Nov. 7, 1898

 From Olive Hill, Carter County comes the story of a most remarkable 
case of somnambulism, A few nights ago Emma, the 14-year-old daughter of 
Captain and Mrs. Brooks, living on a farm a  mile east of Olive Hill, after 
having finished her studies for the next day, lay down on the bed to rest, 
but did not intend to go to sleep. She promptly went to sleep. The rest of 
the family, thinking she had retired for the night, did likewise. About 10 
o'clock Emma arose, put on her mackintosh, and, carrying her shoes in her 
hand, left the house unobserved in a deep sleep. She went to the C and O. 
track near the house and started east. She walked rapidly, and was seen by 
no one until she passed Aden, seven miles east of her starting point, where 
the night operator noticed her, but did not speak to her. The girl's eyes 
were wide open, and there was nothing in her appearance to Indicate that 
she did not know what she was doing. She walked about four miles further 
eastward before she awoke, probably from pain caused by the laceration of 
her feet. She was dazed, but  promptly reversed her course.

Meanwhile her absence had been noticed, and her parents began telegraphing 
in both directions from Olive Hill. From the Aden operator it was learned 
that a girl answering Emma's description, had passed eastward. A handcar 
wag secured and the girl was picked up on her return trip. Her feet were 
terribly cut, and she was in a state of physical collapse. She said she had 
dreamed that her mother had told her to go after the cows and that she 
remembered nothing else till she awoke. On her journey she had met three 
trains and had been overtaken by two, unconsciously stepping out of the 
way. She had crossed fourteen bridges and trestles, one of the former being 
more than 200 yards long and one she had refused to cross in daytime. She 
had also passed through two tunnels and over innumerable cattle guards. It 
was her first sleepwalking experience. Captain Brooks, Emma's father, is a 
well-known railroad man.


Aug. 31, 1903

DENTON KY. Mrs. Nan Cox and W. R. Buttrum have teen arrested on the charge 
of conspiring to poison W. M Cox, the former's husband, by administering 
some drug in coffee given by his wife. Cox died suddenly and several 
circumstances brought out before the Inquest caused the arrest of Mrs.Cox 
and Buttrum.



Aug. 4, 1953

GRAYSON  John Taylor 64, of nearby Stan Branch,  was killed Monday 
afternoon when lightning struck a tree against which he was leaning on the 
Carter  County Courthouse lawn. The bolt sent 10 persons to the hospital 
for shock treatment and knocked three persons off their feet.



Feb. 23, 1895

PORTSMOUTH   Miss Flo Hicks, a young lady who has been employed at the 
River City laundry, and Rev. F. G. Tyree, of Olive Hill, Ky., were married 
Saturday evening at the Cropper residence, on Jackson Street, by Rev. B. L. 
McElroy. The ceremony was witnessed by Mrs. Cropper and daughter, Jack 
Cropper and Ray McCord.


3/7/1896

News reached the city Monday from Olive Hill, Ky., to the affect- that W. 
P. McGlone, formerly a resident of Portsmouth, has been having a world of 
trouble. It seems that McGlone recently purchased a small farm of his 
brother-in-law a man named Jarvis, paying a small sum down and giving a 
mortgage to secure payment on the balance. The farm was heavily wooded and 
McGlone proceeded to cut the timber and sell it to a railroad company, 
thereby realizing more than enough to pay for the farm. He thus got the 
land practically for nothing. This enraged Jarvis who with his brother 
called on McGlone and picked a quarrel with him, in the course of which 
McGlone was hit with an axe and badly injured. His assailants have been 
arrested. McGlone will recover and will return to Portsmouth to reside.


7/17/1916

Down at Grayson, Ky., when the city officials do not walk in the straight 
and narrow path of duty, they tell 'em about it, and they tell 'em in plain 
and forcible language. For instance, take this mild tip handed out last 
week by the Eastern Kentucky Journal, of Grayson, to the mayor and health 
officer of the town: "Remember the alley-cleaning proposition, and, by the 
way, Health Officer and Mayor, we have some of the 'blamdest, stinkyist hog 
pens in this town we ever smelled, and if the Health Officer overseeing and 
the Mayor know anything about Health overseeing or Mayoring both know that 
these infernal stink-holes ought by all means be cleaned up, and you ought 
to be arrested and cast into a hog pen until you agree to enforce that law 
which prohibits these unsanitary nuisances.


9/29/1916

John D. Littlejohn, well-known former Portsmouth newspaper man his family 
who with his is family is here from Wellston attending the Korn 
Karnival  received word Thursday that his father, George W. Littlejohn, 
aged 83 years, a Civil war -veteran, was at the point of death at his home 
in Grayson, Ky. He was born in South Portsmouth when that village was known 
as Springville and was larger than Portsmouth.


8/2/1933

ASHLAND,  William Branham, 22, and his wife, Myra Branham of this city, 
were found dead on the railroad track at Leon, near Grayson, Ky, 
Tuesday. 
They are believed to have been struck by a C. & O. passenger train 
after 
they fell asleep the track. They boarded a freight train here Monday 
night, 
intending to visit Marion Tackett near Hitchins, Ky. It is thought the 
train carried them past their destination and they started walking 
back.


