Victim ID: VA1888061601
Victim Name: William Stokes
Race: Black
Sex: Male
Age: 25-27
Job: Farmer
Method of Death: Shot
Accusation: Attempted rape of a colored woman
Date: 1888-06-16
County Name: Dinwiddie
Mob Composition: Unknown men


Summary: William Stokes, a black man, was lynched on June 16th, 1888, in Dinwiddie County, by unknown men. Stokes was accused of entering the home of a black farmer with the intention of raping his daughter.

William Stokes, a black man aged 25-27 from the vicinity of Norfolk (Public Ledger), had recently moved to the upper section of Dinwiddie County, where he had found employment in the farm of Mr. J. M. Abernathy (Alexandria Gazette). Stokes was subsequently fired from his position on Mr. Abernathy’s farm due to allegations of forcing entry to his employer’s house “with intentions other than robbery” (Alexandria Gazette). Stokes was later accused of forcing entry into the house of a black tenant on that same property with the intent to rape his daughter, leading to the issue of an arrest warrant against him (Public Ledger). On the afternoon of Saturday, June 16th, Stokes was arrested and taken before a Magistrate for examination and sent on for trial. The local Constable took Stokes into custody in his house and locked him up in a log crib, while awaiting to be taken to the County jail on the following Monday (Public Ledger). The following morning, Stokes was missing from the prison-house and was presumed to have escaped (Public Ledger), until his body was found in the road near Marmora, about 15 miles west of Petersburg. Stokes had been shot in the body and the back of the head. The Coroner’s jury ruled he had been killed by unknown parties and was buried by the roadside (Public Ledger).


News Coverage: Alexandria Gazette, Public Ledger, Richmond Dispatch

Article Link (from Alexandria Gazette published on 1888-06-22)
Article Link (from Public Ledger published on 1888-06-21)
Article Link (from Public Ledger published on 1888-06-22)
Article Link (from Richmond Dispatch published on 1888-06-22)