1898

February 28, 1898 --

George A. Leffel died at the home of his father, J.P Leffel, near Shawvers Mills, on January 16th.

Mrs. W. C. McLeod is quick sick at her home here.

John D. Alexander returned yesterday from a business trip to Baltimore.

William Belew, who has been in business at Bluefield for some time, is now at his home here.

Messrs. Metcalf, Porter, Jenkins and Hicks, of Graham, were here this week.

Jas. N. Warren, skilled barber of Welch, and brother of T. B. Warren, spent several days recently with his family here.

Tom Smith, of Smithfield, has been here with friends for several days.

A shocking incident occurred on last Friday afternoon on the farm of Jos. S. Gillespie in the Cove.  A house, occupied by Mr. Jas Buchanan, an employee of Mr. Gillespie, was burned and his four children perished in
the fire.  Mr. Buchanan was at work on the farm, and his wife went to the house of a neighbor, fastening the door.  Mr. Gillespie and Mr. Buchanan, seeing the flames, rushed to the house, but it was nearly consumed before they got there.  The oldest child was about seven years of age and youngest about six months.

George Bruster, who lived in the Indian Ridge country, died the latter part of this week from typhoid fever.

William Griffitts is very ill at his home at Pleasant Hill.

Wedding bells will soon ring at Pleasant Hill.  The contracting parties are Mrs. Mollie Osborn and Mr. William Fox, of Poor Valley.

June 17, 1898 --

In clearing away the old Christian church preparatory to building the High School chapel, the carpenters found under the pulpit platform the grave of John Warfield Johnson, son of John and Necotia Johnson, born 1842 died 1851.  The church which was pulled down was built by the Catholics.  After the Johnson's left Tazewell the Catholic congregation did not hold together.  The first church built in this town, so far as records show, was a brick house built by the Methodists on the hill above Judge Graham's residence.  Mrs. William Yost states that she was married in the church a short time after it was built.

ALICE BLANKENSHIP -- Mrs. Alice Blankenship, wife of Henry Blankenship, living near the depot committed suicide last Friday by shooting herself with a thirty-two pistol.  Before marriage she was Miss Alice Gillespie, daughter of Robert Gillespie, who lives on Rich Mountain.

MRS. LOCKHART -- Mrs. Lockhart, wife of H. S. Lockhart, of Baptist Valley, died at her home last Tuesday after a year's illness.  Mrs. Lockhart was sister-in-law of Mrs. Chas. Patton, of this town.  She leaves a husband and two children.

NATHANIEL KELSLEY SMITH -- Nathaniel Kelsley Smith, brother to Henry M. Smythe, of Tazewell, died at
his home near Gate City on last Monday.  He leaves a wife and a large family of children.