Photos of Charles E. Hill and Images Pertaining to His Book,
"Blood Mountain Covenant"
Charles E.
Hill, with his book
“Blood Mountain Covenant; A Son’s Revenge”
To the
right of the Suches directional sign, about 150 feet down into a small
ravine, lies Wolf Creek and the actual site of the murder of Reverend
John H. Lance. To the left of the sign and about a mile up the
mountain is Lance Cove, the site of the original Lance homeplace.
This is at the intersection of Highway 180 West and Highway 129.
These two roads did not exist at that time (1890).
In the
distance lies Yellow Mountain, where the Swaims and Cannups
resided. The name comes from the intense autumnal yellow hue of
the poplar trees that cover the mountain.
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The Nottely
River, near the Allison homeplace in Choestoe. On the left bank
was the site of the two room cabin where Jim Lance and his bride, Jane
Henson, moved to on their wedding day in November 1883.
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To the left
of Wolf Creek lies the original site of Jim and Jane Lance’s
homestead. Jim Lance bought 225 acres in 1903 and added on to the
old house that was on the property. Here, he and Jane raised
their nine children. After Jane’s death in 1916, Jim married
Melissa Spiva and they had eleven children of their own.
Charles and Jackie
Lance Hill
They are standing at the gravesite of Rev. John H. Lance. Mr.
Hill said, “I found out the stories that had been circulated were
entirely false. In fact, the Lances themselves had believed some of the
misinformation, like at the Old Salem Cemetery, on the marker, it said
“Rev. John Henry Lance killed by Fed Canup.” While the birth and
death date on this marker is correct, the Rev. Lance was actually
killed by Frank Swaim.
Jackie
Lance Hill, standing at the grave of her great-grandmother, Caroline
Lance.
The
gravesite of Jim and Jane Lance at the Henson Cemetery off of Owltown
Spur in Choestoe. The tall marker to the right was the original
stone marking Jane Lance’s grave until the double stone was erected
after Jim Lance’s death.
