This Week 150 Years Ago in Hickman – June 20, 1874

Stories of Interest from the Hickman Courier from June 20, 1874

• Workmen that had torn down the Ledgwick Block in Hickman during the past week found remnants of silver and lead type settings from the old Hickman Courier where the past press office was located prior to being destroyed by Union troops during the Civil War.
• Small tenement houses in Hickman were quickly being occupied and new residences were being constructed in East Hickman by Plaut & Brothers and W. B. Benny to meet the demand of new families moving to the city.
• Some citizens complained that the West Hickman sidewalk needs repair.
• The prospects for the melon crop in the region was said to be “splendid” and the rains of the past week would make “thousands of dollars for the farmers.”
• The Hickman Courier reported that there had not been a murder committed nor a man killed in a “personal broil” in Fulton County since the Civil War. And if there was a “pauper in the county [and] supported by the county,” the editor did not know of one.
• John Troutwine was reported to be constructing a new wagon factory in Hickman and that it was to be one of the largest in the region.
• The Steamer Glasgow was scheduled to depart Hickman on the evening of June 23^rd for Paducah with travelers to attend the Masonic Celebration in the city on the 24th. The roundtrip price was $5.00 and the Hickman Cornet Band was to provide entertainment during the trip.
• John W. Cole announced his candidacy for Hickman City Marshal.
• The editor of the Hickman Courier called on the Democratic Party to hold a Congressional Convention for the First Congressional District and that either Henry Tyler or Ed Crossland would likely be nominated though neither were candidates.
• Each candidate for Circuit Judge shall have “traveled something less than 700,000 miles” before the day of the election.
• The small towns of Crutchfield and Cayce’s Station along the Mississippi Railroad were noted as growing rapidly with several businesses and dozens of houses being constructed.
• A barn dance was planned in Moscow for July 2^nd by the candidates for Circuit Judge and Commonwealth’s Attorney.
• Vester Roberts announced his candidacy for Hickman County Court Clerk and Gid Binford announced his candidacy for Hickman County Judge.
• The Mayfield Democrat reported that Congressman Ed Crossland had received scores of letters in Washington “urging him to make a race for Congress and promising success.”
• The Mayfield Stock Fair planned to be held on July 3^rd and 4^th.
• The Dyersburg Progress stated that Dyer County would not produce that much cotton this season due to farmers planting more corn.
• S. McFadden died at his residence in Fulton County on June 15^th at the age of 84.
• The infant child of John T. Cowgill and Anna Lovering Anderson died at Fulton Station on June 15^th.
• Theresa Donaldson was murdered on May 29^th in Lake County, Tennessee. She was born in 1810 near the Cumberland Mountains and moved to New Madrid County, Missouri at an early age. She married Milton Donaldson in 1834. In 1854, the couple relocated from Donaldson’s Point, Missouri to Lake County (then Obion County), Tennessee. Her funeral was held on June 1^st at the Camp Ground Chapel.