James “Judson” Mitchell was born in Cobb County, Georgia to parents, James C. and Caroline (Palmer) Mitchell. Mitchell had three brothers and one sister (Thomas, Sarah, William, and Warren) and he grew up in the counties just north of Atlanta, Georgia. In December of 1878, Mitchell married Cornelia Janie Grogen in Paulding County Georgia and they had one daughter and three sons (Dora F., James Thomas, Robert H., and John Judson “Jack”). Mitchell’s father was a blacksmith and around 1880 Mitchell was a laborer making wagons. Eventually, the family moved south and Mitchell became the conductor for the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad and rode the line from St. Petersburg through Ocala to Jacksonville, Florida. In 1900, Mitchell was living in St. Petersburg near First Street with his family and his occupation was listed as a Rail Leader Attendant.
Mitchell retired after 10 years with the railroad and became a Captain (Special Duty) for Hillsborough County. The City of St. Petersburg incorporated on 6 Jun 1903 and Mitchell became the very first sworn officer and was assigned as the City’s first Chief of Police. The City’s population was about 1,600, and the new charter provided for a Chief of Police rather than a town marshal. Mitchell was given a salary of $100 per month and had the ability to hire four sworn officers. Mitchell also had the responsibility as a jailer for the new jail located at 345 First Avenue South. The location also served as police headquarters, where it remained until 1952.
On Christmas day in 1905, Mitchell arrested a local man for disorderly intoxication behind a saloon on Central Avenue that was in between Second and Third Street. While Mitchell escorted his prisoner to the jail, a second suspect, John Thomas, stabbed Mitchell in the back with a butcher knife. Mitchell released ahold of his prisoner and was able to spin around to defend himself by firing shots that fatally wounded Thomas. Officer Bill Murphy witnessed the attack and also shot at Thomas, causing disfigurement to Thomas’ nose. Thomas was shot and mortally wounded, but was put into the jail as he died. The butcher knife had pierced the heart of Mitchell, and he died on scene.
The news of the killing of Mitchell spread like wildfire and within minutes there was an angry crowd of armed citizens that surrounded the jail. The citizens were carrying various weapons including axes. The mob demanded that Thomas be released to them for hanging and the officers attempted to reason with the crowd, but were outnumbered. The crowd did not know that Thomas was already lying dead in the cell due to both the officer’s gunfire. The crowd stormed the jail attempting to kill Thomas and the four police officers were overcome. The crowd had ladders and several people climbed up to the windows and shot Thomas repeatedly.
Chief Mitchell was survived by his wife, Cornelia; and children, Dora F. (25), J. Thomas (23), Robert H. (19), and Jack J. (7). The funeral took place at his home on Wednesday, December 27, and was largely attended. The Tampa Tribune reported that “sincere expressions of grief at this tragic death were everywhere heard” and his wife and children had been “the recipients of much sympathy”. Mitchell was buried in Greenwood Cemetery in an unmarked grave. At age 48 and with 2 years of service, Chief James Judson Mitchell became the first St. Petersburg police officer to be killed in the line of duty and their only Chief of Police to be killed in the line of duty.
Mitchell retired after 10 years with the railroad and became a Captain (Special Duty) for Hillsborough County. The City of St. Petersburg incorporated on 6 Jun 1903 and Mitchell became the very first sworn officer and was assigned as the City’s first Chief of Police. The City’s population was about 1,600, and the new charter provided for a Chief of Police rather than a town marshal. Mitchell was given a salary of $100 per month and had the ability to hire four sworn officers. Mitchell also had the responsibility as a jailer for the new jail located at 345 First Avenue South. The location also served as police headquarters, where it remained until 1952.
On Christmas day in 1905, Mitchell arrested a local man for disorderly intoxication behind a saloon on Central Avenue that was in between Second and Third Street. While Mitchell escorted his prisoner to the jail, a second suspect, John Thomas, stabbed Mitchell in the back with a butcher knife. Mitchell released ahold of his prisoner and was able to spin around to defend himself by firing shots that fatally wounded Thomas. Officer Bill Murphy witnessed the attack and also shot at Thomas, causing disfigurement to Thomas’ nose. Thomas was shot and mortally wounded, but was put into the jail as he died. The butcher knife had pierced the heart of Mitchell, and he died on scene.
The news of the killing of Mitchell spread like wildfire and within minutes there was an angry crowd of armed citizens that surrounded the jail. The citizens were carrying various weapons including axes. The mob demanded that Thomas be released to them for hanging and the officers attempted to reason with the crowd, but were outnumbered. The crowd did not know that Thomas was already lying dead in the cell due to both the officer’s gunfire. The crowd stormed the jail attempting to kill Thomas and the four police officers were overcome. The crowd had ladders and several people climbed up to the windows and shot Thomas repeatedly.
Chief Mitchell was survived by his wife, Cornelia; and children, Dora F. (25), J. Thomas (23), Robert H. (19), and Jack J. (7). The funeral took place at his home on Wednesday, December 27, and was largely attended. The Tampa Tribune reported that “sincere expressions of grief at this tragic death were everywhere heard” and his wife and children had been “the recipients of much sympathy”. Mitchell was buried in Greenwood Cemetery in an unmarked grave. At age 48 and with 2 years of service, Chief James Judson Mitchell became the first St. Petersburg police officer to be killed in the line of duty and their only Chief of Police to be killed in the line of duty.
