Excerpts from the Mountain Echo Laurel County's first newspaper 1880

                                                Reprinted with permission of the Laurel County Historical Society

JANUARY 1880

Died-At the residence of old uncle Amos Pearl of color, this county on last Saturday morning of consumption, Martha Jackson wife of George Jackson of color and daughter of uncle Amos. she was burried in the grave yard near Mr. W. H. Jacksons last Sunday evening.

Mr. T. R. Edwards, of Raccoon, this county on account of whose illness was given by our Raccoon correspondant in last weeks issue, died on last Friday night, she leaves many friends and relatives in this county to mourn her death.

New Firm: William Lovelace Jr. and Mr. John Wren have bought out the Drug Store of McFadden and Durham and ask the public to extend to them a share of patronage, and say they will give the best rates possible.

According to the advertisement in the paper a few weeks ago two of the three children that were to be bound out at our County Court last Monday were bound out-one to John Mardis and the other to James Gunn. The third was not bound out but was taken by Mr. Anrew Jackson who will porbably fill a bond and keep it.

Married at 3 o'clock last evening at the residence of the brides father, Mr. J. C. Jackson of this place to Maggie Parsley of Raccoon this county.

Died at his residence in this county, on last Wednesday night was a week ago of pneumonia, Mr. John Day.

MARCH 1880

On last Monday the March term of Laurel Circuit Court convened at this place. Judge W. H. Randall presiding an our efficient Commonwealth Attorney J. H. Tinsley of Barbourville was promptly on hand. The grand jury is composed of the folling named persons: Mike Hope, foreman Josiah Young, Felix Parker, Andrew Jackson, John T. Black, J. P. Sasser, Evan Jones, Sr. Levi Watkins, T.J. Tuttle, J. M. Pigg, William Wilder, Charles Day, J.W. Jackson, Robert Early, J. H. Campbell, and Evan Jones Jr.

The following is the Petit jury. Levi Buckles, Pleasant Bolton, Alexander Wyatt, Cherterfield Scoville, John L. Lanham, W. H. Jones, John Parsley, Amos Black, Joseph Sampson, C. H. Brown, Barsley Box, Samuel Templin, J. R. Kemper, Preston Tuttle, T. R. Edwards John Jones, John Pitman, James Dees, W. J. Warren, David Williams, John Westerfield, J. D. Evans, James I Weaver and John B. Moore.

APRIL 1880

Old aunt Ester McKee wife of old uncle Samuel McKee of color, of this county, died at her residence about four or five miles west of this place last Thursday night. this old lady was about eighty years of age at the time of her death. She was buried last Saturday evening in the grave yard near Mr. W. H. Jacksons.

Died: At the residence of Mr. J. H. Vaughn of this county on the 10th inst. his wife Mrs. Eliza Vaughn, after an illness of several days of fever.

In our last issue we made a mistake in stating that uncle Sam McKee was very low when we should have stated that it was uncle Dave Jackson who has since died.

Died, on the 22nd inst. at the residence of her son Mr. J. C. Faris, Mrs. Mary Faris, widow of James I. Faris. Her age was 81 years 2 months and 9 days.

April 1880

On last Sunday evening one of the most dastardly and bloody murders occurred in the Bushe's Store precinct, this county of which it has ever been our duty to chronicle the events of yet. Milton Sasser and George Gregory were both at the residence of Mr. William Weaver a brother in law to Sasser, Sunday evening Sasser going to pay Weaver a last visit before Weaver left the country for Oregon. Both these men left Weaver's together for home, Gregory living between Weaver's and Sasser's. Sasser went by home with Gregory. Both left Gregory's about an hour by sun. Sasser on his way home and Gregory following and when about three quarters of a mile from Gregory's and just as it was getting dusk. Sasser was shot and instantly killed, the ball a large navy ball, entering his right breast. Immediately on being notified Esquire T. J. Russell ordered an inquest to be held over the dead body which concluded its labors on Monday morning rendering a verdict that Sasser came to his death by a pistol shot fired by George Gregory. A warrent was immediately issued for the arrest of Gregory and placed in the hands of an officer when an earnest effort was begun to effect his arrest but had not been accomplisehed at the time of our last account. Gregory immediately, on committing the murder, went to his father, confessed to the killing but said he did it in self defense but the testimony before the jury of inquest failed to substantiate his statements. Sasser and Gregory were both considered quiet and peaceable citizens though Sasser was a little boisterous when intoxicated but generally considered to mean no harm. Gregory probably has left the country. Sasser leaves a wife and two children.

