Lawson Family Murder Museum

04/03/2026

We are saddened to hear of the passing of Kinney Rorrer, music historian and featured in ‘Deadly Secrets: The Lawson Family Murder’ by Chad Tucker. When you visit the museum, you will hear Mr. Rorrer telling the history of the Lawson Family Murder Ballad. Thank you for your love of history and for sharing the story of the Lawson Family.

It is with great sadness that we have learned of the passing of Kinney Rorrer, Charlie Poole’s biographer. As the great-nephew of Poole’s wife and her brother, Posey Rorer - fiddle player in Poole’s band - Kinney had personal knowledge of the many fascinating stories associated with this transformative figure in American music. That, coupled with Kinney’s scholarship and dedication to research and preservation, created one of the most important resources for information about 1920s stringband music of the Piedmont. Kinney Rorrer carried the torch for the preservation of this rich cultural history - he will be sorely missed.

12/25/2025

Remembering the Lawson Family - Christmas Day, 1929. Ninety-six years ago today, a tragedy occurred in Stokes County that forever changed the community. On Christmas Day 1929, the lives of the Lawson family were lost in an event that continues to be remembered, studied, and mourned nearly a century later.

At the Lawson Family Murder Museum , we pause today not for spectacle, but for remembrance — honoring the lives behind the headlines and acknowledging the weight of history carried by this date.

We remember the Lawson family.

12/20/2025

12/06/2025

WXII 12 News feature regarding the newest acquisition to the Lawson Family Murder Museum

12/06/2025

WXII 12 NEWS did a great job on this story! Thank you so much for showcasing the Lawson Family Murder Museum ❤️

The Lawson Family Murder Museum in Madison will soon showcase a special exhibit featuring newly acquired rare photographs of the Lawson family, adding to the historical narrative of the tragic 1929 Christmas Day murders.

12/05/2025

🕯️ New Extremely Rare Acquisition at the Lawson Family Murder Museum 🕯️We are honored to announce the addition of an extremely rare, exceptionally well-preserved set of Lawson Family murder souvenir photographs — complete with the original envelope - a piece we have never seen in any collection until now.

After the 1929 tragedy, the Lawson cabin became an unexpected tourist stop, and photographs like these were sold to visitors. Most were lost to time—making this complete set an extraordinary historical find. The envelope is the only one we have ever seen with a set.

These images will soon be added to a special exhibit, where they’ll be displayed with respect and context as part of the story of the Lawson family and the aftermath of Christmas Day, 1929.

🖤 The museum is continually seeking to acquire authentic items connected to the Lawson case in order to preserve this history for future generations. If you or your family have artifacts, photographs, or documents related to the events, we would love to speak with you.

More details coming soon as we prepare the new exhibit.

— Lawson Family Murder Museum

11/09/2025

A message from me to you. -Smitty.

10/31/2025

"What will really get you, is if you hear a voice speaking to you and there’s nobody there,'' said Michelle Boles, noting she and Kimberly Boles, 25, have heard a

08/20/2025

New early Lawson Family gravestone photo acquired for the museum! It will be added once conservation efforts take place!

03/01/2025

We were honored to meet Mrs. Fay Stewart, the granddaughter to Elder William Jackson Brown (Boss) and Mrs. Nannie Bennett Brown, today. Elder Brown officiated the funeral for the Lawson Family after the tragic events of Christmas Day, 1929. His obituary said: “Even those who entertained contrary opinions on the subject of religion held him in high esteem,” and that “a large congregation, estimated at about five thousand, of sorrowing relatives and friends attended his last rites.” The photo and a copy of his obituary will soon be added to the museum. Thank you, Mrs. Stewart!

Pictured: Michael “Smitty” Smith and Mrs. Stewart with the photograph she gifted to the Lawson Family Murder Museum of her grandparents.