Regional Studies
The Midwest

The Midwest

The Midwest has carried out 1,335 Pre-Furman executions.

The first execution in the Midwest was that of 2 Native Americans in what would become Antrim County Michigan. Folle-Avoine and another Indian whose name is unknown were convicted of murder then shot to death on November 29, 1683.

Michigan also claims the honor of executing the first woman. Records state that a female Indian slave, owned by Clapham, was hanged for murder in April 1753. The crime took place in Mackinac County, Michigan.

The last Pre-Furman execution in the Midwest was that of 22-year-old Black Parolee Lloyd Anderson who died in the Missouri gas chamber on February 26, 1965 for Murder-Robbery in Jasper County.

The last Pre-Furman execution of a female in the Midwest was that of a 25-year-old Black murderess Betty Butler who died in Ohio's electric chair on June 12, 1954 for a crime committed in Hamilton County.

There are a known 1,335 Pre-Furman executions in the Midwest. 351 (26.3%) were Black and 844 (63.2%) were White. 13 of them were females, and of the females, 5 (38.5%) were Black.

In the 282 years from Folle-Avoine to Lloyd Anderson there was an average of 4.7 executions per year.

The following is a racial breakdown of these executions.

There were 807 Hangings, 474 Electrocutions, 39 Gas Chambers, 5 Shootings, 1 Burnt at the Stake, 2 Bludgeoning and 1 Other.

Note: All executions cited below are Pre-Furman, occurring before 1968.
Counties mentioned may not have been in existence at the time of the crime.

Illinois Executions

The State was admitted into the Union on December 3, 1818.

Illinois has executed 348 people between 1779 and 1962

3 of these execution were prior to Statehood, 345 since.

Manuel, a slave, was Burned at the Stake for Witchcraft on June 15, 1779 in Randolph County. he was the first Illinois execution.

Elizabeth Reed, a 40-year-old housewife, was the first woman executed in the state. She was hanged on May 23, 1845 for murder in Lawrence County.

38-year-old Marie Porter was the last woman executed in Illinois. She was convicted of Conspiracy to Murder and electrocuted on January 24, 1962. 22-year-old Angelo Giancola, the murderer, died in the same electric chair that day. The crime occurred in St. Clair County. She and Elizabeth Reed were the only females executed in the State.

James Dukes, a 37-year-old Black man, was the last executed in Illinois. He died in the electric chair on August 24, 1962 for murder in Cook County.

Hanging was Illinois's primary means of execution until December 15, 1928 when Native American Dominick Bressette, John Brown and Claude Clarke, both Blacks, were electrocuted for Murder-Robbery in Lake County.

The State's 348 executions averages to 1.9 executions a year.

There were 249 Hangings, 89 Electrocutions and 1 Burnt at the Stake.

Indiana Executions

The State was admitted into the Union on December 11, 1816.

Indiana has executed 131 people between 1814 and 1961.

1 of these execution was prior to Statehood, 130 since.

The first was a man named Slaughter who was hanged for murder in Knox County some time in 1814.

No women have been executed in Indiana.

Richard Kiefer was the last executed. He died in the electric chair on June 15, 1961for murder committed in Allen County.

Hanging was the only method of execution until February 20, 1914 when 2 men died. Harry Rasico murdered in Vigo County and John Chirka murdered in Lake County.

The State's 131 executions averages to 1 executions every 1.1 years.

There were 72 Hangings and 61 Electrocutions.

Iowa Executions

The State was admitted into the Union on December 28, 1846.

Iowa has executed 45 people between 1834 and 1963.

4 of these execution were prior to Statehood, 41 since.

Patrick O'Connor was the first man executed in Iowa. On June 30, 1834 he was hanged for murder in Dubuque County.

The last executed was Victor Feuger Who was hanged for Kidnapping on March 15, 1963. The crime occurred in Dubuque County.

Iowa has never executed a female.

Hanging was the only method of execution used.

The State's 45 executions averages to 1 executions every 2.9 years.

Hanging was the only method used.

Iowa is currently a non-death penalty State.

Michigan Executions

The State was admitted into the Union on January 26, 1837.

Michigan has executed 13 people between 1683 and 1938.

12 of these execution were prior to Statehood, 1 since.

2 Native Americans were the first executed in Michigan. Folle-Avoine and an unknown Indian were Shot to Death on November 29, 1682 for murder in Antrim County

Anthony Chebatoris was the last executed. He was hanged on July 8, 1938 for murder in Wayne County.