Feb. 18, 1898.

Enterprise, Ky.   Harry Sloan killed Gallon Sloan, his brother, and was 
mortally -wounded by Deputy Sheriff Tom Rice. Rice attempted to arrest the 
Sloans at the house of their, brother, John Sloan, on a charge of larceny. 
Harry attacked Rice with a knife and was shot and instantly killed. Gallon 
received a ball through the chest. John has threatened to take revenge 
before night

  [If I read this one correctly; in a shoot out with Rice, Harry accidently 
killed his brother Gallon, then come at Rice with a knife. Deputy Rice then 
gunned down Harry. This left the remaining brother John, very unhappy. Most 
likely Rice was caressing his four leaf clover and thumbing through the 
want ads in pursuit of a different line of work.  G. Haney]



Feb 3, 1896

Mrs. J. N. Jones of Enterprise, Ky., has eloped with Joseph Mulligan, a 
one-legged bachelor.


July 20, 1940

OLIVE HILL,  Arthur Smith, 22, of Olive Hill, accidentally shot himself 
through the heart, it was reported by Coroner C. W. Henderson, who said 
death, was almost instantaneous. According to testimony given at an inquest 
by Miss Lorine Rcnfore, fiancee of the young man, Smith was sitting on 
the porch swinging with the girl at her home at Soldier, Ky., and was 
twirling a .32. caliber pistol. The coroner said Miss Renfore testified 
that Smith pointed the pistol at himself and cocked the weapon, and that 
it was accidental discharged.


May 31, 1894

I thought I would shoot a little squib to inform your readers how things 
are moving along in these mountains- I left home May 20th, boarded the 
eastbound train at Olive Hill at 2:30 p.m. and arrived at E.K. Junction at 
11 p.m. Visited Mr.Mobley, the enterprising merchant of that place and 
found him very busy waiting on customers. I boarded an East Kentucky train 
at 4:23AM arrived at Webbville in Lawrence County at 2 PM, finding business 
very lively my book swinging to my side (for I'm a book agent, you know). I 
took in dry fork Caney, then crossed the ridge, did Cherokee.and Caney's 
creek, and am now on Blain. Hard times is the main cry in this section of 
the country. There are wagons traveling throughout all this country, 
begging for the relief of the miners in this country. Snow fell five or six 
inches deep here and [ruined] wheat, rye, oats and almost everything-else. 
What corn has been planted is up but is yellow like a ripe banana. though 
most farmers are not yet done planting. Well, by the way, I had new 
potatoes for dinner today that were grown here. This is Saturday evening 
and I am taking in a big Baptist meeting and I am having a jollification 
sparking the gals and drinking native extract of corn. 1 will be at Hood's 
and Louisa next week and will try and inform you of the doings down there- 
OLIVER TWIST


Oct.13, 1923

At a preliminary hearing last Friday before judge Andrew Kiser, Jos. Dean 
16, was ordered held to the Grand Jury on a charge of murder in connection 
with the slaying of Lonnie Bond, Dean's seventeen-year-old chum, last 
Saturday. The two had been hunting near Grayson, Ky., when Bond was shot.

Dean's attorney waived examination.

The two boys had trouble over a dog before the shooting occurred, 
officials claim.


May 24, 1942

Tony Gillum, a Carter County constable, is held in the county jail here 
without charge pending an inquest Monday in the fatal shooting late Friday 
of Dee Manning, 45, married of Soldier, four miles west of Olive Hill.

According to Coroner C.W. Henderson of Olive Hill the constable was 
assigned to investigate a complaint that a group was playing cards at 
night in the school at Soldier.

The constable said that when he approached the lights were out and that 
three youths and a man ran from the building. Constable Gillium said that 
he fired when his orders to halt were not obeyed. Coroner Henderson said 
that Manning, an employee of the Hayward Brick Co. fell dead of a bullet in 
the back.


August 9, 1899

The Mutual Protective society of Kentucky, know as "The Mules" have closed 
their eighth annual meeting at Denton, Ky., there being a huge attendance. 
Eighty-three lodges were represented. It was the best meeting held since 
the society organized, twenty years ago.

The following officers were elected for the ensuing year: N.A. Klaiber,
grand consul; G.W. Belcher, grand secretary,  Moses Ratliff, lieutenant
grand counsel, Squire Brown of Beattyville, was re-elected treasurer. The 
next meeting of the supreme lodge will be held at Russell the first 
Wednesday in September, 1900.


Dec.27, 1937

GRAYSON   A Christmas eve "bell crowd"-wedding party at Oakwood, a village 
16 miles from this Carter county seat town, ended in Landis Counts, 18, a 
farmer youth, being stabbed to death and the arrest of Ike Irvin, 24, on a 
charge of murder, Deputy Sheriff George Kiser said today.

Kiser said Counts and Irvin had "a number of words" when the younger man 
started to escort Irvins stepdaughter home from the party.


April 13, 1911

Puffing away contentedly on a corn cob pipe, which she admitted had been 
her companion for two years, Mrs. Amanda Scott of Olive Hill, Ky., attracted 
considerable attraction at the N. & W. depot Thursday noon.

