Stories of Interest from the Hickman Courier from March 18, 1871
• The Columbus Dispatch reports that W. K. Hall, a “Radical Republican,” is a candidate for mayor of the city. The editor of the Hickman Courier suggests loaning Democratic votes to Columbus.
• Jesse C. Gilbert announced his candidacy for the State Senate in Paducah. Major Thomas E. Moss, Judge George Morrow and Colonel Oscar Turner have also been spoken of as possible candidates.
• Marshall Norton, of Columbus, Kentucky, last week arrested a fugitive from Tennessee who was wanted for crime in Troy almost a year prior.
• The Murray Gazette reported that a man with a wagon load of “some humbug stuff” attempted to sell his supplies to a drug store and medical depot but found no buyers. The newspaper cautions its readers not to buy his medicines.
• Beech Hill Seminary in Hickman opened on March 13th with sixty students.
• The wet weather is delaying farming and gardening.
• The Jordan Station, Kentucky firm of Bransford & Jordan was dissolved with the retirement of Mr. Bransford.
• Mrs. J. F. Marr of Hickman died at her residence on March 11th.
• There are about 12,000 sacks of corn at the Hickman depot awaiting shipment South via the Northwestern Railroad.
• W. L. McCutchen plans to build a new two story business house on Clinton Street in Hickman.
• William Montgomery, son of Jonah Montgomery, died at the family residence on March 11th.
• A petition was put before the County Court to create a new Civil District embracing the lower or “bottom” portion of the county.
• The Mayfield Democrat reports that Major H. S. Hale will be a candidate for the State Senate.
• The quarterly meeting of the Methodist Church will be presided by Reverend A. G. Acton on March 19th.
• The farmers of the region state that they are having difficulty procuring laborers for their fields.
• The City Council declared a Market House will be built in Hickman.
• The Masons, Odd Fellows and Good Templars consider the idea of jointly building a large temple in Hickman to hold their meetings.
• The first business house in Hickman was erected in 1822 by a German by the name of Drabblebreast. He kept a small supply store and commission house. Bush, another German, and clerk for Drabblebreast, was the first Magistrate. Dempsy White was also magistrate about the same time.
• The rise and fall of the Mississippi River has tested the levy built last summer but so far it has proven to be a success.
• The editor of the Hickman Courier criticizes the new construction of railroads in the region for diverting a large portion of trade from the city.
• The farm owners of Madrid Bend suggest that Kentucky and Tennessee cooperate in funding a project to build a fourteen mile levy to “redeem several hundred thousand acres” from the annual overflow of the Mississippi River.
• The construction of buildings in Hickman have overtaxed the number of carpenters in the city and an additional force of laborers is needed.
• The broom manufacturing plant at Jordan Station is producing a large number of brooms.
• The heavy rains of the past week damaged the Northwestern Railroad by washing away the trestling away at various places.
• A party of young ladies and gentlemen held a “neck-tie party” at the residence of Thomas Buck on March 16th.
• Dr. Charles Miles began his practice of medicine at Jordan Station.
• The Hickman Street Committee encourages property owners of the city to pave the roads in front of their residencies.
• The Mayfield Democrat announced three candidates for the State Legislature: Ed. L. Nance, John H. Neale and Major R. T. Johnson, Jr.
• The editor of Murray Gazette writes, “would it not be a good thing if our City Judge would convene the Board of Trustees and have something done towards removing the many dead hogs that are scattered all over our town?”
• The bill to allow the testimony of black men in State Courts was defeated in the State Senate. Senator Oscar Turner states that he favors the removal of African-Americans from Kentucky and that under no circumstances should they be permitted to testify. The Courier declares him to be an extremist but that “extreme men are driven to extreme measures.”
• The Court of Common Pleas has been abolished in all the counties of this District except for McCracken and Ballard. The people of Hickman, Graves and Fulton Counties wish to have them re-established.
• The candidates for the State Legislator will meet in Clinton to open their campaigns.
Jackson Purchase Historical Society