Harry Ardell – There is no extant biographical information about Harry Ardell. He was a white lynching victim, one of about 50 white victims between 1880 and 1950. In contemporary newspapers, he’s referred to as both “Harry” and “Charles” Ardell. While some claim that his real name was Harry Forrest, no such Harry Forrest living in Shepherdsville has been found or any living in Pittsburgh, where a few newspapers claimed he lived at the time. It’s reported that Ardell had a father in Pittsburgh and a sister in Illinois. No information about Ardell’s job or level of education has been found.
The circumstances of the lynching death of Harry Ardell went as follows.
On their way to Louisville, Harry Ardell and Thomas Mitchell encountered Joseph Lavine (also spelled Levin and Levine) on June 20, 1889. Allegedly Ardell shot Lavine, who died of his wounds a few days later. Both Mitchell and Ardell were arrested and taken to the Bullitt county jail. A mob formed at the jail on June 26. There are conflicting reports about what happened next. Some newspapers reported that H.C. Bowman, the jailer, stood up to the mob but was overcome after the mob threatened to harm his family. Or newspapers write that Bowman allowed the mob into the jail to take Ardell. The mob hanged later that night.
Lavine was Jewish, and since several Jewish farm communities were established in Kansas in the late 19th century, the summary of these events was widely reported in Kansas. The Louisville Courier Journal called the mob that stormed the Bullitt county jail “regulators” but it is unclear if the mob was comprised of militia members or was affiliated with the KKK.
Thomas Mitchell, who was spared by the mob, was charged with the murder of Joseph Lavine in November 1889. His lawyers requested a change of venue out of Bullitt County, and his trial took place in Bardstown Kentucky. In June 1890, a jury found Mitchell guilty of murder and sentenced him to life in prison. According to Findagrave.com, Mitchell’s legal team appealed the conviction. It was rejected by the Kentucky County of Appeals.
For more information about Black and Jewish settlements in Kansas, see the following:
Cohen, Emily. “The Forgotten History of 19th Century Black and Jewish Settlements in Western Kansas.” Jewish Women, Amplified (blog). Jewish Women’s Archive. September 10, 2020.
Gribben, Brian. “Kansas Heritage: Jewish Colonies in Kansas.” Forsyth Library. Fort Hays State University. Last modified April 25, 2022, https://fhsuguides.fhsu.edu/kansasheritage/jewishcolonies
References
- “Charles Ardell.” Find a Grave. Accessed March 2, 2023.
- Cohen, Emily. “The Forgotten History of 19th Century Black and Jewish Settlements in Western Kansas.” Jewish Women’s Archive, September 10, 2020.
- “Kansas Heritage: Jewish Colonies in Kansas.” Forsyth Library, Fort Hays State University. Accessed March 2, 2023.
- “Kansas,” Jewish Virtual Library. Accessed March 3, 2023.
- “Mob of Masked Men Lynch a Murderer,” Lexington Herald Leader, June 26, 1889. Newspapers.com.
- “Lynched at Night,” Lexington Herald Leader, June 27, 1889. Newspapers.com.
- “A Mob went to the jail…,” Marion Headlight, July 4, 1889. Newspapers.com.
- “The jury in the case of Thomas Mitchel…,” Richmond Climax, June 11, 1890. Newspapers.com.
- “Strangled by a Mob,” The Courier-Journal, June 27, 1889. Newspapers.com.
- “Thomas Mitchell, charged with the…,” The Courier-Journal, November 24, 1889. Newspapers.com.
- “A Life Behind Walls,” The Courier-Journal, May 30, 1890. Newspapers.com.
- “The brutal murder of Joseph Levin…,” The Interior Journal, June 28, 1889. Newspapers.com.
Location of the Lynching
Newspaper Articles
Citation
Alfaya, Martin. “Harry Ardell.” Documented Biographies. Documenting Racial Violence in Kentucky. May 15, 2023. http://drvk.createuky.net/biographies/harry-ardell/