Who is she?
Nannie Doss was born Nancy Hazle on November 4, 1905 to James and Lou Hazle. She lived in Blue Mountain, Alabama. Her family had it's problems from the very beginning since her father was overbearing, protective, hot tempered and some would even say crazy. As young children, Nancy and her siblings were not able to have fun like the other kids since her dad restricted their freedom. The restriction as a child made her curious as she got older. When she found the right time, Nancy would sneak out of her house and go to the barn dances. It was there that she decided that she loved the boys and it was stated that they loved her to because she was "easy."
Her father said that he was going to pick out his children's husbands. He found a good man for Nannie named Charley Braggs. He was not as fun as the other boys but just five months after meeting each other they were married. Between 123 and 1927 they had four children. With the stress of the children and her crazy mother-in-law, Nannie began to drink. When she wasn't pregnant she would find time to go into town and mess around with other men. [Mr. Braggs also fooled with other women.] In early 1927, the couple lost their two middle children. The kids were fine at breakfast but dead by lunchtime. The local medics ruled it accidental but Braggs was not so convinced. He took off with the oldest daughter leaving the newborn behind. He knew that something was wrong with her but didn't know what to do about it. It is said that the kids were just two extra mouths to feed and with the economy so bad, it was something she had to do.
Charley is known as the "husband that got away," because the other four weren't so lucky.
Her father said that he was going to pick out his children's husbands. He found a good man for Nannie named Charley Braggs. He was not as fun as the other boys but just five months after meeting each other they were married. Between 123 and 1927 they had four children. With the stress of the children and her crazy mother-in-law, Nannie began to drink. When she wasn't pregnant she would find time to go into town and mess around with other men. [Mr. Braggs also fooled with other women.] In early 1927, the couple lost their two middle children. The kids were fine at breakfast but dead by lunchtime. The local medics ruled it accidental but Braggs was not so convinced. He took off with the oldest daughter leaving the newborn behind. He knew that something was wrong with her but didn't know what to do about it. It is said that the kids were just two extra mouths to feed and with the economy so bad, it was something she had to do.
Charley is known as the "husband that got away," because the other four weren't so lucky.
Cases
Altogether Nannie Doss killed at least eleven people. The first two were mentioned above as her two middle children. The real murders didn't begin though until Nannie found her second husband. All her life she just wanted a true love romance like the ones in her books and television that she watched later in life. She soon found out that what she was looking for was not so hard to find. After the death of each husband she would go back to the "Lonely Hearts" section of the newspaper and look for a possible new husband. Things would be good at first but then would take a turn for the worst. When Nannie married her second husband, Frank, things were great. He treated her like the princess she thought she was and soaked up every minute of it. Not to long after their marriage though did she realize that he was an alcoholic and had been in jail before for felonies.
While they were still married, Nannie's oldest daughter gave birth to a little girl. Her husband was asleep and she was a little crazy from the drugs but she thought she saw Nannie stick a hatpin into the child's head. Within the hour, the child was pronounced dead. Several months later, Nannie was taking care of her daughter's first child, Robert. While in her care the boy passed away to to asphyxia. The grandma received $500 due to a life insurance check on a policy she had taken out on the boy.
Then came the start of her killing her husbands. Frank had begun to mistreat Nannie and she did not appreciate it. After a while she got sick of it and filled his liquor jar with rat poison. This was how she killed most of her victims. She poisoned them in some way. Usually it looked like they had dies of natural causes or from the flu or something so no one ever investigated.
Throughout her adult life, Nannie killed
While they were still married, Nannie's oldest daughter gave birth to a little girl. Her husband was asleep and she was a little crazy from the drugs but she thought she saw Nannie stick a hatpin into the child's head. Within the hour, the child was pronounced dead. Several months later, Nannie was taking care of her daughter's first child, Robert. While in her care the boy passed away to to asphyxia. The grandma received $500 due to a life insurance check on a policy she had taken out on the boy.
Then came the start of her killing her husbands. Frank had begun to mistreat Nannie and she did not appreciate it. After a while she got sick of it and filled his liquor jar with rat poison. This was how she killed most of her victims. She poisoned them in some way. Usually it looked like they had dies of natural causes or from the flu or something so no one ever investigated.
Throughout her adult life, Nannie killed
- Her 2 daughters
- Frank Harrelson
- Arlie Lanning
- Arlie Lannings mother
- Her sister Dovie
- Her granddaughter
- Her grandson
- Her mother
- Her son-in-law Richard Morton
- Sam Doss
