From Flirtation to Murder: An 1840s Soap Opera Saga 

By Diane Euston

  Before Kansas City was even founded, and prior to the mass migration of the California Gold Rush, the town of Independence served as a jumping-off point of the Three Trails. The Santa Fe Trail, established in 1821, encouraged entrepreneurs to found Independence in 1827. 

  By the 1840s, the Three Trails carried thousands of pioneers from Independence out west. Early settlers of Independence like Samuel C. Owens benefited financially and became one of the most prominent citizens of Jackson County.

  When Samuel Owens’ 14-year-old daughter, Fanny defied her family, it was a blow to her father and mother. When her actions allegedly led to the murder of a young, handsome lawyer in the town of Independence in 1846, headlines across the country kept those attracted to scandal thirsting for more.

  Fanny Owens’ story and the scandal surrounding her needs to be retold.

Samuel Combs Owens and the town of Independence

  Fanny’s father, Samuel Combs Owens, was born in 1800 in Green County, Ky. to Nathaniel Owens (1766-1844) and his wife, Nancy. His father was a judge and a holder of 4,000 acres of land.

  When about 18 years old, Samuel moved to Franklin County, Mo. and worked as a circuit court clerk there. In 1825, he returned to his home state of Kentucky to marry Frances Maria Young (b. 1800). The newlyweds then relocated to Jackson County, Mo. in 1826.

  When the townsite was set up, Owens was one of the commissioners authorized to sell lots. He, along with other early settlers, saw the revenue that overland traffic could bring if services were offered – and they were right.

  Thirty-five miles to the east of Independence, the town of Lexington was established in 1822 on the bluffs of the Missouri River near a ferry crossing. In that year, John Aull (1787-1842) opened a mercantile store there, and his brothers, James and Robert, soon joined him in his successful business. Within just a few years, the Aull Brothers had a “chain” of frontier stores, opening stores in Independence, Westport and Liberty.

  In 1837, Robert Aull took over the Independence operations with partner Samuel C. Owens. The shop, located at the southwest corner of the square, became a major supplier of wagon trains heading west.

  When a wagon train arrived in Independence, “their coming was announced by the shooting of guns, so that when they reached Owens & Aull’s store, a goodly number of people were there to welcome them.”

  Samuel Owens made himself into a leading Santa Fe Trail merchant and outfitter in Independence. He was known far and wide as one of the most successful players in Santa Fe trade, often traveling west to check on his business interests and east to purchase goods.

  Owens also invested in real estate throughout Jackson County, and in 1838, he was one of the 14 original founders of the Town of Kansas.

  Samuel and his wife welcomed children Ambrose in 1829, Maria Frances “Fanny” in 1831, Annie in 1825, Henry Clay “Tobe” in 1838 and Laura in 1844.

    The Owens family needed a residence that matched their prominence in the community, and in about 1840, Samuel took a lot at current-day 410 W. Farmer Ave. northwest of the town and erected a brick home there that still stands (with two additions) today.

Fanny’s Secret Marriage 

  Maria Frances, called “Fanny” by friends and family, grew up with many luxuries not afforded to the general population on the western frontier. Born in 1831, Fanny was “one the pride of her father’s heart for her beauty of person and sprightliness.” Beloved by her father, Fanny learned at a young age that she could often get her way. 

  Attorney and historian Henry A. Bundschu described Fanny as “vivacious, willful, [and] spoiled.” Due to her status and her angelic temperament with her father, she was allowed to speak freely with little discontent from others. Bundschu wrote in 1947, “She went about the streets of Independence almost as freely as a man, at a time when women had no freedom comparable to what is theirs today.”

  It was said that Fanny openly flirted with men, a behavior frowned upon in the mid-19th century.

  When a young lawyer named John Harper moved to Independence and set up business in the town square, his appearance certainly turned the heads of the young ladies of the town. 

  Born in about 1824 in Green County, Ga. to a prominent planter, Holcomb Harper and his wife, Martha, John Henry Harper was educated in the finest schools. He had a propensity for the law, and after earning his law degree, he opted to head west to start up his practice.

  “[John] was a striking figure with dark sideburns and a roving eye that caught the fancy of the ladies,” the newspapers later reported. “He loved boon companions, cards and liquor, and was seen often at the Owens & Aull trading post.”

  One of the girls who found this young, attractive lawyer irresistible was 14-year-old Fanny Owens. She quickly fell in love with the 23-year-old lawyer, and when her parents found out, they were not supportive of the match due to “the girl’s youth and unfinished education.” 

  The story told by Nelly McCoy Harris eludes that Samuel Owens locked her in her room upstairs, and “Fanny was furious and raved and tore her golden hair and entreated but for once, her father was stern and obdurate.” Fanny enlisted the help of the enslaved maid of the household to deliver a note to her lover to inform him of her precarious situation.

