Cabarrus County, NC - Martha Jane Hagler McPherson The Brief and Tragic Life of Martha Jane Hagler McPherson The hauntingly beautiful letter from a young woman, so far away from her early roots, has been the driving force behind a year of research and discovery. Healdsburg, Sonoma Co., Cal. February the 3, 1867 Dear Uncle Nelson, It is with pleasure that I take this opportunity of addressing you a few lines to inform you that we are all well at the present and hope that these few lines may find you and family enjoying the same health. I suppose you have all most forgotten me. You never wrote to me. I read two letters that Father got from you. I was glad to hear from you. I see Father a short time ago. They were all well. They have moved to Healdsburg. I suppose Father has told you that I was marred. I was marred two years last October. I marred a man by the name of Thomas W. McPherson. We have one little girl living and one dead. She is eight months old and as fat as a pig. Her name is Hattie Elizabeth. We have had and all full sight of rain this winter. It has rained so much that it looks like that the farmers nevery git their grain in till it is to late but then that they don’t git to putin will make hay. Well Nelson I would like to see you all once more. I could tell you more than I can write for I am a poor hand to write much news and then I have not had a letter from their. I have wrote two or three to Grandfarther but I never received any answer. I want you to tell all of Grandfarthers folks to write and I will do the same. I gess Catharine has forgotten me. The tell her to write to me. I would like to see Eliza and her little children if I was back their I expect I would not know the place. It has change so since I left their. I suppose it was torne up agood deal by the war. We have hard times heare for money is sur scarse and every thing is hight that is provision well very nearly every thing that we hafto buy persons has to pay high for it. I haven’t much of importance to write. I will bring my few lines to a close for the present. Give my love to all of the realision and receive a share for your self and family. So wright as soon as this comes to hand. Your Niece till death. Martha J McPherson. Direct your letters to Healdsburg, Sonoma Co Cal. Transcript (Please note that no changes were made in spelling or grammar.) Martha Jane’s Uncle Nelson was Nelson Hagler and her father was Paul Hartwell Hagler of Cabarrus County, North Carolina. Nelson and Paul left home about 1853 to seek their fortune in California. Some three years later, Nelson returned while Paul remained in California and married Elizabeth Susan Ferguson. Their descendants wrote that the Hagler bothers ran a saw mill that provided lumber for the Ferguson family’s boarding house and furniture near Marysville, California. It is reasonable to believe that the Hagler brothers were quite familiar with a saw mill, having been born and raised not far from the Bost Mill on the Rocky River. Paul learned that Levi, his youngest brother, planned to go to California and asked his father, Charles, to send his daughter with Levi. By 1860 Martha Jane Hagler lived in the Monroeville Twp. of Colusa County, California with her father, Paul, her step-mother, Elizabeth Ferguson, and their two daughters, Malinda Alice and Sarah Catherine. The consensus has been drawn by John Blair Hagler and the writer that Martha Jane Hagler was born about 1850 and lived with her grandparents, Charles and Sarah, following her father and Uncle Nelson’s departure for California. She grew up with her uncles, aunts Catherine and Eliza Hagler Reinhardt and her children, Mary born about 1856 and Alice born about 1858. Martha Jane must have traveled from the Dutch Road - Rocky River home of her grandparents with Uncle Levi, possibly by stagecoach. The next documentation for Martha Jane was her marriage to Thomas W. McPherson, age 21, in Healdsburg, Sonoma County, California at age 14. The following year on July 26, she delivered her first baby, a daughter. Her infant daughter died the same day that she was born. Eleven months later her second baby, Hattie Elizabeth McPherson was born the 8th of June 1866. Her third baby, Charles Walter McPherson, arrived on the 19th of June 1869. The 1870 Census reflected household #9, Washington Twp, Sonoma Co., CA, enumerated 6 Jun 1870; Tho. W McPherson, head of household, 26, with real estate of $5,000 and personal property of $800. Martha J was 21, Hattie E 3 and Charles W 1. It is noted that their finances had improved since her letter, three years prior. Only six weeks later, the newspaper reported that Hattie Elizabeth had died on July 17, aged 4 years, 1 month and 9 days. Three major events happened in Martha Jane’s young life within three months. She married Thomas in early October 9, 1864. She became pregnant with her first child. Her Uncle