Lavinia Fisher’s story is a mix of fact, folklore, and fiction, and that’s part of what keeps her name on the lips of true crime podcasters and the curious Southerner’s imagination. People still debate the details of Lavinia’s life and crimes. Many argue that she was a victim of sensationalism, her infamy exaggerated because she was a woman, while others believe she was a calculating murderer who used her feminine wiles to lure unsuspecting men to their deaths.
But when you pull back the curtain on the country’s alleged first female serial killer, there’s more to the story.
Lavinia Fisher’s Childhood and Early Life
We don’t know much about Lavinia Fisher’s early life. She was born in the late 1700s, possibly around 1793, but no concrete records detail her birthdate, family background, or upbringing. Historians believe she spent her youth in Charleston, South Carolina. The port city had a thriving economy and culture at the time, but also a dark underbelly of crime and lawlessness.
There is no documented evidence that Lavinia came from a particularly poor or troubled background. But in a time when women had limited rights and opportunities, financial pressures or societal expectations could have played a role in her later life choices. Her story takes a dark turn when she marries a ne’er-do-well grifter named John Fisher.
The Six Mile Wayfarer House
Lavinia married John Fisher, and together they ran the Six Mile Wayfarer House, an inn-meets-rest-stop located about, you guessed it, six miles outside of Charleston’s city center. The Fishers ran the inn when highway robbery was common in the area. Travelers would stop at the inn, often on their way to town with goods to sell or leaving town flush with cash after selling their wares.
According to the lore, while Lavinia and John made guests feel welcome, their intentions were more sinister. It’s said that Lavinia would chat with guests, flirt a little, gain their trust, and possibly drug them with a deadly concocted tea. Once the travelers were incapacitated, they would retreat to a guest room rigged with a trap door, through which they’d drop into a basement to be murdered and their possessions stolen.
This is an intriguing plot, to be sure, but there is no definitive proof that Lavinia personally committed any murders. Some historical accounts suggest that John Fisher, or perhaps other accomplices, were the ones directly responsible for any killings. But Lavinia’s undeniable charm and supposed involvement in the planning and executing of these crimes sealed her reputation as a femme fatale. Lavinia and John were the 19th century’s Bonnie and Clyde.
The Fishers’ Ultimate Arrest
In 1819, after years of suspicion and rumors, a mob of vigilantes went to the Six Mile Wayfarer House to confront the Fishers about the disappearances of travelers in the area.
At first, Lavinia tried to use her charm to calm the men down, but once they left, it was said that she ordered an attack on one of the vigilantes, David Ross, who had stayed behind. Ross managed to escape and went to alert authorities. Officers swarmed the house to find John, Lavinia, and a few other accomplices heavily armed but outnumbered. They had no choice but to surrender.
What Was Really Under the Floorboards?
When authorities finally searched the Six Mile Wayfarer House, they found evidence of stolen goods but no bodies, trap doors, or poisonous tea potions. They then ordered the house to be burned down. What complicates Lavinia’s story is the murky nature of her actual crimes.
Most of what we know about her comes from overdramatized newspaper accounts from the early 1800s, which exaggerated her role in the alleged murders for thrill readers. Some reports suggest the Fishers were involved in robbery and possibly aiding criminal gangs rather than committing serial murders.
Execution and Lavinia Fisher’s Famous Last Words
Lavinia and John were both sentenced to hang for their crime of highway robbery. They spent the last part of their life in the Old Charleston City Jail, writing to the judges that the punishment was too harsh, especially for Lavinia, and trying desperately to appeal their sentence. They even attempted to escape the jail.
But on February 18, 1820, Lavinia was hanged alongside her husband. She was 27 or 28, and he was 29. Lavinia became the first woman to be hanged in South Carolina for a crime other than murder. It was a big deal.
Her execution is where her infamy and legend truly solidified. According to an embellished version of the story, Lavinia wore a wedding dress to her execution and screamed out a dramatic statement before she was hanged. “If any of you have a message for the devil, tell me now, for I shall be seeing him soon,” she allegedly declared before jumping from the scaffold herself rather than waiting for the hangman.
This bold defiance in the face of death is part of what has kept her story alive for so long. The wedding dress piece has long since been debunked, and it’s said those last words were directed to the governor, who refused her pardon.
Was Lavinia Fisher America’s First Female Serial Killer?
It’s up to you to decide if you want to buy into the embellishment this tale has collected over the decades. The claim that Lavinia Fisher was America’s first female serial killer is often repeated, but it’s not fully supported by historical evidence.
While she and John Fisher definitely loved “doin’ crimes,” there’s no definitive proof that she personally killed anyone. Journalists, authors, podcasters, and tour guides have been unreliable (to put it lightly) stewards of this story over the years. Through an almost game-of-telephone-like series of recountings, people bestowed Lavinia a near-mythical status as the evil innkeeper who murdered travelers.
The real story was that she was more of an accomplice to her husband’s criminal activities than the mastermind behind them.
Some of the more gruesome details you’ll hear and read about the Fishers — like the trapdoor to a basement murder pit — are likely inventions of 19th-century writers looking to sell gripping stories to the public. In reality, Lavinia might have been involved in a network of criminals who preyed on travelers, but there’s no solid evidence that she fits the profile of a serial killer.
Learning More About Lavinia Fisher
If you’re interested in digging deeper into Lavinia Fisher’s life and legend, Charleston is the best place to start. The Old City Jail is open for tours, and many local guides will share the tale of her life and death. Several ghost tours in Charleston also feature her story, offering a mix of history and folklore. If the Lavinia Fisher bug has bitten you, here are some resources, starting with a look at the Old City Jail.
- Book Ghost City Tours’s official Lavinia Fisher Tour or Bulldog Tours’ Charleston Haunted Jail Tour.
- Read Wicked Charleston by Mark R. Jones or Six Miles to Charleston: The True Story of John and Lavinia Fisher by Bruce Orr
- Listen to the Morbid and Redhanded‘s podcast episode, The Legend of Lavinia Fisher.
- Try your luck at the Livinia Fisher-themed escape room in Charleston.
Lavinia Fisher’s story is a bewitching blend of history and legend. Whether she was indeed a murderous innkeeper or simply the victim of sensationalized journalism, her name has endured as one of Charleston’s most notorious figures.
Do you see Lavinia as a villain, a victim, or something in between?
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
**********
For more of the best of the South, follow us on Instagram @StyleBlueprint!
