On 19th century American farmsteads, comfort in the form of food and textiles were expected to be provided by the woman of the house. Soft, warm furnishings were made in the home or done without. Little girls in the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries worked samplers where they could practice alphabet and numbers while gaining facility with needle and thread. Most of us have seen examples of these; considered antiques, they are collected. Somewhat less well known, quilting was another needle art that introduced young girls to necessary homely skills that could be decorative as well as useful. Making warm quilts for a growing family was an expected task, just as weaving coverlets had been before inexpensive cloth became widely available and looms were put away.
​
We have a couple of these little textiles out on display in the dining room of the North House Museum as part of our celebration of National Quilt Month in March (and into April).  Their makers were probably stitching with their dolls in mind.

​Jane Hughes, retired librarian and long-time volunteer in the Greenbrier Historical Society’s archives, shared with us a quilt her grandmother made as a girl of 10. Known as Redwork, these white quilts with red embroidered animals, plants and people were popular in the late 1800s - early 1900s, and pattern books could be purchased.

​The actual quilting was as important as the embroidery, though many examples of unquilted tops exist. The quilting was less fun than making embroidered pictures. If you look closely at Nellie’s quilting, you can’t help but be impressed with her neat lines, her ability to achieve 10 to 12 stitches to the inch, and the perseverance required to complete the quilt.

​We don’t know the identity of the girls who created the doll-sized quilt tops in our collection, but we do know about Nellie of the Redwork quilt, not the least because she signed and dated her work. If only every one of our quiltmakers had done that!

​Born in 1888 to a family in the Midwest, Nellie Edith Bray Becker grew up to be a no nonsense, practical farm wife. She made handsome quilts for her family but maintained that beauty was beside the point of a quilt; and yet, this her first quilt, a sampler finished in 1908, shows a definite penchant for decorative work and awesome stitching.

More Than A School – Collective Memories from Bolling School Alumni -- By Arabeth Balasko

“A forgotten past is a past that is yet to be. A forgotten history is a memory missing from our collective conscience. An incomplete history is like an incomplete mind that has forgotten who it is and where it came from.” ― A.E. Samaan

     What do you remember about your early school experiences?  Can you recall the exact details of your classroom’s layout?  What about the smells of the hallway?  Do you remember all of your teacher’s names?  What about significant moments in time – do you remember where you were when you found out about these life-changing events?

     In December 2021, I had the privilege to speak with two alumni from Bolling School, a former segregated school located in Lewisburg, West Virginia.  Bolling School operated as both an elementary and high school and became the only high school open to Black students in Greenbrier County prior to desegregation.  Although it officially closed its doors as a segregated institution in 1964, Bolling School’s legacy has lived on in its alumni for decades.

     Today the school’s layout has changed physically, but in the memories of Mr. Alex Pryor and Mr. Marion Gordon, Bolling School looks just as it did in the 1950s.  Both now in their 70s, each can still recall every detail of their time at Bolling School.  Their stories, although different, shared many collective notes – the influence of their educators, the compassion and care of their community, and their lifelong connection to, and their love for the Bolling School transported me back in time with them as they shared their memories with me.

    Their interpretation of growing up during the Civil Rights Movement in Greenbrier County, West Virginia and their personal experiences of racism and discrimination juxtaposition with their stories of individual successes and triumphs.  These unique and shared experiences serve as gateways into the past – memories and stories allow for individuals to connect with one another on a deeper, more meaningful level. 

     Oftentimes, we as people shy away from hard histories, hard conversations – we can minimize hurts, and maximize virtues, but I feel that is a misstep.  History is ugly, sad, beautiful, heartwarming, heartbreaking, and real.  It happened.  We cannot change that, but we can work together to showcase how it happened, why it happened, and help reshape it for today’s generation through a modernized lens.  It is one way to step forward into a new story, a new era of oral histories and shared experiences.  By encouraging folks to use their voices, to speak their story, and share their truth, there is a lot of healing and rebuilding which can happen in the humanities realm. 

    I will close with this – I feel that it is always important to stay human – meaning, approach all you do with an open-mind, an inquisitive nature, and a listening ear.  You never know how your approach, your efforts, your “expressions of love,” can repair a damaged relationship, inspire a new generation of folks, or encourage others to take ownership of their stories and reclaim their voices.  

     To hear Mr. Pryor and Mr. Gordon's Oral History interviews about their time at the Bolling School, please click on the videos below to be redirected to the Greenbrier Historical Society's YouTube channel!

