Who is the Wes Lewis that James H Duke accidently killed in Cannon Co. TN June 1897?

Question

James H Duke b. 15 Apr 1859, d. June 13th 1897 son of Gideon Floid Duke and Betsy King.  James was married to Oma Haley Parker.  They lived in Cannon County, Tennessee.  James was a black smith and his partner name was Wes Lewis. They got into a fight over drinking and gambling and legend says Wes Lewis picked up a wagon tree and James picked up a rock.  James hit Wes and killed him from a blow to the head.  James ran off and was found decapitaed on the railroad track.  Family believed either relatives of Wes Lewis or gambling partners killed him, arranging the body where there would be no evidence of murder.  No one was charged. Wes Lewis may have been a brother in law to James H Duke.  Oma Haley remarried and moved to Illinois and the children were put on the Orphan train.

Comments

Wes Lewis is my GG Grandfather. Family lore is a bit different..supposedly James Duke took money from business and used it to.gamble. When Wes confronted Duke about the business money missing and personal money Duke had borrowed to gamble, an argument ensued. After  Wes turned around, he was hit in the back of the head with blacksmith hammer(?).  

I am still looking for where Wes was buried as he is not buried at Gilley Hill. Does anyone have any information?

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Hi Brigida,

James Duke is my Gg grand-father.  I can share more info with you about him.  In the story I read, it also mentioned that they could be in-laws.  The only Lewis connection I found was to a Jesse Lewis.  He was married to one of James' sisters, Sarah Duke.  Did Wes Lewis have a brother named Jesse?  Was Wes his first name or middle name?  Feel free to email me at kerichar.66@gmail.com

~Kelly

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Thanks for replying. I will send you a personal email.

Answer 1

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NSVR-LVY

If you go to www.familysearch.org an put in his name and approx birth 1850-1860 you will see more. Put in Tennessee as well.