Florence Shoemaker Thompson

Florence Shoemaker Thompson
First female sheriff in the U.S. to oversee the carrying out of capital punishment
Born	October 30, 1892 Louisville, Kentucky
Died	April 13, 1961(1961-04-13) (aged 68) Owensboro, Kentucky
Occupation	Sheriff
Spouse(s)	Joseph Everett Thompson
Children	Four children, including James Thompson
Parent(s)	Andrew Jefferson and Henrietta Fronie Shoemaker

Florence Katherine Shoemaker Thompson Riney (October 30, 1892 – April 13, 1961) was the first female sheriff in the United States of America to carry out a conviction. Rainey Bethea, the last man to be publicly executed in the U.S., was convicted of rape and sentenced to death by hanging in Daviess County, Kentucky.

Florence Shoemaker was born to Andrew Jefferson and Henrietta Fronie Shoemaker in Louisville, Kentucky. She married Joseph Everett Thompson on January 12, 1915 and had four children. Everett was sworn in as the sheriff of Daviess County on January 1, 1934. On April 10, 1936, Everett Thompson died of suspected pneumonia at the age of 42. After her husband died, Florence had no way to provide for her family. By law, the county judge needed to appoint a sheriff to finish Everett's position until someone else could be elected. The judge asked Florence to fill the vacancy (customarily known as widow's succession) and she accepted as a way to support her family.

Florence Thompson was sworn in the day after her husband's funeral. Through her time as sheriff she rarely wore a uniform, but would sometimes wear a badge on her dress. She generally did not perform arrests but would do so when no one was available. In her first few years as sheriff she was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. On July 25, 1936, just over two months into Thompson's term, Rainey Bethea was sentenced to death by hanging for raping Lischia Edwards. Because of the way the law was written, Bethea had to be returned to Daviess County to have the execution carried out and because Florence was the sheriff at the time, it was her duty to carry out the execution. She was quite conflicted with the ruling. She wanted to carry out her duties, but being a devout Christian was concerned about her standing with the church should she follow through with the hanging. Her friend and confidant, Father Albert J. Thompson, priest at an Owensboro church, assured her she could perform all of her duties, including the execution and remain in good standing with the church.

As news of the hanging got around, she was bombarded with reporters. They anticipated Florence Thompson to do the actual execution, which would make her the first American woman to kill a man by court order. The journalists nicknamed Thompson as "The Hangwoman" although she was described by those who knew her as "plump" and "matronly". She was portrayed as both a housewife and cowgirl. Florence Thompson received numerous letters from people across the nation. Some of the letters encouraged her to do the execution herself while others were distraught by the thought of her carrying out the task and asked her to think of her children. The secretary of the Louisville National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Bessie Etherly, wrote to the current Governor, Happy Chandler, concerned about the way the execution would take place. Governor Chandler wrote to Thompson requesting that she not make it a spectacle. He also included Etherly's letter with his. Thompson also received letters from people offering to carry out the execution for her. After consultation from priests and pastors of various faiths, Thompson decided not to perform the execution herself. Thompson had asked each of her deputies if they would like the job before offering the job to Arthur L. Hash, a former Louisville police officer.