Come Learn About Historic Tavern Stenciling with Deb Marquis-Cascio -- By Arabeth Balasko

     When Deb, the Greenbrier Historical Society's Lead Docent and Museum Associate, began an intensive stenciling project in July 2021 at the North House Museum, she embarked on a journey that would transform our historic space into a working tavern room! 

   This stenciling project has been a true "labor of love," for the Greenbrier Historical Society team.  The newly configured area has become a mode of "transport," which has enabled patrons to step back into time and visit the Frazer's Star Hotel Tavern Room, which was a popular establishment in Lewisburg, West Virginia during the 1830s-1850s.  

      In 1836, James Frazer purchased the North House.  He immediately began to  renovate and expand the property's footprint, and turned the once familial dwelling into the Frazer's Star Hotel and Tavern.  During these renovations, Frazer added two additional wings of rooms for guests and other various outbuildings. 

     Recently, the North House Museum team found an 1854 description of the property under Frazer's ownership, which stated, "...there are two good cellars, an orchard, a vegetable garden, a fifty-horse stable, outhouses comprising of servants’ (enslaved) cabins, kitchens, a meat house, and a dairy."  The Frazer Star Hotel and Tavern operated until Frazer’s death in 1854.     

      Thanks to the hard work of the North House Museum team, the newly renovated Tavern Room now serves as both an educational period room and an event space.  During their visit, visitor's can learn about the history of the Frazer family, the enslaved presence at the Star Hotel, and the role of hotels and resorts during the mid-1800s.   
​
​        To learn more about the most eye-catching addition to the Tavern Room, the period-accurate historic stenciling, check out the interview below between Greenbrier Historical Society AmeriCorps Member, Arabeth, and our skilled stencil artist, Deb.

Q. What drew you to pick those specific color schemes and patterns for the Tavern Room stenciling project, Deb? 

A. "Well, the okra color for the walls was already picked out from historic paint samples -- our goal was to make it as authentic and historic to the time period as possible.  I ended up doing a lot of research on 19th century Tavern Rooms because we did not have any real pictures of what the Tavern Room here looked like at that time -- but even if we had, they would have been in black and white anyway.  Ironically, I kept seeing the okra colored walls in my research, and it was really kind of serendipitous that we had already chosen that color for the walls!  The colors I saw used the most were the reds, rusts, greens, and okras.  We decided that if we stuck to just a few colors in our scheme, we could put as many patterns up as we wanted to in the room -- and it would all go together, it would all be cohesive!

     I choose the pineapple since it symbolized a sign of welcome.  It would often go over doorways and in public places.  The other stencils I choose were pretty typical to the day, they didn't necessarily have a specific meaning.  The bird was chosen because it is going to be an overall theme of the room -- both above the mantel and incorporated into the fabric for the curtains.  The other stencils were just 1800s stencils that looked like they would be a good fit for this space."               

​Q. How long did it take you to complete the project?  Were you surprised by the time frame? 

A. "Well, we started with the fireplace stenciling when the Tavern Room officially opened in July, and it was a very quick 1-hour process.  Very few stencils were put up, but it gave an idea for people to see what was to come!  I got started on the more in-depth stenciling in September, and there is one more large stencil I am waiting on at this time.  Then I think the room will be done.  But, maybe not!  I'm still looking around seeing some bare spaces that need to be filled.  Some of the pictures I saw of old Tavern Rooms , well the walls were covered COMPLETELY in stencils!  It looked like wallpaper.  I was amazed looking at them thinking it must have taken them such a long time to do all of that.  But, that's how they did then.  Wallpaper was very expensive back then.  Stenciling was an inexpensive way to get that same look and pattern.  As I look around in here, I think, "Yeah, there is quite a bit in here, but I can still do more!"  This was the first time I had done anything like this, so I really did not have a timeline in mind.  But in the back of my mind I though it was probably going to take me about a month.  Hahahaha, and I went well past that!  I found some of the patterns to be very tedious and time consuming.  The ones that I thought would be the easiest tended to be the ones that were the most time consuming!  It took a little longer than I anticipated, but in the end, I think it was worth it."                                     

Q. Have you ever done a project like this in a historical space/home?  Tell us a little bit about your background with interior design?  

A.  "I had never done anything like this in a historic space, but I did do interior design projects for private homes.  Not so much stenciling, but sponging was very popular when I did interior design back then.  And I did sponges that were very similar to the stencils -- and sponges gave a finished look too, just like the stencil do.  This was kind of a first time with this type of project."    ​

​Q. What was your favorite part about the stenciling project?  What was a bit of a challenge -- if anything?

