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Peter Alston

Peter Alston (after 1765 - February 8, 1804) was an American counterfeiter, horse thief, highwayman, and river pirate of the late 18th and early 19th Centuries. He is believed to have been an associate of serial killer Little Harpe, and a member of the notorious Mason Gang.

Peter Alston
BornAfter 1765 but before 1770
United States
DiedFebruary 8, 1804 (1804-02-09) (aged 35-38)
Cause of deathExecution by hanging
Other namesJames May, Samuel May, Isaac May
Occupation(s)River pirate, horse thief, burglar, highwayman, counterfeiter
Known forAssociating with serial-killer Wiley "Little" Harpe, and a member of the outlaw Mason Gang. Son of the American 1770s counterfeiter Philip Alston, who had connections to Cave-in-Rock, Russellville, Kentucky, and Natchez, Mississippi.
Parent(s)Philip Alston, Temperance Smith, Mary Molly Temple, Mildred McCoy
RelativesSolomon Alston (grandfather), Sarah Ann "Nancy" Hinton Alston (grandmother)

Early life and family

Peter Alston was born in the 1700s, the son of infamous colonial-era counterfeiter Philip Alston, who was associated with notable outlaw lairs at Cave-in-Rock, Illinois, and Natchez, Mississippi.[1] His father had three wives: Mildred McCoy (Peter's mother), Temperance Smith, and Mary Molly Temple. Alston had two brothers, Philip, Jr. and John McCoy, and two sisters, Frances and Elizabeth Elise. His paternal grandparents were Solomon Alston and Sarah Ann "Nancy" Hinton Alston. His paternal uncle, John Alston, was also a counterfeiter.

The Alston family had its origins in the British Royal colony of the Province of South Carolina, where the Alston surname was very common. There is scant information on his childhood and pre-criminal activities. His possible birthplaces include South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Natchez, West Florida (now Natchez, Mississippi), Fort Nashborough, Virginia (now Nashville, Tennessee), or Russellville, Virginia (now Russellville, Kentucky). The family probably moved frequently to avoid pursuit from the law.

Criminal activities

According to Alex C. Finley, in The History of Russellville and Logan County, Ky, Peter Alston used the alias "James May". Alston also used the aliases Samuel May and Isaac May.[2]

The earliest recorded use of the James May alias dates back to around 1797 or 1798 in Red Banks, Kentucky (now Henderson, Kentucky) where Alston appeared with a woman who claimed to be his sister and was ostensibly lame. This woman could have been one of his two sisters, Francis or Elizabeth Elise. While in Red Banks, Alston stole horses, but he was caught in Vincennes, Northwest territory (now Vincennes, Indiana), and brought back for trial. He broke out of jail the first night he was incarcerated and was never tried.[3]

In the summer of 1799 regulators cleaned the frontier criminal element out of western Kentucky and Cave-in-Rock, Northwest territory (now Cave-in-Rock, Illinois). Alston, gang leader Samuel Mason and Peter's father Philip all moved to Stack Island on the lower Mississippi River. Alston cast counterfeit silver coins there, as well as taking part in river piracy operations.[4]

Arrest, escape, and execution

According to Spanish colonial court records, Spanish government officials arrested Samuel Mason and his men, early in 1803, at the Little Prairie settlement, now Caruthersville, in southeastern Missouri. Mason and his gang, including his family members, were taken to the Spanish colonial government in New Madrid, Spanish Upper Louisiana Territory, along the Mississippi River, where a three-day hearing was held to determine whether Mason was truly involved in river piracy, as he had been formally accused of this crime.

Although Mason claimed he was simply a farmer who had been maligned by his enemies, the presence of $7,000 in currency and twenty human scalps found in his baggage convinced the Spanish he indeed was a river pirate. Mason and his family were taken under armed guard to New Orleans, where the Spanish colonial governor ordered them handed over to the American authorities in the Mississippi Territory, as all crimes they had been convicted of appeared to have taken place in American territory or against American river boats.

