Greene-Jones War - Newspaper Articles THE GREENE-JONES WAR - 1888

(Originally transcribed from newspaper files by the late Alton Greene, Sanger, TX)
Collected and recopied from William P. Grohse files by Margaret Long Mabrey.


Rogersville Herald, Apr 21, 1888

The Greenes and Jones of Hancock Co got into another racket on last Sunday. It appears that while Richard, Lincoln and Tom Greene were out looking over their fields they were fired on by and ambush party, supposed to be members of the Asa Jones family, one of whom Richard killed a few months since. Tom Greene was badly wounded in one of his arms while his brothers received no further injury than to have their clothes torn by some of the bullets.

ibid, May 5, 1888... Lee Valley (Apr 30)
The Jones and Greenes trouble seems to have quelled for the present, as I do not hear any fresh outburst from either party. Thos Greene is convalescent with his arm but the Physicians do not think it will have to be amputated.

ibid, June 9, 1888... “News from the start of the war” (Mooresburg 6/6)
Lewis Moore, one of the Hancock co Warriers, passed through this place on Monday of this week; he was at Etter Brothers and bought some oysters and ate them at the store, and while there, gave an account of the killing of Devault in Hancock co last week. He says Devault acted traitor with Jones and his friends and that was the cause of him being killed. Dr Yoe of this place went over the mountain to Hancock co, to amputate and arm for one of the Greenes who had his arm badly broken by some of the warriors over there, and on the way back found a man by the roadside, dead. Dr Yoe stopped at Joshua Davis’ and informed him of the fact and Mr Davis, being a Magistrate, summoned Dr. Yoe and a jury and held a post mortem examination over the dead body. Dr Yoe has abandoned his practice in Hancock for the present.

(* Joshua Davis married Nellie Brewer, dau of Isham, son of Joab, Jr. by W.P. Grohse)

ibid, News from Camilla, June 9, 1888
On the 2nd inst. the Jones party, nine or ten in number, surrounded Mr Hamp Greene’s house. About the dawn of day the Greenes discovered the Jones party and sending their wives and children out, both parties began firing at about the same time.... supposed to have been about 300 shots shots fired in succession on both sides, several shot through the clothes but none seriously wounded but one little boy that had crawled under the bed for protection, got shot through just above the hips and died last Tuesday. The Sheriff of Hancock co., Geo. Wilburn and James Brooks and others, thirty six in number came to arrest the Jones crowd, but all had absconded but one, H. F. Ferrell; they took him to Sneedville jail to lay over until court. Think is we had more such men as Sheriff Drinnon, Brooks, and Wilburn, we would have better times, which if ever needed, it is now.

ibid, June 16, 1888...
The fuss between the Greenes and Jones is abating some. I have been informed that they stacked their arms. The Greene side went and gave up their arms last Monday and on Tuesday following, a posse of about 60 men started in search of the other side. News came they had found one and arrested one. No other later reliable news at present, but it is thought that the Jones will relent and let civil law decide the trouble between them. The writers opinion opinion is that both sides will finally submit to whatever is right and live under the reign of the civil law instead of the hail of bullets.


B. Seal, reporter.

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