Riley - Americas Early Serial Killers: Five Cases of Frontier Madness, Historical Serial Killers and Murderers

Killers Names: Micajah (pronounced Mickey) and Wiley Harpe

Dates Active: 1790s

Locations: Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois and Mississippi

Victims: Up to forty

Backstory:

Micajah Big Harpe (born 1768) and Wiley Little Harpe (born 1770) were brothers (though some report they were actually cousins). They were also killers, highway robbers and pirates, operating across Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois and Mississippi during the late 1700s. The Harpe brothers may have the notorious title of being Americas first serial killers. Their crimes were motivated by nothing more than greed and bloodlust, killing for fun.

Little is known about the Harpes early lives. They reportedly emigrated from Scotland to the USA as young children. Other sources suggest they were born in America, and it was their fathers who had emigrated. Here is the first suggestion that they were actually cousins, their fathers being brothers. Micajah and Wiley were not the names they were given at birth. In fact, they were originally known as William and Joshua.

Back in the 1700s, Tennessee was not the place it is today. Adventurers, boatmen and traders were among the people living there or just passing through. The area was full of thick forests. The main road at the time was the Chickasaw Trace, at first a narrow trail used by deer and Native Americans, that grew wider as it was used by more people. It became an area rife with robberies and highwaymen.

During their early lives, the Harpe families ran plantations, until the colonies erupted in the Revolutionary War. At some point during this time, they changed their names. William became Micajah (pronounced Mickey) and Joshua, Wiley. It was also here that they first posed as brothers. They joined the war, but on the side of Britain. Given that they were born only 7 and 5 years before the start of the Revolutionary War and would have been only 15 and 13 years old at the end of the War, their supposed involvement in it is somewhat suspect.

Micajah was a big man with a fierce look. He was usually covered in dirt, but you could still identify him as a redhead. He liked weapons, and frequently armed himself with more than one. Wiley meanwhile, while also very adept with weapons, was not as large or threatening.

It is rumored that they were once arrested and jailed for a crime they did not commit. We may never know whether their actions were for revenge. What we do know is that the brutality of their actions was something never before seen in the young country.

Circumstances :

As the war was coming to an end, and things were looking bad for the British, the Harpes decided that military life wasnt for them and so they deserted. When the war was won by the colonies, both men had little left to lose, and so they became outlaws, starting to ride with gangs, pushing west as they stole and plundered.

As they travelled, Micajah kidnapped a woman named Maria Davidson to be his wife, and then also kidnapped Susan Wood as well, while Wiley ended up legally marrying a woman named Sarah Rice. All of the women were abused to the point they were likely too scared to try to escape. Indeed, at one point later when they had a chance to escape, they voluntarily returned, though they would later report they had been too scared not to.

The next confirmed sighting of the pair was in Knox County somewhere between 1795 and 1797. By then, they had already murdered five people, including four of their own children. It was said Micajah in particular could not stand the sound of children crying so he killed them.

Eventually, the odd family settled into a cabin in Tennessee, on what would eventually be called Old Maidensville Road. They made an effort to grow crops for food, and got to know the other local residents. Even then, they had a dark side. There were rumors in the community that they had killed a man who had shown concern for the welfare of the women living with the Harpes.

It wasnt long before they once again wanted to move on, and the pair started stealing livestock from their neighbors. The stolen cattle were slaughtered and sold to raise funds. At first, they remained undetected, but over time the men buying the meat became suspicious. One of the men, who himself was missing horses, went to the Harpe property, and when no one was found at home, searched the land with several other men and found his horses tied up in the woods. Following the trail, they also found the Harpes. Both Micajah and Wiley were arrested, and brought into town, but before long the pair managed to escape. Now, they were truly on the run.

Over time, the Harpes became known as two of the most feared outlaws of the time. They lived for a time in a large natural limestone foundation located in Illinois. It had passages underground that were so large you could hide herds of livestock in them, and the pair considered them an excellent hiding spot.