Thomas Griffin (black farmer)
Encyclopedia
Thomas Griffin and Meeks Griffin were brothers and prominent black farmers who lived in Chester County, South Carolina
. They were executed via the electric chair
in 1915 for the murder in 1913 of 75-year-old John Q. Lewis, a Confederate
veteran of Blackstock.
The Griffin brothers were convicted based on the accusations of another black man, John "Monk" Stevenson, who was known to be a small-time thief. Stevenson who was found in possession of the victim's pistol, was sentenced to life in prison in exchange for testifying against the brothers.
Two other African Americans, Nelson Brice and John Crosby, were executed with the brothers for the same crime.
However, some in the community believed that the murder might have been the result of Lewis's suspected sexual relationship with 22-year-old Anna Davis. Davis and her husband were never tried, possibly for fear of a miscegenation
scandal.
The Griffin brothers, who were believed to be the wealthiest blacks in the area, sold their 138 acre (0.55846668 km²) farm to pay for their defense against the accusations.
Over 100 people petitioned Gov. Richard Manning to commute the brothers' sentence. The signatories included prominent people including Blackstock's mayor, a sheriff, two trial jurors and the grand jury foreman. Nevertheless, they were sent to the electric chair.
Thomas Griffin and Meeks Griffin were pardoned in October 2009 after Tom Joyner
sought the pardons of his great-uncles from state appeals court in Columbia, South Carolina
.
Joyner learned about his relationship to the Griffins through a research conducted for the PBS documentary, African American Lives 2
, by Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr., which also traced 11 other relatives.
Chester County, South Carolina
Chester County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. In 2000, its population was 34,068; in 2005 the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that its population had dropped to 33,228. Its county seat is Chester.-Geography and climate:...
. They were executed via the electric chair
Electric chair
Execution by electrocution, usually performed using an electric chair, is an execution method originating in the United States in which the condemned person is strapped to a specially built wooden chair and electrocuted through electrodes placed on the body...
in 1915 for the murder in 1913 of 75-year-old John Q. Lewis, a Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
veteran of Blackstock.
The Griffin brothers were convicted based on the accusations of another black man, John "Monk" Stevenson, who was known to be a small-time thief. Stevenson who was found in possession of the victim's pistol, was sentenced to life in prison in exchange for testifying against the brothers.
Two other African Americans, Nelson Brice and John Crosby, were executed with the brothers for the same crime.
However, some in the community believed that the murder might have been the result of Lewis's suspected sexual relationship with 22-year-old Anna Davis. Davis and her husband were never tried, possibly for fear of a miscegenation
Miscegenation
Miscegenation is the mixing of different racial groups through marriage, cohabitation, sexual relations, and procreation....
scandal.
The Griffin brothers, who were believed to be the wealthiest blacks in the area, sold their 138 acre (0.55846668 km²) farm to pay for their defense against the accusations.
Over 100 people petitioned Gov. Richard Manning to commute the brothers' sentence. The signatories included prominent people including Blackstock's mayor, a sheriff, two trial jurors and the grand jury foreman. Nevertheless, they were sent to the electric chair.
Thomas Griffin and Meeks Griffin were pardoned in October 2009 after Tom Joyner
Tom Joyner
Thomas "Tom" Joyner is an American radio host, host of the nationally syndicated The Tom Joyner Morning Show, and also founder of REACH Media Inc., the Tom Joyner Foundation, and BlackAmericaWeb.com.-Early life:...
sought the pardons of his great-uncles from state appeals court in Columbia, South Carolina
Columbia, South Carolina
Columbia is the state capital and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 129,272 according to the 2010 census. Columbia is the county seat of Richland County, but a portion of the city extends into neighboring Lexington County. The city is the center of a metropolitan...
.
Joyner learned about his relationship to the Griffins through a research conducted for the PBS documentary, African American Lives 2
African American Lives
African American Lives is a PBS television miniseries hosted by historian Henry Louis Gates, Jr., focusing on African American genealogical research...
, by Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr., which also traced 11 other relatives.