While being transported up the Mississippi River, Samuel Mason and gang members Wiley Harpe and Alston overpowered their guards and escaped, with Mason being shot in the head during the escape. One of the 1803 accounts {Rothert. p. 247} claimed Captain Robert McCoy, the commandant of New Madrid, was killed by Mason during their escape. McCoy actually died in 1840, and was neither crippled nor killed by Mason.[5]

American territorial governor William C. C. Claiborne immediately issued a reward for their recapture, prompting Harpe and Alston to bring Mason's head in an attempt to claim the reward money. Whether they killed Mason or whether he died from his wound suffered in the escape attempt has never been established. Setton and May were recognized and identified as wanted criminals, Harpe and Alston were arrested, tried in U.S. federal court, found guilty of piracy, and hanged in Old Greenville, Jefferson County, Mississippi Territory in early 1804.[6]

Gallery

References

  1. ^ T. Marshall Smith. 1855. Legends of the War of Independence, and of the Earlier Settlements in the West. Louisville, Ky.: J. F. Brennan, Publisher. pp342-344. Online at www.archive.org.
  2. ^ Alex C. Finley. 1876, Reprint c. 2000. The History of Russellville and Logan County, Ky. Reprint: Russellville, Ky.: A. B. Willhite. pp42 (page number from reprint).
  3. ^ Otto A. Rothert. 1922, reprint 1996. The Outlaws of Cave-in-Rock. Carbondale, Ill.: Southern Illinois University. pp171.
  4. ^ T. Marshall Smith. 1855. Legends of the War of Independence, and of the Earlier Settlements in the West. Louisville, Ky.: J. F. Brennan, Publisher. pp343. Online at www.archive.org. pp343.
  5. ^ Houck's "History of Missouri from the Earliest explorations..." 1908 Volume 2. p. 140. According to Conrad's "Encyclopedia of the History of Missouri" 1901. p. 557 a Creek named Tewanaye who killed a David Trotter in New Madrid in 1802 had been found guilty of murder in New Orleans and in a return trip near Natchez in a galley Tewanaye had tried to escape and crippled McCoy; Tewanaye was executed in New Madrid January 3, 1803.
  6. ^ Wagner, Mark and Mary R. McCorvie, "Going to See the Varmint: Piracy in Myth and Reality on the Ohio River, 1785–1830", In X Marks The Spot: The Archaeology of Piracy, edited by Russell K. Skowronek and Charles R. Ewen, pp. 219–247. University of Florida Press, Gainesville.

Further reading

  • Asbury, Herbert. The French Quarter: The Informal of the New Orleans Underworld
  • Magee, M. Juliette. Cavern of crime. Livingston Ledger, 1973.
  • Rothert, Otto A. The Outlaws of Cave-In-Rock. Cleveland: 1924; rpt. 1996 ISBN 0-8093-2034-7
  • Wagner, Mark J. The Wreck of the '"America" in Southern Illinois: A Flatboat on the Ohio River. Carbondale, IL: Southern Illinois University Press, 2015.
  • Wagner, Mark and Mary McCorvie. "Going to See the Varmint: Piracy in Myth and Reality on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, 1785–1830," X Marks the Spot: The Archaeology of Piracy. Gainesville, FL: University Press of Florida, 2006.
  • Wellman, Paul I. Spawn of evil: the invisible empire of soulless men which for a generation held the Nation in a spell of terror. New York: Doubleday, 1964.

