There is little extant biographical information about Louis Laferdetta. Newspapers of the time did not report on his personal life, and his murder was written about in brief articles without any identifying information. Contemporary reports used the same language about his class status, that he was a “tramp” or a transient worker. There’s also a […]
Berry Rich was one of approximately 50 white lynching victims in Kentucky between 1880 and 1950, accounting for the considerable biographical information about his life. Rich was born in 1847 in Webster County to Mary Rich and an unnamed father. Rich had five sisters and an older brother. While he did not attend school, […]
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 […]
Since Hewlett Howton is one of about 50 white lynching victims in Kentucky, there is considerable biographical information documenting his family, labor, and residences. Hewlett Howton (also known as James Hewlett Howton) was born around 1864 to Joseph (Joe) Howton and Cynthia in Caldwell County, Kentucky. He had three brothers, John, Berry, and Leroy, and […]
There is ample biographical information about Martha West and William Dever, because they were two of the approximately 50 white people lynched in Kentucky between 1880 and 1950. Martha West (also identified as Pattie Funk, Miss Patty Funk, and Martha Funk) was born around 1861 in Kentucky. According to the 1870 Federal Census, her mother […]
Ephraim Brinkley III was a white lynching victim in the 1880s, and there is considerable historical documentation about his birth, family ties, labor, and various residences during his life. On June 14, 1857, Ephraim Brinkley III was born to Ephraim G Brinkley II and Francis (Sarah) Elizabeth Brinkley in Person County, North Carolina. He also […]
Abithal Colson and Maud “Mollie” Smith were white lynching victims in Trigg County, Kentucky on June 28, 1895. As a white male lynching victim in the 1890s, Colson’s life has more documentary information than Smith, who was a working-class white woman. There are detailed records of Colson’s birth information, education, and employment, but there is […]
C.P. Stivers, (or Christopher P. Stivers) was one of roughly 20 white men lynched between 1900 and 1950 in Kentucky. Due to his race, gender, and his position as Police Judge in Manchester, there was considerable documentation of Stivers’ life and death. Stivers was born in December 1891 to James W. Stivers and Lucy T. […]
There is little extent information about B.F. Carrier, William Effington, L.M King, and John Thomas. This is an unusual research outcome since the four men were white landowners and farmers in Fayette County and Versailles County. Newspaper accounts of the deaths stated that the four men were between the ages of 25 and 40. Research in […]
Wesley Hicks and Jerry Taylor were two of the approximately 20 white men lynched in Kentucky between 1880 and 1950. Their race and the unusual circumstances of the homicide accounts for the abundance of evidence. Wesley Hicks, also known as Wes Hicks, was born around 1835, which put him around 50 years-old when he was […]
