Typed and Contributed by Linda Carpenter
©2008
Westmoreland World, 7 April 1983
William Eugene "Bill" Graves, age 37, died Saturday, April 2, in an auto accident on Highway 31-E South about eight miles south of Scottsville. He was a resident of Route 1, Westmoreland. Survivors include his wife, Clara June Blankenship Graves, one daughter Margaret June and four sons, Jimmy Eugene, Darrell Eugene, Gary Wayne and Teddy Wayne. Other survivors include his father Garland Graves, Route 3, Westmoreland five sisters, Betty Cline, Westmoreland; Patty Blankenship, Scottsville; Barbara Frye and Vangielean Scruggs, both of Portland and Ruby Clime, Indianapolis, and one brother, Carl C. Graves, Gallatin. Funeral services were held Tuesday at 2 p.m. at the Goad Funeral Home Chapel in Scottsville with burial following in the Union Chapel Church Cemetery.
Westmoreland World, 5 May 1983
Mrs. Lena Wheat died Friday, April 22 at Sumner Co. Memorial Hospital. Mrs. Wheat was 73 years old and a resident of Hartsville Tennessee. She is survived by one daughter Mrs. Janell Graves of Westmoreland, one sister, Mrs. Gracie Mungle of Bethpage and two brothers, Donell Duncan of Bethpage and Odis Duncan of Hartsville. She is also survived by three grandchildren. Funeral services were held Sunday, April 24 at 2 p.m. at the Alexander Funeral Home in Westmoreland with burial in the Willow Grove Cemetery in Trousdale Co.
Westmoreland World, 19 May 1983
John Wiseman Harrison, a resident of Route 2, Westmoreland died Saturday, May 7 at the Sumner County Memorial Hospital. He was 82. The retired farmer is survived by his wife, Mrs. Gracie Harrison of Westmoreland; four sons, William Dean Harrison of Conningham, Pa., Willard Harrison, Westmoreland; T. C. Harrison, Bransford, and Charles Harrison, Lebanon; two sisters, Mrs. Mamie Trammel of Nashville and Mrs. Annie Sallee; eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Funeral services were Monday, May 9 at Siloam Missionary Baptist Church at 11:00 a. m. with burial in the church cemetery.
Westmoreland World, 2 June 1983
Fire claims lives of mother, daughters - Tragedy struck Sumner County early Friday afternoon when fire engulfed a two-story frame residence some 20 miles south of Westmoreland claiming the lives of a mother and her two young daughters. Gallatin Fire Chief Joe Womack attributed the deaths of Irene Summers, 41, and her two daughters, Rhonda Kay, age four, and Sonya Faye, age two, to smoke inhalation and extreme heat exposure at their home on Branham Mill Road. Everett Ray Summers, Route 4, Gallatin, survives his wife and two daughters. Mrs. Summers is also survived by her mother Mamie Ipox Wix, Bethpage; three sisters, Mrs. Rosie Leduc, Westmoreland; Mrs. Donie Sullivan and Mrs. Ann Carter, both of Nashville and five brothers, Ray Wix, Westmoreland; Bernice Wix, Hartsville; Carlean Wix, Ft. Knox, Kentucky and Carl Dean Wix and Joe Wix, both of Nashville. The children are survived by their maternal grandmother Mamie Wix, Bethpage and their paternal grandmother, Mrs. Elsie Summers, Westmoreland. Funeral services were held Sunday, May 29, at New Hope General Baptist Church at 1 p.m. with burial following in the church cemetery.
Westmoreland World, 16 June 1983
A. O. Stinson, age 64, a resident of Lambert Drive in Westmoreland, died at his home Wednesday, June 8. He was a member of the Westmoreland Church of Christ. He is survived by his wife, Dixie Stinson; one son, Dan Stinson of Nashville and one grandchild. Other survivors include two sisters, Mrs. Gladys Perry of Woodburn, Ky., and Mrs. Hollis Davis, Charlotte, North Carolina. Funeral services were held Friday, June 10, at 10 a. m. at the Westmoreland Church of Christ. Burial was in the Siloam Cemetery. Alexander Funeral Home in Westmoreland was in charge of arrangements.
