Thursday, April 8, 1898
COL. LEVI GAY brought his cattle home from Rockbridge the other day. He will continue to rent his farm there to be farmed on the shares.
WAGONERS have been delayed on account of high waters in Back Creek and Jackson’s River. If Bath had the enterprise of Pocahontas, these streams would be bridged at once.
MAIL CARRIER DROWNED
Unacquainted With the Dangerous Suck of the Ford Below Mt. Grove, He Ventured In and His Feeble Mail Horse Was Swept Over the Falls Below the Ford.
A tragic story of the drowning of a mail boy comes from Mt. Grove. Frank Coyner, a youth of twenty, came from Parkersburg to carry the mail on the route between Mt. Grove and Warm Springs, a distance of thirteen miles. He made daily trips leaving Mt. Grove in the morning and returning there in the evening. He crossed two swift, dangerous streams in going and returning – Back Creek and Jackson’s River…
There had been a heavy rain Monday night, and on Tuesday, he left his boarding place with every prospect of high waters to cross. He placed a letter he had written home behind the clock, remarking that if he did not get back, the people could write to his father that he had found a watery grave. This was not an unnatural remark under the circumstances…
He made the trip and had got back to the ford on Back Creek, two miles below Mt. Grove, where he was drowned. There were no witnesses of the accident…
His horse was rescued from an island and taken to Mt. Grove…
The fate of the boy was known when the search party reached John Darnell’s house situated about a mile below the ford… The first two days the searchers did not go down the stream far enough, but on Friday, at a point nearly three miles below the ford, they found the body on the rocks on the edge of the stream…
NEW YORK NEWSLETTER
Two Maine hunters were trampled to death by an infuriated moose. Both skulls were fractured and the skin stripped off of their faces. A bull moose is a terrible animal when cornered and fights to the death.
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A well-known society woman in New York has tired of fashionable life and has started a typewriter office. She has made a success, business increasing to such an extent that four assistants are necessary. Her name is Elizabeth Markoe Marquand, and she is a very wealthy and religious woman. May others follow in her footsteps.
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A thief, while trying to effect his escape on the housetops the other day, fell down an air shaft to the distance of 8 stories on to a stone pavement and was killed instantly. It is needless to say that the policeman who was chasing him did not follow, but came down the usual way by the stairs.
BIOGRAPHIC NOTES
FOR the past seventy-five or eighty years, the McLaughlin name has been a familiar one among our people.
For this reason, the relationship so long identified with our county history deserves special mention. This relationship may be considered in groups as it is so numerous and widely distributed and derived from a varied tho related ancestor.
John McLaughlin, the ancestor of several Pocahontas families of that name, was a native of Ireland, and settled on Jackson’s River, seven or eight miles south of Monterey, and was one of the pioneer settlers of that vicinity previous to the Revolution…
His family consisted of six sons and five daughters. In reference to these persons, the following particulars have been mainly learned from Mrs. Morgan Grimes, one of the descendants by the third or fourth removed.
Margaret McLaughlin became Mrs. William Carpenter and lived on Deer Creek. Nancy McLaughlin was married to John Carpenter and lived on Thomas Creek, near Dunmore. Jane McLaughlin became Mrs. Alexander Benson, and settled in Illinois. Mary McLaughlin married John Beverage and lived on Straight Creek near Monterey.
Susan McLaughlin became Mrs. Kyle Holcomb and lived in West Virginia. Abigail married Thomas Galford and lived near Dunmore.
Major Daniel McLaughlin, upon his marriage with Mary Carpenter, settled on Deer Creek… He was much respected and a very hardworking man. He almost wore himself out clearing lands. He was a major of the militia and was a fine-looking officer on the parades that came off annually.
Hugh McLaughlin, of John the Irish immigrant, married Sally Grimes, daughter of Arthur, of Felix Grimes, the pioneer. He lived near Huntersville.
Samuel McLaughlin married a Miss Wright and lived on Jackson’s River.
Robert McLaughlin, another son of John, the pioneer, died in early manhood. He is reported to have been a young man of much promise.
James McLaughlin settled in Illinois soon after his marriage. His wife’s name is not remembered. He was enthused by the gold excitement of 1849 and crossed the plains to California in search of wealth. He was in a measure successful…
John McLaughlin was widely known for this jovial ways and amusing expressions, and was also somewhat eccentric in his ideas. When about to be overcome by disease and the infirmities of advanced age, he pointed out a spot overlooking his dwelling that is well-nigh inaccessible and gave positive orders to have his body buried there… It was his boast that when he was alive he generally came out “on top” and so he seemed to wish to be on top when not alive.
His friends saw to it that his wishes should be complied with to the letter. A more unique burial scene never witnessed in that region. The pallbearers on their knees and holding to the bushes and rocks with one hand and the coffin handles with the other, and the procession following on all fours, compose a scene the like of which may never be witnessed while the world stands.
