NEWSPAPER GLEANINGS LEE COUNTY

Wm. Williams Esq. was born in Garrard County Kentucky, 1797 and died in Owsley county Kentucky. Dec 3, 1879 aged 82 years 3 months and 19 days. He was born and reared of parents who were natives of Virginia and moved into Kentucky while her territory was yet a wilderness; while white men were few and red men numerous. After his marriage with Sophia Langley, they moved to the mountains of Ky., which was then a new and comparatively unsettled region, and was beginning to be divided up onto counties. He became a very useful and popular citizen, serving in various capacities in several of the mountain counties when they still in their infancy and when it was a real honor to be an officer. He died as he lived, a typical gentleman, generous kind and considerate with politeness in his manner and thanks upon his lips in the very last hour of his life.

Sophia Williams, consort of Wm. Williams was born at Port Tobacco Charles county, Maryland, Sept. 17, 1803. Her father, Capt. John Langly was of English origin, probably born in England, but lived in St. Mary's county, Maryland, at the time of his marriage to Amelia Milstead, who was also born in Maryland. He was Capt. and owner of a merchant ship. He died while Sophia was yet a child and his widow Sophia's mother was married the second time to Nathan Browner, who about the year 1812, removed with his family to Garrard county, Ky. On June 5th 1823, Sophia was married to Wm. Williams and removed to the Mountains of Kentucky, where at various points she continued to reside up to time of her death, at about 6 o'clock, p.m.Nov 5, 1885. She was 82 years, 1 month and 19 days old. She survived her husband 5 years, 11 months and 3 days. She was an exemplary wife, as kind and considerate a parent as ever lived and as as true a Christian had ever lived. She was noted for her watchfulness for the welfare of all about her. She was never known to stoop to dissimulation or hypocracy, in fact she was as nearly perfection in character both moral religious as it was possible for human to be. All honesty, all goodness as a citizen, all faithfulness all hopefulness as a Christian and as she lived, so she died, and as sure as there is a future state, passed from earth to Heaven, from hope and faith to their reality, from suffering and grief to happiness and glory.

Captain S. F. Bowman and Lieut. B.H. Sale of Estill county, arrived in town Friday to attend the soldiers reunion.

Rev. C. Pendergrass one of Owsley County's most substantial farmers visited our office Saturday. Bro. Pendergrass if perhaps, one of the best and most devoted Christians of the nineteenth century.

Some evil disposed individuals having not the fear of the law nor the Lord before their eyes killed a number of chickens and turkeys belonging to Uncle Claibourne Crawford and left them lying by the roadside. Catch the rascals.

On last Wed. the REv. W.P. Taulbee of Salyersville and Hon. H.C. Eversole of Booneville met in joint political discussion at the court house in this place. Neither of them were candidates for political preferment but the moving power which brought them together at this place, as well as other places in this senatorial district was according to their own statements, simply gratitude. Young Taulbee aptly and eloquently presented the debt of gratitude he owned to his father Major Taulbee the Democratic candidate for State Senator. On the other hand Mr. Eversole showed in plain terms his gratitude for his friend, Col A.H. Clark, the Republican Candidate opposing Major Taulbee.

Bro. McIntosh preached a very interesting sermon at the Christian Church last night.

The estate of Wm. C. Franklin deceased was appraised yesterday and the whole allowed the widow. The estate was appraised by W.B. Bullock, Col. A.H. Clark and Daniel McCollum.

On Sunday morning W.B. Brandenburg went to the river, at the mouth of Sturgeon rowed a skiff to the further side and threw in a dynamite. On igniting the fuse to the second one he thought from the way it burned it would go out. He held on too long. It exploded in his hand tearing his hand off nearly to the wrist. Mr. B. rowed the boat back across the river with his left hand but stopped to secure a large fish that floated up. Fastening the boat, he walked to the house 500 yards and holding up his maimed arm to the family eating breakfast, he exclaimed, "I blowed her off". Drs. Glass, Dailey and Sanders amputated the forearm, dressed a few bruised and burned places on the face, arm and side and reported the patient doing well. This is a sad accident. Mr. Brandenburg is a very pleasant gentleman and has a most interesting family, but this year seems to have been an unfortunate one for him. We, all of us, may learn this lesson from this sad occurrence that accidents may occur on Sunday and that dynamite in not a safe thing to handle.

