Patty Cannon presentation set Sept. 14 at Georgetown Historical Society
Georgetown Historical Society will host Dr. Carol Wilson to present Crossing the Line: The Life and Legend of Patty Cannon, Queen of the Kidnappers at 7:30 p.m., Monday, Sept. 14 at the Georgetown Historical Society’s Marvel Carriage Museum at 510 South Bedford St. Ext. in Georgetown.
Wilson, professor of history at Washington College in Chestertown, Md., is the world’s preeminent authority on Sussex County’s most notorious citizen Martha “Patty” Cannon. Wilson was featured on the television program “History Detectives” in an episode about Patty Cannon in 2003. Patty, also known as Lucretia, operated her criminal enterprise in Reliance, 10 miles west of Seaford.
Patty’s principal activity was to capture freed black men, take them into the Deep South and sell them as slaves. Patty’s kidnapping, robbing and murders eventually caught up with her, and she was brought to Georgetown’s Old Courthouse for a criminal proceeding after which she was returned to the Georgetown jail where she poisoned herself.
Society members as well as the general public are welcome to attend without charge. Following the talk, all are invited to enjoy light refreshments with Wilson. This talk was originally scheduled for May 4, but had to be rescheduled due to a death in Wilson’s family. For more information, call 302-855-9660.