Michigan has never executed a female.

Hanging was the only method of execution used.

The State's 13 executions averages to 1 executions every 19.6 years.

There were  Hangings, 2 Shootings, 1 Bludgeoning and 1 Other.

Michigan is currently a non-death penalty State.

Minnesota Executions

The State was admitted into the Union on May 11, 1858.

Minnesota has executed 66 people between 1854 and 1906.

1 of these execution were prior to Statehood, 65 since.

Yu-Ha-Gu, a Native American, was the first person executed in Minnesota. He was hanged for murder on December 29, 1854 for murder committed in Morrison County.

The 2nd person executed in the state was 34-year-old housewife Ann Bilansky who was hanged on March 23, 1854 for murder committed in Waseca County. She was the only woman executed in the State.

William Williams was the last person executed in the State. He was hanged on February 13, 1906 for a murder in Cass County.

A Military Tribunal, after the Minnesota Sioux Conflict, sentenced 307 Indians to death. The list was sent to President Lincoln for confirmation. Lincoln personally reviewed the cases of all those given death sentences. Only 39 of the sentences were upheld and they were executed December 26, 1862, in a mass hanging at Mankato, Minnesota.

Hanging was the only method of execution used.

The State's 66 executions averages to 1.2 executions a  year.

Hanging was the only method used.

Minnesota is currently a non-death penalty State.

Missouri Executions

The State was admitted into the Union on August 10, 1821.

Missouri has executed 281 men and 4 women between 1810 and 1965.

2 of these execution were prior to Statehood, 279 since.

Peter Johnson was the first person executed in Missouri. He was hanged for murder on August 3, 1810. The crime was committed in Clinton County.

Mary Andrews was the first female executed. She was hanged for murder on April 30, 1834. Her crime was committed in Boone County.

Bonnie Headley, a prostitute, was the last woman executed in Missouri. She, and co-conspirator Carl Hall, died in the gas chamber on December 18, 1953 for Murder-Kidnapping in Jackson County (or St. Lewis County).

The only other females executed were 2 slaves hanged for murder, 1 in 1838 and the other in 1855.

The last man executed in Missouri was a Black man named Lloyd Anderson who died in the gas chamber on February 26, 1965 for Murder-Robbery in Jasper County.

Hanging was the standard method of execution until March 4, 1938 when John Brown, a Black man, died in the Gas Chamber for murder committed in Stone County.

The State's 285 executions averages to 1.8 executions a  year.

There were 245 Hangings, 39 Gas Chambers and 1 Shooting.

Ohio Executions

The State was admitted into the Union on March 1, 1803.

Ohio has executed 434 men and 4 women between 1792 and 1963.

1 of these execution were prior to Statehood, 433 since.

The first person executed in Ohio was James Mays. He was hanged on November 15, 1792 for murder in Hamilton County.

The first woman executed was Black convict Esther Foster who was hanged with White male convict James Clark on February 9, 1844. They were convicted of murder in Franklin County.

A 25-year-old Black woman, Betty Butler, was the last woman executed in Ohio. She died in the electric chair on June 12, 1954 for murder committed in Hamilton County.

Anna Hahn and Dovie Dean were the only other women executed. Both died in the electric chair, Hahn on December 7, 1938 and Dean on January 15, 1954. Both were murderers. 

Donald Reinbolt, a 29-year-old parolee, was the last person executed in Ohio. On March 15, 1963 he was electrocuted for Murder-Robbery in Franklin County.

A Native American named Leatherlips suffered a unique execution. In June of 1810 he was Bludgeoned to Death for an unknown crime in Franklin County.

Hanging was the standard method of execution until April 21, 1897 when 17-year-old William Haas (Murder-Rape) and William Wiley (Murder) died in the Electric Chair for crimes committed in Hamilton County.

The State's 438 executions averages to 2.6 executions a  year.

There were 120 Hangings, 315 Electrocutions, 2 Shooting and 1 Bludgeoned.

Wisconsin Execution

The State was admitted into the Union on May 29, 1848.

Wisconsin has executed only 1 man in it's history.

John McCaffary was hanged on August 21, 1851 for drowning his wife in Kenosha County.

Needless to say, Wisconsin is currently a non-death penalty State.

Note: All executions cited above are Pre-Furman, occurring before 1968.
Counties mentioned may not have been in existence at the time of the crime.