A Woman was in it: The Cagle - Crisco Murder

The Concord Register
(Concord, North Carolina)4 Apr 1876, Tue • Page 4

My past several posts involved the family and life of on George Washington Cagle. 

There was Sodom, Gommorah and Big Lick. about his life, affairs and how he may have contributed to the immoral reputation of the little town of Big Lick in Western Stanly County. 

Also, in The Heirs of George Cagle, I attempted to track down who the legal heirs, children and grandchildren, of George Cagle were. 

A Rose by Any Other Name, traced the life, and variations of name, of one of his unmarried daughters, whose name was different in every record or account of her. 

Finally, The Secrets of Adeline told the story of George's oldest daughter, Menece Adeline, who started me on the entire Cagle journey to start with. It will not end here either, oh no, George's legacy was quit widespread. 

This is the story and recount of his passionate ending, his killer, and how karma existed in the end. 

As a quick rehash, George Washington Cagle was a larger-than-life character. He was grandiose, lusty, opportunistic and a maverick. Born in 1813, the was the oldest son of Charles Robert Cagle, Sr and Maranda Springer Cagle, both the Cagle and Springers being steadfast and populous families in the Big Lick and Rocky River area. He was considered wealthy for the area and the times, possession hundreds of acres and invested in several businesses, including a sawmill, a grist mill and a tanning yard. He was not a slave holder and made his money the honest way, with hard work and investments. He owned homes on the farm and in the town. He also carried lots of debt, still, after all were paid, there was still some to divide among his large family from two wives, and his legacy spread even larger as he claimed at least two mistresses. It was because of one of these mistresses, and his attempts to protect her from an abusive husband, who came along in the years after their active relationship, that ended his life. 

There are three main characters in this story, George W. Cagle, who I mentioned above, the ex-lover; Daniel Alexander Crisco, the abusive, jealous husband, and Mariah Myers Meggs, the wife/former mistress. 

We'll begin in 1870.

In the above 1870 census record, we see the household of George Cagle, 58, his wife Nancy Hinson Speight Cagle, a second wife, Fannie, 13, a daughter by his first wife, Eli, 11, a son by another mistress, Maniza Huneycutt, who by the way was living in household number 118, the listing just above George, Mariah Myers, 26, the woman in this story who was at the center of the dispute, her fatherless daughter, Lisy, aged 7, and William Huneycutt, who was the son on George's deceased daughter, Elizabeth. 

Two facts must be clarified before I step further into this lurid event. One, Mariah's name. Some have her as Marian, and in this document, it appears it could be, but having looked ahead into other versions of it, and also having made contact with a direct descendant some years ago, her name was Mariah. Her daughter's name, which looks somewhat like "Lucy" here, was Melissa, born about 1866. "Lisy" or "Lisy Ann" for short. George Cagle was not the father of this child. I will go into that more when I post of the story of Mariah herself. Mariah's father was Wilson Shepherd Myers, known by Shepherd. Her mother was Sarah Elizabeth Thomas. They were not married. Her mother would marry a man by the name of James Ransom Meggs, and Mariah, also known as 'Kizzy' as her middle name was Keziah, would later take on her stepfather's surname. She grew up in the northern part of Union County, south of the Rocky River and just across the river from George Cagle's place in Big Lick Township, Stanly County. 

Enter Daniel Alexander Crisco, a paradigm of the depravity and immoral society that plagued the 19th century area of Big Lick. It began when a group of German immigrants landed in Randolph County, North Carolina. William Lewis Crisco was a first generation American, whose German name had been Anglicized and whose father, George William, had been born in Germany and died in North Carolina. William Lewis Crisco was born in Randolph County about 1788. He married Nancy Throgmorton, from a Virginian family of British stock, who had migrated to Montgomery County, North Carolina. Nancy was agonizingly young upon her marriage and would bear 14 children, the oldest, Mary, at age 15 and the youngest, David, at age 41. Among these was their 11th child, Rebecca Elizabeth Crisco, born about 1830. 

Willilam Crisco is shown living on the West Side of the Pee Dee River in Montgomery County in the 1830 census, so Rebecca Elizabeth was likely born in Big Lick, where the family would settle. 

Name	William Criscoe
Gender	Male
Race	White
Residence Age	62
Birth Date	abt 1788
Birthplace	North Carolina
Residence Date	1850
Home in 1850	Smiths, Stanly, North Carolina, USA
Occupation	Farmer
Industry	Agriculture
Real Estate	187
Cannot Read, Write	Yes
Line Number	40
Dwelling Number	689
Family Number	694
Inferred Spouse	Nancy Criscoe
Inferred Child	Sarah Criscoe

Household members

Name	Age
William Criscoe	62
Nancy Criscoe	52
Sarah Criscoe	25
John Criscoe	21
Elizabeth Criscoe	20
Alfred Criscoe	16
Lucinda Criscoe	14
David Criscoe	11

In 1850, the family is shown in Smith's District, which would become Big Lick Township, with six of the youngest children. Rebecca Elizabeth was twenty years old. 

Around the same time, another family had moved from Davidson County to the Rocky River in what would become Stanly County, the Scotch-Irish Kennedys. John C Kennedy (1794-1870) and wife, Mercy Winifred Daniel Kennedy (1974-1860) led a family of skilled-craftsmen, and innovative daughters that would settle near the Crisco family. The Kennedy's were a lusty, braggadocios family and there are many tales to tell concerning this family.

Name	John Kennedy
Gender	Male
Race	White
Residence Age	55
Birth Date	abt 1795
Birthplace	North Carolina
Residence Date	1850
Home in 1850	Smiths, Stanly, North Carolina, USA
Occupation	Carriage Maker
Industry	Railroad and Miscellaneous Transportation Equipment
Real Estate	250
Line Number	22
Dwelling Number	687
Family Number	690
Inferred Spouse	Mercy Kennedy
Inferred Child	Sarah KennedyEliza Kennedy
Household Members (Name) Age John Kennedy 55 Mercy Kennedy 56 Sarah Kennedy 27 Eliza Kennedy 19 Jordan Kennedy 33 Elizabeth Kennedy 25 Shelby Criscoe 23

In 1850,  Carriagemaker, John Kennedy is listed just a few houses up from the Crisco's, and Crisco son, Shelby, is living with them, working as a laborer. Missing from the household is Kennedy son, William G. 

