The Vernon Courier, Obituaries, 1887
Vernon, Lamar County Alabama

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1887 Obituaries from the Vernon Courier, in Vernon, Lamar County, Alabama.

BARNES, Col. W. H., Obituary

Col. W. H. Barnes, one of the foremost men in Alabama died at his home in Opelika on the night of the 29th ult. He was a prominent and talented lawyer. [Vernon Courier, (Vernon, AL), August 5, 1887]

BATES, John A., Obituary

DEAD BY HIS PLOW – [Fort Payne Journal] - JOHN A. BATES, who lived near Andersen, went out to his field to plow Monday evening. A cold rain and sleet began to fall and he stepped under la large tree for shelter when other tree fell on him and crushed him into the ground. When he was found one of his hands was still on his plow handle, though his legs and arms were badly broken in several places and the brains from his shattered skull were found sticking to the tree by which he was supposed to have been standing. He leaves a wife and five little children. [Vernon Courier, (Vernon, AL), April 8, 1887]

BEARD, Janie, Obituary

The Abbeville Times says: Janie Beard, who lives three miles from Gordon, Ala., Henry County, was bitten on the arm twelve months ago by a mad dog, died at her home on April 17th inst, after suffering all the tortures that hydrophobia can produce. The dog attacked a calf when Mrs. B. and her son went to its rescue, then the dog turned on them, biting them both. The son has shown no sign of the dreadful disease as yet. [Vernon Courier, (Vernon, AL), May 6, 1887]

BLACKMAN, Sumter, Obituary

On the 1st inst, the steamer Gardner burned to the waters edge on the Bigbee River three miles below Gainesville. Twenty lives were lost. Among the lost was Miss Alice Blackman's brother. The Columbus Index says: The name of Sumter Blackman, who left Columbus on the ill-fated steamer Gardner, appears among the lost. Mr. Blackman was a skillful and industrious mechanic, and a young man of many admirable qualities, whose sad and untimely fate meets with expressions of sincere regret by those who knew him here. [Vernon Courier, (Vernon, AL), March 11, 1887]

BLACKMAN, S. C., Obituary

The body of S. C. BLACKMAN, one of the victims’ of the ill-fated Gardner, was found last Monday at Obeney’s lower landing, about thirty miles below Demopolis. Blackman is known to have had over $40 on his person, but when the body was found only a dollar to two was in his pockets, which had escaped the observation of the thief. The corpse had been robbed above and left to float down stream. – [Gainesville Messenger] We must say that the fiend or ghoul who would rob a dead man and then cast the body adrift, instead of giving it decent and Christian burial, deserves no peace on this earth and suffer the torments of the damned in the next. – [Columbus Index] [Vernon Courier, (Vernon, AL), April 8, 1887]

BROWN, Mrs. Cecil, Obituary

IN VAIN – A Doctor’s Trip To See A Dying Patient – [Anniston Hot Blast] - A few days ago Dr. Battey, of Rome, was summoned to Talladega to the bedside of the wife of State Senator Cecil Brown, who was lying very low. It was an urgent case, and Dr. Battey ran through on a special, with only an engine and caboose. The distance is eighty-nine miles, and it was made in just ninety minutes.

This is probably the fastest time ever made, distance considered, on nay road in the South, and it will equal any made on any of the great trunk lines of the North and West.

Mrs. Brown, however, was beyond medical skill, and died one day last week. Just before dying, she called her husband to her, and in whispered tones, asked him to promise her to unite with the Methodist Church of which she had long been a devoted member. The heart-broken husband, in that solemn hour of parting, made the last promise he could to his living companion, and last Sunday he fulfilled it by taking upon himself a public union with the people of that God his dead wife had so beautifully served while on earth. [Vernon Courier, (Vernon, AL), May 27, 1887]

CAMPBELL, Duke, Obituary

At Scottsboro on the night of the 17th inst. Duke Campbell, son of the probate Judge was assassinated while asleep in his room. His head was split open with an ax. [Vernon Courier, (Vernon, AL), July 29, 1887]

CLANTON, Mrs. Jerome, Obituary

A SAD DEATH - [Columbus Dispatch] - The death of Mrs. CLANTON, better known in our city as Mrs. M. M. BALDWYN, was a sad and unexpected even. Exactly one month ago yesterday she was married at the Presbyterian church in this city to the HON. JEROME CLANTON, a distinguished lawyer and Senator of Eutaw, Ala, and left on her bridal trip to Alabama and Florida. A telegram came a few days since, stating that she had died at Oceola. Her remains arrived in our city on yesterday, and were interred in the Odd Fellow Cemetery. “In the midst of life we are in death” was never more exemplified than in the death of this most estimable and Christian lady. She left here in robust health, but death comes to all persons at all times. At his cruel touch the cheek pales, the heaving boom grows still, the beating heart ceases to pulsate, the eloquent tongue is hushed in silence, and the eye grows dim and closes forever to all earthly love and friends. Mrs. Clanton was a consistent member of the Presbyterian Church. We tender our sympathy to the afflicted husband and family. [Vernon Courier, (Vernon, AL), March 25, 1887]

