Stories of Interest from the Hickman Courier from October 20, 1876
- A tightrope walker by the name of Professor Bond performed to a large crowd in Hickman on the evening of October 18th. The wire was suspended between the offices of the Hickman Courier and the Dolly Varden Building.
- Congressman Joe Blackburn, of Ashland, was the keynote speaker at both the Hickman City Hall and the Fulton County Courthouse on October 16th. An enthusiastic crowd listened to his “severe criticism, arraignments and denunciations” of the Republican Party. It was reported that his “speeches done great good” for the Democrats in the county.
- Fulton County Sheriff B. R. Walker stated this farm averaged 240 bushels of Sweet Potatoes this harvest season. Sheriff Walker also reported that Fulton Station and surrounding communities “secured 200 stockholders at $10 per year” to relocate the Fulton County Fair to their city.
- The merchants of Woodland Mills in Hickman were handling and paying 9 ½ cents for cotton.
- A large brass key was lost between the Hickman Episcopal Church and Clinton Street. The owner asked that it be returned to the offices of the Hickman Courier.
- It was reported that there was a bump in real estate transactions in Hickman, which some consider to be an “upward tendency.”
- The Hickman Methodist Church planned to conduct a revival later next week.
- The Fulton County Tilden and Hendricks Reform Club met in Hickman and elected “special electors” to canvass the county to encourage the election of Democratic candidates. The electors chosen were H. A. Tyler, C. L. Randle, A. D. Murrell, George B. Prather, F. M. Usher, and B. R. Walker. The Club also passed a resolution condemning the false rumor spread amongst the community that “members of the Republican Party” had refused to allow the Club to meet at City Hall. The Club denounced “said assertions as unfound and false” and further “condemn said action as unauthorized and uncalled for.”
- An editorial published in the Hickman Courier encouraged the German community of Hickman not to vote for Rutherford B. Hays for president, as he was found to have connections to the “American Alliance – a secret Know Knothing organization.”
- W. Cole, of Hickman, arrived in St. Louis on October 12th to take on a challenge made by Oby Robirds for a fishing tournament. Robirds claimed he was the “champion Missouri fisherman” and held the “National belt.” However, when Cole landed at St. Louis, he was informed that Robirds had departed the city to catch crawfish. Cole returned home in frustration.
- Henry Tyler, of Fulton County, gave campaign speeches in Calloway County.
- Mayfield planned to construct a new jail.
- The Graves County Fair was held this week in Mayfield.
- A band of “Gypsies” were noted as having set up a camp near Paducah.
- The Jackson Sun (Jackson, Tennessee) reported that John A. Arrington, of Jackson, held in his possession a single barreled shot gun which bears the date of 1626. He declared it was a relic from his mother’s side of the family, the Blount’s, and that he had taken steps to place it among the “Revolutionary relics” exhibited in Washington, D.C.
- M. B. Jones published in the Hickman Courier that she received $1,500 from the Mutual Benefit Life Insurance Company following the death of her husband, Anthony T. Jones.