Hill Country Living
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Hill Country Living
By Coulter Fussell
It’s a Wagner Week and I just stumbled upon a third mention of the Jake Kimsey and Miss Fannie Kimsey double-murder of 1904! I’ve referenced this murder before. I only found out about it through a Jack Gurner Facebook post years ago and have since found two previous references to it in the Wagner Letters.
The double-murder, committed by a man named Edward Gammon, was a classic case of what we now call “domestic violence.” There was no such phrase for that back when the newspaper accounts were written. Long story short – Edward was either dating Fannie, infatuated with Fannie or both. Fannie’s father, Jake, told Edward to leave Fannie alone. I assume this was at Fannie’s request. Instead of obliging, Edward shot and killed Jake in broad daylight out in an open field in front of Fannie. He then tried to kidnap Fannie but, understandably, she wouldn’t go. So, he shot her in her back as she ran from him. She was killed. All of this was witnessed by a “hired girl” named Mary Jane Mayes, who promptly told what she saw. Edward Gammons was tracked down to Pontotoc County under threat of mob violence and hanged right here in Water Valley.
Edward Gammon’s unsuccessful courtroom defense pointed to his being an “excessive cigarette smoker” and that “for several years had been afflicted with a mania for shooting at things.”
Ya don’t say?
Poor Fannie and Jacob. Thank goodness Mary Jane Mayes lived and could tell their story. I hope she found some peace somehow.
Water Valley, Mississippi February 15, 1905
My dear Jesse,
Your letter to hand. It reached me yesterday in Memphis. We were in court all last week trying the “Gilmer Farm” matter and finished it in Holly Springs Monday P.M. The judge has not yet rendered his decision, but we think it will be favorable to us.
It was very cold there and Will and I left and went to Memphis that night and stayed at the “Gayoso” and left last evening for home. Got here 11 o’clock today. There were wrecks between here and Oxford so it’s fortunate that we got home when we did.
Everything is dull and cold in Mississippi and business is dull. Did not see Mary. Gene was down here Sunday.
It broke the record here in the past few days — snow and ice and the therm. shows 4 degrees below zero and in some places they say it was 10 to 15 below. Nothing doing.
Gammon was hung Saturday. 2000 people attended. None of us went except Gene and Hiram.
Kalista is here and everything goes on as well as usual. We all miss you and we wish you were home though we all know that Mrs. Simmons will take the best of care of you and I would rather you would be with her and under her advice and care than anyone that I know. We are all well and all of us send much love to you also our kind regards to Mrs. Simmons and Nancy and Joe and her family affectionately.
Your father,
DR Wagner
