Kings Tavern Remains Possibly Taken to Potter's Field

Natchez, MS, Friday, October 29, 2010 (N.A.P.S.)  Our investigators currently are running down leads that the remains of a female and two males supposedly found during renovation at King's Tavern, were buried in a part of the Natchez City Cemetery known as Potter's Field.  Don Estes, our Cemetery consultant, verifies that this would indeed be a place where bones and remains like that would be taken, as it was a place for unknowns and transients to be buried.  Don stated that the last person buried there was about fifty years ago, around 1960.  Potter's Field is a sparse wooded area located adjacent to Catholic Hill, in the rear portion of the Natchez City Cemetery.

Don also stated that records of the Natchez City Cemetery from about 1908 to 1940, were heavily damaged in a State Archives fire that occurred there in 1940.  However, Don stated that restoration efforts did save many of the files for Natchez.  Don has done an exhaustive search through the records, but to date has not found any indication of the burial of any remains that match what we are looking for.  The bottom line is, our records are not perfect from 1908 to 1940, which includes the 1930-32 time we are investigating, which is the time period these remains were supposedly found at King's Tavern. 

We also are following leads to find a William Maxie, husband to Annabelle Maxie who, we are told, was a Court Reporter in Natchez who lived at King's Tavern for many years.  She is featured in a June 12, 1966 Democrat article that has a photo of her holding the dagger that supposedly was found with the remains.  The dagger has since disappeared, and we are trying to locate it as well.  Mrs. Annabelle Maxie is deceased, but her husband William, who sources say used to own a store on Maple Street, is still alive and around Natchez today.  We are currently trying to locate him.

We will continue to diligently search to find solid historical evidence to support (or disprove) any of the stories, folktales and legends surrounding the historic King's Tavern, and the alleged ghosts that are said to be haunting it.  We are doing all of this research prior to our field investigation, which will put the entire Tavern under an electronic and video umbrella, using over a dozen high-resolution infrared and full-spectrum video cameras and other sophisticated electronic equipment, in mid to late November.