Harpe Brothers
Early American Serial Killers
CLASSIFICATION: Serial Homicide
LOCATION
Tennessee, Kentucky
TIME PERIOD
1797-1799
VICTIMS
39 confirmed
Micajah "Big" Harpe and Wiley "Little" Harpe, notorious American criminals active in the late 18th century, were responsible for a series of murders, robberies, and acts of piracy across Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, and Mississippi, with estimates of their victims ranging from 39 to possibly 50. Their criminal activities began after the American Revolution, during which they became loyalists and turned to a life of violence and theft against settlers in the frontier regions. The brothers met their end in the late 1790s, with Micajah being murdered by vigilantes in Kentucky on August 24, 1799, and Wiley executed by hanging in Mississippi on February 8, 1804. Their brutal legacy has cemented them as some of the earliest documented serial killers in U.S. history, with significant evidence of their crimes contributing to their infamy in American folklore.
The Harpe brothers are believed to have committed numerous murders, with estimates ranging from 20 to over 100 victims, contributing to their notoriety as America's earliest serial killers. Some theories suggest that their violent behavior was influenced by the tumultuous social conditions of the late 18th century, including frontier lawlessness. Additionally, speculation exists that the brothers may have been involved in a larger network of criminal activity, including piracy and highway robbery, which allowed them to evade capture for an extended period.
The Harpe Brothers: America's Earliest Serial Killers
In the late 18th century, the American frontier was a vast expanse, a wild land where law was a distant echo, and danger lurked at every bend. It was during this tumultuous time that two men, Micajah "Big" Harpe and Wiley "Little" Harpe, carved their names into the annals of infamy. Operating across Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, and Mississippi, the Harpes were more than mere outlaws; they were among the earliest documented serial killers in United States history, leaving a trail of blood and terror in their wake.
Early Life and Family
The Harpe brothers' origins are shrouded in a cloak of mystery and legend. Historians have struggled to separate fact from folklore, but it's generally accepted that they were born to Scottish parents, either in the wilds of Scotland or in Orange County, North Carolina. Micajah, who would later be known as "Big" Harpe, was likely born before 1768, and Wiley, or "Little" Harpe, followed before 1770.
Some accounts suggest that rather than being brothers, they were first cousins—Joshua and William Harper—who emigrated from Scotland around 1759 or 1760. Their fathers, John and William Harper, were believed to be loyalists during the American Revolution, a stance that would later influence the Harpe brothers' own bloody path.
A Life of Crime Begins
The seeds of the Harpes' viciousness were sown early. Their family, loyal to the British Crown, faced hostility from Revolutionary neighbors, an animosity that escalated to violence. The young Harpes reportedly witnessed their parents' lynching by local revolutionaries. Fleeing into the forest, they found refuge with a renegade band of Chickamauga Cherokee. Under the tutelage of their new companions, the Harpes learned to hunt, trap, and fight; they also acquired the grim skills of theft, raiding, and murder.
By 1775, the Harpes had left North Carolina for Virginia, seeking work as overseers on a slave plantation. Micajah took two women, Susan and Betsey Roberts, as companions, while Wiley married Sarah "Sally" Rice, a Baptist minister's daughter. Yet, the call of violence was never far, intertwining with their lives as tightly as the bonds of family.
War and Violence
When the American Revolution erupted, the Harpes aligned with the Tories, joining a notorious "rape gang" in North Carolina. This brutal group, taking advantage of wartime chaos, unleashed a wave of terror: beating, raping, and murdering at will. They targeted the farms of Patriot colonists, leaving destruction in their wake.
As the war drew to a close, the Harpes, alongside their Native American allies, continued their rampage throughout the frontier. They participated in numerous skirmishes, including the Battle of Kings Mountain, where they fought under British Major Patrick Ferguson. Despite their allegiance, their savagery knew no bounds, and as British forces withdrew, the Harpes vanished into the wilderness.
The Killing Spree
By 1797, the Harpes had resumed their bloody campaign, traversing the vastness of Tennessee, Kentucky, and Illinois. The brothers confessed to slaughtering at least 39 people, though the true number may exceed 50. Their victims ranged from infants to the elderly, their deaths marked by a signature brutality: bodies mutilated and weighed down with stones.
