Birth: Sep., 1840
Covington
Fountain County
Indiana, USA
Death: Sep. 14, 1856
Neosho Rapids
Lyon County
Kansas, USA
One of those uncalled for events that very frequently occur in a newlysettled country, and for which, in many cases, no redress can beobtained, was the death of Mrs. Sarah Carver, in August or September,1856. At the time of her death Mrs. Carver was only seventeen years ofage, and a bride of but one year. At this time the neighborhood, withbut a few exceptions, was composed of the Pro-slavery element. Late inthe evening of the day of the tragedy, a party of ten or twelve men,supposed to be Free-state men from Topeka, arrived at the house of C.Carver, one and one- half miles west of where Neosho Rapids nowstands, and demanded admittance. Mr. Carver and his wife havingretired, Mr. Carver refused to let them in, and they commencedbreaking the door down. Carver then got down his somewhat disusedrifle, and, while loading it, one of the outside party thrust hisrevolver through one of the numerous cracks between the logs, andfired twice, both shots taking effect in the body of Mrs. Carver, whowas still in bed. The shots were fatal, and her death occurred thenext day. After firing the shots, the door was broken in, and ruffiansordered Carver out, but seeing they had already gone too far, theirmain object being plunder, they left without further violence, andwent to the house of Dr. Gregg, three-fourths of a mile distant, andtold him to attend the woman they had shot. Mrs Carvers burial sitewas known only to the Husband, Christian Carver, Father, David VanGundy and few others.
Her father's bio at FindaGrave related the same story with thefollowing difference:
"One of the charges, consisting of two small balls or buckshot,entered her side, while she was sitting up in bed, and from theeffects of this wound she died three days later, on September 17,1856. The robbers continued on their raid through the county,committing acts of violence and robbery at different points, and werenever apprehended or punished. The last dying request of Mrs. Carverto her father and husband was that they refrain from seeking anyrevenge for her death. She expressed a readiness to die andforgiveness to her murderers."
Even though her burial site was known only to her husband, father anda few others, there is a huge stone with her name and dates in MountHope Cemetery, Neosho Rapids, Lyon Co, KS.