Levi died in January and was buried. These events represented the full spectrum of emotion. When her second daughter was born in June 1866, she was only 16. Martha Jane was in the eighth month of pregnancy with her fourth child when Hattie Elizabeth died. One month later, Martha Jane gave birth to a daughter, Bertha Martinis McPherson on August 28, 1870. By age 21, Martha had survived the riggers of a cross country trip, married at age 14, buried two daughters and an uncle and managed to keep house for a husband, son and daughter. It is doubtful that she had much assistance. Both Manerva [Minerva] McPherson and Elizabeth Hagler were very busy with their own growing families. The writer considers this a remarkable achievement and no small feat in the 1860’s and 1870’s. The Russian River Flag reported in 1871, that “T. W. McPherson, long a resident of Alexander Valley, leaves this morning, with his family, for Texas, where he will probably make his home.” It is unclear if they made the journey to Texas and returned to the Healdsburg area or if the journey was cancelled. The same newspaper reported the marriage of Thomas’ brother, Lycurgus McPherson to Lizzie [Elizabeth] Ellen Moore at a residence hear Healdsburg in the Sept. 24, 1874 issue. In the Nov. 12, 1874 issue, it was reported that “T.W. McPherson, an old resident of Alexander Valley, has gone to Covelo, Mendocino County, to live. He made a short visit to Healdsburg last week. He says that money is very plenty at Covelo and everybody seems prosperous. A good deal of snow has fallen there this season.” Twenty-four year old Martha accompanied her husband with their young son and daughter from Healdsburg to Covelo. Healdsburg is some 70 miles north of San Francisco; Geyserville is another 6 miles north and Covelo is more than 100 miles north of Healdsburg, quite a journey by horse and wagon. To say that they lived in a remote rugged area is an understatement. The Coast Range of mountains rises suddenly from the bountiful and beautiful Sacramento Valley. The northern counties, formed in the mid 1800’s, were for the most part uninhabited by Europeans until gold was discovered mid-century. This area was the home of multiple tribes of Native Americans. Covelo is situated almost in the center of the Round Valley in northern Mendocino County. Current maps have only one road, FH7 going north into Trinity County from Covelo and it is likely to be closed in the winter months due to snow. One can only imagine how difficult life would have been 130 years ago for young Martha and her family. Thomas was considered well-to-do. While in Covelo he served as Justice of the Peace as well as being responsible for the day to day business of his ranch. Lynwood Carranco along with photographer Estle Beard told the tragic but true stories of The Round Valley Wars of Northern California in their book Genocide and Vendetta, 1981, University of Oklahoma Press. The story of the Range Wars in Northern California is both shocking and grizzly and is clearly representative of what greed can do to the human soul when paired with money and blind ambition. Their book combined with newspaper accounts from 1879, reveal a tragic, compelling, personal family story of Martha Jane. In the turbulent decade following the 1849 California Gold Rush, many men turned to other means of making a living such as farming, ranching, or hunting as it became more and more difficult to earn a living as the gold played out. Many of these men were trappers, mountain men or frontiersmen. They hunted and fished the virgin land full of black bears, grizzly bears, deer and elk. Mountain lions were plentiful in the northern coastal ranges. The San Francisco and surrounding area markets were hungry for dried or fresh meat, hides for buckskin clothing or gloves, and bear grease for cooking. Genocide & Vendetta page 157. James Neafus, a hunter, was a close friend of Pierce and Frank Asbill who became successful ranchers in Mendocino and Humboldt Counties. Frank had discovered Round Valley while traveling with an earlier party. In the spring, the men moved the winter’s accumulation of over 1,000 pounds of buckskins on seven or eight horses. Their product was highly valued in the market in the Sacramento Valley. They returned with 105 good Spanish horses and spent the following winter near Ukiah, between Healdsburg and Covelo. The Asbills and Neafus took 20 of their best horses and headed toward Round Valley by the same trail they had used three years before. In the south end of the valley they were surprised to see hundreds of Mexican cows handled by strangers who rode among them. It is here they met George E. White, who, among others, had brought cattle into Round Valley that year. The Asbills learned that the government had selected a site in the northern end of the valley for an Indian farm. The Asbills and Neafus decided to