peter, alston, after, 1765, february, 1804, american, counterfeiter, horse, thief, highwayman, river, pirate, late, 18th, early, 19th, centuries, believed, have, been, associate, serial, killer, little, harpe, member, notorious, mason, gang, bornafter, 1765, b. Peter Alston after 1765 February 8 1804 was an American counterfeiter horse thief highwayman and river pirate of the late 18th and early 19th Centuries He is believed to have been an associate of serial killer Little Harpe and a member of the notorious Mason Gang Peter AlstonBornAfter 1765 but before 1770United StatesDiedFebruary 8 1804 1804 02 09 aged 35 38 Old Greenville Jefferson County Mississippi TerritoryCause of deathExecution by hangingOther namesJames May Samuel May Isaac MayOccupation s River pirate horse thief burglar highwayman counterfeiterKnown forAssociating with serial killer Wiley Little Harpe and a member of the outlaw Mason Gang Son of the American 1770s counterfeiter Philip Alston who had connections to Cave in Rock Russellville Kentucky and Natchez Mississippi Parent s Philip Alston Temperance Smith Mary Molly Temple Mildred McCoyRelativesSolomon Alston grandfather Sarah Ann Nancy Hinton Alston grandmother Contents 1 Early life and family 2 Criminal activities 3 Arrest escape and execution 4 Gallery 5 References 6 Further readingEarly life and family EditPeter Alston was born in the 1700s the son of infamous colonial era counterfeiter Philip Alston who was associated with notable outlaw lairs at Cave in Rock Illinois and Natchez Mississippi 1 His father had three wives Mildred McCoy Peter s mother Temperance Smith and Mary Molly Temple Alston had two brothers Philip Jr and John McCoy and two sisters Frances and Elizabeth Elise His paternal grandparents were Solomon Alston and Sarah Ann Nancy Hinton Alston His paternal uncle John Alston was also a counterfeiter The Alston family had its origins in the British Royal colony of the Province of South Carolina where the Alston surname was very common There is scant information on his childhood and pre criminal activities His possible birthplaces include South Carolina North Carolina Virginia Natchez West Florida now Natchez Mississippi Fort Nashborough Virginia now Nashville Tennessee or Russellville Virginia now Russellville Kentucky The family probably moved frequently to avoid pursuit from the law Criminal activities EditAccording to Alex C Finley in The History of Russellville and Logan County Ky Peter Alston used the alias James May Alston also used the aliases Samuel May and Isaac May 2 The earliest recorded use of the James May alias dates back to around 1797 or 1798 in Red Banks Kentucky now Henderson Kentucky where Alston appeared with a woman who claimed to be his sister and was ostensibly lame This woman could have been one of his two sisters Francis or Elizabeth Elise While in Red Banks Alston stole horses but he was caught in Vincennes Northwest territory now Vincennes Indiana and brought back for trial He broke out of jail the first night he was incarcerated and was never tried 3 In the summer of 1799 regulators cleaned the frontier criminal element out of western Kentucky and Cave in Rock Northwest territory now Cave in Rock Illinois Alston gang leader Samuel Mason and Peter s father Philip all moved to Stack Island on the lower Mississippi River Alston cast counterfeit silver coins there as well as taking part in river piracy operations 4 Arrest escape and execution EditAccording to Spanish colonial court records Spanish government officials arrested Samuel Mason and his men early in 1803 at the Little Prairie settlement now Caruthersville in southeastern Missouri Mason and his gang including his family members were taken to the Spanish colonial government in New Madrid Spanish Upper Louisiana Territory along the Mississippi River where a three day hearing was held to determine whether Mason was truly involved in river piracy as he had been formally accused of this crime Although Mason claimed he was simply a farmer who had been maligned by his enemies the presence of 7 000 in currency and twenty human scalps found in his baggage convinced the Spanish he indeed was a river pirate Mason and his family were taken under armed guard to New Orleans where the Spanish colonial governor ordered them handed over to the American authorities in the Mississippi Territory as all crimes they had been convicted of appeared to have taken place in American territory or against American river boats While being transported