Nannie Doss Research Paper

To everybody outside of her family, Nannie Doss seemed like a sweet woman. But within the family, she was a coldblooded murderer. She killed 11 of her family members, including her own children. Nannie’s motive for these killings was both to collect insurance money, and to find “the true romance of life”. Nannie was born on November 4, 1905 in Blue Mountain, Alabama to Louisa and James F Hazel. She also had 1 brother and 3 sisters. Nannie and Louisa both hated James for him being a nasty and controlling father. Nannie also never had a good education and was not able to read well because James would force the children to stay home and work on the family farm rather than go to school. When Nannie was 7 years old she was going on a trip on a train

Then him and Nannie got a divorce and Nannie kept the 2 girls. Braggs said that he left Nannie because he was frightened by her. Then in 1929 Nannie met and married Frank Harrelson, who she met in Jacksonville. He would send her romantic poetry and she sent him a cake. They lived together in Jacksonville with Melvina and Florine Braggs. Very soon after the marriage Nannie discovered that Harrelson was a heavy alcoholic and had a criminal record of assault, but the marriage still lasted 16 years. In 1943 Nannie’s oldest daughter, Melvina gave birth to Robert Lee Haynes. 2 years later another baby arrived but died soon after birth. Melvina claims seeing Nannie stick a hatpin in the baby 's head, and the family agrees, but the doctors could not give an exact explanation. After that grandbaby’s death the two grieving parents drifted apart, and Melvina began dating a soldier. Nannie disapproved of the man and it was a constant argument between Nannie and Melvina. After a pretty bad fight between the two, Robert mysteriously died under Nannie’s care on July 7, 1945. The death was said to be asphyxia from unknown causes and Nannie collected $500 from Robert’s life