Name	Wm G Kennedy
Gender	Male
Race	White
Residence Age	25
Birth Date	abt 1825
Birthplace	North Carolina
Residence Date	1850
Home in 1850	Albemarle, Stanly, North Carolina, USA
Occupation	Carriage Maker
Industry	Railroad and Miscellaneous Transportation Equipment
Line Number	8
Dwelling Number	845
Family Number	850

Household members

Name	Age
Daniel Freeman	55
Martha Freeman	55
Martha Freeman	16
Lewis M Gilliam	25
John O Ross	25
Wm G Kennedy	25

William G. Kennedy, also a Carriage Maker and Blacksmith in the emulation of his father and brothers, was living in the small upstart village of Albemarle, the new counties, county seat. He was boarding with merchant and businessman, Daniel Freeman. William wasn't always in Albemarle. At some point he made the interdicted acquaintance of Rebecca Elizabeth Crisco. Around the fall of 1855, with cognizant admonition of antebellum mores, William G. Kennedy and Rebecca Elizabeth Crisco would commit the reprehensible act of conceiving the child that would become Daniel Alexander Crisco. 

Always mindful that he was the boys father, William then did what Big Lick men in these situations seemed to do. When the object of his affections became pregnant without the benefit of marriage, they would turn around and marry a virgin, worthy of legality of relations, which is what William did by marrying his second wife, Eleanor Elizabeth Hooks, on December 10, 1856. His first wife was Hannah M. Hill of Rowan County, who he married on March 3, 1846 in Salisbury, and who passed away November 9th of that same year. The Kennedy's would have eight children, first settling in Albemarle, then relocating to Norwood, where William G. would be appointed Postmaster, before lastly, heading south to Fulton County, Georgia, where he would pass away in 1904.

In the meantime, his bastard son, Daniel Crisco would remain in Big Lick with his mother.

Name	Elizabeth Crisco
Age in 1870	38
Birth Date	abt 1832
Birthplace	North Carolina
Dwelling Number	211
Home in 1870	Big Lick, Stanly, North Carolina
Race	White
Gender	Female
Post Office	Albemarle
Occupation	Keeping House

Household members

Name	Age
Elizabeth Crisco	38
Lucinda Crisco	33
Daniel Crisco	15
Miranda Crisco	2

In 1870, Rebecca Elizabeth Crisco heads a household at age 38, her sister, Lucinda is living with her. As their father died in 1858, and their mother, Nancy, in 1867, just six years earlier, they may have been living in the old homestead, part of their mother's dower in Big Lick. Daniel Alexander Crisco is 15 years old here, and he was not an only child. Elizabeth would have a daughter, seen here as "Miranda", but whose name was or became, Amanda Francis Crisco (1867-1939). While Daniel would name William Kennedy on his two marriage licenses, as his father, there was no documentation as to the father of Amanda. Her marriage certificate to J. A. Taylor gives her mother as Elizabeth Crisco, and permission for her to marry underage was given by Daniel A. Crisco, named as her brother. In the blank space for father was written "unknown" and the same goes for her death certificate. Some attribute her existence to W. G. Kennedy, but that's unlikely, and not documented. There are no court records or bastardy bonds naming Elizabeth Crisco in them either, around the time Amanda was born, so her father remains a mystery.

So in 1870, in the Big Lick community, Mariah Myers-Meggs is a 26 year old woman with a young daughter, living in the home of George Cagle. Daniel Alexander Crisco is a 15 year old boy, living in the same community, with his mother, his aunt and his baby sister. 

Just a few years later, on November 24, 1872, Daniel Alexander Crisco, now about 17 years old, married Mariah or Marion Keziah Megga, aged 28. The preceding article from the April 4, 1876 edition of The Concord Register, out of neighboring Cabarrus County, gives a little backstory to the sordid events to follow. 

Daniel Crisco apparently rented a home from George Crisco and was a tenant farmer, helping the old man run his farm. At this point in 1876, Daniel was 22 years, Mariah was 32 and George Crisco was an aging man of 63. Prior to the confrontation, Daniel and his wife, who had been married about 4 years by this time, and had no children together, had gotten in a fight. Mariah was noted as having been a mistress of George Cagle before her marriage. It was common knowledge in the community. She was not well-respected. Neither was Daniel, as he had been born out-of-wedlock. During the fight, Daniel, who may have been an individual who held alot of anger inside, from his position as a pariah, ostracized only because of the status of his birth, beat his wife 'unmercifully' and made her leave the family home. Mariah was an abused woman. 

The bruised and battered woman must have lingered around the Crisco farm during the night, taking refuge in a barn or other outbuilding. The next day, Daniel Crisco showed up for work as usual and he and George were in the field, a short distance from each other, working, when Mariah showed up nearby, and lingered on the edge of the field. Daniel screamed at her profanely, and instructed her to leave them alone and go back to the house. George, still having a fondness or protectiveness of the woman, or perhaps just a sense of propriety and civility, spoke up and told Daniel Crisco that he shouldn't treat his wife in such a cruel and violent manner. The intervention angered Daniel even more. He threatened George, taking the Lord's name in vain and challenged him to "take it up". 

George must have said no more, and Mariah must have departed from the field, as the two men managed to complete their days work. Daniel Crisco retreated to his own abode, and not finding his wife at home, as he had ordered her to do, armed himself with a 'shoe-knife', a cobbler's tool designed for cutting leather. He set out to find her, angry, and with violence in mind. Returning to the Cagle house, where George lived with his wife, Nancy and unmarried daughter, Fanny, and his son Eli Cagle Huneycutt, and grandson, William Huneycutt, both about 16 or 17. There, he found Mariah, taking refuge among the Cagle's. 

Daniel again ordered Mariah to return home. Fearing for her life, she refused. Angered, Daniel began berating her and beating her again, kicking her and hitting her, as she refused to obey him. George Cagle intervened and told Daniel to leave his house. He picked up a chair in defense at some point, and Daniel pulled out the shoe-knife, but retreated from the house, yelling and cursing as he went. George followed him step by step, ensuring he left. 

In the yard, George reportedly picked up the hoop of a wagon cover, the part use to hold the cover on a covered wagon, and advanced toward Daniel with it. Daniel, in his own words, kept retreating and warned George to not come any closer to him. George did not listen, intent on chasing the young man from his property, armed with a sense of gallantry, continued to advance. Daniel picked up a rock and threw it at the old man, who in turn, swung the wooden wagon hoop at Daniel. With that provocation, Daniel charged at his employer, stabbing him with the shoe knife in the neck and chest. George backed up, grabbing his neck, and stating, "He has killed me". He took 23 steps and fell over dead. With that, Daniel Crisco took off and hid. 

The newspapers reported the next stages of the event. 

Spirit of the South Rockingham, North Carolina • Sat, Apr 8, 1876Page 2

In Rockingham, Richmond County, it was reported that a $50 reward for the apprehension of the murderer, D. A. Crisco, not just for information that would lead to his arrest, but in 1876, barely a decade past the end of the Civil War, one was expected to catch him themselves and bring him to town and deliver to the Sherriff to get the award. Originally reported in the North Carolina Argus, out of Wadesboro, Anson County, a brief description of Daniel Crisco is given. He stood 5 feet, nine inches tall, pale in complexion with blue eyes. The event was said to have taken place on the 28th 'inst.', meaning March, as it was first reported on March 30th. 

