TN Deaths & Burials 1874-1955

The Church of Latter-Day Saints (LDS) continues to bring us all valuable resources as part of their FamilySearch site.  One of the latest resources includes a database of TN Death and Burials that covers 1874-1955.

The information in the database is extracted from various sources; you can learn more here.   It may not be a fully comprehensive database, but it is certainly worth consulting.

A link has been added to the Deaths page on the Blount County TNGenWeb site.

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Moses Gamble 1830-1895

From the March 14, 1895 issue of the Maryville Times

“The great monster, death, has again visited our community and, taken one of our good citizens, Moses Gamble.  He was born May the 8th, 1830 died March the 8, 1895, age 64 years 10 months he leaves a wife, seven children and a host of friends to mourn his loss.  We all sympathize with the bereaved family and hope they will look to a higher power. ”

March 14, 1895 issue of the Maryville Times

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Obituary of William “Fightin’ Billy” Tipton

William “Fightin’ Billy” Tipton was one of the sons of Col. John Tipton. I’ve done a few posts on the Tipton family before and while at the Tennessee State Archives recently, I noticed an article in the Blount Journal about Fightin’ Billy.  The article appeared in the Fall 2005 issue and is very interesting.

In the article appears William’s obituary as published in the Knxoville Register on November 17, 1849.

“Died in Blount County, Tennessee, November 3rd, Mr. William Tipton.  Mr. Tipton was born in Shenandoah County, Virginia, Feburary 13, 1761.  He entered the service a mere boy, under Capt.   Langdon, 1776, was at the siege and storming of Savannah, where he was severley wounded and left on the field all night, as dead.  He is a brother to Capt. Abraham Tipton, who was under Col. Joseph Crockett, and who fell at Briargrass Creek, September 20, 1781, and also to Capt. Jacob Tipton, who raised a company of men in Green County, this state, and fell at St. Clair’s Defeat.  Fought under his gallant father at the battle of Franklin, was in the Creek War under General Jackson, fought bravely atPensacola, Talladega, Chicchopco, Enumclaw and Tohopeka, or Horse Shoe.”

This article is a must have for any Tipton family researchers. For other posts on the Tipton family, click here.

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News From Maryville

From the 12 Jul 1888 issue of the Tennessee Daily Journal and Journal and Tribune

July 11 – 

• Yesterday morning while James Broyles was at work at the top metal cornice to the new store of G.B. Ross, the scaffolding became unbalanced and he was tossed off in a violent manner.  Fortunately, he was thrown on the roof over the sidewalk to an adjourning building, which checked his descent, but he continued to fall until he reached the street.  He is badly injured, but it is not thought to be in a dangerous condition.  Had it not been for the roof that checked the fall, in all probability immediate death would have been the result.  
• John Eagleton, Jr., died yesterday at about eleven o’clock, after a brief illness from typhoid fever.  He was a most excellent young man in the very bloom of life.  All who knew him, loved him and had a good word to say for him.  
• Mrs. Kidd, a very old widow woman, died yesterday morning. She was recently attacked with paralysis and at her advanced age soon passed away. 

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Body Recovered of Robert Caughron

From the 4 April 1896 issue of the Tennessee Daily Journal and Journal and Tribune

Maryville, Tenn., April 8 – Robert Caughron, the young man who lost his life Wednesday in Little river, has been found within a short distance of where he went down.  His father, William Caughron, was in the boat at the time it capsized, but succeeded in swimming to the shoret, and to his horror, when he looked back for his son, he and the boat had sunk to rise no more.  It will be remembered that the senior Caughron came very near loosing [sic] his life two or three years ago in the waters of Little river crossing in a wagon, when the stream was high, loosing a valuable pair of mules at the same time.  Mr. Caughron is one of our best citizens, and will have the sympathy of many friends in the loss of his son under these peculiar circumstanses.

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Obituary: Rev. John E. McGhee

