Sergeant

Peletiah M. Jenks

Felonious
End of Watch October 8, 1883
Age 43
Tour of Duty 15 yrs
The Vigil Panel 7 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Sergeant Peletiah Jenks was shot and killed when he attempted to disarm a woman who was waving a firearm around in a vacant lot near Biddle and Eighth Streets. He grabbed the woman from behind, but she spun around and shot him at point-blank range. The woman was later apprehended. The subject was set to be hanged on January 1, 1886, but the courts granted a reprieve. On January 24, 1887, she was allowed to plead guilty to murder in the second degree, and she was sentenced to 99 years in prison. She was pardoned by Governor Lawrence V. Stephens in 1898. Sergeant Jenks had served with the St. Louis Police Department for 15 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and several children.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

143 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Sergeant Jenks gave the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department 15 years.
Thank you for your service to the St. Louis community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location St. Louis, City of Saint Louis, MO
Platform Identity stlopd.saintlouis.mo.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 8, 1883
Tour of Duty 15 yrs
Age 43
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Peletiah is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

33,917 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1883, 43 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 144th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Peletiah was 43. Of the 14,220 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Peletiah had served 15 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

October holds 7.9% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Mondays: 13.8%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was gun, in 22.8% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, Peletiah among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Sergeant Peletiah M. Jenks

St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department · End of Watch October 8, 1883

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 2-E

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