List of people executed in Delaware (pre-1972)

The following is a list of people executed by the U.S. state of Delaware before 1972, when capital punishment was briefly abolished by the Supreme Court's ruling in Furman v. Georgia. For executions after the restoration of capital punishment by the Supreme Court's ruling in Gregg v. Georgia (1976), see List of people executed in Delaware.[1]

List of executions

Historically, executions in Delaware were carried out locally by hanging in county prisons known as "workhouses". Delaware independently abolished capital punishment in 1958 but reinstated it in 1961.[2][3][4][5]

  Slave executions
Name Race Age Sex Date of execution County Crime Victim(s) Governor
French Middle Eastern M October 19, 1662 Sussex Malicious wounding Three people, white[6] N/A
Judith Roe White F March 15, 1688 Kent Murder-Robbery Male, white[6] William Penn
Eleanor Moore White F May 9, 1722 New Castle Murder Unknown, white (newborn child)[6] John Penn
Catherine Bevan White 50 F June 10, 1731 New Castle Petty treason-Murder[a] Henry Bevan, 60, white (Bevan's husband)[6] Patrick Gordon
Peter Murphy White M Murder
Margaret Sexton White F June 17, 1751 New Castle Murder Male, 4, white (stepson)[6] James Hamilton
James Duffy White M August 21, 1754 Kent Murder John Brown, white[6] Robert Hunter Morris
David Brown White M June 7, 1757 New Castle Burglary William Denny
Thomas Coughlin White M
Hugh Barclay White M June 9, 1770 New Castle Burglary Richard McWilliam, white[6] John Penn
Charles Black M November 20, 1770 Kent Rape Mary Crippen, white[7]
Cheney Clow White 49 M September 15, 1783 Kent Murder Moore, white (posse member)[8] Nicholas Van Dyke
Benn Black M October 25, 1786 Kent Rape Hannah Jackson, white[9]
Sarah Kirk White F December 12, 1787 New Castle Petty treason-Murder James Kirk, white (husband) Thomas Collins
Ben Black M September 14, 1792 New Castle Rape Female, white[10] Joshua Clayton
John Morris Black M December 18, 1792 Kent Rape Female, white[11]
Elihu Prettyman White M April 8, 1806 Sussex Murder Priscilla Prettyman, white (wife)[12] Nathaniel Mitchell
George Parker White M April 21, 1807 Kent Rape Hannah Bramble, white[13]
Henry Bereton White M April 13, 1813 Sussex Murder-Robbery John Ridgell, white Joseph Haslet
John Griffith White M
John Smith M December 21, 1815 New Castle Murder [14] Daniel Rodney
William Piper White M April 18, 1820 Sussex Murder Female, white (mother)[15] John Collins
Henry Barrett Black M February 5, 1822 Kent Murder Henry Douglass, white
Jacob Elliott Black M December 31, 1822 New Castle Murder John Kean, white[16] Caleb Rodney
Elisha Sharp White M November 8, 1825 Sussex Murder Two people, white (wife and child)[17] Samuel Paynter
Robert Morris White M November 8, 1831 Sussex Murder Charles Hilborn, white[18] David Hazzard
Perry Black M February 7, 1849 New Castle Rape Mary Ann Sythens, white[6] William Tharp
James Anderson Black M July 31, 1851 New Castle Murder Joseph Williams, 70, white[19] William H. H. Ross
Empson Bayard Black M
Samuel Ward Black 22 M September 8, 1852 New Castle Murder George A. Davidson, 25, white[20]