Mrs. Scott is past 76 yet she travels alone and enjoys it. She is 
wonderfully well preserved, possessing a keen pair of eyes, a remarkably 
smooth face considering her age and she is an entertaining talker. Before 
the arrival of the train she regaled a coterie of traveling men with her 
some clever stories about her native health. She talked interesting about 
politics and between puffs on her pipe she related the history of Olive
Hill. She scouted the theory that smoking was injurious.

"Why I've been smoking for over 40 years "said the old lady, "and I recon it 
ain't hurt me much as I will be 76 in June, if the good kind Providence
spares me that long."

"Do I think smoking is harmful, well I certainly don't. Harrison, he is my 
husband, smokes the corn cob from morn till night and he can outrun any of 
you here", said Mrs. Scott as she carefully surveyed the little throng that 
surrounded her in the depot.

When two traveling men volunteered to help her board the N & W noon train, 
Mrs. Scott protested in no uncertain tones. She went to Ironton to visit a 
daughter before returning home. She had been spending a few days with local 
relatives.


June 18, 1921

GRAYSON  Green Morgan, farmer and ex-deputy sheriff of Carter County, was 
arrested and brought here this week, charged with the murder of Willis 
Prater, postmaster at Wolf, this county, about ten miles from here.

It seems that Morgan had been brooding lately over some affairs of his own 
and that when Prater coming out of the woods into the road near the Morgan 
home appeared. Morgan lost control of himself and threw a rock at Prater 
which missed him. The second however, took effect fracturing Prater's 
skull. Morgan then proceeded to pound Prater's face with stones. Mrs. 
Morgan who was on the porch began screaming and attracted help but not 
until the fatal blow hat been struck. Jas. Morgan, a brother of Green, came 
to the rescue and succeeded in stopping his brother in his insane and 
murderous work.

Prater called for water but before it could be brought he had expired.

Morgan was brought to Grayson by his brother and immediately tried and 
found to be insane and sent to the state hospital for the insane at 
Lexington. He has a wife and three children. Prater leaves a wife and two 
children.


Oct. 29, 1892

A women's Harrison and Reid club was organized at Enterprise, Ky, the first 
organization of the kind ever effected in the county. The following are the 
charter members. Eliza. A. Bailey, Lizzie Eley, Sarah Eley, Mary A. Bailey, 
Minota McGlone, Emma Runner, Susie Runner, Susie Henderson, Mollie Fultz, 
Annie Day, Ida Proctor, Mary Proctor, Mary Abbott, Fannie Henderson. Lizzie 
Eley was elected president and Minta McGlone, secretary.


12/1/1892

Enterprise, Ky., Carl Burgham killed his wife by cutting her throat with a 
razor and then committed suicide by shooting himself through the head.


March 3, 1913

PORTSMOUTH   A. L. Daniels a Carter County, Ky. youth who while crazed by 
drink, amused himself discharging a pistol at the feet of a fellow boarder 
at Sarah Conley's boarding house, and who fired a bullet through the floor 
of Joe Distol's saloon, was fined $25 in each case and also promised the 
limit if he ever stepped inside a saloon again, as he is a minor.

Daniels claimed to a brought a bottle of whiskey with him from Grayson.



May 24, 1937

VANCEBURG    Magistrate Walter Morgan, 36, and two sisters,  Misses Eva and 
Joyce Morgan, all of Thor, had a narrow escape from drowning in Grassy 
Creek about 20 miles south of Vanceburg. Mr. Morgan and his two sisters
were returning home from Olive Hill. While crossing swollen Grassy creek, 
the water carried the truck, in which they were riding, from the regular 
crossing into deeper water and it overturned.

Homer White, who was cutting cross ties on a nearby hill, heard their cries 
for help and rushed to their assistance. He cut a tree so that it fell near 
the truck. The two girls climbed out on the tree and reached shore.

Mr. Morgan swam to shore when the waters subsided. Four mules were used to 
drag the truck from the muddy bottom.



August 6, 1872

IRONTON   The Kuklux have run Colonel and Tom Lawton out or Carter County. 
Tom Lawton came to Ironton last evening, and went before Zwait and swore 
that eight or ten Kuklux came to his house, all masked, whipped him, and 
ordered him and his father to leave the county, which they did. I saw the 
marks of the hickory on Tom. They did not give him as much as Callahan got 
but he got plenty.

Zwait has issued warrants for them. There is no one here to go for them, 
Herman Davis is away. It is about time that there is an example made of 
some of them infernal hounds. Tom Lawson says there are a dozen cases of a 
similar character down there, but the people are afraid to do anything for 
fear that they will not be protected. There can be no doubt about the truth 
of the statement, as warrants were sworn out yesterday before Mr. Zwalt at 
Ironton, for the arrest of eight or ten men charged  with the offense. We 
suppress their names for prudential reasons. Ironton is a sort of city of 
refuge for the victims of the Kuklux.


12/26/1923

Van Barker,50 year old, farmer of Corey Switch, near Olive Hill, was 
probably fatally injured when be struck  by a passenger train at the Olive 
Hill station. His skull was fractured.


