Sheriff Jackson Stanland

Jackson Stanland

Sheriff Jackson Stanland was shot and killed when he and his posse attempted to arrest a man on a warrant for breaking into a store. Members of his posse arrested the suspect and incarcerated him in the jail at Southport.

On January 29th, 1909, the suspect, Jesse Walker, overpowered the guard and escaped from the Southport Jail. On March 7th, 1915, he was recaptured in Brunswick County when he tried to sneak back home to see his wife and child. He was convicted of Sheriff Stanland's murder and sentenced to 30 years.

In 1919 the man escaped from Central Prison in Raleigh. In 1935 he simply walked back into the prison, told the warden that God had forgiven him, and was ready to settle his debt with the state. On June 6th, 1936, he was paroled, but just as he was about to leave the prison, an order was received to hold him for Oklahoma officials. It was discovered that shortly after he escaped from the Southport Jail in 1909 he had committed a murder in that state. He had been arrested, convicted of manslaughter, and sentenced to 30 years. In 1914 he had escaped from the Oklahoma Penitentiary.

Sheriff Stanland was survived by his wife, daughter, and two sons.