Carter County News Articles

Compiled by Glen Haney


 
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Dec.9, 1878 Mr. Sinclair Roberts, aged 80, of Carter county, Ky. has christened his son John Wilkes Booth. Portsmouth 9/25/1909 Rev. George Atkins of Grayson, Ky. who was called here on Wednesday on the report of his former wife that she was to place their children in a children's home is the pastor of the Christian church in Grayson, Ky. Rev. Atkins learned upon his arrival here bore that the word from his wife was simply a ruse on her part to get him to come to Portsmouth. He says that he secured a divorce from her some time ago and lately married Miss Grace Richards of Grayson, Ky. with whom he is now living. When he secured tho divorce he allowed his wife to claim the two children, a girl of 7 years and a boy of 16 months. They, with their, mother, have been living with her parents Mr. and Mrs. Bell, on the corner of Front and Union Streets. Recently, it is said, Mrs. Atkins allowed her temper to got the better of her judgment and she and her children were ordered from the house. It wan then that she conceived the idea of getting the father to come here in the hope that he would assist in the support of his children. Rev. Atkins would like very much to-secure one of the children, and will gladly take it to his home and rear it. His mother is at the point of death with consumption and has often expressed a wish to see her grandchildren before her death. 12/30/1912 Charles Pennington, farmer 70 years old was shot today by his nephew, W. Graham, it is charged, while Pennington was on his way home from Willard. Pennington died a few hours later. An old grudge is believed have been the cause. Graham later surrendered to a magistrate and is under $2,500 bond. Sept 3, 1903 GRAYSON John W. Johnson of Seney was in town recently. Mrs. Judge Hubbard has been quite ill. Ed. O'Roark is out after a spell of chills and fever Rev. Neal preached in Montgomery county a few Sundays ago. The foundation of the bank of Willard is completed. Squire Al Kiser of Prater was in town a few days ago. Judge Morriswill remove to town in a few weeks. Mrs. Alex Gilbert is recovering from an attack of fever. Mrs. Emily. International Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees 19114 I will endeavor to write a few lines to the dear old Advocate and trust it will escape the basket as it is my first letter. My papa is a member of the I. B. M. W. E. and he thinks it is a grand Order. He is a carpenter employed on the C. & O. By., Ashland division. I am always glad to see him come home as he brings me plenty of fruit and a lot of toys. I have a little sister; her name is Nellie and we have great fun together. Wishing the Brotherhood and Auxiliary much success, I am, Billie Howard Mcgee. OLIVE HILL
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Dec 17, 1886 Mrs. Mary Reeder, a great grand-daughter of Daniel Boone, was married in Clark County a day or so ago to Joseph Walker. The groom hails from Carter County, and is verging on to his seventieth year, whilst the "blushing bride" is several years younger. [I attempted to research this more but came to a dead end. Can any of our readers shed any further light on this union ? Does anyone know of or related to Joseph Walker? Oct 6, 1905 Word was received here that bloodhounds had tracked the safe blowers who robbed Ramey Bros. store at Carter City Friday night into one of the large caves in Carter County. Over $2500 was taken by the thieves. There is no bank at the place and the large safe was used by the people generally as a depository. Local parties are suspected of the crime. [Note, this would be the robbery that the Stamper Brothers were suspected of in my recent article about the robbery of the Willard bank. If they got away with $2500 as this story says, what became of the money in the short span between this robbery and the Willard robbery a few weeks later? Food for speculation.] Dec 13, 1914 Hunters passing through a remote section of Carter County found about a mile apart the bodies of Harvey Weddington and Elisha Patrick, prosperous farmers. They had been shot and from small boys the hunters learned that the men had killed each other in a feud over some timber land. Both opened fire simultaneously when they met. Dec 21, 1894 United States Deputy Marshal Harris of Carter County was robbed of $500 early Wednesday morning at Vanceburg as he was leaving the hotel. Two men had a hand in the job. One covered him with a pistol while the other went through the pockets. Oct 16, 1902 The sixteen month old daughter of W.C. Rice, foreman of the box factory died Tuesday morning. Burial at Denton, Kentucky. Nov 6, 1891 HAZEL GREEN, KY The many friends of Green Strother in this section will heartily congratulate him on his marriage. The Sentinel-Democrat of this city and Miss Tillie Sturgeon of Denton, Ky. were married in Lexington on Thursday of last week. They are now located in this city. Jan 13, 1925 Grayson, Ky. Bernard Duvall, twenty-five, of Olive Hill, Ky., was shot and instantly killed last night by Theodore Montgomery, twenty-two, son of the jailer here when Duvall attempted to escape from jail. Montgomery had just opened Duvall's cell to hand him his supper, when the prisoner snatched the heavy padlock and keys from his hand and knocked him to the floor with a heavy blow to the head. Duvall ran toward the door of the cell Montgomery raised himself on one elbow and drew his revolver firing as the fleeing prisoner turned to look back at him. The bullet struck Duvall in the face and penetrated the brain killing him instantly. Montgomery fell to the floor unconscious after he shot. A coroner's jury today exonerated Montgomery Duvall had been jailed on a charge on a charge of drunkenness and fighting. June 11, 1949 A group of students from Hitchins High School held a picnic at Cascade Caves. Those making the trip included Frank Bartee, Virginia Burk, Betty Savage, Vada Sammons, Betty Flaugher, Evelyn Gallilive, Ida Mae Keyes, Jack Easterling, James Whitt, Thor Caudill, Betty Gene Sammons, Jack Holbrooks, Bob Caral and Betty Fields. Mrs.Olga Lively chaperoned the Event. March 11, 1929 Mrs. Missouri Hensley, 42, of Olive Hill is in the Stephenson hospital in Ashland. Ky. suffering from a bullet wound through her left breast. The shooting took place yesterday in the Hensley home in Olive Hill. Henry Hensley. 40,. the husband, is held in Jail at Olive Hill as the user o£ the gun. Attaches' at the hospital hold, out little hope for Mrs. Hensley's recovery. The bullet struck her in the left breast, passed, through her body and came out under the right shoulder blade. Hensley was arrested shortly after the shooting, which occurred at the Hensley home on Park Hill. in the west end of Olive Hill, by Chief of Police Carter and Deputy Sheriff R.T. Burchett. Mrs. Hensley. made the following statement to Dr. H.T. Sparks, regarding the shooting. "He pulled me down in his lap after fastening all the doors and accused me of things I was not guilty of. I said honey let me go away as I cannot, live with you." "He then jerked his gun and I told him not to shoot. But he did and me begging him not to. I never had anything to hurt him with. He tried to shoot me again but I dodged." Hensley stated to the officers that his wife tried to shoot him after several threats to their daughter. He said his wife had her brother's pistol. August 29, 1910 PORTSMOUTH - Hiram Jacobs, the Olive Hill, Ky. man who was run down by a street car opposite Mabert Road a few days ago, was so much improved Thursday that attending physicians felt he now has a chance for recovery. Two brothers from Vanceburg and Buena Vista and are at his bedside. April 15, 1916 GRAYSON, KY.—The Grayson Light & Power Company has been incorporated with a capital of $6,000 by J. A. Bagby, R. M. Bagby and others, and will furnish electric service here. September 22, 1926 Mrs. C. F. Hignite, of Grace Street, New Boston, has received word of a serious accident to her nephew, Carlton Maggard, 16 year old son of Charles Haggard, of Carter County, Ky. who was injured when a stick with which he was mending a wheel for his little brother broke and the sharp end penetrated the abdomen The boy was removed to the Kings Daughters hospital in Ashland where two operations were performed. His condition is considered serious. March 25, 1913 TIPTON INDIANA Mrs. William Goebel, [Based on the age this may be Hannah Goebel] of Grayson, Carter County, Ky. is at the Hoosier Sanitarium at Hobbs, taking treatment for cancer. The afflicted woman is sixty-one years of age and at the age of forty cancer developed on her back. This was removed by a surgeon, there being three operations performed on her. The afflicted woman is a relative by marriage of the late governor of Kentucky who was assassinated. [The late Governor Goebel was gunned down by unknown assassins a few days before he was to take office in 1900. A bitter divide between Democrats and Republicans would hamstring the investigation for the culprits. The outcome being that although there were several trials and some time in jail was spent by a few, the shooter or shooters are still unidentified to this day. Grayson attorney J.N. Hubbard was a combative witness in one such trial against suspected shooter Caleb Powers as late as 1907.] April 4, 1917 PORTSMOUTH A boy, claiming to be Martin Clay, 17, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Clay, Olive Hill, Ky. Was arrested by the police Thursday on a charge of being a runaway. "What did you want to run away for ?" the boy was asked. "I wanted to join the army," he replied sullenly. "Don't you know that war with Germany is imminent?" I'd just leave fight now I don't care if I am killed. I'd just leave die now," he said desperately". Clay is in the city jail. July 21, 1908 OLIVE HILL Elmer James, aged 19 years, living six miles north of here, was found dead in the road today. He left his wife and baby early in the morning to work his crop. Before noon a passing neighbor found him with a gunshot wound through the back. There is no clue. November 25, 1902 A skunk farm has been established near Willard, Carter County, by George Adams and Henry McDavid, two enterprising young men. They have enclosed about two acres with a wire fence and stocked it with about 100 of the "scented animals" and expect this winter to be able to market their furs. They have some valuable animals on the farm. May 19, 1892 OLIVE HILL There will be called for trial this criminal court a murder case almost without a parallel Aug 13 1890 Richard Kizer of this county walked over to his neighbor Henry James and shot him to death in the presence of his family. There was no provocation save a dispute over some cattle a few days previous. Kizer has walked freely around