The Bloody Century 1

December 22, on this date in 1831...

37. The Ballad of Frankie Silver

Charlie and Frankie Silver were the ideal young married couple, so the legend goes; he was strong and handsome, she was kind and beautiful. They lived an idyllic life, with their baby daughter, in a little cabin in the woods of Burke County, North Carolina. But things changed quickly when Frankie learned that Charlie had been seeing other women. Allegedly, one night in December 1831, she methodically and brutally murdered Charlie in his sleep. That is the legend of Frankie Silver, the reality is even darker. Frankie had endured physical abuse from Charlie throughout their marriage until, on that December night, she fought back to save her own life. Frankie Silver’s subsequent execution was a tragic miscarriage of justice.

Date: December 22, 1831
Location: Burke County, North Carolina
Victim: Charles Silver
Cause of Death: Blows from an axe
Accused: Frankie Silver
The Execution of Frankie Silver
The Execution of Frankie Silver
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