Nearly 100 years ago, Officer George Kendall made the ultimate sacrifice for the city of Jamestown.
As a token of its gratitude to Officer Kendall, the Kendall Club of Jamestown recently had a plaque engraved and attached to his headstone at the Lakeview Cemetery. Since Kendall's death in 1915, his headstone had been modest, with only his name, birth year and death year listed.
Members of the Kendall Club, however, felt that his grave deserved something more fitting of a man who had died in service to his city.
Article Photos
Lt. Fred DeGolier and Officer Tom Shea of the Jamestown Police Department are pictured near the new headstone placed on the grave of Officer George Kendall, the only city police officer to be killed in the line of duty.
P-J photo by Ryan Atkins
The plaque reads, "Jamestown Police Officer, May 8, 1914. Killed in the line of duty, June 18, 1915," and bears a picture of his badge.
The Kendall Club, Police Benevolent Association was formed in 1928 as a social organization and named for Kendall. In the 1950s, it became the Jamestown Police Department's official union. The Kendall Club is well known throughout the Jamestown area for supporting many area youth activities including Bambino league baseball, the Boys and Girls Club and youth soccer teams.
"He loved to play soccer," said Det. Floyd Kent, a member of the Kendall Club. "That's one of the reason that the Kendall Club supports a youth soccer team every year."
Officer George Kendall began his service to the City of Jamestown on May 8, 1914. At the time of his death he had only served the Jamestown Police Department for a little more than a year.
On June 18, 1915, Officer Kendall was stationed at a call-box located near the intersection of South Main and Allen streets. In the early 1900s, these call-boxes were located throughout the city and used to relay important information to and from officers. Historians believe that this call box was where Officer Kendall received his orders to respond to a domestic dispute near what is now Brooklyn Square.
Kendall was called to the Brooklyn Square area when police were alerted to a shooting that had occurred as a result of a domestic dispute.
Fred W. Shaver had engaged in an argument with his step-mother. During the scuffle that ensued, Shaver shot his stepmother with a rifle, killing her. When his father returned to the home, another argument broke out and Shaver used the rifle to kill his father as well.
When Kendall entered the hallway at the bottom of the stairs leading to Shaver's apartment, he was shot. Historians do not believe that there were any words exchanged at the time of the shooting. Kendall was rushed to Jones Hospital, where he later died from his gunshot wounds.
Kendall is the only member of the Jamestown Police Department to have ever been killed in the line of duty. His badge, number 13, was retired from use. His name is also listed on the National Law Enforcement Officer's Memorial in Washington, D.C., a monument to all of the law enforcement officers who have given their lives in the performance of their duties.