Homicides of Children inHolmes County, Ohio, 1798-1900
HOL
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Intoxication?:
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n. d. [1805]HOL
HIST
Class: uncertain
Crime: HOM
Rela: NONDOM CHILD
Motive: GENOCIDE
Intox?:
Day of week:
Holiday?:
Time of day:
Days to death: 0
SUSPECT(s):white man
VICTIM(s):Indian boy
Weapon: burned
Circumstances: field
Inquest:
Indictment?
Term?:
Court proceedings:
Legal records:
Harry C. Logsdon, The Silent Streams: A Historical Sketch of Doughty and Military Valleys in Mechanic and Berlin Townships, Holmes County, Ohio from theYyear 1800 to the Year 1950. (Millersburg, Ohio: Logsdon, 1950), 20-1: After the Indians had moved beyond the Greenville Treaty line, they would return to southern Holmes County to hunt and fish. HCL claims that "On one of these trips an Indian boy wandered away from his group and really became lost. While wandering about, he came to a white man's cabin late in the evening and begged for help. The white man who was burning some brush at the time, instead of befriending the lad, picked him up and threw him into the burning embers of the brush heap." [n.d., no names]
Newspaper:
Census:
Genealogy:
Accused 1: ___
Ethnicity:
Race:w
Gender:m
Age:adult
Literate:
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Children:
Occupation:[farmer]
Town:
Birthplace:
Religion:
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Victim 1: ___
Ethnicity:
Race:Ind
Gender:m
Age:child
Literate:
Marital Status:s
Children:n
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Birthplace:
Religion:
Organizations:
[1837]HOL
CT
Class: certain
Crime: HOM
Rela: [RELATIVE NEO by MOTHER]
Motive: [ILLEG]
Intox?:
Day of week:
Holiday?:
Time of day:
Days to death: [0]
SUSPECT(s):Angeline Davis
VICTIM(s):unknown person
Weapon: [phys]
Circumstances:
Inquest:
Indictment? yes, murder
Term?: 5/1837
Court proceedings: [nolle pros.]
Legal records:
Appearance Docket 2: Apr. 1834- Feb.8: 396. No. 30. Murder. 5/1837t.
Newspaper:
Census:
none
Genealogy:
none
Accused 1: Angeline Davis
Ethnicity:[nb Prot]
Race:[w]
Gender:f
Age:adult
Literate:
Marital Status: [s]
Children:
Occupation:
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Birthplace:
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Organizations:
Victim 1: ___
Ethnicity:
Race:[w]
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Age:[0]
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Organizations:
1859, JuneHardy (Millersburg), HOL
P
Class: probable
Crime: HOM
Rela: [DOM NEO by MOTHER]
Motive: [ILLEG]
Intox?:
Day of week:
Holiday?:
Time of day:
Days to death: [0]
SUSPECT(s):unknown person
VICTIM(s):infant
Weapon: [phys]
Circumstances: killed and put in a privy. The woman though to be the mother was brought before authorities, and not enough evidence was available to proceed further.
Inquest: yes
Indictment? bnf for murder
Term?:
Court proceedings: suspect arrested. Hearing -- released for lack of evidence.
Legal records:
Newspaper:
Holmes County Farmer, 7/7/1859 (Th): "A Child Found.-On Wednesday last an infant was found in the vault of a privy, in this place. An Inquest was held and the jury concluded the child had been killed and plced there by its mother. Dr. Ebright and Boling, who attended the investigation, thought it had lain some two weeks. A warrant was issued by Esq. Critchfield [a lawyer in Millersburg] for a young woman who was supposed to be the mother. Her trial was fixed for and took place on Friday. The evdience produced against here was deemed insufficient to warrant her commitment for further trial. She was therefore released."
