 "Milton" Millington Sasser |
(aka "Newt" Sasser) son of Barden &Pharby(Jones) Sasser b: 15 Jul 1852 Laurel Co, KY d: 25 Apr 1880 Laurel Co, KY m: Lousia Sasser, on 06 Mar 1872, in Laurel Co, KY daughter of Adin &Betsy(Waggoner) Sasser b: 04 Sep 1857 Laurel Co, KY d: 19 Jun 1888 ~ Milton's father, Barden Sasser, is a brother to Lousia's father, Adin Sasser. Milton and Lousia are 1st cousins. (Clickon Barden/Pharby to find Milton's & Lousia's List of Descendants) |
 Reprinted with permission of the Laurel County Historical Society |
On last Sunday evening, one of the most dastardly and bloody murders occurred in the Bushe's Store Precinct, this County of which it has ever been our duty to chronicle the events of yet. Milton Sasser and George Gregory were both at the residence of Mr. William Weaver, a brother-in-law to Sasser, Sunday evening. Sasser going to pay Weaver a last visit before Weaver left the country for Oregon. Both these men left Weaver's together for home, Gregory living between Weaver's and Sasser's. Sasser went by home with Gregory. Both left Gregory's about an hour by sun, Sasser on his way home and Gregory following; and, when about three quarters of a mile from Gregory's, and just as it was getting dusk,  Sasser was shot and instantly killed, the ball, a large navy ball, entering his right breast. Immediately on being notified, Esquire T. J. Russell ordered an inquest to be held over the dead body, which concluded its labors on Monday morning, rendering a verdict that Sasser came to his death by a pistol shot fired by George Gregory. A warrant was immediately issued for the arrest of Gregory and placed in the hands of an officer when an earnest effort was begun to effect his arrest, but had not been accomplished at the time of our last account. Gregory immediately, on committing the murder, went to his father, confessed to the killing but said he did it in self defense, but the testimony before the jury of inquest failed to substantiate his statements. Sasser and Gregory were both considered quiet and peaceable citizens, though Sasser was a little boisterous when intoxicated but generally considered to mean no harm. Gregory probably has left the country. Sasser leaves a wife and two children. |
(aka George W. Singleton) son of Ezekial &Mary Singleton(Jones) Gregory b: 28 Apr 1847 Laurel Co, KY d: 03 Jan 1923 Louisville, Jefferson Co, KY buried: Cave Hill Cemetery (as George W. Singleton), in Louisville, Jefferson Co, KY paternal grandparents: John "Jack" &Kesiah(Jones) Gregory maternal grandparents: Evan &Mary Ann "Polly"(Weaver) Jones Jones g-grandparents (through his mother Mary): Vincent &Elizabeth(Cope) Jones Jones g-grandparents (through his paternal grandmother Kesiah): William &Elizabeth(Smith) Jones As George W. Gregory: m: #1=RUSCILLA ROWLAND, on 15 Mar 1866 daughter of Creed Thomas &Emoline(Smith) Rowland paternal grandparents: Creed Thomas &Matilda(Brewer) Rowland maternal grandparents: Redden &Mary "Polly" (Ball) Smith b: 1843 Clay Co, KY As George W. Singleton: m: #2=MARY ALICE "MOLLY" McINTOSH b: 25 Oct 1861 d: 08 Aug 1953 We have not yet determined what Jones connection, if any, there is between George's mother Mary (Jones) Gregory, and his father's mother Kesiah (Jones) Gregory. Clickon William/Elizabeth to find George's List(s) of Descendants. |
another version of what happened to Milton Sasser, written by a descendant of Hezekiah Weaver. Stories do get changed around, when passed from generation to generation. |
After more than a century, the trail of those who went ahead of us gets very dim. Not much is known about this family. Some curious bits have come down in family stories. Samuel's pet deer dug up the potato patch and was shot by Father Hezekiah. Samuel left home; the family did not see him again. It is known that he lived for awhile in Sedalia, Missouri, and that he left his wife and children there when he joined an immigrant group and started up the Oregon Trail. In Nebraska, Sioux Indians ambushed the group, killing all but one (the scout, riding ahead, was permitted to pass so that no alarm would be given). Papa was told that Samuel's children founded a new branch of the family, one becoming a college professor. During the Civil War, Daniel served as a guerrilla with Quantrell and James. Perhaps it is just as well that his story remain untold. There is a book, "A True Story of Charles W. Qunatrell and His Guerrilla Band," published by John P. Burch, as told by one of the raiders, Captain Trow, of Vega Texas. It is an account resembling "An American," and a much bloodier version of "Three Musqueteers," and seems to one unfamiliar with war, almost too terrible to read. It came as a shock to me, although I had read of the Commando units of our forces, to read that the raiders were licensed, by Jefferson Davis. After the war, an award, of $50,000, was offered for Quantrell and Jesse James, and his guerrillas went into hiding. Daniel fled to Oregon. Joel, in our direct line of ancestry, as father of Russell Weaver, died in Kentucky. I am sorry there is not more information about him. Darius is mentioned as "Deacon of Providence Church," on Page 12 of the "History of Laurel River Association of Missionary Baptist." In Papa's notes, he is described as "a mountain preacher", and as having a very strong temper. Once he tried to use his belt on his son, Bill, who apparently had a temper equally