As very little was written at the time about events in 19th century Harlan County, it is necessary to piece accounts of events together from various sources. Some of the pieces regarding a killing that took place in 1880 are presented below in the hopes that some reader may have some of the other pieces.
According to circuit court records, several men were charged in November of 1880 with the killing of William P. Gilbert on Friday, July 30, 1880. The victim and those accused of the deed were all related in one way or another.
William P. Gilbert was born about 1845, the son of John and Hannah Farley Gilbert. In 1864, he married Elizabeth Anne Turner, daughter of James and Elizabeth Clay Turner. In 1882, the widowed Elizabeth married Joseph Setser. It is through her that the accused attackers were related to the victim.
The indictment reads as follows: "The Grand Jury of Harlan County in the name of and by the authority of the Commonwealth of Kentucky accused William Turner (George's son), William T. Turner, George B. Turner, Robert Turner, John C. Lankford, William Lankford and John Noe of the crime of murder committed in manner and form as follows."
Charging them first with conspiracy, the indictment charges in the second count that they "did unlawfully, willfully, maliciously and with malice aforethought kill and murder said William P. Gilbert by shooting him upon the breast with guns and pistols loaded with powder and leaden balls and other hard and combustible substances inflicting upon the person of said William P. Gilbert wounds from which wounds the said William P. Gilbert there and then died."
Although this sounds like everybody was firing weapons, the charge continues, clarifying the above by stating that the shooting was done "with a gun and pistol then in the hands of William Turner (George's son), the said William T. Turner, George B. Turner, Robert Turner, John C. Lankford, William Lankford and John Noe being present aiding and abetting and encouraging the said William Turner.
There are no notations on the file regarding the other conspirators but there is a small note in the margin stating that the jury found W.W. Turner not guilty. There is no indication as to whether or not he was charged with a lesser crime such an manslaughter, was not involved at all or what the final result was.
The accused were all related to each other. John C. Lankford was the son of William and Mary Lyttle Lankford. The William Lankford named is believed to be the father of John's brother William (the only other William Lankford in the area) was only 13 years old at the time.
The older William was the son of Benjamin and Temperance Posey Lankford. Temperance's sister Nancy was the wife of George Brittain and the great grandmother of some of the Turners indicted.
John Noe was the son of Ambrose and Eliza Ann Lankford Noe and thus a cousin of John C. Lankford and nephew of William Lankford, Sr.
The George B. Turner named in the indictment could be either George B., Sr. or George B., Jr., but he is believed to be the younger of the two and brother to Robert and to the William referred to as George's son.
George B. Turner, Sr., was the son of William Turner and his first wife, Elizabeth Anne, daughter of George and Nancy Posey Brittain and thus he was cousin to the victim's wife, Elizabeth Anne Turner Gilbert.
William T. Turner was a half-brother to George B., Sr., being a son of William Turner and his second wife Manerva Brittain who was a cousin of the first wife's.
An intriguing reference regarding George B. Turner, Jr., is located in some deed descriptions. The boundary of some property being sold by some Eagers refers to one of the points as a poplar tree near the west bank of Catrons Creek standing about 60 yards from the "sulpher spring where George Turner was killed."
This property was in the vicinity of present day Catrons Valley or Mary Alice and this killing is believed to have taken place in the late 1890's. Any additional information about either this event or the events surrounding the killing of William Gilbert and the subsequent trial would be appreciated.