On Saturday the 19th Dec., a man by the name of Conrad Litaker about 50 years of age was killed by being thrown from his horse while running a race with his son. Mr. Litaker lived in Cabarrus county, N.C. about __ miles from Salisbury; he and his son had been at a sale in the edge of Rowen county and when returning home, they both say at the same instant, a blanket in the road and to decide who should have the prize, they agreed to run a race for it.  The old man’s horse “few the track” and dashed his rider against a tree and fractured his skull so badly that he died. – Western Carolinian.
(Source: Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania) Feb 1, 1826. Submitted by Nancy Piper)

Livingood, John. March 1. Cabarrus County. R.R. March 13, 1846
(Marriages and Death Notices in Raleigh Register and North Carolina State Gazette 1846-1855)