Thursday, August 27, 1897
A MAN in Kansas brings suit for divorce for the reason that his wife had drunk thirty gallons of wine which he had stored in his cellar for his own consumption.
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NO ONE remembers the time when there were so many haystacks in evidence as are now to be seen in the Knapps Creek meadows, from Huntersville to Frost.
BIOGRAPHIC NOTES
This paper is prepared to pay a tribute to the memory of a pioneer citizen of our county, the late David Hannah, Esq., of the Old Field branch of Elk.
He was a son of David Hannah, senior, who was the progenitor of the Hannah family, one of the oldest in Pocahontas. David Hannah, senior, was a native of Ireland. He married a Miss Gibson, who was reared in Augusta County, Virginia, and upon his marriage with Elizabeth Gibson settled at the mouth of Locust Creek soon after the Revolutionary war.
He possessed some practical knowledge of medicine of the botanical school, and did a good deal of practice in frontier times. He was probably the first person that ever practiced physic in lower Pocahontas. Doctor and Mrs. Elizabeth Hannah were the parents of six daughters and four sons….
The writer remembers the personality of the venerable pioneer very vividly. In early youth, I saw him frequently, and he was very interesting to me from the fact Mr. Hannah had been off to the War of 1812. To me, an old soldier seemed more than human…
The old soldier worked hard in building up his home, and the privations he and his family had to endure would seem unbearable now.
He was kind and hospitable to a fault, ready to share the last he had with the visitor that might desire shelter and food. He was much esteemed by all of his acquaintances.
Finally, the end came.
One of the prettiest places near his home was selected and they placed him to sleep under the green sod that his own hands had helped to clear away. W.T.P.
A Hatfield Tragedy
James Felts killed Caleb Hatfield and Joe Mallard in Mingo county last week. The account of affray is given as follows:
The double killing took place at Chaud’s Gap, which is about ten miles away from here, and is on a ridge of the Cumberland Mountain, just across the West Virginia line. All three of the men engaged in the tragedy were young and there had never been any open antagonism between them. They met at Pineville on Sunday and had “a good time” drinking. They left there in the afternoon and rode their mules over the mountains to Chaud’s Gap. It was getting late then, and, as they had plenty of moonshine whiskey with them and several packs of cards, Mallard proposed that they camp for the night and have a game. The others assented, and, building a campfire, they began to enjoy themselves. They played and drank all night, and tho luck had gone first one way and then another it finally settled against Felts.
By morning, Hatfield and Mallard had all of his money. They were very drunk, and when Felts had lost his last dollar, he was desperate. He put up his saddle and bridle and lost them. Then he staked his mule against $10, and that went, too.
“It hain’t in a Felts to git the best er a Hatfield,” sneered Caleb as he raked in the last chips.
“Naw, you bet they cain’t,” assented Mallard. “Yer Uncle Cap showed Jim’s uncle that onct, didn’t he?”
Cap Hatfield had killed Jim’s uncle in a card game and Jim resented the reference.
“Mebbe Cap Hatfield did,” he snapped,” but it’s more’n any of his family kin do.”
Caleb laughed in a drunken fashion and declared that he guessed he could do as much as his Uncle Cap.
Felts paid no attention, and Mallard helped along the quarrel with a slap on Felt’s face. Felts struck at him and then Mallard threw the contents of a half-empty jug of whiskey in Felts’ face and told him to get out of the way.
“I’ll put you out of the way, Joe,” the young fellow yelled, and he drew his revolver. Before he could pull the trigger, young Hatfield had drawn a knife and was coming at him with death in his looks. Felts turned and ran behind a tree, beginning to fire as he fled. He dropped Hatfield at the first shot with a bullet in his leg and then put another ball through Hatfield’s heart.
Meantime, Mallard had drawn his revolver and was trying to fire when Felts dropped him from cover and finished the tragedy by emptying every remaining bullet into his body.
Felts surrendered, and as there were no witnesses his story will probably go.
DIED
August 23, 1897, at the residence of her nephew, Mr. C. L. Moore, on Brown’s Creek, Mrs. Elizabeth McLaughlin, relict of the late Hugh McLaughlin, in the 96th years of her age.
She had been a sufferer from paralysis for more than a year, and while her death was sudden, yet it was expected that she might thus pass away.
She was a person highly esteemed by her many friends, and was the eldest daughter of the late William Sharp, Esq., near Verdant Valley. Her tenacity of life was very remarkable. At different times in the past few years, it seemed impossible for her to survive, and yet she would rally and become comparatively strong and well. To a Christian friend she remarked two or three years since that she often felt as if she would like “to be going.” And when asked if she thought she would be at rest, her reply was, “Indeed, I hope so.”
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Samuel J. Beard, of Odessa, Mo., died on the 12th day of August, 1897, aged sixty-five years. His last illness was of two weeks’ duration. He leaves surviving him three children, Mrs. Rachel Burns, of Arkansas; a son, James, and daughter, Mary. He was a native of Pocahontas, the fourth son of the late Josiah Beard, Esq. He served in the Confederate army; emigrated to Missouri when a young man, and married a Miss Jordan of that State. A short time since, he sold his farm and had moved to the town of Odessa.
His numerous friends and relatives in West Virginia will mourn his unexpected decease, but will be comforted to feel that his was the death of a faithful and devoted Christian.