Twigg Murders, Part 1; Allegany County, Maryland File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Connie Beachy. Copyright. All Rights Reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/md/mdfiles.htm ********************************************************* 1838 As a genealogy addict and a Great Great Grandaughter of David and Savilla Twigg, I was very interested when another Twigg researcher told me about a murder committed by Savilla Twigg's brother, Sela Twigg. She really got my attention when she said this information came from an old weekly newspaper of Hampshire County, Virginia (now West Virginia), and that the same paper, in a later issue, noted that Sela Twigg's brother had murdered a R. Hamilton of Flintstone. Both articles were found on microfilm at the public library in Romney, WV. In the Green Branch Intelligencer, dated February 24, 1838, is the following article: Cumberland Maryland, Feb. 17...Distressing Occurence - On Sunday last, Mr. Thomas Robosson, innkeeper, at Flintstone, in this county, was so severly stabbed in the abdomen with a knife, by a man named Sala Twigg, also of this county, that his life is despaired of. The act was perpetrated, as we learn, whilst Mr. Robosson was attempting to put Twigg out of the house for disorderly conduct. Twigg was immediately apprehended, and is now confined in the jail of this county, to await his trial at our next April Court. - Civ In the Green Branch Intelligencer, dated April 14, 1838 is the second article: ANOTHER MURDER - We learn from the Cumberland papers that another man by the name of TWIGG -a brother to the unfortunate man who put an end to the life of Mr. Robosson, a few weeks since, has been committed to the Jail of Alleghany County, under a charge of murder - The Advocate informs that the individual killed was named R. Hamilton, a resident of Flintstone District in that county. He was in Old Town at the time on a visit, when Twigg assailed and murdered him. - The matter will undergo legal investigation in a week or two. My Great Great Grandfather was Robert Hamilton, a shoemaker, who lived in the Flintstone district as early as 1824. I had located the Estate of Robert Hamilton at the Allegany County Courthouse and knew he had died in 1838. His estate was administered by John Piper, Jr, one time owner of the old Flintstone Hotel and the Davis Store in Flintstone, where Lawnie and Dixie Kyle now live. Robert's estate consisted of numerous unpaid bills submitted to the Administrator for payment. These bills are all originals, written on little scraps of paper for the most part, easy to get separated. The Orphans Court staff helped find the bits and pieces of the estate by going through the drawer the file was in. A listing of these bills will give the reader a brief glimpse of the Flintstone area in 1838. Robert Lashley debts: 12/20/1831 for sole leather by hand=$1.50 and 6 lbs.sole at 28 cts. per bundle = $1.68 April 1835 for 8 1/2 lbs. sole at 28 cts = $2.38 and 1/2 side upper = $1.50 11/2/1835 for 7 lbs. sole at 28 cts = $1.96 9/3/1836 for 1 calfskin = $2.25 and 1 side upper = $2.00 May 1837 for 6 1/2 lbs. sole at ___ = $3.29 and 2 warrents = .25 cts This balance of $18.89 had been paid for in the usual manner with wheat, potatoes buckwheat, corn, and with a gun. By 1838 the debt to Robert Lashley had been reduced to $4.04. Dorcas and George Robinette debts were for much the same items, purchased on dates from 10/10/1833 to 3/27/1838. This purchase on 3/27/1838 is the last recorded purchase Robert made. Original balance due was $53.53 but was reduced to $26.73 with the trade of tan bark and "By son Williams work 2 months 18 days at $8.00 (for each month)." J. Huddleson debt: Huddleson ran an inn somewhere between Flintstone and Cumberland so charges cover other than shoemaking equipment. From 3/31/1835 to 10/21/1837 Robert had been to the Inn 19 times. His debts were for items such as slings, horsefood, oats, room for self and stall for horse, breakfast, supper and drinks. At one time the debt was $33.90 but at the time Robert died, the debt was reduced to $3.53. It had been paid with 80 bushels of potatoes. Other debts were with James T. Turl, Thomas Chaney (this IOU was witnessed by Greenbury Twigg, brother of Sela Twigg), and Levi Hall. However one of the last of Robert Hamilton's debts was to Thomas Robosson, the Innkeeper who was murdered February 11, 1838. (Continued - murder2.txt) This file is located at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/md/allegany/court/murder1.txt