1894-10-12-THE HICKMAN COURIER-Kentucky R. R. Wright, a barber, hailing from Greenfield, Tenn., was arrested at Fulton last week by the deputy sheriff of Weakley county, Tenn., and charged with having abducted a young lady about 17 years old from the poor house in Dresden and carrying her to the woods where he criminally assaulted her.

1893-12-15-THE HICKMAN COURIER-Kentucky A Terrible Tragedy. A terrible tragedy occurred in Weakley county, Tenn., near Martin last week. West Edwards, a well-known young farmer shot and instantly killed his wife and then shot himself twice in the neck, dying in a few hours. The Martin Tribune give the following account of the affair: Young Edwards had been married about a year and every one thought the couple happy. Mr. Edwards was getting along well in the world and had plenty of everything around him, but it appears that he had recently indicated symptoms of insanity and would frequently remark to this wife that she did not love him and that he had rather be dead than alive. But his family thought nothing of these melancholy moods, and on the morning of the killing he was helping his wife and sister-in-law about washing and seemed to be in good spirits. It seems that some bird hunters were shooting over in a field and his wife or sister-in-law said something about it, and Edwards said that he had some shooting to do, and went into the house. His wife thought nothing of it. He came out and fired two shots into his wife's back with the above result. He then turned the pistol and fired one ball into his neck, and told his sister-in-law that he was going back into the house and reload his pistol and kill her, and he thereupon went into the house and reloaded his pistol and came out in search of his sister-in-law, who had fled to a neighbor's house, and not finding her, he again shot himself.

1893-11-10-THE HICKMAN COURIER-Kentucky The grand jury of Weakley county, Tenn., failed to indict Jim White for killing John Freeman at Martin a few weeks ago.

1890-11-21-THE HICKMAN COURIER-Kentucky A FORGER IN THE TOILS. DRESDEN, TENN., November 17.-J. B. Williams, a young farmer of Weakley County, was on yesterday arrested on the charge of forgery. The warrant for his arrest was sworn out by John McGlothlin, cashier of the Weakley County Bank of this place. Williams was born in this country, and had always lived here. He has enjoyed,until recently, the confidence of his neighbors. His arrest developed the fact that he has for twelve months been forging the names of a number of his neighbors to notes, which he has discounted in the banks at Dresden. J. W. Parks, a well-to-do farmer, has found that his name has been signed to five or six notes for various sums during the year, and these notes were never seen or heard of by him until this morning. J. A. Covington's name was forged in a number of cases. Most of the notes were renewed by Williams two or three times, and some of them were paid off. Suit was brought by the Weakley County Bank last week, and when the warrant was served on the securities Saturday, Williams was exposed. He was at the time in Ohio, or the note would have doubtless been renewed again. When arrested and brought to town this morning, Williams made a clean breast of it all and acknowledged that he was guilty, not only in this case for which he was arrested, but in a number of other cases. He said he did not know what made him commit these forgeries. He paid some of them off and if he had not been detected, she says, he would have paid the others off. The Weakley County Bank will lose about $350 unless Williams' friends raise the money which they say they will do.

1889-08-02-THE HICKMAN COURIER-Kentucky DEATH OR DISHONOR The Secretary of a Farmers Organization Suicides Because of a Shortage The Tennessee State Wheel, a farmers' organization, recently held its annual session at Nashville. A resolution was passed to investigate the books of the secretary and treasurer. Before the investigation the secretary disappeared. His name was W. T. Davis, and he was from Weakley county, West Tennessee, and he was known to many of our tobacco men. An investigation revealed a shortage of $2,000 in his accounts, and a note was found reading as follows: "NASHVILLE, TENN. July 22, 1889. "Mr. A. G. Gowan: "Dear Sir-You will find the books of the Wheel at No. 407 North Summer street and my body in the Cumberland river. I am tired of life and had rather die than to fall short in my accounts. Will you please send my valise to my wife with all the papers that are in it. My life has been a failure, and I am sorry that I have to leave my darling wife and children, but commit them to God and may He help them in this life. Oh, my God, how I hate to leave them; but I cannot bear to meet them in disgrace. My acts and my friends have brought me to this rash act. May the God of heaven have mercy on me. I don't care whether they ever look for me to bury me or not. If they do, I want to be buried at Gleeson. To A. E. Gardner, who has been my best friend, I ask to look after my baby boy especially. To all friends and foes I bed a final farewell. Darling wife, do not grieve after me but look on the bright side of life. Kiss my babies farewell forever. Good-bye to all. "W. T. DAVIS"

1915-08-13-GAZETTE-TELEGRAPH J. Fred Grooms, aged 29 years, of Greenfield, Tenn., died yesterday at a hospital. He is survived by his wife, father and mother. The body was taken to Greenfield last evening by the wife and father.

1905-10-04-JONESBORO WEEKLY SUN-Arkansas Tennessean Injured in St. Louis St. Louis, Sept 18.-Thomas B. Lane, 71, of Greenfield, Tenn., fell through a hatchway on the steamer Ferd Herold, anchored at the foot of Chesnut street, and sustained injuries that may cause his death.

