African-American History in Wyoming: Lynchings

(WY Penitentiary mug shot, inmate #806)

Frank Wigfall was lynched in late September or early October of 1912 by inmates in the Wyoming State Penitentiary. Frank was accused of assaulting a woman named Esther Higgins who was in her seventies. Esther was nicknamed "Granny Higgins" and would bring baked goods for the prisoners to enjoy. When Frank was caught a community lynch mob gathered for him. Fearing for Frank's life Rawlin's Mayor requested he be transferred to the Penitentiary, for safe keeping.

When the prisoners heard about his alleged crime a few of them took "justice" into their own hands, and without a judge or a jury conviction, they hanged Frank.

Read the full story of Frank's lynching on our blog Wyoming Postscripts: "The Lynching of Frank Wigfall"

Lynched August 29, 1904 the following are newspaper reports of Joe Martin's lynching: (https://newspapers.wyo.org)

1. Laramie Republican no. 151 February 04, 1904, page 1
2. Laramie Boomerang no. 281 February 05, 1904, page 1
3. Semi-Weekly Boomerang no. 83 February 08, 1904, page 4
4. Laramie Boomerang no. 289 February 14, 1904, page 4
5. Laramie Republican no. 175 March 03, 1904, page 4
6. Laramie Boomerang no. 306 March 05, 1904, page 4
7. Laramie Republican no. 200 April 01, 1904, page 1
8. Laramie Boomerang no. 18 April 02, 1904, page 1
9. Laramie Republican no. 202 April 04, 1904, page 3
10. Weekly Boomerang no. 44 August 11, 1904, page 2
11. Wyoming Tribune no. 227 August 29, 1904, page 5
12. Cheyenne Daily Leader no. 326 August 30, 1904, page 1
13. Rawlins Republican no. 69 August 31, 1904, page 1
14. Converse County Herald no. 18 September 01, 1904, page 2
15. Weekly Boomerang no. 50 September 01, 1904, page 3
16. Wyoming Tribune no. 231 September 02, 1904, page 4
17. Wyoming Semi-Weekly Tribune no. 65 September 02, 1904, page 1
18. Grand Encampment Herald no. 26 September 02, 1904, page 4
19. Grand Encampment Herald no. 26 September 02, 1904, page 5
20. Cheyenne Daily Leader no. 329 September 02, 1904, page 4
21. Sheridan Post no. 65 September 02, 1904, page 6
22. Laramie Boomerang no. 146 September 03, 1904, page 4
23. Wyoming Press no. 3 September 03, 1904, page 5
24. Laramie Boomerang no. 147 September 04, 1904, page 2
25. Wyoming Semi-Weekly Tribune no. 66 September 06, 1904, page 7
26. Wyoming Semi-Weekly Tribune no. 66 September 06, 1904, page 6
27. Cheyenne Daily Leader no. 334 September 08, 1904, page 6
28. Weekly Boomerang no. 50 September 08, 1904, page 2
29. Wyoming Tribune no. 239 September 12, 1904, page 5
30. Wyoming Semi-Weekly Tribune no. 69 September 16, 1904, page 3
31. Semi-Weekly Boomerang no. 51 September 19, 1904, page 2
32. Laramie Boomerang no. 159 September 20, 1904, page 1
33. Cheyenne Daily Leader no. 344 September 20, 1904, page 5
34. Wheatland World no. 52 September 23, 1904, page 4
35. Cheyenne Daily Leader no. 348 September 24, 1904, page 1

1. Carbon County Journal, June 27, 1913 pg. 2--“Two Negros Murdered in Kemmerer”
2. Cheyenne Daily Leader, Dec. 27, 1917-- “Negro’s Demand Lynching Probe” (Rock Springs)
3. Davis, John W. "Goodbye Judge Lynch: The End of a Lawless Era in Wyoming’s Big Horn Basin." University of Oklahoma Press, 2005
4. Green River Star Nov. 13, 1921-- "Negro Lynched by Green River Mob"
5. Green River Star Dec 14, 1917 -- "Negro Lynched At Rock Springs Tuesday Night"