let George E. White and the government have the valley. They hunted and made their base on Island Mountain, northwest of Covelo and due west of Long Ridge. The area where they camped was quite secluded and known only to a few other persons than the Asbills and James Neafus. In October 1878, Black Bart robbed the stage running between Willits and Ukiah [Both are located between Healdsburg and Covelo.] Dressed in his long linen duster, a flour sack over his head and a double-barreled shotgun in his hands, Black Bart stopped the stage and commanded the driver to “throw down the box.” After the stage disappeared, Black Bart emptied the Wells Fargo box and headed north on foot for the Asbill brother’s ranch. From other accounts, this was definitely outlaw country. The wool in Mendocino County was of the highest quality, and during the 1870’s the wool industry was fast becoming one of the country’s major industries. The yields of just one clipping on some of the principal ranches were phenomenal. George E. White produced 40 tons, $24,000 and the Asbill brothers, 28 tons, $12,000. Genocide and Vendetta, page 185. They soon became wealthy by mountain standards and as they grew wealthy, their appearance changed. In contrast to their long hair and buckskin clothes and moccasins of their early days, they now wore tailor-made clothes ordered from San Francisco. Their expensive high-heeled boots were hand-made and their long hair and beards were trimmed in the latest style. They could afford to hire Indians to herd and care for their sheep. George E. White was determined to build a huge cattle empire and he ruthlessly set out to achieve his goal. From his headquarters in the southern part of Round Valley, just a few miles south of the town of Covelo, he gradually acquired over 35,000 acres of the best range in Mendocino, Trinity, and southern Humboldt counties. His vast holdings covered the watershed for four rivers. Alfilaria, a wild oat, grew as tall as the cattle. The Round Valley had a history of lawlessness and came to be called a ‘paradise for outlaws’. The only law was the .44-40 model 1873 Winchester, which was usually administered from behind a tree with a .44-caliber slug. White hated the homesteaders and his outlaw buckaroos had orders to keep the homesteaders out.” Genocide and Vendetta, pages 117-120 Brady Tuttle, one of the buckaroo bosses, would begin the yearly roundup which was quite a spectacle, at the ranch with a column of 15 to 30 men and pack mules and would head for one of White’s five separate ranches or ranges. After the roundup, the wild cows would be sorted and driven to Round Valley and then in to the Sacramento Valley to feed on the stubble fields to be fattened for the San Francisco market. In order to accomplish his one burning ambition of controlling the area, George E. White had to have luck. Two important incidents played into his hands: His brother, William Pitt White, appeared with a lot gold to buy thousands of cows, sheep, and horses, and Wylackie John David Wathen became his faithful right hand man. Pitt White became a wagon boss of the company he worked for. In the early 1870’s, at the summit of the Sierras, he was riding ahead of the long teams that were pulling the wagons loaded with the miners’ supplies. Pit White sold the entire wagon team and supplies to a man he passed along the trail for thousands of dollars in gold. Packing the gold on two mules, Pitt, like many other law-breakers, headed west and down into Round Valley. There he gave the gold to his brother George and became a silent partner. George bought thousands of cows with the gold. Pitt was finally arrested and taken to Sacramento and tried. In those days it was only a breach of trust to sell something that did not belong to you, and a judgment was all that he could be charged with. The judgment stipulated that he could not own anything for twenty-five years. Pitt ran a ranch on Eel River, one of many owned by brother, George. He and his wife raised five children on one of the ranches. So much for the judgment! It was like dumping a rabbit to a briar patch! John David Wathen was born in Indiana. “Wylackie John” as he was later called had registered in the 1855 Trinity Guard Military Roll and was employed on the Nome Lackee Reservation. His name continued to appear on the list of employees until the reserve was abandoned. Wathen had much influence among the Indians because he could speak their language and was of great service to the Indian agents. It is here that he met George E. White, who quickly recognized that this man could help him, and he hired Wathen on the spot. Wathen became White’s faithful right hand man until Wathen’s death in 1888. “Wylackie John was a legendary figure. He was medium height, soft-spoken and quiet-mannered with long, light hair which flowed over his shoulders. It was a remarkable that he did not