ever since under a small bond November 5, 1891 A four-year-old child of John Salmons of Tygart was burned to death. The mother had gone to spring for water leaving the child alone in the house. By some means its clothing caught fire and when the mother returned it was dead. It was with difficulty she saved the house from burning. March 9, 1895 ENTERPRISE Dear Editor—We have adopted another baby boy to our family. It is the infant child of Mr. and Mrs. Ambrose McGuire, of Olive Hill, Ky. Its mother died one day last week. The baby is about seven months old and seems very bright and healthy looking. Yours truly, F. M. GRIFFIN. "This is the same Griffith who was correspondent to the Portsmouth Times." http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~kycarter/news/glen_haneys_enterprise_articles.htm November 2, 1905 The Grayson Bugle-Hearld says J.R. Williams, who lost a hand in the Leon Stave factory, has moved back to Fontana and is having good success selling patent churns. February 22, 1905 GRAYSON John and Mickie Parker convicted of killing Garfield Gibson in Carter City at a soldiers reunion in October last were sentenced. John to serve 11 and Mickie to serve 21 years in the penitentiary. January, 21, 1907 A tract of fifteen acres on a hillside near Olive Hill, Ky. split off to a depth of sixty feet and slipped on its rock foundation down the hill for a hundred feet last week carrying with it two residences and the county road The rock base was inclined and the excessive wet weather cause the earth to move. April 13, 1904 CARTER, KY. John Sizemore, farmer, while out with a team fell upon one of the standards of his wagon and was almost disemboweled. It is thought he will not live. December 4, 1907 In a free-for-all fight at a distillery near Olive Hill, Frank Hall was shot and killed and Charlie Garvin was stabbed nine times and is not expected to live. July 14, 1909 We spent Thursday night at Olive Hill. The town is booming. Both fire clay plants are in full force day and night. The population is fully 3000. Much improvement has been made during the past year. In April the third bank for the town began business. We met Rev. Stone, pastor of the Christian Church who kindly showed us the new concrete edifice which on the following Sunday was to be dedicated on Saturday. Returning from Lexington we met on the train Rev. Alexander of Shelby County reroute to Olive Hill to preach the dedicatory sermon. On these two days a sale of town lots was in progress owned by a man now living at Ashland. A brass band of twelve pieces an auctioneer wearing a silk hat and full of anecdote and talk, dinner advertised on the ground etc. were some of the incentives to induce eager buyers to pay handsome prices for lots which no doubt are rare bargains to the seller It reminded us of days we had heard of. We wore told that big prices were realized. That’s what the proprietor and band were there for. Olive Hill is no slouch. It is a hustling growing town that is coming to the front with large modern business houses well lighted and with concrete pavements. The town is alive and it does not depend for revenue upon saloon license. Its people are sensible and have learned a lesson. Its drunks are imported from other towns May 14, 1908 Jacob Harper was shot and killed the other night on Sinking Creek near Olive Hill. His brother-in-law L. Johnson is charged with the crime. August 11, 1908 A man supposed to be M. J. Cooper of Carter, Ky. was siezed with hemorrhage while waiting for a train at the grand central station in Cincinnati Thursday and died in Patrol No 1 on the way to the city hospital. The man was well dressed and weighed about 125 pounds. He was evidently about 35 years of age. In his pockets was railroad ticket from Quanah, Texas to Garrison, Ky. He had $33.92 in cash. The marshal of Garrison, Ky. informed Coroner Cameron, in response to telegram, that the man was believed to be M. J. Cooper of Carter, Ky. January 14, 1902 Albert Fields was killed by freight train at the C &O rock quarry near Olive Hill He was engaged at work at the crusher. February 28, 1902 OLIVE HILL R.H. Bocook, aged 47, a barber of this place, died at the Florence Hotel from overdose of morphine. It is not thought that he took the drug with suicidal intent. July 9, 1903 OLIVE HILL To save the life of Clabe Hicks from a mob officers spirited him from the jail at Soldier, this county, boarded the midnight train at Enterprise and took him to Grayson. Hicks shot and killed Tom Fouche and seriously wounded _____ Fouche a brother of the dead man at Soldier Saturday. Below was extracted from an article relating highlights of The Women’s Christian Temperance Union. The convention was held in Madisonville, Ky. October 2, 1902. One of the musical gems was the singing of the new state song, “A Brighter Day,” by the author, Mrs. Naomy Holcomb Blaise, one of the delegates from Grayson, Ky. Mrs. Blaise has a voice of rare sweetness and full of expression. To all who heard her on Monday evening, “Our Old Kentucky Home” will hereafter have a new and higher meaning. The other delegate from Grayson, Mrs. Juliette Powers, is also an exceptionally bright woman. Her womanly appeal for new members coupled with telling hits on some of Kentucky’s weaknesses was one of the best things of the convention. Grayson must be an ideal town. They tell us that it has been a prohibition town for fourteen years and that every businessman in it is not only a professing but an earnest Christian.

August 31, 1904 GRAYSON, KY B. E. Cook 12, son of William Cook, of this place, was tampering with the load in a cannon made of gas pipe when it exploded tearing his hand badly He will lose his right arm. His left had been paralyzed since he was a child. March 9, 1900 Grant Mullins and Marion Dowdie [most likely Dowdy] were starting to work in the coal mines. A 3 year old boy picked up half a gallon can of mining powder and ran toward the fire and as Mullins attempted to catch him the child dropped the can on the open hearth spilling part of it. The powder exploded with terrific force setting fire to the clothing of Mrs. Mullins her three children and Dowdie and Mullins Mrs. Mullins a sheet of flames ran to a pool of water near by Mullins and Dowdie tore the clothes from the children and then from themselves. Mrs. Mullins has since died and her husband is dying. The others may recover. November 10, 1905 The post office and store of James Oliver at Everman, five miles north of Grayson was robbed but only $2 of post office money was secured. The burglars took a quantity of clothing and shoes. May 27, 1908 Marion Clevenger a brakeman of Leon, Ky. is given a bronze medal in saving the life of George H. Clemons a tot of 2 years at Perry Station Carter County Ky. September 30, 1900. Clevenger was riding on the pilot of the locomotive ahead of a heavy freight which was running down the child playing on the tracks. He grasped the child and pulled him upon the pilot to safety. June 30, 1892 Lightning struck the residence of Wilburn Hall Jr. near Counts Crossroads last night, considerably damaging it and killing his two little girls Mary and Birdie aged fourteen and twelve years. The other members of the family were badly shocked and the father and mother are prostrate with grief. February 22, 1905 OLIVE HILL B.F. Truesdale, a prominent sawmill man of this county, lost all the fingers off of one hand by hitting the saw. He displayed remarkable nerve by cutting off with a knife the hanging fingers. Grayson Bugle May 23, 1900 Dr John L. Robins a resident of the Olive Hill has a home known as the Castle He lives on a point overlooking the town and has a winter house containing 9 rooms, all of which are furnished, also a summer house within twenty feet of the winter house with ten rooms also furnished so the moving from one house to the other is but small task as there is no furniture to be moved. He has a summer kitchen and dining room in the rear of his residence furnished. He has a typical mountain cabin in a line with his other houses that he had built out of logs that were in a bridge cross Tygart seventy years and he has a pair of elk horns that were taken from the last elk killed in Carter county They measure twelve feet from tip to tip and were once over a gate in front of a tavern called the Elk Horn Inn. The elk was killed by G. W. Henderson's father. You will see in his home a grandfathers clock eight feet high which is 125 years old, a small spinning wheel that was made in 1812, a cannon ball that was molded at a foundry in Bath county for the war of 1812, a tin lantern eighty years old, a gun the barrel two and one-half feet long flint lock, presented to him by E. H. Dempsey a single barrel pistol flint lock seventy-five years old, a bombshell found by Jas Paynter weight thirty five pounds when unloaded, a bedstead the Rev. Quack Tyree had all his married life and was given to him by his father when he began housekeeping. The stead is 115 or 120 years old. A skillet and lid 100 years old a tomahawk given to him by Hike Armstrong, weight three pounds a bed quilt or counterpane 110 years old woven and worked by his wifes great-grandmother The doctor has many other relics in his log cabin. I wonder if the house for sale "over looking downtown" could be the same one written about in the article:

"115 Armory Dr. House for Sale - November 7, 2009"

"115 Armory Dr. photo"
"115 Armory Dr. photo"