A.  "I enjoyed seeing it all come together, because it really wasn't planned...it really kind of came along as I went from part to part in the room.  I let the room dictate to me what it needed.  There are parts from different things in the room that are put together.  The hardest part was figuring out the measurements.  That was the part I most disliked.  It took me a few days of measuring and remeasuring -- one wall is bit longer than the other so I had to fit the same patterns into spaces with different measurements.  But, I bet that you can't tell which wall was bigger -- and guess what, I am not going to tell you!"           

​Q. As our main docent, what have been some of the comments you’ve heard from our visitors during your tours of the space?

A.  "Everyone seems to really like it!  I have not heard anything negative at this point.   People tell me that they like this room before they even know I had anything to do with it.  People have said that this room makes them feel comfortable.  I notice that people tend to linger in the room, too -- they take longer in the space -- they are not in any rush to get out.  Sometimes I have to encourage people to go into the next room, the next exhibit space to keep things moving for the tour.  Hahahaha!  They just want to stay in here, and often times, they will revisit the space again once the tour is over.  I even had a gentlemen walk into the museum specifically asking to see this room.  He had heard about it, and he wanted to see it for himself in person.  I feel that this room has done the purpose of what we all had hoped it would -- what it was intended to do.  And that makes me glad -- it had done what I hoped it would do."                               

     Thank you Deb, for all of your hard work at bringing the Tavern Room alive with color and vibrancy!   

      After learning about historic stenciling from Deb, are you interested in beginning your own project?  Well, you're in luck!  Come visit the Greenbrier Historical Society Library and Archive and take a look at our copy of Early American Wall Stencils in Color.  You just may find a pattern that inspires your inner artist!  We are open from 10:00-4:00 Tuesday through Saturday -- please call ahead to make an appointment. 

    And here are some helpful tips, too if you are looking to start your own project:

• Measure out your space before you begin. Unless you want to do free-form stenciling, which in that case, let the area you are working with become your canvas!
• Copy your stencil patterns onto sturdy paper.  You will need to cut out the patterns before you begin.
• Experiment with colors and patterns -- no design is ever "wrong."  If you don't like it in the end, you can just paint over it and try again! 
• Use paints that you would traditionally use to paint a wall with i.e. "latex paints" -- you will not want to use anything with "high-gloss."   
• Do you research -- it will help you appreciate the process more -- and it will also help you connect  to the past.          

 
​     Are you are interested in seeing our Tavern Room stenciling in person?  We hope that you can come visit us!   You can try your hand at writing with quill and ink, or attempt a game of historic loo with your group.  For those of age, you can even come join us during First Fridays and other special events and special occasions, and enjoy Greenbrier Valley Brewing Company's Ole Ran'l Pilsner on draft in the Tavern Room.   

     We look forward to seeing you there, one day soon...

Deb Marquis-Cascio Bio:

     Deb had lived in Connecticut her whole life until she moved to Maxwelton 8-years ago.  Her and her husband of 9-years, Greg, moved to West Virginia when Greg took a job at the hospital.

     Before joining us at the Greenbrier Historical Society, Deb was an interior designer for a high-end retailer and also worked on the side on both large and small design projects.  Deb left the design field around 1988 to work for a doctor.  She continued her work as an office manager  for 20+ years until leaving the field in 2005.

     Deb has two daughters, Danielle and Melissa, and two grandkids, Elizabeth and Gabriel. 

     One of Deb's personal projects is sewing burial gowns for stillborn babies out of donated wedding dresses.  She has truly been a great asset to the Greenbrier Historical Society over the last 3.5 years.        

          
​The Greenbrier Ghost Reexamined by Arabeth Balasko

     The tale of the Greenbrier Ghost seems like your classic tragedy – featuring a lifeless young bride, her dubious husband, and her bereaved mother; however, this January 1897 murder investigation would end up being anything but textbook.  Although it is famous as the only instance in history where testimony from beyond the grave led to a murder conviction – clearly, there is more to this story than just the supernatural. [1]

     When I began to review the tale of the Greenbrier Ghost, I quickly found that there was an abundant amount of contradicting and conflicting information in the written record, which I found fascinating.  Each story had its own spin on how the death of Elva Zona Heaster Shue happened. I then began to think, with such conflicting information, how is one to find the facts, the truth, when all the resources seemed to be recounting a different story? 
​
     As an archivist and historian, I am always looking for the facts. “How do I get to the truth of what really happened?”  However, with the endless conflicting newspaper accounts, the missing primary resources and crucial documents, and the fact that there are no longer any survivors from the time this case was tried – I sadly have not found any real answers, but I certainly have come up with many new questions. 