EDMONSON, Mrs. Gus, Obituary

--- the 13th inst., four miles --- of Somerville, Morgan Co. --- Mollie Edmundson went fishing with her little ten year old daughter, and lay down on a bank of the creek to get a drink of water, when a large moccasin snake bit her on the artery of the neck and hung its fangs in the flesh so that she had to pull it loose with her hands. Her little daughter --- her up and ran for help. Her husband was a mile and a half from home, and when he reached his wife she was lying only a hundred yards from where she was bitten dead.

About two weeks ago Mrs. Gus Edmonson of near Somerville, was found dead near a little creek where it was reports she had gone fishing. Notwithstanding diligent efforts have been made to ascertain the cause of her death, the whole affair has been wrapped in a mystery until last Monday, while Nancy Clemons a woman of doubtful character, who is now in jail at Somerville, sent for some of the leading men of that town and asked them to listen to their story. She stated that she had gone to Mr. Edmonson to live with them, finding her conduct was not endorsed by Mrs. Edmondson, she agreed with Mr. Edmonson to take the life of Mrs. Edmonson, and thus get her out of the way. The fatal hour was set and while the innocent woman slept, unconscious of the plan concocted, she was seized by Mr. Edmonson and held firm on the bed with her head extended while Nancy caught the head and continued to twist it until the neck was broken. Edmonson was arrested but while on the way to jail made his escape and up to this writing has not been heard from. [Vernon Courier, (Vernon, AL), Mar. 20 & June 3, 1887]

FINLEY, Infant, Obituary

The Tuscumbia Dispatch says: The infant child of Mrs. H. M. Finley died yesterday evening from suffocation. The little one had been laid upon the bed, a mosquito bar placed over it supported by pillows on either side, when by some unknown cause, pillow was discovered over the little one’s face. Mrs. Finley had laid down, after arranging the little one, and slept about two hours. When she awoke, going directly to her child, she found the pillow over its face and the child in a state of unconsciousness. Dr. Newman was summoned, but all his medical skill failed to restore life. It died soon after he reached the house. [Vernon Courier, (Vernon, AL), July 29, 1887]

GOGGANS, D. M., Obituary

A correspondent of the Gadsden Times writing from Seaborn says Mr. D. M. Goggans, mail rider between Attalla and Duck Spring, died suddenly at Seaborn a few days ago. He had delivered the mail and started back for Atalla, when he suddenly fell dead. [Vernon Courier, (Vernon, AL), June 9, 1887]

GRAY, J. D., Obituary

J. D. GRAY, a young man twenty-five years old committed suicide at Decatur on the 4th inst. by shooting himself through the head with a pistol. [Vernon Courier, (Vernon, AL), June 17, 1887]

HALSEY, H. F., Obituary

HUNTSVILLE, June 20 – H. F. Halsey, a well-known carriage manufacturer, and highly esteemed citizen of this city, met with a horrible death last evening. While siding in a buggy, the horse became frightened at a passing train and ran off, throwing Halsey out. His head was caught in the rains, and was dragged a quarter of a mile, mutilating him beyond recognition. One of this ears was picked up on the road. [Vernon Courier, (Vernon, AL), July 1, 1887]

HAMILTON, H., Obituary

The Hartselle Index says: Mr. H. Hamilton a ganged and respected citizen living near Somerville, died very suddenly a few days ago. He had just returned from a business trip at the mill, and feeling very tired sat down on the bed and fell over and breathed his last. He was 81 years of age and has lived in Morgan and Lawrence counties ever since early manhood. [Vernon Courier, (Vernon, AL), May 6, 1887]

HARRIS, Rev. Ben, Obituary

We are informed that Rev. Ben Harris, a Baptist preacher, living near Arab in Marshall County, while plowing one day last week suddenly came to the conclusion that “the game was not worth the candle” unyoked his oxen, took a trace chain and hanged himself. – [Morgan County News] [Vernon Courier, (Vernon, AL), March 4, 1887]

HARRISON, Son, Obituary

On the 13th inst. near Troy, Ala., Mr. John Harrison was in the woods hunting hogs and by the accidentally discharge of his gun, killed his little son. [Vernon Courier, (Vernon, AL), September 23, 1887]

STORMS, Mrs June, Obituary

Mrs. June Storms, postmistress at Evergreen died suddenly on the 6th. She was one of the first of president Cleveland’s appointments. [Vernon Courier, (Vernon, AL), March 17, 1887]

THOMPSON, John, Obituary

Mr. JOHN THOMPSON, of Russellville, died suddenly in his buggy on his way from his store to his home. His wife was with him. [Vernon Courier, (Vernon, AL), May 6, 1887]