smoke or chew tobacco and dressed well for the mountain country. He was suave and polite to the local people, touching his hat and asking about their health”. History of Mendocino County by Palmer, p. 595. Wathen’s outward kindness was the very opposite of the interior soul of this man, as unscrupulous a man who ever lived. It was said that he had no conscience for right or wrong. He could be described as a robber, a poisoner, an arsonist, a perjurer, and a murderer. He was an absolute genius for planning evil, and employed all his talents with tireless energy in the interest of his master, G. E. White. As soon as someone came to the country to live, he would post a man on the same property with instructions to shoot the new comer and Wathen would then provide either an alibi or a case of self-defense. If he found himself in debt to a person, that person died. When White’s buckaroos grew restless and thought about talking, they died, and the danger of speaking out was soon understood. When White wanted a divorce, Wathen assembled a gang of perjurers who ruined the good name of his wife, thereby getting the divorce his boss wanted. He was preparing to do the same to the second wife when she fortunately died of consumption. Wylackie John was a valuable man for George E. White to have around. It assured White of getting anything and everything his greedy ambitious heart desired. The complete story of these Range Wars will never be told, but some well documented murders illustrate just how White, through Wylackie John and his outlaw cowboys, controlled the valley and why he could even boast that he owned law officers and judges, especially in Trinity County. Although the information sounds like a plot for a movie, it is all fact and no fiction. Thomas, Martha Jane and family had lived in Covelo for about three years when the following events took place. The first murder took place in 1877 when the Packwood brothers came into the valley looking for work and were hired by White. They were ordered to drive away a new settler and were successful in scaring them away. Wylackie John seized the property and paid the Packwoods $70. The brothers wanted more money and kept pestering Wathen who grew tired and ordered several others to kill them. After drawing lots, the shooter coolly knelt behind a fallen log while the others looked on and fired a load of buckshot into the back of one of the Packwood brothers. Wylackie John declared that he had fired the shot in self-defense. He and William Davis turned themselves in at Weaverville two weeks after the murder. According to the Trinity Journal, May 1877, a week was “consumed in the taking of testimony and argument of counsel in the case of The People against John D. Wathen and William Davis, before Chas. Thomas, Justice of the Peace for Weaverville Township of Trinity County in the death. Robert Grieves, the complaining witness, and Paul Heryford were examined on the part of the People, and Wathen and Davis, the defendants, and T. W. McPherson, Paul Heryford, Joe Lightfoot and others were introduced. The defense admitted the killing and told many lies on the stand. Even after an examination of Packwood’s gun, which showed that the hammer was down and that there was no impression on the cap, and even with the fact that the man was shot in the back, Justice Thomas “could not see sufficient evidence to warrant the belief that a conviction could be had, and after carefully weighing the evidence and the law bearing on the case, he ordered the prisoners discharged.” Robert Grieves had homesteaded a ranch of 150 acres on Eel River was the next to be eliminated because he talked too much. White’s second cousin, John White, shot Grieves while he was in Trinity County. Wylackie John paid one of the hired hands $1,000 to leave the country and not to testify against John White. Wathan followed him as he left town and the hired hand was never heard from again. The Sheriff in Covelo, arrested John White for the murder of Robert Grieves on a warrant from Justice Thomas of Weaverville, Trinity County. The prosecution presented a strong case of premeditated murder against White, but the defense claimed that death was accidental and that Grieves was the aggressor. The deceased reputation was “that of a peaceable, quiet, inoffensive man. White was found not guilty and was acquitted”. Trinity Journal, August 24, 1878. In 1879, Wylackie John set his sights on Thomas W. McPherson, a former Justice of the Peace and a witness for the defense in the Packwood murders. Thomas would be Wylackie John’s next victim. It had been a year since the trial and Wathen had plenty of time to plot his evil demise of McPherson. In 1879, Martha has not reached her 30th birthday. She had one son, Charles Walter McPherson who was 10 years old and one daughter, Bertha Martinis McPherson, nine. She and Thomas had moved to