Jackson County, Florida
Jackson County, Florida
History, Genealogy, Historic Sites, Points of Interest, Caves, Historic Homes,
Cemeteries, News, Events, Weather & More!
Cemeteries, News, Events, Weather & More!
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FBI Launches New Investigation of 1934
Claude Neal Lynching
Claude Neal Lynching
| Scene of Lola Cannady Murder The trees in the distance mark the site where Lola Cannady was murdered in October 1934. |
The U.S. Department of Justice has launched a new
investigation into the lynching of Claude Neal, a black
farm laborer who was killed 77 years ago after he
was accused of raping and murdering a young woman
near Greenwood.
Sometimes called the "Marianna Lynching," the Neal
incident became the focus of an effort by the NAACP
and other organizations to secure the passage of a
national anti-lynching law.
While the Justice Department neither confirms nor
denies ongoing investigations, agents from the Federal
Bureau of Investigation (FBI) have been in Jackson
County over recent weeks looking into the long-ago
lynching.
The agents have interviewed local officials, inspected
archival records at the Jackson County Courthouse
and spoken to some of Neal's family members. While it
will not address specifics, the Justice Department has
confirmed that it is investigating more than 100 such old
murders and lynchings as part of a new focus on
unsolved crimes of the Civil Rights era.
The series of incidents leading to the Claude Neal
lynching began on October 18, 1934, when a 19 year
old woman named Lola Cannady left her home and
walked several hundred yards across a field to water
her family's hogs. She never returned.
As concern grew over her whereabouts, family
members and neighbors began to search the nearby
fields and woods. They quickly found evidence that
foul play had taken place.
Near the hand pump used to water the hogs, there
were footprints and scuff marks that indicated a
severe fight had taken place. Bloodstains were also
found in the dirt and a man's footprints could be seen
leading across a field from the scene to the nearby
home of Sallie Smith.
investigation into the lynching of Claude Neal, a black
farm laborer who was killed 77 years ago after he
was accused of raping and murdering a young woman
near Greenwood.
Sometimes called the "Marianna Lynching," the Neal
incident became the focus of an effort by the NAACP
and other organizations to secure the passage of a
national anti-lynching law.
While the Justice Department neither confirms nor
denies ongoing investigations, agents from the Federal
Bureau of Investigation (FBI) have been in Jackson
County over recent weeks looking into the long-ago
lynching.
The agents have interviewed local officials, inspected
archival records at the Jackson County Courthouse
and spoken to some of Neal's family members. While it
will not address specifics, the Justice Department has
confirmed that it is investigating more than 100 such old
murders and lynchings as part of a new focus on
unsolved crimes of the Civil Rights era.
The series of incidents leading to the Claude Neal
lynching began on October 18, 1934, when a 19 year
old woman named Lola Cannady left her home and
walked several hundred yards across a field to water
her family's hogs. She never returned.
As concern grew over her whereabouts, family
members and neighbors began to search the nearby
fields and woods. They quickly found evidence that
foul play had taken place.
Near the hand pump used to water the hogs, there
were footprints and scuff marks that indicated a
severe fight had taken place. Bloodstains were also
found in the dirt and a man's footprints could be seen
leading across a field from the scene to the nearby
home of Sallie Smith.
Local History & More
Founded in 1823, Jackson
County is Florida's third oldest
county and was named for
Andrew Jackson who once
marched an army through the
area. Over the years it has
been the scene of a stunning
array of historical events.
Click Here to Learn More!
Founded in 1823, Jackson
County is Florida's third oldest
county and was named for
Andrew Jackson who once
marched an army through the
area. Over the years it has
been the scene of a stunning
array of historical events.
Click Here to Learn More!
Local Weather
We are pleased to offer you
LIVE weather information for
cities, towns and communities
across Jackson County. If you
need to quickly check current
temperatures, conditions and
storm warnings, please
bookmark our Weather page.
Click Here to Learn More!
We are pleased to offer you
LIVE weather information for
cities, towns and communities
across Jackson County. If you
need to quickly check current
temperatures, conditions and
storm warnings, please
bookmark our Weather page.
Click Here to Learn More!
Local News
We provide access to Local
News from our own staff as
well as from a variety of other
sources. On our local news
page you will find current
news and information, as well
as links to news sources for
the Jackson County area.
Click Here to Learn More!
We provide access to Local
News from our own staff as
well as from a variety of other
sources. On our local news
page you will find current
news and information, as well
as links to news sources for
the Jackson County area.
Click Here to Learn More!
