The Blount County News, 19 May 1881 On Sunday last, Brother Allgood held his regular meeting at Gum Spring, and as usual there was a large attendance from town. We are sorry to hear that Martin South and Rufus Sims, who stared in a buggy had a runaway, a spill out and a broken vehicle before they proceeded far from town. They had Wooten's big horse, and the animal does not believe in much style. South ploughed behind him all the week, and when he sat behind him on Sunday, and wanted to "hist" an umbrella, his horseship considered that "putting on airs," and spilled out the load in a twinkling. The Blount County News, 26 May 1881 Summit, Ala., May 21st 1881. Mr. Editor: We are needing rain very bad in this section of the County, and if you have any influence with Judge Moore, do intercede for us, and have a rain sent up in these parts, for we are very dry. Please tell him to be in haste about it, and oblige. Wm. Noble & Others. On receipt of the above we sent for the Judge, and had a snake killed and hung up at once. The rain came on the 22d and 23d inst. When our friends need a season, let us hear from them at once.-Editor of the News. [Note: It was an old Cherokee Indian custom to kill a snake and hang it up to make it rain.] The Blount County News, 2 Jun 1881 On Sunday afternoon was received, the sad news of the drowning of Mr. David Taylor, an aged citizen of this County, residing on the Warrior river about six miles East of Blountsville. From what information we could gather, it appears that after breakfast he proceeded to a fish basket and to get to it took a canoe, and in going to the basket or coming therefrom the canoe turned over and Mr. Taylor fell out. He could not swim, and although close to the bank, the water was deep, and in a short time afterwards his body was found by his son, and Mr. Nelson, who works on his farm. He was a good honest citizen and about 58 years old. A Terrible Affray-The news reached here last Tuesday that an affray occurred in Bremen, a village in the southwest part of this County, in which four men were dangerously wounded. Sharon and Ira Abbott were on one side, and Green and Warren King and Dr. G.A. Parker on the other. Sharon Abbott is dangerously stabbed and cut in several places, and Green King has his throat cut-Both of these, it is thought will die. Ira Abbott and John King are both wounded, but it is thought will recover. We learn that all parties are under arrest, and an examination will take place at Valley Grove next Friday.-Cullman Immigrant. Mr. McDonald from the vicinity was here on Tuesday last, and reports the wounded all getting well. Bremen is almost on the Blount County line, and is notorious for its rows, no doubt cause by its having a whisky shop.-Editor of the News. [Note: In 1881, Bremen was still in Blount County. In a few years, the county line was shifted and Bremen, Doss (or Dorsey) Creek, and Arkadelphia were absorbed into Cullman County.] The Blount County News 30 Jun 1881 It is with heartfelt sympathy for the family, that we announce the death of Dr. J.T. Murphree, which sad event occurred at his residence near Balm, on the evening of the 21st inst. In the prime of life, ardently attached to his profession, and full of sympathy for those suffering from disease, his loss is indeed a rare affliction. He died of typhoid malarial fever, no doubt contracted in the discharge of his professional duties. He was interred with Masonic honors on the 22d inst. Summit, Ala., June 25, 1881. Editor-This being my first appearance in this section of the County I will endeavor to give the readers of the News a concise description of this charming little village. This is quite a business place, there are six stores, a church, an academy, two steam mills, and a blacksmith's shop. I passed thro' Brooksville in the night and was not able to see it; but Mr. Dickson, our efficient Tax collector, who resides there, says it has improved greatly, and spirituous liquor is a total stranger. [Note: Alvin O. Dickson was buried in the Salem Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery. He commanded a company of the 48th Alabama Infantry at the surrender at Appomattox.] It is getting very dry in these parts, and Postmaster Noble asks me to tell you to kill another snake, before everything becomes as dry as powder. (We killed a snake on Monday, and sent a shower in that direction that evening.-Ed.) Prof. Teal will give an entertainment here tonight, and then go on a tour through Marshall. Being run by a coach whip snake this morning, and I am somewhat mentally excited; so I will close. F.G.T. Walnut Grove, Ala., June 25, 1881. Mr. Editor-We had a fine rain on the evening of the 21st inst., and farmers are looking serenely happy. The crops look very promising. Our town was shocked, amid the rejoicing over the rain, by the sad news of the death of the much esteemed Dr. James T. Murphree, caused by typho-malarial fever, contracted no doubt whilst rendering medical aid and relief to Mr. W.A. Murphree and family. I heard more than one man say, "The poor man's doctor of Murphree's Valley is dead." He was a man whom to know was to love. Col. John H. Campbell, the very efficient W.M., of Walnut Grove Masonic Lodge, at the request of the friends and relatives of the deceased, called the Mystic Band to assemble at 10 o'clock, A.M., on the 22d inst., to make preparation for the interment of the esteemed brother. The members assembled in Walnut Grove Hall, and from thence proceeded to the church near John D. Amberson's and deposited the mortal remains of the esteemed brother in the silent tomb, with the honors of the Craft, "Peace to his ashes!" The bereaved family have the warm sympathy of the people of Murphree's Valley and the surrounding country. W.A. Murphree and family are all sick with fever, with this exception the Valley is healthy; his friends and neighbors have kindly worked Mr. Murphree's crop. [Note: John H. Campbell was born 5 Jul 1810 and died 5 Aug 1886; he was buried in the Byrd Cemetery.] The Blount County News, 7 Jul 1881 We are pained to learn that John Ellis, a son-in-law of the Rev. Wm. N. Crump, was drowned in the Little Warrior river, on Wednesday, the 29th ult. He was with a seining party, and being a good swimmer was not particular about getting beyond his depth. While in a hole twelve feet deep, he was taken with cramp, called for help, and ere it could get to him sank out of sight. In a few minutes the body was raised and carried to the shore, but life was extinct. He was an honest, industrious citizen, spoken well of by all his acquaintances, and leaves a young wife and two small children to mourn his sad death. The Blount County News, 4 Aug 1881 We are sorry to learn that the Rev. J.C. Coats, of Hendrick, in this County, recently cut himself severely with an axe, just below the knee, while hewing timber at Slip's Coaling, Shelby County, inflicting a very painful and inconvenient wound. He is, however, still able to sit up at his desk. The information reached us by a letter from a friend in Shelby. The Blount County News, 6 Oct 1881 Blount Springs Items. At a house of ill fame, two miles South of here, on the night of the 25th of September, a white man named Ant Henderson was fatally stabbed in the abdomen, by a youth named Bill Sanders, who immediately fled, and has not, so far as we have heard, been captured.