On February 12, 1869, Esau Thomas, aged in his mid to late 40s, was lynched in the community of Hickman’s beat, now called Ralph, at the intersection of Tuscaloosa and Greene counties. He was attacked by a mob of white citizens after being accused of sexually assaulting a daughter of his former enslaver. Esau lived in Pickens County with his 4 children, an elder daughter and three young sons.
On April 28, 1868, Allen A. Williams, age unknown, was kidnapped and whipped in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, by the Ku-Klux-Klan, after being accused of offending a group of white women. He was also shot and severely wounded. More work is needed to find out about who Allen A. Williams was before he was attacked.
On November 10, 1868, Henry Leatherwood, about 20 years old, was lynched in the community of Hickman’s beat, modern-day Ralph, at the intersection of Tuscaloosa and Greene counties. After being accused by a white woman of sexual assault, a mob of about 200 white men began to pursue him. Henry was able to successfully evade the mob for only a week after the accusation was made.
On March 27, 1868, Balus Eddins, 68, was the victim of an attempted lynching in Tuscaloosa, AL. Balus was attacked after placing a bid at a white only auction. Balus was then stabbed in front of the store and taken to a local woodshop. This case was taken to military court where the attacker was charged with assault and battery. Balus was formerly enslaved and later joined the Freedmen’s Bureau after gaining freedom.
