John William McGhee

Other Events:

• Census 1870: 1870, New Garden, Russell, Virginia
• Census 1880: 1880, New Garden, Russell, Virginia, USA
• Witness: Jul 1897, Russell County, Virginia; Witness in the Divorce of Charles and Amedia Richardson.
• Census 1910: 1910, New Garden, Russell, Virginia, USA
• Witness: Aug 1915, Tazewell County, Virginia; Witness in his daughter Mary's divorce. Mentions a restaurant he ran with Mary's than husband.
• Census 1920: 1920, Maiden Springs District, Tazewell, Virginia

Notes:

Witness:
John McGhee another witness of lawful age after being duly sworn in.

Question: Please state your age and place of residence.

John: I am 32 years of age and live in Russell County, Virginia.

Question: Please state whether or not you are acquainted with the parties in this suit, Charley Richardson and Almeda Richardson.

John: I am acquainted with both parties to this suit.

Question: Please state if a short time before the defendant left the community, if you were at their house i the absence of the plaintiff and saw her drunk and drinking liquor and if so state her conduct and language and manner you saw. Also state if she at that time tried to get you to fix arrangements with any person to poison the plaintiff and have him killed. State what she said about it and if she wanted him dead.

John: I was out there one Sunday and was at the shop below the home, and she called me to the house and she wanted me to find out where I could find out where Charley Richardson, her husband was going away to see another woman, and she would get a man to ??? him and kill him. And I said Almedia, I would not do that. She says god damn him, I want him killed. She said she did not intend to live with him unless he did better.

Question: Please state her conduct that day.

John: She acted as if she was drinking, she used talk unbecoming a lady. She was cursing, black guarding, etc.

And further this despondent says not. John W. McGhee

Full case can be found here:

https://www.lva.virginia.gov/chancery/full_case_detail.asp?CFN=167-1898-030#img



Died:
Killed in a gun battle at Red Ash. The shooting refers to John's second wife, name unknown.

Deputy Sheriff Kills Wild Man

Unfortunate Shooting Affair at Raven Wednesday in Which Officer is Forced to Resort to Force-Exonerated of Blame. (By Edward Hand) Raven, Va. April 2 -

John McGee, aged about 45 years, a raving maniac, inspired by pangs of jealousy, ran amuck on Coal Creek with a .45 army colts revolver late Wednesday, seriously wounding his estranged wife, shooting his sister-in-law and killing his wife's lover before a 30-30 bullet from a high power rifle, in the hands of Deputy Sheriff Vince McGraw, brought the mad man's life to an end.

William Abshire, the dead lover of McGee's wife, leaving a wife and several children, was killed while sitting parked in an automobile with Mrs. McGee and her aged sister, who was the step-mother of Abshire, and Mrs. McGee and her sister, Mrs. James Abshire were wounded.

The trouble is said to have started several months ago when Henry Abshire also married, another brother of the dead lover, ran away with Mrs. McGee, living with her for some time, returning to her husband for a short time only, in which time McGee bought and deeded a new Ford Sedan to her only to have her leave him again with William Abshire, taking the automobile with her, which McGee tried to regain by going and taking the car some ten days previous which resulted in more trouble.

Last Friday Deputy Sheriff J.B. Altizer place a levy on the car but left it in the possession of Mrs. McGee. It was in this car that the trio had been riding, and after leaving the state highway at about a distance of thirty yards their path was blocked by one of Mullins Lumber Company's trucks loaded with logs which were being unloaded and while thus parked, McGee descended from the cab of the truck and approached the trio in the car, and without speaking, opened the door and began firing, wounding the two women and killing the man, then remarking to the truck men that after getting one more he was going to kill himself, at which remark Mr. Mullins, the mill owner, asked him not to do such an act but to go on and give himself up to an officer and he would come clear at trial, but the man gone mad with jealousy, started walking down the railroad, swinging the pistol from side to side and after walking through the coal camp of Premier Red Ash to a point about a half mile below, he encountered Deputy McGraw, who had been summoned from Raven to arrest the maniac, but concealing his pistol behind him, McGee got the drop on the officer at a distance of about twenty feet, telling him if he came another step closer he would kill him in his tracks.

After McGraw saw that the man was mad and intended to resume his killing, he pleaded with the man not to resist arrest nor kill any one else and sparred with the man until his son Walter McGee, could be summoned from the mines to try and get his father to consent to their terms, but upon arriving the son was met with the same threat that the officer received.

Then keeping the officer under cover the maniac headed for the woods. McGraw then dispatched a man to his home in Raven, a distance of three miles, to get his high powered rifle. He deputized two men, Fred Underwood and P.O. Palmer, to assist him in trailing the murderer.

