Randolph County AlArchives News.....Newspaper Abstracts for JANUARY 1897 January 1897 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/al/alfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Candace Gravelle tealtree@comcast.net May 31, 2005, 8:25 pm The Randolph Leader January 1897 NEWSPAPER ABSTRACTS FROM "THE RANDOLPH LEADER", Roanoke, Randolph County, Alabama for JANUARY 1897 NEWSPAPER issue of Wednesday, January 6, 1897 WELSH Community News Misses Mollie Williams and Bessie Cofield, two charming girls from Evansville, Ga., visited Mrs. W.P. Cofield during the holidays. __ Mr. Geo. H. Burkes returned to Washington D.C. last Thursday after a pleasant visit to his father's family here. __ Mrs. Jesse Smith of Texas is visiting relatives near here. __ Mr. Sam Bonner, after a three years stay in Texas has returned home. __ PEAVY Community News Mr. Bob Hodges, who spent the greater part of last year in the "Lone Star State" is at home again with his family. We are glad to see him again well and hearty. __ Mr. George Hodges of Texas is visiting relatives in this community and attending to some business. __ Mrs. J.W. Radney is visting relatives in Greensboro while Mr. Radney is trying his hand as a bachelor. He has our sympathy. __ Mr. Jeff Osborn has been right feeble for several days. __ Mr. Willie Liles and Miss Mollie George were happily married Thursday, Dec. 24, 1896 at the bride's home at Level Road, Rev. C.M. Dollar officiating. We wish for them a long and happy life. __ CARD OF THANKS Supposing my helpless condition to be generally known, I have been very despondent, feeling that all my past labor and liberality had been forgotten. But to my great joy the kindness of many good friends comes in doublefold, gladdening the hearts of our household. To fill my larder and increase my wardrobe on this, no doubt, my last christmas among you, is a deed for which I extend my most hearty thanks, knowing that my acceptanance will not be the only recognition for the giver of all gifts tells us it is more blessed to give than to receive. My kind friends, your remembrance will give me a more happy christmas and new year, though my affliction will be great. May god bless you all with a long life of usefulness and at the end you you the welcome appalud, "well done, thy good and faithful servant." Mrs. Martha E. Disharoon ___ MOUNT OLIVE Community News Mr. Allie Payne has moved into the community. He has built a new house for the purpose of selling good. We are glad they came. __ Mr. G.W. Morgan of West Point has moved to this section where he proposes to make photographs for the public. __ Mr. Henry Burdett got married to Miss Vashti Floyd the 20th of December at the home of the bride's fathers. We wish for them a pleasant life. They are visting relatives at Lanett this week. __ Mr. Lemmie Clack visited relatives at Columbus last week. __ Mr. James Fields has been quite sick. __ LOCAL News Miss Henderson of Dadeville visited her sister Mrs. Upshaw last week. __ The mother of Mr. C.E. Higgins, we regret to note is right sick with the grip. __ Cornelius Reid of Columbus spent Sunday and Monday with his brother H.B. Reid. __ Miss Florence Fallaw of Gold Hill has been spending several days past with her uncle, Mr. T.C. Goodwin. __ Marshall Striplin's son Hiram has gone to Talladega to enter the school for the deaf. __ Miss May Wright of Birmingham has been visiting her relative Mrs. Ben Hill for some days past. __ Roanoke parted reluctantly with one of her most popular young men last Saturday when Mr. Sam Dunkin left for Shrevesport, La., where he has accepted a good position. __ The venerable mother of the Schuessler brothers died at her home in LaFayette last Wednesday. She was an estimable christian lady and her death will be greatly mourned. ___ Mr. B.F. Thornton's aged mother is quite ill. We hope to soon learn of her recovery. __ Miss Willie Harrison who was telegraph operator here until a month or two ago, died at her home in Tuskegee on Tuesday of last week. __ Mr. J.J. Hearn returned to his none near Rock Mills last Saturday with his new wife, Miss Pruett of Clay county. __ The Leader chronicles with much regret the sad news of the death of Dr. W.H. Mitchell, which occurred at his home in Wedowee last Friday. He was a promising young physician and an excellent gentleman. He leaves a wife and three children. __ Mr. Durward Cox was among the recent visitors to Roanoke. He enjoys a lucrative position as telegraph operator in Birmingham which was secured for him by his good friend Captain Handley. __ Rev. J.P. Schafler and wife arrived on yesterday's train, being summoned to attend to their daughter Mrs. B.O. Driver. The latter has been suffering with an abscess in the hand which recently gave alarming symptoms of blood poisoning. We hope to note her speedy recovery. __ AN AGED CITIZEN DIES Mr. Z.J. Wright Sr., the venerable father of Z.J. Wright, died at the latter's home in this place last Friday night. He had been up all day and only began complaining a few minutes before he died so his death was a shock