highlighted.

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

How Moore C. Wisdom Compares

Age at Death
25
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Moore C. Wisdom is highlighted in Aug.

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. Moore C. Wisdom was killed by edged weapon; knife.

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

Incident Location

Others Who Wore This Badge

1 officer from McNairy County Constable's Office are honored on badge.nw.