1946-08-03
Wilson County, NC

Alleged offense: Resisting police misconduct (assaulting officer of the law)
Race: Black
Gender: Male
Age: 19
Legal intervention (in alleged offense): Yes
Legal intervention (following lynching): No
Mob size: 20-25
Mob members: Unrecorded
Alleged victim: Law officer
Household Status: Unmarried
Occupation: Farmer (veteran)

J.C. Farmer was a World War II veteran and native of Bailey, North Carolina. He was with friends at a bus stop in Bailey, North Carolina, when he refused to comply with unlawful commands given by a police officer. As the officer tried to force Farmer into his patrol car, he struck farmer with his baton and drew his gun. He seems to have known Farmer, since he addressed him by his nickname, “JC.” Farmer wrestled the gun from the officer and in the struggle, the gun discharged and grazed the officer’s hand. A posse of 20 to 25 men, including ABC officers, later found Farmer at his home and shot him down in front of his mother.

Documentation

Death certificate: JC Farmer Death Certificate”
Census: None found

News coverage:

Mother Sees Band Kill Son 1

Mother Sees Band Kill Son 2

Mother Sees Band Kill Son 3

Location

Town: Bailey, North Carolina
Latitude/Longitude: 35.727512, -78.112478
Rationale:  Newspaper coverage placed the site of Farmer’s death as 100 yards from the home he shared with his parents, 3 miles south of Bailey, NC. It also noted that he lived on the Thad Sharp Farm. There is still a Sharp Family Farms with an address 6 miles south of Bailey.

Additional Resources:

Researcher’s Note: Very limited information on this incident, though it is mentioned in a number of places. Newspaper coverage from the New Journal and Guide (an African American paper out of Newport News, VA) was retrieved from: https://afamwilsonnc.com/2018/06/27/carolina-posse-kills-ex-gi/.