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NEWSPAPER EXCERPTS
Source: Cherry-Valley Gazette - New York
Dated: Apr. 15, 1819
HUNTSVILLE, (Alabama Ter.) March 8.
Execution - On Friday the 4th inst. was executed
near this place a negro man, who, a short time since attempted
to kill his overseer by shooting at him. By the laws of
this Territory, an attempt to commit by capital crime, subjects
a slave to the punishment of death.! |
Source: Franklin Gazette - Pennsylvania
Dated: Apr. 15, 1820
HUNTSVILLE, (Alabama), March 11.
The circuit court of Madison county, commenced its
first session under the new judiciary act, on Monday last; the
Hon. Henry Y. Webb from Tuskoloso county presiding.
Several criminal cases of a capital nature, we
understand, are to be tried.
On Thursday late William Mulwee was tried
for stabbing Capt. James Neely, with the intent to kill.
The circumstances of this case, though of a very aggravated
nature, we never publicly noticed. The facts, as they
appeared upon the trial, were briefly these: The parties
had had a trifling altercation some eight or ten days previous
to the affray; the prisoner saw Capt. Neely on horseback
on his way out of town, late in the day, and renewed the subject
of their former dispute, and in a very short time gave him the
lie; Captain Neely allighted from his horse invited him
to come out from the company, and commenced chastising him with
the lash of his whip, when the prisoner, which had prepared
himself for the combat, stabbed him with a large knife in four
different places, one of which was under his left arm, where the
knife penetrated to the hollow of the chest. Capt.
Neely's life was despaired of for several weeks, but by the
assistance of a strong constitution, he recovered from his
wounds and is now able to attend to business. Mulwee
was only defended by his counsel, Minor and Taylor, on
the ground that Capt. Neely had made the first assault;
Eastland, solicitor, prosecuted on behalf of the state.
The jury brought in a verdict of acquittal, as to the
intention to kill; but imposed a fine of $200 on Mulwee
for the assault and stabbing.
Thompson Harris, a citizen of Tennessee, was
tried for the murder of a Mr. Woods, a sheriff of that
state. The circumstances were briefly these - Woods,
with some other officers, had procured attachments against the
property of the prisoner who was about absconding from that
state; the officers pursued him into the territory recently
ceded by the Cherokee nation of Indians, within the limits of
this state, and upon coming up with him, attempted to take his
horses from him, to satisfy the claim on which the attachments
were founded: Harris refused to give them up, and in his
resistance shot the sheriff dead upon the spot. He
grounded his defence upon the illegal conduct of the sheriff in
enforcing a process out of the jurisdiction of the state.
Verdict, Not Guilty.
A young man by the name of
Williford, was also tried for an assault and battery and
stabbing with a dirk. It appears that he felt himself
insulted on a public occasion, and becoming very angry and
intoxicated made boasts of his personal strength, swearing that
he could whip any man upon the ground. One of the company
happening to pass near him made light of his boasts, when
Williford gave him some insulting language, which caused the
person to strike him with the fist, upon which Williford
drew his dirk and gave him several stabs in his side.
The judge in his charge discountenanced the idea which too
generally prevailed that a man, who, by his insulting language
may bring on a quarrel, shall be permitted to use a deadly
weapon in his defence. The jury found a verdict of guilty,
and assessed a fine of $200 on the defendant, who, it is said,
is not worth a cent. |
Source: Sun - Massachusetts
Dated: Nov. 6, 1823
In the jail at Huntsville, Alabama, two men are
confined on a charge of having murdered their wives. |
Source: Providence Gazette - Rhode Island
Dated: Feb. 28, 1824
On the 6th Inst. the thermometer at
Huntsville, Alabama, was down to 14. - On the 3d, the snow was
three inches in depth at that place. |
Source: Eastern Argus - Maine
Dated: Nov. 11, 1824
HUNTSVILLE, (ALABAMA) Oct. 15.