  Their house on Farmer Ave. was two stories in front of the street, and Fanny’s bedroom overlooked the road. After receiving word from Fanny, John Harper came to her rescue. He put a ladder up to her bedroom window and Fanny climbed out into the darkness.

  The couple rushed to Blue Springs, content that the justice of the peace wouldn’t ask as many questions of the pair. The justice of the peace reluctantly agreed to marry them so long as she would immediately return home. On May 29, 1845, Fanny Owens became Fanny Harper. 

  She went back to life and hid her marriage from her parents, but she soon was back to her old ways. When her mother tried to discipline her one day, Fanny defiantly exclaimed, “You dare not lay the weight of your hand on Mrs. Harper!” 

  Her parents were devastated at the news, embarrassed that they were unable to control their young daughter into making a mistake she could not easily undo. 

  Samuel Owens took Fanny east to put her in a convent, but because Fanny told them that she was a married woman, they wouldn’t accept her. After several months of traveling for some place to board Fanny, Samuel returned with his defiant daughter to Independence.

  Likely to save face, a minister was called to marry Fanny Owens and John Henry Harper in a proper ceremony October 5, 1845.

  Fanny had gotten her way – for now.

A Jealous Murder 

  William Wirt Meredith arrived in Independence in April 1846. Born in 1814 in Baltimore, Md. to Jonathan and Hannah Meredith, William was a bright, attractive, Harvard-educated lawyer. 

  According to the National Police Gazette newspaper, William Meredith “was a single man about thirty, a lawyer by profession, personally very prepossessing, talented, educated, and belonging to one of the most respectable families in the city of Baltimore.”

  William’s father, Jonathan, knew Samuel Owens from business dealings, and when it was thought that William’s health could be restored with a trip to Santa Fe, Samuel Owens agreed to escort him on a caravan trip west.

  When the “tender and gentile” William Meredith met Fanny, she went back to her old ways, flirting with him and encouraging his attention. Meredith responded by inviting Fanny on walks where he would read poetry. 

  One evening, Mr. and Mrs. Harper were standing in the garden when Mr. Meredith happened to pass by. Fanny offered Mr. Meredith a bouquet of flowers, and he accepted them and asked them to be delivered to the boarding house where he was staying. 

  Mr. Harper certainly watched this interaction quite closely.

  Fanny sent the bouquet to the Thomas boarding house with a note, and Mr. Meredith replied in-kind with a complimentary note. “Various other notes of similar character ensued between the parties, and from time to time they met,” one newspaper recalled.

  On May 17, 1846, at about 6:45pm, John Henry Harper arrived at the Thomas boarding house. He stepped onto the porch and knocked on the door. William Meredith answered, and he quickly invited Harper inside. He declined, so Meredith said he would be with him once he put on his coat.

  Harper peered inside and noted Meredith was looking inside his trunk. “Are you getting ready for your trip?” Harper inquired.

  “Yes, I am,” Meredith replied.

  Without much more discussion, the two crossed the street and headed toward Harper’s law office.

  While several men stood at Burford’s dry goods store on the square, they witnessed two flashes of light followed by loud bangs coming from Harper’s office.

  John and George Moodie ran down the street and were met at the office door by John Harper. They pushed past him and found William Meredith on the floor. “[Meredith] was struggling and gasping and I thought he was dying. . . I turned about and came out,” George Moodie later testified. “When I looked in the room I saw no one in there but [Mr. Harper.]”

  William Meredith was dead from one shot through his chest, the ball entering under his third rib, coming out on the left side of his spine.

  About six feet away from Meredith was a bowie knife and a shovel. A chair was turned over and a deck of cards on the writing table in the northeast corner of the room suggested someone had been playing poker prior to the incident.

  John Harper did not put up a fight when he was arrested and thrown in the county jail for murder.

  News quickly spread throughout the countryside and back to Baltimore. A newspaper there reported, “The only alleged cause was jealousy, which, it is believed, was totally unfounded.”

A Trial and Tribulations

  There was little doubt of Harper’s guilt, as the weapon used was found in his coat pocket. Harper was a man very familiar with the law, and he knew to keep quiet.  What he didn’t know was how to resist the charms of his young wife.

  The jail at the time was inside the courthouse, and one cell was fashioned in the basement. To enter the basement cell, one had to climb down a ladder  from the upper room.

  Fanny visited her husband every day as he waited in the basement cell for his trial. On July 30, 1846, Fanny entered the prison with clothing too large for her small frame, and a bonnet covered her face. She climbed down the ladder to visit her husband, and she reported to the guard that he was sick. Using her charms, Fanny convinced the guard to let her stay even longer. 

