Warrenton in Fauquier County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
The History of Hangings
| — | Fauquier History Museum at the Old Jail | — |
Photographed by Devry Becker Jones, October 24, 2026
1. The History of Hangings Marker
Brought to the colonies by Europeans, death by hanging was commonplace in the "New World."
Beginning with the 1623 hanging of David Frank, hangings were readily acceptable by the public as an appropriate form of punishment for certain crimes, including theft, rape, and murder. For centuries most hangings were carried out by the sheriff or legal entity of the county where the death sentence had been passed.
"The scene of the execution will be the jail yard, an enclosure sixty feet long and twenty feet wide, bounded on one side by the wall of the building and on the other sides by a thick stone wall eighteen feet high."
("Two At A Time." The Washington Post, 8 July 1879.)
Rise of a Private Hanging
In 1879 the Virginia General Assembly degreed hangings must proceed in private and be visible only to selected witnesses. This change explains why the Fauquier County hangings of John Williams and Winter Payne made it into The New York Times and The Washington Post, as they were the first executions under the new ruling. Before this, hangings took place in front of the old jail on Courthouse Square. The last documented
this page online
Erected 2019 by Fauquier History Museum at the Old Jail; made possible by donations from The Fauquier Bank and Give Local Piedmont.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Communications • Government & Politics • Law Enforcement. A significant historical date for this entry is May 18, 1898.
Location. 38° 42.81′ N, 77° 47.767′ W. Marker is in Warrenton, Virginia, in Fauquier County. It can be reached from Ashby Street south of Waterloo Street (Business U.S. 211), on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 10 Ashby St, Warrenton VA 20186, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the Washington Metropolitan Area and in Northern Virginia. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, and in the Mid-Atlantic. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what
Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), October 24, 2026
2. The History of Hanging and A Multipurpose Yard Markers
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: A Multipurpose Yard (here, next to this marker); The Courtyard (a few steps from this marker); Mill Stones (a few steps from this marker); "In Honor and Remembrance" (a few steps from this marker); 22 Waterloo (within shouting distance of this marker); John Singleton Mosby (within shouting distance of this marker); Lafayette’s Stepping Stone (within shouting distance of this marker); Concrete Bench (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Warrenton.
Other markers no longer nearby. Executions in the Yard (was a few steps from this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); Warrenton (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it).
Credits. This page was last revised on October 25, 2026. It was originally submitted on October 25, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 6 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 25, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