At a point near the top of the mountain and close to the home of Henry Abshire, the other intended victim, the deputies exchanged a volley of shots with McGee, who turned and fled down the mountain and came out on the railroad in the lower end of Red Ash No. 2 camp, and evidently started for the home of his son Walter, but got in the wrong yard and found the door barred, then emptying his gun at the trio of officers who were coming down a slate dump, the man ran around the house and under the back porch to reload again firing at the officers at which time McGraw shot him through the head from a distance of 1,500 feet.

During the running fight about 150 spectators had gathered to witness the climax, one stray bullet from the officers gun plowed through the side of a house of John Davis and buried itself in the floor.

Mrs. McGee is a patient in the Mattie Williams hospital suffering with a bullet wound in the abdomen, her sister received a glancing shot along her hip, while Abshire was shot through the heart and remained sitting upright with both hands on the steering wheel. The shooting started at the mill of the Mullins Lumber Co's mill and lasted up the mountains and back to Red Ash. The officer came clear in a court, composed the magistrates and N. Clarence Smith, Commonwealths Attorney, at Richlands last night.

Note: WE APOLOGIZE In writing the head for the article from Raven last week regarding the John McGee shooting, we used the words, "Deputy Sheriff Kills Wild Man." The heading written just a few minutes before press time, was ill advised, and we regret that we used the terms there applied. A number of relatives of the unfortunate man are among the best people of Raven and vicinity.

Story from Audrey McGee Helbert:

John caught his second wife, Cynthia with another man in a car and shot them both. The man in the car with his wife died. Cynthia did not die. Vince McGraw was the law man at the time and lived below Powell Palmer. Vince deputized Powell and a posse to go after John. After the shooting, John went to his son Walters to hide. Vince and the posse caught up to John and Vince shot and killed him. Clarence, Powell's son-in-law, did not talk to Powell for about 9 years because of this.

Buried:
No stone, apparently buried beside his son Dewey Lee McGhee

John married Geneva Anderson on 20 Jan 1886 in Dickenson County, Virginia. Geneva (daughter of Charles H. Anderson and Matilda Colley) was born on 7 Aug 1870 in Dickenson County, Virginia; died on 5 Feb 1930 in Raven, Tazewell County, Virginia; was buried in Newberry Cemetery, Horton Ridge, Russell County, Virginia. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
Dickenson County Marriage Register Book 1, Page 5 Line 4

If anyone is able to share the actual certificate or Registration information with me, I would appreciated it.

1. Mary Ann McGhee was born on 18 Mar 1888 in Russell County, Virginia; died on 24 Jun 1977 in Zephryshill, Pasco County, Florida.
2. Elbert McGhee was born on 11 May 1891 in Russell County, Virginia, USA; died on 16 Aug 1977 in Baltimore, Baltimore City, Maryland, USA; was buried in Greenhills Memory Gardens, Claypool Hill, Tazewell County, VA.
3. Walter Jackson McGhee was born on 30 Jun 1894 in Swords Creek, Russell, Virginia, USA; died on 5 Dec 1963 in Tazewell County, Virginia; was buried in Greenhills Memory Gardens, Claypool Hill, Tazewell County, Virginia, USA.
4. Frances Louise McGhee was born on 15 Jul 1896 in Tazewell County, Virginia; died in Mar 1982 in Maybeury, McDowell County, West Virginia; was buried in Roselawn Memorial Gardens, Princeton, Mercer County, WV.
5. Dewey Lee McGhee was born on 3 Aug 1902 in Russell County, Virginia, USA; died on 27 Mar 1920 in Russell County, Virginia, USA; was buried in Newberry Cemetery, Horton Ridge, Swords Creek, Russell, Virginia, USA.
6. George Washington McGhee was born on 29 Mar 1905 in Russell County, Virginia; died on 1 Feb 1975 in Swords Creek, Russell, Virginia.
7. Joseph C. McGhee was born on 2 Mar 1906 in Tazewell County, Virginia; died in Aug 1969 in Bristol, Bristol, Virginia.
8. Clarence "Fuzz" Edward McGhee was born on 2 Sep 1908 in Russell County, Virginia, USA; died on 26 Dec 1980 in Swords Creek, Russell, Virginia, USA; was buried in Perkins Cemetery, Swords Creek, Russell County, Virginia.
9. Dixie May McGhee was born on 10 Jun 1910 in Russell County, Virginia, USA; died in Nov 1982 in Millersville, Anne Arundel, Maryland; was buried in Meadowridge Memorial Park, Elkridge, Howard County, Maryland.

John married Cynthia Salyers Noah in 1930 in Russell County, Virginia. Cynthia was born in 1880 in Russell County, Virginia; died in 1963 in Tazewell County, Virginia. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Census 1870: 1870, New Garden, Russell, Virginia
• Census 1880: 1880, New Garden, Russell, Virginia, USA

William married Julia Ann Newberry. Julia (daughter of John A. Newberry and Elizabeth Cochran) was born in Dec 1841 in Franklin County, Virginia, USA; died in Jan 1923 in Laurel, Kentucky, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Census 1870: 1870, New Garden, Russell, Virginia
• Census 1880: 1880, New Garden, Russell, Virginia, USA

Other Events:

• Order Book: 27 Dec 1864, Franklin County, Virginia, USA; I'm assuming Anderson Via is John A. Newberry's uncle, but I don't know what this is about.