"115 Armory Dr. photo" Jan 10, 1895 CARTER COUNTY Married: George Elam and the widow Wells; David Hall and the widow Adkins; Stauton Conley to Miss Laura Eaton; a Mr. Cole to Miss Quails; George Runner to Miss Collingsworth. Died December 27th at his home in Carter County; J W Wells He was an aged and highly respected citizen His wife is a sister of Elder Harry Little of Morgan county. His funeral was preached by Elder Howard of Ezel. He leaves a host of sympathizing friends and relatives. May 16, 1888 Mrs. Clark, of Carter County, was in the court at Grayson with her little boy, aged 8 years to have him examined which was done and he was pronounced in idiot. Mrs. Clark testified that she was 45 years of age and that the father of the boy was 98 years of age; said she had been married nine years. This would have made the husband 82 years old when married. June 2, 1948 GRAYSON, June 2 — J u d g e Charles S. Gilkerson isn't going to forget his old home town again. He paid his first visit here in 40 years Sunday as guest of Judge and Mrs. G. W. E. Wolford and now says: 'Tm corning back to old Carter co every year until I'm 100 years old." Tuesday he left to visit a brother in Portsmouth and other relatives in Ohio. Judge Gilkerson is a native of Carter co, reared near Carter caves. He 'taught school in the county for several years. In 1896 he moved to Morehead, where he practiced law and served as police judge. Since 1898 he has been located in Oklahoma, making his home at Elk City, where he has been elected probate judge and been active in practicing law. June 4, 1908 Worley Greer colored attempted to criminally assault Mrs. Mollie Cohen yesterday but was frightened away Greer was arrested and rushed to avoid an angry crowd. He will be brought to trial at once. Mrs. Cohen is an estimable lady beloved by all who know her and is prostrated as a result of the attempt. August 14, 1901 The first all-round shirt waist wedding in Kentucky took place in Olive Hill, in Carter County, on Sunday August 11. The contracting parties were Ed. G. Hanlon and Miss Nora Garvin. The bride, groom, minister and all the attendants wore shirt wastes, as did also the visitors. November 14, 1888 At Deer Creek voting precinct, in Carter County, William Low [most likely Lowe] stabbed a man named Shelby Manes through the heart, killing him instantly. February 5, 1895 Joseph H, St Clair, the fellow "as used to beat" the bass drum for the Salvation Army, came down from Ironton yesterday morning. In the afternoon he called at the TIMES office and wrote out the following, with the request to publish it: To the Editor of the times: Dear Sir, the fight at Kings Chapel Carter Co Ky. which occurred on Wednesday night after thanksgiving in which, Wesley Phillips was killed and his father Stant Phillips was shot through the head and Abe Lowe who done the Shooting was Stabbed twice it was reported in some of the papers that I was stabbed also is not true I was standing within fifteen feet of the crowd when the shooting was done but was not injured in any way. Yours Respty. REV. J H. ST. CLAIR Dist Evangelist of the Christian Church September 18, 1929 NEW BOSTON, OHIO Mrs. S.J. Grizzel of Vine street received word Tuesday that her son L.O. Shoemaker, a World War Veteran of Portland, Ore. Had entered a military hospital in that city to take treatment for injuries received in the battle of the Marne. He was wounded in the knee by shrapnel and the leg is getting stiff. Mr. Shoemaker is well known here having spent several years here and in Portsmouth and enlisted in the service from his former home, Iron Hill, Ky. April 28, 1950 OLIVE HILL A 14-year-old boy and his uncle face murder charges here for the killing of a partner in a moonshine venture. Sheriff Finley Wolfe said the boy, Robert K. Hall, admitted killing Alfred Lawhun, 59, a farm laborer, in a dispute over stolen whisky. The boy also said his uncle, Bill Hall, had urged him on several occasions to kill Lawhun for his money. County Attorney D. V. Kibbey said murder charges had been filed against the boy and his uncle March 8, 1923 About 13 passengers were injured, some seriously this afternoon, when a coach of the C. & 0. passenger train running between Garrison and Carter City on what is known as the Kinney branch turned over at Tannery, Ky. The passengers wore caught in the couch and were badly bruised and cut by glass. One passenger went east on No. 2 passing South Portsmouth at 2:35 and was to obtain relief at Ashland. Two of the passengers were brought to South Portsmouth on No.16 at 2:35. They wore taken to a local hospital. March 20, 1936 There is an old, old saying that in numbers there is strength. But this theory doesn't apply to basketball. There are only 35 students in the high school at Soldier, which is tucked away in Carter county a few miles from Olive Hill. Of these 14 are boys and a basketball team was recruited from their ranks to defeat the Ashland Tomcats, once national champions. Who would ever thunk it. My, my, how the mighty hath fallen. June 17, 1925 GRAHN, Ky Crawling through the window into her sister home so us not to awaken relatives, Sarah Jane Parsons, 15, met death, when she was mistaken for a burglar and shot. The girl was shot by her brother Albert Mowery, the shooting occurring at the Mowery home at Grahn, Ky. The girl had been to church, and had told relatives that she would stay all night with a friend. When her plans had been changed, she returned to her sister's home, and decided to crawl in through a window, instead of waking the family. Mowery, hearing the window raised, called out: "Who's there?" "When his question brought forth no answer, he fired, and the girl toppled over, dead. Miss Parsons was the daughter of Eph. Parsons, of Providence, Ky., and was visiting with her sister. April 2, 1940 OLIVE HILL, Malcom Jack Rice, 26, truck driver and former athlete, suffered the loss of both legs when he fell beneath the wheels of a Chesapeake & Ohio Railway train near here. He was married six months ago and his bride was the first person to reach him. Nov 17, 1950 Two young men who broke from the Carter county jail last night after beating jailer Toop Haney with soft drink bottles continued at large today. The prisoners, identified as Charles Sharke, 19, and Arthur Decto, 24, made their getaway while being transferred by Haney from the "bull pen" to individual cells. Sheriff Finley Wolfe, said that Sharke and Decto were arrested 10 days ago, and admitted they were driving a stolen car. Both gave Oklahoma City, Okla., as their home address, but officers indicated doubt that this was correct. September 19, 1933 PERU, INDIANA Francis Brown 20, train-rider, of Olive -Hill, Kentucky, was fatally injured at 2:10 this morning In front of the C. & O. station at the Broadway crossing. This is the third train-rider killed here in the last month. Both of Brown's legs were nearly severed and he suffered a bad .fracture of the skull. He was rushed to the Dukes Memorial Hospital, where his death occurred at 8:45 this morning. Although his legs were hanging in, shreds and one thigh crushed, Brown sat on the platform and joked with the crowd that gathered before the ambulance arrived. Before Brown became unconscious he stated in relation to the accident. "There wasn't much to it, I just grabbed for the ladder on the side of the car, lost my grip and fell between the cars. According to officials, Brown calmly answered questions on the way to the hospital and showed no signs oft fearing death or being crippled for life. Brown said his father's name was Willard Brown, of Olive Hill Ky. No word has been received from, the parents. February 1, 1936 OLIVE HILL Four brick structures, including he 30-room Stamper hotel, were gutted by flames and damages estimated at $100,000 were caused here Friday by a fire that burned for more than two hours before it was brought under control. In addition to the hotel the blaze destroyed Scott's barber shop, the Farmers' hardware store, the Modern Plumbing Heating Co. and the Grizzel five and-10-cent store. Sloan's jewelry store and the U. S. post office building were threatened with destruction for a time and water damage was said to be high in the jewelry store, Firemen said the blaze started around an overheated flue in the barber shop and spread quickly through the hotel. Several guests at the hotel took their clothing and other possessions as they rushed to the street to escape the flames. Frozen water plugs serious hampered the efforts of the local fire department to bring the rapidly spreading fire under control The blaze was brought under control late Friday after it had looked for a time as though the town's entire business section would be destroyed. Every adult in the town joined with firemen in fighting the blaze and moving stock and furnishing from buildings which were threatened. Although the walls of each of buildings were left standing the interiors were destroyed completely. The flames, made more dangerous by a brisk wind spread from roof to roof. The flame-swept section is located on Railroad Street in the center of the town's business section. May 9, 1941 OLIVE HILL, Jimmy Lawhorne, 7, son of Mr. and Mrs. Jose Lawhorne of Olive Hill was killed yesterday when struck by a falling piece of timber. An inquest held by Coroner C. W. Henderson, revealed that the Lawhorne child and two other small boys were playing at the General Refractories Co. clay tipple when a large piece of timber became dislodged and fell. The coroner's verdict was "accidental death caused by a crushed skull and broken neck". Jan 4, 1940 GRAYSON, A fire discovered at 6:30 PM Wednesday destroyed Bayless Memorial Presbyterian church here with a loss estimated by church members at $25,000. Cause of the blaze was not determined immediately but was believed to have resulted from a overheated furnace which had been stoked heavily in preparation for prayer meeting. Church members said only "a small part of the loss" was covered by insurance. The fire had gained considerable headway when discovered and the Grayson fire department was powerless to bring it under control. All church furnishings and fixtures were destroyed. Firemen, hampered by the severe cold and high wind devoted most of their efforts to saving the home of Mrs. Mary Boggs on an adjoining lot. Rev. William Winters had been pastor of the church until recently when he went to Lexington to join the faculty of the University of Kentucky. The church was founded 65 years ago. The building that burned last night was constructed 20 years ago. Destruction of the church marked the third time in 18 years that a church had burned here. Eighteen years ago the Christian church burned. Three years later the Methodist Episcopal Church South was destroyed by fire. February 23, 1899 ENTERPRISE, Ky., An offcer armed with a warrant for the arrest of Harry and Gallon Sloan, Limestone, accused of stealing tobacco from Widow Hide and robbing W.L. Gearheart & Company store arrived at the home of Jake Sloan, their brother, where the boys were staying. On entering the house Harry commenced cutting the officer with a knife. Deputy Tom Rice shot Harry four times, killing him instantly. He shot Gallon through the breast and he is now thought to be dying Jake Sloan, their brother, who has served time in the penitentiary at Frankfort for killing a man at Salt Lick, says he is going to kill three men before night. All parties are heavily armed. Clay Tabor is the name of the fearless officer who had the terrible encounter with the Sloans. The tragedy took place at half past six o'clock this morning. September 23, 1901 Two weeks ago last Sunday the seventeen-year-old son of Lark Nelson, near Carter City, loaded a little shot gun too heavy and when the gun was discharged the breech-pin flew out and embedded itself entirely in his forehead. He lived until the following Saturday when he died. The post mortem examination was made by Dr. Ferguson and other, and it was found that the breech pin was lodged in the center of his brain, yet for hours after the accident the boy walked about the house and talked freely June 3, 1913 A number of witnesses in the suit of Dr. H.C. Ferguson of Carter City, Ky., to recover 