Killing of Isaac Wilson

Killing of Isaac Wilson - Quite late in the evening of September 19, 1880, three men, J. Hartshorn, and John and Ward Adams came to the house of deceased, at the northern end of Berryessa Valley. Hartshorn rode up to the house and engaged in conversation with Wilson and his family. Shortly afterwards, a noise was heard in the brush, and it was evident that some one was coming on horseback. Wilson took a gun and advanced to meet the horsemen, who proved to be the Adam's, and called to them: "Stop! go back! who are you? go back, or I will drop that horse from under you!" At this, one of the horsemen fired the charge taking effect in Wilson's leg. A rifle was then discharged by the other horseman which did not take effect. Then a second charge of buckshot was sent off and Wilson fired twice after them with a revolver. He died in a little over an hour. The Adams's were tried in Napa in February, 1881, and acquitted.

Source: [Lyman L. Palmer], History of Napa and Lake Counties, California (San Francisco: Slocum, Bowen & Co., 1881), page 157.

This record was transcribed by Regina Gualco and is posted on CAGenWeb with permission.

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Last updated August 5, 2006