MAY 1880

Married in the streets of London, on last Monday the 10th inst. by Esquire Clayton Anderson, Mr. G. C. Nicholson to Miss Mary Harriett Day. The ceremonies were performed very quietly in the absence of any attendance or gorgeous displays which made the marriage the more romantic. After the marriage they returned quietly to their home. Mr. Nicholson was about to lose his bride as she had gotten this far with her father on the way to Oregon, when he overtook her with the proper writ of possession and claimed his own.

Died at his home in this county on the 14th inst. of consumption, Mr. Alvin Lusk.

Born on the 18th inst. to the wife of R. M. Chesnut a couplet a girl and a boy.

Born to the wife of Judge James I. Weaver on the 24th inst. a son not named. Better late Judge than never.

Died yesterday at her grandfathers, F.T. Hodges, little Nannie Hodges infant child of W.R. Hodges, after a short illness.

Married at the residence of the brides father in this county, yesterday evening at 1 o'clock. Mr. James R. Hodge, of Manchester to Miss Aura Belle Tanner.

JULY 1880

Died at the residenceof Hon. R. Boyd, of this place of consumption about 2 o'clock last Saturday morning the 3rd inst. Miss Ellen Smith in her twenty-fourth year at the time of her death. She was the daughter of Sampson and Mary Ann Smith both of whom died when Ellen was quite small, her mother dying March 16, 1862 and her father who was a gallant union soldier, died Sept. 16th 1863, leaving her an orphan but as fortune predestined she ever found a friend and protector in the person of her uncle Hon. R. Boyd.

Born to the wife of Mr. G. R. Pherigo, foreman of this office on last Sunday morning a girl Naunerie Campbell, weight, 10 pounds.

Accident- On last Sunday morning Mrs. Hugh Fawbush of this city was thrown from a spring wagon and seriously injured. She is suffering a great deal at present, but is gradually improving.

Died on last Saturday at his home in this county of infirmity, Mr. Harrison Reams, Mr. Reams was getting very old, his age being about 80 years.

Joseph Houston aged 56 years, 5 months and 18 days, departed this life on the 7th inst. Mr Houston has been afflicted with lung desease for several years, and confined to his room for two months previous to his death. He had been an acceptable member of the Methodist Church for 44 years.

Born to wife of W. E. Smith on last Sunday evening a daughter.

SEPT-OCT 1880

Married at the Christian Church is this city, last evening, Mr. R. M. Jackson to Miss Alice Ewell.

Married-On the 11th inst. by Jeremiah Lemmons, Mr. C. C. Johnson to Miss Sarah E. Wells, daughter of Thomas P. Wells.

Born to the wife of William Lovelace Jr. of this place last Monday evening-A radical-a boy. The father seems as happy as a sunflower.

Mr. George Mason and family left here last Monday morning to seek a home on the golden plains of California,. They were accompanied by Mr. Newton Cottongim who contemplates seeking a home in Washington Territory.

Married-At the residence of the brides father, last evening Mr. Robert Catching to Miss Hettie Pearl both of this county. So Hettie giveth up her Pearl And Hymen still is Matching She did not know-deluded girl This bad desease is Catching.

Died-At her residence, Mrs. T. J. Brown, of flux, on last Tuesday morning about 10 o'clock. She had been ill for the passt two weeks. She was a daughter of Judge W. H. Randall, was first married to Mr. Russell Ramsey, who died several years ago leaving her with three small children. About five years ago she married Mr. J. T. Brown of this place.

Garrard Carrier of Iowa, formerly of this place, is now here on a visit fto friends and relatives.

We have received a letter from our young friend Mr. Lafayette Lovelace, who recently left this county to find a home in Iowa. He writes under date of October 23rd, and says that he thinks Iowa the best Country in the world.

Mr. W. P. Baker, who was shot in the leg during the fight here on election day, is still improving. November

Mr. Stephen Brown and family and William Blair and family both of this county left here last Tuesday for Missouri where they will make their future home. We wish them abundant success.

Mr. George Chesnut and Wilk Mullins have had a solid weeks spree over John D. Whitis election.

Mr. John Stillings an old, sober and industrious citizan of this county an account of whose illness we gave in these columns in our last issue, died last Monday.

DECEMBER 1880

Married at the residence of the bride, in this city, on last Thursday evening by Rev. R. L. Ewell, Mr. Nelson Hendricks to Miss Susan Ross, both of color.

End of 1880