590 acres of land on which that town is located were here Monday on route home from Catlettsburg. The case was decided against the physician in the federal court here Saturday. Ferguson claimed that his father paid of the mortgage that was on the land. November 29, 1915 Fire, which at one time threatened to wipe out the village of Grayson, Ky. broke out at 4:30 Monday morning in Z.T. Hall's general store or Phillips meat shop on Main street and before the flames were extinguished property loss estimated at $50,000 was entailed. The village is without fire protection save eight or ten small chemical fire extinguishers and these were used on the blaze without effect. The flames quickly spread from one building to another and spread with such startling rapidity as to throw the village into a panic. Practically the entire town turned itself into a bucket brigade and while it did yeoman service some of the villages most modern buildings along with landmarks were razed by the fire fiend. Among the business houses and other buildings destroyed on main street where the fire was confined were as follows: Six room high school which was completely destroyed. Exchange of the Big Sandy Telephone company. Z.T. Halls general store. Carter County News, A.P. Haight editor. Commercial Bank, two story brick structure. Robert Davis Hardware store. Knights of Pythias hall with all its furnishings. Citizens Bank, two story building. Offices of Dr. Stovall and Stovall. Jacobs and Jacobs dry goods store. Palace of Sweets, Sam Hanplin proprietor. Dr. J.W. Strother's office. Offices of Morris and Duvali lawyers. Woods Hardware store. A poolroom unoccupied and owned by J.M. Hubbard. Nesbit Melvin's retail shoe store. Dr. A. Hartson's two story building. The fire zone extended from the Grayson Drug companys store to the railroad tracks. Cities located near Grayson were appealed to for help but before assistance could arrive the fire had spent it's force and wiped out one of the most important business sections in Grayson. He was stated that over $15,000 insurance was carried by the losers. When the fire was discovered this morning July 31, 1947 Lee Nolan, 29, Three Pines, Ky. Today was held to the August Grand Jury under $5000 bond in connection with the robbery slaying of his brother, John Nolan, 35. State Highway Patrolman Carter Cornett who led a search through the wooded area surrounding Olive Hill said Nolan was captured with his wife Annie Hill Nolan, at the home of her brother-in-law, Cecil Hall. The Hall home is just across the Carter County line from Olive Hill on Triplet creek in Rowan County. Nolan told County Judge Bill Buck he was innocent because, "I shot in self defense when John threatened me with a knife". County Coroner Leslie Henderson said the elder brother was killed Monday night by a shotgun blast at the home of Tilden Nolan, father of the two. The coroner quoted the father as saying the two brothers had been drinking heavily and were arguing. MARCH 3, 1949 GRAYSON Fire that broke out at the peak of a heavy thundershower and may have been caused by lightning destroyed the Bagby Lumber Co. plant early Sunday. One residence, the home of Vice President, Richard Cox of the company, also was razed, and the damage was unofficially but reliably estimated at $160,000. Volunteer firemen aided by the volunteer department at Olive Hill, 16 miles away, wetted down other nearby homes and buildings and prevented the blaze from spreading, but were powerless to combat the flames in the plant itself. The block-long, 400-foot deep, one-story frame building was situated one block from the main corner of the city, along the old Eastern Kentucky Railroad tracks, opposite the county jail. The jail and other structures were threatened by the shower of sparks sent up by the fire, but streams of water from the hoses and the soaking from the rain helped restrict the loss. The lumber company was owned by former State Senator M. Bagby, capitalist of Lexngton and Grayson, who has extensive real estate holdings in several eastern Kentucky cities and Huntington. Mr. Bagby is vice president of the Huntington Federal Savings & Loan Association. Bagby and his wife are now vacationing at Vera Beach, Fla. Arthur Gee, treasurer of the company said the loss was covered partially by insurance. He said the loss included all records, one heavy truck and thousands of board feet of lumber and milling equipment, besides the building. Fire Chief Elwood Hall said that no one was hurt, although the fire was the largest in Grayson History. Some 25 years ago Bagby lost heavily in another fire which destroyed a jewelry store on Main Street which he and his brother the late J.A. Bagby owned. ---------- The Bagby Lumber come had previously housed the Grayson Loose Leaf tobacco warehouse built in 1918. It was a huge tender box. There was probably still enough tobacco present in the bellowing smoke to satisfy all nicotine cravings in the town for several days. Contrary to what the article says, the lumber yard was located across from the city jail - not the county jail. G. Haney ---------- May 6, 1935 GRAYSON, KY. Two men died in gunfire that flared last night over a land dispute in a farm home near Olive Hill. The victims, Sheriff R. J. Blankenship said, are Stanton Cole, 24, and Walter Snipe, 27, brothers-in-law. Snipe, the sheriff said, had been living with his wife and two children on land belonging to Cole. The latter, the officers said, rode to the Snipe home last night and ordered the family off the premises. The shooting resulted. June 24, 1937 The Kingsport Tennessee Times BIG LAUREL, Va., More than a thousand Stallards and Stallard kin are expected to attend the annual reunion of the family which is to be held this year at Olive Hill, Ky., on Sunday, June 27th. Hundreds from Scott, and Wise county will attend the meeting. The Stallards, descendants of Samuel Stallard, a first settler on Clinch River, near Dungannon are connected with many of the other pioneer families of Southwestern Virginia, East Tennessee and Eastern Kentucky, among these are the Dingus, Green, Porter, Addington, Hillman, Hall and Franklin families. According to the program of this reunion, Dr. L. R. Dingus of Transylvania College Lexington, Ky., will deliver the address of welcome. Others on the program include Dr. James M. Hillman of Emery and Henry College, and Rev. A.J. Wolfe of Bristol. Hr. Hillman and Rev. Wolfe have been gathering material for a history of the Stallard and kindred families for several years. December 23, 1924 The age of romance has not passed even in this day and generation of automobiles and flying machines. At least it would seem not from the following picked up story told in The East Kentucky Journal of recent date. It seems that Alene Hannah who resides at Pactolus, Ky., had been visiting in Portsmouth or near there at the time of the Great World war. Alene was at that romantic turn of mind and felt the thrill of the common things believed in fate to some extent, and mayhap her disposition bordered on daring. However that may be, as she was crossing the Ohio at Portsmouth she was seen to shy a bottle into the turbid waters. Of course, no one could guess the motive, perhaps they did not pry, but, anyway the small vial with what ever it may contained floated peacefully away on the bosom of the beautiful Ohio, its destiny unknown, as well as what fate held in store for the one who at cast it in. Far away on the wide Atlantic, a sailor in Uncle Sam's navy, one Charles Love of Pittsburgh Kas., was dreaming dreams of home, and of the things that might never happen. One day he espied a bottle bobbing here and there on the waves, and more out of curiosity than anything else, he fished the little glass vial out and opened it, many days, perhaps months, after it had been started on it's journey. He found that it contained a note with the address of Alena Hannahs, Pactolus, Ky., and a request to the finder to write. The lonely sailor lad, glad of the opportunity to break the monotony of watching for subs and enemy ships, wrote, and pretty soon an answer came, then the exchange of photos. The war over, the young blue-jacket made his way to Pactolus and sought out his correspondent, whom he found to be to his liking. A short courtship followed, the proper preliminaries, and the seeking out of a clerk and minister. They're honeymooning now. July 13, 1901 PORTSMOUTH Joe and Tip Kaiser, two men long looked for, were captured in Carter County, Ky. the other day. The two were wanted for cruelly beating up an old man near Grayson and then robbing him of all the money he had, some ninety dollars. They had relatives in this city and it was thought they were staying with them. Marshall Schmidt tried hard to locate them at the time for the Kentucky authorities. March 23, 1932 BEAVER OHIO S. E. Stamper of Grayson, Carter Co. Kentucky had six head of cattle stolen. Assisted by the sheriff, he began to search for the cattle. When they reached the bridge at Ashland, Ky. they were informed by the toll collector that a truck load of cattle had crossed the bridge about 2 a.m. Monday in great haste. Continuing their search to Jackson, Ohio, Sheriff M.T. Griffith accompanied them to Beaver, going to the home of Cam and Rod Biggs in Scioto Township whom they suspected from the start. Arriving at the house they discovered the suspects had just departed in a truck, as was the case when they went, to the Cambrian Packing Co., in Jackson and to a stock dealer in Beaver. Feeling that any further search would be futile at the time, the officers went into a Beaver restaurant to eat. While they were eating, Sheriff Griffith noticed a truck go by with some cattle and he immediately gave chase catching the Biggs boys two miles outside of Beaver. At the time of arrest the boys had one of the steers alleged to have been stolen and two other cattle they were taking to Cincinnati for sale. Both were placed in the Jackson county jail then taken to Kentucky to face charges. It will be remembered that two years ago, Cam Biggs was convicted in the common pleas court for attempting to shoot a man at a garage on the Beaver Pike and was sentenced for that crime. It is believed by officers that the men had been stealing in this county and disposing of the goods in Kentucky at visa versus Feb, 18, 1928 Two of five children of Mr. and Mrs. Toney Gillum, Hayward, Ky., near Olive Hill, were burned to death while their parents were at Soldier, Ky., attending church. The dead are Minnie Gillum, 6 years old, and her sister 4, whose name could not be learned. August 27, 1928 LOGAN CO WV Harvey Boyd, after living at Ethel the last two months, left Wednesday for his native state, Kentucky, where he is charged with several crimes, including the murder of a sheriff or deputy sheriff. Wednesday morning he was arrested