John Bowen White M February 10, 1860 New Castle Murder John W. Dewlin, white[21] William Burton
John Cannon Black 18 M December 14, 1860 Sussex Murder-Rape Ms. Griffin, 14, white[22] Gove Saulsbury
Sarah Bradley Black 18 F Murder Ellen Wright, 14 months, white[23]
Levi Jenkins Black 35 M Rape Hester A. Johnson, black[24]
John Cannon Black M December 28, 1860 Kent Rape Mary Ann Martin, white[25]
Thomas Orskins White M February 14, 1863 Kent Murder John Bennett, white[26]
William Manluff Black 25 M July 20, 1866 New Castle Aggravated burglary[b] Hannah Febiger Jones and Elizabeth Griffith, 71 and 20, white
Andrew Armstrong White 53 M February 8, 1867 New Castle Murder Caroline Douglass Armstrong, 36, white (wife)[27][c]
Joshua Jones Black 17 M February 4, 1870 New Castle Rape-Burglary Mary Meredith, 43, white[28]
Louis Carpenter Black 21 M
Edward Young Black 19 M June 24, 1870 Kent Murder-Robbery Thomas Hogan, 50, white
Benjamin Johnson Black 33 M December 16, 1870 Sussex Rape Charlotte Fletcher, 28, white[29][d]
Andrew Clark Black 41 M July 12, 1872 New Castle Rape Martha Rakes, 14, black[30][31][e] James Ponder
William Dennis Black 20 M January 24, 1873 New Castle Rape Mary Thompson, 26, white
Joseph Burton Black 23 M June 20, 1873 Sussex Rape Hannah Lank, 14, white[32]
John Rhodes Black 24 M September 21, 1877 New Castle Murder James Temple, black[33] John P. Cochran
Samuel Chambers Black 35 M March 22, 1878 New Castle Rape Mary Catherine Smith, 32, white[34]
George Collins Black 19 M
James Redden Black 21 M August 25, 1882 New Castle Rape Sallie Jane Purse, 14, white[35] John W. Hall
Charles Robinson Black 33 M April 16, 1886 New Castle Rape Ella F. Gardner, 21, white[36] Charles C. Stockley
Charles Reidel White 36 M August 10, 1888 New Castle Murder Lena and Wilhelm Reidel, 37 and 7, white (wife and son) Benjamin T. Biggs
Jesse Proctor Black 34 M February 13, 1891 Kent Murder-Robbery Stephen Lindsay, 82, black[37] Robert J. Reynolds
Fredrick Young Black 17 M
Shakespeare Reeves Black 33 M March 6, 1891 New Castle Rape Grace Clark, 11, white[38]
James Thoroughgood Black 22 M August 7, 1891 Kent Rape Louisa Gertrude Huffington, 8, black[39]
Edward Wright Black 29 M January 1, 1897 New Castle Murder Ida Crummel, 23, black (ex-girlfriend)[40] Ebe W. Tunnell
Thomas Willis Black 23 M February 19, 1897 New Castle Murder Callie Willis, 1, black (daughter)
James Gordy White 29 M June 11, 1897 Sussex Murder Mary Estelle Lewis Gordy, 33, white (wife)[41][f]
John Joiner Black 25 M September 2, 1904 New Castle Murder John R. Taylor, 23, black[42] John Hunn
William Archer Black 21 M January 11, 1907 New Castle Murder Ida Elizabeth Spires, 28, black (girlfriend)[43] Preston Lea
Lewis Jones Black 30 M January 25, 1907 New Castle Murder Arameda Jones, 24, black[44]
Reese Roberts Black 30 M July 14, 1911 New Castle Murder-Robbery-Burglary Robert and Ann Cloud Casey, 70 and 68, white[45] Simeon S. Pennewill
Peter Krakus White 25 M May 14, 1915 New Castle Murder Francis X. Tierney, 31, white (policeman)[46][g] Charles R. Miller
William Prettyman Black 29 M September 28, 1917 New Castle[h] Murder Zadoc B. Parker, 38, black[47] John G. Townsend Jr.