as strong, and who knocked him down. Darius went for his gun, then came to himself and replaced it. Bill, Papa described as "a bad egg." He was said to have broken up three parties, to which he not invited, by riding his horse into the house. Darius had good reason for wanting to use his belt and for losing his temper. After his marriage, Bill (Weaver)was riding, with his wife on the horse behind him, and met an enemy, probably one of many. The enemy beat him to the draw and ordered him to get his wife out of the way. Bill turned to help her dismount, turned back with gun in hand, and shot the man in the stomach. Although the man recovered, Bill left for Oregon. Darius made the trip to Oregon in 1878, starting from Arkansas and was 6 months on the way. A clipping from the "Stockman Enterprise," of Alder, Oregon, reporting the death of Charlotte Macormack, daughter of Darius, has the following: "Charlotte Weaver was born in Laurel County, Kentucky, Nov. 9,1862, the daughter of Darius and Sally (Morris) Weaver. Her mother passed away when Charlotte was but 9 years old. In 1878, her father came to Oregon and settled at Alder, and the next year, sent for his unmarried children. Charlotte and her two older brothers made the trip by wagon, entering this Valley over the old "Smith Mountain Road."  In Oregon, the youngest son of Darius killed a black bear and sent the claw back to Arkansas. Darius urged my grandfather, Russell Weaver, (his nephew) to join him in Oregon and offered to send money for the trip. Papa's notes read, "He (Russell) was going, then decided to go to Arkansas instead." (A momentous personal decision. How different our family history might have been in Oregon!) Darius (91), his sister Mrs. Brock (93), and their older brother Daniel (94), spent their last days together.  A last odd bit about Darius: On the way to Oregon, he hid his money in the coupling part of the wagon. It was believed that he had a good sum of money when he died, although the children could never find it. |
The Weaver Story by: "CUZ ANN" (Ann 'Weaver' Adair) -niece to the writer of the above Weaver stories- -a descendant of Bill Weaver's Uncle Joel Weaver- |
Have just discovered your sites and must compliment all of you. They are great!! I look forward to spending hours here. I have shared my Aunt Blythe's book with very few, as I am still in the process of documenting some of the information it contains, i.e., the book referred to above as being "written by a descendant of Hezekiah Weaver". Just wanted to explain - the information related by my aunt was in regard to a separate event and thought you might be interested in knowing what happened to William "Bill" Weaver and George W. Gregory. As for the unfortunate murder of Sasser by Gregory, William Weaver was in no way implicated and the murder had nothing to do his his leaving Kentucky. His father, Darius, arrived in Oregon, in 1878 (his name appears engraved on the Pioneer Arches, located on the courthouse lawn in Enterprise, Oregon). As soon as he got himself established, he sent for his children who had remained in Kentucky. William, his wife, their children and other siblings left Kentucky, as planned, April 1880 (the month/year Milton was killed). The incident in which William shot the man in the stomach was a separate event, not a "version" of the killing of Sasser by Gregory, but rather an indicator of the way he was headed if he remained in Kentucky. Darius was most wise in getting his family "out of Dodge," so to speak. The girls all married well and William "Bill" settled down - fathered six more children and served as Chairman of the Reavis School Board for some time. He was a successful farmer, and died in 1947. Catherine (Sasser) Weaver died in 1933. Both are buried in the Enterprise Cemetery. Relatives who remained in Kentucky did not fare as well. They continued to be involved in feuds and many lost their lives. (There are undocumented rumors that feuds lasted and people were killed as late as the 1940s.) George W. Gregory was never prosecuted for the killing of Milton Sasser. Thought you might find of interest the following excerpt from "Touching The Past," by Jerry Gregory, published 1996: "George W. Gregory; also known as George W. Singleton. Born Laurel County, KY, 4-28-1847. Married 1st, Ruscilla Rowland, 3-15-1866, 2nd, Mary Alice 'Molly' McIntosh. "Molly" b: 10-25-1861 - d: 8-14-1953, was a teacher in Clay Co., KY, in 1875. Gregory shot and killed Milton Sasser on 4-25-1880. Nailed in a 'goods box' to escape prosecution. Used name of Singleton and lived in several places, including Benson, Franklin Co., KY, and New Iberia, Iberia Parish, LA. Returned to Laurel Co., KY, 1914-1918, following a divorce, and moved to Louisville, Jefferson Co., KY, where he died 1-3-1923. Buried at Cave Hill Cemetery as George W. Singleton." George Gregory had 6 children who bore the surname Gregory. By his second marriage, he had 8 children who bore the surname Singleton. There is a picture of George W. Gregory included in Jerry Gregory's book. P.S. Have you seen the book, "The History of Walla County Oregon," published by Wallowa County Museum Board? It contains information on Sassers and Weavers. |
"Cuz Ann" (Ann Weaver Adair) CLICK HERE |
GUESTBOOK of the overall Cobb-Sasser Family Lineage Website Please do sign the book! |
CLICK HERE |
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