Thursday, April 25, 1901
The 33-inch Easter snow lay on the mountain for so long that the local weather prophets predicted another snow would fall before it disappeared. The same sort of snow came Saturday night and Sunday, melting on the lowlands and remaining on the uplands until there is more snow in the county than can generally be seen, even in midwinter.
ROMEO KELLISON
The first day of court, a man by the name of Cummings, from Roane County, appeared here and announced that he and some others had captured Romeo Kellison in Roane County, and that a deputy marshal had started through the mountains with him, while he had come around on the train to see how the land lay.
Cummings was here about a week, but Kellison never showed up and it is supposed that his is but another groundless rumor of his arrest.
Kellison is badly wanted here on account of the unprovoked murder of Mrs. Julia Ann Simmons, whom he killed when she was remonstrating with him about using profane language at her house.
EDMUND HAMMOND, ARTIST
The Great Violinist of Williams River
Edmund Hammond, of Williams River, was in town last Thursday setting the people on fire with his violin. He is a study. He frankly admits that he had no advantages of a musical education with a tinge of regret in his voice that marks the thought of what he might have been in the world of music if he had had a better chance. He will tell you that he was never in a schoolhouse or a church, cannot read or write, and that Marlinton is the largest town he was ever in. He has the divine fire, however, and he puts his soul into the violin.
Forty odd years ago, Jesse Hammond married Nancy Hicks and moved from Kentucky to the three forks of Williams River, a place a day’s journey from any man’s abode, in the heart of one of the grandest forests on this earth. It is doubtful whether they knew that the great Civil War was going on.
A large family has descended from him.
Paris, the oldest son, is married and with his wife and five children, lives on Laurel Fork.
Pete, with his wife and eight children, lives on Middle Fork.
Neale, with wife and six children, lives on Mill Run.
Jane married Jesse Roberts and with six children lives in Webster.
Edmund, the youngest son, married Betty Shafer and with one child lives with his father.
Th Hammonds are known far and wide as the best fishers and hunters of this section. They are away up in woodcraft and know the woods and streams as few men know them. They can read every sign and have their choice of the game and fish.
Edmund was the dreamer. He is a crack shot, sighting his rifle with both eyes open, and has killed all sorts of game from the bear down, but he has not the ambition to run the big game down that his brothers possess.
His “gift,” as he calls it, has been food, drink and work to him. He is 27 years old. The musical talent developed when he was very young, and his first musical instrument was a fiddle made from a large gourd with a groundhog skin stretched across it and three strings. He has several compositions of his own, which seem to be masterpieces. Among them are “Three Forks” and “Biddy.”
He makes strangely beautiful music full of expression and which appeals to his hearers of all degrees.
The musical world may hear of him yet.
EAST BUCKEYE
Good morning, Mr. Editor, this is a fine morning for mirth, merriment and business.
Blowing and sowing oats seems to be the order of the day.
East Buckeye is on a boom; the C & O Railroad is having section houses built at this place and we hope to have a schoolhouse and a church in the near future.
If selling water at church on Sunday is lawful, we will apply for a peanut stand here this summer.
ITALIAN’S BODY FOUND
The body of Rossi Rosini, one of the Italians who was drowned in Greenbrier River above Marlinton March 10th last, was found last Sunday below Seebert.
Ed Arthur, a brother of the section foreman, saw the body floating in the river and he and others followed it until it could be drawn ashore at Allen Kennison’s farm.
All of the bodies of the four men who were drowned March 10th and 11th have now been recovered.
JOSHUA BUCKLEY DEAD
As we go to press, we learn of the death of Rev. Joshua Buckley, which occurred at Buckeye Tuesday. He was one of our most respected citizens. A sketch of his life next week.