Sept. 20, 1937

Greenup Ky., Olive Hill, Ky., High school defeated the Greenup High school 
football Tiger's here this afternoon by a score of 3 to 0 but the game, a 
rough and tumble affair marked by much wrangling was only a minor part of 
the matinee. A free-for-all followed the gridiron struggle in which 
players, coaches and spectators participated, until officials separated the 
combatants. Black eyes, bloody noses and bruised anatomies were plentiful 
following the near riot.

The post-game battling started when Coach Scruggins of Olive Hill kicked 
Jimmie Archie, star half back of the Greenup team, say eye witnesses. Then 
Chas. Wilson, Greenup coach, brought his fists into play and Scruggins is 
said to have lost a couple of teeth. Then players and spectators alike took 
a hand and the combat de honoris was waging fast and furious when officers 
of the law poured oil on the troubled, waters.

Olive Hill won the contest in the last quarter by a spectacular drop kick 
from the 2 yard Hue at a difficult angle by a backfield man. Jimmy Archie, 
Greenup half back, starred for his team. 

Two occurrences in the contest riled the Greennp partisans. 
Greenup had an end way out on the edge of the 
field for a "hideout" pass when the Olive Hill time keeper tipped off the 
play to the Olive Hill team and then the Olive Hill coach was accused of 
coaching his team from the side lines. Unbiased spectators said Grcenup did 
not threaten the Olive Hill goal mark.


April 25, 1903

Olive hill: Last night about 8:30 o'clock Frank Tyree shot Everett Beatty, 
the barber. The ball entering the back passed through the lung and lodged 
in the breast. The trouble grew out of a dispute two weeks ago over the
brick union that is organized here. Yesterday Mrs. Frank Tyree lectured Mr. 
Beatty over the matter in question. Later, Frank met Beatty at the depot, 
going from church. There were but few words spoken, and with one sharp ring 
from a revolver, the above was the result.


March 6, 1895

EDITOR TIMES, Portsmouth, 0.

Dear Sir,
We have adopted another baby boy to our family. It is the infant child of 
Mr,  and Mrs. Ambrose McGuire, of Olive Hill, Ky. Its mother died one day 
last week. The baby is about seven months old and seems very bright and
healthy looking.

Yours very truly,

F.M. Griffin



Oct 15, 1923

PORTSMOUTH   Mrs. H W. Paynter of 1213 Hutchins Street has returned from 
Olive. Hill, Ky., where she attended the wedding of her sister. Miss Irene 
Bush, and Mr. Leslie Kiser. Miss Bush, who is an orphan, has been a student 
at Aiken Hall, the Methodist Mission School for Girls at Olive Hill for the 
past seven-years.

Her marriage is the culmination of a pretty romance which had its inception 
two years ago when she met Mr. Kiser, a young teacher in the Carter County 
Schools, during a summer term of school. A correspondence courtship and
secret engagement followed. Meanwhile Mr. Kiser had taken a position as a 
clerk in the Pittsburgh offices of the Pennsylvania railroad. Last week he 
obtained a leave of absence and came to Olive Hill to claim his bride. 
However, he was not permitted to bold any communication with her until he 
had obtained the consent of her guardian. He then came to Portsmouth and 
had Mrs. Paynter to intercede for him. She accompanied him to Olive Hill 
and was present at the ceremony, which was performed by the new Methodist 
minister, who had only arrived that morning. The marriage service was read 
at 2:30 o'clock in the afternoon in the presence of Miss Rush's teachers 
the superintendent of the home, and a few friends.

The bride was at one time a student in the Wheelersburg school, and she and 
her husband have quite a number of relatives and friends here who will be 
Interested to learn of their marriage. They left Saturday morning for Pittsburgh,
where the groom has a handsomely furnished home waiting for his bride.


June 22, 1926

GRAYSON  John Canderberry 45, proprietor of a soft drink parlor here, was 
arrested shortly after 1 o'clock this afternoon by a posse led by sheriff 
Arthur James and is being held without bond in the Carter county Jail on a 
charge of murder following the shooting death of Jesse Canderberry, 19,
 
Cnnderberry's son.

The youth was killed in front of his fathers business on the Midland trail 
about noon today, following an argument with his father.

Officers who searched the Canderberry store and house, following the 
shooting, said they found some whiskey and a still.

Canderberry would make no statement following his arrest, which occurred 
about two miles from here. He will be arraigned before Judge A.R. McGill 
either Wednesday or Thursday.


May 29, 1896

John L. Thompson one of the pioneers of Carter County, Ky., died near 
Enterprise a few days ago. At one time Mr. Thompson was considered one of 
the strongest men in the county, and it is said that though he had numerous 
fisticuff fights in life, he never was whipped. He leaves a small family 
well cared for.


May 3, 1895

James McDowell, a man of Herculean build and standing seven feet and one 
inch in his bare feet, treated Grayson Ky. to a regular picnic a few days 
ago. Jailer Brown had a warrant issued for him, the charge being that 
McDowell had smuggled liquor to prisoners in jail. McDowell was easily 
found and went to the jail door, which was only six and one half feet high. 
But he refused to stoop to enter the jail. The jailer begged, then 
threatened, but the giant stood immovable. Brown tried to bend McDowell's 
legs at the knee. He got up twenty feet away. Help was called for, but 
McDowell stood at the door, grim, but steadfast.

