7 Jan 1898--Franklin Hart, an old and well known resident of this county, died at the home of his son-in-law in Nevada Monday morning aged 84 years. He had been in feeble health for a long time past, but about 10 days ago he became so much worse that it was apparent that the end was near, and as a result his death was not unexpected. He was a man of integrity and high moral worth and was held in the highest esteem by everybody with whom he was acquainted. He was an uncle of the editor of this paper and father-in-law of Cassie Crews, a well known citizen of Walker. His remains were laid to rest in Deepwood cemetery Tuesday evening. The deceased left one son, James P. Hart, of Ft. Scott, Kan, and two daughters, Mrs. John B. Harvey, of Nevada, and Mrs. Cassie Crews of this place, to mourn the irreparable loss of a kind father. Peace to his ashes.--Walker Herald. Mr. Hart at one time lived near Sturgeon and is well know in this county. 7 Jan 1898--OUR HARRISBURG LETTER--Died, at his residence, Jas. G. Walker aged 66 years. He was a native of Virginia. 7 Jan 1898--OUR HARRISBURG LETTER--Peter Watson died at his residence Dec 16th of heart trouble at the advanced age of 73 years. Deceased was a native of Virginia. 7 Jan 1898--J. E. Simpson, a prominent farmer of Howard County, died at his home near Fayette on the 4th, of consumption. 7 Jan 1898--Married, in St. Louis, on Jan 1, 1898, John Weidemeyer, of Clinton, MO, and Miss Orpha Dysart of this place. The News extends good wishes. 7 Jan 1898--Married, in Higbee, on January 1, 1898, at the residence of the bride's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Geo. Laight, Mr. John Lambier and Miss Lillian Laight, Rev. Ben Robson officiating. The News extends congratulations. 7 Jan 1898--Died, in Higbee, on January 3rd, 1898, Mrs. Mollie Fowler, wife of Onie L. R. Fowler, of consumption, aged 29 years. Deceased leaves a husband and a little son four years old, to mourn her loss. Funeral services were conducted at the Christian Church at 11 o'clock Wednesday, of which deceased was a consistent member, by Eld. Strawn, of Paris, after which the remains were laid to rest in the family burying grounds on the old Owen farm. The News extends sympathy to the bereaved family. 7 Jan 1898--AT 104 YEARS--Mrs. Nancy Wisdom died at the home of a kinsman in Macon county last Saturday. Her age was a secret. She kept it to herself until near the end of her life. She came with the family to this county in its early settling from North Carolina. She was a sister of Caswell Wisdom, one of the most prominent citizens Randolph county ever had. He had held county office and was president of the bank at Huntsville at the time of his death. Since his death she has spent the time with other relatives in this and in Macon county. She was the oldest person in the county and had never been married--Moberly Democrat. (Note: it was obviously an error that she was called MRS. Nancy Wisdom at the head of this article.) 14 Jan 1898--Died, on the 7th, Ethel, the 10-year-old daughter of Rolie Jones. The remains were buried Sunday at the Hamilton burying ground. 14 Jan 1898--Bird Burton and little son, Odus, of St. Louis, who have been here several days visiting his parents, Joseph Burton, returned home Tuesday. They were accompanied by Mr. Tole Burton, who will spend several days in the city. 14 Jan 1898--The grand jury at Huntsville found an indictment against Daniel Robb, charged with attempting to cash a forged check at the Citizens bank at Higbee some time ago. He was arrested Tuesday morning by deputy sheriff Hogue and taken to jail at Huntsville, where he will remain until he furnishes bond. 14 Jan 1898--(In an article about a Lodge Ceremony for N. 159, K. of P.) Miss Rosa Watkins, the phenomenal and pretty little songstress, sang "My Grandma" and received quite an ovation. 