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OSAGE
RIVER MURDER
(Alexander L. Colvin’s Murder and Subsequent Trail)
By:
Fred William Billerbeck, Jr., Ph.D.
Barbara June Aust
Billerbeck, M.L.S.
Amy Elizabeth Billerbeck, M.L.S.
And
Fred William Billerbeck, III, J.D.
Now slated for publication in the future, this 8½x11", first edition carries an ISBN of 978-0-944619-86-5 (softbound) and is also available in a hardbound book. This first edition work contains over 150 pages of original information.
The beautifully hardbound, large format book is manufactured to stand the test of time, utilizing the American Library Association (ALA) Certified Library Oversewn method to assure this book will be with your family for generations to come. The limited first edition carries many of the marks of a showpiece, as it has decorative spine bars and is rounded and backed with a rich black material stamped in old gold foil (both front and spine). Additionally, this special first collector's edition carries the author's hallmark on the front cover. Later printings will not be such a deluxe production. All orders will sell for a price to be announced (retail), while supply lasts. The same book in soft cover is available for a price to be announced.
This volume is the second part of the Colvin trilogy to be issued within the next few years.
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PREFACE
Alexander L. Colvin was brutally murdered by John and William Williams, towards evening on 26 March 1877. It appears that this incident followed a long day in the Miller County Court, Tuscumbia, MO, USA, on the western bluffs above the slow flowing Osage River. Alexander L. was a well known gambler so the day might have actually been spent drinking and gambling in which the Williams brothers where surely involved. Possibly those involved in the incident had been celebrating after a trail. The facts are unclear. The young Williams brothers appear to have lost personal control of their actions and John had pulled out a knife intending to start a fight. The older dominant and intimidating Alexander L. took action as was the want of Colvin men and a scuffle ensued, but in the end the Williams brothers were not placated. The crossing of the Osage River was completed, so Alexander L. Colvin mounted his waiting mule and began riding home with some neighbors. He then on reflection decided to return and resolve the problem which had evolved. Fate was unkind to Alexander L. as he was wounded in the head (skull) to the base of his brain by a six-inch single pistol shot fired by ‘hot headed,’ John Williams.
The two Williams brothers, John and William, were convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to prison. The trails verdict was upheld by the Missouri Supreme Court.
Jane Dyer Colvin was left a widow with three small daughters to care for alone. Obviously, she struggled through this mournful and difficult period. Within four years she was married to Henry C. Fendorf and had another daughter, Margaret ‘Maggie’ Johanna Fendorf. Maggie in time would marry James Carlee Colvin, and like her mother before she in turn would become a widow as a result of a cowardly act of brutal murder and left with children to care for, as had her mother.
When preparing this book for publication the author’s used the Williams Murder trial transcript which had been hand written in the late 1870’s; consequently, the surnames presented varied in their written presentation and the alphabetical characters used were of an old handwriting script unused today. To resolve this serious problem and to translate surnames into modern terms, the authors first utilized examples of penmanship scripts of the 1870s period to identify each hand written character found in the trial transcript text. The resulting initials and surnames developed were still highly confusing so the U.S. Federal Census Records spanning the years 1860 through 1880 for Miller County were used to ascertain and correct surnames presented. For example, the trial records presented the surname “Abbett” as “Abbet.” Research of Miller County records clearly reveals that only the surname of this specific presentation was actually “Abbett.” No family with the surname “Abbet” existed in Miller County. An individual’s personal names and initials also varied from page to page and had to be reconciled through document research. Some surnames, such as: Sweetman (Swetman / Swetnam) were nearly impossible to read and appears never to have existed in the county, but later U. S. Census records ultimately revealed that an individual bearing the name had been born in Missouri at this date. Surname spelling errors were corrected and indicated throughout this work. In the end the authors believe that old record comports extremely well with actual facts and personnel as the events occurred.
The Williams brothers, John, age 21, and William, age 23, were inexperienced young country men who made a tragic mistake that changed their life and the lives of others, especially that of their very close neighbors, the Colvins. The neighborly situation can be seen in the U.S. Federal Census for inhabitants of Equality Township, Miller County, State of Missouri enumerated on the 7th day of June 1860 wherein the John W. Williams’ family and an Alexander Colvin lived likely as close neighbors. This Alexander Colvin was the uncle of Alexander L. Colvin, the victim of the incident presented in this publication. Alexander L. Colvin likely lived close by or visited his uncle frequently, so the Williams brothers knew and were familiar with Alexander L. Exact information about either family during the U.S. Census period of 1870 was not available to the authors. Later findings indicate that John W. Williams and some family members moved to Jefferson City, Cole Co., Missouri, USA, likely to be closer to the two young men serving time at the State Penitentiary. Both young men were listed in the U.S. Census of 1880 as being laborers in the State of Missouri Penitentiary, Jefferson City, Cole Co., MO, USA. Thereafter, little or no information is available as to either John or Williams’ lives after this sad and tragic incident and imprisonment. There is some indication that both men subsequently moved out of state. For example, the 1920 U.S. Census for Eugene City, OR, USA, enumerates a William Williams who was a salesman for wood yard that closely addresses the subject individual of interest. Other Williams’ family members still live in Miller County, MO, USA, and have made significant contributions to their county, state and country.
An extensive Appendix containing detailed background information relating to the Colvin and Williams families and the John and William Williams murder trial has been provided by the authors so as to facilitate a fuller and complete understanding of the significant events presented in this book. The appendix presents such interesting facts as state and local maps, family histories, explanations of legal terms and much more to develop this historical event more completing in order to enrich the reader’s appreciations. The cited Appendix begins on page 103.
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All book excerpts carry the
original book Copyright - reprinted here with permission.
© the Estate of Dr. Fred William Billerbeck,
Jr.,
Ph.D.
Page Last Updated: January 02, 2017