The Pims and the Knights shoot it out

I sometimes turn to other area newspapers when the well of items on hand to write about runs a little low, looking for news from Lucas County 1846-1867, a period from which very few back issues of newspapers survive.

The following item, from The Chariton Patriot of Sept. 29, 1864, was picked up and reprinted in The Indianola Weekly Banner of Oct. 6, 1864 --- recounting a confrontation between two old families in what now is the Lucas area of western Lucas County. At that time, the town of Lucas had not yet been dreamed of.

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Samuel Pim, and Wm. Pim his son, of this county, were arrested on last Saturday, on a warrant issued by Justice Temple, charged with an assault with intent to murder Wm. Knight, of Jackson Township. The defendants waved an examination, and gave bonds in the sum of $1,200 for their appearance at District Court.

It seems, from a statement of one of the witnesses, that a few days ago, a son of Mr. Knight and a daughter of Mr. Samuel Pim ran off into Missouri and were married. Mr. Knight, learning that they were going, went with them.

Mr. Pim was very much opposed to the marriage, and became very much enraged at Mr. Knight for assisting the parties in going to Missouri. On the 23d inst., Mr. Pim and his son went to the house of Mr. Knight, each armed with a revolver, and finding his daughter there, ordered her to get into the wagon and go home with him. She refused, and while they were thus parleying, Wm. Knight came in and said the girl should not go unless she wanted to.

At this, Pim and his son commenced firing their revolvers at him. They shot five times, two charges taking effect, one in the back, and the other in the right arm, above the elbow. The wounds are serious, but his physicians think that he will recover. (Chariton Patriot, Sept. 29th)

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I don't know what the outcome of these charges was, but in the long run the Pim and Knight families apparently reconciled, at least to a degree, and continued to live in the same general vicinity for the remainder of their lives.

John W. Knight did indeed marry Mary Ann Pim (1848-1916) during 1864 and their only child, Grace, was born the next year. 

Mr. Knight was absent from the scene by March 1, 1870, however, when Mary Ann married as her second husband John Schnebly and they continued to live in the same neighborhood.

Samuel W. Pim died on Feb. 16, 1882, at the age of 53, and William H. Knight, on Dec. 16, 1899, age 78. Both are buried in Rose Hill Cemetery, northwest of Lucas. Grace (1865-1948) married Charles L. Cochran and they lived in the New Virginia area. What became of John Knight I cannot say.

Take a look at Samuel's tombstone while you're about it. It's the only stone I've seen that includes the names of the preachers who officiated at his funeral.