A crowd began to gather. Soon all the town was attracted to the giant at 
the jail door. He was good-natured, and laughed and jested with the crowd. 
Toward evening McDowell announced that he was getting weary and would go 
home, promising to appear in court the next day, adding that if the door 
was enlarged he would go into the jail, but he would never bow to any jail 
door. Brown let him go. McDowell came back as he had promised, pleaded 
guilty and paid his fine.


May 1, 1912

OLIVE HILL  Marion Pesimer, foreman, was killed by falling slate in the
clay mines of the Olive Hill Fire Brick Company.



November 20, 1926
GRAYSON, Ky. 

The case of John Canterberry, of Carter county, 
charged with the murder of his son Jesse, opened in the Carter County 
Circuit Court Friday.

Out of 300 men called for jury duty, only nine had been selected when court 
adjourned Friday night.

A special venire of 50 men was called for 10:30 Saturday morning. The jury 
box was filled Saturday morning after which court adjourned until Monday morning.

All jurors summoned were from the west end of the County and not a woman 
was called. According to Judge John M. Waugh, there never was a woman 
called for jury service in Carter County.

Canterberry is free under $55,000 bond. The jury will be guarded over Sunday 
by Sheriff Dock James.

The defendant is represented by John M. Waugh of Ashland, assisted by John 
M. Theobald of this place.

Thomas Yates is prosecutor, and the case comes before Judge Thomas 
Theobald, father of the defense attorney.



Nov. 8, 1894

At Willard voting precinct, Carter County, Mr. Louis Kitchen, aged 68 
dropped dead about midnight while on the road from the polls, where he had 
acted as judge of election Tuesday. He was well known and highly respected.



Nov 14,1908

John Swords and his wife, Rhoda Jarvis Swords, who claimed to have been 
kidnapped, recently, called at the C. & O. freight office Tuesday to claim 
some effects that had been shipped to them from Olive Hill, Ky.

The goods-were the same which the woman claimed Jim Jarvis, a former 
husband, and his accomplice, Will Schaefer, took at the time they carried 
her away from her Pond Creek home. Swords had enlisted the aid of the 
Kentucky authorities in recovering the goods.

The couple went to Pond Creek with all possible haste for word had reached 
them that Jarvis was on his way to Portsmouth to kill Swords. He has made 
repeated efforts to get back his wife who he claims had not been divorced 
when she married Swords at Aberdeen a year ago.

Swords now has both his wife and the two bushel of beans he mourned about 
when she left.


Feb. 4, 1905

Olive Hill, Ky   John Ison met death in a horrible manner at Leon. He was 
making repairs in a steambox at a stave mill when someone turned the steam 
on, not. Knowing he was in the box. When found he was literally cooked to 
death.


April 8, 1941

GRAYSON  Two Charleston, W. Va., youths stationed at Fort Knox and held
 
here since the fatal injuring Sunday night of Tan Stanley, 62, were 
released late yesterday after members of Stanley's family asked that no
 
charges be placed against the soldiers.

Stanley was fatally injured when he was struck by an automobile in which 
the youths, Ernest Ritz, 20, and William Palton, 18, were en route from
 
Charleston to Fort Knox. Ritz and. Patton took the injured man to a 
hospital, where he died 20 minutes later.  

County Judge Roy J. Blankenship said the boys ware permitted to continue on 
to the army post yesterday afternoon when an investigation indicated they 
were not at fault.




November 24, 1926

GRAYSON The jury hung in the John Canterberry murder trial here Wednesday. 
The jury received the case at 3 o'clock Tuesday afternoon and deliberated all 
night and until 11:15 Wednesday morning. The jury was taken to a local hotel 
for the night and they continued their deliberation throughout the night in an 
effort to reach a decision. It was reported that the jury stood, 11 for a verdict 
of guilty and imprisonment of 21 years, while one juror held out for a lesser penalty. 
The one declined to be swerved from his viewpoint of the evidence and at 11:15 it 
was decided to report us a hung jury.

Canteberry went on trial Monday on a murder, Indictment returned in connection with the 
shooting of, his son Jesse this last summer. The son was shot while standing on the running 
board of a truck opened by the elder Canterberry.


April 11, 1896

James A. Thomas an old soldier died at Enterprise, Ky., April 1, 1896. He was a member 
of the 54th Kentucky mounted-infantry several of whom live in Portsmouth and vicinity.



[The following article is a follow up to an earlier news article that heaped praise on Will Hoyt, 
a “Government Officer” who along with a posse, brought to justice John Bailey and his band of 
bootleggers and counterfeiters. The band had heretofore beaten off several previous attempts at capture. 
It is not known who gets credit for the clever pseudonym “Will Hoyt” for Wilhoit. 

G.Haney]

August 31, 1897

It is now known that the real name of Will Hoyt, who captured old John Bailey and his crew in Florida, 
is Alfred Wilhoit. He is a member of a prominent family of Kentuckians, his father being E.B. Wilhoit of 
Grayson, Carter County. Alfred himself is said to have received license to practice law at an early age.