14 Jan 1898--Mrs. James Ware who has been in poor health and partially demented for some time, was last Monday taken to the Insane Asylum at Nevada, from which place we hope she will soon return sound in body and mind. 21 Jan 1898--DR. M. J. RUCKER DEAD--Death has again invaded our midst, and on Friday afternoon, January 7th, claimed one of Keytesville's well-known M. D's in the person of Dr. M. J. Rucker, who had practiced medicine in Keytesville and vicinity for the past 35 years. He lacked but one day of being 69 years old. Several months ago the doctor received a fall in which he fractured a hip, and from the effects of which he was rendered a cripple, hence he was afterward unable to get about as well as formerly. The immediate cause of his demise was diabetes and pneumonia. He had been a sufferer from the first named malady for some time, but was taken with pneumonia the Sunday previous to his death. Dr. M. J. Rucker was born in Orange county, VA, Jan 8th, 1829. When but 8 years of age he moved to Missouri with his parents and settled in Randolph county, four miles southwest of Huntsville, where the subject grew to manhood. He was educated at Lost Cedar academy in Huntsville. In 1846 he began the study of medicine under Dr. Grizzard, near Huntsville, and pursued his medical studies until he graduated from the medical department of the Kentucky state university at Louisville in 1849. Dr. Rucker began the practice of his chose profession at Huntsville, but went to California in the spring of 1850, where he remained about one year, and then returned to Missouri. After a brief sojourn at Glasgow he moved to Chariton county and located three miles north of Keytsville, where he continued to practice medicine in that vicinity. In 1854 he moved to the neighborhood eight miles north of this place, where he resided for six years. When General Jackson called for troops in the spring of 1861, Dr. Rucker raised a company at Lexington, and was made assistant surgeon of Col Burbridge's regiment. He took part in the battles at Carthage, Wilson's Creek, Dry Wood and Lexington. His term of service expired in six months from the time of his enlistment and he received an honorable discharge and returned to Keytsville where he has since resided. Dr. Rucker was married to Miss Narcissa Givens in this county, January 8th, 1857. This marriage was blessed with seven children, five of whom, with the widowed mother survive him, viz: William of Marceline, and Jackson, Miss Anna, Walter and Miss Nina of Keytesville. The deceased had been an exemplary member of the Presbyterian church and of the Masonic fraternity for years, and was buried with honors of the last named order last Saturday. Appropriate funeral services were conducted at the family residence, which were participated in by Revs. Xenophen Ryland, James R. Finley and J. T. Gose. May the husband of the widow and the father of the fatherless be the guide and consolation of the bereaved ones in their dark hour of affliction--Chariton Courier. Deceased was a brother of J. E. Rucker of this place. 21 Jan 1898--Born, near Burton, on the12th, to Oscar Newman and wife a daughter. 21 Jan 1898--Born, near Myres, on the 15th, to J. B. Dougherty and wife, a daughter. 21 Jan 1898--Mrs. J. E. Rucker and daughter, Mrs. W. F. Spotts, went to Glasgow Monday evening to visit Mrs. Williams, a sister of Mr. Rucker who is dangerously ill. 21 Jan 1898--Miss Lulu Todd, daughter of T. H. Todd, and sister of Rev. Luther Todd, died suddenly Saturday night at the home of her father, near New Franklin. She went to her room at 8 o'clock, took a bath and had partly dressed, when the summons came. She was found some time later by her little sister who occupied the same room. Her mother and grand mother both died suddenly from heart failure. 21 Jan 1898--Married, at the residence, of T. M. Nicholas, on the 19th, Wm. Knight and Mrs. Cornelia Jones, Rev. N. B. Green, officiating. This wedding has something of a romance attached to it. Over 20 years ago Mr. Knight and Mrs. Jones were married and were living in Renick. One day Mr. Knight left for Moberly. That was the last heard of him until a few months ago when he returned. In the meantime Mrs. Knight married "Sailor" Sam Jones. Upon the return of her first husband she secured a divorce from Jones and is now married to Knight for the second time. The News extends good wishes. 21 Jan 1898--Born on the 14th to Wm. Longdon and wife, a son. (Note: this child would be Roy Longdon) 21 Jan 1898--Born on the 19th to Jas Keyton and wife, a daughter. 