John Morgan Bilbrey

Putnam County Sheriff's Department — Cookeville, TN

Accident Veteran

End of Watch September 4, 1942

Age 57

Tour of Duty 10 yrs

The Vigil Panel 79 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 3

Incident

Deputy John Bilbrey was struck and killed by a vehicle while working at the Putnam County Jail. A tractor trailer drove into the jail, crushing Deputy Bilbrey. Deputy Bilbrey was a United States Army World War I and II veteran who had served with the Putnam County Sheriff's Department for ten years and previously served with the Cookeville Police. He was survived by his wife and three children. He was interred at the Salem Methodist Church Cemetery in Cookeville.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and three children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-TN-8923A22B
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 Sheriff Bilbrey gave the Putnam County Sheriff's Department 10 years.
Thank you for your service to the Cookeville 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 Putnam County Sheriff's Department

Location Cookeville, TN

Platform Identity pcso.putnam.tn.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 4, 1942

Tour of Duty 10 yrs

Age 57

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Military Service

John Morgan Bilbrey served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Deputy Sheriff John Morgan Bilbrey is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In TN, 191 of 769 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 24.8% of this state's fallen. That is 6.2 percentage points below the national rate of 31%.

At Putnam County Sheriff's Department, 2 of 4 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.

Putnam County Sheriff's Department

of 4 officers

50% Accident

TN — Statewide

191

of 769 officers

24.8% Accident

Nationwide

10,088

of 32,508 officers

31% Accident