In addition to being a man of great courage, it is said that his powers of physical endurance are 
most remarkable. When a small boy he had the skin and flesh torn from his breast and abdomen by an 
explosion of fireworks, leaving his intestines exposed. He was taken to Cincinnati for treatment, where 
he had flesh and cuticle grafted on him from other persons and finally recovered. 


May 23, 1935

Arco Williams, 24, charged with beating a wealthy farmer to death with a hoe was moved to the Boyd county 
jail at Catlettsburg last night after crowds gathered in front of the Grayson jail.

Prosecutor Henry Rose of Carter County quoted Williams as saying he struck Richard Bishop, 70, over the 
head with a hoe near his home on Everman's Creek Saturday.

Rose added that Williams said he then returned to Bishop's home for a forgotten jacket and remained for 
dinner with the Bishop family.

Bishop's body was found Sunday afternoon by a searching party organized at Mrs. Bishop's request after 
her husband failed to return home overnight.

The prosecutor said a motive for the robbery has not been learned but that Bishop's pockets were empty 
although he usually carried large sums of money.

Williams was indicted for the slaying by the Carter county grand jury and is held for trial before Circuit 
Judge G. W. E. Wollford. 


Nov 11, 1931

GRAYSON, Ky., Miss Lucy Beckwith burned to death and her sister, Mary, suffered severe burns, Wednesday 
when their residence was destroyed by fire.

Four unmarried sisters, the youngest more than 80 years old, occupied the dwelling. Jane and Sophia Beckwith 
escaped injury. Lucy Beckwith was trapped on the second floor by the flames. She attempted to leap from a window, 
but was overcome by flames.

She succeeded in throwing her watch and purse to the yard.




 

John Canterberry

May 12, 1928

GRAYSON   John Canterberry, charged with the murder of his son, Jesse 
Canterberry, was given a twenty year sentence to the reformatory here by a 
jury in circuit court. The case was tried on an appeal from a former 
hearing, when Canterberry was given a sentence of fifteen years for the same crime.

Following the verdict of the jury today, Canterberry's attorney stated that 
an appeal would be filed.

The murder of Jason Canterberry occurred in 1926.


September 13, 1921


John Canterberry

SISTERVILLE, WV.  Washington Hatfield, brother of Devil Anse Hatfield, of 
feud-day fame, has become a shanty boater.

Hatfield and his wife, a full blooded Indian came here recently from Pike 
County, Kentucky, and have begun life in a shanty boat on the Ohio side of 
the river. The trip to Sisterville was made overland in a quaint 
dilapidated buggy, drawn by a weary bay horse.

The aged clansman believes he was the father of Sid Hatfield, Mingo County 
chieftain, who was slain in a revolver fight at Welch last month.

"The Sid Hatfield who was killed at Welch may be and may not be my boy", 
the grizzled mountaineer said. "Me and Anse both had boys of that name, and 
I ain't seen Sid in a number of years, not since he helped me out of a 
tight fix in Carter County Kentucky."

"I'm a law abidin citizen, religious and don't aim to make any fuss, but 
whenever one of our blood is murdered, the murderer must pay.

Hatfield, who is past 76 years old, looked much younger. He was dressed in 
typical hill-billy fashion with the exception of a "six-gun".

He said he was living for two things, his rifle, which is over [ ?] years 
old, and his violin which he claims was made in 1314*. He is still a crack 
shot with his old fashioned weapon.

* Wash Hatfield was known to exaggerate...(editor)


July 13, 1893

At Enterprise, Ky., Joseph Beeder, aged 21, was struck by lightning while 
reading a book. The chair he vas sitting on was demolished, but the boy 
will recover.



July 8, 1910

PORTSMOUTH   A few hours after he came here in search of work Arthur 
Debord, 19, of Olive Hill. Ky. fell dead from an iron swing at Millbrook 
park. The coroner has not yet rendered his verdict, hut it is said the 
swing had become charged and Debord was electrocuted



March 1, 1885

As the excursion train going east over the East Kentucky railroad left 
Grayson a drunken fight occurred in several of the coaches simultaneously. 
Fully twenty-five pistols were drawn and glittering knife blades flashed in 
the sunlight. Men were knocked down, women screamed and for a while the
cars were a perfect pandemonium. The train was stopped and conductor 
ordered the men to get off and fight. A line of battle was formed and armed 
with clubs, pistols and knives a score of drunken men eyed the enemy who 
failed to cross the line. The train started and a few of the disturbers
were left behind. No lives were lost but broken noses were plenty.


April 30, 1930

GRAYSON   Mystery cloaks a midnight attack last night on the palatial home 
of Mrs. Harriett Gregory Barney, of Gregoryville when stones were used to 
shatter several windows in the home. This morning Mrs. Barney found a 
bundle of switches with an attached note warning her that a colored family 
on her estate must vacate.


May 12, 1930

VANCEBURG  State Game Warden Commander Pollitt, deputies Bruce Pollitt, and 
Allen Ruggles yesterday went to Olive Hill, where they arrested Kermit 
Qualls, Fred Kimble, Talugse[?] Kegley and Hubert DeHart, charging them
with gigging and shooting fish in Kinninnick creek, having a seine in their 
possession and fishing out of season.

They were released on bond and will be tried at Olive Hill on May  17.


