McConnell Graveyard Checked, But…

2 Comments / Articles / / Dwight Williamson

Logan Banner, Tuesday, August 20, 1985

Special thanks to Mark Edward Jones for providing a clipping of this article.

By Dwight Williamson
(Part V in a Series)

Photo of Dwight Williamson, authorJust where is the legendary Mamie Thurman buried?

Did someone try to blot out her memory, even to the point of hiding her burial spot?

These are questions beginning to surface in the half-century later reflection into one of the most intriguing chapters of Logan County History — the Murder of Mamie Thurman.

George Morrison’s (Mrs. Thurman’s brother) hopes could have been heightened when his sister’s death certificate recently was found by employees of the Logan County Clerk’s office. But, yesterday’s extensive graveyard search by The Banner’s reporters Jeff Baughan and this writer proved fruitless. It can only add to the growing speculation about her life, death , her murderers, the events which led to her death and why now just what happened to her body.

The death certificate stated that Mamie Thurman (spelled Thurmond on the death certificate) had been buried at Logan Memorial Park at McConnell. On Friday Baughan spent two hours searching the numerous tombstones in the historical cemetery. Yesterday, another two hours were spent without turning up a single stone. Net even a clue.

Morrison, who is searching for the burial place of his half-sister, has already visited a Bradsfordsville, KY cemetery where funeral records at Honaker Funeral Home (Harris Funeral Home in 1932) stated she had been taken for burial. It is his interest which has brought up a piece of Logan County history many knew only by legend and tale.

The cemetery at McConnell, now pitifully overgrown with weeds, vines and trees, is the final resting place for many prominent Logan Countians and their families. Hundreds of graves spread out alone the hillside. Many of those graves bare the names of families of European descent, especially Italian.

Some of the dates of death engraved on the tombstones go back before even Mrs. Thurman’s death. While the weeds have, in some instances, completely covered tombstones, names and dates are very clear. If Mamie Thurman was buried there her tombstone could have been located.
1985 Graveyard conditions at Logan Memorial Park

1985 Graveyard conditions at Logan Memorial Park
Perhaps the only clues to where Mrs. Thurman is really buried may be on the funeral records at Honaker Funeral Home. During Morrison’s visit to Logan about two weeks ago, he was told Mamie Thurman was buried in Kentucky, but, without proof of his being an immediate family member, the funeral home would not allow him to review the records.

Morrison said he noticed a great deal of scribbling on some of the records and said he would send the funeral home the proper identification to secure those records. However, a spokesman at Honaker Funeral Home said he did not know if the funeral home had received anything from Morrison.

It can not be discounted that the possibility that someone still living in Logan County either attended the burial service (if there was one) or at least can verify that one did take place. Thus far, no one has come forward to say they know where she is buried, even though there are numerous Logan Countians in their late 70s and older who might recall those exciting events of 1932.

Unless that happens, Mamie Thurman’s final resting place may just remain a mystery just as much as gruesome death was like a sacrament 53 years ago.

It was a time when Logan County was beginning to feel its growing pains; a time when lad was dirt cheap and was still being gobbled up for pennies an acre by outside interests who later became large land owners and coal mine operators.

Indeed, the 1930s were hard time for America and doubly hard for Logan Countians, whose only major occupations had been farming, timbering and coal mining. In 1931, 10,794 men and boys worked in the in Logan County. According to an annual report of the West Virginia Department of mines, 6,443 of the workers where white, 2,212 were Negro, 968 Hungarians, 240 Italians, 168 Spanish, 204 Polish, 68 Greek and 491 others were of mixed descent.

Perhaps that is why the Logan County Commission complied with a request from Prosecuting Attorney Lloyd Hager for a $10,000 reward to anyone who could produce new evidence in the Mamie Thurman trial that would lead to a conviction.

The headlines of the September 9th 1932 edition of The Banner read: “Prosecutors Tell Court Much Information is Being Withheld; That Only Large Reward Can Bring Out; Expect Startling Confessions”

John (Con) Chafin, who had previously served 20 years as Logan Prosecutor and now had volunteered his services as assistant to Hager, was the first to approach the County Court.

“I have engaged in criminal law cases for a long while, but never have I heard of one more revolting than this,” Chafin told court member W.E. Shrewsburg, president; S.A. Ferrell and Dr. S.B Lawson, members.

“We have run down every clue that has been called to our attention. Mr. (Emmett) Scaggs and I have interrogated witnesses until 1 and 2 o’clock many a morning. We have never stopped devoting our time and energy to the case, and something has to be done.

“The crime has to be coped with in some way. In my honest opinion, people in this town and county know a lot which might throw light on it. But they are not divulging it because they do not want their names in court.

“This brutish crime has no equal in Logan County, and if the County Court will agree to offer a $1,000 reward, it will be best $1,000 ever spent in Logan County, in my opinion, if we get it.”

The Court unanimously agreed to post the reward and it became a major Logan Banner headline, one-week after both Harry Robertson and Clarence Stephenson were bound over to the September term of the Logan County grand jury, charged in connection with the crime.

Hundreds of the “thrill seekers” congregated at the Logan courthouse Thursday, July 29.

According to the Banner’s account: “They went there to hear the continuance of the preliminary hearing of Harry Robertson and Clarence Stephenson, his colored handyman, who are held in connection with mysterious slaying of Mrs. Mamie Thurman.

“The people who started gathering as early as 6 o’clock in the morning were sure of hearing a trial, but before they left they were puzzled as to just what had taken place.”

The Banner account described the day’s court activities as “commotion” and said several “ludicrous” incidents occurred. Reporter Many Scales said the people in attendance, who watched the witnesses’ “latest antics” must have felt they were witnessing the season’s latest comedy.

As the day wore on, Magistrate Elba Hatfield, a member of then infamous Devil Anse Hatfield clan, said a terrible crime had been committed.

“I realize all the evidence is circumstantial, but it is so very damaging against the two defendants that I feel the grand jury should investigate thoroughly.

“For that reason, this court rules that the defendants, Mr. Robertson and Stephenson, be held to answer any indictments that may be returned by the grand jury.”

Just as a matter of interest, about two weeks later a Hatfield reunion was held at Stirrat where 10,000 Hatfield relatives attended. It is interesting o note that among those in attendance were State Senator Henry D. Hatfield; Logan County Joe Hatfield; former Logan Sheriff Tennis Hetfield, who at the time was a nominee for his former job; Bill Hatfield, Sheriff of McDowell County; and Greenway Hatfield, Sheriff of Mingo County.

It was an era of change. And, as so many eras of change were marked with murder of calamitous events, this one was no exception. The era of change was marked by this great murder case and the so-far permanent decline of the Republican party in Logan County which lost power in that fall’s election…and things haven’t changed much politically, since.

(NEXT: Part VI, “Grand Jury Named; Inquiry is Begun; Robertson Is Not Indicted”),

Dwight Williamson is a former writer for the Logan Banner and a retired magistrate for Logan County.

*Published with permission.

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2 thoughts on “McConnell Graveyard Checked, But…”

  1. Ashlee

    Ive always heard she was buried right below the Steele mausoleum, right off the road.

    My family (Wallen and Abbot) are near the top.

    Reply

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