Roll of Honor

Prev Next

Marshal

William Smiley

Providence Police Department — Providence, KY

Felonious

End of Watch February 4, 1896

Age 30

Tour of Duty

The Vigil Panel 13 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice

Incident

Marshal Smiley was shot and killed while attempting to arrest two men for being drunk in public. The men had been harassing Marshal Smiley for a previous arrest of one of their relatives. When the marshal informed them they would be arrested too one of the men produced a gun and shot Marshal Smiley, killing him. The two men fled the area after the shooting.

Both men, brothers, were apprehended. On December 16, 1896, after three trials, both were convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 6 years hard labor.

Marshal Smiley had been elected as marshal only two weeks earlier.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and three children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-KY-3D388F34
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew William. Claim this record.

This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.

Tributes

130 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Marshal Smiley served with the Providence Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Providence community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Department Providence Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Providence, KY

Platform Identity ppd.trimble.ky.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 4, 1896

Tour of Duty

Age 30

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Marshal William Smiley 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 KY, 755 of 983 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 76.8% of this state's fallen. That is 76.8 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

Providence Police Department

of 1 officers

100% Felonious

KY — Statewide

755

of 983 officers

76.8% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,772 officers

0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

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

Felonious

1 (0%)

Accident

1 (0%)

Illness

1 (0%)

Cardiac

1 (0%)

Undetermined

1 (0%)

Suicide

1 (0%)

How William Smiley 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. William Smiley 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. William Smiley was killed by gun; unknown type.

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 Providence Police Department are honored on badge.nw.