1896 Reviewed
                 A Summary of Local Events of the Past Year.
                    Preserve This Chapter for Reference -
          It will call to Mind Many Unusual and Interesting Events.
               
Jan  6    Will Hawkins, colored, attempted highway robbery;
          captured and sent to jail
Jan  8    E. J. Sloss, colored pension agent, sent to penitentiary
          for crooked dealing
Jan 14    Colbert county exhibit at Atlanta highly complimented and 
          sent to Washington for permanent exhibition.
Jan 15    Lewis Depree, colored, died from drinking too much mean 
          whiskey.
Jan 19    Henry Kumpe, wife and child, narrowly escape serious 
          injuries from runaway team.
Jan 20    J. S. Daily & co., and Harvey Landers open mercantile 
          establishment in Leighton.
Jan 27    Committee appointed to select site for cemetery.
Jan 31    Mrs. Nettie Harmon Killed by cars in Sheffield.
Feb  1    Black brute robbed and criminally assaulted Mrs. Charles 
          Grissom at Tuscumbia.
Feb  5    Masterson's mill on Town Creek inundated by overflow.
Feb 14    "Birthday party" given by Ladies' aid society.
Feb 21    Max O'Rell at Normal college Florence.
Feb 26    The social event of the season - "Leap year party 
          at the Cribbs hotel.
Feb 29    Democratic primary election for county officers.
          Ben Berry falls from a wagon, is run over, and crushed to 
          death.
Mar  3    S. J. Mullens accepted situation in Nashville
Mar 10   "Sound Money" club organized at Tuscumbia.
          Protracted meeting at M. E. church closed with 38 additions 
          to the church
Mar 12    Col. J. L. Walker assigns for benefit of creditors.
Mar 19    "Second winter." Half an inch of snow fell.
Mar 25    Spring City minstrels give amusing entertainment. 
          Republicans meet and nominate county ticket.
Mar       "Dick" Clarke announced himself candidate for 
          nomination for governor.
Mar 30    Scott Butler, a wild cat distiller, captured by revenue 
          officers.
Apr  1    Geo. Kennan, lecturer and traveler, at Normal college, Florence.
          Case of smallpox develops at Tuscumbia.
Apr  6    Second case of smallpox at Tuscumbia
Apr  8    Tom Lynch of Moulton drowned near Decatur while crossing a creek
Apr 11    Gubernatorial primary election; Capt. Jos. F. Johnston nominated.
Apr 18    Residence of W. F. McGwire burglarized.
Apr 21    Dr. Edgar Rand took little son, Fred, to New York for 
          surgical treatment.
May  6    Dr. Sam. A. Steel lectured in academy on "Home Life in 
          Dixie During the War."
May 10    Sam and Mary Abernathy, colored, married after living together 40 
          years as man and wife.
May 25    Prof. J. E. Alexander re-elected president of the West Alabama 
          Agriculture school for term of two years.
May 28-29 Commencement exercises of Leighton academy, four graduates.
May 29    Prof. J. S. Hawkins severed connection with Leighton Academy as its 
          president.
Jun 10    J. S. Daily & Co., removed to Courtland.
Jun 12    Colbert County Banner sold out to O. G. Simpson, and name changed to 
          The Dispatch.
Jun 14    Rev. R. J. Beattie installed pastor of Tuscumbia Presbyterian church.
Jun 16    Prof. W. E. Powers elected principal of Leighton academy
Jun 17    Commencement of Town Creek Normal institute. 
          Robert King's corn crib burned.
Jun 21    Little Bessie Spangler bitten on foot by copperhead snake.
Jun 22    "Storm party" at parsonage.
Jun 24    Will Eggleston killed by Spencer Eggleston both colored, in a 
          dispute over cards.
Jul       Judge Wm. Richardson announces himself candidate for 
          nomination for congress.
July 5    N. M. Grimes and son shocked by flash of lightning.
Jul 27    County candidates spoke at Leighton.
Aug  3    State and county election; Jos. F. Johnston elected governor, 
          and every democratic candidate elected to county offices.
Aug  4    Storm near Ora; one man killed and much damage to property.
Aug  5    Insolent negro shot and seriously injured by W. F. Abernathy 
          at Tuscumbia
Aug  6    William McCormack taken seriously ill and life despaired of.
Aug  8    Miss Mary Vinson shipwrecked off coast of California.
Aug  9    Big Sunday school convention at "Abbey," 300 present
Aug 15    Primary election to select delegates to county convention.
          Squire M. M. Sheffield accidentally killed by C. B. McKiernan, 
          at Brick.
          First bale new cotton.
Aug 22    County convention held to select delegates to district convention.
Aug 25    New machinery put in Masterson's mill.
Aug 27    Work begun on addition to Claude King's new store.
          Lindsay Bros. opened store in O'Neal's stand.
Aug 29    Julia Owens, colored, kills Tene Powers, colored with a rifle.
Sep  1    District convention met in Decatur, and ordered new primary 
          election held to decide between Wheeler and Richardson.
          Prof. and Mrs. J. S. Hawkins appointed to chairs of mathematics 
          and Latin M. C. F. I., Jackson Tenn.
          Jas. Lacy, of Tuscumbia, kills his son in mistake for burglar.
Sep  5    W. W. Callahan nominated on "sound money" ticket for congress.
Sep  7    Republicans nominate Oscar Hundley for congress.
Sep 26    Primary election in Colbert county to decide between Wheeler and 
          Richardson. Wheeler victorious.
Sep 28    Angus Gilchrist accidentally killed by Miss Ruffin in Courtland.
Oct 15    Negro burglar enters residence of Mrs. S. A. Ricks and is put to 
          flight by a young lady.
Oct 18    Residence of Jno. C. Giddens destroyed by fire.
Oct 20    Monroe Harris, colored, sentenced to penitentiary for 99 years 
          for criminally assaulting Mrs. Chas. Grissom.
Oct 23    Sam Jones in "Shams and the Genuine" at Normal college.
Oct 30    Will Preuit, colored, cleared for killing Will Hampton.
Nov  4    Presidential election, Wheeler elected to congress.
Nov 11    "Cotton Day;" 178 bales sold in Leighton
Nov 19    Irl Vaughn shot at South Florence by accidental discharge of gun, 
          causing death.
Nov 20    Conference over and Rev. Theo. Copeland returned
Nov 24    Goodloe Pride appointed commissioner vice R. M. Weaver deceased
Nov 27    Gov. Taylor in "Paradise o Fools" at Normal college.
Dec 12    Miss Mollie Nichols burned to death near Newburg.
Dec 14    W. M. D. Bradford seriously injured by runaway team near Avoca.
Dec 15    J. H. Kerby dies from accident at cotton gin near Avoca.
Dec 20    Fred Ashford killed by Felix Brown at Courtland.