to the family. He was an upright man, a member of the church and of the Masonic fraternity, by whom he was buried. Rev. J.W. Tucker conducted the services. Our sympathies go out to the sorrowing. ___ NEWSPAPER issue of Wednesday, January 13, 1897 WEHADKEE News Mr. and Mrs. Shaderick Lewis, two old people who have been very low with lagrippe and pneumonia, we are glad to note are better. __ Mr. W.O. Stitt has put up a shingle mill on his farm north of this place. __ HIGH SHOALS News Mrs. Charlie Presnal is very sick at this scribbling. __ Mr. C.H. Presnal of this place has a very good school at Taylor's Cross Roads. __ LOCAL News Mrs. C.R. Power has been quite sick for a week. __ Mr. J.G. Kirk's family are afflicted with the grip. __ Mr. Charles Schuessler of LaFayette spent Sunday in Roanoke. __ Mr. G.W. Hodges who has been on a visit to relatives in this county since christmas, started yesterday on his return to his home in Armour, Texas. __ The first death that we have to report from lagrippe occurred at Rock Mills a few days ago, Mrs. Powers, an elderly lady. __ Mr. Paul Whitaker and wife of Hogansville, Ga., returned home Monday after a pleasant visit to relatives here. __ The wife and children of Dr. Crawford Davis are here from Texas visiting relatives. __ Mayor Jones has become the owner of the property known as Amosville, a negro settlement near the oil mill. __ Mr. F.A. McMurray, one of Randolph's oldest citizens, called on us Monday and paid his subcription for 1897. __ Mr. J. Carter is expected home today from Texas. __ The Leader regrets to hear of the accident that befell "Uncle Sammie" Fausett yesterday. While walking out home just before noon he was taken with a dizzy spell when nearly in front of the residence of A.A. Mooty and fell from the sidewalk, about two feet high at that point, cutting several gashes on his hands and face by contact with the rocks. He was given prompt attention and we are pleased to say that his injuries are not of a serious nature. __ A TERRIBLE SHOCK On the evening of the 23rd of December 1896, I walked out to a small farm near Roanoke to superintend the scattering of some cotton seed upon some land I wished to sow oats upon immediately after christmas was over. I was standing in the hinder part of the wagon where a couple of colored boys were scattering the cotton seed. It was growing late in the evening between sunset and dark. The oxen to the wagon were anxious to go home and moved off rapidly in that direction, which precipitated me backward out of the wagon with great force upont he back of my neck and shoulders. The shock from the fall left me breathless and had it not been for the timely aid rendered me by Baxter, a colored boy I have raised, by his manipulations upon my breast and by blowing his breath into my mouth I believe I would have died. I have been confined to my room ever since. I am slowly improving. I have had the sympathy and aid of my many friends, both white and colored, since my injuries were sustained. They will all please accept my thanks for the same. To the ladies of Roanoke, Permit me to say I shall ever hold you in grateful remembrance for your kindness to me, your sympathies and your help. Those of you who know me est know I am a great epicure. Those fine sausages, chitterlings, birds, cranberries, cakes and other delicacies and the donars who sent them, I shall never forget. W.L. Heflin, Jan. 6, 1897 ____ NEWSPAPER Issue of Wednesday, January 20, 1897 LAMAR News Mr. Tom Beck's wife is very sick, also Mr. George Traylor's wife. __ Mr. G.D. Lamar has rented a house from M.D. Lovvorn and is making and selling furniture. __ Mrs. Louisa Ward died at the home of her son-in-law, Rev. W.H. Wright, on the morning of January 12th, 1897. She had lived to a ripe old age. We sympathize with the bereaved relatives. ___ PEAVY News Mr. W.C. Norred is putting up a blacksmith shop which says he is tired of plowing with dull plows. __ One of Pate Turner's boys is dangerously sick with something like dropsy. He has been down eleven weeks today. There seems to but little chance for his recovery. __ MOUNT OLIVE News Mrs. Sallie Miles we are sorry to say is in feeble health. __ Mrs. Beard has been quite sick for the past three weeks but is improving. __ WELSH News Mr. J.J. Jordan has returned home from West Point, Ga after a five months stay there. __ Mr. John Thompson is having two dwelling houses put up on his plantation here. __ TRUETT News That jolly good prince of good fellows, D.A. Wood of Anson, Texas has been visiting friends and relatives at this place, Rock Mills, Roanoke and Ashland. Dave says Alabama is the place for health, wood, water, while Texas can boats of her wiregrass, cattle and wind. He boarded the train at Goodwater on Saturday for his home. His mother, Mrs. Mary A. Wood, took the train at Roanoke and will join her son at Opelika and accompany him to his home in the Lone Star State. She will remain in Texas until Spring. ___ Mr. J.H. Gunn, who has been very low with pleurisy, we are glad to note is improving. __ LOCAL News We regret