The Stanly Banner Albemarle, North Carolina • Thu, Oct 12, 1876Page 1

Crisco apparently stayed in jail in Stanly County throughout the summer months. He had eventually turned himself in, after getting in his mind a defense and an accounting of the events, that he was certain would sway jurors in his direction. He also had his trial switched to another county, where friends or relatives of George Cagle would less likely be called to serve on the jury. In October of 1876, the Stanly County newspapers reported that he had been taken to Monroe, in Union County, by Sheriff Eben Hearne to face trial. 

The Pee Dee Herald Wadesboro, North Carolina • Wed, Apr 5, 1876Page 3

Daniel Crisco, it seems, eventually turned himself in to the Sherriff. In April, it had been reported that the trial would start in April, but it had actually been delayed until October. The reason for the murder, given by the Pee Dee Herald, was that George Cagle had 'interfered' with Daniel Crisco's wife. Interfered by trying to protect her from Crisco's cruel abuse. 

The Courier Asheboro, North Carolina • Wed, Apr 5, 1876Page 2

Stanly County was involved in two murder trials at the same time, in seems. Although both trials were held in adjoining counties in order for the defendants to get an unbiased jury, both had occurred in Stanly. In 1865, Allen Carter had killed Bushrod Lilly, his neighbor, in a disagreement, and fled to Arkansas. In 1876, he was being returned to North Carolina for trial. Unusual that two murders, having happened 11 years apart, were being tried at the same tiem.

The Trial

The youth and good looks of Daniel Crisco seemed to sway the jury. The above report by the Concord papers gave an account of his attitude and his planned defense. He was described as a young man, only 22 years old with a "pleasant face". For some reason, Sheriff Hearne had taken him to Concord before heading to Monroe, which was out of the way for starting from the jail in Albemarle, not in a straight line. The paper gave a bit of Daniel's backstory, stating he married at 17 to 'Mary Meigs', which wasn't' her actual name, but close, and that his job was to work and care for the stock of George Cagle.

The Sun Concord, North Carolina • Tue, Apr 17, 1877Page 2

The date was now April 17, 1877, over a year since the horrific event had occurred. Daniel, and his attorneys, had been given a year to percolate their precise version of the circumstances, in which George Cagle was no longer alive to give his. They had decided to play upon the brusque and sottish reputation of George Cagle and bring up his habitude of lewd and adulterous behavior.

The loquacious and ebullient Daniel had much time to turn the ear of many a reporter, eager for a story to headline and catch the attention of readers. Newspapermen from counties all around had found an audience with him. His story was now that he had his wife quarreled. Gone was the fact that he had beaten her almost to death. He stated that she had left home and went to the Cagle house, not that she had been thrown out and went there for refuge. The article was without doubt influenced by Crisco's input, as it stated so politely, that he had "found her there and tried to persuade her to go home", without reporting that his form of persuasion involved brutality and threats. They extrapolated on the fact that he did attempt to force her to return when his gentle 'persuasion' had not worked, negating the abuse the woman had suffered at his hands. 

This version of the events implied that that Cagle was still in a romantic relationship with Mariah, or 'too intimate', which may have been true, but was embellished with probable falsehoods, as in stating that the old man had interfered by trying to shoot young Daniel, a very pertinent fact that had been overlooked in the report of events immediately afterwards a year prior. This leads me to believe this fact was completely convoluted in order to make Daniel Crisco's case more palatable and sympathetic toward the killer. Another event that was told quite differently in 1877 than it had in 1876, was that Daniel claim he left the house pursued by not only George Cagle, but three other men in his employ. This would have been a big factor that had been completely omitted from the 1876 account, leading me to believe this too was fabricated by Daniel Crisco. He claimed that he had been attacked and beaten with sticks and stones, when in fact, it was he who had thrown a rock at George Cagle, and George had picked up a wooden hoop in self-defense, that is when young Daniel charged at George with the shoe knife that took his life. 

Daniel Crisco portrayed himself as the victim in the confrontation, that he was beaten with sticks and stones and in self-defense, stabbed the much older, and slower, man. George's reputation of being a womanizer and an alcoholic, despite his wealth and many business connections in the community and having taken in the ill-begotten Crisco and giving him employment as a teen. 

Sympathies were also with Daniel due to the illicit relationship known to be had between George Cagle and Mariah. In this continuance of the story, George Cagle became the bad guy in his own murder, instead of the valiant protector of a defenseless and abused woman, that it appears he attempted to be. 

From the CONCORD SUN, Tuesday, April 10, 1877:

"THE FOLLOWING IS THE COURT DOCKET OF DANIEL A. CRISCO, CHARGED WITH MURDER 1876"

STANLY COURT

Monday morning brought a large crowd in attendance upon the Spring Term, 1876, of Stanly Superior Court, about 12 o'clock, a.m., his Honor R.P. Buxton arrived, having been detained at the river, which was very full. Court was called at 2 o'clock, p.m., and his honor delivered one of his brief, but grand charges to the grand jury, after which the court proceeded to the call of the docket. There was no cases of importance tried--some bastardy, assault and battery, larceny, and a number of misdemeanor cases were disposed of.

On Tuesday the case of State vs. Allen Carter for the murder of B.W. Lilly was taken up, the prisoner was arraigned and pleaded not guilty, and after considerable arguing the case on affidavit for continuance and removal, the case was at last removed to Montgomery County for trial at Fall Term, 1876. The prisoner is ably defended by Sol. W.J. Montgomery and Hon. W.S. Robins.

On Wednesday the civil side of the docket was taken up and disposed of. There was but little business transacted on the civil docket, it being very small, most of the cases were continued.

On Wednesday evening a parcel of men came into town with a young man by the name of DANIEL CRISCO, who had been arrested on a charge of murdering George Cagle in the western portion of this county, The prisoner was committed to jail and on Thursday morning the grand jury returned a true bill for murder, and the prisoner was brought to the bar and arraigned, and he also pleaded not guilty. The case was then, by consent, returned to Union County for trial two weeks hence. The prisoner, DANIEL CRISCO, is also defended by Sol. J.W. Montgomery.
We noticed in attendance upon the court, the following
attorneys, viz:W.J. Montgomery, Esq. from Concord, George B. Everette, Esq. from Concord, W.M. Smith, Esq. from Concord, M.S. Robins, Esq. from Asheboro, Gen. A.J. Dargen from Wadesboro, James T. Lockhart from Wadesboro, 

Hon. Neill McKay from Harnett County, Allen Jordon from Troy, Stokes Andrews from Troy, J.W, Mauney from Salisbury, Samuel J. Pemberton, Solicitor from Albemarle ,J.T. Redwine from Albemarle,

Julian A. Turner from Albemarle


The trial drew a Who's Who of central North Carolina Jurists and Solicitors. The minutes of the Stanly County Superior Court would lay out step by step of Daniel Crisco's legal journey. 