up the Mississippi River Samuel Mason and gang members Wiley Harpe and Alston overpowered their guards and escaped with Mason being shot in the head during the escape One of the 1803 accounts Rothert p 247 claimed Captain Robert McCoy the commandant of New Madrid was killed by Mason during their escape McCoy actually died in 1840 and was neither crippled nor killed by Mason 5 American territorial governor William C C Claiborne immediately issued a reward for their recapture prompting Harpe and Alston to bring Mason s head in an attempt to claim the reward money Whether they killed Mason or whether he died from his wound suffered in the escape attempt has never been established Setton and May were recognized and identified as wanted criminals Harpe and Alston were arrested tried in U S federal court found guilty of piracy and hanged in Old Greenville Jefferson County Mississippi Territory in early 1804 6 Gallery Edit While on the Ohio River and later the Mississippi Peter Alston joined Samuel Mason and his gang of river pirates chose flatboats keelboats and rafts as profitable targets to attack because of the valuable and plentiful cargo on board Peter Alston along with Wiley Little Harpe were captured with the Samuel Mason Gang in 1803 and brought before the Spanish Territorial commandant Colonel Robert McCoy in New Madrid Spanish Upper Louisiana Territory New Spain The courtroom would have been small and simple like the Old Cahokia Courthouse in Cahokia Illinois Country Northwest Territory pictured When Peter Alston Wiley Little Harpe and the Samuel Mason Gang received their hearing in the Spanish colonial court of New Madrid the frontier courtroom may not have been much bigger than the courtroom of the Old Cahokia Courthouse pictured The old path of the Natchez Trace where between 1799 and 1803 Peter Alston Wiley Little Harpe and the Samuel Mason Gang committed highway robbery and murder against unsuspecting travelers In 1803 Mississippi Territorial governor William C C Claiborne pictured offered a 2 000 reward a very large sum of money at the time for the capture or severed head of Samuel Mason Peter Alston and Wiley Little Harpe brought in the head of Mason to collect the reward and were identified and hanged References Edit T Marshall Smith 1855 Legends of the War of Independence and of the Earlier Settlements in the West Louisville Ky J F Brennan Publisher pp342 344 Online at www archive org Alex C Finley 1876 Reprint c 2000 The History of Russellville and Logan County Ky Reprint Russellville Ky A B Willhite pp42 page number from reprint Otto A Rothert 1922 reprint 1996 The Outlaws of Cave in Rock Carbondale Ill Southern Illinois University pp171 T Marshall Smith 1855 Legends of the War of Independence and of the Earlier Settlements in the West Louisville Ky J F Brennan Publisher pp343 Online at www archive org pp343 Houck s History of Missouri from the Earliest explorations 1908 Volume 2 p 140 According to Conrad s Encyclopedia of the History of Missouri 1901 p 557 a Creek named Tewanaye who killed a David Trotter in New Madrid in 1802 had been found guilty of murder in New Orleans and in a return trip near Natchez in a galley Tewanaye had tried to escape and crippled McCoy Tewanaye was executed in New Madrid January 3 1803 Wagner Mark and Mary R McCorvie Going to See the Varmint Piracy in Myth and Reality on the Ohio River 1785 1830 In X Marks The Spot The Archaeology of Piracy edited by Russell K Skowronek and Charles R Ewen pp 219 247 University of Florida Press Gainesville Further reading EditAsbury Herbert The French Quarter The Informal of the New Orleans Underworld Magee M Juliette Cavern of crime Livingston Ledger 1973 Rothert Otto A The Outlaws of Cave In Rock Cleveland 1924 rpt 1996 ISBN 0 8093 2034 7 Wagner Mark J The Wreck of the America in Southern Illinois A Flatboat on the Ohio River Carbondale IL Southern Illinois University Press 2015 Wagner Mark and Mary McCorvie Going to See the Varmint Piracy in Myth and Reality on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers 1785 1830 X Marks the Spot The Archaeology of Piracy Gainesville FL University Press of Florida 2006 Wellman Paul I Spawn of evil the invisible empire of soulless men which for a generation held the Nation in a spell of terror New York Doubleday 1964 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Peter Alston amp oldid 1062189876, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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