Lewis McQueen (abt. 1765 - 1803)

Born about 1765 in Virginia

Husband of Mary Ann (Ennis) Moses — married 7 Dec 1785 in Amherst, Virginia, United States

Descendants

Died Dec 1803 at about age 38 in Charlottesville, Albemarle, Virginia, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Myrtle Mandane Ennis [send private message]

Biography

Lewis McQueen Virginia Argus 14 Dec 1803 Lewis M'Waine--who murdered Doc. James Hopkins, of Amherst County, in April last, was hung at Charlottesville on Friday last, the term of his respite having expired. We can give no other particulars at present. Virg. Tel.

(personally I think the son-in-law did the deed, Captain Richard Pollard,who had the most to gain.)

Lewis McWane was a resident of Nelson County in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. He was accused of murdering another person in 1803, was brought to trial in Charlottesville and found guilty, and thus became the first white man to be judicially hanged in the history of Albemarle County, with the only other such known individual being the early twentieth century Charlottesville mayor J. Samuel McCue.

Circumstances behind hanging Case James Hopkins was the son of Dr. Arthur Hopkins, one of the earliest and largest landholders in Albemarle County. James was reported to have possessed considerable wealth and to have been very well-educated, having made choice of his father's profession and subsequently studying medicine abroad at the University of Edinburgh. Upon his return to the United States, he settled in modern Nelson County (then part of Amherst County), making his home under the shadow of Sugar Loaf Mountain and for many years being occupied with an extensive practice there.

James and his wife, Anne Sparks Martin (a relative of Thomas S. Martin) had one child, a daughter, who was married to Captain Richard Pollard. James was reported to have conceived a contempt for his son-in-law because he at least once caught him kidnapping enslaved workers from his plantation and selling them to others.[1]

During the evening of March 4, 1803, while kneeling during the act of conducting family worship, James was shot through the window of the room and died of his injuries within the hour. After a careful measurement of the tracks made in the snow by the shoes of the guilty individual, Lewis McWane, another inhabitant of the county, was arrested for the crime. He was examined by the Amherst County Court and later sent on for trial in the District Court of Charlottesville, where he was convicted and sentenced to be hung there in late 1803.

Execution On the scaffold during the day of his hanging, McWane continued to deny having performed the deed. He avowed that he had been employed by Pollard to commit the murder and had approached the window of James' house for that purpose but, upon seeing the old man kneeling in prayer, changed his mind and returned to Pollard a short distance off, declaring that he did not have the heart to perpetrate the act. Upon this exchange taking place, Pollard (according to McWane) forced him to switch shoes and went to the window himself, shooting his father-in-law with his own hand. McWane alleged that Pollard's motive in desiring James' death was to prevent him from making a will, having in some way formed the impression that he was to be excluded from all interest and control in the latter's estate. On the ground of this statement, Pollard was later arrested and tried but was ultimately acquitted in the absence of all other testimony; however, the belief was widely prevalent that McWane's declaration on the day of his execution had been true.

Aftermath Pollard lived to a great age and was reported to have never by word nor act in the slightest degree betrayed his alleged guilt in James' murder. Indeed, James had in actual fact already made his will prior to his killing. His testament provided for the gradual emancipation of his slaves and the conveyance of his estate to his daughter and his grandson Dr. Arthur Pollard (contingent upon the latter individual changing his last name to Hopkins, with this requirement eventually being duly effected by the County Court of Amherst).[2]

Lewis was born about 1765. Lewis McQueen ... ^[1]

Familysearch.org, Film # 008189992, Image 654-55 of 669

Amherst Deed Books v. H-I, p. 611-612

This Indenture made this Eighteenth day of May in the year of our Lord Eighteen hundred and three between Lewis McWaine of the County of Amherst of the one part and Dan’l Higginbotham of the County aforesaid of the other part Witnesseth that the said Lewis McWaine for and in consideration of the principal Sum of thirteen pounds ten shillings and eight pence due by the said Lewis McWaine to Brown Rives & Co. by Bond bearing date the second day of may in the year Eighteen hundred & two on which said was brought returnable to Amherst March Court last and for an in consideration of the further Sum of five Shillings on hand paid by the said Daniel Higgenbotham to the said Lewis McWaine hath granted bargained & sold and by these presents doth bargain sell and confirm unto the said Dan’l Higginbotham his Heirs and Assigns the following property viz. one bay Mare now in the Hands of Wm. Lee Harris and one colt to have and to hold the said bargained and sold premisses aforesaid to him the said Dan’l Higginbotham his Heirs and Assigns forever upon trust never the less that the said Dan’l Higginbotham his Heirs and Assigns at any time after the first day of Augus which shall happen in the year one Thousand Eight hundred & five and after having given ten days notice previous of the time and place of sale shall sell to the highest Bidder for the best price that can be obtained in ready money the above mentioned bargained & sold property and his Receipt or receipts to the Purchaser or Purchasers thereof shall be a compleat discharge to the Purchase or Purchasers for so much of the purchase money as the receipt or receipts shall specify without such Purchase or Purchaser being in any manner obliged to see the proper application thereof or answerable for the misapplication of the same and out of the money arising from such sale shall in the first place pay and discharge all the necessary expenses attending the execution of this trust and in the next place pay and satisfy to the said Brown Rives & Comp’y the debt above mentioned due as aforesaid and all Interest due then thereon and the Balance of the money arising from such sale shall pay to the said Lewis McWaine, his Exrs or Admrs. or to his or their order. In witness whereof the said Lewis McWaine hath hereunto subscribed his name and affixed his seal the day & year first above written. Sealed and delivered in the presence of } Lewis McWaine {seal}

Alex.r B. Rose his X mark

Waddy Thompson

Leymon Powell

Mark Lively

• Turned over to Albemarle Court FamilySearch. Order books 1801-1804, 1806, Film #007893706, Image 376 of 690.

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Sources

1. ↑ First-hand information as remembered by Myrtle Mandane Ennis, Thursday, February 20, 2014. Replace this citation if there is another source.

• Marriage to Molley Innis "Virginia Marriages, 1785-1940", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XR77-3MV : 29 January 2020), Luis McQueen, 1785.

• Personal Property Tax List, 1786 FamilySearch. Amherst County, Virginia.

• Personal Property Tax List, 1787 FamilySearch. Amherst County, Virginia.

• Personal Property Tax List, 1788 FamilySearch. Amherst County, Virginia.]

• Personal Property Tax List, 1789 FamilySearch. Amherst County, Virginia.

• Personal Property Tax List, 1790 FamilySearch. Amherst County, Virginia.

• Personal Property Tax List, 1791 FamilySearch. Amherst County, Virginia.

• Personal Property Tax List, 1792 FamilySearch. Amherst County, Virginia.

• Personal Property Tax List, 1795 FamilySearch. Amherst County, Virginia.

• Personal Property Tax List, 1796 FamilySearch. Amherst County, Virginia.

• Personal Property Tax List, 1797 FamilySearch. Amherst County, Virginia.

• Personal Property Tax List, 1798 FamilySearch. Amherst County, Virginia.

• Personal Property Tax List, 1799 FamilySearch. Amherst County, Virginia.

• Personal Property Tax List, 1800 FamilySearch. Amherst County, Virginia.

• Personal Property Tax List, 1801 FamilySearch. Amherst County, Virginia.

• Personal Property Tax List, 1802 FamilySearch. Amherst County, Virginia.