Stanly County NC Minute Docket, Superior Court, 1860-1876 (CR 089.301.2)
(Transcribed by Betsy Pittman, 23 April 1996

State v. Daniel Crisco Indictment:  Murder 


Page 522 -  The said Daniel Crisco is brought to the bar of the court in his own proper person by W. H. Hearne high Sheriff of Stanly County, in whose custody he is, the indictment is read over to him, and forthwith it being demanded of him how he will acquit himself of the premises specified and charged upon him, he says he is not guilty thereof and therefore for good and for evil he puts himself upon the country. And Mr. Solicitor Pemberton does the like. Therefore, let a jury come of good and lawful men by whom the truth of the matter may be better known.

Attorney Samuel J. Pemberton was arguably known as the best prosecutor of the times in Stanly and surrounding counties. 

"By consent of Solicitor and of the prisoner at the bar, it is ordered by the Court that this cause be removed to Union County for trial and is assigned for Wednesday of first week of Union Superior Court at Spring Term 1876."

Eli F. Cagle, Wm. A. Huneycutt, James Huneycutt and Calvin Huneycutt acknowledge themselves indebted to the State of North Carolina in the sum of $100 each to be void on Condition that they appear at Union Superior Court Spring Term 1876 and give evidence in the case of State vs. Dan'l Crisco and not depart the same without leave.

The men who gave bond as witnesses in the case against Daniel Crisco were Eli Franklin Cagle, son of George Cagle by Maniza Honeycutt; William Alfred Honeycutt, son of Elizabeth Cagle Honeycutt, George Cagle's daughter, who died young, as did her husband, John, leaving William A. Honeycutt to be raised by his grandfather, George Cagle; James Alfred Huneycutt, another son of Maniza Honeycutt, known to be George Cagles mistress, and mother of Eli F. Cagle. James is accepted as a son of George Cagle, but unlike Eli, there is no documentation of such; and lastly, Calvin Honeycutt, their cousin, a son of Frances Mary Honeycutt, Maniza's sister, and Joshua Christian Burris. 

Page 523 - Eli F. Cagle, Wm. A. Huneycutt, James Huneycutt, Calvin Huneycutt and E. M. Brooks acknowledge themselves indebted to the State of North Carolina in the sum of $100 to be void on Condition that each of them appear at Union Superior Court Spring Term 1876 to give evidence in behalf of the Defendant, in case of the State vs. Daniel Crisco.

It is ordered by the court that the Sheriff of Stanly County deliver the prisoner to the Sheriff of Union County at Monroe on or before Tuesday of 1st week of Spring Term 1876 of Union Superior Court.

The parties and the interest in it were now moved south, to the town of Monroe, in Union County, NC. This was an advantage for Daniel Crisco, as he was able to use his youthful charm and persuasion on ears that did not know of the actual details in the case, and would hear Daniel and his attorney on their own merit, the jury not tainted by anyone who had been blessed by George Cagle's generosity, despite his love of liquor and women. 

Union County, NC Minute Docket, Superior Court, 1866-1877

(Abstracted by Betsy Pittman, 23 April 1996)


Page 409 - #122 State vs. Daniel Crisco
Prisoner brought into Court and is committed to the custody of the Sheriff of Union County.

Page 433 (copied) - continued to Fall Term 1876; prisoner returned to Stanly County jail.

Pages 458-459 (copied) - Fall Term - Union County jail is insecure; therefore prisoner sent back to Stanly County.

Page 512 - 75 men summoned for jury

Pages 519-520 (copied) -Found NOT Guilty.

The Sun, out of Concord, reported the news and the jubilee of how a handsome young man, who went to the house of an old man protecting a woman they had both had a relationship with, and killed the man, had gotten by with the deed and was now a free man. 

 This reminds me of the Luigi Mangioni case of modern times, in a small way. Luigi was a young man, strong and healthy, who had women swooning over him, and some men, when holiday photos of the healthy and muscular youth were released to the press. Many who were of the opinion that insurance companies have hurt people purposely by denying lifesaving treatments, putting costs before health of the individual, and were angry at the entity, cheered the demise of the poor CEO who was just minding his own business on the way to work one day, and was shot mercilessly in the back. This was a savage act of premeditated murder, no matter what bone the perpetrator had to pick with the company or any of its representatives. This man was an employee of a company and had no personal assault against the person who murdered him. In Daniel Crisco's case, he used the reputation of George Cagle in his own favor, and his youth and good looks won him favoritism that led to him being found innocent and freed to fight again. "All were glad to hear of the young man's aquital", the paper proclaimed.

Life seemed to return to normal for Daniel Crisco after his release and acquittal. I assume he had to find a new job, or employer. He returned to court and divorced Mariah Meggs, which was a relief, I am sure, for the both of them.

 Two years after the trial, he remarried, this time to Matilda Kimrey, or Kimmer. Matilda was a girl of good report, and close to Dan in age, just two years his junior. She had grown up in the Tyson Community of Stanly County, and unlike Daniel and Mariah, was from an intact home with married parents and a bounty of siblings. The daughter of Paul Nicholas Kimrey and Rebecca Minerva Mauldin Kimrey, Matilda gave birth to their first child before the wedding. Married on September 24, 1879, the couples first son, William Paul Crisco, had been born on March 14th of the same year. 

The 1880 census of Big Lick Township, shows Mariah Meggs, 33 and divorced, living on what appears to have been what was left of the Cagle farm, probably in the tenant house she had shared with Daniel Crisco. Her 16 year old daughter, Melissa, is living with her. There was no mention of Melissa in the court case, and what the nature of her relationship with her stepfather, Daniel Crisco, may have been. 

Next to Mariah is Adeline Cagle Hartsell, George Cagle's oldest child, and next to her, his only legitimate son, David S. Cagle. George's widow, Nancy, followed others of the family to Iredell County, NC.

While Daniel Crisco has settled in Tyson Township, where his recent bride is from. His occupation is given as Farmer, and other occupants of the household are his wife, Matilda, their infant son, William, his mother, Elizabeth and his little sister Amanda, 9. 

