Who Do I Think I Am? Wow! part 17

One of William Trammell"s eleven brothers was Daniel Trammell (1745-1814), who was killed in Clarke County, Georgia, in 1814. Here is the story behind it:

Daniel Trammell first married Mrs. Sarah BROWNFIELD, widow of John BROWNFIELD, who was killed by Indians. In 1808, Sarah died and Daniel was the administrator of the BROWNFIELD Estate. Children of John and Sarah BROWNFIELD did not like this situation: Daniel TRAMMELL, their stepfather, had control of the money their real father had accumulated. Daniel married Fanny BOYD, 24 November 1809. About the same time the BROWNFIELD children were suing Daniel for the estate. As the years passed the feeling between their stepfather and them grew hotter. On 21 November 1814, Sarah's son Benjamin THURMOND "murdered" Daniel. The trial lasted ten days. Ben was sentenced to be hanged 25 March 1815. He escaped. The authorities issued a three hundred-dollar reward for his capture. He was recaptured and resentenced "to be hung or hanged by the neck at or near a gallows to be erected at or near Watkinsville*, the county seat of Clarke County, Georgia, 14 April 1815."

From the self-published book DESCENDANTS OF THOMAS TRAMMELL Compiled by Dr. Charles S. McCleskey.

* Now the county seat of Clarke County, Ga., is Athens.