This page updated February 14, 2022
Although we as researchers should most definitely know better; we tend to think of the early county days as a "simpler and better time". The truth is that it was at times a very vicious place to reside. Crime was much more prevalent then we would like to recognize. I realize that this in part is due to the fact that "crimes" back then were viewed sometimes a bit harsher then they are today. For example: Theft of $5.00 was punishable with jail time--things of that nature did make the crime rate greater.
This page is not about those crimes that fall into the theft, larceny, assault or things of that nature. This page is about MURDER. The other crimes you will find listed here under the "crime" section.I have pulled items from those pages that belong here.
Although many may disagree with me-- there is a definite difference in my mind between "my gun went off and killed him" and "I went to his house and shot him". The listings you will find here have to due with the ones that were deliberate or occurred due a barfight or whatever.
Through the years that I have researched, I have crossed paths with several individuals that were searching for their ancestors who may have been arrested for committing murders or been the victim of murders. These records are not as easy to find as many may think. Most of them are buried in the depths of some county paper. Hopefully these listings will aid a researcher in finding their missing ancestor.I have done my best to include any "follow-ups" in the paper regarding the cases such as punishments, etc.
The dates on the listings are the dates of the crime itself when available, NOT the news article. The names listed are the parties involved. These papers are NOT necessarily county papers, but whatever papers covered the story.
If you have some of your own, please consider submitting them.
Cloverdale Murder-part two January 1875 (CAPPS-MARTIN-STAUNTON)
Owen
Morgan
Putnam