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Contents |
Biography
Nancy is the daughter of John Gray and Sarah Humphreys.
Nathan Langston passed away in 1857 which left his youngest son, William S. Langston, to manage the family's 120 acre farm and care for his elder brother John. John was considered mentally disabled and could not be left with his mother, Nancy, as he was prone to violent outbursts directed at her. Therefore, William S. Langston managed the farm and the care of his brother until John's death 11 years later in 1868.
The Murder of Nancy Gray Langston
William S. Langston married Sarah Francis Drake known as "Frank" in 1871 in Coles, Illinois. Frank & William's mother, Nancy, did not get along. In fact, Frank plotted to murder Nancy in order to get the entire Langston farm for herself & her husband William S. However, when Frank's plots failed she recruited her brother-in-law, John Cassady, to murder Nancy. John Cassady tried to poison Nancy by lacing her butter stock and flour barrel with arsenic. Nancy discovered the poisonous butter, but not the flour barrel. Shortly after moving to a new household, the matron where Nancy lodged, used the flour for bread. The entire family fell severely ill, but all recovered.
Then Frank recruited one of her cousins, David Drake, to kill Nancy. Drake knocked on William S.'s door and informed him that Frank had contracted him for $500 to kill William's mother. Frank had also instructed him that William S. was to aid him.
The pair arrived at Nancy's new house after dark. She let them in because she was on good terms with her son, William S. -- just not with his wife, Frank. They talked for a few minutes and she retired to her bedroom. Several weeks earlier, Nancy had taken in a neighbor's 12 year old daughter, Mary Easter, as a roommate who shared the bedroom with her.
William S. and David Drake agreed that Drake would do the killing with his knife and that the girl would be spared if she remained asleep during the killing.
After Nancy fell asleep they entered the bedroom. By David Drake's account, William S. held his mother's head as he slit her throat. Young Mary awoke and William S. held her head as Drake butchered the 12 year old girl. At his trial William S. claimed he was in the room during the murders, but stood in a corner and turned his back to the blood-bath.
Several days later, to divert suspicion from himself, William publicly hired two detectives to find his mother's killer. The detectives quickly uncovered the identity of the killers and blackmailed William S.. He ponied up $700 in cash and promissory notes to buy their silence. They double-crossed him and turned their evidence over to the local Sheriff. The Sheriff arrested William S. shortly before a lynch mob arrived at William S.'s doorstep.
During the ensuing trial, William's wife, Sara Francis "Frank" Langston and her brother-in-law, John Cassady, were found innocent of the murders.
William S. Langston & David Drake were found guilty for the murder of William's mother, Nancy, and her 12 year old border, Mary Easter. William was sentenced to life imprisonment for the crime. He died in the Illinois State Penitentiary in Joliet, Illinois. His death was recorded as suicide by hanging.
1850 U.S. Census. Wabash, Coles, Illinois
- Nathan Langston Male 34 Illinois
- Nancy Langston Female 32 Tennessee
- John Langston Male 13 Illinois
- Wm Langston Male 8 Illinois
1860 U.S. Census Matoon, Coles, Illinois
- Nancy Langston Female 42 Tenn
- John Langston Male 22 Ills
- William Langston Male 18 Ills
Sources
- https://pt.findagrave.com/memorial/61219817/nancy-langston
- https://www.geni.com/people/Nancy-Langston/6000000020449714511
- https://sites.rootsweb.com/~tugaloo/page4.html
- 1850 U.S. Census. Wabash, Coles, Illinois https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M852-927
- 1860 U.S. Census Matoon, Coles, Illinois https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MX4J-W1Q