by the Deputy Sheriff Alvia Brumfield, admitted he was the man sought, bade goodbye his family, waived extradition and left in the custody of R.W. Meadows, a deputy sheriff of Carter County, Kentucky. Boyd is about 30 years old. It is said by police that Boyd was driving a buggy through Flemingsburg, Ky., some few weeks ago, and that there was a cargo of liquor in the vehicle. When officers attempted to arrest him Boyd hit the closest one on the head with a bottle and then fled, they claim. He came to Logan County and has been employed by the Wood coal company at Ethel for the last two weeks. July 14, 1877 Augustus Hall, of Carter County, Ky., was tried at Cincinnati for altering a forged note on the Howe Machine Company for seventy-five dollars. He pled guilty, and asked the leniency of the court on account of his family, a child having been born since his incarnation in jail. He was sentenced to two years in the penitentiary. October 10, 1916 PORTSMOUTH Orville Wilburn, aged 20 years, an employee of the S. Monroe and Son Company, received a slight bullet wound while at work on the new flood wall near Wheeling and Osborne streets, late Friday afternoon. Wilburn mounted high upon one of the wall buttresses prying loose the wooden concrete rims when a bullet coming from the direction of the foot of Thompson street struck him just over the left eye inflecting a small but painful wound. After he succeeded in stopping the flow of blood Wilburn pluckily continued his work later going to his boarding house on Mill Street. He was again back to work as usual Saturday morning and had not even visited a physician to have the wound dressed. His home is near Carter City, Ky. 9/1/1898 George Sellards, a member of Co. C, first Kentucky Regiment, who has been the guest of his uncle, A.G. Sellards, left today to spend a few days in the vicinity of Oligo-Nunk and Carter County caves. He expects to be sent to his regiment in Puerto Rico at the expiration of his furlough. August 10, 1901 Country distances are peculiar said Editor Littlejohn of the Carter County Advocate. The road directions which a traveler receives up in the mountains are sometimes lacking in the quality of explicitness but frequently amusing to the inquirer with plenty of leisure. "How far is it to Argillite?" asked a Portsmouth drummer of an old fellow who was hoeing weeds out of some sickly corn. "Is it far ?" "Wall, it hain't so very fer and it hain't so very nigh. If you go around by the big road it's ferler nor is it nigh, but if you keep right straight ahead it's kinder betwixt nigh anfer, and it's a considerable of a jaunt from hyar no matter how you git thar." August 15, 1916 E. M. Bagby of Grayson, Ky., in company with his wife and daughter and a Mrs. Schiller, were crossing on the ferry from Coal Grove to Ashland. When the boat neared the Ashland float, Mr. Bagby's machine was evidently in gear and it started over the side. Some of the under-gearing of the car caught on the edge of the boat and it did not go into the river. The accident has resulted in the making of a rule by the management of the boat, absolutely prohibiting any auto owner cranking his machine or starting his engine until the boat has docked. August 27, 1938 PORTSMOUTH Bums Adkins, 36,.a resident of Tenth Street Is in serious condition In the Grayson Hospital, in Grayson, Ky., the result of being shot through the right breast Saturday night by William Caskey, 33, who lives two miles east of Grayson. According to word from Adkins' bedside Monday he has only a slight chance to recover. The bullet from a 38 caliber revolver pierced his right lung and lodged in his back. Sheriff Arthur James at Grayson said Monday that no charge had been placed against Caskey pending the outcome of Adkins' wound. Caskey surrendered after the shooting. He stated that Caskey accused Adkins of writing letters to his wife and this caused the shooting. Adkins was in a machine with several friends and as he passed Caskey on the road he stopped and the two men became involved in an argument. It ended when Caskey it is alleged, drew his gun and shot Adkins who was unarmed, his friends told Sheriff James. It was stated at Grayson that Adkins had been writing letters to Mrs. Caskey for some time and had been warned by officials to quit sending them. Adkins formerly resided near Wheelersburg and is well known in Scioto County. He had been living with relatives In the Grayson community for sometime. Mrs. Adkins resides on Tenth Street and she spent Sunday at her husband's bedside. The couple has one child. Caskey, who is accused of shooting Atkins, is related to the latter. It was stated here Monday. Caskey was in Portsmouth Saturday and upon his return to Grayson he is charged with shooting Bums Adkins. Feb 4, 1947 Most anything can happen in a basketball game. The other night at Olive Hill, Jack Jaynes star guard of the team, was called to the telephone during a time out. When he returned smiling all over he yelled, "it's a boy and weighs 8 pounds". Jayne is a senior on the Comet quintet. His wife is the former Miss Betty Bocook and she attended school with her husband. Jan 26, 1931 The Ashland Tomcats dedicated the new gymnasium at Olive Hill by beating the Olive Hill basketball team 33 to 9. Ashland led all the way. The game attracted the largest crowd of the season. 9/17/1913 The little town of Grayson, Ky., is mourning the loss of its only picture machine. An act not drown on the bills was pulled off at Tabors theater some time Monday night or Tuesday when some party or parties made away with "Boots", Tabors moving picture machine. It is not known how the miscreant was able to get the machine without being detected. No trace of it has been found and as a result the little play house has been dark since Tuesday says the Grayson Progressive. August 27,1928 LOGAN CO WV Harvey Boyd, after living at Ethel the last two months, left Wednesday for his native state, Kentucky, where he is charged with several crimes, including the murder of a sheriff or deputy sheriff. Wednesday morning he was arrested by the Deputy Sheriff Alvia Brumfield, admitted he was the man sought, bade goodbye his family, waived extradition and left in the custody of R.W. Meadows, a deputy sheriff of Carter County, Kentucky. Boyd is about 30 years old. It is said by police that Boyd was driving a buggy through Flemingsburg, Ky., some few weeks ago, and that there was a cargo of liquor in the vehicle. When officers attempted to arrest him Boyd hit the closest one on the head with a bottle and then fled, they claim. He came to Logan County and has been employed by the Wood coal company at Ethel for the last two weeks. June 23, 1923 Three men were killed and one was injured when Chesapeake & Ohio passenger train No. 22 crashed into a car containing four occupants at Clark's Ford crossing, one mile west of Olive Hill, at:10 o'clock yesterday afternoon. The dead are: Andy McDowell, 29, survived by his wife and child; Avery Click, 23, survived by a wife and two children and Dee Hensley, 30, single. The other occupants of the car was Sum Tomlin, 38, who sustained a broken leg, and who is thought will recover unless internal injuries are found. The men all lived In Olive Hill, and were employed at the plant, of the General Refectories Company, of that place. Of the three dead, McDowell was the only one to lie killed outright. His body was sent to Olive Hill. The other men were put on the train and brought to Ashland where they were taken to the King's Daughters hospital. Hensley died within five minutes after reaching the hospital, while. Click passed away on the train which brought him to the city. His wife was on the train with him when he died. Coroner J. L. Richardson will hold an inquest at Mock's Undertaking establishment after which the bodies will be sent to Olive Hill. August 10, 1949 GRAYSON, A flip of a coin or a drawn-card may decide the Republican nomination for county clerk in Carter County. Election officials announced yesterday that a recount of the ballots showed Mrs. Evelyn Jarvis and Harold Coleman with an identical number of votes - 1,695. Today the two candidates were to meet in the courthouse at Grayson, where election officials indicated, either a coin flip or drawn card would decide the winner. [For additional information click here: http://www.rootsweb.com/~kycarter/photos/people/b/burchett_evelyn.htm , G.Haney] October 24, 1897 Joseph and Martha Stamper of Carter County have been tried in the United States Court here on the charge of conspiracy, and the testimony in the case reveals a widespread plot to rob the Government of mileage and witness fees by the preferring of bogus charges of violations of the revenue laws. Stamper and his wife lived in a shanty boat anchored on the Kentucky side of the Ohio River, below Cincinnati. They were in league with a band of "Moonshiners" in Carter County, and, securing whiskey in large quantities floated it down the river to Cincinnati. There they hired Bertie Walker and Lulu Nore to sell the liquor. When their wages were do the girls were told to wait. Then Stamper and his wife reported them to Deputy United States Marshal Pritchard for retailing liquor without a license. They were arrested and taken before United States Commissioner Gregory at Grayson, Ky. Judge Gregory, after hearing the evidence released the two girls and ordered Stamper and his wife arrested. Stamper was convicted and will spend the winter in jail, while his wife must also remain there until February unless she can give bond. The couple has, it is said, drawn hundreds of dollars in witness fees for themselves and relatives. This case is only one of many which have come before judge Barr. Frequently four or five witnesses appear against one girl. She is convicted and the mountaineers collect the mileage and witness fees allowed by Uncle Sam. Feb 2, 1901 COLUMBUS OHIO George Fulton, a [Willard] Kentucky lad of 11, whose parents recently moved here, stabbed Frank Hume, 13, a fellow pupil at the Ninth Avenue School today. Hume led in harassing the newcomer. Fulton informed the teacher, but she took no action. Then he warned Hume to desist, but he heeded not. "Reckon you will leave me alone now,"coolly remarked Fulton, as he withdrew the knife from Hume's breast and continued on to school. Hume will recover. January 2, 1938 ASHLAND The first day of the new year was also the first day of an Ashland couple's seventy-first year of wedded life. Mr. and Mrs. Sam Houch, known to friends as "Uncle Sam and Aunt Nellie,"were married at Willard, Ky. on the first day of 1868. They came to Kentucky from their native Ash County, N.C. in childhood. He is 89 years old and she 88. Uncle Sam says of his wrinkled, gray-haired mate, "you might be surprised but 70 years ago she was counted the prettist girl in the county."

