Hiram Holladay, my 2nd cousin, 4x removed, loved three Haynie sisters. He married two of them and he might have married a third had her husband not shot and killed him.

The fact that Hiram was infatuated with three woman from the same family came as no surprise to me. He probably inherited that trait from his Holladay and Trantham ancestors. Let’s review. Hiram’s paternal grandfather was Henry Holladay who married Elizabeth Trantham. Henry’s brother John married Elizabeth’s sister Sarah Trantham. Henry’s sister Sally married Elizabeth’s brother Jesse Trantham, my 4th great grandfather, and finally, Henry’s sister Rachel married the patriarch of the Trantham family, Martin Trantham (III), my 5th great grandfather. Sometimes I wonder if one of the two families lost a bet.

Hiram might have lived to see his 50th birthday had he steered clear of the Haynie household. A wealthy lumber baron, he had 600 employees and a life insurance policy worth $100,000 (allegedly) when he was murdered in 1899 (fact). Hiram was certainly industrious if not unscrupulous. When he moved his sawmill down the railroad he built (so he could better access his mansion), he took his 600 employees and their families with him, all but decimating the town of Williamsville, Missouri. Hiram knew how to make a buck. He built houses for his employees and charged them rent. His railroad provided them transportation to other places for a fee. Hiram paid them a fair wage – part cash and part checks that could be redeemed for goods sold at the local general store he owned. That seems fair.

Monroe A. Johnson worked for Hiram and was married to Hiram’s sister-in-law, the third Haynie sister. Suspecting his wife and Hiram were having an affair, he reportedly tricked his wife into believing he’d traveled to St. Louis. Instead, he hid himself behind a woodpile, waited for Hiram to arrive and then caught the amorous couple in the act.

Six bullets ended the affair permanently. Monroe’s vengeful act split the town that Hiram “built”. Some thought he was justified while others demanded justice. At his trial, Monroe admitted to killing Hiram who had “despoiled his home”. A sympathetic jury agreed and found him guilty of manslaughter. He was fined $500 which he undoubtedly could not pay as his employment at Hiram’s lumber company had been axed.

Kenfolk: Tranthams
Relation: 2nd cousin, 4x removed
Common ancestors: Hiram’s great grandfather was Martin Trantham of Williamson County, Tennessee who is my 5th great grandfather

References:
A Missouri millionaire betrayed his wife’s sister, and her husband, one of his poor employees, killed him. (1899, May 21). The St. Louis Post-Dispatch, p. 29.
Johnson Verdict. (1900, August 20). The St. Louis Post-Dispatch, p. 8.