This Week 150 Years Ago in Hickman – February 10, 1872

Stories of Interest from the Hickman Courier from February 10, 1872

• A severe earthquake was felt in Hickman at 5:00 a.m. on February 8^th. “Houses were rocked, and the morning slumbers of many disturbed, but no further damage” was reported.
• A Temperance Convention was planned for February 22^nd and to be held at the Hickman Methodist Church.
• The child of Thomas Jones of Hickman was severely burned when the child fell from a rocking chair into the family’s hearth.
• Former Hickman City Marshal, Pat R. Cunningham, passed away from pneumonia on February 9^th.
• An Act was passed in the Kentucky Legislature that incorporated Fulton Station into Fulton County. The editor of the Hickman Courier reacted by stating “we regard this as the first step towards misfortune in the history of this heretofore prosperous place.”
• A bill was placed before the Kentucky Legislature reducing the jurisdiction of the Police Judge of the City of Hickman. The introduction of the bill “created some little local excitement” amongst city residents.
• The Carnival Ball, given by the Hickman Musical Society, was to be held on the evening of February 12^th.
• The Reverend L. L. Coleman was to preach at the Hickman Baptist Church on February 11^th.
• Thomas E. Moss declared that he would not be a candidate for the First U. S. Congressional seat but planned to continue practicing law in the district.
• The annual fair of the Fulton County Agricultural and Mechanical Society was to be held on September 24^th and continue for five days.
• The Columbus Dispatch reported that John Taylor, a brakeman working in the Iron Mountain Railroad yard in Belmont, Missouri, was crushed to death when coupling cars on February 6^th. David Smith, also of Belmont, had a premonition of Taylor’s death two weeks earlier during a severe attack of pneumonia, which was verified by family members and a local doctor.
• The Columbus Dispatch also reported that the Mississippi River between Cairo, Illinois and Columbus was not navigable because of ice.
• The Mayfield Democrat reports that “illuminations, bon-fires, cannon fire, etc.” occurred in the city following word earlier in the week that the Cincinnati Railroad Bill passed the Kentucky State Legislature.
• The Murray Gazette temporarily ceased publication when sued by a man named Frost for $10,000. The closure followed a political disagreement with the newspaper’s publisher, State Representative W. W. Ayers.
• The iron for the Elizabethtown and Paducah Railroad arrived at Cairo, Illinois and was to be delivered to Paducah by boat. Construction on the road was planned to commence the following week in Paducah.
• The Good Templars’ Lodge of Paducah was reported to have nearly two hundred members.
• The citizens of Cairo, Illinois actively promoted the extension of the Mobile Railroad to their city.
• A new weekly publication was to be started in Troy, Tennessee by John Maxwell.