Covelo in 1874. “Wylackie John David Wathen used all of his polished social graces to engage himself in a liaison with McPherson’s wife [Martha Jane] in Covelo. He urged McPherson, a decent and well-to-do-man, to bring his wife and two children to Long Ridge in southern Trinity County, where McPherson invested five thousand dollars in a stock range. His scheme caused the McPhersons to separate, and McPherson sold his interest in the ranch and stock to Wathen and took his two children to his brother’s home near Geyserville.” San Francisco Call, 21 Oct 1895 (an interview with Frank Asbill) Wathen’s evil had succeeded once more and he now owned Thomas and Martha McPherson’s “Oat Ranch” on Long Ridge in southern Trinity County. To add to Martha’s misery, her father, Paul Hartwell Hagler had died on August 22. The two newspaper accounts, Healdsburg Enterprise and Russian River Flag, on Thursday, October 9, 1879 reported the tragedy. The Healdsburg Enterprise reported that on Sunday, October 5, “Kirk (Lycurgus) McPherson, who lived near Geyserville, a few miles above Healdsburg, received a telegram that his brother Thomas W., familiarly called “Weck” had killed his wife in the southern part of Trinity County [Long Ridge] and that he had also been killed. Kirk left his home about noon on Sunday for the scene of the tragedy, on Weck’s old place, about thirty miles north of Covelo. They got there at 10 o’clock Monday forenoon having changed horses at Ukiah and driven all night. The killings occurred on Saturday, October 4, just days before their 15th Wedding Anniversary. From an October 9th issue of the Russian River Flag we learn “that for ten years the parties have not lived at all times happily together.” Details differ from one newspaper to the other and from the initial reports on October 9th to the full account by Kirk [Thomas’ brother] on October 23. We will never know all of the details that we would like to know or whether Martha did or didn’t have an affair. What is important is that Thomas believed what Wathen had told him that Brady Tuttle had been with his wife. The writer agrees with the statement made in the Healdsburg Enterprise that “it would be better to draw the mantle of charity over their acts, yet it is not amiss to say that the reasonable jealousy of the husband goaded him to commit the awful deed, for which he has had to pay the penalty with his own life.” The Russian River Flag closed their initial report with “Weck .. was a neighbor of ours for many years, was always generous, honest, and agreeable, and we sincerely regret to record such an unhappy life and violent death for both of them.” On Thursday, 23 Oct 1879, the Russian River Flag reported the following: The Dual Tragedy “Two weeks ago we detailed the dual tragedy by which T. W. McPherson and wife lost their lives in Trinity county, as accurately as possible with the information then at hand. Tuesday, however, Lycurgus McPherson, brother of the deceased, having returned from an extended trip to the scene of the tragedy, gave us the particulars complete and correct. Lycurgus says that Weck arrived in Covelo on the night of the [October] 2d and stating that he wanted to see Wylackie John [John Wathan] on business, changed horses at the stable and went to the Long Ridge Sheep Ranch where Wathan had been shearing sheep. But Wathan was at the Duncan camp, twelve miles distant, on his way to Eureka. Weck got a fresh horse from his step-brother, Oliver McDaniel, went over, had a talk with Wathan and slept with him that night.” 23 Oct 1879 Russian River Flag If Wathan was indeed having an affair with Martha Jane, he must have convinced Weck that he was innocent and that Brady Tuttle was to blame. We should remember that he had already maligned the name of George E. White’s first wife so that White could get a favorable divorce. He had plenty of time to plan and execute Weck’s demise. Weck believed Tuttle, not Wathen, was guilty of “living as man and wife” with Martha. 30 Oct 1879 issue Healdsburg Enterprise Next morning he returned to Long Ridge, got his own horse and set over to the Lightfoot Ranch, 12 miles distant, where his wife was staying with the family of Paul Hereford. As he rode up to the house, Jas. Nefus, a bear hunter rode up also; both alighted and went into the house. Mr. Hereford was not at home, and Mrs. Hereford told Weck that his wife had taken her rifle and gone hunting. Weck said he would wait as he wanted to see her. After he and Nefus had unbridled their horses and turned them out to graze, Weck returned and asked for the saddle his wife had won at the Fair. Mrs. Hereford said it was in her room. Saying that he wanted to see it, he went in the direction. In a moment, Nefus and Mrs. Hereford heard her [Martha Jane] say she would shoot or kill him if he attempted to come in. Then they heard a scuffle, and as they started out, a shot