Convicted of five murders (Asta Eicher and her three children, and Dorothy Lemke) after luring victims through lonely-hearts / matrimonial correspondence ads. He maintained an underground chamber at his property. Executed by hanging at the West Virginia Penitentiary in Moundsville on March 18, 1932. Body unclaimed; buried in the prison cemetery.
Background
Harry F. Powers (born Harm F. Drenth in the Netherlands; also known by aliases including Cornelius O. Pierson) was a serial killer who operated a "murder farm" near Quiet Dell, West Virginia, in the late 1920s and early 1930s. Known as the "Bluebeard of Quiet Dell."
Contemporary Clarksburg Telegram and West Virginia news coverage (1931-1932 trial and execution)
Historical accounts of the Quiet Dell murders and "murder farm"
All information on this site is drawn from publicly available records. We strongly recommend verifying directly with the cemetery and primary sources before making any decisions.
No other flagged graves found within 5 miles of this location in our current database.