It is reported here that Elias BOTNER, Jr. of Traveler's Rest, shot and killed John ROSS, of that place, on last Monday. We did not learn the particulars.

Owsley Dept., Booneville, Ky August 15th, edited by "Yaller Britches" (aka Bullock)
Jeff STAPLETON, who was charged with the killing of Frank DUNEGAN on Sunday before election day, had an examining trial on last Wednesday, before Judge ISAACS, at this place. The trial was almost as well attended as one of our circuit courts. He was ably prosecuted by John S. MAHAN, of Beattyville, and S.P. HOGG, of Booneville bar, and was defended by Ho. J.M. SEBASTIAN and Col. A. H. CLARK, of this place. The examination lasted nearly all day. After the counsel for both Commonwealth and defence had made their arguments the court held him to answer in the circuit court at its next term, in the sum of two thousand dollars, which he filled, Saturday following his trial and is now at liberty.

I had the pleasure not long since of dining with one of our oldest citizens, Mr. L.L. MAINOUS and wife of this county. Surely providence has blessed them and their family with both health and plenty. Through a long and eventful life Mr. MAINOUS, though naturally not being a stout and hearty man till after 45 years of age, has by industry and good management amassed a good competency. He has been able to give each of his family (which is very large) a start in the world, either in money or land. He followed the plan of giving to each child a good horse, saddle, and bridle, and then followed the substantial gift of a farm or its equivalent in money or stock. But the remarkable part is the size of his family and the good health that has attended them. Mr. L.L. MAINOUS was born in Grayson county, Va., in 1808, removed to Lee county, Va., in 1831, and married Rebecca FLANERY in 1833. They lived in Virginia 25 years and moved to Owsley county, Ky., to the farm they now occupy, in ___ nearly or about 29 years ago. He is 79 years of age and she is 69 having lived together 53 years. He is second cousin to Maj. A.B. HAMPTON of this place, and Mrs. MAINOUS bears the same relationship to the Major's wife. They have the following offspring: Abraham R. has 3 children and 1 granchild; Walter P. (dead) 8 children; John T. 6; Daniel C. 5; Elbert S. 3; Hampton 2; Mrs. Cynthia MINTER 11 and 7 grandchildren; Mrs. Martha SCOTT 6 and 4 grandchildren; Mrs. Amanda SPIVEY 7 and 5 grandchildren; Mrs. Matilda REYNOLDS 8; Mrs. Mary TREADWAY 9; Mrs. Henry HYDEN 6; making in all 11 children, 74 grandchildren, making in all 104 of his own family.

Miss Fannie, daughter of A.P. Settles, of Chinquapin Rough, is here attending school at Herd's Seminary.

Col. A.J. Herd, delegate from this precinct, is in attendance at the Republican State Convention at Lexington.

Mr. Elias Botner Jun., has just finished repairing and improving his dwelling. He has also sent for an organ and a new set of furniture.

Mike Gabbert has been assigned to duty as store-keeper and gauger at John Allenbaugh's distillery, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Col. A.J. Herd.

Traveller's Rest can boast one store, a saw and grist mill, owned and controlled by Dr.E.Botner and Sons, one blacksmith shop owned and manipulated by Elder J.B. Rowlett, a good School and Church; two practicing physicians plenty of good water, and no whiskey saloons.

We had the pleasure of receiving a visit from S.K. Ramey last week. He was here working in the interest of the Enterprise. Bro. Ramey is wide awake and with a liberal patronage from the citizens of this and adjoining counties, we can have a first-class home paper, which is much needed in the country.