June 29, 1930 HANFORD CA The sun shone here nineteen years ago last Christmas. That is why Mrs. Effie Warnock is secretary of the local board of trade. If it had been cold that Christmas or foggy or rainy, Mrs. Warnock and her husband W.D. Warnock, might have returned to Kentucky as they had intended. But it was neither cold or rainy; the sun was shining and as a result the Warnocks’ two weeks stay in Hanford lengthened into one of a least nineteen years. Mrs. Warnock was christened Effie Rupert 41 years ago at Grayson, Ky. She graduated from the Grayson Grammar School and later from a business college at Lexington, Ky. Thereafter she changed her name to Warnock. Nineteen years ago she came to Hanford with her husband to visit his brother, R. H. Warnock. The sun shone and they stayed. Having made Hanford her home it was inevitable that Mrs. Warnock should become secretary of something or other. She began by being assistant secretary of the Kings County Fair Association. It was while she was thus employed that Frank C. Russell, secretary to the Hanford Board of Trade became impressed with her work and prevailed upon her to become his assistant in which position she served from 1920 to 1923. For two years then Mrs. Warnock devoted herself to housekeeping, but in December 1925, she was chosen secretary of the board. Now she is not only secretary of the board of trade, but secretary of the merchants’ bureau and of the airport commission. The reason Hanford’s annual homecoming day came into existence is that when city officials were trying to think of a way of celebrating Hanford’s fiftieth anniversary in 1927, Mrs. Warnock remembered the homecoming days in Kentucky. Being a secretary and a housewife at the same time is impossible, Mrs. Warnock says. If you are going to be secretary, you must hire some one to do your housework, for being a secretary takes up evening as well as days. August 14, 1929 ASHLAND J. B. Branham, 46 year old. Carter County (Ky.) farmer, died In the Stephenson hospital here yesterday afternoon at 4:50 o'clock of a bullet wound in the abdomen, which he received in a fight at Square Lick, near Olive Hill Kentucky. . James W. Walker. 43-year-old neighbor was arrested by Carter county officers later and charged with the shooting. He was given a preliminary hearing on a charge of murder before County Judge J.R. McGill, of Carter County, at Grayson last night. He was released under $2,000 bond to await the action of the next grand jury. Feb 19, 1875 At a religious meeting at Willard, Ky., a shooting affray occurred between three noted characters named Roark, Montgomery and Rose. About fifteen shots were fired. Roark was seriously wounded, Rose slightly hurt, and a Miss Hanley, who was walking with Roark, was shot between the shoulders, and the wound will probably prove fatal. The affair grew out of an old feud, the same parties exchanging shots about three months ago. which, resulted in wounding Roark slightly. No arrests. November 13, 1938 Alfred Watson, 26, of Catlettsburg, an Ashland Armco employee, was suffocated in the Carter county jail here early today when bedding on his jail bunk caught fire. Smoke pouring from the jail attracted attention but he was dead when found. No damage was done to the jail. Coroner Clarence Henderson conducted an inquest and a jury returned the suffocation verdict Watson, who leaves his wife and a 7-year-old daughter, was put in jail on a drunk charge last night. October 2, 1952 OLIVE HILL Earl Stevens Jr., an Olive Hill taxi operator, was reported in fair condition at Huntington Veterans Hospital today. He was moved there Monday from Stovall Hospital, Grayson with a bullet wound in the jaw and neck. Stevens and a companion, Glen Arnold Brown, 25, were struck by the same bullet early Saturday in a shooting affray on the edge of town. Darwin Adams, night police "force" in Olive Hill has been released from Carter County jail on $5000 bond. He faces a charge of malicious shooting and wounding with intent to kill. All three men had been drinking, according to Police Chief John Dickerson. Stevens and Brown had picked up Adams in the taxi and wound up at the home of Raymond Wagner where Adams handcuffed Stevens and Brown together and the two were shot in a scuffle it was reported. Deputy Corner C.W. Henderson used a bobby pin to pick the lock and remove Stevens' handcuff at Stovall hospital. A chisel borrowed at the Little Sandy garage near Grayson was used to remove Brown's shackles. Stevens is able to be up and walk some. August 17, 1932 DENTON, KY Riding a prancing steed up and down the aisles and knocking over the pulpit as well as the preacher, Bobby Thompson, 20, broke up a church meeting here last night and got himself locked up in jail on a charge of drinking too freely. Witnesses said Thompson rode his horse right through the door of the improvised church, made from a barn, trotted through the aisles and dashed away. The church service was adjourned immediately and a posse caught Thompson a short distance away. July 6, 1899 Louis E. Davis, 22 years old, a farmer residing near Charlotte Furnace, Ky., son of Elias and Cynthia Burchett Davis, was granted a license to marry Dora Anderson, 21 years old, a daughter of Jesse and Sarah Daily Anderson of Carter county, Ky. January 18, 1901 SAN FRANCISCO Gon Dyer, a soldier who was arrested at the Presido by United States Marshall Shine on a warrant from Wolf, Ky., has been remanded by United States commissioner Heacock and ordered taken to Kentucky for trial on indictment charging him with raising $1 bills into $10. May 17, 1913 PORTSMOUTH The injuries sustained by Joseph Burchett, when he was run down by an N&W passenger train Tuesday, resulted in his death at 5:o'clock yesterday afternoon. The body will be shipped tonight to Wolf, Ky., where the funeral services and internment will take place. His father John Burchett, wire local authorities to have the body prepared for burial and shipped to Wolf. This was done under the supervision of Mr. and Mrs. Menix of Robinson Avenue, they being cousins of the dead man. Feb 22, 1891 A fatal fight is reported from her near Hogtown, just over the Rowan County line, in Carter County. John Middleton was living on a place owned by Dial Wells. Wells wanted possession, and went with James Pelfey to throw Middleton out. Middleton accused Wells of violating his contract, when Wells drew his knife and stabbed Middleton several times. At this point Middleton's wife ran out of the house to her husbands assistance, and seizing Wells round the body held him until Middleton went into the house and got his gun and shot Wells dead. On the spot. Both Wells and Pelfrey had figured rather conspicuously in the Rowan County war a few years ago. The knife wounds received by Middleton are serious but not fatal. Nov 11, 1908 Melvin Wells, aged 15, son of Moses Wells, foreman of the Harbison-Walker companys brick plant at Olive Hill, Ky., was cut in two by a C & O train on which he was stealing a ride. The boy had been riding back and forth between Olive Hill and Limestone when he fell off, the wheels of the train severing his left leg and cutting him in two at the waist. Feb 2, 1936 TACOMA, Wash., George Rector Tiefel, 23, had a new name today and it cost the Christian Church of Grayson, Ky., upwards of $20.000. Tiefel, a student at Washington State College, appeared in court and changed his name to Nethercutt. By so doing he qualified to inherit the estate of the late George Nethercutt. an attorney who had said he had the same regard for the youth he would have had for a son. The lawyer's will named Tiefel a principal heir if he would take the name of Nethercutt. Had Tiefel declined, the bulk of the estate would have gone to the church. May 16, 1881 The Regulators of Carter County have effected a thorough organization for the summer campaign, and will ride in full force during the entire season, punishing with merciless justice all evil doors. Last Thursday night on the Smoky fork of the Buffalo Fork of Tygart, a party of Vigilants visited the house of Townsend Bellamy. He was accused of incest. He and his three sons and son-in-law were whipped three or four weeks ago for gross immorality. This time the Regulators intended to hang the unnatural father. They surrounded the house and attempted to force an entrance. Bellamy made his escape from the house by a rear door and made a bold break for liberty. The Regulators fired upon him, and he fell with five balls in his body. He is not expected to live. The Regulators in the vicinity complain of the administration of the civil .officers, charging them with partiality and injustice. They threaten to straighten matters and they probably will. June 14, 1898 Miss Sallie Stone, a resident of South Portsmouth, lies at the point of death. The wounds were inflicted by Mrs. James Dawson, also a South Portsmouth resident, who claims Miss Stone has won the affections of her husband. The Dawsons moved to South Portsmouth from Carter County, Ky., about one year ago. The family consisted of husband, wife and two children. Soon after locating in their new home, so Mrs. Dawson alleges, Miss Stone, by her smiles and charms, won the affections of her hubby; that he practically deserted her and their children for the Stone woman, Mrs. Dawson warned Miss Stone, but it seems she heeded