William Thompson

William Thompson, a Black man, was held in the jail at Culpeper, Virginia, in August 1877, according to newspaper accounts. Accounts report that about sixty masked men took him from the jail on the night of August 10 and hanged him. The Richmond Daily Dispatch reported that the keys were taken from the jailer and that the group led Thompson about a quarter mile to a large poplar tree near the Confederate Cemetery, where he was hanged. The Dispatch said his body was still hanging, awaiting the coroner.

Cause of death, as reported: Taken from custody and lynched

Reported by: Clarke Courier (reporters); Iola Register (reporters); Baltimore dispatch printed in the Cheyenne Daily Leader (reporters); The Milan Exchange (reporters).

Sources (8)

• The Daily Dispatch, August 11, 1877, page 3 The Daily Dispatch, August 11, 1877
• Chicago Daily Tribune, August 12, 1877, page 2 Chicago Daily Tribune, August 12, 1877
• The Cheyenne Daily Leader, August 12, 1877, page 2 The Cheyenne Daily Leader, August 12, 1877
• The Iola Register, August 18, 1877, page 1 The Iola Register, August 18, 1877
• The Weekly Elko Independent, August 19, 1877, page 1 The Weekly Elko Independent, August 19, 1877
• Batesville Guard, August 23, 1877, page 1 Batesville Guard, August 23, 1877
• The Milan Exchange, August 23, 1877, page 2 The Milan Exchange, August 23, 1877
• Clarke Courier, August 23, 1877, page 2 Clarke Courier, August 23, 1877