Adam’s Notes: Alan Welsh privately researched and wrote the following article and shared it with me so we can enrich, deepen, and otherwise learn more about the actual life of the first recorded lynching victim in Omaha.

Shortly after the CiviThe tragic story of the lynching of George Smith (1866-1891) is only the tip of the iceberg. In 1891, newspapers reported many lies and intentionally omitted important factual information about George Smith as a man and a human being—one born with the same unalienable rights as all other citizens.

Local newspapers actually called for his lynching, indicating he did not have a right to live. They falsely advertised that his purported victim had died. They reported George was 20 years old, stated he was a laborer or “trash man,” and claimed he and his family lived in an alley. They rarely mentioned his name, referring to him only as a “negro ravisher,” and ignored his wife, children, mother, and siblings. These outlets left out every detail that would allow a reader to develop compassion for George and his family. However, the true story remains and is documented within his family tree.

Roots and Early Years

Shortly after the end of the Civil War, George Smith was born in Missouri around 1866. All indications suggest his mother, Hattie, and his father were born into slavery and freed at the end of the war. George was the elder brother of Kate, Henry, and Nannie. While their Missouri records have not yet been located, Hattie and her children moved to Omaha between 1876 and 1879. His brother Henry was born in Missouri in 1876, sister Nannie was born in Nebraska in 1879, and Hattie began appearing in the Omaha City and Business Directory in 1880.

A Reliable Professional

Perhaps out of necessity and for his family’s needs, George first appeared in the 1883 city directory as a delivery clerk for Fearon & Cole. The 1885 Nebraska Census lists him living with his mother, siblings, and his aunt and uncle, Mary and Edward Green; at that time, George was working at a hotel.

From 1886 onward, city directory listings show him as a waiter at the Millard Hotel. One needs to ponder the character of a man holding steady employment for six years as a waiter at such a prestigious downtown hotel. While the family frequently changed addresses—as was common for the time—they stayed in the general area of Omaha’s Near North Side. Their documented addresses included 107 N. 12th St., 922/924 Capitol Ave., and later Izard St. This is the same area where the College World Series is played today at Charles Schwab Field.

The Smith Family

George Smith and Della Mariah Benson Freeman welcomed their first child, George Jr., on September 6, 1886. George and Della were married in Omaha on February 13, 1888. According to family records, George did not have the opportunity to meet his next child, Harry, who was born November 3, 1891—just weeks after George’s death.

While records suggest several other children were born and died young, George Jr. and Harry are both listed in Della’s household in the 1900 census. George Jr. was last seen by the family when he attended the wedding of his half-sister, Marie Virginia Green, to Benjamin Harrison Gray in Omaha on September 21, 1913. Extensive searches for the descendants of George Jr. and Harry have produced no results; any help in locating these branches of the family tree would be most welcome.

Restoring a Reputation

Now that we have been properly introduced to George, his wife Della, his children, his mother Hattie, and his extended family, we know he was a man with deep roots and loved ones. He worked hard to support his mother, siblings, wife, and young children. George also had a supporting cast of strong, hardworking women: Hattie and Della were both listed as “Wash Women,” and family stories recall Della as an amazing seamstress.

Perhaps there is a reason George’s long-standing employment at the Millard Hotel was ignored by the press in 1891. Maybe the papers intentionally omitted his family’s names or falsely reported they lived in an alley to further dehumanize him—or perhaps, in a strange twist of fate, that anonymity protected Della and the children from the mob. We know the real reason George was labeled a “Negro Ravisher.” This practice should have been as unacceptable then as it is today. What is right and good does not change with the times; good people have an obligation to speak up, even if their voices shake.

The Lynching at 17th and Harney

George was accused of assaulting a five-year-old girl. At the time, public officials were sidetracked by the legal execution of a white man convicted of murder and were blind to the warning signs of growing outrage fueled by false newspaper reports.