which was supposed to be accidental. When they got to where they could see, the couple were struggling over her gun, Weck having it by the breech and she by the muzzle. In a moment more he had possession of the piece and threw two cartridges out, as they supposed at the moment, to prevent her using them on him. Those being out he drew up and shot her three times, once above the left nipple, once above the left groin and third shot creasing her right side and arm above her elbow. He then ordered Mrs. H and Nefus to carry her in the house, but as Mrs. H. was afraid to touch the corpse and Nefus could not do it alone, he assisted, setting his gun near by. Next he required Mrs. H. to place a handkerchief so as to support the lower jaw. Nefus slipped out and tried to escape by running, but Weck told him to return or he would kill him; upon his return he was told that “dead men tell no tales” and that he must die. But by getting on his knees, he begged off. He was ordered to bring Weck’s horse, and cinche the saddle tight. Then telling Nefus that he would exchange his (Nefus’) gun for his own at a stump 75 yards distant, and that if he followed he would be killed. Weck rode nine miles over to “Oat Ranch”, now known as the Wallacke place. However before going he told Mrs. H. and Nefus that as Brady Tuttle had been living with his (Weck’s) wife as her husband he intended to kill him and then kill himself. The “Oat Ranch” was the place where Weck and wife had formerly lived. Here he wrote a letter to Lycurgus, his brother, telling him of the deed and making Lycurgus his executor and guardian of his children. He next appeared at the Long Ridge Sheep ranch, had a talk with Tuttle at the sheep coral, then went to the house near by, hitching his horse near. Standing his gun along side the house and calling Julia Wathan, daughter of Wallacke John, and engaged her in consultation. In a few minutes he sent his step-brother, McDaniel to tell Tuttle he wanted to see him. Just then, however Nefus appeared at the coral and said no, if Tuttle went he’d be killed, as Weck had killed his wife. The shearers at once formed an arresting party and sending a man ahead got Weck’s gun. They then without being observed by him, got within twenty paces of where he was still talking with the girl [Julia Wathen]. Jim Moore of Geyserville then covered him and told him to throw up his hands or his life. Weck starting to run they fired eight shots into him. In the mean time Weck turned and fired four shots with his revolver as he fell. The last shot went in the ground near him and he tied trying to cock the piece, leaving it at half-cock. Three shots were found in his breast, one above the groin, three in his back and one in the knee, eight in all. Willie Beeson and Ed Jost hurried off to Covelo, 25 miles distant, for the Coroner. But he could not go as it was out of the county. [The tragedy occurred in Trinity County and Covelo is in Mendocino County.] Weck being an Odd Fellow, three brethren from Covelo went out and buried both in coffins made from lumber, some of which had to be packed nine miles on Indians’ backs. The bodies were deposited near where each fell respectively or 12 miles apart. [Martha Jane was buried at the Lightfoot Ranch and Weck was buried at the Oat Ranch that he had shared with Martha and his children.] On receipt of the dispatch Lycurgus went to Covelo with a double team, thinking, by forced drives, if the bodies had been brought down, he could get them to the family burying plot: He arrived at Covelo on the morning of the 6th. The Odd Fellows came in that evening through the snow and rain. Next day Kirk went to his brother’s grave, and returning brought with him such property as he could find belonging to his estate. Lycurgus had given Weck $300 the day he started to assist in buying cattle, in addition to the $300 that Weck had on himself. John Thompson of Covelo (son of one of our Healdsburg Trustees) says that when Weck started out of town he had over $400 dollars on his person, leaving $400 at the store, and as there was no place to spend it at in the mountains, it looks suspicious for the parties who handled his body immediately after death. On a warrant sworn out by James Stephens, Sheriff Philbrook (cousin to Geyserville Philbrook of Trinity, started on Friday last to arrest W. C. Sherwood, Jas. Moore, Spanish Louie and C. C., Sorensen (Dutch Chris) for the murder of T. W. McPherson, they being the ones who fired shots into his body. Kirk was gone seven days, but did not go to Weaverville. Miller, the younger brother returned to his family at Modesto without seeing Kirk. By private letter we learn that Willie Beeson had left the Long Ridge crew and is at work 12 miles above Covelo for Asbill Bros. who have 10,000 head to shear. He will be an important witness”. October 23, 1879 Russian River Flag As our tragedy is drawn