Adam Hargus Black 34 M
Webster Purnell Black 36 M
Samuel Gangus White 24 M January 11, 1918 New Castle Murder Catherine Bodjeska, 20, white[48]
Ernest Thomas Black 21 M November 26, 1920 New Castle Rape Emma Talley, 58, white[49]
Lemuel Price Black 24 M December 3, 1920 New Castle Murder Thomas L. Zebley, 41, white (policeman)[50]
Harry Butler Black 21 M February 26, 1926 Sussex Rape Eleanor Steinmetz, 10, white[51][i] Robert P. Robinson
Carl Skinner Black 27 M May 27, 1927 Sussex Rape-Burglary Julia A. Bennett, 85, white[52]
Louis Galvano White 21 M March 28, 1930 New Castle Murder Arthur C. Cline, 24, white[53] C. Douglass Buck
Theodore Russ Black 24 M August 22, 1930 New Castle Rape-Burglary Mary Kemp Read, 21, white[54]
John Morgan White 44 M April 12, 1935 Kent Murder Dominique J. Pierre, 61, white[55][j]
May Carey White 52 F June 7, 1935 Sussex Murder Robert R. Hitchens, 55, white (May's brother)[56]
Howard Carey White 28 M
George Scott Black 26 M November 20, 1936 New Castle Murder Elbert Paul, 23, black[57]
Isaiah Opher Black 36 M January 3, 1937 New Castle Murder-Attempted rape Isabelle Robinson, 13, black[58]
Joseph Nelson Black 36 M June 4, 1937 Sussex Murder Carrie Lethal, 51, black (common-law wife)[59] Richard McMullen
Curnel Robinson Black 34 M January 14, 1941 New Castle Rape Female, 15, white[60][k]
Ralph Ernest White 33 M January 9, 1942 New Castle Rape Female, 6, white[61] Walter W. Bacon
Anderson Butler Black 23 M December 7, 1945 New Castle Rape Female, 12, white[62]
Forrest Sturdivant Black 34 M May 10, 1946 Sussex Murder George Leslie Polk, 65, black[63]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Peter was hanged, while Catherine was strangled and burned at the stake. Her rope burnt through, resulting in her being burned alive.
  2. ^ Also attempted to rape Elizabeth Griffith and slashed her head and neck with a razor.
  3. ^ Also admitted to "various bloody deeds" he committed while working as a chain bearer for a coastal survey in California.
  4. ^ Serial rapist.
  5. ^ Serial rapist, also attacked Mrs. Reynolds (white), Ms. Jane Marvin (16, white), Ms. Mather (white), and Mrs. Dara (white).
  6. ^ Also suspected of murdering his father Peter B. Gordy, his first wife, and their infant child.
  7. ^ Fugitive from Connecticut for the murders of Rev. Joseph Zebris and Iva Gilmanaitis (54 and 36, white); his accomplice, Bernard Montvid, was hanged there for the crime in August 1915.
  8. ^ Sentenced in Sussex County.
  9. ^ Also attacked a black woman, Bertha Neal.
  10. ^ Also murdered Frank Foster (57, white).
  11. ^ Serial rapist, also pleaded guilty to raping three white women and previously attacked numerous black girls.

References

  1. ^ "Death Row Executions". Delaware Department of Correction. Archived from the original on 20 April 2023. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
  2. ^ "Executions in Delaware - 1662-1946 - DeathPenaltyUSA, the database of executions in the United States". deathpenaltyusa.org. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
  3. ^ "Delaware", Death Penalty Information Center
  4. ^ Hearn, Daniel Allen (2015-07-13). Legal Executions in Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia: A Comprehensive Registry, 1866-1962. McFarland. ISBN 978-0-7864-9540-5.
  5. ^ Delaware, executions recorded in statewide records, 1956-1977, Undated
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h "The Death Penalty in Delaware 1650 through 1849". genealogytrails.com. Retrieved 2026-02-04.
  7. ^ "Charles, DE, 1770". archives.albany.edu. Retrieved 2026-02-04.
  8. ^ "cheney clow, DE, 1783 September 15". archives.albany.edu. Retrieved 2026-02-04.
  9. ^ "Benn, DE, 1786 October 25". archives.albany.edu. Retrieved 2026-02-04.
  10. ^ "Ben, DE, 1792 September 14". archives.albany.edu. Retrieved 2026-02-04.
  11. ^ "john morris, DE, 1792 December 18". archives.albany.edu. Retrieved 2026-02-04.
  12. ^ "Elihu Prettyman, DE, 1806 April 8". archives.albany.edu. Retrieved 2026-02-04.
  13. ^ "George Parker, DE, 1807 April 21". archives.albany.edu. Retrieved 2026-02-04.
