Does anyone on this list know if there was a natural disaster, large accident, act of violence or illness that occurred in Independence Co. around 1859? I have not been doing research in my family ties in Independence Co. for very long, but I have uncovered a possible pattern of deaths in interconnected families that leads me think that something happened in 1859/60. A number of fairly young men, all heads of families, seem to have died at approximately the same time. I do not know what their occupations were (I suspect they were farmers, but perhaps not) so I don't know if there was a particular occupational hazard that existed in this county at that time. If no one can answer this question, can someone recommend a good local history book that I could consult? Thanks, Bob in VA

My great-grandfather, John Sherley was married to Mahala Hutson (her father was Hiram Hutson and Mother was Millie Foster) we also find a number of deaths in 1859 in/around Oil Trough, Independence Co. John Sherley died in 1859, wife married a Richard Avery in 1859 who died shortly thereafter. Also can not find Mahala after 1860 so think she also died, and possibly one of the daughters..........but, we do not have any specific info. on an epidemic or anything but we are searching for the same info..... > Does anyone on this list know if there was a natural disaster, > large accident, act of violence or illness that occurred in > Independence Co. around 1859? I have not been doing research in > my family ties in Independence Co. for very long, but I have > uncovered a possible pattern of deaths in interconnected families that > leads me think that something happened in 1859/60. A number > of fairly young men, all heads of families, seem to have died at > approximately the same time. I do not know what their occupations were > (I suspect they were farmers, but perhaps not) so I don't > know if there was a particular occupational hazard that existed > in this county at that time. > > If no one can answer this question, can someone recommend a good > local history book that I could consult? > > Thanks, > > Bob in VA > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > ARINDEPE-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message