Simon Haggard, an 18-year-old male of Caucasian ethnicity, tragically died on December 25, 1929, in Vernon, Texas. His death was part of a larger tragedy that befell his family. On December 29, 1929, his father, J.H. Haggard, a 56-year-old tenant farmer, and Simon's siblings were found shot to death in their poverty-stricken home. The bodies were discovered by a neighbor, Lewis Rivers, who went to the house to borrow a saw.
The justice of the peace, H.C.
Justin, held an inquest at the scene and concluded that J.H. Haggard had shot his children and himself. A note found at the scene, signed by J.H. Haggard, read: "All dead. I had rather be dead. Look in cellar." The bodies were found in different parts of the house, with the children killed as they slept. There were no signs of struggle, and the authorities believed that poverty was the motive behind the slayings.
No arrests, suspects, or litigations were associated with Simon Haggard's death, as it was determined to be a case of familial suicide. The tragic event left the family without any Christmas presents, and only the scantiest necessities of life were found in the house. The wife and mother of the victims had passed away about three years prior to this incident, and her brother, I.G. Church, stated that he knew of no reason for the act.
This heart-wrenching incident remains a somber chapter in Vernon's history, highlighting the devastating impact of poverty and despair on a family.
