City Marshal

Thomas Johnson Nevitt

El Reno Police Department — El Reno, OK
Felonious
End of Watch September 20, 1890
Age 27
Gender Male

Incident

City Marshal Thomas Nevitt was shot and killed while attempting to arrest an intoxicated subject on the streets of El Reno, in the Indian Territory. As Marshal Nevitt confronted the cowboy, who had been trying to take the town on his horse after visiting a local saloon, the subject took offense to his intervention. As both men raised their revolvers at the same time at about 6:00 pm, Marshal Nevitt was struck in the abdomen and succumbed to his wound the following morning. The 20-year-old suspect attempted to escape, but citizens who witnessed the murder fired a volley of shots, with one shot breaking the suspect's left arm before he was taken into custody and arrested. Marshal Nevitt was survived by his wife, son, daughter, brother and parents. He was buried in the Poheta Cemetery in Saline County, Kansas.

City Marshal Thomas Nevitt was shot and killed while attempting to arrest an intoxicated subject on the streets of El Reno, in the Indian Territory.

As Marshal Nevitt confronted the cowboy, who had been trying to take the town on his horse after visiting a local saloon, the subject took offense to his intervention. As both men raised their revolvers at the same time at about 6:00 pm, Marshal Nevitt was struck in the abdomen and succumbed to his wound the following morning.

The 20-year-old suspect attempted to escape, but citizens who witnessed the murder fired a volley of shots, with one shot breaking the suspect's left arm before he was taken into custody and arrested.

Marshal Nevitt was survived by his wife, son, daughter, brother and parents. He was buried in the Poheta Cemetery in Saline County, Kansas.

Survivors

Marshal Nevitt was survived by his wife, son, daughter, brother and parents.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026
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August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

136 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
City Marshal Nevitt served with the El Reno Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the El Reno community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location El Reno, Canadian County, OK
Platform Identity erpd.canadian.ok.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 20, 1890
Age 27
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Handgun; Revolver

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Thomas is one of 15,742 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,102 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

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Compare against
I

Time

In 1890, 65 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 113th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Thomas was 27. Of the 14,219 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38.

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

When

September holds 9.1% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Saturdays: 16.3%.

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; revolver, in 0.9% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

El Reno Police Department has 2 officers remembered here, Thomas among them.

City Marshal Thomas Johnson Nevitt

El Reno Police Department · End of Watch September 20, 1890

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 10-E

Others Who Wore This Badge

1 officer from El Reno Police Department are honored on badge.nw.

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