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"was shot to death near Florence, Alabama"; intestate, The sale of his estate on 18 Oct 1834 was recorded 18 Feb 1835 and listed heirs, "his widow Nancy Marrs . . . and ten children:
Alsy Rhodes wife of James Rhodes
Joseph C. Marrs
Elizabeth D. Murphey (a widow)
Minerva B. Wilkes wife of Amos Wilkes [Jr.]
Melvina G. Denson wife of Jesse Denson
Lucreatia S. Hale wife of Henry Hale
the following minor heirs for whom the widow is guardian:
Nancy E. Marrs
Emily P. Marrs
Albert P. Marrs
The estate included several tracts of land in Sections 17, 20, and 21, Twp. 2, Range 11 West:
N.W. 1/2 of Sect. 20
W. 1/2 of N.E. 1/4, Sect. 20
S. 1/2 of S.W. 1/4, Sect. 17
S. part of W. 1/4, S.E. 1/4, Sect. 20
E. 1/2 of S.E. 1/4, Sect. 17 held by certificate of land office
It was agreed the land could not be equally and fairly divided so the heirs requested that it be sold. It was inventoried and sold; the widow Nancy Marrs petitioned the court for a widow's dower and was allotted 86 acres.
His death was reported in the GENEALOGICAL INFORMATION FROM THE WESTERN METHODIST 1833-1834, Compiled by Jonathan Kennon Thompson Smith (Copyright, Jonathan K. T. Smith, 2003):
ADDENDA
May 2, 1834, p. 2: MURDER AND ROBBERY AT FLORENCE. We are called on to record another crime, one of a most daring character. John Marrs, a respectable citizen of Lauderdale county, Ala., left the public square in Florence about half past two o'clock on Friday last [about April 18, 1834], for his residence about six miles in the country. He proceeded on his way about one mile from the courthouse, in full view of town, and in the immediate vicinity of some of our most respectable citizens when he was shot dead by some villain or villains and robbed of about seven hundred dollars. On this being announced to the citizens of Florence, they immediately assembled at the courthouse and [determined to offer] a reward of six hundred dollars for the apprehension of the murderer on conviction. They appointed a committee of vigilance and call upon the [smeared word] of justice and moral order everywhere to aid them in detecting and bringing to justice the author of this outrage.
S. H. Stockton, one of the publishers of the Mobile, Ala. Register had been shot and killed by Charles A. Stuart on April 3, 1834. No particulars of the incident were given but a few days ago, after his trial, Stuart was acquitted by the jurors.
NOTE ABOUT THE PUBLICATION OF THE WESTERN METHODIST: During the period covering these genealogical abstracts, 1833-1834 Garrett and Maffitt were editors of this newspaper. Unfortunately, the issues post-October 17, 1834 have apparently been completely lost.