Southampton County Virginia USGenWeb Archives News.....Shooting, 1878 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/va/vafiles.htm ************************************************ Mary "Mollie" NELSON, accidentally killed by Luther Franklin DEALE, 21 Sep 1878, near Boykins "Alexandria (VA) Gazette," Sep. 23, 1878 (Vol. 79, No. 209), p. 2, col. 2 Virginia News [...] The farmbouse of W.H. Deale, in Boykins, Southampton county, four miles from Boykin Depot, was the scene of a shocking tragedy last Saturday morning. About eight o'clock Luther Deale, a young son of W.H. Deale was sent by Edward Barnes into the room of Miss Mollie Nelson to obtain a shotgun to shoot a hawk. A few minutes afterward the explosion of firearms in Miss Nelson's room alarmed tbe family, and, on their rushing into the room, Miss Mollie was found lying on the floor, with her skull blown off, and her head and shoulders bathed in blood. Young Deale, in handling the gun, had accidentally discharged it, and the whole load struck Miss Nelson. She was unconscious about an hour, and then died. The deceased was a sister of Mrs. Deale, and was on a visit to the house, having come only the day before from her home in Northampton county, N.C. She was eighteen years of age and very beautiful. ************************************************ "The (Richmond, VA) Daily Dispatch," Mon., Sep. 23, 1878, p. 3, col. 3 SATURDAY NIGHT'S TELEGRAMS FROM ALL PARTS OF THE WORLD. SAD ACCIDENT TO A YOUNG LADY - THE FEVER-PLAGUE IS THE SOUTH; PATHOLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS UPON DEAD BODIES AT MEMPHIS - THE WEATHER CLEAR. BRIGHT, AND COLD, AND A MORE HOPEFUL FEELING PREVAILING - THE SITUATION IN OTHER CITIES - A NOMINEE OF THE BUTLER CONVENTION DECLINES TO SERVE - THE MICHIGAN TORNADO; HOUSES BLOWN DOWN AND PERSONS KILLED - THE CHINESE MINISTER IN WASHINGTON - THE GRAND LODGE OF ODD-FELLOWS AT BALTIMORE - THE RESUMPTION ACT AND THE CABINET - ESCAPE OF A MURDERESS - PERSONAL - CONGRESSlONAL NOMINATIONS - MODERATE REPUBLICANS UNEASY AT PARIS OVER GAMBETTA'S SPEECH - FAILURE OF A ROCKDALE SPINNER, &c.,&c. Shocking Accident. A YOUNG LADY FATALLY WOUNDED BY HER COUSIN. [Special telegram to the Dispatch.] Boykin's, Va., September 21.- Early this morning, at the residence of W.H. Deal, three miles from here, Miss Mollie Nelson, seventeen years of age, of Northampton county, N.C., was accidentally shot by a shot-gun in the hands of her cousin, Luther Deal, a boy ten years of age. The top of her head was blown almost entirely off. She was living at 6 o'clock this evening, but there is no hopes of her recovery. [...] ************************************************ "The Sheperdstown (WV) Register," Sat., Oct. 5, 1878, p. 3 col. 3 A ten year old boy named Deal, accidentally discharged a shot gun last Saturday, and killed his cousin, Miss Mollie Nelson, seventeen years old, who was on a visit to his mother, near Boykin Station, in Southampton County, Va. [...] These items posted as parts of the Library Of Virginia's "Virginia Chronicle" Virginia newspaper project, at: http://www.virginiamemory.com/collections/virginia_newspapers - text of articles corrected Additional information: William Henry DEALE (DEAL) is buried in the VINCENT (DEAL) family cemetery, on Cross Key Rd., believed to be the site of his farm. Southampton County Historical Society {SCHS} Cemetery Project, Miscellaneous Cemeteries, Vol. 6 (VI-33): http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/southampton/cemeteries/miscvol6.txt He married Caroline V. BRYANT, 1 Feb 1867. The marriage records give her as daughter of Axum [sic; Exum] & Mary BRYANT. (Southampton Co. MB1A:179; M.Reg. p. 20 #24). Her mother was actually Charlotte Fitzhugh, whom Exum m. 28 Oct 1824. (Southampton Co. M.Reg. pp. 340, 675). Any connection to Miss NELSON is not obvious. Luther Franklin DEALE is buried in Beechwood Cemetery, Boykins. SCHS Cemetery Project, Beechwood list (BE-AX2-219): http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/southampton/cemeteries/beechwd.txt Mollie NELSON does not appear in the {recopied} Southampton Co. D.Recs. Mary Nelson appears in the 1870 Census in Kirby Twp, Northampton Co., NC. Her parents, Thomas NELSON & Roberta R. HARRISON, m. 24 Nov 1859, in Northampton Co., NC. (FamilySearch.org "North Carolina Marriages") Southampton Co. Court Order Book 1875-81 gives the following: [p.] 310 At a Court held for the County of Southampton at the Court-house thereof, on Monday the 18th. day of Nov= ember AD 1878. Present The Hon: J.W. Urquhart Judge, [...] [p. 314] [...] Ordered that James E. Sebrell, Treasurer of this County, out of the County levy pay to Dr. Wm. P. Sebrell twenty five dollars, the amount of his account, for Examination at Inquest over the body of Mary Nelson. // [...] Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by by File Manager Matt Harris (zoobug64@aol.com). file at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/southampton/news/18780923ag.txt