     Before we get into this very strange account which has been told and retold over the last century, I wanted to share why I wanted to reexamine this particular case, 125-years after the fact.  Archivists always enjoy highlighting their repository’s unique holdings and collections.  By showcasing these "hidden treasures," archivists aspire to challenge users to think about where that information comes from.  Where do these materials and resources originate?  How have they been used over the years?  How have they been made accessible for use?  How do you find information?  By assessing archival materials, it encourages the archivist and the archival users to reevaluate what they have heard and start a search for the facts, the truth of the matter. [2] 
​
     Speaking of getting to the truth of the matter -- will anyone ever be able to truly solve the mystery of what happened to Zona that fateful day in January 1897?  125-years later, here is my attempt at sharing some new insights and questions to ponder so that you yourself can reflect and decide what you think happened... ​

“The dreams which reveal the supernatural are promises and messages that God sends  us directly: they are nothing but His angels, His ministering spirits, who usually appear to us when we are in a great predicament.” – Paracelsus
 
     In October 1896 in Greenbrier County, West Virginia – in a small area known as the Richlands the newly married Elva Zona Heaster Shue (she was referred to as Zona) and Erasmus Stribbling “Edward” Trout Shue (he is often referred to as E.S. or Trout) set-up a life together in a two-story home at Livesay’s Mill.  Although they apparently had not known each other long before their marriage, all seemed to be well.  He was employed and seen as a talented and respected blacksmith at Livesay’s Mill, and she was a homemaker and was well-known locally around the small community of the Meadow Bluff and Richlands region.  It was not until her untimely demise that winter that rumors began to circulate around town of how others in the community truly perceived Trout and his marriage to Zona. [3] 
​
     While he is often described as a man who was new to the county, his family had a homestead that was located on Droop Mountain, which borders both Pocahontas and Greenbrier Counties.  Additionally, before he was married to Zona, Trout had two other wives – both from locally known families.  His first marriage to Allie E. Cutlip ended in divorce – and his second marriage to Lucy Ann Tritt ended with her death.  There are currently no identifiable official death records for Lucy Ann Tritt, therefore, her cause of death is unknown at this time, but it was a circulating rumor around town that Trout had somehow been responsible for her death. [4]
 
     Therefore, when Zona ended up dead only three months after they were married, and Trout was acting suspicious according to the onlookers at Zona’s wake, rumors began to spread all around town that Trout “must have had” something to, do with it.  So, what exactly happened to Zona that ill-fated winter day?  Here is the story, as it has been told so many times before…
 
     On a chilly Saturday morning, January 23rd, 1897, a young African American neighbor of the Shue’s, Anderson “Andy” Jones was asked by Trout several times to stop by the Shue’s house to run an errand of gathering eggs. When he finally made it to the Shue’s homestead, he felt something wasn’t right.  The house was dark and quiet – so he went in looking for Zona, as Trout had asked him to see if “Mrs. Shue wanted anything.”  He apparently called for her, and when she did not answer, he went inside to look for her. According to one report, he had found her lifeless body laying at the bottom of the stairs.  He then ran down the road to his home and told his mother, Martha, what he had found.  When word finally got to Trout that something bad had happened to Zona, he supposedly hurried home and found her dead.  Onlookers reported that Trout had acted inconsolable and told everyone to leave the house and call for Dr. Knapp (the local doctor) to come to his home.
​
       It was then reported that an hour or two had elapsed before Dr. Knapp arrived to the Shue’s home, and during that time, Trout had already clothed Zona in a dress with “a high-collared neck, and a large veil several times folded and tied in a large bow under the chin,” and placed her body into their bed.  This did not seem to arouse any suspicion from the doctor, and he did try to “resuscitate” Zona; however, it was clear that she was dead.  Upon his initial examination, Dr. Knapp supposedly stated that Zona’s cause of death was heart disease or everlasting faint; however, in the official Greenbrier County Death Book, her listed cause of death was childbirth.  It was also reported that Dr. Knapp had been treating Zona for weeks before for some ailment but there are no records showing this – nor was Dr. Knapp’s signature or comments listed on the official death record for Zona.  In fact, her name is not even listed in the official record, she is simply identified as “Mrs. Shue.” [5]  ​

     After her body was fully examined, Zona was taken to her family’s home on Little Sewell Mountain to prepare for a wake and a prompt burial in the coming days.  However, when her body arrived it was noted that her mother, Mary Jane Robinson Heaster, expressed that she felt Trout had something to do with her daughter’s untimely demise.
 
