T. J. Hampton
19th Century Serial Killer
CLASSIFICATION: Serial Homicide
LOCATION
Fort White, Florida
TIME PERIOD
1887-1901
VICTIMS
5 confirmed
T. J. Hampton, born Thomas J. Hampton, was a 19th-century American serial killer executed on December 6, 1901, in Lake City, Florida, for the murders of two men, Sessom Calhoun and John Bell, committed on March 25, 1893, in Fort White, Florida. Hampton, an African American drifter, confessed to three additional murders in Georgia and South Carolina during his execution, which spanned from 1887 to 1893. He was apprehended in 1893 while working at a turpentine camp and was convicted of first-degree murder, leading to his death sentence. The case drew significant public attention, prompting Governor William Sherman Jennings to assign state troopers for Hampton's protection against potential lynching threats prior to his execution.
Some believe that T. J. Hampton's confession to additional murders in Georgia and South Carolina indicates he may have been responsible for a larger series of unsolved crimes in the region during that time. There is speculation that his background as a drifter allowed him to evade capture for years, suggesting he may have had more victims than he admitted. Additionally, the protection he received from state troopers due to threats of lynching highlights the racial tensions surrounding his case, leading some to theorize that his race influenced both public perception and the legal proceedings against him.
The Murders of T. J. Hampton
A Drifter's Dark Path
In the late 19th century, the United States bore witness to the grim tale of T. J. Hampton, a man whose life unfolded as a series of violent encounters across the southeastern states. Born Thomas J. Hampton, he was a drifter whose travels concealed a trail of bloodshed that spanned several years and states. His story is one of evasion, brutality, and ultimately, justice.
The First Bloodshed
The curtain of mystery surrounding Hampton’s early life remains firmly drawn, leaving his childhood a blank canvas. What is known, however, is that in 1887, Hampton committed his first known murder. It was on a freight train in Lexington County, South Carolina, that a train conductor met his untimely end at Hampton's hands. This murder marked the beginning of Hampton's violent spree, yet he managed to slip away from the grasp of the law, becoming merely a ghost story among the living.
A Lethal Journey
Hampton's journey led him next to Georgia, where he claimed the lives of two more individuals. Details about these victims remain shrouded in mystery, as Hampton chose not to elaborate on these gruesome acts. By 1893, his wandering ways had brought him to a turpentine camp in Fort White, Florida. It was here, on March 25, that he unleashed his most brazen attack. He fired upon three Caucasian men—Sessom Calhoun and John Bell were killed, while J. W. Holliday was wounded but survived the ordeal. This attack would be the beginning of the end for Hampton.
Justice Catches Up
Following the murders in Fort White, Hampton was swiftly apprehended and charged with the murders of Calhoun and Bell. The justice system moved quickly, and he was tried, convicted on two counts of first-degree murder, and sentenced to death by hanging. Despite the severity of his crimes, Hampton's race as an African American in the post-Civil War South made him a target for mob justice. Threats of lynching grew so severe that Governor William Sherman Jennings was compelled to assign state troopers to ensure Hampton's safety until his execution.
Final Confessions
As the clock ticked down to his date with the gallows, Hampton's fate was sealed by Governor Jennings on December 2, 1901, when he signed the death warrant scheduling the execution for December 6. On the day of his execution in Lake City, Florida, Hampton displayed a chilling composure. With a cigarette in hand, he stood on the gallows and made a startling confession: the murders in South Carolina and Georgia were indeed his doing, adding three more victims to his grim tally.
The Execution
On December 6, 1901, the life of T. J. Hampton ended on the gallows. His execution marked the closure of a violent chapter, but it also opened the conversation about the haunting legacy of serial murderers in America’s history.
A Note on Historical Context
Hampton’s case is a reminder of the turbulent racial dynamics of his time. The threats of lynching and the need for gubernatorial intervention highlight the precarious position of African Americans in the justice system during this era.
See Also
Sources
- Confessed Five Murders - Piqua Daily Call, December 7, 1901
- FIVE TIMES MURDERER - The Bamberg Herald, December 12, 1901
- Hampton Will Be Hanged - Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, December 5, 1901
- TROOPS GUARD MURDERER - The Bamberg Herald, July 18, 1901
- Smoked On the Gallows - Lebanon Daily News, December 13, 1901
- SHOWED REMARKABLE NERVE - Greenville Journal, December 13, 1901
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First Murder Committed
T. J. Hampton commits his first murder of a train conductor in South Carolina.
Additional Murders in Georgia
Hampton commits two more murders in Georgia, details unknown.
Murders in Fort White
Hampton shoots and kills Sessom Calhoun and John Bell; J. W. Holliday is wounded.
Arrested for Murder
T. J. Hampton is arrested and charged with the murders of Calhoun and Bell.
Convicted of Murder
Hampton is tried and convicted on two counts of first degree murder.
Death Warrant Signed
Governor Jennings signs the death warrant for T. J. Hampton's execution.
Execution by Hanging
T. J. Hampton is executed by hanging in Lake City, Florida.
Confession of Additional Murders
Hampton confesses to three additional murders shortly before his execution.