Notes:

Order Book:
Orphea Via and Anderson Via, Jr. for Jack a slave belonging to Frances Via and John A. Newberry for Jane a slave belonging to Charles Rakes appeared in Court and acknowledged themselves indebted to the commonwealth of VA, the said Anderson Via Jr. for himself and for the said Jack a slave as aforesaid in the sum of $200 each, to be levied of their respective goods and chattels lands and tenements to the use of the said commonwealth yet upon this condition that if the said Anderson Via, Jr. Orpha Via the said Jack and the said Jane shall personally appear before the County

John married Elizabeth Cochran on 11 Oct 1844 in Floyd County, Virginia, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Census 1820: 1820, Franklin, Virginia, USA; William isn't found in the 1820 census of Franklin, however in the household of Thomas Newberry, there is a white male over the age of 45 living with them. This is probably William, as when William goes away for murder and writes out his will, he includes that Thomas be permitted to live on his land rent free. Indicating that Thomas was already living there and that they were all probably making their home together. Margaret, William's second wife is probably deceased by this time, as she isn't listed in the 1820 census nor is she mentioned in William's will of 1822.
• Witness: 1822, Franklin County, Virginia; Witnesses the will of his father in Law, John Via. Another witness is Thomas Hale.
• Census 1830: 1830, Franklin, Virginia, USA; The female 20-29 is probably Sarah, but her age if off here.
• Deed: 1838, Franklin County, Virginia; Deeds recorded in 1838 mark the sale of Thomas's father, William Newberry's property to Samuel James. The heirs named are: Levi Newberry of Barren Co. Ky; Thomas Newberry and his wife Sarah and their children; John, Sarah and Peter Cochran, Nancy, (Givey (Jincy), Audrey and Vina.
• Census 1840: 1840, Franklin, Virginia, USA

Thomas married Sarah Jane Vier on 17 Dec 1810 in Franklin County, Virginia, USA. Sarah (daughter of John B. Via Sr. and Sarah Wright) was born in 1794 in Franklin County, Virginia, USA; died in 1852 in Franklin County, Virginia, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Will: 1833, Franklin County, Virginia; Mentioned in her father's will.
• Census 1850: 1850, Franklin, Virginia, USA

Notes:

Birth:
If you go by the age range in the census, she would have been 12ish when she married, either that is wrong or the marriage record wasn't dated correctly.

Will:
I will that my Daughter Sarah Newberry have a certain tract or parcel of land which has been recently marked off in the presence of witnesses, Viz: Beginning on Ingram's line on a corner white oak and Gum on the west Side of the Ridge, thence a Straight line a north course to John Via, Jr. corner Spanish oak on the same ridge to her the same during her life and then to heirs of her body

Died:
Bill was filed in Chancery pertaining to her death, giving death date, children and some grand children's names.

Bill filed September 1852, Final decree 4 Jun 1855

To the worshipful court of the county of Frankin in Chancery

Humbley complaining showeth unto your worships your orator and oratix Peter Cochran and Sally, his wife, formerly Sally Newberry, that Sally (Sarah Jane), the mother of your oratix, departed this life intestate, some time since since and xxx of a small tract of land containing about ___ acres and lying on the waters of Runnett Bag Creek in the county of Franklin. That she left as her heirs at law the following children and grand children your oratix, Sally Cochran who was intermarried with your orator (Peter Cochran), John Newberry, Omey Newberry, Thomas Newberry, Rozina Newberry, Audrey Newberry, Anderson Newberry, Jinsy Keen, formerly Jinsy Newberry, who has intermarried with a certain Jacob Keen, Vina Profitt, formerly Vina Newberry who has intermarried with a certain Austin Proffit, John Ratcliff, Thomas Hess and Sarah Hess, the last three of which are children of Patsy a child of the said Sally Newberry who first intermarried with a certain ______ Ratcliff and whom she had the said John Ratcliff, and after the death of said Ratcliff she intermarried with a certain Hess by whom she had the said Thomas Hess and Sarah Hess and then died. Your Orator and Oratix represent that the said land is of small ??? and insusceptible of division as well on the account as because some of the heirs are married women and under disabilities ?? further respresent than that the inte***n (interest?)

The handwriting was extremely bad and hard to read - basically, the complaint was that the land was too small to divide among all the heirs, and Peter Cochran and his wife wanted to have the land sold and the proceeds divided between the heirs. The land was eventually sold at public auction and sold for $61 dollars, and each heir got their share after court costs.

Notes:

Married:
Newberry, Thos., s. Wm., and Sarah Vier, dau. John, Dec. 17, 1810. Sur. Wm. Boyd.