It's not unusual for me, while researching a historical topic, to run across newspaper stories about other interesting topics. In fact, that's how I come up with about half of my ideas. Recently, while researching the early history of Joplin, I came across a 1902 account of a murder trial which was getting ready to take place in Douglas County involving a crime that had occurred there in 1870, over thirty years before, at the beginning of what the newspaper called "the famous Alsup feud."
The Alsup family dominated politics in Douglas County for many years after the Civil War and made many enemies, but the term "feud" is a bit of a misnomer if we think of the word as implying a fight between two different families. At first the feud did involve the Alsups and their allies against John Hatfield and his few allies, but Hatfield was killed in the spring of 1871. So, the feud became one between the pro-Alsup faction and the anti-Alsup faction.
The murder about which I recently found the newspaper piece was committed by a follower of the Alsups named James Wilson, and the victim's name was Orville Lynn. After the murder, Wilson hid out in the woods awhile and ended up killing a second man named Hall when he heard Hall approaching in some bushes and, thinking his pursuers were closing in on him, fired at the noise.
Wilson later surrendered, but because he was an Alsup ally, he was not prosecuted and soon left the county. In 1889, almost twenty years later, after the Alsup reign had finally run its course, Wilson was finally indicted, but he was not captured until around the beginning of 1902, when he was caught in Oklahoma and brought back to Douglas County to stand trial. I'd be interested to know how the trial turned out, if anyone can fill me in.
3 comments:
Larry,
Just saw your post and thought I would share with you that my great great grandfather, William R. Prock, was murdered by the Alsup gang in July 1865 at his home in Wright County, Missouri. William Prock was a county Judge and had supported the Confederacy during the Civil War. He was called out of his home by the Alsups and shot in front of his wife and young children while standing on his front porch. The Alsup's then proceeded to burn his barn and steal his livestock. I haven't been able to find any newspaper accounts of this murder, but continue searching for any documentation. Thanks for posting your note. --Alan Cody
I’m reading this with great interest...I’ve heard about 10 different “family” versions. My Grandfather was Moses Lock Alsup Sr. (my father is ML jr.). They moved from Missouri to Idaho where I was raised. The stories my aunts told me no doubt were altered from the stories their aunts told them. There were 9 kids in Dad’s family...all unique but proud Alsup’s. Thanks for your post and your dedication...
Thanks, Unknown. You're right that there are a lot of conflicting stories about the Alsups. Some portray them as simply trying to uphold law and order, while others portray them as being terrible abusers of their authority and or even as lawbreakers themselves.
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