Here’s What Happens When You Find Out Your Great-Great Grandfather Was a Serial Killer in the Tri-State

Yes, you read that correctly. It’s not every day that a person finds out that they are descendant of a serial killer. Recently, this happened to me. I've known for quite some time that he was a murderer from old family stories, just not a serial murderer. I think it has to do with the fact that the history of it all has not been well documented or publicized.

Apparently, my great-great-great-grandfather was a serial killer in Posey County, Indiana. His name was Hume Redman. He lived just outside of common day Mount Vernon. He had at least three wives, with one mysteriously disappearing, and the last one murdered. He was a menace to the community and a terrible person.

Our family legend always had many gruesome stories of how he murdered his wife and how he died. Some say that he nailed her hands to a window sill before setting the house on fire and letting his wife burn to death. Others say he stabbed her straight through the heart with a hat-pin. Absolutely gruesome. Although these stories seem to be just stories, the truth isn't much less despicable.

They say that Hume met his end by the hands of his late wife's brothers, who tarred and feathered him. Still, others say that he was the last man hanged in the top of the Mount Vernon courthouse. While all of these stories sound gruesome and horrifying, and almost unreal, the TRUE tale of Hume Redman is almost as vile.

To find out the deets about how my great-great-great-grandfather really murdered his last wife, and the facts about his death, watch the video below!  Also learn about how he was confirmed to have killed at least two people but was suspected of many other killings.

(Documentary by the Feel the History Program at F.J. Reitz High School)

While it's clear that my great-great-great grandfather was a wretched and disturbed man, one can't help but wonder, how could I be an ancestor of such a man? Also, what's to become of me? Could I become the next raging serial killing lunatic in the family?

Doubtful. Highly unlikely. But could I? Who knows!

(Disclaimer: I am not a serial killer. I will never be a serial killer. I am not a mentally disturbed, raging alcoholic with a violent temper and history of domestic violence. Plus, I've never killed anybody, and I'm almost 30. Plus, there are no more serial killers in the family that I'm aware of. I think I'm in the clear. I usually spend my time writing mindless listicles for the radio station. Most of them about pop culture or weird things my kids do. I spend my days spreading peace and love and even helped save a woman's life last week. We are good. Right?!)