1889-10-14
Davidson County, NC

Alleged offense: Murder
Race: White
Gender: Male
Age: Unknown
Legal intervention (in alleged offense): Yes
Legal intervention (following lynching): Yes
Mob size: 200
Mob members: David R. Myers; John N. Myers; John T. Farabee; John L. Wilson; John F. Wood; William Livengood; Charles R. Swicegood; J.C. Daniels (Plunk); William W. Myers; Henderson Shoaf; J.M. Farabee (Duff); Bentley Hunt; Henry Michael, Jr.; David Mock; Burwell Gobble
Alleged victim: Mrs. Herbert Walser
Household Status: Divorced with children
Occupation: Farmer

Authorities arrested Robert Berrier, a farmer, for the murder of his mother-in-law, Eliza Walser. Walser cared for her pregnant daughter, Laura Berrier, at Walser’s house. After the birth, Walser refused to allow Berrier to see his wife or child. On his second visit, Berrier abducted the child and allegedly shot and killed Walser. After Berrier’s arrest, authorities moved him to Greensboro temporarily. Authorities returned Berrier to Lexington for his hearing October 14, 1889. A mob of 200 abducted Berrier from the Lexington jail the night after the hearing. Berrier allegedly confessed before the mob hanged him. Authorities arrested 32 men but a grand jury failed to indict any of them.

Documentation

Death certificate: None found
Census: None found

News coverage: <a
Another Lynching

Local Man Lynched For Killing Mother-In-Law

Robert Berrier Lynched

No True Bills Against the Berrier Lynchers

Location

Town: Lexington, North Carolina
Latitude/Longitude: 35.492407, -80.154304
Rationale: Spanish Oak Tree on Mocksville Ln., now Old US Highway 64.

Additional Resources:

Lexington, N.C., June 1885; Night of the Starlight Rain

Researcher’s Note: