While on a recent ramble in the Lily Branch Cemetery in Mitchell County, I came across the tombstone of Edwin Horton, born June 10, 1853, and died February 17, 1880. He didn’t just die, but, according to his tombstone, was “cruely murdered” [sic] on February 17, 1884.
How many of these types of stones are around?
I am aware of three, one in Avery County (Cranberry), this one in Mitchell (Lily Branch), and one in Yancey County (Old Zion).
The Cranberry Cemetery includes a stone for Albert Walser who was “murdered by George Hartley…No better man ever died for a more unjust cause.” Since George Hartley, the alleged murderer, escaped, changed his name, and never was punished for the crime, this stone likely served as the family’s way of making sure the crime was never forgotten. The unjust cause was evidently a dispute over horses. Walser ran a livery stable and accused Hartley of riding the horses too hard. The dispute escalated and ended with Hartley shooting Walser.
According to an article in the Lenoir Topic, in February 1884, John C. Miller, Stephen Burleson, and Edward Horton were killed by Edward Ray and Waighstill A. Anderson at the Flat Rock mica mine in Mitchell County. The disagreement was over ownership of the mine, and it seems , from reading the testimony presented during the trail, that Horton had been hired to work in the mine. Horton seemed to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The last stone is in the Old Zion Church Cemetery, off Upper Pig Pen in Yancey County. This stone reads “In Memory of John Hughes Born Oct. 28 1835 was murdered by John Murphy July 26, 1889. Aged 53 years 8 m. 28 days.” I could not find a paper trail for this crime, but I seem to recall being told that the murder was over a woman. Hughes was a Confederate veteran, a member of the 58th North Carolina Troops.
I have been in a lot of cemeteries across the eastern United States, and I do not recall seeing this type of public display in very many other places. Anyone else?
How many of these types of stones are around?
I am aware of three, one in Avery County (Cranberry), this one in Mitchell (Lily Branch), and one in Yancey County (Old Zion).
The Cranberry Cemetery includes a stone for Albert Walser who was “murdered by George Hartley…No better man ever died for a more unjust cause.” Since George Hartley, the alleged murderer, escaped, changed his name, and never was punished for the crime, this stone likely served as the family’s way of making sure the crime was never forgotten. The unjust cause was evidently a dispute over horses. Walser ran a livery stable and accused Hartley of riding the horses too hard. The dispute escalated and ended with Hartley shooting Walser.
According to an article in the Lenoir Topic, in February 1884, John C. Miller, Stephen Burleson, and Edward Horton were killed by Edward Ray and Waighstill A. Anderson at the Flat Rock mica mine in Mitchell County. The disagreement was over ownership of the mine, and it seems , from reading the testimony presented during the trail, that Horton had been hired to work in the mine. Horton seemed to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The last stone is in the Old Zion Church Cemetery, off Upper Pig Pen in Yancey County. This stone reads “In Memory of John Hughes Born Oct. 28 1835 was murdered by John Murphy July 26, 1889. Aged 53 years 8 m. 28 days.” I could not find a paper trail for this crime, but I seem to recall being told that the murder was over a woman. Hughes was a Confederate veteran, a member of the 58th North Carolina Troops.
I have been in a lot of cemeteries across the eastern United States, and I do not recall seeing this type of public display in very many other places. Anyone else?
3 comments:
Hi Michael
This is the story:
CHARLOTTE, N.C., Feb. 23.--Private advices received here state that there is no doubt of the killing a few days ago of Stephen Burleson, Cebe Miller, and Edward Horton, and the dangerous wounding of William Burleson by E. W. Ray and W.A. Anderson in Mitchell County. The difficulty grew out of the title to a mica mine. No particulars are obtainable, as the place is far removed from railroad and telegraph communication.
New York Times 24 Feb 1884
There was a vicious dispute over who held the true title to the Flat Rock Mine between Cebe Miller and the sons-in-law of Judge Bowman--Edward Ray and Waighstill Anderson. The later two were hoping to exhaust the mica before the litigation was completed. On 17 February 1884, Cebe Miller discovered Ray at the mine shaft opening and an altercation ensued. Cebe grabbed Rays gun and shoved him down the shaft where the Burlesons and Milt Buchanan were working at the bottom. Ray pleaded for his life and they released him, but kept his gun. When Ray climbed up the shaft he pulled another gun from his boot, fired into Miller's face and killed him. He next shot and killed Stephen Burleson and wounded William Burleson in the shoulder. He fired and missed Buchanan. At the top of the shaft Horton was found dead, shot in the back. The fugitives were caught and tried in Caldwell County. Anderson was convicted for murder and Ray for manslaughter. They were jailed in Asheville, NC, but escaped. A military company searched for them but they were never captured. Paraphrased from: Sheppard, Muriel E., Cabins in the Laurel,The University of North Carolina Press, 1991.
I recently discovered that john Cebern Miller was my 3x great grandfather and, as it turns out, not my only locally famous ancestor as Frankie Silver was my 4x great grandfather's sister. Any insite on these families would be appreciated.
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