As posted by Caleb Teffeteller on July 8, 2005

Maryville Times, (Blount Co. TN) Saturday, June 3, 1899:
“The funeral services of Dr. J.E. McGhee were conducted by Pres. Boardman of Maryville College at the home of Prof. F.M. Gill, May 30, 1899. Profs. Wilson, Waller, Newman and Rev. Creswell assisted in the exercises. The following remarks were made by Dr. Boardman: (Thess. 4:24) Rev. John E. McGee whose obsequies we this day attend was born in Sharon, [Noble Co.] Ohio, about 35 years ago. He was graduated at Muskingum College, New Concord, Ohio in 1887. He received the degree of A.M. at the same institution in 1890. He was graduated at Lane Theological Seminary in the same class with Rev. F.E. Moore, James McDonald, John S. Eakin and John Creswell of this synod in 1890. He received the degree of Doctor of Philosphy from Wooster University in 1895. He was licensed to preach the Gospel in 1889 and was ordained by the Presbytery of Zanesville in 1890. He was pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Fredricktown, Ohio in 1890-94. He then pursued post graduate study at the University of Edinboro, Scotland for two years. In 1898 he became pastor of the important church of Zenia, Ohio. On the failure of his health he resigned his pastorate, which was accepted with expressions of regret and of high esteem and with a generous provision for his sojourn in the south, in the hope of restoration to health and prolonged usefulness. In pursuit of this purpose he arrived in Maryville about seven weeks ago. For a time he seemed to improve and was able to ride out to attend church and to enjoy the society of his friends. Soon however his deceptive disease made such progress as to show that the end was near. He accepted the result with entire resignation and was ready and desirous to depart. With perfect calmness he made all the necessary final arrangements, with assured hope, but without marked demonstration awaited the end, often expressing the desire for a speedy release. It was providentially ordered that his last days should be spent and his departure occur in the home of one who had known him from childhood and to whom he had looked upon with affectionate regard from early years in that native place. He desired to be buried from this house and in the soil hallowed as the resting place of Isaac Anderson, Thomas Lamar, Alexander Bartlett and G.W. Crawford and many other saints of God of precious memory. Dr. McGhee was earnest, enterprising and ambitious of excellence. He educated himself and prosecuted his studies in the higher fields of knowledge at home and abroad. As we who had not known him before, have conversed with him here though in these last days of great prostration and weakness, we perceived the acuteness and vigor of his mind as seen in the decission and force of his convictions. He was a scholar and his influence in promoting scholastic pursuits will be prolonged by the donation of his large and valuable library to his Alma Mater, Muskingum College. His sun has gone down at noon-day yet not before his work had been done. What other and higher services are reserved for his aspiring intellect and glowing heart, we do not know. The Great Task Master makes no mistakes. He knows precisely, when, and where and how to send forth and to recall the laborers in his vineyard. Dr. McGee preached the unsearchable riches of Christ for nine years and was a pastor for six years. Though he has died and is to be buried today far away from the beloved churches which he served, yet within the church and as near to Christ as his death could have been elsewhere. We who were until recently strangers to him in the flesh were yet one with him in spirit and we gather around his peaceful form today in place of kindred and tender parishioners in those closer bonds in which both they and we are bound together in Christ. It is a sacred privilege to pay this last tribute of respect and affection to a fellow servant in the ministry of Jesus Christ. So we bid this honored and beloved brother, called a little before ourselves, farewell; in tender remembrance and in glorious hope.”

Asleep in Jesus far from thee,
Thy kindred and their graves may be,
But thine is still a blessed sleep,
From which none ever wakes to weep.

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History of Watauga County, NC

World Vital Records recenlty added the full text of The History of Watauga County by John Preston Arthur.  All databases they add are free for 10 days, so at the time of this writing, it looks like it wil be available freely for another 6 days. 

Just doing some searches, I ran across a tidbit that a woman named Nancy Dougherty died in Blount County in 1913.  Page 318 gives a biographical sketch of her parents and siblings.   Nancy was the daughter of Ransom Hayes of Watauga County who died in 1868.   Ransom was married to Sallie Green (daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth Shearer).  Their children were:

1. Joseph (d. 1911)  – married Eliza Hodges. 
2. Elizabeth (d. 1875) – married Thomas Storie
3. Robert – married Rebecca Hately
4. John – married Eliza Cook
5. William – married Clorinda Brown
6. Thomas – never married
7. Nancy – married Harvey Dougherty of Johnson County, TN. 
8. Sarah – married W.L. Bryan
9. George – married Emily Hodges, then married Louisa Bumgarner
10. Ransom – died in 1910. 
11. Richard – married Delphia Hayes

More details about the family are provided in the sketch.  I posted this here because I did not find Nancy listed in the Blount County Records Database – who knows who may be looking for her one day? 🙂  If you miss the free access period, you can do limited searching of the book via Google Books.  See something you want to read more about? Look it up at a library near you or order the pages using your local library’s interlibrary loan program.

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Death of Miram Hooker

From the March 18th, 1869 issue of the Memphis Daily Avalanche newspaper

Mrs. Miram Hooker was burnt to death in Blount County, Tenn. Sunday night.

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Death of R.H. Hines

From the January 22, 1901 issue of the Columbus Daily Enquirer of Columbus, GA

Fatal Accident: Deputy Sheriff in Tennessee Shot and Instantly Killed – Deputy Sheriff R.H. Hines, of Elljay, Blount county, Tennessee, was accidentally shot and instantly killed at Maryville, the county seat, at 10 o’clock last night.  With his uncle, Sheriff Pickens, he had gone to jail, on hearing noises that caused them to think prisoners were attempting to escape.  The alarm proved false.  As Sheriff Pickens stooped over to place coal in a stove, his pistol dropped from his pocket to the floor, one cartridge exploding and the ball entering Hines’ right breast.

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Obituary of Charles Boyd

From the Maryville Enterprise newspaper, 26 Apr 1917

Charles Boyd, better known in Maryville as ‘Uncle Charlie’ died at his home on Cemetery street last Wednesday night.  Uncle Charlie was 86 years old.  He had been in feeble health for several months and the end was not unexpected.   Born in slavery, Charlie was taken into the civil war by his master, W.Y.C.  Hannum, and it was the slave’s heroism that gave to Maryville one of her foremost citizens.  When Captain Hannum was wounded in the battle of Cedar Run, Va., the slave carried his wounded master through the darkness to safety and although the injured leg was amputated, Captain Hannum was a useful citizen for half a century following.  Uncle Charlie was known to all of the traveling men coming to Maryville because for years he met every train that entered the city.  The family consists of Dr. Charles, Knoxville, William, Asbury Park, N.J.; Dr. Luther, Knoxville; Robert, Chattanooga; Harry and Herman M. of Maryville; Delia Green, Dalton, Ga.: Maggie Whitley, Hendersonville, N.C.; Susie Boyd, Knoxville, Bertie Brown, St. Petersburg, Fla.; and Hazel White, Maryville.  The funeral was held from the Colored Presbyterian Church Sunday morning.

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