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Perninah Janie Sharp

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Perninah Janie Sharp

Birth
Death
21 Jul 1910 (aged 18)
Rural Hill, Winston County, Mississippi, USA
Burial
Louisville, Winston County, Mississippi, USA Add to Map
Memorial ID
View Source
Janie was the daughter of William Clifton Sharp. She was murdered in Winston County, Mississippi in 1910. It was one of the most sensational cases ever to occur there. Time has obliterated much of the story and time has added many more details. She had been to the post office at Rural Hill near her home and on returning was attacked by her assailant while passing through a small part of woods. The scene of the crime showed signs of a terrible struggle. She was found later by her brother Lee Sharp. He fainted on seeing her body, but on regaining consciousness was able to go to the house a mile away and tell about it. Her father came and picked up the body and carried it all the way to the house. He suffered with palsy.

Janie was buried at Center Ridge Methodist Church about 10 miles west of Louisville, Mississippi, and a tall marble monument has been erected to her memory by her family and many friends.

A man by the name of Swinton Parmenter had been paying court to Janie, but she had become engaged to another man and had given Parmenter the news. One story goes that he had sworn that he would never let another man marry her. This was thought to be a bad loosers boast. Parmenter immediately became suspect. Accusations were made, and counter threats made. Parmenter was tried for the murder on very good evidence in the courts at Louisville. Feelings ran so high and so many prejudcies were brought to bear that the judge declared Winston County too biased for a fair trial, and ordered a change of venue.

Parmenter's brother and a detective in the case were both killed during this affair, as a result of the searches made to find proof of guilt. The case was tried again in Montgomery County , Mississippi, at Winona. Parmenter was acquitted of the murder, though many felt he was the guilty party. His sister was the star witness in the case. He died later after being a semi-invalid confined to a wheel chair. If he was guilty he never confessed or led any one to believe he was. If he was not guilty, no trace has ever been found of the real murderer.

Soon after this all that branch of the Sharp Family moved to Calera, Oklahoma, and none remained to tell the story except distant relatives and friends.

Story copied from http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/m/a/r/Keith-E-Marshall/FILE/0004text.txt
Janie was the daughter of William Clifton Sharp. She was murdered in Winston County, Mississippi in 1910. It was one of the most sensational cases ever to occur there. Time has obliterated much of the story and time has added many more details. She had been to the post office at Rural Hill near her home and on returning was attacked by her assailant while passing through a small part of woods. The scene of the crime showed signs of a terrible struggle. She was found later by her brother Lee Sharp. He fainted on seeing her body, but on regaining consciousness was able to go to the house a mile away and tell about it. Her father came and picked up the body and carried it all the way to the house. He suffered with palsy.

Janie was buried at Center Ridge Methodist Church about 10 miles west of Louisville, Mississippi, and a tall marble monument has been erected to her memory by her family and many friends.

A man by the name of Swinton Parmenter had been paying court to Janie, but she had become engaged to another man and had given Parmenter the news. One story goes that he had sworn that he would never let another man marry her. This was thought to be a bad loosers boast. Parmenter immediately became suspect. Accusations were made, and counter threats made. Parmenter was tried for the murder on very good evidence in the courts at Louisville. Feelings ran so high and so many prejudcies were brought to bear that the judge declared Winston County too biased for a fair trial, and ordered a change of venue.

Parmenter's brother and a detective in the case were both killed during this affair, as a result of the searches made to find proof of guilt. The case was tried again in Montgomery County , Mississippi, at Winona. Parmenter was acquitted of the murder, though many felt he was the guilty party. His sister was the star witness in the case. He died later after being a semi-invalid confined to a wheel chair. If he was guilty he never confessed or led any one to believe he was. If he was not guilty, no trace has ever been found of the real murderer.

Soon after this all that branch of the Sharp Family moved to Calera, Oklahoma, and none remained to tell the story except distant relatives and friends.

Story copied from http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/m/a/r/Keith-E-Marshall/FILE/0004text.txt

Inscription

Sleep on dear Janie, thy work is done,
Thy mortal pangs are o'er,
Jesus has come and borne thee home
Beyond this world of sin and woe.



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