1880-08-20-CINCINNATI COMMERCIAL TRIBUNE-Ohio Murder at Greenfield, Tenn. LOUISVILLE, August 19.-A special to the Commercial from Paducah says: At Greenfield, Tenn., a little village on the Chicago, St. Louis and New Orleans road, between Milan and Fulton, last Monday, Mr. Dick Jones, a merchant, had a fuss with a drunken man in his store and struck him with an axe-handle on the head, killing him almost instantly. Jones skipped out and has not been heard of.

1908-05-10-FORT WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM-Texas BABE SPILLS COFFEE AND TWO MAY DIE Mother and Child Dangerously Burned When Infant Turns Boiling Pot Over Upon Kitchen Stove Special to The Telegram. GLEASON, Tenn., May 9.-Mrs. Luther Evans and baby were scalded by boiling coffee and the chances are against the recovery of either. The mother was cooking with the baby in her arms, and the little one pulled the coffee pot from the stove.

1906-05-05-REPUBLIC-Illinois STUNG BY BEES, DEATH RESULTS (Scripps-McRae Press.) Nashville, Tenn., May 5.-Thomas Carlton as farmer of Gleason, Tenn., is dead as the result of an encounter with bees. The bees swarmed on a limb which Carlton attempted to cut. They attacked his head and face. Death came in a few hours.

1867-11-24-DAILY IOWA STATE REGISTER-Iowa Burlington Shooting Case---More Developments We find the following in the Rock Island Union, in regard to the parties concerned in the shooting affair at the Burlington house Saturday morning: The woman's name is not Moore, as registered at the hotel, but Shafer. Her husband kept a hotel in Dresden, Tennessee, and Epstein, being in business there, since the war, boarded at the hotel. He left there with the purpose of going to Europe and was as far as Cincinnati on his way, when, it being about the time of the German war, the Consul at that city advised him not to go. He then came to Rock Island. In the meantime, a certain doctor at Dresden, who bore him no good will, informed Shafer that Epstein had been on terms of improper intimacy with his wife. Mrs. Shafer denied the charge; but her husband was enraged, and told her she could no longer live with him, unless she shot Epstein. He bought her a pair of Deringer pistols and about two months ago she arrived in this city with a little son, about eleven years of age. She stopped at the Rock Island house, and left word at Rosenfield & Epstein's jewelry store, that "Mrs. Moore," of Tennessee, wanted to see Mr. Epstein, brother of Mr. Rosenfield's partner, at the hotel. Moore was the name of a lady Mr. Epstein knew at Unionville, Tenn. When he went to the hotel, he met Mrs. Shafer. She told him the mission her husband had sent her on and showed him the pistols, but declared she could not shoot him. With this assurance he felt safe. She stayed about a week and then returned to her home. Not having fulfilled her mission in failing to shoot Epstein, it is presumed her husband still refused to live with her. Yesterday morning, a week ago, she again arrived in Rock Island by the Chicago train, getting off as Epstein was getting on, to go down to Muscatine. She demanded an interview with him. He replied that he was just starting away. She got on the train and followed him hown to Muscatine. On Friday they both left there on the steamer New Boston, for Burlington. The finale after arriving in Burlington is already known to the public. Mr. Epstein's brother arrived here a day or two since and it was expected the trial would take place Wednesday, but Mrs. Moore alias Shafer was sick and could not attend. Mr. Epstein and brother left for their homes in Rock Island yesterday, so that it is uncertain when the trial will take place now. The woman is still sick.-Burlington Argus.

Looking for information of this family. Joe and family are living with Belle. Are they siblings? Who are their parents? Justine Erwin (deceased) of the Weakley Co. Gen. Soc. told me of a Belle FORD, and encouraged me to talk to her way back in the 1980's, but I never did contact her.....might that Belle Ford be related to this elder one? Looking for links to my Foren line. Thank You, Cheryl

Carless Wilsie FOREN lived in CD #22 Gibson Co TN..1930 with wife Emma, and 2 daughters Veatris (maybe Beatrice?) and Rosa. SSDI for this man spells the name FOREN and he signed it as such. Marriage Records for Wilse FORD b: abt the same year as the above man...to Tennie LOWERY had a son Carthel that died young...spelled the name FORD. I have two documents,....pension applications, one for Rev War written by a law firm in Rockbridge Co VA....the soldiers name was FOREHAND....states often mispelled FOREN. Have another that states the same thing, FOREHAND with 2 versions = FOREN and another very similar to Foren, Forean. This I think explains why my grandmother, said Alexander FOREN was a FORD..... she and her dad had no knowledge of the FOREN spelling..... So all FORDs now have the potential of being Foren / Forehand / Forinder / Forin. This certainly sheds new light on my research.....this grandma of mine, might have been correct after all and not just family lore which is so often the case. Cheryl

I found a death record in Marshall Co., KY 1874 on the above site....I want to learn who the informant was for this deceased family member? How do I do this? Where did ancestry.com get those records in the first place? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks In Advance, Cheryl