Bank Robbery - On Wednesday evening last, a
short time after the usual supper hour, as the cashier of the
Huntsville Bank was going from the banking room to the
directors' room, up stairs, he was knocked down in the passage,
and robbed of a large bundle of notes of the bank. We
understand he had taken the bundle form an iron chest, and was
approaching the back door of the passage which had previously
been left unlocked, with a candle in his hand, when it was
suddenly burst open by the robber, who stunned the cashier by a
blow on the head, and possessing himself of the money made the
precipitate retreat the back way. The notes were all of a
date previous to the nineteenth of July last, signed by
Benjamin Cox, or Eldred Rawlins, cashiers, were
principally of large denominations, and had recently been
redeemed by the bank. As there are but very few notes of
this description in circulation, the public should be cautious
how, and of whom they receive them. The amount taken is
between 25 and 29,000 dollars. The bank offers a reward of
2000 dollars for apprehending the robber, and we cannot but
sincerely hope that such daring villainy will receive condign
punishment. |
Source: Rhode-Island American - Rhode Island
Dated: Dec. 20, 1825
At Huntsville, in Alabama, a person
of the name of William Vaughan, has been convicted of
passing a counterfeit Fifty Cent change Note, purporting to have
been drawn by the firm of Yeatman & Kent; and the
punishment by the State Law for this offence is Death!
- Post Office Department - The number of free letters
alone, dispatched from the Post Office at Washington, during the
last week, ending on the 10th, was thirty-three thousand
eight hundred and twelve. In the packing and wrapping
up the mails, about one hundred and twenty quires of large
cartridge paper were consumed. - Allan M'Rae, Esq. a
member of the Virginia Legislature, fell down in the lobby as he
was entering the house, on Saturday, the 11th inst. and
immediately expired. - As the Senate did not act upon the
nomination of Mr. King on Wednesday, the National
Intelligencer infers, that there will be some opposition - The
population of Troy, which in 1820 was 5264, is now 7859, being
an increase in five years of 2595, nearly one half. - The
dwelling house of Dr. Porter, in Hadley (Mass.) was burnt
down on the 9th inst. together with about $1200 worth of broom
corn. - A maple tree in West Rutland (Vt.) measures in
circumference, two feet from the ground, 35 feet 11 inches, and
is still growing. - A lot of 500 bales of cotton was sold on the
15th of last month, at New Orleans, for 6 cents per pound. -
Yesterday morning (says the Philadelphia National Gazette of
Friday evening)_ the little daughter of a respectable citizen,
in going to school, was met by a girl, who offered her a dollar
if she would lend her the cloak and hat she had on, under the
pretext that her mother wished to see them as patterns.
The innocent and unsuspecting child complied with the request,
gave up the cloak, and has as yet received neither the dollar
nor the articles lent.
(SHARON'S NOTE: The following articles in this section
pertain to other areas and not Huntsville, Alabama)
Launched at Salem, Dec. 1, an elegant pilot boat built
Schooner, of about 40 tons, coppered and copper fastened,
intended for the service of the American Missionaries at the
Sandwich Island. She is called the "Missionary," and will
shortly sail for her destination, under command of Capt.
Hunnewell, of Boston.
Six Newspapers are now published in Cincinnati, 3
semi-weekly and 3 weekly. Proposal have been issued for 3
more, one to be daily.
The town of Macon, in the State of Georgia, has had an
unprecedented growth since it started into existence from the
wilderness, in March, 1822. It has now thirty-two shops,
cotton stored from sixteen different counties, and a settled
Minister. |
Source: National Gazette - Pennsylvania
Dated: Aug. 16, 1825
The Ladies, or rather some
of the ladies of Huntsville, Alabama, celebrates the last 4th of
July by a public dinner at Tavern! They ought to have seen
a self-condemnation in their second regular toast.
