- STORY OF DEATH OF LYDIA VASS (I believe from Butch Johnson):
"An account of the melancholy death of Mrs. Lidia Waggoner given in Evidence on Trial by her Husband Mr. Lewis Waggoner; Sometime previous to the 22nd day of
April AD 1819 Mr. Joseph Ham had contracted with me for a Cow and on that morning accompanied by Basil Carmichael came to my house on that business; my wife desired me to take care of our youngest Child untill she would milk the Cows.
"Our other Children having been previously sent to school after she was gone, the above mentioned persons an myself agreed to go to the still house, about a quarter of a mile dista [page tor n] the dwelling house, in a south direction, and as we p [page torn] Still hou se my wife was in the Cowpen which was the last .... saw her, while living, we left negro Sol or Solomon in the yard Gering a beast to plow &C ., in the space of half an hour we return and stepping into the house wi th the Child in my arms the men a few yards behind, Called for my wife but Receved no answer turning to go out saw my wife lying on the bed w he re she would? Lay in the day time, I went to her supposing she had been taken? with a sick or fainting fit, with which at times she was afflicted I Called to her, raised her up, but finding her E .....I became alarmed, laid her down, told the men who .... the door that something extraordinary was the matter ....
"They came in and we raised her up and the blood gushed out of her mouth -- when Joseph Ham said your wife is dead. She is murdered, and immediately enquired where Sol. was. I told him he was plowing and desired him to Call him whereupon Basil Carmichael went towards him and Call ed him, he being about 40 rod distant from the house North he accordingly ca me to the house. I asked him how his mistress was murdered he denied knowing anything about it. I then asked if he saw any person pass the house in our absence, he replied he saw no one pass, when Joseph Ham pointing to his pantaloons, which were bloody, asked how that blood Came there, he said he received it from a pig, I then Charged him with the murder ( previously having had no suspicion of him) which he still denied I then had him tied the Coroner sent for, and a jury of [torn] sworn, Both Coroner and Jury, were particular to Examine every [torn] ce of the fact and after due consideration, brought in a [torn] wilful murder Sol Confessed the fact, was tried at October .... the Court held for the County of Stokes, found guilty and ---ted on the 12th day of November AD 1819.
[Note: 12th and November were written in a different hand.]
"Mrs. Lidia Waggoner was descended of reputable parents her Father The Revd. Mr. Thomas Vass was an approved preacher of the gospel in the Baptist Church. She uniformly through life supported an unblemished caracter, was surrounded with peace and plenty in her family beloved and respect ed by her neighbours and acquantances who unanimously Expressed their sor row for her untimely death and continue to simpasthse with her afflict ed Husband and Children for their Iretrevable loss
--- June 11th AD 1820 By Milton Campbell
[Between page 816 and 817 (print of the Tomb of Jonathan I Macc Chap 13 Ver 27)]
B. F. Coffer
Ellen Coffer
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- 1819
Children