December 28,1923.
While Jasper Swint and his wife, colored Farmers on the Mr. J. T. Fulford's plantation were at a nearby neighbor's house visiting late Sunday evening about six, two of their youngest boys got hold of the single-barrelled shotgun and began playing with it in the kitchen.
They laid it on the eating table and the smaller one told the older boy to try the shell and see if it would fit the gun. The elder one took the shell and began pranking with it, finally placing it in the barrel of the gun, the younger boy standing on the opposite side of the table and at the point of the barrel.
By some means the gun was accidentally discharged while the elder boy was loading it and the discharge entered the younger boy's forehead scattering his brains in every direction, on the walls, ceiling, floor, and all over the room. It was a grusome sight.
Mr. Fulford went and made an investigation and found these facts to obtain and no inquest was called. It is the first fatality of the Christmas season in the county.
While enroute to the city from Kite Judge Charles L. Claxton and Mr. Sanford Claxton had a bad accident at the second branch from Kite when their car went headlong off the small bridge into the branch. It was determined the steering gear was defective becoming unscrewed or broken. Judge Claxton hurt his breast and bruised all about. Sanford had a small scar on his forehead from the windshield glass.
Tax collections are running ahead of last year collecting $300 more. Up to the 20th he had received $39,529.03. There remains $27,500 to be collected.
Miss Mattie Kitchens, granddaughter of Mr. & Mrs. B. J. Wiggins was married Sunday to Mr. J. Morgan Tharpe of Augusta.
Dr. W. H. Stuart died Nov. 11th at his home in Atlanta. For 16 years he lived there. Before living in Atlanta he lived many years in Jefferson County at Bartow from 1876 to 1896. He was Worshipful Master of the local Masonic lodge. He helped build the Baptist Church there. From Bartow Dr. Stuart moved to Wrightsville and then on to Atlanta.
With qualifying over the official county ballot for the Jan. 15,1924 primary is as follows:
Ordinary- W. J. Flanders, U. R. Jenkins, J. C. Wiggins.
Clerk- Green B. Harrison, J. B. Williams
Sheriff- L. J. Claxton, R. C. Douglas, T. L. Drake, C. H. Moore, C. M. Schwalls, W. R. Smith.
School Superintendent- L. M. Blount, Mrs. Geo W. Gordy, Luther Lillard, A. J. M. Robinson.
Judge City Court- B. B. Blount, W. C. Brinson.
Solicitor City Court- A. L. Hatcher, W. C. Pope, J. Roy Rowland.
Tax Collector- J. Wesley Hammock, J. Nat Riner.
Tax Receiver- W. W. Dent, G. S. Kight, Jack M. Hammock, J. A. Lindsey, F. C. Lord, J. R. Williams.
Coroner- L. R. Clayton, J. W. Veal.
Surveyor- E. A. Douglas.
My great grandmother was a Hicks from Wrightsville. I have read every one of these entries as if it was a novel. She was orphaned at an early age and I have had a problem linking her to her ancestor Nathaniel Hicks because of the lack of records from 1780s til she was orphaned in 1845ish. In reading this I saw a note about a Hicks lady marrying a Hawthorne from Abbeville SC. I have looked over the entire thing trying to get the first names and date, but I can’t find it. Do you have a way to pull that up for me? I have a DAR friend here in Charlotte NC whose patriot is a Hawthorne from Abbeville. Thank you so much for this work.
ReplyDeleteNo I don't. I have been interested in the Hicks family for years. You may find something in the S. C. Census records.
ReplyDeleteThank you!!
ReplyDelete