Officer

Joseph Nelson

Jacksonville Police Department — Jacksonville, FL
Felonious
End of Watch June 26, 1880
Age 36
The Vigil Panel 6 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Joseph Nelson was shot and killed as he and other officers attempted to quell a riot at a local sawmill. One other officer was also wounded.

The man who murdered Officer Nelson was arrested, convicted, and subsequently executed by hanging.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
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Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
September 9, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

146 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Officer Nelson served with the Jacksonville Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Jacksonville community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Jacksonville, Duval County, FL
Platform Identity jpd.duval.fl.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 26, 1880
Age 36
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Gun; Unknown type

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Joseph 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 1880, 38 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 147th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Joseph was 36. 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.

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

When

June holds 8.1% 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 gun; unknown type, in 9.5% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Jacksonville Police Department has 33 officers remembered here, Joseph among them.

Officer Joseph Nelson

Jacksonville Police Department · End of Watch June 26, 1880

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 37-E

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