The murder of the Overton girls
When the Sacred Ground series profiled the Overton Cemetery at Brimstone, we noted the graves of Carrie and Cassie Overton, who appeared to be twins and died on the same day in December 1932, at the age of 14. But we wondered if the cemetery markers — placed years after the girls’ death — might be a mistake, since it would be extremely unusual for teenaged twins to die on the same day.
“Is it possible that these girls were twins who also died at about the same time? Or was a mistake made in genealogical records?” we asked.
It turns out that the girls were indeed twins. And while it would be unusual for twins to die at the same time of natural causes, the Overton girls did not die of natural causes. They were victims of a double murder-suicide. The man who shot them was 22-year-old Clyde Wilson, who is buried at nearby Lone Mountain Cemetery.
Shortly after the story of Overton Cemetery was published, several people — including family members of both the Overton girls and the Wilson family — contacted us to fill in the rest of the story. The story they told was remarkably similar in details.
“I was always told that Cassie and Carrie Overton were young ladies and were killed by a Wilson man who was engaged to one of them,” wrote a member of the Overton family. “He killed himself after taking their lives. I think I even heard there was a song or poem about the girls but don’t know if that is correct.”
“The girls were twins; it’s said Clyde was dating one of them,” wrote a member of the Wilson family. “The story goes that he thought she was cheating on him. He went to their house and killed both of them. The people in the area wrote a popular ballad about it.”
Our story about the Overton Cemetery had included a note about census records indicating that the Overton family and the Wilson family living in close proximity in the Mill Creek area, along with the West, Webb and Emory families, though we were unaware of the connection of the December 1932 tragedy.
Understandably, the story remains a sensitive subject among both families, even some nine decades later. But to fill in the gaps and the speculation from the profile of the Overton Cemetery, this is the story of the deaths of the Overton girls.
Cassie and Carrie Overton were the daughters of Franklin Overton and Pricie Keathley Overton, both of whom are buried at the Overton Cemetery. Bill was the son of John and Nancy Overton, who lived at Brimstone. John Overton was the oldest child of William and Catherine Overton.
Clyde Wilson was the son of Riley and Tempa Wilson. Many members of the Wilson family are buried at Lone Mountain, as are additional members of the Overton family.
In December 1932, Clyde Wilson was engaged to be married to one of the Overton twins. It isn’t clear which one, but one written record indicates that they were to have been married on Christmas Day.
One day in early December, however, Wilson apparently went to the Overton home and killed both girls before taking his own life.
The exact date of the tragedy isn’t clear. Wilson’s headstone indicates that he died on Dec. 7, 1932. However, his death certificate states that he died on Dec. 4, 1932.
Clyde Wilson’s death certificate, which indicates that he was buried on Dec. 5 and the certificate was filed on Dec. 6, notes: “Suicide. Killed his sweetheart & then shot himself with shotgun.”
We obtained a copy of the song that was written about the tragedy. It goes like this:
“My mother begged and pled with me to turn and seek God’s love / That I might wear a golden crown in that bright home above.
“I closed my eyes to mother’s tears and ears to what she pled / I turned away in unchanged force and to my mother said:
“O mother do not weep o’er me for soon I shall return / I’ll change my ways and seek this love and of its glories learn.
“I walked into my true love’s home said: love we ne’re shall wed / For long before our wedding day the grave shall be our bed.
“In rage I shot those sisters down — my sweetheart and her twin / Then while upon the floor they lie I there realized my sin.
“Go tell my brothers back at home and please tell sisters too / To e’re be noble, kind and true like I told mother I’d do.
“I’m going to the lonely woods to die beneath the pines / For I have murdered two fair maids — o what a mighty crime.
“A shot rang out o’re hill and dale — then all was quiet once more / His spirit had gone to seek the ones who’d gone an hour before.
“They found him ‘neath the lonely pines, a gun clost by his side / He’d shed two innocent maiden’s blood then by his own hand died.
“Now friends if you have broken laws and sinned beneath the blue / Accept this precious glorious love before death calls for you.”
It’s not clear whether the author of the song was Carlie West. However, a note from West at the bottom of the page states:
“In December 1932, Cassie and Carrie Overton, twins, less than 20 years of age, were both murdered in their own home in the Brimstone mountains by Clyde Wilson, a young man, and son of Mr. and Mrs. Riley Wilson. One of the twins and Clyde were sweethearts, and it was said they were to be engaged to be married at Christmas, which was about a week off. After murdering the girls young Wilson sent a messenger home to tell the story, and to make known his intention of suicide. He was found a few minutes later with his gun by his side.” — Carlie West, Robbins, Tenn.