"Home - The best reflector of woman's brightness." |
Source: Providence Patriot - Rhode Island
Dated: Dec. 21, 1825
At Huntsville, in Alabama, a person
of the name of William Vaughan, has been convicted of
passing a counterfeit Fifty Cent change Note, purporting
to have been drawn by the firm of Yeatman & Kent; and the
punishment by the State Law for this offence is Death! |
Source: Baltimore Patriot - Maryland
Dated: Nov. 30, 1830
The Huntsville (Alabama) Advocate,
of the 30th ult. says: - "Mr. Ramsay, the young man who
was so unfortunate as to be severely wounded by the discharge of
Mr. Brandon's pistol, aimed at Col. Northcut,
after lingering ten days, died on the evening of the 21st inst."
So that two valuable lives were sacrificed in this political
affray. A new election to fill the place in the
Legislature occasioned by the death of Col. Northcut, has
been ordered. |
Source: Daily Commercial Bulletin - Missouri
Dated: Oct. 19, 1835
A disastrous fire occurred at Huntsville, Alabama,
on the 3d inst. by which property to the amount of upwards of
one hundred thousand dollars was destroyed. This records
of the United States' District Court were entirely consumed. |
Source: Connecticut Gazette - Connecticut
Dated: Oct. 28, 1835
A destructive fire, on the 4th
inst. occurred at Huntsville, Alabama, which consumed buildings
and goods to the value of $20,000. |
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Source: Philadelphia Inquirer - Pennsylvania
Dated: Oct. 29, 1841
The jail in Huntsville,
Alabama, was broken open on the night of the 12th inst. and two
convicts escaped therefrom; Clarke, from Jackson county,
Tenn., under sentence of death for negro stealing, and Muree,
from DeKalb county, Ala., for the murder of his wife. Both
were handcuffed. |
Source: Daily National Inquirer - District of Columbia
Dated: July 15, 1844
Col. Le Roy Pope, the
founder of Huntsville, Alabama, and originally the owner of its
site, died there on teh 14th June, in his 80th year. |
Source: Ohio State Journal
Dated: May 14, 1850
Fire at Huntsville, Alabama
Louisville, May 8.
Editor Ohio State Journal:
A disastrous fire occurred at
Huntsville, Alabama, on the night of the 2nd inst., which
destroyed $500,000 worth of property. About midnight the
flames were discovered bursting out of the workshop of Geo.
W. Warwick. The wind was high, and from the South, and
the houses adjoining being mostly frame, the flames spread with
astonishing rapidity. The whole row of buildings on the
square was soon in a blaze and the destroying element carried
North and South. It was subdued when two and a halt
squares were in ashes. Many of the buildings were large
and costly, including the "Caldwell House," and a number of fine
residences. |
Source: Wisconsin Chief - New York
Dated: May 2, 1854
Two hundred and eighty-five slaves,
field hands, and a large proportion of them children, were
recently sold in Huntsville, Alabama, at an average price of
$727. One girl, aged 16, brought $1,600. Two twin
brothers, 15 years old, sold for $3,700. John
Mitchell's plantation will cost something. |
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Source: Memphis Daily Avalanche - Tenn.
Dated: Jan. 17, 1868
General Hayden, commander of
the post of Huntsville, Alabama, ahs been appointed by
General Meade to the command of the State of Alabama,
vice General Swayne, removed. |
Source: Memphis Daily Avalanche - Tenn.
Dated: Dec. 5, 1858
In Huntsville, Alabama, Monday, a
woman of the town named Mollie Barton was instantly
killed by a horse running over her. |
Source: Cincinnati Daily Gazette - Ohio
Dated: July 25, 1870
General W. T. H. Brooks, a
distinguished officer, late of the U. S. Army, died on the
19th inst., at Huntsville, Alabama. General Brooks
commanded a brigade in the army of the Potomac during the first
years of the rebellion. He distinguished himself at
Antietam and several of the previous battles in 1861 and 62.
He was subsequently appointed Post Commandant at Pittsburg. |
Source: The Chronicle (Columbiana, Ala.) Vol.
IX., Number 32
Dated: Thursday, Feb. 7, 1895
TOWN AND COUNTY NEWS
- Levi Craddock, of Shelby, spent Sunday in town
- Mr. Whorley, of Birmingham Junction , spent Tuesday in town.