to note tha severe illness of Mrs. L.C. Hardy. __ Uncle Sam Fausett whom we reported last week as having sustained a severe fall is not improving. Indeed, his condition is such as to cause his family and friends uneasiness. We trust he may soon recover. __ The Hogansville, Georgia Bee in its issue of Friday makes mention of the sudden death from paralysis in that place last Wednesday night of Mrs. Ebb Cato, an aged and estimable lady who several years ago resided in Roanoke with her husband and two youngest daughters, Misses Ida and Lilla. This will be sad news to her friends and relatives in this place. ___ DEATH OF MRS. S.C. STEVENSON The saddest news the writer has ever been called upon to publish to his readers is the death of his mother, which occurred at 7 o'clock Friday morning the 15th instant, at her home in this place. Since last October she has been confined to her bed and bravely, patiently she battled against disease, conquering one symptom after another, till at last, nature's forces all exhausted, she fell asleep. Until a few minutes before her death she was feeling better, so her death was unexpected at the time, and her sons had hardly reached her side when she breathed her last. At 3 o'clock the following day her funeral was conducted at the Methodist church, attended by one of the largest congregations ever assembled on a similar occasion in Roanoke. The services were touching and appropriate, and were participated in by Revs. W.J. D. Upshaw, E.B. Norton and J.W. Tucker. Then the loved sleeper was laid to rest beside her late husband in that cemetery. Mrs. Stevenson was born in Huntsville, Alabama September 8, 1831 and was reared in Florence, where she was married to Rev. John B. Stevenson with whom she lived happily until the latter's death September 6, 1890. Four sons were born of this union, Leon M., Olin H., W. Worth and Henry M. Stevenson, all of whom are residents of this place. Mrs. Stevenson was from childhood a devoted of the Methodist church, and her labors for the master, her care for the suffering and her love for her race, extending through many years, will long be told by loving hearts as a memorial of her. Her place among us cannot be filled, but we can find consolation in the fact that she has gone to a better place, a house not built with hands. A suitable obituary will appear in next week's paper. ___ DEATH OF CAPT. HANDLEY'S MOTHER A dispatch to the Montgomery Advertiser from Roanoke written Friday the 15th instant, contains the following: " Information of the death of Mrs. N.T. Handley, which occurred at her home this morning in the northern part of this county, reached this place late this evening. Mrs. Handley was the wife of the late John R. Handley of near Blake's Ferry, Randolph County, Ala, the mother of Hon. W.A. Handley of this place; Maj. J.M. Handley of Handley, Texas; F.M. Handley of Louina, Ala., and Mr. A.B. Handley of LaGrange, Ga. This good old lady was 84 years old. She was the mother, the granmother and the great grandmother of the Handley family, who have inhabited tis county for nearly 60 years. She will be buried by the side of her late husband tomorrow at 10 o'clock." All of the children of this great and good lady were present for burial, except Major J.M. Handley and Mr. A.B. Handley. Thus another one of Randolph's oldest and most respected citizens passes over to her reward. The Leader offers its condolences to all the bereaved. ___ NEWSPAPER Issue of Wednesday, January 27, 1897 IN MEMORY OF MRS. SALLIE COOK STEVENSON, NEE MUNN It is an unmistakable fact that all temporal life ends in death. Death, like an enthroned tyrant, sways the sceptor of universal empire. He rules despite all opposition and since he has reigned unto death he has spread desolation from the cottage to the throne. His darkened train moves on and in it's wake there remains tears, signs, griefs, ruined prospects, blighted hopes, dispersed families and demolished empires. Thoughts such as these, or of like character, will arise while the pall of death rests upon our home or any household of our community. How natural to fall into this train of thoughts as one by one the friends of youth and our kindred yield as victims to the king of terror. Only a few days since the writer witnessed the death scene of Mrs. Sallie Cook Stevenson, nee Munn, who was born in Huntsville, Ala., Sept. 8, 1831 and reared in Florence Ala., and died in Roanoke, Ala., Jan. 15, 1897. She was a life long acquaintance, friend and sister. Her four sons and her nurse were all to witness the triumphant scene on the side of the rolling tode of the last river but we felt that god, the angels and an innumerable compay of the redeemed were taking cognizance of the triumph behond the reach of time and changes. Where friends and kindred die we almost involuntarily pause to review their life and traits of character. Whether we will or not, these pass in review before us. Especially is this so with those who have left their impress upon us. As I write this sketch of my sainted friend, memory stretches over a period