Old Hamilton County Jail

History of Jasper’s Old Hamilton County Jail

The old Hamilton County Jail in Jasper, Florida, holds distinction as the oldest surviving jail structure still in use in the state, and as the only remaining county-owned facility in Hamilton County dating back to the nineteenth century. It is also notable for its connection to the P.J. Pauly & Brother Jail Company, a firm recognized for its expertise in designing and renovating detention facilities during the late 1800s. Yet, the jail’s greatest significance may lie in its role within the local community. As one of the few remaining physical reminders of the county’s early history, the “Old Jail” has been deeply valued by residents for its historical, cultural, and political importance.

Hamilton County was established in 1827 and named in honor of Alexander Hamilton, one of America’s Founding Fathers and the first Secretary of the U.S. Treasury. The first jail in Hamilton County was built in Jasper in 1846, two decades after the county’s founding. It was a modest 12-by-12-foot, two-story wood-frame structure, with the jail on the ground floor and living quarters for the jailer above. A second jail was constructed in 1859, but it was destroyed by fire ten years later. It was subsequently replaced by another wood-frame building erected on the same site.

The Pauly Jail Company

The P.J. Pauly and Brother Jail Building and Manufacturing Company was established in 1885 in St. Louis, Missouri, by German-born brothers Peter Joseph Pauly and John Pauly. The brothers had arrived in St. Louis around 1856 and initially founded the P.J. Pauly and Brother Steamboat Blacksmith Company, which produced and repaired hardware for paddlewheel steamboats operating on the Missouri River. As steamboat traffic declined in the 1870s, the Pauly brothers shifted their focus to jail and prison construction, securing patents for their steel-clad and fireproof cells.

In 1885, they incorporated their jail-building enterprise under its now well-known name. The company became a prominent builder and renovator of detention facilities across the United States, particularly in the Midwest and Southwest, as well as in Canada and Mexico. By the early 20th century, the Paulys had expanded their business ventures to include the St. Louis Art Metal Company, which specialized in manufacturing wall safes, safe deposit boxes, and other secure storage units.

Old Hamilton County Jail

Built in 1893, the old Hamilton County Jail was constructed primarily of brick, steel, and concrete, making it virtually fireproof. It also served as the residence for the county sheriff and his family, who were responsible for overseeing and caring for the inmates. Notably, both of the sheriff’s children were born inside the jail. To reduce fire risk, the original design included a separate kitchen located behind the main structure. During renovations in the 1930s, a kitchen was added inside the jail. Meals for both the sheriff’s family and the prisoners were prepared on the same stove, which remains in the building today.

Public Executions

In Hamilton County, local legends recount hangings and ghostly encounters in the jail’s tower, often referred to as the “Hanging Tower.” However, there is no definitive evidence that any executions ever took place inside the building itself. Official county records document only two hangings, those of J.B. Norton in 1895 and Walter Durham in 1916, both of which required the construction of temporary gallows in the jail yard.

The Hanging of J.B. Norton

Joseph B. Norton’s crime was both violent and sensational. Originally from South Carolina, Norton had moved to Hamilton County the previous fall from Georgia and quickly became a well-liked member of the community. In December, he married Miss Lizzie Daniels, the daughter of a prosperous planter. On the night of January 4, 1894, a dance was held at the Daniels’ home to celebrate the newlyweds. Many young people attended, and the evening began joyfully.

Mrs. Norton had long been considered the belle of the neighborhood and was a popular dance partner. Among those seeking her attention was James Denmark, a former admirer. He asked her to dance, and she accepted. Before the dance began, Denmark handed his pistol to Norton for safekeeping. As the dancing continued, Norton noticed something between his wife and Denmark that stirred intense jealousy. As they waltzed past him, Norton suddenly pulled his wife away from Denmark and struck Denmark in the face. Then, using Denmark’s own pistol, Norton shot him in the neck. The bullet severed a jugular vein, and Denmark died on the ballroom floor.

Norton did not attempt to flee and claimed the killing was justified, alleging that Denmark had insulted his wife. However, during the trial, Mrs. Norton testified that while Denmark had been overly forward during the dance, she did not appreciate his behavior and had not encouraged it. Norton, when pressed, was unable to clearly define the supposed insult that provoked the shooting.

The prosecution’s most damaging revelation came when it was shown that Norton had two living wives, one in Georgia and another in South Carolina, at the time of his marriage to Miss Daniels. This evidence of bigamy and deception significantly swayed the jury, which ultimately returned a guilty verdict. Although efforts were made to have his sentence reduced to life imprisonment, they were unsuccessful, and Norton was hanged as scheduled.

On the morning of Norton’s execution, large crowds began arriving by foot and by every kind of vehicle. Trains brought even more people, and by 11 a.m., an estimated 1,500 to 2,000 people had gathered around the jail. A tall wooden fence, about ten feet high with sharp-pointed upright planks, had been built around the jail for security, but the crowd eventually pushed it down.

The Hanging of Walter Durham

Vivid accounts of Walter Durham’s execution continue to circulate in Hamilton County, cementing the jail’s legacy as a symbol of justice. Former Sheriff George Royals recalled witnessing the outdoor hanging in 1916, the last public execution carried out in the county. Durham may have faced particularly swift and severe justice due to the nature of his crime, the murder of Deputy Sheriff Rafe Royals, a well-liked and respected figure in the community. In response to public outrage, the execution was hastily carried out to appease local sentiment.