T. J. Hampton, born Thomas J. Hampton, was a 19th-century American serial killer executed on December 6, 1901, in Lake City, Florida, for the murders of two men, Sessom Calhoun and John Bell, committed on March 25, 1893, in Fort White, Florida. Hampton, an African American drifter, confessed to three additional murders in Georgia and South Carolina during his execution, which spanned from 1887 to 1893. He was apprehended in 1893 while working at a turpentine camp and was convicted of first-degree murder, leading to his death sentence. The case drew significant public attention, prompting Governor William Sherman Jennings to assign state troopers for Hampton's protection against potential lynching threats prior to his execution.
Some believe that T. J. Hampton's confession to additional murders in Georgia and South Carolina indicates he may have been responsible for a larger series of unsolved crimes in the region during that time. There is speculation that his background as a drifter allowed him to evade capture for years, suggesting he may have had more victims than he admitted. Additionally, the protection he received from state troopers due to threats of lynching highlights the racial tensions surrounding his case, leading some to theorize that his race influenced both public perception and the legal proceedings against him.
The Murders of T. J. Hampton
A Drifter's Dark Path
In the late 19th century, the United States bore witness to the grim tale of T. J. Hampton, a man whose life unfolded as a series of violent encounters across the southeastern states. Born Thomas J. Hampton, he was a drifter whose travels concealed a trail of bloodshed that spanned several years and states. His story is one of evasion, brutality, and ultimately, justice.
The First Bloodshed
The curtain of mystery surrounding Hampton’s early life remains firmly drawn, leaving his childhood a blank canvas. What is known, however, is that in 1887, Hampton committed his first known murder. It was on a freight train in Lexington County, South Carolina, that a train conductor met his untimely end at Hampton's hands. This murder marked the beginning of Hampton's violent spree, yet he managed to slip away from the grasp of the law, becoming merely a ghost story among the living.
A Lethal Journey
Hampton's journey led him next to Georgia, where he claimed the lives of two more individuals. Details about these victims remain shrouded in mystery, as Hampton chose not to elaborate on these gruesome acts. By 1893, his wandering ways had brought him to a turpentine camp in Fort White, Florida. It was here, on March 25, that he unleashed his most brazen attack. He fired upon three Caucasian men—Sessom Calhoun and John Bell were killed, while J. W. Holliday was wounded but survived the ordeal. This attack would be the beginning of the end for Hampton.
Justice Catches Up
Following the murders in Fort White, Hampton was swiftly apprehended and charged with the murders of Calhoun and Bell. The justice system moved quickly, and he was tried, convicted on two counts of first-degree murder, and sentenced to death by hanging. Despite the severity of his crimes, Hampton's race as an African American in the post-Civil War South made him a target for mob justice. Threats of lynching grew so severe that Governor William Sherman Jennings was compelled to assign state troopers to ensure Hampton's safety until his execution.
Final Confessions
As the clock ticked down to his date with the gallows, Hampton's fate was sealed by Governor Jennings on December 2, 1901, when he signed the death warrant scheduling the execution for December 6. On the day of his execution in Lake City, Florida, Hampton displayed a chilling composure. With a cigarette in hand, he stood on the gallows and made a startling confession: the murders in South Carolina and Georgia were indeed his doing, adding three more victims to his grim tally.
The Execution
On December 6, 1901, the life of T. J. Hampton ended on the gallows. His execution marked the closure of a violent chapter, but it also opened the conversation about the haunting legacy of serial murderers in America’s history.
A Note on Historical Context
Hampton’s case is a reminder of the turbulent racial dynamics of his time. The threats of lynching and the need for gubernatorial intervention highlight the precarious position of African Americans in the justice system during this era.
See Also
Sources
- Confessed Five Murders - Piqua Daily Call, December 7, 1901
- FIVE TIMES MURDERER - The Bamberg Herald, December 12, 1901
- Hampton Will Be Hanged - Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, December 5, 1901
- TROOPS GUARD MURDERER - The Bamberg Herald, July 18, 1901
- Smoked On the Gallows - Lebanon Daily News, December 13, 1901
- SHOWED REMARKABLE NERVE - Greenville Journal, December 13, 1901
No Recent News
No recent news articles found for this case. Check back later for updates.
No Evidence Submitted
No evidence found for this case. Be the first to submit evidence in the comments below.
Join the discussion
Loading comments...
First Murder Committed
T. J. Hampton commits his first murder of a train conductor in South Carolina.
Additional Murders in Georgia
Hampton commits two more murders in Georgia, details unknown.
Murders in Fort White
Hampton shoots and kills Sessom Calhoun and John Bell; J. W. Holliday is wounded.
Arrested for Murder
T. J. Hampton is arrested and charged with the murders of Calhoun and Bell.
Convicted of Murder
Hampton is tried and convicted on two counts of first degree murder.
Death Warrant Signed
Governor Jennings signs the death warrant for T. J. Hampton's execution.
Execution by Hanging
T. J. Hampton is executed by hanging in Lake City, Florida.
Confession of Additional Murders
Hampton confesses to three additional murders shortly before his execution.