Jane (McBride) Wilcher (abt. 1800 - 1873)

Born about 1800 in Augusta, Virginia

Wife of Richard H Wilcher — married 8 Apr 1817 in Amherst, Virginia

Descendants

Died 17 Dec 1873 at about age 73 in Clifton Forge, Alleghany, Virginia

Biography

Jane McBride. ^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Born ABT 1800. Augusta, Virginia. ^[6][7]

Died 17 DEC 1873. Clifton Forge, Alleghany, Virginia. ^[8]

Buried USA^[9]

Residence 9 AUG 1860. Alleghany, Virginia. ^[10] 27 JUL 1850. District 1, Alleghany, Virginia. ^[11]

Note: #N227.

Marriage Husband Richard H Wilcher. Wife Jane McBride. Child: Joseph Josiah Wilcher. Child: John H Wilcher. Child: Richard Wilcher. Child: Alexander Wilcher. Marriage 8 APR 1817. Amherst, Virginia. ^[12][13] Marriage

Notes

Note N227Class: certain.

Crime: HOM MANSL.

Rela: MARITAL WIFE by HUSBAND.

Motive: ABUSE.

Intox?:

Day of week:

Holiday?: yes.

Time of day: 9pm.

Days to death: 6. 1

HOM: Elijah W. Brooks m. Sally Brooks (his wife).

Weapon: beat, pushed her into the fire. Burned her clothes off. d. 12/31. 1

Court proceedings: SE 171829: EXAM: charged with murder. pNG. fG. to Sup. Ct. fG. 12 yrs. Witnesses bound: Richard H. Wilcher, Jane Wilcher, Polly Clarke, Elizabeth Clarke, Harriet Figget, Spencer Figget, Margaret Paine, Robert Paine, Thomas W. Pleasants. 1

Legal records: Rockbr. Co. COB, 1827-1831: 149-151. 1

TESTIMONY 1

Dr. Archibald Graham: night of Christmas, prisoner "came for him to go & see his wife who he said was badly burned and manifested great anxiety on her account, that he witness attended her. He found her burned from her neck to her ankles, her abdomen & both sides, thighs & legs in such a way as would likely be produced by a persons cloths taking fire and burning off them." SB d. evening of 12/21, "caused by said burning. During his attentions he heard deceased frequently say that the prisoner kicked her into the fire.". 1

Richard H. Wilcher: on Christmas day in the evening "he heard hollowing at the house where the prisoner lived about one hundred & fifty yards distant that he found the dceased Sally Brooks near the door attempting to take a log of wood into the house, witness asked her what was the matter, she said Elijah had been beating her. Witness took the log in & put it on the fire. Some time after dark Miss Elizabeth Clark a young lady who was at witnesses house said she heard hollowing at Brooks's witness got up put on his shoes and ran up, and as he approached the door heard the deceased hollow murder several times and begging to Elijah for gods sake not to murder her, witness burst the door open and found the deceased lying on the floor with her clothes all burned off her except the body of her dress which was still on fire. The prisoner was standing over her without affording assistance. He aided in putting out the fire and then asked the prisoner how it happened, he replied that they were lying on the bed together she on his left arm & he with his right arm over her, he was asleep & the first thing he heard was a scream from his wife he jumped up & found her on fire, deceased said you know Elijah you kicked me in the fire, he denied it, the floor of the house was wet. 1

Jane Wilcher: on Christmas night, near 9pm, Betsey Clark "who was there said, dont you hear that woman hollowing, witness urder her husband to run and see what was the matter, he went and shrtly returned and said that witness must go there quick that the woman was nearly burned to death, she went and found Mrs. Brooks dreadfully burned and after decd was removed to Mrs. Clarks witness went to see her every day and one time asked decd how it happened that her hands were not burned, she replied, how could they be, witness asked her then why she did not try to put her clothes out, & she said she could not that he held her hands.". 1

Elizabeth Clark: on Christmas night she was at Mr. Wilchers "and some time in the night" circa 9pm "she heard Mrs. Brooks screaming and saying oh dont murder me. Mr. Wilcher went up to the house where prisoner lived and presently returned and told his wife & witness to go up that Mrs Brooks was almost burned to death. Prisoner came out & hollowed for god almightys sake come on as fast as you can after they went up the prisoner asked them to stay until he brought the doctor, the deceased said that Elijah had kicked her into the fire. After prisoner returned witness told him that Mrs. Brooks said he had kicked her into the fire, the prisoner said he did not and said Sally my dear, did I kick you into the fire, she made no answer.". 1

Polly Clark: went to the house of the prisoner next morning "after his wife was burned & found her more dreadfully burned than any one she ever saw. She was afterwards removed to witnesses house and died on the evening" of 12/31. "She was so much burned that form her neck to her ancles there was not a spot as large as her hand but what she saw.". 1

Margaret Paine: attended in dressing the burns of Mrs. Brooks. Wit. "talked to deceased seriously and told her that she did not expect her to live and as she expected to appear before her judge to tell her truly how it happened. She replied that he kicked me into the fire.". 1

Rockbr. Co. Judgments: Apr 1829/CSLC Murder: Elijah N. Brooks kills wife Sally. Kicked into fire and held her there. G; 12 years penitentiary.

Sources

1. ↑ Source: #S68
2. ↑ Source: #S53 Year: 1860; Census Place: Alleghany, Virginia; Roll: M653_1332; Page: 83; Image: 87; Family History Library Film: 805332
3. ↑ Source: #S15
4. ↑ Source: #S16
5. ↑ Source: #S15
6. ↑ Source: #S68
7. ↑ Source: #S53 Year: 1860; Census Place: Alleghany, Virginia; Roll: M653_1332; Page: 83; Image: 87; Family History Library Film: 805332
8. ↑ Source: #S68
9. ↑ Source: #S68
10. ↑ Source: #S53 Year: 1860; Census Place: Alleghany, Virginia; Roll: M653_1332; Page: 83; Image: 87; Family History Library Film: 805332
11. ↑ Source: #S41 Year: 1850; Census Place: District 1, Alleghany, Virginia; Roll: M432_933; Page: 23A; Image: 51
12. ↑ Source: #S16
13. ↑ Source: #S16

• Source: S15 Ancestry.com Virginia, Select Marriages, 1785-1940 Publication: Name: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2014; Repository: #R1
• Repository: R1 Ancestry.com
• Source: S16 Ancestry.com Virginia, Marriages, 1740-1850 Publication: Name: Ancestry.com Operations Inc; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 1999; Repository: #R1
• Source: S41 Ancestry.com 1850 United States Federal Census Publication: Name: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2009; Repository: #R1
• Source: S53 Ancestry.com 1860 United States Federal Census Publication: Name: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2009; Repository: #R1
• Source: S68 Ancestry.com Virginia, Deaths and Burials Index, 1853-1917 Publication: Name: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2011; Repository: #R1