Over the next few years, Daniel and Matilda added three more children that would grow to adulthood. That's a small family for the era. They were:

Shepherd Alexander Crisco (1883-1953)

Malinda N. Crisco Harness (1884-1917)

John Stanford Crisco (1891-1976)

Daniel's little sister, Amanda Frances Crisco, married at the age of 15, to Joseph Allen Taylor, aka 'Jesse', on February 1, 1883. Taylor was from Surry County, originally, and was 23 at the time of the wedding. Daniel Crisco 'Brother' of the bride, gave his permission for the marriage. I stress the relationship of brother, because some have him as her father, despite his only being 13 years her senior. 

Things seemed otherwise quiet during the first thirty years after the trial for Crisco and his family.

1900

Daniel Crisco is now 51, and still farming in Tyson Township, with his wife, Matilda, and four children, aged 8 to 20. His Uncle, Shelby Crisco, in living with him now. It is revealed that Matilda had given birth to 6 children, with the four living.

His mother, Elizabeth, age 70, is still in Tyson Township, but living with a widowed lady, and working as her servant, or caretaker.

His sister, Amanda, is living in Big Lick and raising a very large family of Taylors. She has a very healthy pack of seven children, and had not lost a one. 

Their mother, Rebecca Elizabeth Crisco, would last two more years, passing away at the age of 72, on October 1, 1902. She was buried at Rehoboth Church, near Aquadale. 

Sometime after, Daniel Crisco would leave Tyson and move to Falls Road in what would become Badin.  in 1910, he is found living with his wife, Matilda, and youngest son, John, now 18, as a farmer, renting, living next to his second son, Alex, who is a driller for a well machine company. Alex has been married 5 years to Rosie, and they have three sons themselves, Eddie, Louie and Freddy.

Oldest son, William P. Crisco had married Maebell Foreman, one of their Tyson neighbors in 1904, and remained in Tyson. Only daughter, Malinda N. Crisco, who went by Linda, married Arthur Kepping Hearne in 1909, and lived in Norwood, Center Township, before moving to Albemarle. His sister, Amanda, the Taylor family, remained in Big Lick.

In 1904, in the case of State vs Daniel Crisco, Daniel was sentenced to 18 months in prison for counterfeiting.

It is said a tiger doesn't change its stripes, and that was true in the case of Daniel Crisco. Having gotten by , literally, with murder, he seemed, on the outside, to have led a farily normal life afterwards, farming and raising a family. But everything inside of Daniel had not changed, emboldened by his escape from justice once, the grimy oil of violence seeped back up, on at least one noted occasion. 

Stanly News and Press Albemarle, North Carolina • Thu, Feb 12, 1914Page 1

Live by the Sword, Die by the Sword.

Daniel Crisco 's sordid life came to a violent end on February 8, 1914. Daniel Crisco was at the home of James Miller Sides, called 'Jim'. 

Again, a woman was in it. Daniel Crisco has married  Matilda Kimrey. Jim Sides was at the time married to Julia Ann Kimrey, the sister of Matilda Kimrey Crisco. There seems to have been disturbance between Julia Kimrey Sides and a daughter of Jim Sides. 

The Players: Daniel Crisco was no longer young at this time. Only youngest son, John, may have still been at home, as he wouldn't marry for another four years. Matilda had died in 1912, at the age of 63.  She had been buried at Saint Martin's Lutheran Church, despite the fact that they lived on the Badin Road. Natural causes are expected.

Julia Ann Kimrey was the youngest sister of Matilda and 17 years her junior. Their parents, Paul and Rebecca Minerva Mauldin Kimrey, or Kimmer, had passed away in 1870 and 1871, respectively, when Julia was but a small child of five and six. 

Daniel Alexander Crisco had applied for the marriage license of his sister-in-law, Julia Kimmer (rey), aged 47, to James Sides, 47, both of Albemarle, all parents deceased, on October 16, 1913. They were married at the Congregational Church in Albemarle. James Sides was the son of George Sides and Ithama Cagle Sides. Cagle! Jim was a Cagle descendant, his mother, Ithama, who George W. Cagle, the man Daniel Crisco had previously killed, may have named his daughter of the same name after, or either they were both named for a common ancestor with this same, unusual name. James was a cousin of George W. Cagle, his mother, Ithama, the daughter of Benjamin F. Cagle, brother of George's father. This may have been personal.

We do not know the name of the daughter of James Sides who had gotten in the skirmish with his wife, but it was likely his youngest daughter, Arvy, born in 1897, who would have been about 17 years old at the time. James was the father of five daughters, total. 

Ester Mozella (1882-1959) had married in 1879 to John Zebulon Little. 

Zellie Victoria (1884-1957) had married in 1900 to Jesse Thomas Mills. 

Ida Bellazorra (1886-1929) had married in 1901 to James Watson "Watt" Porter.

Annie Catherine (1887-1963) had married in 1905 to William Davidson "Will" Hinson.

Arvie, 1897-1952), the youngest, would marry in 1916 to Barney McKinley Morris, but in 1914, she was single and at home. 

Daniel Crisco, with a small revolver, shot at the girl, but the bullet apparently missed its mark and hit Jim Sides, the father, instead. Jim must have been infuriated by the danger to his young daughter, and this old man (now 58) interfering in a disturbance among women. James had married as a young man to Cornelia Ann "Nealie" Efird, the mother of these girls, and had been widowed. After Nealie died in 1901, he had several brief marriages. He married Minnie Moore of Anson County in 1902, and she bore him the first son that would survive childhood, Cecil Leroy Sides, (1904-1944). Minnie would leave him again, a widower, in 1908.

On July 15, 1909, Jim would marry a third time to Mary Eliza Farrington Myers, of Yadkin County,  a widow of John L. Myers, with three children. This union was brief, as she is seen only one year later, in the 1910 census, living without Jim, and going by Myers, with her three children, ages 12 to 17, on Poplar Street in Concord. All of them, even 12 year old Hattie, worked in the Cotton Mills. Eliza would divorce Jim, and as she was only 36 years old, remarry, to Ephraim Levi "Lee" Herrin, of Stanly County, on January 4, 1916, and this one would stick.

As for Jim Sides, he would marry Fannie A. Cannon Banks on April 27, 1912 in Cabarrus County. This one didn't work out either, and I don't have a clue what happened there, but on October 16, 1913, he was marrying Daniel Crisco's sister-in-law, Julia.

Daniel Crisco's pistol shot had missed Jim's daughter, and hit Jim in the side. He then grabbed a large, heavy stick and with full force, hit Daniel Aleander Crisco, killer of his cousin, George Cagle, and almost killer of his own child, over the head, crushing his scull. Jim Sides was a strong man. When the police arrived, they found Daniel Crisco in a pool of blood, near death. Jim Sides was in criticial condition and was not expected to live. 