Census:
Genealogy:
Accused 1: ___
Ethnicity:
Race:w
Gender:f
Age:adult
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Children:
Occupation:
Town:Hardy (Millersburg)
Birthplace:
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Victim 1: ___
Ethnicity:
Race:w
Gender:
Age:0
Literate:n
Marital Status:s
Children:n
Occupation:
Town:Hardy (Millersburg)
Birthplace:
Religion:
Organizations:
1864, late AugustKillbuck Twp., HOL
P
CT
Class: certain
Crime: HOM MANSL
Rela: DOM FETUS by FATHER & FATHER'S BROTHER / AGA on its MOTHER by its FATHER
Motive: ILLEG
Intox?:
Day of week:M
Holiday?:no
Time of day:night
Days to death: 0
SUSPECT(s):Ephraim Carpenter and Joseph Carpenter
VICTIM(s):Miss [Laura] Fletcher's infant (and aggravated assault on Miss Fletcher)
Weapon: [phys] beaten
Circumstances: One of the two Carpenters beat Fletcher severely & she gave birth to a stillborn child the next morning.
Inquest:
Indictment? yes: EC & JC: "Indictment for procuring the death of a quick child"; also indicted for assault with intent to commit murder. JC: indicted for "aiding and abetting the death of a quick child" and for aiding and abetting AIM.
Term?: 2/1865t
Court proceedings: The case is later dropped. n.p.
Legal records:
Hol. Co. Appearance Docket 11 (1862-7): 171-4.
Newspaper:
Holmes County Farmer, 9/1/1864: "Horrible Outrage. - The people of this community have been shocked by a most fiendish outrage perpetrated in Killbuck T., in this county, on Monday night of last week. On this night Mr. William Bennett, of said township being away from home his wife and a young girl named Emma Fletcher were staying at the house alone. About midnight two men forcibly entered the house, one seizing and holding Mrs. Bennett, the other dragged Miss Fletcher out into the yard where he beat, kicked and otherwise maltreated her until life, apparently, was nearly extinct. After the perpetrators left, Mrs. Bennett succeeded in getting the girl into the house and placed in bed. In the morning she was prematurely delivered of a dead child, caused by the brutal treatment she had received. The young men charged with this horrible crime named Ephraim Carpenter and Joseph Carpenter, one of whom is also charged with being the seducer of the young girl. Efforts were made to arrest them, but they succeeded in making their escape. They are of a respectable family, and that they were so indiscreet as to be guilty of such an unnatural crime is a subject of mystery."
HCF 9/29/1864: Ephraim & Joseph Carpenter are among the 32 men drafted from Killbuck Twp. to fill 16 positions. [a coincidence?]
Holmes County Farmer, 11/17/1864: the Carpenters indicted for "procuring the death of a quick child."
Census:
1840c, 265: John Carpenter
M 0,0,5,10,15,15,20,40F 10,15,50Ag - 1
1850C, p. 122: Ephraim (13) & Joseph (10) -- attend school
John (58) $6000 RE [farmer] & Mary (51)10 children in hhld
1860C, p. 287: Ephraim (21) & Joseph (19) -- attend school
John (67) [farmer] and Mary (62) $8000 RE, $6000 PE -- 4 ch in hhld
1870C, p. 81: Wilson S. (28) and Sarah S. (23) Carpenter
farmer, $2500 RE, $300 PE. Son of JC & MC. Only remaining resident in Holmes Co.
1870C, p. 83: Oxford Village, Killbuck Twp.
William (57) and Mary A. (40 or 44) Fletcher
physician. $400 RE, $100 PE. Both b. Virginia. 5 children listed.
