# A true account of Nayomy Wise

This text is a description of the murder of Naomi Wise, also known as Omie Wise, who was killed by Jonathan Lewis in 1807 (sometimes given as 1808), in Randleman, North Carolina. It is curious as it contradicts many of the details from, and adds many new details to, the account given in the better known Naomi Wise: The Wrongs of a Beautiful Girl, a formalized account of the murder by Braxton Craven first published in 1851. The text below was taken from a handwritten manuscript now held by the Charles E. Young Research Library, UCLA (UCLA-URL-SC 100, Box 7). It is from a commonplace notebook originally owned by one Mary Woody, born in 1801 and donated to UCLA in 1952 by Mrs. Thomas B. Williamson.
To Such as here and Wants to know A woman Came Some years ago Then from a Cunty named by hide In Randolph after did reside And by Some person was defild And So brought forth a basturd Child She Told her name neomy Wise Her Carnal Conduct Some did despise It was not long till She another that might be Cald a basturds Brother And Being poor and Credit low From hous to hous She had to go And labor hard in tiol and pain Herself and babes for to maintain The Second Child neomy bore think She Into a neighbors man Ben Sanders Swore And now She Seems give up to Sin Too much neglecting grace within In Eighteen hundred Six the year She was over come a gain we here And by a lewis was defiled And a third time became with Child a Sprightly youth a lively man Such was accounted Jonathan He held himself of high degree But too fond of Carnality Although her case was Surely Sad The girl it Seems apeard glad That She had known So brave a man Of So high Rank as Jonathan She by a yongster was beguild And pleased to find herself with Child And She So Sensless was of Shame She Seemd rejoiced and likd it well Ans bold Enough the Sin to tell And with the Scandel So Content She told it mostly Where She went Lewis then was offended high To be exposed far and nigh Fof [?] his own Credit Such Regard he promist her a grate Reward If She Would keep it quite Conceald And never let it be Reveald To keep it Secret then Lewis Chose and not the matter to expose To his disgrace and open Shame Nor bring dishonor to his name Although Shed Caus to morn and weep Yet She a Secret Cannot keep So void of fear grief or Shame What [?] he Said She would proclaim All Which inraged Lewis So He thought Some further yet to do He did not Choose her for a wife But threatened Hard to take her life Its huist he thought Vile work to Try Join murder [to] Carnality So Carry on the mass[acre?] And bring about the tragedie Such tails She told against his Will He threatened that he would her kill She disregarded what he said And of his threats Seemd not afraid She liked her State So very weell She Still inclind of it to tell And Lewis then with anger filled We guis he Thought She must be Killed She to the hous of Adams Came And Lived a While about the Same A School hous to that place Was near She promisd him to meet him there A mournful Story to Relate In 1807 date the poor young woman ded was found She [in?] deep River being drownd The People Thought non[e] more likely than
The angry Vexed Jonathan Might in a Vile and Wicked fit The Vile base murded might Comit And under water force her head Until he found that She was dead Now look and See some reasons why [—?] think he made her drownd and die I think he dont give reasons why Theyd meet at a School house So nigh And made naomy promiss well Of theire appointment none to tell When he was gone then soon behold She of the Same to mary told The[y?] went that night the both did go But did not meet it happend So Next day he Came a gain its said And then a new appointment made He told her then he thought he might Apoint to meet next Sunday night And Chargd her that She might Conceal The mater unto none reveal But she not fearful but was bold To mary Adams Soon She told And mary told her not to go Least that he might some mischief do He out of fury rage and spite To her some private mischief might There was no danger then she said And seem'd of Lewis not afraid Was tender hearted She believe'd Tho by him She was mutch deceive'd When night came on She took a pail But to return did Shorely fail She went with it towards the Spring Just like She went to water bring That seemd a long a tedious night Not knowing what there happebed might To mary long it Seemed to be And tedious to that family And when next morning plainly Came Naomi wont returned home Then mary went unto the Spring And found her not a Shocking thing But near the Same the pail She found And Standing on or near the ground So thare it was with water filled And mary though she was killd And then She did to denis go And thought Shed Let the neighbors know About the matter and inquire What he thought or did disire Might yet be dun and further Said There had been two apointments made To meet there With Some intent I realy think for mischief bent And further more She also Said He has murderd her I am afraid But denis thought he would not killl But he persuads against her will To Sware the Child to other man And Clear himself So if he Can A Cunstable then Lewis Was And Some aquainted With the Laws A precept had he did prepare To make the girl the Child to Sware Before it was born What Could it be mand [?] Unless he went himself to Screen [?] Or that it might tend to his honor to have the Crime laid all upon her And Denis dennis Said or hoped Some That soon she back again would Come When mary thus Such thoughts are thine And thy opinion is not mine And then insisted he might go To Joseph Elliots for to know If she was thare or had been seen For thare some time her Child had been And if She lives above the ground Some there She thought She might be found For denis Went but found her not then Came with him the sad Elot Then to the schoolhous Both Repair And found his hors tracks plenty thare Not many Sises grat and Small He thought one hors had made them all He Came and went plain to their Sight and had Been thear in both the nights Or its to travel took the day and one towards the River Way He did Conclude and did agree That She away must taken be To tell about naomy Wise And why [?] on the morrow day To hast away to Curnal gray And then before the Curnal Sware
About Naomy as the are And tell how She was missing too Let [?] him consider What to do Which When he came to understand He give a warent to Command The [?] Lewis to be taken why [?] That Justice might be done? thereby But Scarcely home When mary heard Naomy ded had then appeard She in deep River being found And most inhumanly She Was drowd The neighbors Soon Collected Were and many people being there and med was Sent to Lewis take and fetch him there a prisoner make The[y] brought him there firmly bound Unto the place Where She was drownd Next day the[y?] brought him Strongly tied Unto the Bank or River Side I guis to Lewis it was tring For to be brought Where She was Lying Was guarded here and Where he found A Larg concors [?] ware standing round Would not the heart of any been Much moved and peirded at Sutch a seen If theyd but think and take a vaiu [view?] She was with Child and murder too And the unhapy Victome See Of Such a Wicked Cruality then bound With Cord So fast and Strong Which to Such people did belong And then the orders the[y] Ware Such He Was requested her to touch And So he did We understand With a pale face and a trimbling hand The Crowner then a Jury had To try the mater which was sad And divers people furder more To [?] what the[y] knew the[y] also Swore And Mary adams did begin And Swore to what is within And William Wadkins did declare that Lewis had been Surely thare At his own house that very day And in the evening went a Way (seting) After the sian of the Sun And he towards the Schoolhouse run And also Wadkins did declare That it was not two miles from thare Ann Davis also Sworw and Said A noise was at the river made Shrieking [?] and a dofful Sound In that Same night that She Was drownd Shrieks Was awful two or three A morning [?moaning] then it Seem to be Supprising Shrieks a Shocking Crying As if Some Woman might by dying Which people Recond Was not more That fifty perches [16 1/2 feet] from the dore Some others might or as now mentioned be Who Said the Same as Well as She More Witnesses I mintion might If I to tell it took delight To them acounts min taking heed The Crowners Jury all agreed Neomy then was Carried by Said Lewis Who had made her die She in deep River being found I[n] humanly and basely drownd Amittance of Carnal gray
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