By the night of October 9, 1891, a mob—reported to be 5,000 strong and growing to 15,000—overwhelmed the local police. They ignored the little girl’s father, who pleaded for the law to take its course because he was not sure of the perpetrator’s identity. Using sledgehammers and rails from trolley tracks, the mob broke into the county jail. George was dragged from his cell, through a broken window, and into the street. He was trampled, kicked, and spat upon. On a second attempt, his lifeless body was hung from a trolley line outside of Boyd’s Theatre at 17th and Harney Streets.

The Burden of History

It does not take a legal scholar to tell us George Smith was murdered by a bloodthirsty mob. Being from Omaha myself, it breaks my heart to think of the horror his family felt. How do you help generations of a family heal from such a brutal death?

Forget the 1895 legislative meetings where George was pronounced innocent. Forget the fact that his murderers never stood trial because a coroner testified George “died of fright” rather than from the lynching. Forget the book written 27 years later by one of the accused, admitting George was innocent. Some say 131 years is “ancient history,” but we cannot forget the living ancestors and the community that still carry this pain.

A Lesson for Today

We need to stop “forgetting.” We must own up to the shame of falsely accusing and injuring others. Perhaps we can finally realize that all people have the same needs: to be loved, appreciated, and respected. We should begin realizing we are all in this together. Treating others with kindness, dignity, and respect is a simple act we are all capable of.

George Smith and his tragic death have much to teach us. We cannot give him his life back, but we can learn from him if we choose to pay attention. Rest in peace, George. I am a better man for getting to know you and your family. I am sorry you had to make the ultimate sacrifice to teach us something so simple.

Research Notes

This history of George Smith was reconstructed using primary sources that provide a clearer picture than the sensationalized news reports of the 1891 press. Key records used in this research include:

• Omaha City and Business Directories (1880–1891): These records provided the addresses and employment history for George Smith, his mother Hattie, and his siblings, confirming his steady work at Fearon & Cole and the Millard Hotel.
• Nebraska State Census (1885): This document confirmed the household structure, including the presence of George’s aunt and uncle, Mary and Edward Green.
• Marriage Records (Douglas County): Documentation of the marriage between George Smith and Della Mariah Benson Freeman on February 13, 1888.
• 1900 U.S. Federal Census: These records were vital in tracking Della and her children, George Jr. and Harry, in the years following George’s death.
• Family Oral History: Details regarding Della’s skill as a seamstress and the family’s presence at the 1913 Gray-Green wedding.

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• The Lynching of George Smith

MY ARTICLES ABOUT BLACK HISTORY IN OMAHA
MAIN TOPICS: Black Heritage Sites | Black Churches | Black Hotels | Segregated Hospitals | Segregated Schools | Black Businesses | Black Politics | Black Newspapers | Black Firefighters | Black Policeman | Black Women | Black Legislators | Black Firsts | Social Clubs | Military Service Members | Sports
PIONEER BLACK OMAHA: Black People in Omaha Before 1850 | The First Black Neighborhood | Black Voting in Omaha Before 1870 | Racist Laws Before 1900 |
EVENTS: Stone Soul Picnic | Native Omahans Day | Congress of Black and White Americans | Harlem Renaissance in North Omaha
RELATED: Race and Racism | Civil Rights Movement | Police Brutality | Redlining
NEBRASKA BLACK HISTORY: Enslavement in Nebraska | Underground Railroad in Nebraska | Grand Island |
TIMELINES: Racism | Black Politics | Civil Rights | The Last 25 Years

RESOURCES: Book: #OmahaBlackHistory: African American People, Places and Events from the History of Omaha, Nebraska | Bibliography: Omaha Black History Bibliography | Video: “OmahaBlackHistory 1804 to 1930” | Podcast: “Celebrating Black History in Omaha”

Elsewhere Online

• “George Smith” on findagrave.com
• “EJI and Community Partners Unveil Historical Marker in Omaha”