Laura (21)
Eliza A. (19)
Mary E. (17)attends school
Cornelia (15)attends school
William (6)
Genealogy:
EC & JC: children of John and Mary Carpenter
_F: child of William & Mary Fletcher
Accused 1: Ephraim Carpenter
Ethnicity:[nb Prot]
Race:w
Gender:m
Age:27
Literate:yes
Marital Status: [s]
Children:[n]
Occupation:[farm laborer]
Town:Killbuck
Birthplace:OH
Religion:
Organizations:
Accused 2: Joseph Carpenter
Ethnicity:[nb Prot]
Race:w
Gender:m
Age:24
Literate:yes
Marital Status: [s]
Children:[n]
Occupation:[farm laborer]
Town:Killbuck
Birthplace:OH
Religion:
Organizations:
Victim 1: Miss [Laura] Fletcher's infant
Ethnicity:nb Prot
Race:w
Gender:
Age:0fetus
Literate:
Marital Status:
Children:
Occupation:
Town:Killbuck
Birthplace:Killbuck, OH
Religion:
Organizations:
Victim 2: Miss [Laura] Fletcher
Ethnicity:[nb Prot]
Race:w
Gender:f
Age:15
Literate:[yes]
Marital Status:s
Children:n
Occupation:student
Town:Killbuck
Birthplace:OH
Religion:
Organizations:
1865, early MayHardy, HOL
P
Class: probable
Crime: SUS / poss HOM [counted by KW]
Rela: UNK NEO
Motive: UNK
Intox?:
Day of week:Sat
Holiday?:no
Time of day:night
Days to death: 0
SUSPECT(s):unk. person
VICTIM(s):unk. newborn child
Weapon: [drowned]
Circumstances: in a creek. May 11, 1865, the Farmer reports T. P. Uhl's story that he witnessed an apparent infanticide. But no body, no other witnesses, were found. Occurred late at night. [What if Uhl was drunk, or was lying, or was mistaken?]
Inquest:
Indictment?
Term?:
Court proceedings:
Legal records:
Newspaper:
Holmes County Farmer, 5/11/1865: "Suspicious.--At a late hour on Saturday night, Mr. T. P. Uhl left town for his home, just across the creek. In passing down street, he noticed a man sneaking along suspiciously with a basket in his hand. Mr. Uhl watched him go to the creek a short distance below the bridge, heard what he believed to be the cry of an infant, saw the man throw something in the creek, started for and run him up to the depot and thence to near Herzer and Petry's warehouse where he drew and cocked a pistol and threatened to shoot if he followed him farther. On Monday, a number of citizens were engaged in dragging the creek, but without success. There is little doubt but a most infamous crime has been perpetrated."
Census:
Genealogy:
Accused 1: ___
Ethnicity:
Race:[w]
Gender:[f]
Age:[adult]
Literate:
Marital Status:
Children:
Occupation:
Town:
Birthplace:
Religion:
Organizations:
Victim 1: ___
Ethnicity:
Race:[w]
Gender:
Age:0neonate
Literate:
Marital Status:s
Children:n
Occupation:
Town:
Birthplace:
Religion:
Organizations:
1870Hardy, HOL
P
Class: probable
Crime: poss HOM
Rela: UNK NEO
Motive: UNK
Intox?:
Day of week:
Holiday?:
Time of day:
Days to death:
SUSPECT(s):unk. person
VICTIM(s):infant
Weapon: [drowned]
Circumstances: Body found in the Killbuck at Sharp's mill in March, 1871. Newspaper says it had lain there many months. Caught in a drift. [a note in Ken's file: Sharp's Mill - Steel Bridge - Spoal's Mill]
Inquest:
Indictment?
Term?:
Court proceedings: fled
Legal records:
Newspaper:
Holmes County Farmer, 3/9/1871: "Child Found. - A few days ago, a box containing a child was found north of Sharp's mill in a drift, and was dragged to the bank of the creek and torn to pieces by a dog, before persons in the vicinity could get there. From the condition of the body it had lain in the creek for some months."
Census:
Genealogy:
Accused 1: ___
Ethnicity:
Race:[w]
Gender:[f]
Age:[adult]
Literate:
Marital Status:
Children:
Occupation:
Town:
Birthplace:
Religion:
Organizations:
Victim 1: ___
Ethnicity:
Race:[w]
Gender:
Age:0neonate
Literate:
Marital Status:s
Children:n
Occupation:
Town:
Birthplace:
Religion:
Organizations:
1874where?
P
CHECK: where were the rags purchased? if locally, it would have been a neonaticide in Holmes; if not, not. Assume the rags were purchased outside the county, unless certain of the contrary.
