Useless Information Podcast - Fascinating True Stories from the Flip Side of History

Thanks for the podcast on Will Purvis. I am a native of Marion County, Mississippi, and the community (today known as Morgantown-- 10 miles from Columbia) in which most of the White Caps lived who were involved in the murder of Will Buckley. Morgantown is across the Pearl River from the community in which the Buckley family lived. (The Widow Hammond's first name was Effie. She also lived across the Pearl River from the Buckley family.) Also, my great-great grandfather was Nelson Beard, a brother of Joe Beard. This family is also related to the named Louis Thornhill. One thing that I will correct concerns the revival meeting. Joe Beard did not confess in the revival meeting, but on his deathbed. Joe Beard's son-in-law was named Warren Evans, who returned to Morgantown in 1915 after living for a few years in Florida, where became a Pentecostal preacher with the Church of God (Cleveland, TN). Evans was the first to introduce the Pentecostal message into Marion County, Mississippi. His father-in-law, Joe Beard, became a convert of the Pentecostal movement. In 1917, Joe Beard was on his deathbed and desired to receive the Pentecostal experience of being "baptized with the Holy Spirit." Warren Evans told Joe Beard that in order to receive this experience, Beard would need to make sure he had a clean heart. Beard then revealed that for years he had been tormented because of the death of Will Buckley, and that every time he closed his eyes he saw Buckley falling from his horse after being shot. Joe Beard then told the family that he had drawn the shortest straw in the White Cap meeting and that he was to pull the trigger to kill Will Buckley. He and a relative named Louis Thornhill were hiding in a thicket (bushes) when the Buckley brothers approached. Beard said he was supposed to pull the trigger but that his heart failed him and he could not do it. It was then that Louis Thornhill took the gun and shot Buckley. And, you are correct that Beard died before the Grand Jury could get a sworn statement from him. However, shortly before his own death Louis Thornhill acknowledged to his family members this statement was true. Interestingly, the White Caps became angry about Beard's revelation in 1917. They devised a plan to attack Warren Evans, the Pentecostal preacher, for his efforts in exposing them. On June 27, 1917, two men lured Evans away from a home prayer meeting by claiming to seek salvation and wishing to pray outdoors. There, Evans was attacked by a mob of White Caps and beaten severely. He was hit over the head with a revolver, knocked to the ground and kicked until several ribs were broken, and eventually tied behind a buggy and pulled through the street (being left for dead in front of the home of some church members). In a coma for several days, Evans eventually recovered and continued to minister. Interestingly, there are only two churches in Morgantown today, a Church of God and a United Pentecostal Church. And, there are nine Church of God congregations and about 1,500 Church of God members in Marion County today, as well a numerous other Pentecostal churches. In addition, my great-great grandfather Louis N. Morgan (for whom I am named) was one of the White Caps who beat Warren Evans. Meanwhile, my great-great grandmother (the wife) was a charter member of Evans' church. She was also the niece of Joe Beard. My great-great grandfather Morgan (who beat the preacher) was later converted in the Church of God he had once opposed. Presently, I am a Church of God minister and a faculty member at a Christian university in Tennessee. So, this is just a bit more useless information for your Will Purvis story. Thanks for allowing me to share it.

posted by: Louis Morgan on Fri, 4/18 10:32 PM EDT