not. A few days ago Mrs. Dawson, who lives in one of Anthony Thompson's, houses, was served with notice by Squire Brown to vacate. She owes two or three months' rent. This was more than she could stand and she made up her mind to whip Miss Stone. The two women met yesterday on the road leading over the hill. Mrs. Dawson, though small in build, sailed into her mighty opponent. She used rocks to help her out and pelted her .victim good and strong. She knocked her down and beat her unmercifully The pike was covered with blood and a murder almost resulted. No arrest has been made and there will probably be nothing done. It was given out that Mrs. Dawson was coming to Ohio to avoid arrest but this is not likely. August 13, 1923 PORTSMOUTH Jack Clevenger charges cruelty and infidelity in his suit for divorce, with custody of their infant child, filed in Common Pleas court Monday, against Beda Lee Clevenger, now said to be living, at Honeywell, Ky., whom he married at Grayson In January 1922. In his petition the plaintiff says that almost continuously since their marriage the wife has quarreled and abused him, called him vile and indecent names, besides, he complains; threatened to kill him on several occasions, until he was forced to leave her in July 1922. Through Attorney W. L. Dickey the plaintiff accuses the wife of associating with other men for improper purposes. December 14, 1912 PORTSMOUTH Falling off extra freight train No. 806, eastbound on the C. & 0. shortly before 4 o'clock Tuesday afternoon, Irwin Pitts, 19, had his right foot cut off just above the ankle and had his left heel mashed. The accident happened a mile below the C. & 0. passenger depot. Pitts was hoboing his way from Carter, Ky. to Portsmouth. His home is at Buffalo, Ky. Pitts attempted to alight from the train when he fell under the wheels. Dec 10, 1924 CHARLESTON GAZETTE Calab Sanford was returned to Grayson. Ky. yesterday by Sheriff D.S. Burchett, where he was wanted for embezzling about S200 of church money. He wan arrested here last week on complaint of the Carey Sign company, where he tried to pass a worthless check, according to police information. It was through the markings on the check that the man was finally identified as the fake Kentucky minister. Sanford came to Charleston about two weeks ago with a youngster 15 years of age and connected himself with a number of churches in West Charleston, where he posed as a buyer and seller of church organs and equipment. The boy acted as his secretary and came here with Sanford from Grayson on the promise of a salary of $200 per month. Before Sanford wan able to make any financial connections with churches here. He was arrested by the local police for his alleged attempt to pass a worthless check and has been held In the county Jail since that time. Chief of Police John Britton got in touch with the Kentucky authorities and Sandfords identification followed. The youngster who came here with the alleged minister was sent back to his parents in Grayson several days ago and Sanford left yesterday in the custody of Sheriff Burchett. Sept 3, 1936 HAMILTON OHIO DAILY NEWS JOURNAL Oval Bishop, age 28, William Jackson, age 24, and George Craft, age 30, all of Olive Hill, Ky., were arrested at the Hosier Avenue crossing of the Pennsylvania railroad by Detective S. H. Cundiff Wednesday afternoon and placed in jail on charges of train riding. The railroad officer told police the men were riding in a box car. They were fined $5 and costs by Judge Elmer N. Davidson in municipal court Thursday. The fines were suspended on condition they leave the city. Sept 23, 1924 EXCERPT FROM AN ARTICLE IN THE NEW CASTLE (PA.) NEWS From Kenova I went to Hitchins, Ky. and went thru the wonderful brick plant that furnishes the greater part of the brick for the United States Steel Company. This plant is in Carter county, Ky. which many years ago furnished fire brick clay at the World's Fair. On going to Willard, Ky., my old home town, which is on a short line of railroad known as the E. K., I found a very unique conveyance as the road only runs one train each day. They took a Ford motor and built a house on it to hold twenty people, and coupled a small trailer without a roof to haul the baggage. They painted this vehicle blue and call it "The Blue Goose" and the trailer the "Gosling." Now this vehicle is not to be made fun of, for Henry Ford has the picture of it in his office at Detroit. It is like the old woman's husband, "not the biggest nor the best, but it is a long way better than none." The people at Willard have plenty to eat but are not doing much however. It is music to my ear to be awakened in the early morning by the fox and rabbit hounds all with different voices, out having their morning chase. I am prepared to furnish, a few extra good rabbit hounds to our New Castle hunters, via of the B. and 0. R. R. from Kenova to Pittsburgh. July 3 1951 GRAYSON, Artificial respiration, was credited with saving the life of Kenneth McGuire, 19, of Iron Hill who narrowly escaped drowning while swimming at Callihan Bend between Grayson and Carter. After a dive into a swimming hole he disappeared. Paul Huffman found him several feet under the surface and with the aid of Robert L. Burnett, 20, and Clyde Burnett, 18, brought him to the creek bank. Robert Burnett, an employee of the Grayson rural electrification administration, gave artificial respiration 20 minutes to revive the youth. The three rescuers later took him to Stovall Hospital in Grayson. He was treated and later released. Aug 28. 1901 NEW CASTLE, PA Josiah Greer of East Long avenue, received a letter from his son, W. S. Greer, who is at Willard, Carter County, Ky., stating that he was suffering from the bite of a copperhead snake on his right hand. A few days ago he was reaching under a porch to pull out a chicken that had taken refuge there, when the poisonous reptile struck its fangs deep into his hand. Luckily for him there was a quart of old bourbon in the house, and by swallowing that and applying some local remedies he has somewhat recovered from the most painful effects of the bite. His hand and arm are still badly swollen. This circumstance calls to mind an incident that occurred in 1895, when one of the New Castle papers published an account of the death of Mrs. Josiah Greer from the effects of being bitten by a copperhead. The story proving to be untrue and to this day neither Mr. nor Mrs. Greer know how it was started. Mr. Greer at that time received word that his wife was taken suddenly ill and he went on to Kentucky on the next train, but nothing was said about a snake bite. June 19, 1897 PORTSMOUTH Deputy. United States Marshal J, B. Prichard, of Grayson, Ky., is in the city. He is also in a pickle. He was a passenger on the steamer Stanley Wednesday, enroute to Covington, Ky., with Larkin Jackson, a moonshiner, Jackson was arrested at Grayson and was to have a trial at Covington. He made himself particularly congenial to the marshal on the trip down and finally convinced his keeper that the iron bands around his (Larkin's) wrists were entirely unnecessary. The marshal thought so, too, and the iron bracelets were removed. When the Stanley landed here Prichard met an old friend. While he was busily engaged in talking with the friend, Jackson quietly walked off the boat and started to take in the town. The local authorities were notified and learned that a man answering Jackson's description had calmly walked over the Scioto Bridge. He is probably still walking, so far as the authorities know. Prichard remained in the city today, hoping to get some trace of his erstwhile friend and prisoner, but his chances of recovering the lost moonshiner are very thin. Jackson prefers walking to riding on steamboats anyhow. Oct 8, 1909 Cincinnati Confessing that he had made and passed counterfeit money William B. Pettus, a formor school teacher of Carter County, Ky., was sentenced by Judge Sater In the federal court to thirty months in Leavenworth (Kan) prison, Pettus told the court that he entered the counterfeiting business because he wanted to get into jail, "to keep from starving". During the trial it was disclosed that Pettus had served a term in the Colorado state reformatory and that he had been incarcerated in a Virginia insane asylum "after having tried to clean up a whole family with a half dozen razors" as he expressed it on the witness stand. March 1, 1936 OLIVE HILL Walter Bledsoe, 38, PWA worker, met instant death here when struck by a Chesapeake & Ohio Railway shifter which was pushing empty cars from the yard to the brick plant. Three companions of Bledsoe at the time of the accident, said they saw the train approaching, and that the engineer whistled, but apparently Bledsoe neither heard nor saw it, and stepped on the tracks just as the nearest car reached him. August 15, 1933 Allie Lee Fultz 49, father of 18 children suffered a broken neck and died instantly when he crashed into a fence on his farm while running cattle out of a cornfield near here. His son, Delbert, was the only eyewitness to the tragedy. Jan 28, 1933 Upon his plea of guilty to a robbery charge, Vernon Mead, 22, of Olive Hill, Ky., was sentenced to serve 10 to 25 years in Ohio penitentiary in common pleas court at Cincinnati, Saturday. Mead admitted holding up a store manager Nov. 4. He