Harpe brothers information

Wiley "Little" Harpe
Wiley "Little" Harpe
	No known portrait of Wiley Harpe exists from life. An artist likeness created from his physical description mentioned in historical records.
Born	William Harper; Before 1770 (probably c. 1750); Scotland, Kingdom of Great Britain, or Orange County, Province of North Carolina, British North America
Died	February 8, 1804 (aged 34–54); Old Greenville, Jefferson County, Mississippi Territory, United States
Cause of death	Execution by hanging
Other names	Wiley Roberts, John Setton, John Sutton, John Taylor
Occupation(s)	Bandit, highwayman, river pirate, plantation overseer, soldier, frontiersman
Spouse	Sarah "Sally" Rice (m. 1797) (shared by both brothers)
Children	4
Signature

Micajah "Big" Harpe
Micajah "Big" Harpe
	No known portrait of Micajah Harpe exists from life. An artist likeness created from his physical description mentioned in historical records.
Born	Joshua Harpe; Before 1768 (probably c. 1748); Scotland, Kingdom of Great Britain, or Orange County, Province of North Carolina, British North America
Died	August 24, 1799 (aged 31–51); Muhlenberg County, Kentucky, United States
Cause of death	Murder by decapitation with knife
Other names	Micajah Harpe, Micajah Roberts
Occupation(s)	Bandit, highwayman, river pirate, plantation overseer, soldier, frontiersman
Spouses	Susan Wood; Maria Davidson (alias Betsy Roberts; shared by both brothers);
Children	4

Micajah "Big" Harpe, born Joshua Harper (before 1768 – August 24, 1799), and Wiley "Little" Harpe, born William Harper (before 1770 – February 8, 1804), were American murderers, highwaymen and river pirates who operated in Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois and Mississippi in the late 18th century. They are often considered the earliest documented serial killers in United States history.^[2]

Loyal to the British Crown during the American Revolution, the Harpes became outlaws after the war and began robbing and killing settlers in the remote frontier west of the Appalachian Mountains. They are believed to have killed 39 people, and possibly as many as 50. As the Harpes' crimes gained notoriety, vigilante groups formed to avenge their victims, and they were eventually tracked down and executed around the turn of the century. Their savagery has since entered American folklore,^[3] appearing to have been motivated more by blood lust than financial gain.

^ ^a ^b Cite error: The named reference Arthur H. Clark was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Schram, Pamela J.; Tibbetts, Stephen G. (2014). Introduction to Criminology: Why Do They Do It?. Los Angeles: Sage. p. 51. ISBN 9781412990851.
^ Smith, T. Marshall. Legends of the War of Independence, and of the Earlier Settlements in the West. Louisville, KY: J.F. Brennan, Publisher, 1855.

[Arthur_H._Clark-1] Cite error: The named reference Arthur H. Clark was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[2] Schram, Pamela J.; Tibbetts, Stephen G. (2014). Introduction to Criminology: Why Do They Do It?. Los Angeles: Sage. p. 51. ISBN 9781412990851.

[3] Smith, T. Marshall. Legends of the War of Independence, and of the Earlier Settlements in the West. Louisville, KY: J.F. Brennan, Publisher, 1855.

Harpe brothers information

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Micajah "Big" Harpe
No known portrait of Micajah Harpe exists from life. An artist likeness created from his physical description mentioned in historical records.^[1]
Born	Joshua Harpe Before 1768 (probably c. 1748) Scotland, Kingdom of Great Britain, or Orange County, Province of North Carolina, British North America
Died	August 24, 1799 (aged 31–51) Muhlenberg County, Kentucky, United States
Cause of death	Murder by decapitation with knife
Other names	Micajah Harpe, Micajah Roberts
Occupation(s)	Bandit, highwayman, river pirate, plantation overseer, soldier, frontiersman
Spouses	Susan Wood Maria Davidson (alias Betsy Roberts; shared by both brothers)
Children	4

Wiley "Little" Harpe
No known portrait of Wiley Harpe exists from life. An artist likeness created from his physical description mentioned in historical records.^[1]
Born	William Harper Before 1770 (probably c. 1750) Scotland, Kingdom of Great Britain, or Orange County, Province of North Carolina, British North America
Died	February 8, 1804 (aged 34–54) Old Greenville, Jefferson County, Mississippi Territory, United States
Cause of death	Execution by hanging
Other names	Wiley Roberts, John Setton, John Sutton, John Taylor
Occupation(s)	Bandit, highwayman, river pirate, plantation overseer, soldier, frontiersman
Spouse	Sarah "Sally" Rice (m. 1797) (shared by both brothers)
Children	4
Signature