October 28, 1940

OLIVE HILL   Virgil Parish 19 and Vernon Parish 16, brothers, of Elliott 
county are being held in the Carter County jail here charged with murder in 
connection with the fatal stabbing of Orville Gillum late Saturday night.
Gillium, 21, was brought 12 miles to Olive Hill, where Dr. J.M. Rose 
extracted the blade of a pocket knife which was imbedded almost 3 inches in 
his skull. He was rushed to the Grayson hospital but died Sunday morning.
Deputy Sheriffs Roy Smith and H.B. Osenton said that the Parish boys were 
engaged in a fight with three Gillum boys, with the cause of the fracas
unknown. The officers said the Parish boys arrested Sunday afternoon 
suffered bruises. They were found at their home and offered no resistance.
Coroner C. W. Henderson said that Gillum suffered two knife wounds in the 
head and that Nolen Gillum, his brother, suffered a knife wound in the leg. 
The coroner said he was told that a twin brother of Orville was slugged
with a black jack.

The Coroner said he learned there had been a misunderstanding between the 
five boys earlier on Saturday. The fatal stabbing occurred at the home of 
Reece Porter on Porter's Creek, about 12 miles west of Olive Hill.


October 31, 1953

GRAYSON   After completing more than 50 years of service with the C & O
railroad, Ivan Delafield Irwin was retired as superintendent of passenger 
transportation, a post he had held since 1939.

He had been assistant superintendent of transportation from 1922.
Mr. Irwin was born in Grayson in 1888 into a family steeped in railroad
tradition. Both his father and mother were railroad telegraphers. Several 
uncles, and later two brothers, also were railroad men.

Five months before he reached the age of 15, Irwin joined the C & O as a 
messenger in the superintendent's office in Ashland. Between then and last 
May 1 when he received his diamond service pin, he won a series of  
promotions that finally put him in charge of the movements of all passenger 
trains on the Chesapeake District.


June 7, 1921

Harold Garner and his wife Marie Garner have brought action in Common Pleas 
court against the C & O Railway Co., asking damages in the aggregate sum of 
$500.00 through attorney Louis Schneider.

The plaintiffs allege that on July 4, 1920, they boarded one of the 
defendant's trains at Ashland, Ky., to go to Olive Hill, Ky. They were put 
in a "Jim Crow" car reserved for colored people, but this car was invaded 
by a number of drunken white men who were noisy and used obscene language 
and the train crew ordered them out of the car and into the smoker where 
white men were smoking and using bad language.

The plaintiffs claim they were deeply humiliated and ask damages in the 
amount stated.



April 11, 1911

OLIVE HILL    Major Patton, 18, white, was jostled off the step of a box 
car on which he was standing by another boy who attempted to gain the same 
foothold, and fell under the train and was instantly killed, Saturday.


May 28, 1929

Mrs. Will Bailey, aged 24, and her 7-year daughter are dead today as the 
result of fire which followed an explosion an a kerosene stove yesterday at 
their home near Grayson, Kentucky. The child was killed instantly and Mrs. 
Bailey died later


Nov 21, 1892

ENTERPRISE    Harry Wingate was shot and killed by his cousin, Oscar W. 
Hills, on Fleming Fork yesterday. The difficulty came up over a girl, whom 
Wingate had succeeded in taking away from Hills. Hill escaped.


August 18, 1916

GRAYSON    Amos Bays, a shoe cobbler, today was wounded by William Lyons, 
another shoemaker. They quarreled about the prices that should be charged 
for repairing. Lyons shot Bays with a shotgun and escaped.



Feb 9, 1892

ASHLAND  Joseph Davis of Roundbottom, W.V., 15 miles up the Big Sandy 
Valley, Is in the city making arrangements to remove to Carter County, Ky. 
Davis is the father of the queerest lot of youngsters this end of the state 
has yet put forth, for though he now lives in West Virginia, the children 
are native born Kentuckians. The baby, George Thomas, 2, tips the beam at 
12 pounds, and at birth weighed two and a half pounds. Gertie May, 7, 
weighs 200 pounds while Lizzie, 12, pulls only 48 pounds. But the crowning 
glory comes with the oldest daughter, who at 13 thinks nothing of her 510 
pounds of avoirdupois and does her share of housework. Davis is a very 
common looking backwoodsman and his wife is a small woman. He offers no
solution for the strange variance of his size in his offspring and is 
content that they are a "tarnally bright lot o' kids".


November 16, 1895

PORTSMOUTH  J.B. Willis of Carter City, Ky., came to the city Friday to 
rejoice over the Kentucky election result. He drunk some gin and was found 
out in Officer McFarland's bailiwick at a late hour at night. The patrol 
took him to the station house.  He asked for mercy next morning in his plea 
of guilty. Some friend helped him pay $3.80.


September 10, 1898

PORTSMOUTH  Al McGlone, a young man who formerly lived on East Twelfth 
Street is now in New York city hospital. He was severely wounded in one of 
the engagements proceeding the fall of Santiago, being shot through the 
wrist. The bone was so badly shattered that it became necessary to amputate the arm.

McGlone is well known here. He was a rather wild young man, but his past 
sins are certainly wiped out by his gallant conduct in his country's cause. 
He is the son of Capt. W.P. McGlone, who now lives at Olive Hill, Ky. A
 
communication to the Times says young McGlone will be in Portsmouth next week.