to a close, “Sheriff Philbrook arrested Spanish Louie, W. C. Sherwood, James Moore, and C. C. Sorenson and took them to Weaverville. He was accompanied by Edward Jones and James Neafus, who had witnessed the tragedy. The men who were arrested were later discharged because ‘the evidence shows that the killing was done while attempting to arrest McPherson which was justifiable homicide’.” Trinity Journal October 25, 1879 The Last and Only Will: In the 30 October 1879 issue of the Healdsburg Enterprise on page 3:2 is printed Thomas Welcome McPherson’s Will which had been filed for probate in Weaverville, Trinity County. “READ [Red] MOUNTAIN; Oct. 3, 1879. THIS MY LAST AND ONLY WILL: Dear Brother: - I killed my wife today, and I expect to kill Brady Tuttle this evening. He and my wife have been living as man and wife. I went to see her today. She tried to shoot me. I took the gun away from her and shot her three times. I think this world is no more to me. I will kill myself as soon as I kill Tuttle. I want you to keep Charley and Birdy [Bertha], and take good care of them, until they are grown up. I appoint you administrator and guardian without bonds. There is $400 at Rea’s in Covelo of my money and G. E. White owes me $275.85 in Covelo. My horse is in the stable at Covelo and there is two colts in J. D. Watter’s [Wathen] charge and there is two horses that belong to my wife and also her clothes and her watch and rings give to Birdy and my watch give to Charley, and my wife’s saddle give to Birdy and my saddle to Charley. Come up right away; don’t tell anybody till you get back. Pay that $300 that we owe to the bank out of the money that is at Rae’s. The $200 that we owe to F.C. St Clair, that you must pay with your own money. There is no one to blame in this trouble, but my wife, Tuttle and myself. Kirk, do the best you can for the children. They are good children. Tell the children good bye for me. Good-bye to all of my friends. No more, never. Good-bye. Your kind and ever loving brother. THOMAS WELCOME McPHERSON. P.S. - The place will be sold now. My deeds are all at John Bailhache’s. There is my deed, yours to me, Dulaney to me, and Manerva to me, Miller’s to me, and mine to Charlie and Birdy”. This “Last and Only Will” was a heartbreaking end to Thomas and Martha Jane Hagler McPherson’s short lives together. Their documented story is touching and filled with loneliness. Thomas Welcome McPherson was the first born son of Charles Perry McPherson and Elizabeth Howell McPherson of Roane County, Tennessee and were married in 1839. Weck was born in Missouri in 1843. Lycurgus “Kirk” McPherson was born in Sonoma County, California in 1848 and Miller McPherson in 1855. Their mother died in 1857 and their father married Manerva [Minerva] Daniel or McDaniel in 1859. Dulana McPherson was born in 1860. There were six children by his first marriage and seven by his second. Oliver McDaniel came into the McPherson family with the marriage of his mother to Charles Perry McPherson. The 1880 Census for Healdsburg, Sonoma County, CA was enumerated on the 9th of June for household #258, Lycurgus McPherson age 31, wife Elizabeth H McPherson age 28, sons James W 4 and Bertie W 3, daughter Daisy M 1, son Edwin M 3 months, nephew Charles W 11 and niece Bertha M 9. Additional census research yielded that Weck and Martha Jane’s son, Charles Walter McPherson, married Nancy Etta Hale, daughter of Marion Hale and Mary Grigsby. He had two children, Mervyn McPherson and Berneice M. McPherson. Their daughter, Bertha Martinis McPherson, married John Harry Sierck in 1891 and had four sons; Harry D. Sierck, Russell Charles Sierck, an Infant Sierck and Earl John Sierck. In answering an internet query that had been posted in over two years ago on one of the Hagler forums, it was the writer’s good fortune to exchange information with Bertha’s great granddaughter who lives in the state of Washington. It is also fortunate that the search for Martha Jane produced contacts with two of Paul and Elizabeth’s descendants, one in California and the other in Washington State. It has been an amazing journey spanning the human range of experience and emotions: births, survival of a cross country travel, marriages, losing loved ones including one’s own children, jealousy, greed, loneliness and being a part of the historic wild and turbulent west. This journey will always remain near and dear to my heart. Anna Hagler Melvin 418 School Circle Harrisburg, North Carolina ahmelvin@carolina.rr.com Great Granddaughter of Nelson Hagler (1825-1880) Cabarrus County, North Carolina The Brief and Tragic Life of Martha Jane Hagler McPherson ______________________________________________________________________ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Anna Hagler Melvin - ahmelvin@carolina.rr.com ______________________________________________________________________