Bro. McIntosh preached a very interesting sermon at the Christian Church last night.

Mr. Samuel R. Short of Jackson county, formerly of Rose Hill College, is visiting our place.

We presume the party referred to in your issue of the 16th, that had never fired a pistol, was born on the evening of May 15. Explain.

The estate of Wm.C. Franklin, deceased, was appraised yesterday and the whole allowed the widow. The estate was appraised by W.B. Bullock, Col A.H.Clark and Daniel McCollum.

Couldn't you induce your Beattyville correspondent to address a letter to the citizens and trustees of Booneville School District on the importance of furnishing a suitable school room. We are quite destitute of a school house notwithstanding we have over 100 pupil children in our school district. We trust the good citizens will awake to a sense of their duty.

October 14, 1887

Someone has been making efforts in injure or destroy D. G. Wilson, who resides near Travellers Rest. We understand an attempt to burn his dwelling was made some time since, that coal oil was put into his well, and finally, dynamite was buried in the floor of his blacksmith shop. Mr. Wilson came into the shop early one morning to do some work, when by some means, dynamite was exploded, the shop torn to pieces and Mr. Wilson severly though not dangerously injured. This is the first indication that we have Nihilitsts amongus. Mr. Wilson in now well again. and says he is on the track of the villian and that he will not rest till he is hunted down.

1936

Owsley county Courier

J.C. Ollinger, Airdale, qualifies for admission in the unnamed prevaricator's club of Lee County with this Whopper.

The cold winter mentioned in these tales before, froze the North Fork solid to the bottom. The thaw came and when the ice went out great heaps of white sand were piling up along the river banks. J.D. was running a store at Airdale then. One day, the hottest during the summer, Joshua Damm 27, from Kershaw fork of Sesaw creek, some 250 miles up the river, came to the store for a sack of self rising flour, he was in a hurry said he had to get home in time to do the milking.

When he left the store J.D. wanted to see how he crossed the river as the lad said he did it on his "imagination". Placing the sack of flour on both shoulders he hopped the 100 foot wide river like a frog. But, he miscalculated a little and his left foot splashed some water on the flour as he landed in a bank of that white sand. The sand was so hot from the days of broiling sunshine that even the hard calluses and horny toenails did not protect the Damm boy's feet. He began dancing and ended by spilling the wet flour in the hot sand.

Here is the remarkable part. That self rising flour began to turn out biscuit and the hot sand to bake them. The boy boy ran home and brought back the whole Damm family and a wagon and they hauled away ten wagon loads of biscuits and two tons of light bread. There was not a bit of sand or grit in a single biscuit or a loaf of bread.

Beattyville, Ky., Nov 14 - Louis Spicer, Republican election commissioner of this county and Julius Angel, a prominent citizen, on their way home engaged in a difficulty which resulted in both men being shot twice. Neither is expected to recover. The men were neighbors and it is understood that the shooting was not over politics but over trouble that had existed for some time.

Mt. Sterling, Ky., Jan 24- George W. Drake and assistants have just arrested ex-Jailer James Best and landed him in jail for being implicated in the hanging of Thomas Blair. A few moments after, ex-sheriff Sledd arrested Drake on the charge of murder. The warrant was from Lee county and charges him with helping to hang a man at Beattyville. The excitement is intense. Officers are leaving with Drake for Beattyville. There are fully 500 people at the depot. Drake says he will at once give bond on reaching Beattyville and return here tomorrow and finish arresting the lynchers of Blair.

Lexington, Ky, April 16 - The jail at Beattyville, Lee County is guarded to prevent a mob from lynching Clay Thomas and his father in law, Levi Reynolds who are charged with killing Jesse Abner. Thomas confessed and was held to the grand jury without bail. The killing was a result of the old Hargis-Cockrill feud.