When researching family history, you never know what you might find. So far, I have found over 400 of my ancestors, and have found nothing as shocking as the death of my 4th great-grandfather, Peter Shevalier.
Peter Shevalier was counted on the Mortality Schedule taken on September 7, 1850, as "Peter Chevalier". It reports he was a married farmer, born in New York, and that he died in April of that year. The cause of death? "Murdered".
A simple newspaper search at fultonhistory.com led me to tragic details. It was printed in The Democrat, Penn-Yan, New York, Tuesday, May 7, 1850. (Transcription below):
"Intemperance and Murder. We learn from the Cortland Democrat that on Wednesday last, in the town of Marathon, in that county, two individuals, named John Hanes and Daniel Modelle, procured ten quarts of whiskey, and proceeded to the house of Peter Shevalier, probably for the purpose of having a 'spree' - They spent most of the day carousing, &c., until a dispute or quarrel arose between the parties, which ended in the strangling (as is supposed) to death of aforesaid Shevalier, and thrusting of the body into a hole in the floor. The first intimation of it was the finding of the above named Hanes and Modelle in the room in a state of intoxication, and the deceased in the hole with his head down and feet resting upon the floor. When spoken to on the subject, Modelle (who we believe is quite a youth) said that Hanes struck Shevalier and choked him to death and then thrust him into the hole. This was peremptorily denied by Hanes, who contended that Modelle had as much to do in the matter as himself. They are both in jail." - Syracuse Standard.
When the census was taken in 1850, John Haynes, age 21, and Daniel Modelle (or Madole), age 17, were in the custody of Sheriff Pomeroy in Cortlandville. Why their crime is listed as "manslaughter" is beyond me, and it appears both were freed within 5-10 years. There was a John S. Haynes living in Preble (same county) when the 1855 New York State Census was taken, but his age was given as 23, so he may not have been the murderer. However, in 1860, there was a man named Dan Madole, age 27, living in Marathon on the farm indof Cornelius Livingston. This almost certainly was the same man involved with the murder of my 4th great-grandfather.
Meanwhile, Peter's family was counted on the census that year on September 7, 1850, as follows:
Peter's widow, "Anna" (Joanna), three daughters and two sons lived in the home. Their 25-year old son, Christian, had stepped in as head of the household, and four of their other children were in the home: Hannah, age 19, Jane, age 14, Abram, age 8, and Lucy Ann Shevalier, age 23. Lucy married the following year to Nicholas Hollenbeck.
Joanna remarried to Aaron Campbell, and is buried in Willet beneath a headstone that reads ""Joanne - Relict of Peter Shevalier - Wife of Aaron Campbell - 1800-1889". Click here for photos.
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