52 Ancestors - In the News

 I am once again participating in Amy Johnson Crow's 52 Ancestors.  The writing prompt was "In the News". I chose to research my 3rd great grandfather Cornelius Howard. I have had two news articles not credited in the research I received from my parents. So, I thought it might be interesting to research this further.

Cornelius Howard was born to Leven Howard and Tabatha Dyson 19 June 1822 in North Carolina. He married Mary Ann Prather on 9 Dec 1842. They had at least 6 children. Cornelius was killed in a land dispute 16 March 1868 in Hancock County, Illinois.  He was 45 years old, and his youngest son was 2 years old. Below are two articles about happened to Cornelius Howard with headlines like BEAR CREEK MURDER, A BRUTAL MURDER, and OUTRAGEOUS MURDER IN LIMA TOWNSHIP. Two uncredited articles below.

Bear Creek Murder

March 20, 1868; Monday, March 6, a man named Cornelius Howard was killed at Bear Creek by a man named Willson. Willson had been living on a farm owned by Howard and had built an addition to the house. On Monday Willson was to have moved and commenced tearing down the addition. As he was owing Howard for rent, Mr. Howard interfered and a difficulty ensued in which Willson struck Howard on the head with a club, form the effects of which he died in a few hours. Willson was captured at this point on Wednesday, while fleeing from justice, by two young men who volunteered their service, and he was subsequently brought before Squire Chittenden, who held him to the grand jury and he is now in jail at Carthage.

A BRUTAL MURDER - The southern portion of this county was thrown into a painful excitement on Monday 16th inst by the intelligence that a most brutal murder had been committed on that day in a locality not far from the Hancock and Admas county line. From all we can learn, the murder was committed in Walker township in this county, although the Quincy Herald gives the locality in Lima township in Adams count. The Hearld says:

" We are indebted as an attentive correspondent for the particulars of a brutal murder that was perpetrated in Lima township, in this county about six miles from the village of that name, on Monday last of which Cornelius Howard, an old and highly esteemed citizen, was the unfortunate victim. It appears that a man named S Wilson, who had been only a short time residing in the township, had rented some land from Howard, on which the former put up a small building and being about to move away, was in the act of tearing it down to remove it, when Howard came up and forbid his doing it. A dispute arose in consequence, during which Wilson, infuriated with devilish passion picked up a handspike and rushing up on Howard, struck him several blows on the head, felling him to the ground and fracturing his skull in several places, from the effect of which death resulted in the course of an hour. Wilson made instant escape to the woods, and managed to get a good distance start before the terrible deed became fully known. The news spreading the entire neighborhood became greatly excited over the terrible deed, and a pursuit was organized with the determination to overtake and lynch the murderer on the spot.

The murderer succeeded for a time in making good his escape; but the pursuit was unremitting, and on Wednesday he was arrested at Warsaw by two young men who had volunteered their service. A preliminary examination was had before Esq Chittenden and murderer sent to jail in this city for safe keeping until the next term of court.

I have a few questions.

We don't know where Corneluis Howard was buried.  - Family Search suggests Brenneman Cemetary also known as Sanderson Cemetary in Hancock Ill.  I did some research and Cornelius's father and mother are buried here.  Find a Grave estimates only 65 percent of the graves are accounted for.  It does appear that the cemetery is in rough shape.

We also don't know what happened to Wilson the man who killed Corneluis Howard - I did research some of the free library newspaper archives in Adams County Ill and Hancock County without much luck.  I did find one article very similar to the ones above. It had the headline OUTRAGEOUS MURDER IN LIMA TOWNSHIP (page 4 of The Daily Quincy Herald, Friday March 20th, 1868)