     In fact, during the wake folks began to notice how affected Trout was by Zona’s death – some found it admirable and it seemed to show just how much he had loved his late wife.  Others, such as Mary Jane, felt it was unnatural the way he acted – it was reported that he was acting overly erratic and theatrical – it is stated that he even banned anyone from touching his wife’s body.  He would always be closely to the casket and folks began to notice that Zona’s neck had an unnatural look – loose and wobbly – and she had a bruise on her cheek that seemed to just appear out of nowhere.  Though there was talk going around the community about Trout, his bad temper, and his odd actions around the wake and funeral, it seemed to be a closed case – an unfortunate circumstance – that was all. [6]
 
     Mary Jane was not satisfied with this conclusion – she felt in her body and soul that something bad had happened to Zona.  After Zona died, Mary Jane went into a state of severe grief and constant prayer, begging her daughter to appear to her and tell her what had really happened.  She is quoted as saying, “I prayed to the Lord that she might come back and tell me what had happened; and I prayed that she might come herself and tell on him.”  According to Mary Jane, she began to have visions where Zona appeared to her and told her the following, “He was mad that she didn’t have no meat cooked for supper […] and she said I had plenty; don’t you think that he was mad and just took down all my nice things and packed them away and ruined them. […] She cames four times and four nights; but the second night she told me that her neck was squeezed off at the first joint and it was just as she told me.” [7]
 
     After her visits from Zona, Mary Jane went to the courthouse to talk to Greenbrier County’s prosecuting attorney, John Alfred Preston.  She informed him that something was not right and begged him to look further into her daughter’s death.  Ultimately, an inquest was made and an exhumation was planned. When Zona’s body was exhumed, it was discovered that she had suffered a broken neck, a finding which had been overlooked upon initial examination. Trout was present at the exhuming, and his actions were once again labeled “suspicious,” and as a result of the new findings, Trout was immediately placed under arrest for Zona’s murder. [8]
 ​

     The next few months were full of town gossip, more character assassinations and accusations – in May Trout supposedly threatened to kill himself while he was in prison awaiting the trial.  Every few weeks the build-up to the trial was printed in the Greenbrier Independent.  Finally, five-months after Zona was found dead, her husband, Trout went on trial for her murder. [9]

     At his trial, Trout took the stand, but it was apparently met with unease.  It is reported in the Greenbrier Independent, July 1st, 1897 that, “Shue was on the stand all Tuesday afternoon.  He was given free reign and talked at great length; was very minute and particular in describing unimportant incidences […] said the prosecution was all spite work; entered a positive denial of the charge against him; vehemently protested his innocence calling God to witness; admitted that he had served time in the pen; declared that he dearly loved his wife; and appealed to the jury to look into his face and then say if he was guilty.  His testimony, manner, &c. made an unfavorable impression on spectators.” [10]
   
     When Mary Jane Robinson Heaster was called to testify, she shared the experiences of her daughter contacting her from beyond the grave to tell her how she had been murdered by Trout. She also gave detailed descriptions of Zona's house and the land surrounding the property, despite claiming that she had never visited her daughter's residence. Her testimony was powerful and compelling, and since Zona’s mother was a well-known pious and Christian woman around town, her testimony was accepted as truth, and these powerful accounts became the case’s strongest evidence.
 
     After the jury heard both sides of the testimony, they recessed for “1 hour and 10 minutes,” and came back with a guilty verdict for murder in the first-degree.  It is quoted in the Greenbrier Intependent, July 8th, 1897 edition that “Though the evidence was entirely circumstantial, the verdict meets general approval as all who heard the evidence are satisfied of the prisoner’s guilt.” [11]    
 ​