- R. M. Borum of Harpersville, was in town a few hours Tuesday.
- E. S. Lyman of Montevallo, spent Tuesday in town on business.
- James Gwinn, of Wilsonville, spent last Thursday evening in town.
- A. P. Longshore returned Sunday from a business trip to
Montgomery.
- Frank and Fred Walburn, of Shelby, visited Columbiana friends
Sunday.
- Devine services were held at the poorhouse and also at the jail last
Sunday.
- Miss Bertie Allen, of Montevallo, spent Saturday and Sunday with
her aunt, Mrs. Henry Wilson.
- W. C. Cannon, of Sylacauga, was in town a couple of days this week
looking up insurance business.
- Wm. Gorman and Dr. T. G. Nelson, of Harpersville, are
spending a few days in town visiting friends.
- Miss Clemmont Cromwell returned last Friday evening from a
delightful visit of a few days at Wilsonville.
- Leah, the little daughter of W. B. Greek, who has been
quite sick for some time, is reported as improving.
- Neil McMillan who has been teaching school at Talladega Springs,
has returned home, having finished the term.
- Subject of discourse at the Baptist church on the 2nd Sunday in
February: The Great Question and same answered.
- Mrs. W. S. Meroney returned to her home in Blockton last Friday,
after a delightful visit to relatives and friends in this place.
- Tom Weaver has pitched his photographic tent on Main street in
the business part of the town, and is now ready for business.
- Mrs. Emma Cater, we are glad to note, is slowly improving.
We hope to be able soon to write her complete restoration to
health.
- Miss Grace Walker, who has been visiting her sister, Mrs.
Maggie Weaver, for sometime, returned to her home in
Jacksonville, Monday.
- T. K. Roberts delivered a most instructive lecture to the ladies
of the Christian Endeavor Society, Sunday afternoon. It
was well attended, and most heartily enjoyed by all.
- Miss Jane Nabors, who has been employed at the Orphans' Home at
Summerfield, has returned to her home in Columbiana, having
resigned her position in that institution.
- Editor Graham, of the Calera Sentinel, paid Columbiana a visit
last Tuesday. We expect he came up to see the court house,
having given up the idea of ever seeing one in Calera.
- A special meeting, for ladies only, was held at the M. E. Church last
Sunday evening at 3 o'clock at which a pledge was passed among
the congregation, quite numerously signed by the young ladies,
which binds them not to associate with young men who drink
liquor. |
Source: Age-Herald - Alabama
Dated: Jul. 25, 1895
MARRIED AT ATHENS.
Dr. Lewis of Dolomite united in Wedlock, to One of North
Alabama's Fairest Maidens.
Dr. George R. LEWIS of Dolomite was united in
marriage to Miss Lizzie GRIGSBY at Athens yesterday at
noon, in the presence of a large number of friends and
relatives. An elegant luncheon had been prepared to follow
the ceremony, but on account of the severe illness of the
bride's grandmother had to be postponed.
The attendants were: Miss Carrie BROWN of
Birmingham and Mr. VOORHIES of Columbia, Miss Jennie
WALKER of Athens and William BYRD of Dolomite.
Miss Donna HORTON of Athens and Mack LEWIS, Miss Meda
MASON of Athens and Dr. McDonald LOGWOOD of Athens,
Miss Myrtle Mason of Athens and Dr. Richard FLETCHER
of Huntsville, Miss Myrtle EDMUNDSON of Athens and W.
E. CUNNINGHAM of Dolomite, Miss Laura CRENSHAW and
John WALKER of Bessemer, Miss Bessie Davis of Athens
and B. L. ALLEN of Athens.
Ushers - Will E. CRAWFORD of
Birmingham, Thomas SANDERS, L. L. ROGERS, Will MARTIN, H. C.
GRIGSBY, and R. E. ECKLEBERGER. Mr. Jim LEWIS
was best man and Miss GRIGSBY, sister of the bride,
bridesmaid.
