William Smith

Full Name

William Smith

Victim Profile

William Smith

Name Variations

Jim Smith

Biography

On January 4th, 1915, William “Jim” Smith, 26, was lynched and shot, along with his brother Edward “Ed” Smith, 22, five miles outside of the City of Wetumpka, by a mob of twenty to fifty people, after being accused of the murder of a prominent Elmore County farmer. Smith was a native of Macon AL, and a farm laborer who worked occasionally on Stillwell’s land with his brother Ed. Mr. Smith left behind his newly wed bride Meter Marbly, to who he was only married to for a year prior to his lynching.They were married on January 11th, 1914, in Titus, AL. His relative, Hezekiah Smith, served as a witness for their holy matrimony, and was married to Lueada Benson on the same day. It is unclear to determine what happened to Marbly after Smiths lynching, but it is most likely that she moved out of the area, along with some of the Smiths’other relatives. Many, including Hezekiah, relocated to cities up North, with their families and never returned. Jim was not only a husband, but a brother, a cousin, a son, and a valued member of his community. His life was taken unjustly and too soon.

Documented or Attempted

Documented

Birth Date

Circa 1891

County of Birth; County of Death

N/A; Elmore County

Death Date

January 4, 1915

Date of Attempted Lynching

N/A

Age at Death

26

Race

Black

Sex

Male

Researchers

Makyla Brewer

Case Number

AMP541-19150104-001

Identified by:

Alabama Memory Project

Mother

N/A

Father

N/A

Spouse or Partner

Meter Marbly

Child

None

All other relatives

Hezekiah Smith, Edward "Ed" Smith (sibling)

Occupation

Farm Laborer

Education Level

N/A

Head of Household and Literacy Status

N/A