"The Larkin Liles Saga" Part 6

 

Not far from this scene there stood a small log cabin, which was still standing in 1924, and was owned about that time by one Robert Strother, who formerly operated drug store in Vanceburg and was the father of a former county attorney, John P. Strother, now (1962) living in Cincinnati.  Larkin did not die on the spot, but when someone found him they carried him to this cabin, where he was laid on the floor, and shortly afterwards died.  Stains, said to be blood stains, were visible on the floor boards 70 years afterwards, where they were seen by one of these writers.  This cabin was destroyed by fire many years ago.

Larkin was buried beside his father in the Arkanall Cemetery, Amos Howard has recently erected a monument of native stone at the grave, where a copper plaque now memorializes one of the historical characters of Lewis County.

The closer surmise of the date of Liles’ death will be found in Will Book D, page 328, under the date of August 20, 1849, where we find an entry as to the settlement of his estate.  The administrator appointed was William C. Halbert, Sr., the father of the late Judge Wm C. Halbert, and grandfather of Russell Halbert and Mrs. Frances Atkinson, of Greenup.  Upon Halbert’s motion the following appraisers were appointed:  William S. Parker, Seth Parker, (one of the witnesses to the famous fight as we have heretofore indicated), Milton Evans, and John J. Waddell.

The appraisal was set for the entire estate at $88.49, but on the day of the sale, which was August 31, the entire estate brought only $67.39 ½.  Liles’ famous rifle gun, which was appraised at $10, was bid in by Darius McKinney and brought $11.50.  When he died he had out 13 acres of corn by himself and had one-third partnership in another eight acres.  His entire farm crop brought $47.  The above statements give lie to the tales of some people that Liles was a shiftless, lazy, ne’er-do-well.  Anyone who put out that much corn in those days of primitive cultivation and harvesting would be anything but lazy.

Three years after Larkin’s death, his widow married Allen Yates, on March 15, 1852.  She is buried in the Liles Graveyard near Camp Dix.  Amos Howard has erected a stone to her memory.