Markham, Col. and Lawrence, Nat

LAWRENCE, MARKHAM

Posted By: Deborah Brownfield - Stanley (email)
Date: 2/12/2005 at 19:11:24

Fairfield Ledger
Fri. Apr. 14, 1939
Page 8 col. 4

KNOW YOUR IOWA. Interesting Historical Items Concerning the Hawkeye State and especially Jefferson County, Iowa. Compiled by RICHARD C. LEGGETT, Fairfield, Iowa.

“A DUEL – 1844.”

“While affairs of honor were common among our ancestors and many quarrels were settled with firearms on the duelling [sic] field, there is no record of the loss of life by such combats in Jefferson County. There is a tradition, supplemented by one of HIRAM HEATON’S articles in the Fairfield Tribune, telling of a duel fought in Fairfield in 1844. Details are lacking, but as I can ascertain, the affair started in Alston’s bar. It seems that one COL. MARKHAM made some remarks derogatory of the honesty of NAT LAWRENCE; one word followed another, until MARKHAM challenged LAWRENCE to a duel with shot-guns. COL. SAMUEL SHUFFLETON, the first lawyer admitted to the bar in Jefferson County, was LAWRENCE’S second, while COL. CROCKER, father of GEN. CROCKER of Civil War fame, acted in that capacity for MARKHAM. C. GILHAM and WM. ALSTON were witnesses.

“At the appointed time the party proceeded to the ground now occupied by the First Methodist church. LAWRENCE demurred, protesting that he wanted to go to his home and talk the matter over with his wife before he engaged in deadly combat. His protests were over-ruled and the affair proceeded in stern reality. The seconds proceeded to load the guns with studied care, the care being that a double load of powder and no balls were put in each gun. LAWRENCE attempted to put a bullet in his gun, but was informed that the seconds had loaded the weapons and the code duello prevented any tampering with them.

“Both fired at the word and MARKHAM fell heavily, groaning and threshing about as though he was dying. LAWRENCE tried to come up and see how badly MARKHAM was wounded, but the seconds and witnesses prevented him coming near. He was assured that MARKHAM was surely dying and that he had better escape the country. He rushed home, bade his wife goodbye and started for parts unknown. COL. CROCKER overtook him and told him that, although seriously wounded, MARKHAM would recover, and flight was unnecessary. What appeared to be a tragedy must have been a farce conceived in the fertile brains of the convivial spirits congregated in Alston’s saloon ….” (hand written notation)-(where Martins Drug Store now is.)