Hi All, The Marshall News Messenger today 16 Feb. 1999, included the front page of the Feb. 16, 1899 Marshall Messenger, as the newspaper was known then. There's an obit for Mrs. A. E. Starnes, which I'll post here, as well as on the obit forum. <quote>Another one of Marshall's oldest citizens passed away when Mrs. Amanda E. Starnes died at 7:25, Wednesday night, Feb. 15th, 1899, at the residence of Mrs. B. R. Perry, which has been her home for some years past. Funeral services at the house at 9 o'clock Friday morning. Burial at Scottsville, at 1 o'clock in the afternoon. The remains will start for Scottsville at 10 o'clock. Mrs. Starnes was born in Mississippi Jan. 14, 1823. Her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jno Graves, moved to Mobile, Ala., when she was four years old, and at the age of 14 she was married to Mr. John R. Smith, who died two years later, leaving her one child, Miss Cammie Starnes, who alone of her immediate family survives her. Mrs. Starnes is the last of fourteen children. Her sister-in-law, Mrs. Sarah Braves still lives on the old home place. Mrs. Jennie Coleman and Mrs. Mittie Bell, of Marshall, Mrs. Wm. Bradburn, of Houston and Mrs. Mattie Daniels, of Jack County, are her nieces, and Dr. W. F. Adkins and T. Y. Adkins, are her nephews. Mrs. Starnes was taken sick Dec. 25th and never got up. She was conscious up to twelve hours before she died, and in the last hours, as in all the years that had gone before, she showed that she was a christian - a real christian and was not afraid to die. For more than fifty years she has been a consistant member of the Methodist church. She not only professed christianity, but she lived it, and lived it so that it left its influence upon those around her. She had a short simple rule that she applied to things, and they had to square to it to meet her approval - it was: "Is it right?"<unquote> An added note - Other members of the Starnes family buried in Scottsville Cemetery are Ada Amanda - b. 11 Sep, 1852, d. 15 Oct, 1858 and Dr. W. A. Starnes - d. 4 Jul, 1878