Dr. LEWIS has been located at Dolomite the past
five or six months as company physician for the WOODWARD
Iron company and comes from a prominent north Alabama family,
and the bride was one of Athens' loveliest and most accomplished
young women.
The bride and groom came down on
Louisville and Nashville train No. 3 yesterday afternoon and
will go to housekeeping at Dolomite. |
Source: Idaho Statesman
Dated: Jun. 11, 1897
LYNCHING IN PROSPECT AT HUNTSVILLE ALABAMA
A Mob Determined to Take the Lives of Two Black Brutes -
Military on Guard.
Birmingham, Ala, June 10 - Huntsville may be the scene of a
bloody riot before tomorrow's sun rises. A mob from
Decatur is bent on lynching Lewis Thompson and Walter
Neville, two negroes who assaulted Nellie Lawton, a
12 year old girl, at that place, and who were taken to
Huntsville for safe keeping last night. They are now in
jail at Huntsville.
Early this morning a mob of 200 boarded a freight train
at Decatur to ride to Huntsville for the purpose of lynching the
negroes. Ten miles out, at Green Brier station, the
conductor side-tracked the train and acquainted the railroad
officials with the situation by wire. The latter
telegraphed to hold the train until the mob left it. After
two ours of parleying, the members of the mob got off the walked
back to Decatur, but swore they would go to Huntsville tonight
and carry out their purpose.
Tonight Governor Johnston wired orders for fifty
well armed men to go from Birmingham to Huntsville by special
train. Accordingly the Birmingham rifles left here at 8:40
o'clock and will join the Huntsville military in guarding the
jail. If an attack occurs much bloodshed will follow.
Decatur is greatly wrought up over the crime of the two
negroes, both of whom were identified by their victim.
On preliminary trial yesterday they were bound over to
the grand jury. To prevent lynching, the officers secreted
them in the bath room of the Hotel Bismarck until the train was
ready to leave for Huntsville, when the two negroes were hurried
aboard by a back way, just in time to escape a gathering mob.
Both negroes profess innocence. |
Source: Age-Herald - Alabama
Dated: Jul. 1, 1899
HUNTSVILLE
Motz Will Look After Alabama's Interests at Paris
Huntsville, June 30 - (Special) - Mr. George I?
Motz, one of the best-known planters of North Alabama, has
been appointed by Governor Johnston as chairman of the
board of Alabama commissioners at the Paris exposition.
Mr. Motz has gone to Montgomery to assume his new duties.
In behalf of the department of agriculture of this state he will
collect sample of grain and cereals to be exhibited at the
exposition.
News has reached here of the death of Nathan Williams,
an aged and respected citizen of this county. Mr.
Williams died last night at his home in the Big Cove at the
age of 85 years. He leaves several children and
grandchildren.
Monte Sano Lodge No. 1, Knights of Pythias, elected the
following officers last night; A. M. Duffield, chancellor
commander; J. W. Snapp, vice Chancellor; E. H. Foster,
prelate; James Battle, master at arms; R. A. Moore
master of work; R. M. Hooper, inner guard; Ben
Hamilton outer guard.
Richmond Council No. 2, Junior Order of United America
Mechanics, elected the following officers: Ike Winston,
councilor; Robert Grayson, vice councilor; J. L. Hay,
recording secretary; W. R. Stewart, assistant; William
Mitchell, financial secretary; E. H. Foster,
treasurer; G. W. Vogel conductor; G. C. Patterson,
warden; O. B. Laxson, inner guard; John Woodard,
outer guard; F. Morse Taylor, trustee.
Clerk E. E. Greenleaf, of the United States
court, has been called to Birmingham to take charge of the
office of Clerk N. W. Trimble, who is ill.
Mrs. C. B. Spencer, of Birmingham, president of
the Alabama Woman's Christian Temperance Union, addressed the
Huntsville branch of the organization yesterday at the First
Baptist church. A large number of members were present.