Just transcribing some family history notes told to me in about 1992 by my grandfather Willie Delon Steagall "Bill", who was married to Lula Mae Wheeler. Lula Mae's father was Donald C. Wheeler, who had a brother William Dee Wheeler. Molly (Wheeler) Capps was one of William Dee Wheeler's daughters. In these notes he says, "Molly married Early Capps and lived in the country out from Blythville, Arkansas, Galdys lived with them some and later Bertie lived with them too for a while." My grandfather did not say what years this was and I did not ask. But thought I would pass this tid-bit on the the CAPPS family. Cheryl

Thanks Peggy and Richard, Your help is appreciated and I am on it. Incidentally ..... someone mentioned an explosion at the Martin Roller Mill. No explosion!!! Robert's clothing got caught in some part of the machinery and he was pulled into the working parts and killed. What a horrible way to go!! Thanks again, Ed

The Library of Congress has a searchable database of newspapers from across the country. This is what they say about it on their web site http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/ : "View newspaper pages from 1860 to 1922 from the following states: Arizona, California, District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Washington." Keep in mind that lots of news articles were reprinted in other geographic areas, so it's not impossible to find items of local interest. Finding articles about your own family outside the area where they lived is more likely if they were involved in something tragic, strange or funny. I use "Weakley County" as a search term because there is no other of that name in the country. But I suggest you use "Dresden, Tenn." or "Dresden, Tennessee" or whatever other city and state name that you need. They didn't abbreviate state names the way we do now, so do it old style. Peggy M. T. In a message dated 1/31/2011 8:15:09 A.M. Central Standard Time, [email protected] writes: A reminder that the Tennessee State Library and Archives maintains a list of all known newspapers accessible on their Website. They are not searchable, but it is easy to identify what papers from any one time are available.

A reminder that the Tennessee State Library and Archives maintains a list of all known newspapers accessible on their Website. They are not searchable, but it is easy to identify what papers from any one time are available. Most nineteenth century newspapers survive only in isolated issues outside of major cities, and even ten coverage is spotty. The most likely place for a pickup from another newspaper is in Memphis or Nashville. Good luck, that is quite a search. Richard. [email protected] + 731-881-7094 -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Ed Cardinal Sent: Sunday, January 30, 2011 11:51 PM Cc: [email protected] Subject: [TNWEAKLE] Historical Newspaper articles Hi Peggy, Thanks you so much for the fine work on the old newspaper articles. Please tell us where we can search. I have been a member of the Weakley list for a number of years. I have been in search for any article about an accident at the Martin Roller Mill, date 17 March 1885. A cousin, Robert M Nethercott was killed in that accident. This was noted in the family Bible. Robert was only 20 years of age. I have been successful tracing his family after his marriage. He and Virginia A Kennedy were married 10 Dec 1884. Their baby, Robbie Nethercott, was born in November 1885. All this has been found but I have been unable to find anything about this accident. Please tell me where I can do some searching or if you find anything please share. Thank you so very much Ed Cardinal [email protected] ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Hi Ed, I'm so sorry to say that I couldn't find a thing. There is nothing at all regarding Martin, Tennessee from 1883-1888. No hits at all for Martin Roller Mill in any year or Nethercott in 1885. Maybe some kind soul who subscribes to another newspaper site will do a search for you or someone will know if an account of the accident still exists in the local libraries or museums. Good luck. Peggy M. T. In a message dated 1/30/2011 11:53:22 P.M. Central Standard Time, [email protected] writes: any article about an accident at the Martin Roller Mill, date 17 March 1885

Hi Ed, I recently subscribed to genealogybank.com which is a newspaper search site. No papers from the area of Weakley County, but sensational items tended to be picked up and carried across the country, so where no newspaper account may exist in the actual community anymore, it may still exist in another part of the country whose newspapers of that time survived. The wonderful thing about Weakley County is that there is no other county of that name in the U. S. so any search results were pay dirt from the start. I also used Dresden, Tenn. as a search term since I thought it was less common than other town names. Guess I should go back and try Gleason, Martin and some of the other towns, too. You would think something as newsworthy (sensational) as an explosion would have been picked up by other papers and still exist in print somewhere else. I didn't transcribe every story as they number in the hundreds, but chose the ones that might offer genealogical information only. I will definitely go back and check to see if the story you need is still around somewhere didn't show up because of the search terms I used. Peggy M. T. In a message dated 1/30/2011 11:53:22 P.M. Central Standard Time, [email protected] writes: Hi Peggy, Thanks you so much for the fine work on the old newspaper articles. Please tell us where we can search. I have been a member of the Weakley list for a number of years. I have been in search for any article about an accident at the Martin Roller Mill, date 17 March 1885. A cousin, Robert M Nethercott was killed in that accident. This was noted in the family Bible. Robert was only 20 years of age. I have been successful tracing his family after his marriage. He and Virginia A Kennedy were married 10 Dec 1884. Their baby, Robbie Nethercott, was born in November 1885. All this has been found but I have been unable to find anything about this accident. Please tell me where I can do some searching or if you find anything please share. Thank you so very much Ed Cardinal [email protected] ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message