Westmoreland World, 16 June 1983
Truck tragedy leave in aftermath one fatality, home destroyed - by Michael Patton
A truck, out of control, struck a parked car, slammed both vehicles into the basement of a Westmoreland couple's home and the ensuing tragedy resulted in the death of a Portland youth and the destruction of the Jackie Adams' residence by fire, Friday night, June 10 at approximately 10:30 p.m. Killed at the scene on Highway 52 East just outside the Westmoreland city limits in the Macon County community of Siloam was 17 year old Tommy Dwight Wix of Route 2, Portland. Charged with second degree murder in connection with Wix's death was the driver of the runaway 1976 Chevrolet 4-Wheel Pickup, Shelby A. Driver, 31, of Westmoreland. According to Westmoreland Police Sergeant George Day, who along with Westmoreland officer Doug Carter and Jim Pardue were the first law enforcement officials at the scene, Day received a radio call from the Westmoreland Police Department around 10:15 p.m. stating that a pickup truck was creating a disturbance in the city's downtown area traveling at an extremely high rate of speed. Day and his companion, Carter, started back toward downtown area on Highway 52 when they encountered the truck driven by Driver at the four-way stop at the intersection where Shan and Shar Market and the Bank of Westmoreland occupy two of the intersection's corners., Day estimated Driver, who he recognized as the driver of the gray primed truck, was traveling at a speed of between 75 and 80 miles per hour as he (Driver) ran the stop sign. Westmoreland police then turned around to head back out 52 toward Lafayette in which direction Day had spotted the vehicle continuing to travel. In less than 10 minutes, Day received another call from the WPD stating an accident had occurred at Siloam and a car was on fire there. Day, Carter and Pardue responded immediately. When they arrived, the police officers discovered a truck and car slammed into the basement of the Adams' house and one vehicle was on fire and shortly after arriving the officers heard the second vehicle explode and watched as it burst into flames. Driver had sped out Highway 52 and as he rounded the curve topping the hill where the Adams' lived he lost control of the truck and it plowed through the yard of the Adams' neighbor, Ferron Troutt, between a row of dogwood trees and Troutt's front porch and headed into the side of the brick residence owned by the Adams. The Adams' 1981 Pontiac Phoenix was parked at the rear of the driveway at the Adams' home adjacent to the basement entrance to the house. A second vehicle, a 1977 Chevrolet pickup owned by Roger Long, Lafayette, was also parked in the driveway nearer the facing highway. Barbara Adams was downstairs in her basement doing laundry, while her four-year old daughter Angie was upstairs immediately over the area where the impact occurred. A second child, two-year old Kim, was asleep in another part of the house upstairs. When the vehicles crashed into her basement Mrs. Adams dashed upstairs, gathered together her daughters and rushed out the front door as flames were already beginning to spread through the house at ground level. The father, Jackie Adams, was away on a fishing trip and was not reached until early in the morning Saturday, June 11 and when he returned to the scene near daybreak his home had been totally destroyed by fire, but his family was unharmed. Driver had two other passengers in the truck in addition to Wix. Other passengers included 18 year old Larry Huntsman and 14 year old Tommy Hammock, both of Westmoreland. According to reports Wix was sitting on a riding lawnmower on the back of the truck when the collision occurred. Tennessee State Trooper Neil Ferguson worked the accident and reported that Driver was tested for both alcohol and drug usage. Trooper Ferguson noted that results of the tests were not yet available, although he stated, "There was a strong odor of alcohol about him (Driver)."
Westmoreland World, 30 June 1983
Mrs. Annie Law, age 68, and a resident of Route 2, Westmoreland, died Friday, June 24, at the Sumner County Memorial Hospital in Gallatin. Survivors include one son, James Ray Law of Westmoreland and one grandchild; also surviving are four sisters, Mrs. Mary Etta Templeton, Mrs. Zettie Eula Hawkins, Mrs. Nettie Eunice Hammock and Mrs. Lillie Hammock, all of Westmoreland; and one brother, Charlie Green Pike also of Westmoreland. Funeral services were held Monday, June 27, at 3 p. m. at the Alexander Funeral Home in Westmoreland with burial following in the Siloam Cemetery.
Genealogist's Companion to Research in Sumner County, Tennessee