Stanly News and Press

Albemarle, North Carolina • Thu, Sep 30, 1915Page 7

Jim Sides, did, however, live. Julia filed for divorce immediately and Jim's third divorce went through in 1915.

Daniel Crisco was buried beside Matilda at  St. Martin's Lutheran Church. His  estate was divided among his four children.

Jim Sides did not marry a sixth time. He first returned to Tyson Township and farmed until he could no longer work. He then ended up in Albemarle, in the County home for the aged by 1935., and appears there in 1940. His obitruary seems to suggest he went to live with one of his older daughters afterwards and died there at the age of 83 on November 18, 1941.

The News and Observer

Raleigh, North Carolina • Thu, Nov 20, 1941Page 14

There was no obituary for Daniel Crisco.

His descendants were:

William Paul Crisco (1879-1940) Married MaeBell Foreman - 6 children: Lawson, Letha Mae, Dora Lee, George Marshall, Myrtle and Carrie.

Shepherd Alexander Crisco (1883-1953) Married Rosa Perry McAuley. Three sons: Eddie Alexander, Lonnie Lee and Fred Harold.

Malina N. Crisco (1883-1934) Married Arthur Keppling Hearne. 7 children: James Alfred, Effie M., Ethel Mae, Daniel, Bessie, Rayvon, Redwine.

John Stanford Crisco (1891-1976) Married Flossie Mills: 6 children: John Henry, Mayzelle, Lillie Irene, Janie Mae, Reba Jewell, Gwendolyn.

Stanly News and Press

Albemarle, North Carolina • Thu, May 14, 1914Page 3

The End

Looking for Liberty Hartsell

 

Tabitha Liberty Hartsell Barbee

When my oldest daughter was expecting her only child, she was considering the name "Liberty" if the baby was a daughter. He was not, and was instead, named after my Great Grandfather on my Paternal side, Elias. I've alway liked the name, however, for its attributes of implications and uniqueness. We never welcomed a Liberty. 

Recently, I've been researching a certain obscure Whitley family. While looking at the small family of Hardin "Hardy" Whitley (1835-1864) and his wife, Basheba "Bashie" Hatley, (1832-1873), that her brother, Hardin "Hardy" Hatley (1834-1918) , had custody of their children for at least a period of time after the deaths of both Whitley's. Yes, that's a lot of Hardys and I believe the mother of Hardy Whitley could have been a Hatley. The Whitleys had left two children, a son and a daughter, and only the daughter survived long enough to marry. I examined this family in my post, The Curse of Bitter Rain.

While examing Hardy Hatley's family, I saw that in 1880, there was a young woman named Liberty Hartsell in his home. The name intrigued me, and I wondered who exactly Liberty Hartsell was, this young woman with the interesting name.

Name	Hardy Hatly
Age	45
Birth Date	Abt 1835
Birthplace	North Carolina
Home in 1880	Big Lick, Stanly, North Carolina, USA
Dwelling Number	71
Race	White
Gender	Male
Relation to Head of House	Self (Head)
Marital Status	Married
Spouse's Name	Malinda Hatly
Father's Name	Wily Hatly
Father's Birthplace	North Carolina
Mother's Birthplace	North Carolina
Occupation	Farmer
Neighbors	View others on page

Household members

Name	Age
Hardy Hatly	45
Malinda Hatly	28
Jonah Hatly	16
Ephram Hatly	14
Minnie Hatly	1
Wily Hatly	87
Liberty Hartsell	23

Luckily for me, 1880 was the first year that the relationships of the people in a household to the head of the household were given. Hardy Hatley was one of those older men that had married a much younger woman as his second wife. At 45, 28 year old Malinda was not his daughter, but his wife. Jonah and Ephraim were his sons, and one year old Minnie was his daughter. It's easy to understand that the sons were by his first wife, and he probably hadn't been married to Malinda for long. Wiley Hatley, 87, was Hardy's aged father, and Liberty Hartsell was his sister-in-law. 

A little further research revealed that Hardy had married, as his second wife, Mary Melinda Hartsell, daughter of Holden Hartell and his wife, Mary Honeycutt. The couple had a family of 10 children and Mary passed away in 1862, before they were all grown up. Holden had remarried and had one more before passing away in 1865. 

Mary Malinda Hartsell Hatley was one of the younger children of Holden and Mary. Above, in the 1860 census, Mary Malinda was 9, her younger brother, Holden Monroe, aged 6, was scratched out and added again at the bottom of the page, I'm not sure why, and the youngest child was Bitha L. Hartsell. It looks like Bettie, and was transcribed as such, but there was an older sister named Bettie and with a little more research, it was clear that the child's name was "Bitha L.", and she was only four years old. 

This was a good list as it included the entire family which was :

Holden Hartsell  45 and wife, Mary 46 then: William Riley (1838-1899), Elizabeth P "Bettie" Byrd (1839- 1917), Emaline M Hartsell Smith ( 1841-1909), Julia Ann Hartsell Howell (1842-1879), John Adam Hartsell (1844 -1910), Joseph Monroe Hartsell (1846-1923), Eva Mahaley Hartsell Smith (1847-1928), Mary Malinda Hartsell Hatley (1851-1926), Holden Monroe Hartsell (1854-1910) and Tabitha Liberty Hartsell (1851 -1910).

After the death of their parents, the children seemed to scatter to the wind. Most of the older ones married as soon as they could, especially the daughters.

Name	Tobitha Hartsell
Age in 1870	14
Birth Date	abt 1856
Birthplace	North Carolina
Dwelling Number	217
Home in 1870	Big Lick, Stanly, North Carolina
Race	White
Gender	Female
Post Office	Albemarle
Occupation	Domestic Servt
Cannot Read	Yes
Cannot Write	Yes

Household members

Name	Age
John Byrd	30
Elizabeth Byrd	28
Mary Byrd	6
Sarah Byrd	4
Sophonia Byrd
Tobitha Hartsell	14

Tabitha Liberty Hartsell, being the youngest of the children of both parents, ended up as the Domestic Servant, Elizabeth "Bettie" Hartsell, who had married John Byrd. She was living in Big Lick at 14, in 1870, the wild west of Stanly County.  And then, of course, in 1880, we find her living with another sibling, Mary Malinda Hartsell Hatley, in 1880. It seems Tabitha, as she was normally seen, earned her keep as Housekeeper and Nanny for her married siblings after she was evicted by her wicked stepmother, Adaline, after the death of her father, and that is a story of its own.

Just when it seemed as if Tabitha Liberty Hartsell was destined to be an old maid, she found herself a husband, and a younger one at that! She had not settled herself as the young bride of an old man for stability, like many of her time, when there were Civil War widows and orphans aplenty, although that was not what she was. No, Tabitha had been just an ordinary orphan with a young stepmother who married an old man with one foot in the grave so she could take over his estate from his older children. 

