All you ever wanted to know about Omie Wise, but were afraid to ask - too much information perhaps.
A hurried scan - apologiese for errors
Jim Carroll

POOR NAOMI (OMIE WISE)
Judged by the breadth of its diffusion, 'Poor Naomi' ('OM Wise') is North Carolina's principal single contribution to American folk song. Belden BSM 322-4 cites it in collections from Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, the Ozark country (Arkansas and Missouri), and Tennessee; Davis FSV 272-3 lists seven Virginia texts. Morris FSF 85-9 prints two from Florida. Its theme is similar to that of 'The Bloody Miller' (or 'The Oxford Girl") I though its handling of the story lacks some features found in the other ballad.    It appears to be a North Carolina product, based upon an actual occurrence.    For North Carolina oral versions, see Mrs. Steely 107 (1935).
In the Greensboro Patriot of April 8, 15, 22, and 29, 1874. appeared a romantic and moralistic but highly circumstantial serial story, 'Naomi Wise. By Charlie Vernon,' ending with the text of a ballad entitled 'Poor Naomi.' 'Charlie Vernon' was the pen-name of Braxton Craven, president of Trinity College (then located in Randolph county). The same story was included as an appendix to Jerome Dowd's Life of Braxton Craven, D.D., LL.D. (Raleigh. 1896). It has been reprinted several times as a pamphlet, and in one form or another this is the source of many North Carolina newspaper articles.
Craven's story dates events "about forty years ago"—i.e., about 1834. This dating may, however, belong to an earlier writing of the story. The author, who was born in 1822 and had spent most of his life near the scene, would have been twelve years old in 1834—old enough to receive clear and vivid impressions of events if they had occurred in that year. Yet in the story he nowhere represents himself as a witness, but indicates his reliance upon local traditions and the testimony of old residents. Evidence for a considerably earlier date is afforded in a supplement to The Story of Naomi Wise (Randleman, N. C, 1944), a reprint of Craven's story made under the auspices of the Rotary Club of Randleman. This (pp. 30-31) is in the form of extracts from "The Minute Book—Pleas and Quarter Sessions" of the Randolph county court:
In the August term of court, 1808, Benjamin Elliott came before the subscribing justices and made oath that he was the officer called by the I Lt. Col. Commander of said county to guard the gaol of said county for the safe keeping of Jonathan Lewis, a state prisoner, confined therein on the charge of murder and that he attended on that business thirty days and that the under named persons attended as soldiers as follows:
[Names of eleven men with terms of service.] Sworn and subscribed to before me November 11, 1808.
B. Elliott, Captain
1808—The Grand Jury reported that one prisoner was confined in the jail charged with murder. Jonathan Lewis made his escape supposedly with the aid of sympathetic friends and a shackley frame jail from which his escape could easily be made. . . .
(Copied.) "Ordered by the Court that the County Trustees pay the cost and charges of attorneys. The prosecution of Jonathan Lewis for felony when trial is removed to the County of Guilford to the said Jonathan Lewis there requested and said discharged from jail under the ensolvent Debtors Act. . . ." This court procedure was after Lewis had been brought from the West for trial charged with drowning Naomi Wise in 1808. . . .
The following is a summary of Craven's story:
About forty years ago there lived where New Salem now is, in the County of Randolph, North Carolina, a very open and warm-hearted man by the name of William Adams.
At Adams' lived Naomi Wise, an orphan, cook and occasional field hand.
Jonathan Lewis, member of a family of physically powerful and pug¬nacious men, living near Centre Meeting House on Polecat Creek in Guilford County, was a clerk for Benjamin Elliott at Asheboro.
Jonathan Lewis saw Naomi Wise and loved her. . . . Henceforth he was a frequent visitor at Adams'.
"But an evil genius crossed the path of Lewis in the shape of his mother. . . . She deemed it in the range of possibility that Jonathan might obtain the hand of Hattie Elliott, the sister of Benjamin Elliott, his employer. . . . Jonathan Lewis was no more the proud manly gentleman; he was henceforth a hard-hearted, merciless wretch. He was a hyena. . . . He not only resolved to forsake a lovely damsel, but first to ruin her fair name.    His resolve was accomplished. . . .
"Miss Elliott baffled him on every tack, and though she encouraged him, gave him but little hope of succeeding immediately. In the mean¬time, Naomi urged the fulfillment of his promise . . . threatened him with the law. Jonathan promised marriage but commanded Naomi to be silent about it. But before he could bring matters to an issue with Miss Elliott, rumor whispered abroad the engagement and disgrace of Naomi Wise.    Lewis denied the rumor to Miss Elliott.
