This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: CabinSue Surnames: Thompson, Hill, Evans, Murphy Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.kentucky.counties.garrard/3935/mb.ashx Message Board Post: This is an interesting story about the Lt. J. J. Thompson, the author of Hill, Evans and Murphy Feud. This was written in the Noxubee County Mississippi Quarterly Bulletin, March 1991: NOXUBEE'S GRIMMEST TRAGEDY A blood-stained stairway in an old plantation home and four tombstones in abandoned Sharon cemetery comprise the only concrete evidence of unmigated horror. The stones bear the surname of THOMPSON and the date of death 4 Dec 1865. That Mary, the fourth wife of Thornton K. Thompson and their children, Margaret, Jemima and Clay were gunned down in cold blood that December can be accepted. But the story, NOXUBEE'S GRIMMEST Tragedy, as recorded by an unknown writer 72 years later, and widely circulated over the ensuing years, allows questions to form in one's mind after a close look. Briefly the facts as related in the story are as follows: Credited with this fiendish massacre was a son of the family, said to be named Richard, who after seeing one of his brothers killed in battle, deserted the Confederate army and fled to Brazil. Highly educated in Europe, he became acquainted with the Emperor, Dom Pedro and his daughter. Though his young bride, Sally Monroe, awaited his return to her and his family, he formed an attachment to the Latin beauty. He allegedly made a business deal with cotton, cotton belonging to his father which he would steal, return to South America and claim his new-found love. Thus he returned to his home in Noxubee county, sought and got forgiveness and convinced his father of a legitimate means of disposing of his cotton. A Brazilian vessel was said to be waiting on the Tombigbee river to transport the cotton. The hauling and loading began. Sally, seeing to a wifely duty of sewing a button on her husband's coat, discovered a letter in its pocket from the Latin lady. The father, Thornton, at the wharf, was alerted to the treachery. His face registered such anger that the son bolted to his horse and raced at breakneck speed the 15-20 miles to the family home. Throwing his reins to a little slave boy called Gov, he slammed into the home and fired his pistol. His wife Sally was the victim. Maddened now, he continued to fire until his stepmother, Mary and her children, Margaret, Jemima and little Clay lay dead. A third daughter of the house, Emily, was wounded. The old story relates his swift return to the Bigbee and, hopefully, escape. Meeting his father homeward bound in his buggy, the murderer fired again, wounding Thornton in the hand. At the river he boarded the waiting vessel, only to be removed by a posse of 50 men with guns trained on the boat. He was returned to the family plantation where a mob of 2,000 men gathered to see justice done - by burning at the stake. The crushed father, disowning him as any son of his, nevertheless would not have this. He was hanged from a large oak tree near the entrance to the plantation and his body buried beneath its branches. This is the essence of the much-publicized account of a massacre of 125 years ago. Think closely of 2,000 men gathering quickly in that day and time. And an ocean-going vessel in the Tombigbee. The fact is, that in 1865, there were scarcely 2,000 white men scattered the length and breadth of Noxubee county. And was it possible for an ocean-going vessel to navigate the Bigbee, even in high water? Possibly, but not probable. The search was on. Census records and family information sent by a descendant revealed no son named Richard. And if a young bride named Sally Monroe Thompson was killed, where was she buried? Not at Sharon with the other four victims. And when and where were they married? An extensive search for such a marriage as well as a burial place for Sally resulted in the negative. However, Dom Pedro was verified as Emperor of Brazil at that time. There was no way to check the alleged daughter. Census records, marriage records, burial records, family records - what remained? Land records, an unlikely source, considering the circumstances. It is a quit claim deed recorded in Deed Book M, page 228. It was executed by Joseph W. Thompson to his father, Thornton K. Thompson on the 22nd day of December, 1865. It clearly stated that "whereas the said James J. Thompson departed this life on the 4th day of December, instant inestate" - the same date of the four tombstones in old Sharon cemetery. On the same date, Thornton K. Thompson drew up his last Will & Testament in which he stipulated his estate be divided between his daughter, Indiana Kemper of Garrard county, KY, his daughter, Emily, and the remaining one third to be given to Benjamin and Susan Thompson, children of "my son (deceased) Roland M. Thompson"... The third item reads "For reasons which are entirely satisfactory to me, it is my will and desire that my son Joseph W. Thompson and my daughter Fannie Nichols shall take nothing by this my last Will & Testament." Little Susan & Emily, died before the estate was settled. In 1866, Thornton K. Thompson sold his land in Noxubee county, withdrew from the Sharon Baptist Church of which he was a constituting member, and removed to Clarke county, MS, where his will was probated on 14 July 1870. Naturally, Joseph W. and Fannie contested, but to no avail. Thornton had remarried after arriving in Clarke county and there was a child, Mary Thornton, born 20 Apr 1870. The young Emily had died. Her share of the estate was divided per her father's instructions and the new family was taken care of also. A separate document insured his new wife would inherit his lands. Tuitman Records, Mayor of Shubuter, MS, witness. Emily was quoted in a newspaper story appearing in the Dec 10, 1865 edition of the CLARION, published at that time in Meridian. This reported that James J. Thompson had returned from South America after an absence of 10 years, induced his father, a wealthy man of unimpeachable character, to make his property over to him as protection under the Flag of Peru, against confiscation laws of the United States of America. (Legal documents verify the fact that James J. Thompson had become a citizen of Peru, was a miner and an engineer. The father did so, (recorded in Deed Book M page 256) and later endeavored to get release of his property. Thus James J. Thompson went mad. Emily saw it as a plot between the brothers to get everything their father had. Joseph was to dispose of this property and join his brother in South America. Emily revealed the brother Joseph as being a physician in Mobile. The 1861 directory City of Mobile, did list a Dr. J. W. Thompson, Daphne Street, it! may or may not have been the same man. There is additional evidence that James J. Thompson intended to return to South America. In July of 1865, a story appeared in THE MACON BEACON, stating that James Thompson, had lately returned from Brazil and was planning on establishing a Southern colony there. The BEACON even went so far as to state prospective settlers could sign up at their office. END Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.