Class: do not count
Crime: HOM / [not counted by KW & not counted here]
Rela: UNK NEO
Motive:
Intox?:
Day of week:
Holiday?:
Time of day:
Days to death:
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Inquest:
Indictment?
Term?:
Court proceedings:
Legal records:
Newspaper:
Holmes County Farmer, 10/15/1874 (Th): "Horrible Infanticide. - Many of our citizens on Monday last were horrified at the news of a baby with its head off being found by one of the firm of Uhler & McDowell in a quantity of rags they had purchased. The question as to who was its inhuman mother, could not of course be answered or even surmised; but many suggestions were made as to preserving its apparel and wrappings for indentification. It was laid out decently and a covering thrown over it. A number of persons called in to see it, and quite an excitement was raised that such inhumanity should occur in our midst. But no clue has been had as to the unnatural mother -- nor is its age or sex ascertained. It was a rag-baby."
Census:
Genealogy:
Accused 1: ___
Ethnicity:
Race:
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Age:
Literate:
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Children:
Occupation:
Town:
Birthplace:
Religion:
Organizations:
Victim 1: ___
Ethnicity:
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Age:
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Occupation:
Town:
Birthplace:
Religion:
Organizations:
1889, Jan.Killbuck, HOLMES
INQ
P
Class:probable
Crime: HOM
Rela: UNK NEO
Motive: UNK
Intox?:
Day of week:
Holiday?:
Time of day:
Days to death: 0
SUSPECT(s):unknown person
VICTIM(s):infant
Weapon: Strangled
Circumstances: Baby boy found in Killbuck Creek
Inquest: Partially quoted in the newspaper.
“Record of Inquests held by Coroners and Justices of the Peace” (Clerk of Courts Office, Holmes County Courthouse). Jan. 5, 1889. Infant Name Unknown. White male, native-born. Cause of death: Violence. Post-mortem examination, January 6, 1889, by physician S. P. Wise. Journal vol. 18, page 513.
Indictment?
Term?:
Court proceedings:
Legal records:
Newspaper:
Holmes County Farmer, January 10, 1889: [Page is torn, thus the article is partial] “Killbuck’s Kid.—The village of Killbuck has a full-grown sensation on hand [th]at gives the gossipers a rare opportu[ni]ty to roll the choice morsel under their [t]ongues. The Farmer was at Killbuck, Monday, for the purpose of finding as [m]any particulars regarding the matter [as] possible, but it is difficult to get [strai]ght facts, when people don’t want [to t?]ell what they really know and only [?re] on hearsay. The cause of all [the?] commotion was the finding of a [?] in the water near Killbuck bridge [?] within a stone’s throw of the center [?] town of Killbuck. The body was [?] of a full-grown boy baby, that [?]ld weigh about 10 pounds, was 22 [inches] long, perfectly formed and was [in an?] entirely nude state when found. [The body?] was taken to Dr. Guittard’s [?] from there to Welker’s under[taking] establishment. Coroner Gosner [of this?] place was notified and went [?] the noon train Saturday and [?] [ch]arge of the corpse, and after [?] some testimony, brought the [?] this place Saturday evening, [?] post mortem examination was [?] the office of Drs. Wise & Cherry[holmes]. On Monday the remains were [?] Killbuck and further testimony [?] Coroner Gonser and Prosecut[ing] [Atto]rney Schwartz, after which the [?] were placed in the hands of un[?] [?] Welker and buried. After the [post mo]rtem, the doctors expressed [?] that the child had been born [?] [?]s strangled to death and thrown [?] water after death had ensued. It [?] be hoped that whoever is guilty of [?] [?]rrible crime may be brought to [?] and made to suffer the full pen[alty] of the law.
“The following is the Coroner’s verdict: I, the undersigned, Coroner of Holmes [C]ounty, Ohio, having duly inquired into [?] to whom and by what means an in[f]ant, whose dead body was found in Killbuck creek on the 5th day of Janu[ary], A.D. 1889, came to its death. Af[ter] having examined said body and [?]d the evidence, I do find that the [decea]sed came to its death by violence, [?] hands of a person unknown to me.
