James Cornelius Van Pelt (February 8, 1864 - July 31, 1927) served two terms as Escambia County Sheriff, 1903-1913, and 1917-1919.
Sheriff Van Pelt and his brother John A. Van Pelt were injured attempting to defend the jail from a lynch mob in on July 29, 1908. The documentary film Lillie & Leander: A Legacy of Violence depicts this incident and its aftermath.
 | This biographical article is a stub. You can help Pensapedia by expanding it. |