21 Jan 1898--Born, on the 18th, to W. J. Richards and wife, a son. 28 Jan 1898--EBENEZAR ITEMS--Born, to Mr. and Mrs. Henry B. Cubbage, on the 21st, a big bouncing girl. 28 Jan 1898--EBENEZAR ITEMS--Our entire neighborhood was shocked on account of the sad ending of our neighbor, Jas. Ford, on last Friday morning. Mr. Ford had lived among us for nearly three years and proved himself to be an honest and industrious citizen. His worst faults were to himself. He leaves a wife and four small children to mourn his loss. In connection with their many friends we extend our sympathy to the sorrowing ones in their sore affliction. 28 Jan 1898--IN MEMORY--of Mollie E. Fowler, who died January 3rd, 1898, aged 30 years, 3 months and 23 days. (long poem follows). 28 Jan 1898--OUR HARRISBURG LETTER--Win St. Clair made a business trip to Higbee Friday. 28 Jan 1898--Born, on the 22nd, to Geo. Pitney and wife, a son. 28 Jan 1898--Born, on the 21st, to Henry Cubbage and wife, a daughter. 28 Jan 1898--Word reached here from Moberly yesterday morning that John A. Hamilton and Wm. Myres, better known as "Bill Whit," had a difficulty in which the former used a knife with telling effect. Myres, we learn, is badly hurt, and his recovery is doubtful. 28 Jan 1898--A TERRIBLE DEATH--Jas. Ford, of Near Yates Falls From His Horse Near Town, Mires in the Mud and Slush and Dies From Exposure--Whiskey the Cause. Thursday morning of last week Dutch Freeman and his nephew, James Ford, came to town. Soon after they got here, Mr. Ford went to one of the banks and deposited $280, and shortly after, he and Freeman were under the influence of liquor. They continued drinking during the evening, and about 5 o'clock, left town in a drunken condition. They had not gone more than two or three miles, when Ford concluded he must get another bottle of whiskey, and, despite the remonstrance's of Freeman, started back to town. Freeman thinking him able to take care of himself, rode off and left him. When Ford had retraced his steps as far as John Whitmore's, a mile west of town, he was either thrown from, or fell from his horse, and in his drunken condition, was unable to regain his seat in his saddle, and was compelled to lay in the frozen mud until three o'clock Friday morning, when he was removed to Mr. Whitmore's. During the night, Mr. Whitmore's dogs kept up a terrible racket, which was something so unusual for them to do, that he sent his son John out to the road early in the night to see what the trouble was. The boy returned and stated that he could hear some one talking down towards the railroad crossing, but could see no one. The dogs kept up their noise, and the boy was again sent to the road, but as before, could find no one. About 12 o'clock the boy was again sent to the road, within instructions to go down the road until he reached the crossing. He had not gone very far until he found Mr. Ford on his hands and knees, stuck in the mud, but still holding the horse by the bridle reins. John asked the man who he was, and where he was trying to go. He replied that his name was James Ford, and that he wanted to go to Yates. John then left him and returned to the house for his father. When they returned five minutes later, the horse was gone and Ford was in a ditch, fifteen feet from where first found. He was speechless, and so deeply imbedded in the mud that their united efforts could not remove him. They at once made a fire near by, procured a lot of shucks and shoved them in between the poor man and the mud, and made him as comfortable as possible, until help could be procured. They were ready to start for aid, when Dr. Dinwiddie, who had been to visit the sick family of Henry Cubbage, was returning home, accompanied by Mr. Cubbage, whom they called to their assistance. It took the united efforts of the four an hour to dig him out of the mud and removed him to the house. The Doctor and family did everything in their power, but he never regained consciousness, and died at 8 o'clock Friday morning. It is thought by many that the horse dragged him into the ditch, and trampled him into the mud. Those best acquainted with deceased say he was a good neighbor, a kind husband and father, and that his greatest fault was the love of strong drink. He leaves a wife and four children to mourn his sad fate. The remains were taken to Salisbury for interment. 28 Jan 1898--Born, on the 25th, to Dab Wilcox and wife, a daughter. 28 Jan 1898--Born, on the 26th, to Geo. Harris and wife, a son. 28 Jan 1898--Born, on the 25th, to G. D. Wright and wife, a daughter. Kathy Bowlin Additions, corrections, comments welcome.