           SOME MARRIAGES OF THE YEAR
Jan  1    William Welch and Miss Tillie Shegog, Nashville
Jan 11    Mr. Stewart and Miss Lillian Moore, Galveston, Texas
Jan 29    James Jeffreys and Miss Flora Landers
Feb 12    Mrs. John Boose Rand and Miss Lena Burton, Madison.
Feb 26    James Ellette and Miss Ida Mitchell, Spring Valley.
Apr  6    Albert Blake and Miss Mabel Moore, Gretna Green
May 23    Mr. J. F. M. Harris and Miss Sallie Thomas, Tuscumbia
Aug 19    Mr. J. O. Eggleston and Miss Annie Matthews, Town Creek
Sep  2    J. D. Mitchell and Miss Emma Ligon, Spring Valley
Sep 13    Luther Roberson and Miss Mittie Gibson, Mt. Hope
Sep 29    James Gilchrist and Miss Ruffin; 
          Mr. Sykes and Miss Katie Gilchrist, Courtland
Oct  6    H. L. Halsey and Miss Ella Stepenson, Tuscumbia
Oct  7    J. Orrin Damon and Miss Maude Donnella, Florence
Nov  4    Compere Chitwood and Miss Judith Sherrod, Tuscumbia
Nov  5    David Russel and Mrs. Mollie Suggs, Tuscumbia
Dec  9    Tere A. Clark and Mrs. Amanda Stewart, Tuscumbia
Dec 17    Geo Henderson and Miss Emma Halsey, Tuscumbia
Dec 24    Turner Porterfield and Miss Emma Alexander, Tuscumbia

           SOME DEATHS OF THE YEAR
Jan 19     Louise, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. E. B. Almon, Tuscumbia
Jan 25     John Counts
Feb 12     John Aycock, of pneumonia
Feb  3     Mrs. John Whitlock
Feb 20     C. A. Reynolds, Town Creek. W. J. Carloss, Tuscumbia
Mar  4     Henry Gibbs
Mar 13     Charles Miller
Mar 20     Mrs. W. F. Crosswhite
Apr 13     T. A. Scroggins "Sage of Seclusion," Town Creek
May 14     James H. Shegog, Brick
May 10     Mrs. Jos. Wheeler, Washington, D. C.
Jun 11     Mrs. Nancy Lemay, Brick
Jun 25     Silas J. King, soffocated by foul gasses in old well.
Jun 27     Clark Wright
Jul 24     J. W. Houston, Town Creek
Aug  1     Mrs. J. M. Fulps, Spring Valley
Aug 15     H. E. Hampton, Conan, Tenn
Aug 25     Col. Jas. E. Saunders, Courtland, aged 90 years
Aug 26     J. H. Houston, Town Creek
Aug 29     Capt. A. H. Keller, editor of The North Alabamian, Tuscumbia
Sep  7     Pompey Vinson, a good colored man.
Sep 13     Thomas Leckey Felton, La Grange; 
           Rev. John A. Preston, D. D., Charlotte,
Sep 30     John Boose Rand
Oct  7     J. Emmett Keenan, Jr., Tuscumbia
Oct 15     Rev. James A. Heard, D. D. Florence
Nov  2     R. M. Weaver, county commissioner, Cherokee
Nov 17     James W. C., Smith
Nov 19     Col. Charles A. Toney
Dec  1     Dan Campbell, Courtland
Dec  4     Miss Tommie Morrison, Mt Hope
Dec  8     Mrs. McClung, Tuscumbia
Dec 11     William Warren, Tuscumbia
Dec 14     Granville G. Spangler
Dec 16     William McCormack, editor of The Leighton News
Dec 30     Mr. Finney, Tuscumbia

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