Battle of Marianna
Fought in the streets of the
county seat on September 27,
1864, the Battle of Marianna
culminated the deepest raid
into Florida by Union forces
during the entire Civil War.
Bloody and fierce, it was a
major event in Florida history.
Click Here to Learn More!
Fought in the streets of the
county seat on September 27,
1864, the Battle of Marianna
culminated the deepest raid
into Florida by Union forces
during the entire Civil War.
Bloody and fierce, it was a
major event in Florida history.
Click Here to Learn More!
| Copyright 2011 by Dale Cox All Rights Reserved. |
Russ House Ghosts
One of Marianna's favorite
landmarks is rumored to be
haunted by a veritable family of
ghosts! Those who believe in
such say that the elegant Russ
House, now home to the
Chamber of Commerce, is quite
active, especially at night.
Click Here to Learn More!
One of Marianna's favorite
landmarks is rumored to be
haunted by a veritable family of
ghosts! Those who believe in
such say that the elegant Russ
House, now home to the
Chamber of Commerce, is quite
active, especially at night.
Click Here to Learn More!
Two Egg, Florida
Two Egg is the South's most
uniquely named community and
it is located right here in
Jackson County! Learn more
about the history and legends
of Two Egg, including the story
of how it got its unusual name!
Click Here to Learn More!
Two Egg is the South's most
uniquely named community and
it is located right here in
Jackson County! Learn more
about the history and legends
of Two Egg, including the story
of how it got its unusual name!
Click Here to Learn More!
Owens Cemetery
Owens Cemetery, near the
Parramore community in
eastern Jackson County, dates
back decades before the Civil
War. Established by early
pioneers of the Chattahoochee
River area, it is today a
landmark of local history.
Click Here to Learn More!
Owens Cemetery, near the
Parramore community in
eastern Jackson County, dates
back decades before the Civil
War. Established by early
pioneers of the Chattahoochee
River area, it is today a
landmark of local history.
Click Here to Learn More!
Greenwood
One of the oldest continually
settled towns in Jackson
County, Greenwood is both
historic and picturesque.
Explore some of its beauty in
our special Greenwood photo
essay. Just follow the link
below:
Click Here to Learn More!
One of the oldest continually
settled towns in Jackson
County, Greenwood is both
historic and picturesque.
Explore some of its beauty in
our special Greenwood photo
essay. Just follow the link
below:
Click Here to Learn More!
When the searchers followed the tracks to the Smith
home, they found a bloody hammer and discovered
that Smith and her niece, Annie Smith, were trying to
wash blood from a man's clothes. They later admitted
that the clothes belonged to Annie Smith's son, 23 year
old Claude Neal.
Sallie Smith also told Jackson County Sheriff W.F.
"Flake" Chambliss that she had seen Neal near the hog
pen with Neal and then had heard her scream.
Lola's body was found at 6:30 the next morning in a
wooded area 1/8 of a mile southeast of the pump. A
coroner's jury determined that she had been raped and
beaten to death with a hammer. Claude Neal was
arrested in Malone by Deputy Phil Coulliette.
The evidence against him was strong. In addition to the
tracks, blood-stained clothes and hammer, the sheriff
found a piece of cloth near Lola's body. It was found
to match a ripped part of Neal's shirt sleeve. Also
nearby, searchers found the stem and loop of a
pocket watch. When Claude Neal was arrested, it was
found that the stem and loop of his watch were
missing. The pieces from the scene were a match.
Please click here to read the full story of the
lynching...
home, they found a bloody hammer and discovered
that Smith and her niece, Annie Smith, were trying to
wash blood from a man's clothes. They later admitted
that the clothes belonged to Annie Smith's son, 23 year
old Claude Neal.
Sallie Smith also told Jackson County Sheriff W.F.
"Flake" Chambliss that she had seen Neal near the hog
pen with Neal and then had heard her scream.
Lola's body was found at 6:30 the next morning in a
wooded area 1/8 of a mile southeast of the pump. A
coroner's jury determined that she had been raped and
beaten to death with a hammer. Claude Neal was
arrested in Malone by Deputy Phil Coulliette.
The evidence against him was strong. In addition to the
tracks, blood-stained clothes and hammer, the sheriff
found a piece of cloth near Lola's body. It was found
to match a ripped part of Neal's shirt sleeve. Also
nearby, searchers found the stem and loop of a
pocket watch. When Claude Neal was arrested, it was
found that the stem and loop of his watch were
missing. The pieces from the scene were a match.
Please click here to read the full story of the
lynching...
Video on the Claude Neal Lynching
