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Hershel Deaton

Death by Force
Case Description
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Hershel Deaton, a 35-year-old white mine foreman from Coeburn, Virginia, was killed on November 27, 1927, in Jenkins, Kentucky. Deaton's death was a significant event that led to a series of tragic and consequential actions. Leonard Woods, an African-American coal miner from Jenkins, Kentucky, was accused of Deaton's murder. According to reports, Woods, along with two Black women, Susan Armister and Anna Mae Emery, allegedly confronted Deaton, mistaking him for a taxi driver. When Deaton refused ...Read More
Links to Additional Sources (3)
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  • Front Royal Record 6 December 1927 — Virginia Chronicle: Digital Newspaper Archive
  • The Mountain Eagle -: The Way We Were - The Mountain Eagle
    •     ...View 1 additional sources
    Victim Details

    Hershel Deaton

    Male

    White / Caucasian

    Wise

    VA

    1927-11-27

    35

    Hershel

    Deaton

    11/28/2025

    Forum Posts (3)
    Has anyone else looked into the role of Susan Armister and Anna Mae Emery in this case? It seems lik... ...Read More
    10/13/2024
    I've been reading about Hershel Deaton's murder and the tragic aftermath, and it's impossible not to... ...Read More
    03/23/2023
    Does anyone else find it chilling how quickly a situation can spiral out of control? I was reading a... ...Read More
    03/09/2023
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