Willoughby Howard Nelson

Tennessee Department of Correction — Nashville, TN

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch July 27, 1894

Age 50

The Vigil Panel 12 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 13

Incident

Deputy Warden Nelson was killed when a bomb devised by convicts exploded at a coal mine in Tracy City.

More than 100 convicts, from the Tennessee State Penitentiary were sent to the Tennessee Coal Company at Tracy City to replace striking workers. The convicts declared they would not work and seized the powder magazine inside the mine. After negotiations failed, the convicts placed a keg of blasting powder in an empty coal car, lit the fuse, and pushed it down the track to the entrance where it exploded. Deputy Warden Nelson was killed instantly and two guards were injured. Guards opened fire on the convicts, killing the ring leader. After a brief standoff the convicts surrendered.

Deputy Warden Nelson was a member of the Tennessee General Assembly, representing Maury County. He was survived by his wife and nine children. He was a Civil War veteran having served with a Tennessee confederate regiment.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and nine children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-TN-85BC3CA0
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 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.
Deputy Warden Nelson served with the Tennessee Department of Correction.
Thank you for your service to the Nashville community. Thank you for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department Tennessee Department of Correction

Location Nashville, TN

Platform Identity tdc.davidson.tn.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 27, 1894

Age 50

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Explosives

Military Service

Willoughby Howard Nelson served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Deputy Warden Willoughby Howard Nelson 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 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 10.6 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Tennessee Department of Correction, 11 of 14 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 78.6% of this agency's fallen.

Tennessee Department of Correction

of 14 officers

78.6% Felonious

TN — Statewide

498

of 769 officers

64.8% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious