Stories of Interest from the Hickman Courier from August 12, 1871
• The elections in Fulton County were reported as being “remarkably quiet and unexciting.” The official vote for governor in the county was 747 for the incumbent Preston Leslie and 71 for Republican John Marshall Harlan. William Clark defeated Henry S. Hale 641 to 204 votes for State Senate and T. E. Gleeson lost to A. S. Arnold 691 to 108 for State Legislature. The counties of Graves and Hickman supported Hale over Clark who claimed a majority of 282 votes in the District.
• T. Jeff Jones defeated John H. Neal by 259 votes for State Representative of Graves County. Tom Corbett was elected in Ballard County, John W. Ogilvie in McCracken County and Jessie Gilbert was elected State Senator from the Paducah District. The Republicans carried the city of Paducah by 78 votes.
• Robinson’s Flour Mill in Hickman was to be sold to highest bidder on August 17th.
• A Teachers Institute was to be held on August 28th at the Rural Academy near Jordan’s Station. All teachers in Fulton County were required to attend the six-day course.
• John W. Malone, well-respected citizen of Columbus, died on August 5th.
• The Hickman Star Band continued to promote their Grand Tournament at the Hickman Fair Grounds on September 1st. The winner of the jousting competition was to be given $50 and giving the honor of crowning the “queen of love and beauty.” Each knight was required to ride with an eight-foot spear. That evening there was to be a grand ball.
• The Paducah Kentuckian reported that $90,000 was drawn from one bank in Paducah to pay for wheat and other produce delivered to the city.
• The citizens of Trenton, Tennessee voted for $60,000 in bonds for the construction of a railroad line to connect Trenton with the Paducah & Memphis Railroad.
• Wool growing was receiving a great deal of attention in Dyer County, Tennessee, as prices were very favorable.
Jackson Purchase Historical Society