  14. ^ John Smith, DE, 1815 December 21, Espy Archive
  15. ^ William Piper, DE, 1820 April 18, Espy Archive
  16. ^ Jacob Elliott, DE, 1822 December 31, Espy Archive
  17. ^ Elisha Sharp, DE, 1825 November 8, Espy Archive
  18. ^ Robert Morris, DE, 1831 November 8, Espy Archive
  19. ^ "The Death Penalty in Delaware 1850 through 1899". genealogytrails.com. Retrieved 2026-02-04.
  20. ^ Samuel Ward, DE, 1852 September 8, Espy Archive
  21. ^ John Bowen, DE, 1860 February 10, Espy Archive
  22. ^ John Cannon, DE, 1869 December 14, Espy Archive
  23. ^ Sarah Bradley, DE, 1869 December 14, Espy Archive
  24. ^ Levi Jenkins, DE, 1869 December 14, Espy Archive
  25. ^ John Cannon, DE, 1860 December 28, Espy Archive
  26. ^ Thomas Orskins, DE, 1863 February 14
  27. ^ Andrew Armstrong, 1867 February 8, Espy Archive
  28. ^ Joshua Jones, DE, 1870 February 4, Espy Archive
  29. ^ Benjamin Johnson, DE, 1870, Espy Archive
  30. ^ "Andrew Clark, DE, 1872 July 12". archives.albany.edu. Retrieved 2025-11-09.
  31. ^ "State of Delaware Genealogy and History". genealogytrails.com. Retrieved 2025-11-09.
  32. ^ Joseph Burton, DE, 1873 June 20, Espy Archive
  33. ^ John Rhodes, DE, 1877 September 21, Espy Archive
  34. ^ George Collins, DE, 1878 March 22, Espy Archive
  35. ^ James Redden, DE, 1882 August 25, Espy Archive
  36. ^ Charles Robinson, DE, 1886 April 16, Espy Archive
  37. ^ Jesse Proctor, DE, 1891 February 13, Espy Archive
  38. ^ Shakespeare Reeves, DE, 1891 March 6, Espy Archive
  39. ^ James Thoroughgood, DE, 1891 August 7, Espy Archive
  40. ^ Edward Wright, DE, 1897 January 1, Espy Archive
  41. ^ James Gordy, DE, 1897 June 11, Espy Archive
  42. ^ John Joiner, DE, 1904 September 2, Espy Archive
  43. ^ William Archer, DE, 1907 January 25, Espy Archive
  44. ^ Lewis Jones, DE, 1907 January 11, Espy Archive
  45. ^ Reese Roberts, DE, 1911 July 14, Espy Archive
  46. ^ Peter Krakus, DE, 1915 May 14, Espy Archive
  47. ^ Webster Purnell, DE, 1917 September 28, Espy Archive
  48. ^ Samuel Gangus, DE, 1918 January 11, Espy Archive
  49. ^ Ernest Thomas, 1920 November 26, Espy Archive
  50. ^ Lemuel Price, DE, 1920 December 3, Espy Archive
  51. ^ Harry Butler, DE, 1926 February 26, Espy Archive
  52. ^ Carl Skinner, DE, 1927 May 27, Espy Archive
  53. ^ Louis Galvano, DE, 1930 March 28, Espy Archive
  54. ^ Theodore Ross, DE, 1930 August 22, Espy Archive
  55. ^ John Morgan, DE, 1935 April 12, Espy Archive
  56. ^ May Carey, Howard Carey, 1935 June 7, Espy Archive
  57. ^ George Scott, DE, 1936 November 20, Espy Archive
  58. ^ Isaiah Opher, DE, 1937 January 3, Espy Archive
  59. ^ Joseph Nelson, DE, 1937 June 4, Espy Archive
  60. ^ Curnel Robinson, DE, 1941 January 14, Espy Archive
  61. ^ Ralph Ernest, DE, 1942 January 9, Espy Archive
  62. ^ Anderson Butler, DE, 1945 December 7, Espy Archive
  63. ^ Forrest Sturdivant, DE, 1946 May 10, Espy Archive
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