Jackson Purchase Historical Society

Stories of Interest from the Hickman Courier from September 9, 1871
• Page one of the Hickman Courier offered a vivid account of the Grand Tournament held at the Fulton County fairgrounds on September 2nd. “By 9 o’clock in the morning many strangely dressed young men, mounted on fiery steeds, with lance in hand were careering up and down the streets of the city,” the paper reported. The parade to the fairgrounds was led by a “wagon arranged with seats drawn by four gay mules in which sat the Hickman Band” that played the “sweetest strains that brass horns are capable of,” The “proceeds were in considerable excess of the expenses” according to the Courier.
• The minutes of the Fulton County Teacher’s Institute held at the Rural Academy from August 28th to August 31st was published in the Hickman Courier. Elected to chair the institute was F. F. Jones with C. D. Thompson elected as Secretary. The Order of Business Committee members included W. H. Finch, J. B. Fitzhugh and W. A. Jones. Reports were given by all school districts present and lectures on academic topics filled morning, day and evening sessions. Fifteen delegates from the counties of Fulton and Hickman completed the four-day program.
• It was reported that the weather continued to be dry in the region and that “stock water” had become very scarce. The Mississippi River, however, had been rising for the past few days. However, navigation of the river was still “tedious and difficult for large steamers.”
• Charles Nichols of Fulton County lost his residence to a fire. The loss was estimated at $1500. He had no insurance and saved little from the blaze.
• New Market Regulations planned to go into effect on September 18th in Hickman. From that date on, “all marketing offered for sale during market hours will have to be taken to the Market House to be sold.”
• Parents of Hickman were cautioned against permitting their children from playing on the railroad tracks and depot grounds. Some boys were reported to be hopping on to moving trains.
• James M. Cosby of Mayfield married Belle Thompson of Fulton County on September 7th.
• Judge A. R. Boon delivered a lecture on the subject of temperance on September 5th at the Methodist Church in Hickman.
• Some citizens in Hickman desired there to be a Free School in the Hickman School District and that a public fund be raised for that purpose.
• William M. Cargill of Graves County was nominated as a candidate for Doorkeeper of the State Senate.
• State Republicans proposed to investigate alleged voting inconsistencies in the Columbus precinct.
• The Columbus Dispatch reported that for the month of August the number of loaded railroad cars transferred across the Mississippi River was 1,173 cars averaging 10 tons each.
• Congressman Edward Crossland spoke before the Fulton County Courthouse on September 4th. He discussed the Radical administration and the “dangerous inroads upon liberty by the unconstitutional usurpations of the President” to “oppress the Southern people.”
• Businessmen in Hickman encouraged the development of a commercial enterprise to build a narrow gauge railroad from Hickman to Troy, Tennessee to connect the Mississippi River Railroad to the city.
• H. C. McDougal, who was charged with the murder of Mr. Hainline of Graves County and later escaped from the McCracken County jail, was recaptured five miles from Oxford, Mississippi by officers Tobe Orr and Bill Green of Paducah.