A Dubious Claim of a Third Hanging

Supposedly, a third execution took place sometime in the 1920s and was the last hanging execution to take place east of the Mississippi, although the claim is rather vague. Rather, the last execution by hanging in Florida was that of Charlie Brown, which took place on April 18, 1927, in Deland. Brown was convicted and sentenced to death for the killing of Howard Usher, a Daytona Beach taxi cab driver, in April 1923. Due to years of legal maneuvers and reprieves, it wouldn’t be another four years until he was executed. Although Florida had transitioned from hanging executions to electrocution, it was argued that Brown should be hanged as the crime took place before the transition.

The Curious Case of the Mother and Newborn

In 1925, county jail records included a $7.95 expense noted as “one month’s milk for Mrs. Jackson’s baby.” Though it occurred more than fifty years ago, this episode remains a vivid part of Hamilton County’s oral history, passed down through generations.

According to local lore, Mrs. Jackson conspired with her lover to poison her husband using strychnine. She allegedly slipped the poison into his buttermilk, later explaining the bitter taste as being caused by bitter wood in the crock. While Mr. Jackson didn’t die, he did suffer severe stomach cramps. When Mrs. Jackson wrote to inform her lover of the failed attempt, the letter was intercepted by someone else and forwarded to her husband.

Upon learning of the plot, Mr. Jackson had his wife arrested, even though she had just given birth to their second child. The County Commissioners were hesitant to take responsibility for an infant’s care, but Mrs. Jackson and her baby remained in jail for two months. Her release was eventually secured through the intervention of Colonel Avriot, a local attorney known for advocating on behalf of ordinary citizens.

After her release, Mrs. Jackson divorced her husband, married her lover, moved to Alabama, and, according to legend, lived happily ever after.

The Murder of Hampton Smith and the May 1918 Lynchings

Author’s Note: This story contains sensitive and disturbing imagery. The photograph of Rubin Stacy’s lynching is included as a historical record to provide context for the tragic events discussed in this article.

In 1919, the old Hamilton County Jail became a small part of a larger tragedy after a group of white men unjustly lynched a prisoner. The tale begins near Morven, Georgia, in Brooks County. Hampton Smith, a 25-year-old white planter, owned the Old Joyce Place, a large plantation where he was known for his abusive treatment of Black workers. Smith struggled to find farm laborers and turned to the convict leasing system, where he paid court fines for Black men and exploited their labor. One of these workers was Sidney Johnson, whose $30 fine for playing dice was paid by Smith.

Johnson suffered repeated beatings from Smith, including a severe one after refusing to work while sick. Smith also had a violent history with other Black workers, including beating Mary Turner. After her husband, Hayes Turner, threatened Smith, Hayes was convicted by an all-white jury and sent to a chain gang. Eventually, Johnson shot and killed Smith and wounded his wife, then fled and hid in Valdosta, Georgia. A large manhunt by a white mob soon followed, focusing on Brooks County.

During the manhunt, at least 13 Black individuals were killed by white people over the following two weeks. The most notorious lynchings involved Hazel “Hayes” Turner and his wife. Hayes Turner had previously threatened Hampton Smith, which led to accusations of murder against him, resulting in his lynching. When Mary Turner, his wife and the mother of three children, including an unborn child, publicly denounced the murder and threatened legal action, she too was lynched. At the time, she was eight months pregnant, and her baby was brutally cut from her body and killed by being stomped on.

Leamon Wright was arrested in Jacksonville, Florida, in late May 1918. For safety reasons, his trial was moved to Savannah, Georgia, rather than being held in Brooks County. In 1919, he stood trial there for the murder of Hampton Smith and the assault on Smith’s wife.

Shortly before the trial began, a group of men removed an African American prisoner from the Hamilton County Jail in Jasper, Florida, claiming they had legal authority to do so. The man was later found dead in the Withlacoochee River, west of Valdosta, his body bound and bearing a gunshot wound to the head. He was buried outside Wells Cemetery, about 50 feet to the east, marked by a wooden cross. Local accounts recall that the grave once had a fence, now long gone. A newspaper at the time reported the incident as yet another death connected to the Hampton Smith case.

Closure

In 1953, the jail was inspected and reported to have had furnishing, fixtures, and equipment in such bad condition that they were “almost unusable.” The jail was deemed “obsolete” and “an unfit county jail to incarcerate prisoners of this county.” For several years, the Hamilton County Jail continued to receive bad ratings for the availability of hot water and proper equipment, and poor reports for ventilation, lighting, heating, and plumbing. These were taken into consideration in the decision to close the jail. The Old Hamilton County Jail was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. When it officially closed in 1984, it held the distinction of being the oldest operating jail in Florida.

Hauntings and Paranormal Phenomena

The jail is so well known for its haunted reputation that the National Register’s nomination form specifically mentions its place in local folklore. Many believe the building is haunted by the spirits of its former inmates. Staff, visitors, and paranormal investigators alike point to the jail’s history of hangings and violent incidents as the source of its lingering unrest. Over the years, investigators have gathered reports and evidence of paranormal activity such as slamming cell doors, flickering lights, disembodied voices, shadowy figures, and even full-bodied apparitions. Some of these encounters have been covered in local newspapers.

The building has served various purposes since its closure, including being the home of the Hamilton County Historical Society, hosting a haunted house, and functioning as an escape room. For many years, paranormal investigation groups were permitted to explore the site in search of supernatural occurrences. However, the old jail is scheduled to close to the public later this year.

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