Lizzie Clement(s) was born about 1869 in Texas. She had Typhoid fever. On the 14 May 1886 she set fire to J. W. Rodgers hen house and barn 2 days later. There was a young girl by the name of Tennie Parish employed by the Rogers who became friends with Lizzie.
Here is a newspaper article:
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/38189090/lizzie_clements/
She was arrested for arson and held for trial.Lizzie wanted Tinnie to leave the Rodgers family and live with her. Some folks were trying to keep them apart. Tinnie obeyed the Rodgers and that upset Lizzie, so she set fire to the Rodgers property.
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/38188711/lizzie_clements/
There were other fires in the area, did Lizzie set those also? No proof found.
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/38189639/lizzie_clements/
What I find rather sad is this 17 to 18 year old girl all alone. I understand back then they were considered adults at that age and usually married when they were 15 or 16, but there is never any mention of her family or where she comes from.
I didn't find any genealogy information, only 4 newspaper clippings about these young girls and their plot to run away together. But what a story, even though we do not get much of an ending, and never find out what became of her and what her sentence was. I search through the Texas Convict records on Ancestry and came up empty.
I also tried googling her and the crime and came up empty. I did however make her a tree on Ancestry, I am sure someday someone will send me a message or leave a comment giving me more information.
I wanted to write about this because I felt a connection to Lizzie and I don't want her to be forgotten.
Here is a newspaper article:
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/38189090/lizzie_clements/
She was arrested for arson and held for trial.Lizzie wanted Tinnie to leave the Rodgers family and live with her. Some folks were trying to keep them apart. Tinnie obeyed the Rodgers and that upset Lizzie, so she set fire to the Rodgers property.
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/38188711/lizzie_clements/
There were other fires in the area, did Lizzie set those also? No proof found.
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/38189639/lizzie_clements/
What I find rather sad is this 17 to 18 year old girl all alone. I understand back then they were considered adults at that age and usually married when they were 15 or 16, but there is never any mention of her family or where she comes from.
I didn't find any genealogy information, only 4 newspaper clippings about these young girls and their plot to run away together. But what a story, even though we do not get much of an ending, and never find out what became of her and what her sentence was. I search through the Texas Convict records on Ancestry and came up empty.
I also tried googling her and the crime and came up empty. I did however make her a tree on Ancestry, I am sure someday someone will send me a message or leave a comment giving me more information.
I wanted to write about this because I felt a connection to Lizzie and I don't want her to be forgotten.
I do find a Nancy Tennessee Rogers born ca 1870 married to a William Parish in Nagoduches (sic) but they were married 1888 and Tennie was a Parish living with Rogers before that. Still looking.
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