     Trout was sentenced to life in the West Virginia State Penitentiary in Moundsville, some local folks felt that justice had not been entirely served and wanted to take matters into their own hands.  They felt that he should have hanged for what he did to Zona, and a lynch-mob was formed by some local townsfolk including C.G. Martin, J.L. Nary, Robert Hunter, and Otey Arbaugh.  The plan was to go to the county jail, where Trout was held, “take him outside and hang him.”   A local man, George Harrah, who lived near the Meadow Bluff area where the mob had formed, found out about the lynch mob’s plans to overtake the jail.  He quickly rode to the local sheriff’s house, Sheriff Nickell, who also lived in Meadow Bluff, in an attempt to stop the mob before they set off for the jail.  In the July 15th, 1897 edition of the Greenbrier Independent the mob incident is reported as follows: “Mr. Nickell and Mr. Harrah then started for Lewisburg, and had to pass the campground where the lynchers were to assemble.  When they arrived there, which was about 9 o’clock, several of the mob were already there.  – They passed by safely but were recognized.  Several minutes later four of the mob pursued and after an exciting chase overtook them, presented pistols, and demanded that they stop.  The Sheriff drew his pistol and was in the act of firing when he recognized his assailant, and not desiring to hurt or kill him concluded to try moral suasion.  – He and Harrah surrendered and were taken back to the residence of Mr. D. A. Dwyer, where after considerable parleying, the Sheriff succeeded in inducing them to disband and return to their homes.  They were provided with a stout new rope, were armed with Winchesters and revolvers, and numbered from ten to twenty, as far as could be seen – the most of them keeping in the background in the shadows of the trees.” [12]          
 
     The irony of the situation is that even if the mob had succeeded in storming the jail in Lewisburg in an attempt to lynch Trout, they would have only found an empty cell.  Having gotten word that a mob was forming, Deputy Sheriff John G. Dwyer was able to take Trout to, “a place of safety in the woods a mile or two outside of town.”  After the foiled lynching, Trout was then escorted to the West Virginia State Penitentiary in Moundsville, where he died in the spring of 1900 reportedly from an outbreak of tuberculosis at the prison. [13]       ​

    One of the six jurors present during the exhuming of Zona’s body, C. G. Martin, was a self-described neighbor and friend to Mary Jane who stated in an October 11th, 1897 letter to Richard Hodgson (Secretary of the American Society for Psychological Research);  “Mrs. M. J. Heaster told me about her vision or dream ten days to two weeks before the body of her daughter was taken up and examined.  I was one of the six jurors at the examination of the body and heard her testimony before she knew anything of what we had found. [..] In short I would say upon examination we found every iota just as Mrs. Heaster had told several others and myself beforehand except in the hollow as located above and behind the plank in the cellar we found nothing although diligent search was made. [..] Mrs. Heaster is a nigh neighbor of mine, a daughter of an English sailor, and as daring, gritty woman as I ever saw.” [16]
 
     It was also this same man, C. G. Martin who was identified in the July 29, 1897 edition of the Greenbrier Independent as one of the members of the lynch mob that was summoned to the Circuit Court to account for his intended actions again Trout. [17]
           
     Those are the facts.  Very limited in nature, and mostly circumstantial.  As an archivist, I believe in following the records; however, I have found that with this case, the primary resources, records, and documents outline a confusing story – one that is peppered with few facts and several strong feelings.  It is clear in Mary Jane’s testimony that she felt in her body and soul that Trout had murdered her daughter – it is also apparent that many in the county also felt that Trout was guilty – he was not to be trusted or believed – he was a stranger.  Those who had witnessed against him were viewed as good, Christian folks, they were known in the community, and were reliable.  Their words and testimonies were believed, they were trusted…they meant something. 
 
     Maybe we shall never know the truth of what happened to Zona. Regardless of the truth, it is a fascinating story about the relentlessness of a mother's love, the miscarriages of the justice system, the power of personal persuasions, inherent feelings and biases about those whom we perceive as evil, and the overwhelming need for society to have a villain who fits the typical criminal profile.
 
