The lawson family photo, taken just days before the tragedy. The documentary is called a christmas family tragedy. Feel free to upload pictures, stories, or anything else related to the lawson. The eerie photograph, an unusual expense for a poor family of that era, indicates that charlie likely. On that day, respected tobacco farmer charlie lawson brutally murdered his wife and 6 of his 7 children before committing suicide. On christmas day in 1929, a farmer named charlie lawson murdered his wife and six of his kids. Finally the true story of the lawson family murders of christmas day jones, m. A haunting photo of the lawson family tells the story behind a. In addition to investigating the tragic event, the film explores the tall tales and. There has also been a few books about the the lawson family massacre. Finally the true story of the lawson family murders of christmas day 1929 by m. Ever since charlie lawson killed six members of his family and himself on christmas day, 1929, people have been. Lawson family christmas day massacre photo tells secret. On christmas day, 1929, respected tobacco farmer charlie lawson shot his wife and.
Murder of the lawson family murder ballads paul slade. Sadly, he was killed in a car accident in 1945 at the age of 32. Dark truth behind infamous christmas murder unilad. Top row is arthur, marie, charles and fannie holding little mary lou. The lawson family cabin in germanton in stokes county where charlie lawson murdered his wife and children on christmas day 1929. The tragedy occurred on their farm, just days after charlie had taken the whole family into town, bought them new clothes and had them sit for a studio portrait. Fannie lawson, 37 wife, mother marie lawson, 17 carrie lawson, 12 maybell lawson, 7 james lawson, 4 raymond lawson, 2 mary lou lawson, 4 months. Clockwise from top left, arthur 16, marie 17, charles 43, fannie 37 holding baby mary lou, carrie 12, raymond 2, maybell 7, james 4. You will see some photos youve never seen before in the books or anywhere else. Lawson family christmas day massacre photo tells secret behind. Sadly, in 1945, arthur was killed in a car accident at the age of 32. New york had the highest population of lawson families in 1840.
Christmas, bloody christmas the lawson family christmas massacre. A studio portrait of the lawsons taken days before charlie lawson murdered all but one of his family members. This is the tragic story of a true christmas nightmare. The murder of the lawson family killer tales youtube. Charlie lawson, a 43yearold tobacco farmer, killed his wife, six of his seven children and then committed suicide on christmas day 1929 in stokes county, north carolina. Explores the lawson family massacre of christmas day, 1929.
A family photograph taken before a christmas day massacre holds. New york, which is the location of the novel and the film, the amityville horror, where the defeo massacre plays a large part in the story of. The lawson murders became immortalized in a classic bluegrass murder. This was about 14% of all the recorded lawsons in the usa. The true story of the lawson family murders of christmas day 1929. This is the last living photo taken of the lawson family.
The house was the backdrop for a brutal murder that left 8 people dead, and the land haunted by. Lawson family murders related photos charlie lawson. On christmas day, 1929, shots rang out across the countryside near germanton, north carolina, as charlie lawson murdered his wife and six of. In addition to investigating the tragic event, the film explores the tall tales and controversies that have sprung up in the aftermath, uncovering relevance for today s audiences. There is nothing that can ruin the holidays like murder, especially when the victims are an unassuming farm wife and six of her seven children, all waiting for the happiness and joy that usually accompanied christmas. Friends this is a true story that happened in the hills of western north carolina in the year 1928. This is the true story of charles davis lawson and the crimes he committed on christmas day, 1919. A true southern gothic tale, a christmas family tragedy seethes with a. Only son, arthur, 16, survived, as he was in town when it happened. The story of the alday murders is a horror film come to life.
Bottom row has children james, maybell, raymond and carrie. A christmas family tragedy 2006 photo gallery imdb. Search 8,127 then share your genealogy and compare dna to grow an accurate global family tree thats free forever. We used a greenscreen to keep the real cabin in all. North carolina tobacco farmer murdered his wife and six. On december 25, 1929, charlie lawson murdered his wife and six of their seven children before killing himself in stokes county. The lonesome cabin that once stood on brooke cove road in stokes county, north carolina, is widely referred to as the old lawson home. This film isnt the only thing documenting this tragedy. Blood echoes gives a look at the day of the alday family murders. The most lawson families were found in the usa in 1880.
In 1840 there were 114 lawson families living in new york. The stanley brothers story of the lawson family lyrics. Knight funeral home, where the eight members of the lawson family were embalmed. Lawson family murders doc featured at wreak havoc horror film. The murder of the lawson family, charlie lawson murdered his wife and six. Revisit the chilling case of the lawson family massacre committed by the father, charlie lawson.
The lawson murders became immortalized in a classic bluegrass murder ballad, ghost stories, tours of the. Family photograph taken just before the father slaughtered. The true story of the lawson family murders of christmas day 1929 kindle edition by smith, trudy j download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Be sure to check out the link in the menu bar of the lawson family murders related photos. On december 25, 1929, germanton sharecropper charlie lawson murdered six of his seven children, his wife, and then committed suicide. The story about the lawson family i guess in some ways is similar to the amityville murders. In 1973, fugitives committed one of the worst massacres in georgiathe alday murders. Many songs have been written including the story of the lawson family, ballad of the lawsons, murder of the lawson family, the murder of charlie lawson, and charlie lawsons still.
In the five years the house was on display, it brought thousands of people, inspiring many songs and even a movie. Theres a small family cemetery in rural stokes county you cant find on a map, completely. After the bloody massacre charles hid in the nearby woods. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the meaning of our tears. Secret behind photo in lawson family christmas day massacre when seven people died. This tragedy occured near the little town of danburry in. More than a decade later, a serial killer sitting on death row in texas would claim he committed the crimes, along with more than 70 other slayings. Christmas murders and the lawson christmas massacre a very good post on this wikipedia. We dropped by madison dry goods and owner richard miller showed us around the old funeral home and pointed out the embalming room, the chapel, and the viewing rooms.
This page is to be used to add and discuss information about the lawson family murders that occurred christmas day 1929. However, the film is good enough in giving you the story and its certainly fascinating hearing. You see, the second floor of madison dry goods was the former home of t. The crime became a sensation among the public, and the murder scene was put on display as a tourist. There is a small museum dedicated to the lawson family, located at the madison dry goods country store in madison, north carolina.
Helping to bring the family together regularly, and placing an emphasis on the bond we all share. Arthur lawson, the only remaining member of the family, grew up, was married, and had four children. Troy taylor christmas, bloody christmas the lawson. People began to gather at the lawson residence after hearing about the tragedy.
On christmas day, 1929, charlie lawson brutally murdered his family in north carolinas most infamous and mysterious mass murders. These are two pages of some of the photos in my scrapbook. Shortly before christmas 1929, charles lawson took his wife and their seven children, marie age 17, arthur age 16, carrie age 12, maybell age 7, james age 4, raymond age 2 and mary lou 4 months into town to buy new clothes and have a family portrait taken. Theres a small family cemetery in rural stokes county you cant find on a map, completely surrounded by. The film explores what is undoubtedly one of the most compelling murder cases in north carolina, that of charlie lawson, the stokes county. A family photograph taken before a christmas day massacre holds a telling clue to the familys scandalous secret.
After the murders, one of charles brothers, marion lawson, opened the house as a tourist attraction. Now in a brand new film by break of dawn productions, learn what. This book examines a murder case from 1929 where a man murdered his family. A family annihilator can be anyone in the family who murders most, if not all, members of their immediate family. Finally, the true story of the lawson family murders of christmas day.