August 27, 1940

GRAYSON   Dr. Don E. Wilder, Carter county health director, today issued a 
warning that in addition to two cases of infantile paralysis in the county, 
there are also six cases of typhoid fever.


Sept. 26, 1926

Admitting his Identity, a man giving the name of Jay Murphy, 30, alias 
George Griffin, was removed to Grayson, Ky., Sunday to face a charge of
first degree murder in the death of his landlord, Noah Mennach.

Receiving an anonymous tip that Murphy was In Scioto county jail, Deputy 
Sheriff Castle of Grayson, visited the jail and identified the prisoner. 
Murphy was committed to the county jail Sept. 22 by municipal court for
non-payment of an intoxication fine. He was arrested by police and gave the 
name of George Griffin. Saturday Grayson officers received an anonymous
letter that Murphy was in jail here and Castle came here to check the clue.

He picked out Murphy from more than a score of prisoners confined in one 
of the ranges in the jail. Confronted by Castle, Murphy admitted his 
identity, Sheriff Al Bidwell said.

Castle said that Murphy owed Mennach back rent and when the landlord went 
to collect he was shot and killed. Murphy lived near Kitchen, five miles 
from Grayson. Castle said that Murphy saw Mennach enter the yard and shot 
him with a shotgun. The shooting occurred about eight months ago. Since 
that time Murphy said he has been wondering around from place lo place and 
arrived here in September.

Grayson received the tip timely as Murphy's time in county Jail would have 
expired Tuesday and he would have been released.


November 21, 1932

Pleading self-defense Jay Murphy, of Hitchins, was acquitted on a charge of 
Killing Noah Mennach in court at Grayson, Ky., on Monday.

Mennach was shot and killed during an argument over house rent. Mennach
rented a house to Murphy who was unable to pay the rent. Police said 
Mennach was killed as he walked into the yard approaching Murphy's house.


October 3, 1930

GRAYSON    George Clark is at liberty today under $1000.00 bond on a charge 
of manslaughter in connection with the death of Irene Blevins ,15, who was 
killed on Iron Hill road  four miles  from here when the truck which is 
said to have been driven by Clark  turned over. Esther Griffith, the 
Blevins girl's companion, is in the Grayson hospital with little chance to 
recover from injuries which are said to have been suffered in the accident.

The two girls are said to have been on their way to Prichard High school 
where they were students after been home to lunch home to lunch, when they 
were invited by Clark to ride to school in his truck

August . 3, 1956

If it hadn't been for the dirty trousers he was wearing, Richard Crislip, 
23, might still be a free man.

Instead, the South Shore resident was in Carter County jail tonight 
awaiting a hearing on a federal charge of interstate transportation of a 
stolen vehicle.

County Judge Pro Term Bisgop Giles tells the story:

Crislip stole a truck near Portsmouth Ohio, about 10 days ago and abandoned 
it when it broke down. He hitchhiked into Kentucky and while walking along 
the road between Carter City and Olive Hill he came upon a car with a pair 
of pants inside. He took the trousers "because his were dirty," changed into 
them and threw his into a creek.

Out on the road again, thumbing, Crislip was picked up by J.R. Liles.

Liles asked, "Where did you get those pants?"

"I stole them",Crislip replied.

"They're mine,Liles said, "but we'll forget about this whole thing if 
you'll give them back to me."

Crislip refused. Liles drove him to police headquarters at Olive Hill. 
Crislip was awaiting a hearing before the U.S. Commissioner at Huntington 
on the federal charge.




April 9, 1930

PORTSMOUTH    Police have been asked to be on the lookout for Raymond James 
14, and Arnold Rayburn, 15, who are said to have run a way from their homes 
in Olive Hill, J. P. Carpenter, chief of the Olive Hill police department, 
was in the city Wednesday In an effort to locate the boys.


December 16, 1934

GRAYSON   After deliberating only 12 minutes, a Carter County circuit court 
jury of 11 men and one woman late Wednesday acquitted Attorney Tom S. 
Yates, 50, former postmaster of Grayson and at one time commonwealth 
counsel, of a murder charge.

Mrs. Fitzgerald of Olive Hill, mother of Owen Fitzgerald whom Attorney 
Yates was accused of murdering, fainted when the verdict was brought in and 
was carried to open air by members of her family.

The defendant pleaded self-defense in the trial. Twenty eight witnesses for 
the defense bore out his story on how Owen Fitzgerald was shot to death 
last September in a corridor of the courthouse.

Mr. Yates testified that he was arguing in court September 5 when 
Fitzgerald caused a disturbance and was locked up in jail for contempt.
 
After being released the next day, Fitzgerald, Mr. Yates said, sought him 
out in the courthouse and attempted to attack him with a knife. The 
shooting followed.

Judge Wolfford instructed the jury that if it believed Mr. Yates acted in 
self-defense, a verdict of acquittal should be returned. The verdict followed promptly.

Mr. Yates was represented by Attorneys John Waugh of Ashland, Floyd Bird 
of Lexington, and Arthur Jarvis and Roscoe Littleton of Grayson

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