"Lewis at length came to see Miss Wise and told her that he wished not to deny the marriage any longer . . . that he had made all necessary arrangements and that he would come and take her to the house of a magistrate on a certain day. She urged the propriety of the marriage taking place at the house of Mr. Adams, but he refused.
"She told nothing of what was about to take place to Mr. Adams; but at the appointed time, taking the water pail in her hand, she went to the spring, the place at which she had agreed to meet Lewis. He soon appeared and took her behind him. It is said that the stump off which Naomi mounted remains to this day."
Naomi soon perceived that they were not approaching the magistrate's place but were going toward Deep River. Lewis engaged her in a con¬versation on her preference between slow and sudden death. Riding to an island in mid-channel, Lewis said, "I intend to drown you in this river." Refusing her pleas for life, "he tied her dress above her head, and then held her under beneath his foot until he was alarmed by a glare of torches." Lewis mounted his horse and dashed out of the river. The bearers of the torches, a Mrs. Davis and her sons, were too late. They only heard the horseman ride away, did not discover Naomi. Next morning, when search was instituted, Mrs. Davis's story led to the dis¬covery of the body. An inquest was held. Someone suggested that Lewis be brought to view the corpse. Lewis in the meantime had ridden home to his mother's. She asked him why he was home in the middle of the week, why wet, and why so pale. He replied that he had started home on business and that while fording the river his horse had fallen. Having procured a change of clothes, he rode to Col. Craven's in Asheboro and aroused suspicion there. From Craven's he went to a sale at a Mr. Hancock's and again excited suspicion by his conduct.    But he brazened out the occasion and engaged in a flirtation with a girl named Martha Huzza.    It was at Huzza's house with Martha on his lap Lewis was arrested.   Confronted by the corpse, he smoothed Omie.-apparently unmoved.   But circumstantial evidence was so strong tr authority of the officer was scarcely sufficient to save him from lync on the spot.   He was committed to jail.
"A vast company on the next day accompanied the remains of Na to the grave."
Lewis "broke jail and fled to parts unknown.    Time rolled on. Naomi was beginning to fade from the memory, and Lewis was scan thought of.   The whole tragedy would, perhaps, have been nearly I sea of oblivion, but for the song of Omi Wise, which was sung in the neighborhood.
"At   length,   rumor, the   persecutor and avenger, gave tidings   : Jonathan Lewis was living at the Falls of the Ohio. . . .    Col. Cm* Col. Lane, and George Swearengain, properly commissioned, starts; quest of the criminal."   Arrived at the Falls of Ohio, whither marr Lewis's family had moved, the party, knowing they would be reccen= hired two hunters to capture Lewis and deliver him to them.   These accomplished their purpose on a deer hunt to which the Lewises invited them.    Lewis was brought to Randolph county.    He was finally t in Guilford county and acquitted.    "Most of the material witness;: died or moved away and much of the minutiae was forgotten."    Are his release, Lewis moved to Kentucky and died a few years afterws: He is said to have confessed the murder on his death bed. But he
brazened out the occasion and engaged in a flirtation with a girl aa Martha Huzza.    It was at Huzza's house with Martha on his la: Lewis was arrested.   Confronted by the corpse, he smoothed Omie's apparently unmoved.    But circumstantial evidence was so strong that the8 authority of the officer was scarcely sufficient to save him from lynching on the spot.   He was committed to jail.
"A vast company on the next day accompanied the remains of Naomi to the grave."
Lewis "broke jail and fled to parts unknown.    Time rolled on...| Naomi was beginning to fade from the memory, and Lewis was thought of.   The whole tragedy would, perhaps, have been nearly in the sea of oblivion, but for the song of Omi Wise, which was sung in neighborhood.
"At   length,   rumor, the   persecutor and avenger, gave   tidings Jonathan Lewis was living at the Falls of the Ohio. . . .    Col. Craven Col. Lane, and George Swearengain, properly commissioned, started in quest of the criminal."   Arrived at the Falls of Ohio, whither many of Lewis's family had moved, the party, knowing they would be recognized hired two hunters to capture Lewis and deliver him to them.   These a accomplished their purpose on a deer hunt to which the Lewises invited them them.    Lewis was brought to Randolph county.    He was finally tried in Guilford county and acquitted.    "Most of the material witnesses i died or moved away and much of the minutiae was forgotten."    A: his release, Lewis moved to Kentucky and died a few years afterwards He is said to have confessed the murder on his death bed.