Citations and Footnotes:
[1] It is reported that this case is the “Only known case in which testimony from a ghost helped convict a murderer.” – https://wvtourism.com/ghost-who-gave-legal-testimony/
[2] Each of the newspaper accounts seemed to have a different sensationalized spin on how this event unfolded.  In fact, this story has been revisited numerous times over the decades/century after the events took place.  Each story seemed to be more outlandish than the last.  In a 1966 The Orlando Sentinel (Orlando, FL, 20 Nov 1966, Page 99) article by Frank Edwards, Zona was even described as “a beautiful, teen-age blonde.”  As the event got further and further away from the present day, the recounts of what happened that day and the search for truth became harder and harder to uncover.
[3] In Katie Letcher Lyle’s 1999 novel, The Man Who Wanted Seven Wives The Greenbrier Ghost and the Famous Murder Mystery of 1897, she used a mixture of truths and fictionalizations to describe the scenarios surrounding this case. The information regarding the Shue’s home and their standing in the community was confirmed and reported as facts by both her and other sources.  
[4] The Greenbrier Historical Society and North House Museum Archive has the original marriage bond for E.S. Shue and Allie E. Cutlip.  The bond is signed by E.S. Shue, and witnessed by Joshua Sharp – “x” – it was approved and signed by Charles B. Buster, County Clerk of Greenbrier County in 1885.  This bond proves that Shue was present in Greenbrier County in the 1880s and was not a total “stranger” who roamed into town out of nowhere in 1897, which is what is often reported.  To learn more about Charles B. Buster’s role of County Clerk, please visit: http://www.us-data.org/wv/greenbrier/bios/buster_charles-b_1838-1929.txt -- Primary resource documents are not available showing when Shue and Tritt were married, but according to Lyle’s book, there are newspapers articles from the Pocahontas Times reporting Tritt’s death, “ 2-15-1895 – Mrs. E.S. Shue, wife of ‘Trout’ Shue died very suddenly at her home near here on last Monday morning the 11th.  We haven’t been able to learn the particulars of her death.” Pp. 71
[5] There have been several notations regarding Trout’s odd behavior around dressing his wife, acting “possessive” of her body, etc. which has been reported in an 1897 newspaper articles from the Greenbrier Independent July 01, 1897 edition.  To read the full excerpt, please visit: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84037217/1897-07-01/ed-1/seq-3/ as well as an article in the Staunton Spectator and Vindicator.  It was noted in the official Death Record for Zona, that she died in “childbirth.”  The Death Record also only identifies her as “Mrs. Shue” and there is not a doctor listed; however, the Handly Undertaking Company in Lewisburg was listed as the official undertaker.  -- Zona’s death announcement also appeared in the Greenbrier Independent 01/28/ 1897 edition: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84037217/1897-01-28/ed-1/seq-3/   In this article it is stated that she died on “Sunday the 24th;” however, her death is recorded as happening on” Saturday, January 23rd, 1897” in the official record.  This again shows the differences found among the available records and resources for this case.
[6] Lyle’s mentioning of Zona’s wake was confirmed and reported as facts – however; it has also been reported as fact in the Greenbrier Independent that there seemed no cause for suspicion until Mary Jane Heaster reported her “visits from Zona” to the County authorities that led to Zona’s body being exhumed.
[7] This excerpt was taken directly from Mary Jane Robinson Heaster’s testimony which was printed in the Greenbrier Independent 07/01/1897 edition.  To read the full excerpt, please visit: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84037217/1897-07-01/ed-1/seq-3/   
[8] Ibid.
[9] It was reported in the Greenbrier Independent 5/20/1897 edition that “Trout” Shue who is now in jail here awaiting trial for the murder of his wife, has threatened to kill himself.”   https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84037217/1897-05-20/ed-1/seq-3/  
[10] Although E.S. “Trout” Shue’s testimony was not fully provided in this article, it did highlight his erratic and strange behaviors while taking the stand.  These comments were printed in the Greenbrier Independent 07/01/1897 edition.  To read the full article, please visit: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84037217/1897-07-01/ed-1/seq-3/
[11] This statement was printed in the Greenbrier Independent 07/08/1897 edition.  To read the full article, please visit: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84037217/1897-07-08/ed-1/seq-3/
[12] This excerpt was printed in the Greenbrier Independent 07/15/1897 edition.  To read the full article, please visit: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84037217/1897-07-15/ed-1/seq-3/  These individuals were also IDed on the July 12th, 1897 Court Case “The State of West Virginia vs. Warrant -- John Seward, Otey Arbaugh, John Nary, CG Martin, John Thompson, Robert Hunter, Cassie Bivens, and Marshall Heaster and others whose names are unknown of the said county, did unlawfully combine and conspire together for the purpose of inflicting punishment and bodily injury upon E. S. Shue then confined in the jail of Greenbrier County under sentence for murder: These are therefore in the name of the State of West Virginia to command your forthwith to apprehend and bring before me the body of the said John Seward, Otey Arbaugh, Cassie Bivens and Marshall Heaster, John Nary, C G Martin, John Thompson and Robt Hunter to answer the said complaint, and to be farther dealt with according to law.  Given under my hand and seal this 12th day of July, 1897.”  The 1897 Court Case document can be found in: The Greenbrier Historical Society Archives, Greenbrier County Courthouse Collection, July 12, 1897; Box 1890-1899.
[13] This statement was printed in the Greenbrier Independent 07/08/1897 edition.  To read the full article, please visit: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84037217/1897-07-08/ed-1/seq-3/
[14] According to the WV State Birth Records, Zona had a baby boy born on “November 29th, 1895.”  Under the name of the father the  record reads “Supposed to be George Woldridge.”  The state website has her name listed as “Zoma;” therefore, the record does not populate with a search for “Zona Heaster.”  The record also identifies Zona as being “22 years old;” however, in her 1897 death record, her age is also listed as “22 years old.”  Once again, the official records provide an unclear picture of what is fact and what is fiction.  http://archive.wvculture.org/vrr/va_view.aspx?Id=499632&Type=Birth
[15] This statement was printed in the Greenbrier Independent 07/08/1897 edition.  To read the full article, please visit: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84037217/1897-07-08/ed-1/seq-3/
[16] In Katie Letcher Lyle’s 1999 novel, The Man Who Wanted Seven Wives The Greenbrier Ghost and the Famous Murder Mystery of 1897, she discusses in Appendix VII: Visions Resulting in Conviction for Murder, a study that was conducted by Richard Hodgson, while he , “…served as secretary of the American Society for Psychical Research (ASPR)” during the fall of 1897. These letters contain written responses from a variety of folks involved or close to the Heaster family, including C.G. Martin, who claimed to have been “…one of the six jurors at the examination of the body (of Zona) and heard her testimony before she knew anything of what we had found.”  He was also a self-proclaimed neighbor and friend of Mary Jane Robinson Heaster.  Pp. 183-190.
[17] As stated above in footnote 12, C.G. Martin was one of the identified members of the lynch mob that attempted to hang Shue after his trial had ended.

