G2G: 1825. Reward for the capture of Joachim Lindsey of Giles co. TN

Question

A $200 reward (a princely sum for 1825) was found posted in the Nashville Gazette, 15 July 1825.

"On 6th Jan last, Joacim [sic] Lindsey intermarried with my daughter, Eleanor Phillips, and on the 27th inst., he murdered her by shooting her with a pistol. This most atrocious act was commited near Upper Elktown, in Giles County, Ten., in a most barbarous manner. The circumstances are as follows:

On the day above mentioned, Lindsey proposed a walk from my house to Major Benson's, a distance of about a mile, and on the road he and his wife walked a short distance behind myself and a young lady who was in company. This situated, Lindsey drew out a pistol and placing it to the head of his wife, fired and killed her, the ball passing thro' the head; and then made off.

He is about 27 or 28 years of age, about 6 feet 3 inches high, black hair, fair complexion with dark hazle [sic] eye and thin visage; had on a blue cloth coat and black pantaloons, and a pair of boots considerably worn. I will give the above reward of 200 dollars for the apprehension of said Lindsey so that he may be brought to justice." -- Elizabeth A. Phillips

Was he ever captured?

Comments

I do not know the answer Jessica, but I am curious also. Thanks for sharing this.

Answer 1

I found this on ancestry.com:

"Joachim was the son of the Rev. John Lindsay, Murray County, TN, a preacher and Justice of the Peace. Joachim was ordered to stand trial for murder Feb. 1826 in Pulaski, Giles County, TN but fled the state."

According to an article in The Torch Light and Public Advertiser, Hager-Town, Maryland, August 23, 1825, page 3: "HORRID MURDER --- A most shocking murder was committed on the 28th ult. near Elkton, Giles co. Tenn. by Col. Joachim Lindsey of Maury county, on the body of his wife, to whom he had been married about 6 months. This horrid crime was perpetrated by the discharge of a loaded pistol in the side of the head of the deceased, as she was walking by his side on the road with her arm locked in his. and in company with her mother and cousin. The contents of the pistol passed through her head and she instantly expired. Lindsey immediately made his escape to the woods, and had not been heard of by the last accounts. He is a tall man finely dressed, genteel in his person, and of agreeable manners. Nashville paper."

I found nothing suggesting he was actually convicted at a trial.

Answer 2

If this is a mystery near and dear to your heart, I'd probably try to find DNA descendants of Rev. John Lindsa/ey, and see if you can figure out if Joachim settled down somewhere else and married someone else.

Focus on those descendants who cannot be definitively associated with Rev Lindsey's other documented children (if they exist and had children). There may be other validation steps you'll want to take from there on. This was not meant be the only path to finding out what happened. Just one suggestion.

Sounds cool. Hope you share what you find (if you go looking).