The village of Merrimack, where the Merrimack mills are
to be located, is rapidly growing. The Southern railway
has built a long spur track to the mill sites, and several
branches are being constructed. Materials for the first
mill are being unloaded rapidly, and work will begin July 4.
Surveys are being made for the second mill, which will begin as
soon as the first mill is finished. Several members of the
board of directors of the Merrimack company are expected in
Huntsville tomorrow. |
Source: Age-Herald - Alabama
Dated: Dec. 2, 1899
FIRST FALL WEDDING
Prominent Young Couple to Be Married in Athens.
Athens, Dec. 1. - (Special) - The
first fall wedding to be announced the Athens is that of Miss
Nina SANDERS and Professor Henry J. FUSCH, two of the
most popular young people in this city.
Miss SANDERS is a young woman of great personal
popularity and many charming traits of character.
The groom is a scholar of rare attainments, and is
professor of languages in the North Alabama Agricultural college
in this place. They will be married on the 119th of
December. |
Source: Columbus Daily Enquirer
Dated: Sept. 9, 1904
The Alabama authorities are taking
active steps toward hunting out those who participated in the
lynching of a negro at Huntsville a few days ago. The
governor has ordered the sheriff and the captain of the military
company to make written reports under oath, and the grand jury
is probing into the matter. Alabama owes it to her good name to
sift this matter to the bottom and to punish those who are found
to be guilty. |
Source: Montgomery Advertiser (Montgomery, AL) Vol. LXXVI
Issue 207 Page 1
Dated: Wednesday, July 26, 1905
MRS. FANCHER DIED FROM FALL AT NINETY-FIVE YEARS.
Mrs. Hannah B. Fancher, an old and highly respected
woman of Montgomery, died at 4:30 o'clock yesterday morning at
the home of her son, Mr. H. W. Fancher, 503 Columbus
Street at the grand old age of 95 years.
Mrs. Fancher sustained a fall Sunday night in
which she broke her arm and to the shock received at the time is
ascribed the cause of her death. She had retained her
strength wonderfully well and had it not been for the accident,
her friends believe she would have lived for years longer.
The news of her death came as a great surprise to her friends,
many of whom did not know of the fall she received Sunday night.
Mrs. Fancher was a native of Alabama and had
resided in Montgomery with her son about eight years. She
was a woman of many admirable traits and had during her
residence in the city gathered about her a large number of
friends. Several children survive her.
Funeral services will be held at the home on Columbus
Street at 9:30 o'clock. The body will be shipped at 10:45
o'cock this morning to Ashby for interment. Rev.
Mr. Jenkins of the West End Baptist Church will conduct the
services at the residence.
The funeral will take place tomorrow at Ashby.
(Transcribed from actual newspaper article found at
genealogybank.com) |
Source: Montgomery Advertiser - Alabama
Dated: Sept. 26, 1913
NORTH ALABAMA GIRL IN HUNTSVILLE JAIL
Special to The Advertiser
HUNTSVILLE, ALA. Sept. 25 - Charged with the theft of a
half-a-dozen ostrich plumes form fellow students in a nearby
Tennessee town, a pretty 18 year old girl from a Northern
Alabama town is in a serious predicament. In the meantime
she is in prison and says she would rather stay there ten years
than allow her father to know what she has been doing.
She ran away from college and the Tennessee authorities
traced her to Huntsville. They have telegraphed that the
matter can be squared up for $25 and this has set some of the
girl's new-found friends to work raising money in her behalf. |
Source: Miami Herald Record - Florida
Dated: Mar. 26, 1921
THREE PERSONS KILLED BY ALABAMA TORNADO.
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. March 25 - Three persons were killed and
much property was destroyed by a severe wind storm near New Hope
this afternoon according to reports reaching Huntsville tonight.
Telephone wires are down and the transmission lines of the
Alabama Power Company, which supplies electricity to Huntsville,
Albany and Decatur, were broken and these and other towns were
without electric lights and power for several hours tonight. |
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