  The guard apparently didn’t pay close attention to her departure, because in the morning, “Mrs. Harper was alone in the cell, with a very cleverly gotten up effigy of her departed husband.”

  The Jackson County Sheriff offered a $500 reward for the return of the fugitive, and the governor offered an additional $250. 

  John Henry Harper was on the run, and while deep in Indian country, Harper fell sick. Two months after his escape, he was arrested by an Indian agent and returned to Independence.

The Interruption of the Mexican War

  After the United States annexed Texas in 1845, war with Mexico was inevitable. Despite the ongoing conflict, goods were still being delivered from merchants such as Samuel Owens. 

  Despite the personal tragedy of a murder committed by his son-in-law, business continued for Samuel Owens when in late May 1846, he and James Aull took a large load of goods headed for Santa Fe. 

  Unfortunately for them, they ended up behind United States soldiers, greatly delaying their journey by several months. The soldiers didn’t want Owens and Aull to continue ahead of them, because they were afraid that their goods would be stolen by the enemy.

  Gen. Alexander Doniphan (1808-1887), an old acquaintance of Owens’, raised a regiment of men from Missouri to fight the war with Mexico and found Owens and Aull along with the rest of the troops waiting for them to advance to Chihuahua. 

  With 924 soldiers and 300 civilians, Col. Doniphan was hellbent on getting to Chihuahua to attack the enemy. Due to the impending danger, Doniphan turned to his old friend, Samuel Owens, to lead a newly-organized company of men protecting over 300 wagons.

  At the crossing of the Sacramento River 15 miles north of Chihuahua on February 28, 1847, the American troops encountered a stronger Mexican army. When the order to charge was given, Samuel Owens pushed forward in front of his troops. In short order, Samuel Owens and his horse were killed as the Battle of Sacramento had just begun.

  Although the Americans prevailed in this battle and few troops were killed, the loss of Samuel Owens was intensely reported by newspapers across the country. John C. McCoy wrote, “Great was the regret of his men to see one esteemed so highly cut off in the middle of life far away from home and family.”

California Dreaming

  With Fanny by his side, John Henry Harper was put on trial in November 1847 after successfully winning a change of venue. The trial took place in Platte County, and ironically, one of the lawyers hired to defend him was none other than Col. Doniphan.

  He was found not guilty.

  Shortly after the trial ended, Fanny’s mother moved to Weston, Mo. to be closer to her oldest son and family. She passed away less than six months later in May 1848.

  Fanny and her acquitted husband, John opted to look west for a fresh start. The couple moved to northern California with a pocketful of cash from Fanny’s inheritance. In 1852, Harper was elected to the state senate.

  But the love story of the Harpers was not to be. In November 1853, John Harper placed an ad in the paper advising people not to accept a $4,000 bill of exchange from his wife. Fanny, he said, had stolen it from him.

  Before that could be settled, John H. Harper was arrested for stealing $1800 worth of gold dust from an elderly lady while traveling on a stagecoach. When she discovered the theft, Harper was searched and the satchel belonging to her was recovered.

  Harper exclaimed, “I am ruined.”

  At his trial in December 1852, he argued his own case. The jury was gone three hours and returned a guilty verdict. The sentence was seven years.

  In May 1854, Fanny obtained a divorce from the beloved husband who had been the source of so much grief for her family. She remarried a man named Samuel O. Abell of San Francisco three months later.

The Best Laid Plans of Mice and Men

  After serving shy of two years, John Harper was able to obtain a pardon from the California governor in December 1855. He quickly joined William Walker (1824-1860), a radical mercenary hired by the Nicaraguan Democratic party to assist in their civil war.

  Walker had other ideas. He wanted to establish slaveholding colonies, and in July 1856, he took control of Nicaragua.

  Hunter joined up with Walker and was elected captain of one of his companies – but this didn’t last long. He resigned after reports surfaced “derogatory of his character.”

  Little is known about John Harper’s life after this incident, but in September 1885, a letter from the U.S. consul in Nicaragua arrived in the hands of Harper’s sister. He died in the town of Rivas with $400 in his possession. 

  After Fanny’s escapades out west, she planned to return to Independence when tragedy once again befell her. After landing in New York on an ocean steamer, she became violently ill, and on July 22, 1856, she died. She was 25 years old.

  The elopement inside one of Jackson County’s most powerful families manifested into a series of tragedies. Nelly McCoy Harris wrote, “No woman who was child, wife, deserted spouse, dead and buried, in so short a period of time, ever crowded into a brief life more of romance, waywardness, dereliction and devotion; inspired more admiration, caused more heartaches, or met swifter retribution than did the bewitching Fanny Owens.” 

Diane writes a blog on the history of the area. To read more of the stories, go to http://www.newsantafetrailer.blogspot.com.