of thirty-five years and I see her as she then ejoyed the bountiful comforts and pleasures of her father's home in the full vigor of life and possessing every grace of womanhood. At this age her attainments gave a charm and dignity to her life that made her the confiding, respected associate of a large circle of admiring friends. She was reared in a religious home and born of religious parents. Her father's home was a home of prayer, and from that home there went out to bless the world one son and three daughters, all of whom possessed every charm of the christian character. The subject of this sketch began the christian life early. Then she experienced the joy of pardoning love and when life's battles came she was prepared to meet them. Fortified by grace divine she was readly for every emergency and qualified for efficient service in ever sphere of life. As a writer her attainments were not meager. In early life her articles were in demand and were widely circulated and read. As a teacher she was popular, doing thorough work, developing the intellectual and spiritual capacities of her pupils. Her services in the high vocation were always in demand. As a christian she was sincere, spiritual, devoted and consecrated. God's will with her was supreme and resignation to his will was a prominent trait of her life. In sickness, sorrow and death she was the same trusting, hoping resigned christian. She was diligent in Missionary work. In her death the Woman's Missionary Society of the M.E. Church, South, has lost one of it's most useful members and boldest defenders. In this important work she glorified god and blessed the world. Of her it may be said as to her work for god, his church and humanity, "she hath done what she could." As a neighbor she was kind, considerate and without deception. Everything pertaining to the interest of those around her received her attention and while she sought in all possible ways to alleviate their bodily suffering, their spiritual interests were of paramount importance to her. Her timely counsel and gentle reproof has caused many to think on their ways and turn to the lord. When sorrow came she could say, "the will of the lord be done." She was indeed a comforter. When the shadows of sorow hovered over the homes of a neighbor she was among the first to speak words of cheer and comfort, words so fitly spoken that they were like "apples of gold in pictures of silver". Although sixty-five years of age, she was the confiding companion of both old and young. In her association the old found comfort and cheer and the young found safe counsel and a wholesome example. As a preacher's wife she was fitted in every particular. For 23 years she was the helpful, judicius uncomplaining wife of the late Rev. John B. Stevenson. In this capacity she merited and received the love of everyone. Members of other churches loved her and doubtless will ever cherish her memory as one in whom there was no guile. This life however beneficial to her family, the church and world, has come to an end. All that is left of mortality lies in the cold tomb. But in a life so grand there is something that defies the cold hand of death. The redeemed spirit sweeps through the gates into the city of god and the life's record of our departed lingerts with us like heavenly benedictions, and such stainless characters are a heritage incalculable and incomparable. J. Wright Tucker ____ LOCAL News Guy Gauntt has come to make his home with her sister, Mrs. S.S. Smith. __ Mr. N.S. Faucett of Washington, Messr. George and Robert Faucett of Opelika and Miss Emma Faucett of the Nashville Peabody Normal were present at the death and burial of their father Mr. Samuel Fausett. ___ A PROMINENT CITIZEN DIES The death of few men could have caused more universal sorrow than did the death of Mr. Samuel Fausett Sr. This sad even occurred at his home in this place early last Saturday morning, after an illness of ten days. He was aged 78 years, 2 months and 8 days. All this time he had enjoyed robust health and had not been sick in 40 years. Uncle Sammie as he was familiarly known, was one of the oldest, best known and most respected citizens of this county. He had lived here since 1845 and has reared a large and excellent family. His sterling worth, integrity of character and long life of usefulness will live on to bless this community now that he is gone. He was for many years a deacon in the Baptist church and a trustree of Roanoke College. He leaves a widow and many children, grandchildren, and other relatives to mourn their loss. Sunday afternoon the funeral service were conducted from the Baptist church in the presence of an overflowing congregation. Many deserved tributes were paid to the character of the deceased by those who knew him well. Then the remains were interred with Masonic honors. To the many bereaved the Leader offers its earnest sympathy. ____ File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/al/randolph/newspapers/newspape532gnw.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/alfiles/ File size: 20.9 Kb