Kichen Ellis Nichols & son, Oscar Nichols
Newspaper Unknown
A SAD AFFAIR
A Father and his Son go to a Watery Death in Conecuh
Kichen Ellis and Oscar Nichols: A very sad occurrence took place about five miles from town on Sunday morning last. Mr. Ellis Nichols and an old respected citizen of this county, who lives on the plantation of Mr. Joel D. Murpree, on the Conecuh river, accompanied by his son-in-law, Mr. Thomas Meadows and three of his sons went to the river to bathe after a week's work in the dusty farm. The place selected was a shallow sand bar adjoining a whole of some ten feet in depth/ Neither Mr. Nichols or Meadows were expert swimmers, and the boys could not swim at all. He instructed them to stay where the water was shallow while he and his son-in-law ventured where it was deeper. By the force of the current or other means one of the little boys, Oscar Nichols, got beyond his depth and was drowning when discovered by his father. Mr. Meadows immediately came to the rescue and was clinched by the drowning boy in such a manner as to be unable to swim out. At this crises, Mr. Nichols swam up to assist and was grasped by his son who released Mr. Meadows who in turn made his way to shallow water in a thoroughly exhausted condition Upon reaching a foot hold he turned to see the old man and his child, clasped in a deaths embrace, rise for the last time. He procured a pole and hurried out a log near where they sank with the vain hope that they might rise again, but they were gone forever. Neighbors were notified and after an hour or more the bodies were recovered and carried home to the heartbroken family who saw them go away a few hours before in perfect health. On Monday they were buried at Good Hope where Mr. Nichols had held membership.
For more information:
http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/s/h/a/Kendrick-W-Shackleford/GENE38-0004.html
Submitted by Kenny Shackleford on June 11, 2002.