Reuben J. Chappell

Pierce City Police Department — Pierce City, MO

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch December 3, 1900

Age 58

Tour of Duty 18 yrs

The Vigil Panel 16 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 4

Incident

Watchman Chappell succumbed to a gunshot wound received almost two weeks earlier when he attempted to arrest a man who had fired a shot in public. It was suspected that members of a black gang murdered Watchman Chappell. In the days that followed hard feelings between the towns 300 black citizens and 3000 whites would develop. The tention exploded on August 18, 1901, when a 23-year-old white woman was murdered by an unknown subject. A riot resulted which ended with three blacks lynched, one killed, and the expulsion from town of the entire black population. Watchman Chappell was survived by his wife, four sons, and three daughters. He was a Confederate Civil War Veteran who served as a corporal with the 1st Tennessee Infantry, Company G. He was captured and held for a few days just before the war ended.

Survivors

Watchman Chappell was survived by his wife, four sons, and three daughters.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MO-4572C41E
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 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.
Night Watchman Chappell gave the Pierce City Police Department 18 years.
Thank you for your service to the Pierce City community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department Pierce City Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Pierce City, Lawrence County, MO

Platform Identity ppd.lawrence.mo.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 3, 1900

Tour of Duty 18 yrs

Age 58

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun

Military Service

Reuben J. Chappell served in the the United States military before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Night Watchman Reuben J. Chappell 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 97,756 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 Pierce City Police Department, 3 of 5 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60% of this agency's fallen.

Pierce City Police Department

of 5 officers

60% Felonious

MO — Statewide

516

of 813 officers

63.5% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,756 officers

0% Felonious