Tabitha married on April 10, 1887, to 21 year old William Barbee, son of  Jacob and Sarah Barbee. Her age was given as 26, when she was actually 31. Perhaps she felt like five years was all she could believably shave off. The marriage was performed at the office of John A.Furr, Justice of the Peace, in Furr Township. Witnessess were A.J. Huneyctt, E. D. Smith, which may have been her sister, Emaline, and A. J. Barbee, perhaps a relative of the groom.

William Martin Barbee

William Martin Barbee was the son of Josiah and Sarah Smith Barbee. At the time of the marriage, his father was deceased, but his mother was living, as both of the brides were deceased. While Tabitha had grown up in Big Lick, William had grown up in Furr Township. He was the oldest son and second child in the family. He was preceeded by Susan Catherine and followed by Cenia Marie, Nelson, James Hiram, Sarah Elizabeth, Lina and Lundy.

During the next thirteen years, the couple had settled among the rest of the Barbee Family in Furr Township, in the general area of Stanfield. Around 1900, give or take, the Barbee's had their photos made. William appears to have dressed in his best suit, and a colorized version of the photo paints his hundred yard stare with bright blue eyes. He appears nervous, like he could jump and run in an instant. He has a brunette combover and an unruly mustache that looks like a scrub brush resting under his nose. Tabitha Liberty Hartsell's photo is the lead in, off center and severe, she has an almost manly bearing. Her brunette hair pulled tightly back, Tabitha shows none of her husbands nervousness. Her eyes akilter, they also appear light, either blue or green. Broad-shouldered and square, she looks like a strong woman, but not a pretty one. Hers was a body built for work, and her large, oval face with a short, wide chin was directly opposite of William's oblong face with a recessive chin.

They would have five children, beginning immediatley and in rapid succession.

1888  Beechus S. Barbee

1890 William Harley Barbee

1891 Lou Etta Barbee

1896 Twin girls Bertie and Gertie Barbee

The 1900 census shows them surrounded by family names closely involved in their lives, lots of Barbees, with a few Hathcocks, a Stogner and an Eudy. The Barbees appeared to be very tribal, they stuck together, which is a strength. Sadly, the 1900 census revealed that Tabitha had actually give birth to seven children, only five survived. All of these five grew up.

1910 looks a little odd, but it appears the whole family pitched in together, still. They are no longer living in the grove of Barbee's, but still in Furr Township. William and Tabitha, now 44 and 50, respectively, are farmers, and thier oldest son, Beechum, is the only one living in their home. Second son, Harley, has married to Gatha Barbee, a distant cousin, and had two sons of his own, Melvin and Hubert, the era of those steampunk names. The three Barbee sisters, Etta, Bertie and Gertie, are now in their teens, and living with their brother, instead of their parents. The two households must have been close together.

Tabitha didn't live a very long life, but for her time, she was considered an old woman, when she was overcome with uterine cancer at 61, which led to her demise. An A.A.Hartsell was the informant, probably a relative, but not a sibling, who correctly gave her parents as Holden Hartsell and Mary Huneycutt. He knew she had been born in Big Lick. Her attending doctor had been Ira Yow, of Georgeville, in Cabarrus County and her death certificate was filed by Dock Love in Stanfield. She was buried in the Meadow Creek Cemetery in Locust and the undertaker was P.L.Hartsell of Oakboro. Her age gap had caught up with her. It was now known that she was ten years older than her husband, not five.

Widower, William Martin Barbee, would go on with his life for another twenty-three years. He remarried, to Martha Lou Hinson, who was also middle-aged, at 48, on July 27, 1919. She was the daughter of  John Washington Hinson and Sarah Jane Rummage, and the widow of a Tarlton.

They shared over a decade together in the 'Village of Stanfield', as the 1920 census put it, before William passed away at 63. His children buried him next to their mother. His own widow, Martha, is shown living with her son and still with the name, Barbee, in 1930, the year that he died. She would return to her former name of Tarleton, to match her own children, by 1940, and would pass away 18 years after William in 1948. Martha was buried at Love's Grove.

Tabitha (or Tibitha) Liberty Hartsell lived the typical life of a Victorian era farmwife in rural North Carolina. There was nothing outrageous or extraordinarty about her, and therein lies her beauty, the girl with the beautiful name. 

The Curse of Bitter Rain

Bashie Whitley, grandchildren of Nancy Hatley Whitley

When Hardy Whitley lost his life on April 25th, 1864, during the Civil War, he left behind a widow and two children. These were the grandchildren of Nancy Whitley whom I have yet to cover.  I have recently posted on Nancy in my post, Nancy of Stillwater Creek. Hardin, or Hardy for short, had enlisted in Company H 42nd Infantry of the Confederate Army, on May 10, 1862, where he obtained the rank of Seargeant. He fought valiantly until he entered sick at the hospital in Wilmington, NC and did not make it out, passing away at 28 years of age. This is the story of who he left behind.

Above is shown the first record that I have found of Hardy Whitley. His mother, Nancy, is a 60 year old widow, sister Mary is 21, Hardy is 15, William Pinkney is 13 and Zachary Taylor is 12. All three of the boysin this household will fight in the Civil War. Only William Pinkney will survive, and move to Iredell County with his sister, Mary. Even Taylor will enlist during the last fleeting days of it, only to lose his life at 16. 

Yes, it says "Hatley", but they were Whitleys. It was not a transcription error. It actually says "Hatley". My theory is that Nancy gave her maiden name, misunderstanding the census takers question, and he ran with it, naming the whole family as Hatley's. I also believe Nancy was the widow of Isham Whitley. It only makes sense. They lived next to Alfred and Tempy Ledbetter. Their property also connected to Hezekiah Whitley, the brother of Isham Whitley.

One person who actually was a Hatley was Hardy Whitley's future wife, Basheba "Bashie" Hatley. Above, she was in the home of her father, Wyley or Wiley Hatley. Her mother, Martha "Maza" Harwood Hatley, had already passed away. With Bashie, here at 18, was older sister Telitha Tildy Hatley and younger brother, Hardy. Her grandfather was a Hardy, her brother was a Hardy and her husband was a Hardy. Lots of Hardys, and believe it or not, lots of Basheba's. The name Bathsheba, Basheba, or Barsheba, biblical, but rare, is also found several times in this family. Her uncle, Hasten Hatley Sr. married a Basheba Harwood and even Hezekiah Whitley would name a daughter Basheba. Hezekiah also named a son Hardy. There were lots of connections between these families not uncovered yet.