After being driven out of Knoxville for stealing livestock and murdering a man named Johnson, the Harpes fled to Kentucky. There, their rampage continued unabated. In an infamous incident near Mammoth Cave, they killed a young black man by brutally slamming his head into a tree, one of many senseless killings that would define their legacy.
Capture and Escape
The Harpes' notoriety grew, and with it, the fervor of those who sought justice. In April 1799, Kentucky Governor James Garrard posted a $300 bounty for their capture. Pursued relentlessly, the Harpes were eventually apprehended and jailed in Danville, Kentucky. However, displaying their cunning, they escaped, leaving a trail of vengeance that included the murder of a young boy related to their captors.
Their flight led them to the infamous stronghold of Cave-In-Rock on the Ohio River, a den of river pirates led by Samuel Mason. Even among criminals, the Harpes' actions were too heinous, and they were soon expelled after a series of particularly brutal murders.
Final Reckoning
Returning to Tennessee, the Harpes continued their spree, leaving more bodies in their wake. The end came for Big Harpe in August 1799, near Russellville, Kentucky, after he killed his own daughter in a fit of rage. Captured by a posse, he met his end through decapitation, his head placed on a stake as a grim warning to others.
Little Harpe evaded capture until 1804 when he was finally caught and executed by hanging in Mississippi. With his death, the reign of terror wrought by the Harpe brothers finally came to a close, yet their legacy of savagery and bloodshed would forever haunt the American frontier.
Sources
For more detailed information, refer to the Wikipedia article on the Harpe brothers.
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Harpe Brothers Begin Criminal Activities
Micajah and Wiley Harpe start their criminal activities after fleeing North Carolina, becoming outlaws post-American Revolution.
Attack on Bluff Station
The Harpe brothers join a Chickamauga war party to attack the Patriot settlement of Bluff Station.
Start of Murder Spree
The Harpes begin a violent crime spree across Tennessee, Kentucky, and Illinois, claiming numerous victims.
Reward Issued for Capture
Kentucky Governor James Garrard issues a $300 reward for the capture of the Harpe brothers.
Micajah Harpe Killed
Micajah Harpe is shot and killed by a posse while attempting to escape; he confesses to twenty murders before dying.
Wiley Harpe Executed
Wiley Harpe is captured, tried, and executed by hanging along with Peter Alston for their crimes.
Micajah "Big" Harpe and Wiley "Little" Harpe, notorious American criminals active in the late 18th century, were responsible for a series of murders, robberies, and acts of piracy across Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, and Mississippi, with estimates of their victims ranging from 39 to possibly 50. Their criminal activities began after the American Revolution, during which they became loyalists and turned to a life of violence and theft against settlers in the frontier regions. The brothers met their end in the late 1790s, with Micajah being murdered by vigilantes in Kentucky on August 24, 1799, and Wiley executed by hanging in Mississippi on February 8, 1804. Their brutal legacy has cemented them as some of the earliest documented serial killers in U.S. history, with significant evidence of their crimes contributing to their infamy in American folklore.
The Harpe brothers are believed to have committed numerous murders, with estimates ranging from 20 to over 100 victims, contributing to their notoriety as America's earliest serial killers. Some theories suggest that their violent behavior was influenced by the tumultuous social conditions of the late 18th century, including frontier lawlessness. Additionally, speculation exists that the brothers may have been involved in a larger network of criminal activity, including piracy and highway robbery, which allowed them to evade capture for an extended period.
The Harpe Brothers: America's Earliest Serial Killers
In the late 18th century, the American frontier was a vast expanse, a wild land where law was a distant echo, and danger lurked at every bend. It was during this tumultuous time that two men, Micajah "Big" Harpe and Wiley "Little" Harpe, carved their names into the annals of infamy. Operating across Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, and Mississippi, the Harpes were more than mere outlaws; they were among the earliest documented serial killers in United States history, leaving a trail of blood and terror in their wake.
Early Life and Family
The Harpe brothers' origins are shrouded in a cloak of mystery and legend. Historians have struggled to separate fact from folklore, but it's generally accepted that they were born to Scottish parents, either in the wilds of Scotland or in Orange County, North Carolina. Micajah, who would later be known as "Big" Harpe, was likely born before 1768, and Wiley, or "Little" Harpe, followed before 1770.
Some accounts suggest that rather than being brothers, they were first cousins—Joshua and William Harper—who emigrated from Scotland around 1759 or 1760. Their fathers, John and William Harper, were believed to be loyalists during the American Revolution, a stance that would later influence the Harpe brothers' own bloody path.