Max Curry moved to West Virginia just after Maynard Best left. His story came to light when his store burned down in Cass in 1915.[6] The fire was large with two buildings lost and several others were damaged with a potentially loss of $20,000. The owner of the buildings, Max Curry, was suspected of arson. During the court case, a witness outed Max as transgender. Max was born Mattie Curry in 1883 in Lincoln County, West Virginia. He later taught at a school and kept a store in Dingress. This store also burned down.[7] After the fire in Dingress, he went to Cincinnati and went thereafter as Max Curry. He wooed and married Lilian L. Nethercutt, “a most estimable lady of Grayson, Kentucky.”[8] The couple married in Pocahontas County in 1909.[9] Max Curry was described as a “man of powerful build with a head on him like a lion. He was never particularly popular but he had many friends and was a hardworking, sober and careful business man.”[10] In 1913, his store burned down and he invested in more property with the insurance money. When his store caught fire again in 1915, suspicions were aroused.

When Max was convicted and sentenced six years, his wife succumbed to “great burst of sobs and weeping.”[11] Max tried to appeal the decision but was refused a trial and was taken to the penitentiary in June 1915.[12] Lilian Curry was later accused of setting the fire since Max had an alibi. Lilian is described as a “woman of fine Christian character and has impressed the Marlinton people most favorably since her troubles brought her here. The people of her home town in Kentucky…came here to testify to her good standing. She comes out of the trials and tribulations without a stain upon her character and her acquittal was universally approved by the public.”[13] It was assumed that Lilian did not have an idea of her husband’s misdeeds as “it is to be remembered that husbands do not tell their wives all that they do. They do not wish to disturb them, and besides they claim that they are the best judges of what their wives ought to know.”[14] Max Curry died in prison in 1919.[15] No death record has been found. After Max’s death, Lilian moved to Huntington where she boarded with a family and worked as a clerk at a gas station.[16] She then disappeared from the record.

Men charged with sodomy were given a choice of prison or mental institution.  Richard Weikel, a Lewisburg police officer from 1959 to 1963, related one memory in an oral history: “I never will forget this one. I knew this old boy. He had just got out of the penitentiary. He just wasn’t all wrapped up together right. And I was sort of friendly to the old boy, lent him a dollar here and a quarter there. He was hard-up, wasn’t working anywhere.” One night, the man came up to Weikel and confessed to several robberies and showed him where he had stored the stuff. When the interviewer, Layton, asked why the man confessed, Weikel stated that “He was a homosexual and he wanted to go back to that penitentiary, where he had a boyfriend.”[17] Relationships and sexual encounters in both men’s and women’s prisons were consensual and non-consensual.