Joseph Smith Eggers

Joseph Smith Eggers

Joseph Smith Eggers is a distant relative and was my 4th cousin (3x removed). Though the details of his life are relatively plain, the incidence of his death is morbidly interesting and is well documented in the local / regional newspapers.

Joseph Smith Eggers was born 27 Aug 1871 in Johnson County, Tennessee to Lewis Benjamin Eggers and Mary Jane Stewart.  He married Martha Abdon in 1889 and moved to Greenup County, Kentucky.   He had seven children.  In Greenup County he served in law enforcement as a constable and was a republican nomination for representative many times.  On Friday 9 JAN 1919 he was shot with a pistol following an altercation with his neighbor over a property line dispute.  The details below were printed in the local and regional newspapers.

GREENUP REPUBLICAN

KILLING IN GREENUP

Joe S. Eggers, for several years a constable of Greenup county and at several primaries a candidate for the Republican nomination for Representative, was shot with a pistol Thursday morning near his home on Big White Oak by Tom Jones, a neighbor. He died from the wound about an hour and a half after being wounded. Jones, the gun user, was trying to make his escape when apprehended by the Sheriffs at Riverton. He had boarded the local freight at some point between Fullerton and Greenup, the officials having been 'tipped" of it, and when found he was trying to conceal himself in a hopper coal car. He was arrested without any trouble. He still possessed the pistol with which he shot his victim. He claimed he was not trying to make a getaway but was on his way to Ashland to see his sister about going on his bond and intended to return and give himself up to the officials. The trouble which led to the tragedy was a dispute over a division line between their lands, which each claimed included a picnic ground. Jones claims Eggers was cutting wood on his land when he rode up to him and ordered him to stop. He claims Eggers jerked him off his horse and struck him with a stick when then he shot him.

PORTSMOUTH TIMES  Friday January 10, 1919

GUN USER IS CAPTURED BY SHERIFF, DETAILS OF KILLING

Tom Jones, who shot and killed Joe Eggers at White Oaks, 18 miles back of Fullerton, Ky., yesterday noon was taken into custody at Riverton, a small town near Greenup, last night and was placed in the county jail by Sheriff Harve Elam. After the shooting Jones went to Riverton to arrange for bondsmen and was preparing to surrender when arrested. The gun user will be given a preliminary hearing before County Judge W.D. Quillos probably Saturday morning when his friends hope to secure his release on bond. Jones claims self defense. The trouble leading up to the tragedy occurred several days ago when the men quarreled over a line fence and yesterday when they met in the road the quarrel was renewed and was followed by Eggers attacking Jones with a club knocking him off a mule he was riding and then jumping on him and starting to beat him, it is alleged. It was then that Jones pulled his pistol and fired, the bullet entering Eggers side and reaching a vital spot. He fell mortally wounded and died in a little more than an hour. The men had been life long friends having been born and reared on adjoining farms and never before had any trouble. The victim of the shooting was about 50 years of age, and is survived by a wife and 7 children.* For several years Eggers carried the mail between Load and Fullerton, Ky. Funeral services over Egger's body will be held Saturday. Jones is about 45 years of age and has a wife and several children. He is quite well known in this city having frequently visited here with his brothers, Butch Jones, of the West End and George Jones, of Eleventh street..Note:*Joseph 's wife, Mattie, died in childbirth in 1915. The children were orphaned after the death of Joe Eggers, at age 48. He had nine children and at least eight of them were living at the time of the shooting..The Portsmouth Times,  Portsmouth Ohio Wednesday January 15, 1919 page 2

JONES GETS HEARING AT GREENUP

Jones White Oak farmer charged with killing his neighbor, Joe Eggers, on Jan. 10 following a quarrel over a line fence, was held before Judge W. D. Quillos at Greenup Wednesday. There were many witnesses heard by the court and at press time the hearing was still in progress. Jones through his attorneys, W. T. Cole and A. S. Cooper claimed he committed the deed in self defense. The Common Wealth was represented at the hearing by former Circuit Judge Halbert..THE RUSSELL TIMES,  GREENUP CO. KENTUCKY Friday January 17, 1919

HEARING OF TOM JONES TO BE HELD NEXT WEEK: SELF DEFENSE IS CLAIMED

The hearing of Tom Jones, of this county, charged with the killing of Joe Eggers, of Truitt, last week during a dispute over a boundary line, will be held at Greenup next Monday. In the meantime, Jones is in the jail at Greenup, where he was placed by Sheriff Harve Elam, who arrested him at Riverton. Jones was on a freight when apprehended by the sheriff, who had been tipped off that he was headed toward the West Virginia line. Jones claims that he shot Eggers in self-defense, after the latter had knocked him off his mule with a club and renewed the attack upon him after he was down. Jones says that he fired one shot sidewise to frighten Eggers, but that it did not seem to have the desired effect, but that it only seemed to anger him more. Jones says he fired the second shot into Egger's body in order to save his own life. The bullet took effect below the heart and Eggers died in a very short time. The shooting was witnessed by the two young sons of Eggers; one son was 11 years old and the other son was 9 years old.

Jones was about 45 years of age and Eggers was about 50 years old. The victim, Eggers, was well known throughout the country, having always taken a prominent part in the political affairs of the county, and having served for some time as constable in his district. Previous to his death, Eggers was a mail carrier, working between Load and Fullerton. He has been a candidate for the Republican nomination for Representative on various occasions, and consequently carried a wide acquaintance throughout the county. He was the father of seven children. Jones has retained Attorneys J.B. Wilhoit of Ashland, A.S. Cooper of Greenup and W.T. Cole of Greenup to defend him.

Special thanks to:
 ancestry.com and the folks who contributed publicly to Joseph Smith Eggers