A Life of Crime Begins
The seeds of the Harpes' viciousness were sown early. Their family, loyal to the British Crown, faced hostility from Revolutionary neighbors, an animosity that escalated to violence. The young Harpes reportedly witnessed their parents' lynching by local revolutionaries. Fleeing into the forest, they found refuge with a renegade band of Chickamauga Cherokee. Under the tutelage of their new companions, the Harpes learned to hunt, trap, and fight; they also acquired the grim skills of theft, raiding, and murder.
By 1775, the Harpes had left North Carolina for Virginia, seeking work as overseers on a slave plantation. Micajah took two women, Susan and Betsey Roberts, as companions, while Wiley married Sarah "Sally" Rice, a Baptist minister's daughter. Yet, the call of violence was never far, intertwining with their lives as tightly as the bonds of family.
War and Violence
When the American Revolution erupted, the Harpes aligned with the Tories, joining a notorious "rape gang" in North Carolina. This brutal group, taking advantage of wartime chaos, unleashed a wave of terror: beating, raping, and murdering at will. They targeted the farms of Patriot colonists, leaving destruction in their wake.
As the war drew to a close, the Harpes, alongside their Native American allies, continued their rampage throughout the frontier. They participated in numerous skirmishes, including the Battle of Kings Mountain, where they fought under British Major Patrick Ferguson. Despite their allegiance, their savagery knew no bounds, and as British forces withdrew, the Harpes vanished into the wilderness.
The Killing Spree
By 1797, the Harpes had resumed their bloody campaign, traversing the vastness of Tennessee, Kentucky, and Illinois. The brothers confessed to slaughtering at least 39 people, though the true number may exceed 50. Their victims ranged from infants to the elderly, their deaths marked by a signature brutality: bodies mutilated and weighed down with stones.
After being driven out of Knoxville for stealing livestock and murdering a man named Johnson, the Harpes fled to Kentucky. There, their rampage continued unabated. In an infamous incident near Mammoth Cave, they killed a young black man by brutally slamming his head into a tree, one of many senseless killings that would define their legacy.
Capture and Escape
The Harpes' notoriety grew, and with it, the fervor of those who sought justice. In April 1799, Kentucky Governor James Garrard posted a $300 bounty for their capture. Pursued relentlessly, the Harpes were eventually apprehended and jailed in Danville, Kentucky. However, displaying their cunning, they escaped, leaving a trail of vengeance that included the murder of a young boy related to their captors.
Their flight led them to the infamous stronghold of Cave-In-Rock on the Ohio River, a den of river pirates led by Samuel Mason. Even among criminals, the Harpes' actions were too heinous, and they were soon expelled after a series of particularly brutal murders.
Final Reckoning
Returning to Tennessee, the Harpes continued their spree, leaving more bodies in their wake. The end came for Big Harpe in August 1799, near Russellville, Kentucky, after he killed his own daughter in a fit of rage. Captured by a posse, he met his end through decapitation, his head placed on a stake as a grim warning to others.
Little Harpe evaded capture until 1804 when he was finally caught and executed by hanging in Mississippi. With his death, the reign of terror wrought by the Harpe brothers finally came to a close, yet their legacy of savagery and bloodshed would forever haunt the American frontier.
Sources
For more detailed information, refer to the Wikipedia article on the Harpe brothers.
No Recent News
No recent news articles found for this case. Check back later for updates.
No Evidence Submitted
No evidence found for this case. Be the first to submit evidence in the comments below.
Join the discussion
Loading comments...
Harpe Brothers Begin Criminal Activities
Micajah and Wiley Harpe start their criminal activities after fleeing North Carolina, becoming outlaws post-American Revolution.
Attack on Bluff Station
The Harpe brothers join a Chickamauga war party to attack the Patriot settlement of Bluff Station.
Start of Murder Spree
The Harpes begin a violent crime spree across Tennessee, Kentucky, and Illinois, claiming numerous victims.
Reward Issued for Capture
Kentucky Governor James Garrard issues a $300 reward for the capture of the Harpe brothers.
Micajah Harpe Killed
Micajah Harpe is shot and killed by a posse while attempting to escape; he confesses to twenty murders before dying.
Wiley Harpe Executed
Wiley Harpe is captured, tried, and executed by hanging along with Peter Alston for their crimes.