Judge John Trimble
Judge John Trimble was born December 1783, in Kentucky, son of James Trimble and Mary Christian Moffett. John was not as dynamitic as his brothers, but true to the government for which
he worked. As a young man of 19, he served as secretary to the territorial Governor, in the pioneer town of Vincennes, Indiana. When he returned to Kentucky he studied law under George Nicholas, who had tutored his brother Robert.
John practiced in the courts of Paris, Kentucky and rose to the Circuit court.
Robert had supported the Anti-Relief Party (a contest between creditors and debtor classes in Kentucky.) The war involving Napoleon had devastated the industrial and financial fabric in
the European world causing starvation of the masses. The crash in 1819 shook this country. The Kentucky Relief Party who had set up a new Court of Appeals, was in conflict with the old court system.( Anti Relief party) John was a member of
the new court, being appointed by Governor Desha. The excitement, then discouragement surrounding John, soon caused him to resign his post. The legislature, who had created the New Court of Appeals, had been unable to remove the judges of the old
court. Law was passed to repeal the act which had established this Old Court. They refused to be abolished. The confusion and distrust caused by the political parties in Kentucky caused an exodus of the populace to other states and territories. It
appears that John never again was active in politics. Whether he and brother Robert were still friendly after all of this, is unknown.
There is some evidence that John and his family migrated to Missouri, where he died in 1854.
Source: Web page: Trimble Family of Kentucky
The Horrid Crime
Excerpt of Genealogy History.
Submitted by Sandy Turnbull, Australia.
John Turnbull along with his wife and their young family emigrated to Australia on the “Coromandel”, arriving in New South Wales on June 13, 1802. They settled in Ebenezer, on the
Hawkesbury River.
Daughter Mary Ann was born in 1796 in London, England, and raised in the Hawkesbury River area. She married James Joseph Hartley and had a son. In 1814 husband James died while in India.
Two years later Mary Ann married James Wright and by him, had three more children. In 1825 Mary Ann was found murdered, and on May 27, 1825 her husband James was executed for that crime. The follow story tells of the tale.
Sydney Gazette, 17 February 1825
The following may be depended on as the true account of the dreadful deed. On Saturday morning, the 5th of February between 8 and 9 in the morning, a most
barbarous murder was committed on the body of Mrs. Wright, a daughter (Mary Ann Turnbull) of Mr. John Turnbull of Portland-head, by her husband. This dreadful |
|
event took place in their own house, on the first branch of the River Hawksbury. The first notice of it was given by one of the children, who cried out to Mr. Cavenagh’s people, the
nearest neighours, that her mother was killed, and that her father had run away. On entering the house a shocking scene presented itself. The woman was lying on the floor covered over with the bed, bathed with gore, and quite speechless. On
examination she was found to have received several mortal fractures upon her head, besides several bruises in other parts of the body. The axe which had been the instrument of inflicting these wounds was lying at a little distance covered with her
blood and hair.
Medical aid was procured with the utmost dispatch, but it was unavailing, the poor woman died on Monday (February 7th). On the Coroner’s Inquest it was ascertained that the
women, as well as her husband, had been seen only a few minutes before the deed was perpetrated. The children had been sent to their customary employments; the eldest, a boy, to mind the pigs; the second, a girl, to frighten away the Cockatoos
from the maize, who had also to nurse the youngest child, an infant about a year old. There was only this difference, that the father sent away the least boy with some bread to his elder brother, which was an unusual thing. There was no evidence
of any domestic quarrel, either that morning or the proceeding night; nor of the intoxication of either of the parties.
Some conversation, however, of rather a singular nature occurred on Friday evening. The women, on telling her son that she should go with him in the morning to the place where he took
the pigs, that she might get some peaches, added---“If I live till morning, for I may die, or I may be killed;” on which her husband said--“Killed! Who is to kill you if I do not?” She replied, “No. there is no one to kill me if you don’t “. The
Coroner’s Inquest was willful murder against the husband, who has not yet been found, though several persons think they have seen him prowling about the neighborhood. By others it is conjectured, as he took his razors with him, that he has
destroyed himself.
MURDER…Friday, May 27, 1825. James Wright was indicted for the willful murder of his wife, Mary Ann Wright, in the district of Hawkesury, on the 5th of February
last.
It appeared in evidence, that the improper conduct of the deceased had been a constant source of disquiet to the unfortunate man; and was
eventually the cause of his committing the dreadful act; for which he stood trial. He confessed to the Magistrate, after he was apprehended, that having had reason to suspect the deceased of an adulterous intercourse with a man named Cavanagh, he
spoke to her on the subject, when she told him that—“ he knew she had been common both before and Since he married her, and that she would be so to any man she pleased.”—in the unguarded impulse of the moment, he seized an axe which was at hand,
and committed the dreadful act, which deprived the wretched victim of existence. He declared that he had no desire to escape from justice, and only absconded for the purpose of gaining time to pray to God for forgiveness. He was described by
William Cox, Esq. A Magistrate at Windsor, who had known him for some years, to have been a quiet |