Wilcox-Cropsey: Some Sources to Consider

BY: ALEX CHRISTOPHER MEEKINS, HISTORICAL RESEARCH AND PUBLICATIONS OFFICE, NC OFFICE OF ARCHIVES AND HISTORY

Jim Wilcox was first tried for the murder of Ella Maud “Nell” Cropsey in March 1902. While there is no known collection of private papers for either Wilcox or Cropsey, the county and state court records are numerous. In addition to the public records, the newspapers of the day carried extensive coverage.

Twice the case was tried in superior court (once in Pasquotank County and once in Perquimans County) and twice appealed to the Supreme Court of North Carolina. This yields a wealth of material not only the actual trial transcripts but also all the material surrounding a trial (jury pools, witnesses, indictments, coroner’s inquest, rulings, etc.). There are subtle differences in the trial transcripts; so much so that the reader can decide if the prosecution made their case or not.

NORTH CAROLINA SUPREME COURT DOCUMENT AWARDING A NEW TRIAL, STATE v. JAMES WILCOX , AUGUST 1902

Courtesy of the State Archives of North Carolina

Newspapers offer a wealth of context the highs and lows of searching for Nell until her body is found. The local investment in finding her (the Citizens’ Committee, for example) is shown, and you can trace the arc of hope to despair for the Cropseys.

The ultimate mystery of Nell’s death is not revealed in these documents. They do, however, paint a rich milieu of the events surrounding her death and its aftermath.

“ THE BODY OF MISS NELLIE CROPSEY FOUND ”

Courtesy of the Oregon Daily Journal , December 27, 1901.