James “Judson” Mitchell was born in Cobb County, Georgia to parents, James C. and Caroline (Palmer) Mitchell. Mitchell had three brothers and one sister (Thomas, Sarah, William, and Warren) and he grew up in the counties just north of Atlanta, Georgia. In December of 1878, Mitchell married Cornelia Janie Grogen in Paulding County Georgia and they had one daughter and three sons (Dora F., James Thomas, Robert H., and John Judson “Jack”). Mitchell’s father was a blacksmith and around 1880 Mitchell was a laborer making wagons. Eventually, the family moved south and Mitchell became the conductor for the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad and rode the line from St. Petersburg through Ocala to Jacksonville, Florida. In 1900, Mitchell was living in St. Petersburg near First Street with his family and his occupation was listed as a Rail Leader Attendant.
Mitchell retired after 10 years with the railroad and became a Captain (Special Duty) for Hillsborough County. The City of St. Petersburg incorporated on 6 Jun 1903 and Mitchell became the very first sworn officer and was assigned as the City’s first Chief of Police. The City’s population was about 1,600, and the new charter provided for a Chief of Police rather than a town marshal. Mitchell was given a salary of $100 per month and had the ability to hire four sworn officers. Mitchell also had the responsibility as a jailer for the new jail located at 345 First Avenue South. The location also served as police headquarters, where it remained until 1952.
On Christmas day in 1905, Mitchell arrested a local man for disorderly intoxication behind a saloon on Central Avenue that was in between Second and Third Street. While Mitchell escorted his prisoner to the jail, a second suspect, John Thomas, stabbed Mitchell in the back with a butcher knife. Mitchell released ahold of his prisoner and was able to spin around to defend himself by firing shots that fatally wounded Thomas. Officer Bill Murphy witnessed the attack and also shot at Thomas, causing disfigurement to Thomas’ nose. Thomas was shot and mortally wounded, but was put into the jail as he died. The butcher knife had pierced the heart of Mitchell, and he died on scene.
The news of the killing of Mitchell spread like wildfire and within minutes there was an angry crowd of armed citizens that surrounded the jail. The citizens were carrying various weapons including axes. The mob demanded that Thomas be released to them for hanging and the officers attempted to reason with the crowd, but were outnumbered. The crowd did not know that Thomas was already lying dead in the cell due to both the officer’s gunfire. The crowd stormed the jail attempting to kill Thomas and the four police officers were overcome. The crowd had ladders and several people climbed up to the windows and shot Thomas repeatedly.
Chief Mitchell was survived by his wife, Cornelia; and children, Dora F. (25), J. Thomas (23), Robert H. (19), and Jack J. (7). The funeral took place at his home on Wednesday, December 27, and was largely attended. The Tampa Tribune reported that “sincere expressions of grief at this tragic death were everywhere heard” and his wife and children had been “the recipients of much sympathy”. Mitchell was buried in Greenwood Cemetery in an unmarked grave. At age 48 and with 2 years of service, Chief James Judson Mitchell became the first St. Petersburg police officer to be killed in the line of duty and their only Chief of Police to be killed in the line of duty.
Mitchell retired after 10 years with the railroad and became a Captain (Special Duty) for Hillsborough County. The City of St. Petersburg incorporated on 6 Jun 1903 and Mitchell became the very first sworn officer and was assigned as the City’s first Chief of Police. The City’s population was about 1,600, and the new charter provided for a Chief of Police rather than a town marshal. Mitchell was given a salary of $100 per month and had the ability to hire four sworn officers. Mitchell also had the responsibility as a jailer for the new jail located at 345 First Avenue South. The location also served as police headquarters, where it remained until 1952.
On Christmas day in 1905, Mitchell arrested a local man for disorderly intoxication behind a saloon on Central Avenue that was in between Second and Third Street. While Mitchell escorted his prisoner to the jail, a second suspect, John Thomas, stabbed Mitchell in the back with a butcher knife. Mitchell released ahold of his prisoner and was able to spin around to defend himself by firing shots that fatally wounded Thomas. Officer Bill Murphy witnessed the attack and also shot at Thomas, causing disfigurement to Thomas’ nose. Thomas was shot and mortally wounded, but was put into the jail as he died. The butcher knife had pierced the heart of Mitchell, and he died on scene.
The news of the killing of Mitchell spread like wildfire and within minutes there was an angry crowd of armed citizens that surrounded the jail. The citizens were carrying various weapons including axes. The mob demanded that Thomas be released to them for hanging and the officers attempted to reason with the crowd, but were outnumbered. The crowd did not know that Thomas was already lying dead in the cell due to both the officer’s gunfire. The crowd stormed the jail attempting to kill Thomas and the four police officers were overcome. The crowd had ladders and several people climbed up to the windows and shot Thomas repeatedly.
Chief Mitchell was survived by his wife, Cornelia; and children, Dora F. (25), J. Thomas (23), Robert H. (19), and Jack J. (7). The funeral took place at his home on Wednesday, December 27, and was largely attended. The Tampa Tribune reported that “sincere expressions of grief at this tragic death were everywhere heard” and his wife and children had been “the recipients of much sympathy”. Mitchell was buried in Greenwood Cemetery in an unmarked grave. At age 48 and with 2 years of service, Chief James Judson Mitchell became the first St. Petersburg police officer to be killed in the line of duty and their only Chief of Police to be killed in the line of duty.
Gravesite Details
National Law Enforcement Memorial: Panel 11-W: line 13
