Rip'ev Johnson

Rip'ev Johnson, a Black man, was one of eight men held in the Barnwell County jail in Barnwell, South Carolina. Early on Saturday, December 28, 1889, a crowd of masked men broke into the jail, overpowered the jailer, and took the men out of town. The Morning News reported that they were shot to death. The Shenandoah Herald, citing the News and Courier, reported that the jailer was tied and forced to go along with the mob. The same newspaper reported that local citizens later explained the killings as a response to earlier violence in the area.

Cause of death, as reported: Taken from custody and lynched. A mob of about 200 masked men broke into the Barnwell County jail, bound the jailer, took the men out of town and shot them.

Reported by: Barnwell newspaper account (Fisherman & Farmer, reprinting regional reports) (reporters); News and Courier (reporters); Charleston, S. C. newspaper dispatch (reporters).

News reports (9)

• The Morning News, December 29, 1889, page 1 The Morning News, December 29, 1889
• The Evening Bulletin, December 30, 1889, page 1 The Evening Bulletin, December 30, 1889
• Shenandoah Herald, January 3, 1890, page 2 Shenandoah Herald, January 3, 1890
• The State Chronicle, January 3, 1890, page 3 The State Chronicle, January 3, 1890
• Huntsville Gazette, January 4, 1890, page 1 Huntsville Gazette, January 4, 1890
• The Weekly Messenger, January 4, 1890, page 1 The Weekly Messenger, January 4, 1890
• The Valley Virginian, January 9, 1890, page 4 The Valley Virginian, January 9, 1890
• Fisherman & Farmer, January 10, 1890, page 2 Fisherman & Farmer, January 10, 1890
• Lynchings are part of Georgia’s past and present The Augusta Chronicle, July 13, 2020