Cherokee-Fannin County GaArchives News.....Body of 95 Year Old Woman Found Last Monday After Week's Search October 22 1948
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Sandie Prater sugERmom@aol.com January 8, 2005, 8:55 pm

North Georgia Tribune, Canton GA. 
NORTH GEORGIA TRIBUNE,  published Canton, Ga 
Friday October 22nd, 1948 

BODY OF 95 YEAR OLD WOMAN FOUND LAST MONDAY AFTER WEEK'S SEARCH : 

The body of Mrs Sarah Elizabeth Rabun, age 95, was found in an open wooded area 
by Ed Huey about three-quarters of a mile from Mrs. Rabun's home last Monday 
afternoon. 

Mr. Huey discovered the object of more than a week's search by police and G.B.I 
between sundown and dark on his property while he was checking on some mining 
holes for Mrs. Rabun's body an doing a little squirrel hunting. 

Mrs. Rabun disappeared two weeks ago when she was last seen walking from her 
home toward the mail box.  County police was notified of her absence on 
Saturday following her disappearance on Thursday and since that time a search 
had been under way.  Her home is about five miles west of Woodstock near 
Bascombe Church. 

County police and the G.B.I were notified of the discovery and immediate 
investigation followed.  A small area around the body was roped off until Dr. 
Herman Jones , state toxicologist, arrived and examined the body for clues of 
the woman having been murdered.  No such signs were found.  A coroner's verdict 
was that Mrs. Rabun died from exposure plus natural causes. 

There was plenty of evidence that Mrs. Rabun had fallen and, because of her 
feebleness, could not arise.  Garments and bits of clothing were found over an 
area of about 70 feet, where it was thought she had crawled.  Fifty to sixty 
feet below the body were found her shoes and bonnet.  Approximately 12 feet in 
the opposite direction were found her purse containing a ten dollar bill, and 
her walking stick, leaned against a small pine tree. 

Around each side of where she lay and especially in the vicinity of her feet 
was much evidence of struggle, for pine needles were pushed aside into little 
heaps and bare spots of earth were showing. 

Dr. Jones stated that she very probably could have lived two days before having 
contracted pneumonia or some other ailment caused by exposure. Her feet ankles, 
arms and hands were scratched and bruised from her efforts to regain a walking 
position. 

There are no houses near the place she was found, her own house being the 
nearest.  It was believed she was searching for herbs from which to make winter 
teas.  Her footseps could be tracked from where she was found back to a small 
branch about on hundred yards away.  The direction indicated that she had made 
a circular course from the vicinity of the mail box to where her body was 
discovered. 

Mrs. Rabun was born in Fannin County, August 28, 1853, and was a member of the 
Zion Methodist church.  Funeral services were held Wednesday, Oct. 20, at three 
o'clock from Bascombe Methodist Church.  Burial was in Bascombe Cemetery with 
Jones Funeral Home in charge. 

Survivors include four dauthers , Mrs. D.G. Jarrard of near Woodstock, Mrs Dave 
Jenkins of Gainesville, Mrs. Mart Williams, of Fort Worth, Texas, Mrs. T.D. 
Cook, of Atlanta; two sisters Mrs. Callie Parris of Blue Ridge, Mrs. Willis 
Woody, of Morganton; three brothes, J.F. and J. W Abercrombie of Newman and 
C.T. Abercrombie of Carrolton.  

Additional Comments:
I am related to the Mrs. Mart Williams mentioned as a daughter of the deceased. 
Babe was a "Healer" and a "Midwife",  she was well known for her healing teas 
and poltice.  This was my Great Great Grandmother Sara Elizabeth "Babe" 
Abercrombie Raburn widow of Henry M. Raburn (spelled Raburn not Rabun).  She 
was the daughter of James Columbus Abercrombie and Mary Ann Sina Head of the 
Fannin Co., GA Abercrombies. 

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