Digital Tradition Mirror

Midnight Murder of the Meeks Family

Midnight Murder of the Meeks Family
(Marion Anderson)

'Twas in the lovely springtime in the lovely month of May
When Meeks, his wife, and children were induce to go away

They were leaving, little dreaming when they took their midnight flight
They'd be murdered e'er the morning in the darkness of the night

About two miles from Browning they crossed a little rill
The team was slowly climbing the fatal Jenkins Hill

When springing from the roadway assassins fierce and wild
They killed this helpless family except one little child

A blinding flash of fire, a groan of death and pain
A bleeding human being was numbered with the slain

The mother pled for mercy, she sank upon her knees
But also was foully murdered beneath the rustling trees

They buried them 'neath the straw stack out on George Taylor's farm
Bur Nellie did recover and then she gave the alarm

The neighbors quick responded but found this family dead
The Taylors had absconded and from this country fled

At last they were arrested and for this murder tried
The evidence was taken, their fate to thus decide

The jury was selected and the verdict written we[?]
The jury found them guilty of murder in the first degree

DT #797
Laws F29
From Randolph, Ozark Folksongs, vol. 2
Collected from Nora Page Irwin of Reed Springs, MO in 1942
murder occurred May 11, 1894
tune: Home Sweet Home
SOF
oct96

Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!

Contents: ? A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Main Page