Homicide at Cochran, Georgia!
During the decade of Reconstruction, William transitioned from a Confederate officer to a prominent merchant in the newly established community of Cochran, Georgia. Officially incorporated in 1869, the town was built around a stop on the Macon and Brunswick Railroad. Merchants like McVay were crucial to the town's early economy, linking local cotton and agricultural products to the wider regional markets.
Being a successful merchant in a small, post-war Southern town (not to mention his veteran status) likely meant William was an individual of considerable influence and standing in the local community and surrounding counties. A snippet from an article in the Georgia Historic Newspapers archive suggests that William was also active in local Democratic Party politics. All of this adds significant weight to the event of his killing on 20 December 1876.
Alongside advertisements for Holiday Goods, Christmas Toys, and New Year's Presents, was an article published in the Macon Telegraph and Messenger (Georgia) that reported the demise of W. T. McVay.
"A most unfortunate homicide occurred at Cochrane [sic] yesterday, the particulars of which are briefly set forth in the following dispatch:
A shooting affray occurred here to-day between W. T. McVay, his son G. T. McVay, and Sol Moss, which resulted in the killing of W. T. McVay and the serious wounding of Sol Moss. The difficulty originated over some cotton which McVay and Moss were trying to purchase.
The deceased, Mr. McVay was well known and highly esteemed in Macon, where he did an immense amount of trading. There is a single house in this city which sold him as high as $30,000 worth of goods a year, and others which have probably sold him an equal amount. He was distinguished for his promptness in business matters, as well as for his success as a merchant.
We hope to get further reports from the melancholy affair to-day."
Disputes over cotton were not unusual, as the Reconstruction-era cotton market in Georgia was fiercely competitive, often leading to violent confrontations between rival buyers struggling to secure crops from impoverished farmers to supply Northern and European mills.
The following verdict was rendered by the coroner's jury and published in another local newspaper: "We, the jury of inquest over the body of W. T. McVay, deceased, hereby render this our verdict, in said case, to-wit: That the deceased came to his death by a pistol shot in the hands of some unknown party."
After William's death, Mrs. M. E. McVay entered into partnership with Augustus Edward Choate and continued "the Warehouse and Mercantile business of the old and well known house of W. T. McVay." They bought cotton and all other farm produce, and sold all classes of goods except whiskey.
George Thomas McVay, who was with his father at the time he was shot and killed, died on 28 June 1881. The family included two other sons, W. E. McVay and L. E. McVay, one of whom was expected to graduate the following day. As was reported in the Eastman Times (Georgia) --
"Mr. G. T. McVay of Cochran died on Tuesday last at 2 o'clock P.M.
A correspondent of the Telegraph writing from that place thus speaks of his death:
At half-past two o'clock to-day we witnessed the death of G. T. McVay, son of Mrs. M. E. McVay. Instead of the rejoicing that to-morrow was expected to bring by the graduating of her second son, the broken-hearted mother is called to stand by the grave of her eldest, and all her anticipated joy is turned to mourning. With her many friends we tender our sympathy. Surely the hand of the Lord is being laid heavily upon this community."
Martha Ella Linder McVay died on 11 July 1911. Her death was reported in the Cochran Journal --
DEATH OF MRS. W. T. MCVAY, SR.
Mrs. W. T. McVay, Sr., age 72 years, died at Eastman at 2:00 P.M. Tuesday while visiting her son, L. E. McVay, and was buried at Weeping Pine cemetery here Wednesday afternoon at 4 o'clock. Mrs. McVay was the wife of W. T. McVay, Sr. deceased, who was a prominent cotton buyer and merchant here 35 years ago. At the time of his death he was doing the largest business in Cochran, and occupied the entire block where the post office and the stores of J. J. Taylor and J. E. Cook now stand.
Mrs. McVay was a splendid character, a consistent member of the Methodist church, -- true to her family and friends. She had been in feeble health about a year and a half. She leaves two sons, W. E. McVay, of this city, and L. E. McVay, of Eastman, and eight grandchildren to mourn her loss.
William Thomas McVay, George Thomas McVay, and Martha Ella Linder McVay were all laid to rest in Cedar Hill Cemetery at Cochran, Bleckley County, Georgia.
Comments