Police Officer

Benjamin Ellsden

Newark Police Division — Newark, NJ
Felonious
End of Watch July 13, 1876
Age 39
Tour of Duty
The Vigil Panel 5 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Police Officer Benjamin Ellsden was shot and killed when he and another officer attempted to serve a warrant at the home of three brothers at their home at 101 Jackson Street. The brothers opened fire on the officers with revolvers, killing Officer Ellsden and wounding his partner. The three suspects then ran to a nearby factory to seek revenge on the man who had sworn out the warrant. On the way to the factory they fired their weapons indiscriminately, killing two citizens. Once they arrived at the factory they ran out of ammunition. The factory workers then chased the three to the river bank and stoned them before drowning them in the river. Officer Ellsden had served with the agency for only two weeks.

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August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

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Tributes

150 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Police Officer Ellsden served with the Newark Police Division.
Thank you for your service to the Newark community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Newark, Essex County, NJ
Platform Identity npd.essex.nj.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 13, 1876
Tour of Duty
Age 39
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Benjamin 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 1876, 35 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 149th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Benjamin was 39. 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. Benjamin had served 0 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

July holds 9.3% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Thursdays: 14%.

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 handgun, in 23.4% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Newark Police Division has 58 officers remembered here, Benjamin among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Police Officer Benjamin Ellsden

Newark Police Division · End of Watch July 13, 1876

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 24-W

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