By 1860 Hardy and Basheba were married and listed under the correct name. They have a three year old son named James. The next year they will have a daughter named Eva. Below them are listed Hardy's mother, Nancy and his siblings in the next household. The war would change anything. 

Basheba Hatley Whitley does not appear in the 1870 census, that I can find. They missed a great number of people that year, from what I've seen. This is not the only family from the Big Lick area that I've not been able to locate in 1870. What I did find of her existence in that decade is her name in a taxable list of the Whitley's in her District, Number 8, for 1967. Also listed was Allison Whitley and his son, Noah, or N. A. Whitley, Green Deberry, or G. D., Columbus Whitley, M. E. Whitley, Elizabeth and Bathsheba. 

What we do know is that Bathsheba was deceased by February 3, 1873.  John Brooks appeared before Judge of Probate, J. M. Redwine and swore that Bashie had died intestate and that he was the proper person to receive the letters of Administration for her estate of about $150 and that she had left two heirs, James Whitley and Evy Ann Whitley. At this time, James would have been about 15 and Evy Ann, 12.

In the 1880 census, Evie Ann Whitley is found in Big Lick Township, at 18, in the home of John Brooks. For relationship, it says Orphan and for occupation, house keeper. Where was her brother? He would be an adult by then.

On the 10th of February, 1877, John Brooks paid $1.00 for letters as the guardian of James and Evy Ann Whitley, minors, so they both lived there at the time.

On January 3, 1878, Dr. R. A. Anderson billed the James Whitley estate for $9.75 for medical assistance during James's sickness. So sometime, probably in late 1877. young James Whitley died of an unknown illness, not long after his mother. He would have been about 20 years old. It is unknown where James and Basheba Whitley are buried. As Bashie was a Hatley, the  Hatley Grove Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery would make sense, or even perhaps the Riley Austin Cemetery. Both have graves either unmarked or with disentegrated, illegible stones.

On February 28, 1878, Hardy Hatley made a claim on the estate of James Whitley for $30.00 keeping him and $8.00 for clothing purchased for him. This would have been Hardy, the brother of Basheba, two years younger than she. It appears Hardy had custody of James at some point.

On April 8, 1898, twenty years later, Evey Austin received from John W. Austin $130.00, 'payment due me by him as my Guardian from the estate of Hardy Whitley or Basha Whitley" She released him as her guardian and Riley H. Austin as surety on the guardian bond. Eva Ann was 37. Why did she need a guardian at this point? As one may have guessed, Evey had married JohnW. Austin.

John Brooks served as the executor for both Basheba and her son, James Whitley The reciepts shown above.

I've mentioned the Riley H. Austin family in a few of my last posts. His was also an associated family and neighbor to the Whitley family I have been researching. His son, John, shown as 14 above, would marry the one surving Whitley in the Hardy Whitley family, Eva Ann.

J. T. Turner applied for the license for the marriage of J. W. Austin, 21, son of R. H. and Elizabeth Austin, both living, and Evey Ann Whitley, 19, daughter of Hardy and Basheby Whitley, both deceased, on December 20th, 1880, just months after she is shown as living with the John Brooks family. The wedding took place in Tyson at the Turner residence. Minty Turner was one of the witnesses.

John Wesley Austin

Over the course of the next twenty years, John W. Austin and Eva Ann Whitley Austin would bring nine children into the world. They lost a son, James Benton Austin, at  the age of one year, 4 months and 9 days old in 1896. He was buried in the Riley H. Austin cemetery, his grandfather's property.

Name	Evie Austin
Age	41
Birth Date	Mar 1859
Birthplace	North Carolina, USA
Home in 1900	Big Lick, Stanly, North Carolina
House Number	8
Sheet Number	14
Number of Dwelling in Order of Visitation	261
Family Number	263
Race	White
Gender	Female
Relation to Head of House	Wife
Marital Status	Married
Spouse's Name	Jno Austin
Marriage Year	1882
Years Married	18
Father's Birthplace	North Carolina, USA
Mother's Birthplace	North Carolina, USA
Mother: number of living children	8
Mother: How many children	9
Can Read	N
Can Write	N
Can Speak English	Y
Neighbors	View others on page

Household members

Name	Age
Jno Austin	40
Evie Austin	41
Lula Austin	17
Rufus Austin	16
Thomas Austin	14
Mollie Austin	12
Henry Austin	10
Jonah Austin	4
Mary Austin	2/12
Lucy Austin	2/12

John and Evie appeared in the 1900 census, in Big Lick Township, with their eight remaining children. Evie, at 38, had just given birth to twin girls, Mary and Lucy, two months prior. This is the second census she appeared in, and her last. The age of 41 here was incorrect. A few of her mother's brothers lived nearby.

Eva Ann Whitley Austin passed away on May 25, 1900 just after the census was taken. Her twins passed away near the same time, probably for lack of the mother, or either of the same illness. She was 38 years old.

The next decade after Evey's death, John W. Austin carried on in Big Lick.  A few of his children married. He had a 7-year-old granddaughter in the home named Hattie. This was the child of oldest daughter Lula. Lula would marry a Honeycutt and her daughter would go by Hattie Mae Huneycutt the rest of her life. But children grow and dipserse.

A peak at the surviving children in 1920, twenty years past their mothers death revealed that:

- Lula had married Thomas Huneycutt and was living on McSwain Mill Road in New Salem, Union County, and now had five children.

- Thomas C. Austin married Ella Sloop and moved to Concord, Cabarrus County, living on Allsion Street and working in a Cotton Mill.

- Rufus Austin has married Arianna Isabella Hatley and was living on the Oakboro & Rocky River Road in Big Lick and farming.

- Mollie Jane Austin had married Jonah S. Green and was living on the Coble Brothers Mill Road in Big Lick and farming. 

- William Henry Austin was living with his brother Rufus in Big Lick. He would die unmarried at a young 39. He had been in WWI and WWII.

- Jonah Columbus Austin was living in Charlotte working as a musician. He would marry twice, to Clementine Jowers and then to Katie Lee Goodwin. He spent his whole life as a musician, dying in 1969 in Columbia, South Carolina. 

J.W. Austin is found living in Concord,  Cabarrus County North Carolina in 1930, living with his oldest daughter, Lula. All but the three youngest children and himself, were all working in the Cotton Mills up there. This was his last census.

The Charlotte Observer Charlotte, North Carolina · Friday, February 06, 1931

John Wesley Austin was returned to Big Lick and buried with his wife in the Riley Austin family cemetery.

A bitter rain will kill a forest tree by tree. The Whitley family had suffered many early deaths, but one last hearty root, Eva Ann, had taken root long enough to be fruitful and have a large family of 9 children. Six of the nine would see adulthood. Four of the Nine would have large families of their own. The genes of Hardy Whitley and Basheba Hatley have survived.