Henry Smith
Agency patch
Special Deputy Marshal

Henry Smith

Felonious
End of Watch January 17, 1887
The Vigil Panel 9 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Deputy Marshal Smith, Deputy Marshal Mark Kuykendall and Deputy Marshal William Kelly were killed after being assaulted by a prisoner. The three deputy marshals along with Marshal John Phillips, had gone into Indian Territory to execute several arrest warrants. They arrested an 18-year-old Indian and then setup camp near current day Stidham, Oklahoma, about 20 miles from Eufaula. Marshal Phillips then went into Eufaula on business. When he returned he found all men dead. The prisoner had attacked the three with a camp axe and put the bodies of Deputy Marshal Smith and Deputy Marshal Kuykendall in the campfire. Deputy Marshal Kelly had also been shot in the back. Marshal Phillips buried the three men and then tracked the suspect down and rearrested him. The man was tried and convicted on July 13th, and hung on October 7, 1887. Marshal John Phillips was shot and killed the following June along with Deputy Marshal William Whitson.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-FED-E433F4C4
Stewardship
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Added to badge.nw
April 2, 2026
Last updated
July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

139 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Special Deputy Marshal Smith 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

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

Service Record

End of Watch January 17, 1887
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Edged weapon; Axe
Offender Executed in 1887

Special Deputy Marshal Henry Smith is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In DC, 754 of 1,419 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.1% of this state's fallen. That is 1.1 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

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 1,419 officers
53.1% Felonious
Nationwide
17,623
of 32,508 officers
54.2% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

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

Felonious
17,623 (54.2%)
Accident
10,088 (31%)
Illness
2,974 (9.1%)
Cardiac
1,306 (4%)
Undetermined
260 (0.8%)
Suicide
256 (0.8%)
vehicular
1 (0%)

How Henry Smith Compares

Offender Outcome

Executed in 1887

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Henry Smith is highlighted in Jan.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,517
May
1,505
Jun
1,443
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,516
Sep
1,553
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Henry Smith was killed by edged weapon; axe.

Gun; Unknown type
5,083
Handgun
2,077
Shotgun
922
Officer's handgun
909
Automobile; Alcohol involved
530
Rifle
518