“John A. Gonser,
Coroner of Holmes co.”
Census:
Genealogy:
Accused 1:Unknown
Ethnicity:
Race:[w]
Gender:f
Age:adult
Literate:
Marital Status:
Children:
Occupation:
Town:
Birthplace:
Religion:
Organizations:
Victim 1: Infant
Ethnicity:
Race:[w]
Gender:m
Age:newborn
Literate:n
Marital Status:s
Children:n
Occupation:
Town:Killbuck
Birthplace:Killbuck
Religion:
Organizations:
1900, May 27outside Millersburg, HOLMES
P
Class: possible
Crime: HOM
Rela: RELATIVE INFANT by MOTHER
Motive: ILLEG
Intox?: no
Day of week:Sun
Holiday?:n
Time of day:daytime [between morning and afternoon]
Days to death: 0
SUSPECT(s):Della Nyhart and Mr. and Mrs. Tidball (her stepfather and mother)
VICTIM(s):her newborn infant
Weapon: [phys] 4 or 5 days old. Born 5/23.
Circumstances: In April, Mrs. T & DN “rented a room or two in the rear of Thomas Arnold’s residence in the south part of town.” Called the doctor when the baby was born on 5/23. Left for their home in Coschocton County on Sunday, 5/27: baby nowhere to be found on Monday. Mrs. T. said it had “died” and that she had buried it in the woods; she fled when authorities asked her to leave them to the grave.
Inquest:
Indictment?
Term?:
Court proceedings: Mrs. T & DN arrested.
Legal records:
Newspaper:
Holmes County Farmer, May 31, 1900: “There has been much talk in the south part of town about the recent arrival of a baby in that vicinity and its sudden departure. Sufficient facts are not obtainable, however, to make a write-up of the case.”
Holmes County Farmer, June 7, 1900: “Where Is It?. Mysterious Disappearance of Della Nyhart’s Baby. We made mention last week of a matter that was causing considerable gossip in the south part of town, but did not have facts sufficient to warrant us in giving the matter full publicity. The matter pertains to the mysterious disappearance of a new born babe, and no trace of its whereabouts has as yet been discovered.
“The parties to the affair (outside of the father of the child whose identity has not yet been made public) are Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Tidball and Della Nyhart, a daughter of Mrs. Tidball by a former marriage. The family lives about a mile north of Spring Mountain in Coshocton county, where Mr. Tidball has the contract for carrying the mail between Warsaw and the former place. It seems that the daughter, who is but seventeen years of age, had strayed from the path of virtue, and finding herself in a condition fast approaching motherhood, desired to leave home until after this event had transpired. With this object in view Mrs. Tidball and her daughter came to Millersburg the latter part of April, and rented a room or two in the rear of Thomas Arnold’s residence in the south part of town. Mr. Arnold was entirely innocent of the purpose of the girl or her mother. Here the girl remained—her mother returning home—until last Wednesday night. On the night of May 23, Dr. Olmstead was called and the girl gave birth to a child. Her mother came up on Friday, May 25, and left on Sunday morning, the 27th.
“When Mrs. Tidball started away early on Sunday morning she carried a large basket. She walked south on the Millersburg-Killbuck road and was met by her husband with a conveyance at the Urich spring, about four miles from this place. The baby was frequently heard crying by Mrs. Arnold who lives in the other part of the house from the time of its birth until that Sunday morning. The supposition prevails that Mrs. Tidball carried the child away with her at that time or had disposed of it in some manner Saturday night. The matter was talked about considerably, and on Wednesday Constable Robert Henderson secured a warrant and started after Mrs. Tidball, arriving at her home after dark. On inquiry, the woman said that the child had died on Monday and had been buried in the woods. The constable asked her to show him the place, which she consented to do, but asked the officer to wait until she finished some work. The first thing Mr. Henderson knew his prisoner had skipped out the door into the darkness with him in pursuit, and knowing the lay of the land better than he did, made her escape. He arrested Tidball, however, and brought him here where he waived examination and gave bond for his appearance.