The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1890-04-02
PUBLIC EXECUTION.
AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY
OWN. sHACKELFORD, ALI
AS Up. DAVIS.

AN AL lODlOOIohA - =
OFwM. sHACKELFORD, ALI
AS j. p. DAVIS.
He Records His Life--And Gives
an Account of HIS Crimes
A Thrilling Warning and
Appeal--By the Man
a. Whose Last Day on
Earth rs To-day
Raleigh Daily oronicle. March 2sth.
VIM. Shackleford, alias J. p.
Davis, sketch Of his life, and a full
confession of some of his crimes,
written by his own hand. THIS
autobiography was secured ut the
expense Of pains and money.
PERyAcE. <@
THIS autobiography appears as it
cane directly fr"m the hand of Davis.
eIcep, that great deal hss been left
out that would have been OF little or
NO interest TO any one; and his des-
criptiol. of the part he played in the
seduction of two innocent women has
also been omitted, as well as much
that was said OF divers ministers and
other, ,n the ground Of its person.
atty.
He wrote the following pages
while l was acting as night-watch
and hsn,ieIl lhem to me for publics'
ton.
JAMES E. BURKE.
THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY.
Having decided to write out a brief
sketch Of my life. I do SO with no hope
Of realizing any bene6ttherefrom, but
that it may serve as . qualification to
all who feel an interest in me; and
that it may be a satisfaction to those
who at any time have endeayored to
promote my happiness here.
Feeling, as l do, that / am wholly
inadequ te to the task, undertake II
with fear, lest / should fall short Of
the object in view; hut hoping that,
notwithstanding its imperfectiou., it
may in The order OF Providence prove
benefit to some who may be saved
from like errors by its warnings, /
will endesvor to bring forth q short
history of my life, II in the few DAYS
that now remain to me, | n.y be able
10 consummate the work before me.
Nv father was of Irish descent, born
of wealthy parents twentysone miles
from Marion Court-h"use, South Car
DINA, on the road leading to &c rge-
town, at place known as tie Red.
house, in Briton's Neck. Sly grand.
father, who was 8 rice planter, died
abous three weeks before the b RIB oil
my father, and my father was left
mo.herIess at the age of FIVE days
He was taken and raised by uncle
John Baker, Who turned over to hin
his fathers estate at the aye of nine
teen years. At The age Of twenty my
father married Mary ) Davis / an
their Oldest child, having been born
in the year 1913. I have one sister
seven years youngerthsn myself.
l received q moderate education,
not that my father WAS not able h
have given me q collegiate education
hut I had to stop school TO 20 10 th.
arr y in 1864, al the time when al
men from sixteen TO sixty we're calIet
into service. / was mustered in IN,
der Col. Cash, at Florence, and va
turned over 10 Col Dukin and receiy
ed arms at Atlanta. Georgia
/ was in the army but short time
having been discharged, after an ex'
animation BY ORA Culpepper ant
Doegett, as unfit for service on &C.
count Of protractsd sickness.
After the war ] resumed my studio
at school, but did not 60 long befor'
I met o young lady, Miss Eliza Potter
for whom / formed Q very strong At
tachment, and we were married II
December, 1866. We have had eigh
children born to as, seven Of whol
are living.
I vas licensed 10 preach at Soul,
Chapel, s. C. by w. G. Powell (P. Z
Methodist Episcopal Church, Sonth
in the year 1870, after which / con
tinued ~ labor by aiding the preache
In charge, and the local brethren
within The bounds Of the work unit
tie fsll Of 1880, when was appointe,
BY the Rev. DR.. ROssen 10 take charg
Of the conwsytoro circuit, but di
not do 70 because Of o supply bayip
been cent 70 them after conference
But in view Of this appointment
disposed of my farm in Marion an
bonghi farm on the Lake Swami
10 Horny county. 10 which | move
10 1887.
owipg TO bad crop, / was nnabl
top.y iJr THE farm, aud lost il.
Thea rpnieJ farm within half q mil
Of my i,ther, WIN had also moved I
Horny s0unty. While living here
mad. NY Oldest daughter submit
me by threats Of killing her II 81
did NOS, and when che was abOI
seventeen years ofage she gave birI
10 q child.
This child was supposed 10 has
been born dead, but that Was not .
IL gas a veil defeloped child. but