shot a policeman and a bystander while resisting arrest, police said. Mead claimed it was customary for persons to carry guns in Kentucky and pleaded for leniency. The court said there will be no leniency where a police officer is shot March 30, 1935 Boss Stegall, age 50, who lives near Olive Hill, was arrested after he allegedly threatened men working on a highway where his 12-year-old daughter found a dynamite cap with which she blew off several fingers. Feb 24, 1926 Constable James Johnson, 35 years old, of Hogtown was shot through the back and killed almost instantly by one of two men he was arguing with on the main road three miles from town. The men escaped, but later Dewey Fultz, 20, was arrested at his home and charged with murder. The police are seeking his brother. Johnson was riding a mule to his home when he met the two men, a woman who saw the slaying from her home reported. The trio engaged in an altercation and one of the men, standing behind Johnson shot him off his mule, the woman said. Fultz, in jail here, denied he was one of the men. 10/24/1937 "Article below is excerpted from the Beckley W.V. Post." G. Haney Mrs.Quincie Stovall Hampton who at the time resided in Ashland, Ky. is paying a visit to Beckley, the town where she was born and lived her childhood." Mrs. Hampton is the daughter of the late Dr. and Mrs. John Quincy Stovell, who settled in Beckley in 1875, and lived here until May 1891. Her father, for whom she was named, was known throughout the area of Raleigh County by the patients upon who he called. A courier for Stonewall Jackson, the doctor served with the 8th Virginia Calvary, Company H. He just missed being captured at Glen Jean during the war. Wounded on a battlefield, he submitted to capture to keep from dying there and was a prisoner in Richmond at the time of Lee's surrender. The J.Q. Stovall hospital at Grayson Ky. was named for the Doctor who died there in 1917. Mrs. Hampton visited with many Beckley citizens while here, and talked with the Rev. J.B.F. Yoak Jr., pastor of The Methodist Temple, who was one of her pupils when she taught school in Grayson, Ky. Mrs. Hampton is the wife of the late Judge W. J. Hampton, who was known as an abstractor. At the time that was the title given a person who did historical research. The couple married in 1919. Having taught school until the time of her marriage, Mrs. Hampton then went to work in the office of her husband, and after that made a hobby of history and its records. Mrs. Hampton was accompanied to Beckley by Miss Mary Botts of Grayson, who spoke on her trip to the Holy Land at a local meeting. Feb 22, 1927 Twelve cases will come before the regular Carter County quarterly court which convened here Tuesday. County Judge John H. McGill will preside. Cases scheduled for trial include the following: * Clarence Hall, possession of liquor. * Bernice Smith, shooting and wounding A. Duncan. * John Canterbury, who is now charged with the fatal shooting of his son several months ago and has his case before the board of appeals, is charged with the possession of liquor. * Mrs. John Canterbury, selling liquor. * Bernice Smith, carrying concealed weapons. * George McMillan, having liquor in possession * Chris Gose, passing bad check. * Ersel Clay, operating a still. * Luther Williams, forgery. * Ed Lawson, adultery. * Rosecoe McMillen, having liquor in possession. 11/13/1923 PORTSMOUTH Losing his balance on the dinky engine on which he was working as a fireman, Herbert Lowe, 29, a resident of Olive Hill, Ky. fell between the engine and the tender and was crushed to death. Lowe served in the World War and took part in several real battles in France. In addition to his wife, Mrs. Tenta Bailey Lowe, he leaves three children: Elmer, Rebecca and Walter, the latter being only seven months old. He also leaves his parents, Mr. and Mrs. T.J. Lowe, three brothers, Roy, John and William and four sisters: Mrs. W.A. Mauk of Mabert Road, Miss Katrina Lowe of Mabert Road, and Mrs. Viola Safford, of Gallipolis, Mrs. C.H. Lowe of 1801 Seventh Street, was a sister in law. Funeral services for Mr. Lowe were held Sunday at Olive Hill and the last rites of this popular young man were largely attended. Mr. Lowe had for several years operated an engine in the clay banks at Olive Hill for the Illinois Steel Company. The whereabouts of Ray Lowe are unknown and any one knowing where he may be, is kindly asked to supply this information to local relatives. June 9, 1952 GRAYSON A Carter County man who escaped from a state prison five years ago was captured yesterday in a cemetery at Corey, Carter County, four miles from Olive Hill. The escapee was Ernest Gilbert, 40, of Corey, who was convicted for manslaughter in connection with the death of Henry Branham in Carter Circuit Court in April 1947, and sentenced to 18 years in prison. Gilbert escaped from Danville, State Prison in August, 1947 and had been at liberty since then. Sept 1, 1931 Following discovery last night of the almost decapitated body of Mrs. Annie Evans, 33, in a cornfield about one mile from her home near here, James Evans, the woman's husband was placed in jail here today for questioning. He denied any knowledge of the crime. At first Coroner C.W. Henderson said he believed the slayer had cut off Mrs. Evans head with a hatchet or axe, but later examination revealed several small shots in her head and the coroner said she had been killed with a shotgun. Mrs. Evans was the mother of five children. 2/23/1912 Word from Olive Hill is that Charles Rayburn who killed Noah Dickerson in a feudist battle last week, and was shot himself, is still living. Rayburn was a cousin of Frank and Jack Dyer, who were shot and killed by Dickerson at a basket picnic near Grassey, Ky., about seven years ago. The Olive Hill tragedy is regarded as a sequel to that double killing. November 24, 1893 C. L. McCloud, a shoe drummer of Portsmouth, O., returned from Kentucky the other evening and related a thrilling story of adventure. For two days he was the guest of Harry Biggs, son of the proprietor of the Biggs House, at his Kentucky home, near Tygart creek. He took with him his gun and fine thoroughbred Irish setter Frank. It is a fortunate suggestion which caused him to take the dog, for to that animal he owes his life. One afternoon McCloud and Biggs strolled over to the woods near Tygart creek for a shot at a squirrel. The dog was tied up at the house. They had been in the woods some time when young Briggs had occasion to return to the house for something. McCloud went up a ravine to a shady nook, where he lay down to sleep. How long he slept he can't say, but the terror of his awakening was beyond description. He awakened with the consciousness of some weight upon his breast, and before he saw what it was his nostrils were assailed by a peculiar odor. Glancing down (he was lying on his back) the sight which met his eyes well nigh petrified him. There, coiled on his breast, was a full grown rattlesnake. It was sleeping peacefully, and for some time, which seemed ages to the horrified man, he was almost afraid to breath lest he should awaken it. Presently Biggs returned and his footsteps awakened the reptile, which was instantly head and tail erect, awaiting the attack. Biggs at once saw the horror of the situation, but was at a loss what to do. He feared to fire lest he might shoot his companion, and he also feared that if he didn't kill the snake instantly it would dash it's fangs into the prostrate man. While both men were thus stupefied with fear the bushes again parted, and another actor was on the scene. It was the dog. He at once saw his master's peril, and, crouching with his belly almost to the ground, he slowly crept toward the snake. The latter watched every move of the dog, as if he knew the duel was to the death. On came the dog, creeping slowly as a snail, then, when within five feet, with one hop of almost lightning like rapidity, he was on the snake. The bound was so sudden that the snake had no time to strike, and before the two men could realize what had happened the reptile was torn to shreds. The two men took the dog to the creek and thoroughly washed his mouth and to their joy found no scratches. After the excitement had passed, McCloud sank in a faint and was just able to get home. The dog, in his eagerness to follow his master, had broken his fastenings. August 12, 1936 ZANESVILLE OHIO Harvey T. Evans, 40 years old, of Olive Hill. Kentucky, was found dead in a cell in police headquarters at 12:15 o'clock Wednesday morning. Death was attributed to acute alcoholism. Evens had been ill during the last two days, and had been held at police headquarters for safe keeping. His condition had not appeared serious. The Zanesville police radio station is attempting to locate relatives of the deceased. He is survived by a daughter of Kentucky, and is thought that his wife is living, The body was taken to the Keck funeral home. June 11, 1943 Steubenville, Ohio William II. Rice, 17, of Olive Hill, Ky, was burned to death today when the chicken truck he was driving overturned on a Pennsylvania railroad crossing at Brilliant and caught fire. His helper, Wayne Messer, 17, Olive Hill, escaped with slight burns The truck contained 1,200 chickens, most of which were roasted.

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