Chat
|
Daily Search
|
My GenForum
|
Community Standards
|
Terms of Service
|
|
|
I am related to Frances Leaton Jeffers also and have been intrigued by the story of his murder and always wondered what the outcome was..Please contact me so we can compare notes.. andace@bellsouth.net
These are my "notes" about him..
After completing his common school education. he pursued a course in bookkeeping in Gem City Business College of Quincy and upon his graduation from that institution, he entered business life as a clerk in the employ of his maternal uncle, William Pine, who opened the first store in Summitt (Pineville...Baylis)
Later in connection with his brother in law, John Donly, he purchased the store of Mr. Pine, which they ran for several years, at which time he disposed of his interest in the business and was after involved in various business interests in the town...
1870 census he was listed as head of residing with parents including sister Martha age 19 and a William Jeffers age 10 in New Salem Pike Co. Illinois..he was listed as a county clerk
he followed the profession of music for some time
On Aug 3 1878, he went to Texas to accept a position as bookkeeper but later bought and ran two cotton gins, one of which was located at Palmer and the other at Waxahachie, making his home in the former place...he spent some time each week at each location, until Oct 1 1881 when he was murdered near Palmer....newspaper account...
.
Waxahachie Texas "Enterprise" Oct 7 1881
"Frank L. Jeffers, of Palmer, Waylaid and Riddled With Bullets By An Unknown Party Last Sunday Evening"
The startling announcement was made in Waxahachie that Mr. Frank L. Jeffers of Palmer, had ben most foully assassinated, and hat his dead body had been found on the bank of Home Branch, on the Palmer and Waxahachie road, about three or four miles from Palmer. From O.F. Dunlap.Esq., W.G.Williams, and John Fleming who attended the coroner's inquest on Sunday night, we obtain the following facts concerning the terrible deed. on Saturday last, Mr. Jeffers was in Waxahachie, and about 4 o'clock in the afternoon having purchased some logging and ties from Fleming and Dunlap, started with his wagon and team for Palmer. About dark he was seen passing the farm of Esquire Dunlap .6 miles from Waxahachie and about an hour afterward, three miles beyond Dunlap's occurred the foul and bloody tragedy. From the facts and circumstances developed at the coroner's inquest held by Justice N. D, Collins on Sunday night, it seems that the assassin had concealed himself at the bridge silently awaited the approach of his victim. As the team neared the bridge he leaped from his hiding place and without a moments warning greeted the unsuspecting driver with a deadly shot from his Winchester rifle. One shot struck the sand bolster of the wagon and another pierced Mr. Jeffers in the breast and came out the back near the left shoulder blade. the wounded man leaped from his wagon and ran under the bridge, dropping his hat 10 or 12 feet from the road on the north side, and his whip a little further on. He passed on down the creek and about 100 feet from the bridge ascended the left bank and fell exhausted from his wound. Just after he abandoned the wagon or before he crossed the other side of the branch, another shot struck him in the left hip. but these fearful wounds were not sufficient to satisfy the imminent revenge of the bloody murderer, mounted on his horse he galloped down the side of the branch and crossing over approached his prostrate victim and placing the muzzle of his gun against the body of the dying man, fired another ball through his head and another through his back, which came out near his heart, one of the balls was dug out of the ground, and was pronounced a Winchester rifle ball by Sheriff Rybur. Since the above was written, we learn the marks under the bridge indicate a hand to hand struggle and that Jeffers skull was broken in front, the wound supposed to have been inflicted with the butt end of the gun. The prints of a man's teeth were also found on each side of the victim's nose. The tracks of a man were plainly visible. We have other facts concerning this terrible deed, but deem it best not to divulge them at the present time. The last shot to the breast came out between the 7th and 8th ribs. The first shot passed through Mr. Jeffers bill book in the inside of his coat pocket, cutting off the end of the book almost from one edge to the other. The second ball lodged somewhere in the body and was later cut out of the groin. One witness testified he heard 5 or 6 shots and another that he heard 8 or 9 shots, 5 or 6 that were fired in succession. Mr. Jeffers pocketbook and gold breast pin were found on his person, and his valise and other things remained unmolested on the wagon. The body was not discovered until three or four o'clock Sunday evening, and the coroner's inquest was held after dark, the evidence adduced is not as satisfactory as it might have been had the assassination been discovered sooner. After Mr. Jeffers left his team, it passed over the bridge and turning out of the road to the right, hung up among some hackleberry trees four or five hundred yards from the scene of the tragedy. Lum Wilson and another man on their way home from the Masonic lodge in Palmer, passed along the road about midnight and seeing the horses hitched to the wagon, remarked that it was late going in to camp at that time, but they passed on not thinking anything wrong had happened, although their animals became frightened at the bridge and seemed unwilling to advance. On Sunday morning a man that lives in that vicinity discovered the team fastened among the trees and taking the horses to his lot went to Palmer to ascertain the owner. From the description give, it was supposed that the team belonged to Mr. Frank Jeffers and search having been instituted, his body was discovered as mentioned above. Dr. H.M. Heurn, assisted by Dr. White examined the wounds at the inquest. A dead cow was found nearby supposed to have been killed by one of the bullets fired at Jeffers. It is thought by some that more than one person took part in this dark and bloody transaction. As it appears, the tracks of three horses were discovered at the bridge, but we have not heard of anyone following the footprints of the horses to ascertain the direction from which the assassin came or whether he went after committing the dastardly deed. One horse was shod all around and as the ground was soft from recent rain and by following the tracks some clue might have been obtained that would finally lead to the arrest of the guilty party or parties. The ball that was extracted from the groin was said to be the same make and calibre as the one dug out of the ground, seeming to indicate that the first and last shots, if not all the shots were fired from the same gun. The perpetrator of the terrible crime and the motive which instigated its' commission are still unknown although there are two theories in the public mind. We do not deem it either right or prudent to mention at this time as it may inflict a wrong on innocent parties or interfere with the plans of the officers in their efforts to bring the assassins to punishment. The deceased had been a respected citizen of Palmer for about three years. He owned a cotton gin at Waxahachie and one at Palmer and generally spent part of the week here and part at Palmer. He leaves a wife and three children who are now with her parents in Pike county Illinois, the former home of Mr. Jeffers. His death is much regretted and the friends and relatives of the deceased have the sympathy of the community in their bereavement.
Barry Adage newspaper Friday Oct 7 1881
"Some four years ago Frank Jeffers, a resident of Baylis, was knocked down and robbed of considerable money on a dark night. He recovered from his injuries and later went on to Texas to better his condition. Now comes the report he has been murdered in Texas and his remains have been forwarded to Baylis for burial. He leaves a wife and four small children."
buried with honors of the Masonic Order in Palmer
The town of Palmer was established in 1872, and many settlers brought their business expertise. Records indicate that in 1881, P. R. Johnson, T. H. Andrews and Son, J. A. Payne, Robert Smith and Son, Hearn and Johnson, A. H. Rowe, White and Jeffers, all had businesses in Palmer. In 1874, the town was incorporated. John A. Payne was Mayor.
Notify Administrator about this message?
Followups:No followups yet |
| http://genforum.genealogy.com/tx/ellis/messages/1271.html | ||
 |
Link to GenForum Add Forum |
|