Genealogy Trails

Bradley County, Tennessee

A Landlord Has a Shooting Affray with Renters and Is Killed.

Dallas Morning News, Dallas, Texas, July 17, 1897 – transcribed by Amanda Jowers

Knoxville, Tenn., July 16 – W. L. Ledford, a wealthy and prominent citizen of Charleston, Tenn., was shot and fatally wounded in an affray this morning between himself and Walter and Luther Wollf, two of his renters. Ledford was shot five times. Neither of the Wollfs were injured. No arrests have been made.

Death of An Aged Man....Disastrous Run-away....A Man Seriously Injured.

1888-04-28; Daily Journal and Journal and Tribune

Cleveland, April 27. Mr. Isaac Low died at twelve o'clock last night after a long illness, aged seventy three. Mr. Low was the best known man that ever lived in Bradley County, and in his prime was the best physical man in the county. He was the kindest hearted man who ever lived in Cleveland; always attended to the sick and dying, and never failed to be at the burial of anyone till weakness from age compelled him to stay away. He was a life long member of the M. E. Church, a steward for the church for thirty years. He was sheriff of the county for a number of years, and since has served in different offices in the county. He leaves a wife and two daughters to mourn his loss. The funeral services will take place at the M. E. Church tomorrow at 9:30 a. m.

A little girl of Mr. Tedford's left here about a week ago in perfect health, but was brought back a corpse yesterday evening. The funeral took place today at ten o'clock, at the residence of Mr. Knox, on Meadow Street.

Yesterday evening a team belonging to Mr. Bean took fright near the depot at a bicycle and ran up Inman street throwing Mr. Bean and his son out of the wagon, which was torn into pieces. The boy was not hurt, but the man is seriously injured in the head and back. They turned and ran down Ocoee Street, where several children were playing. Some women screaming caused them to turn into the shade trees near Ramsey's office, where the horses fell, one on the other. One horse was so badly injured that he will die. It has become a practice for people, especially from the country, to leave their horses and teams standing on the streets unhitched and not a day passes but we see or hear of a run-away. The officials of the corporation should at once look after this matter.

Died Yesterday, at the Advanced Age of Ninety-One.

1896-03-23; Daily Journal and Journal and Tribune

Mrs. Wm. Martin died at 12:15 p.m. yesterday at the residence of her sister Mrs. David Newman, 309 Prince Street.

Mrs. Martin was one of the oldest people in the city being 91 years and 3 months old. She was one of the best known women of the city having been a resident ever since the war. She was born in Bradley County and spent her girlhood and early womanhood in that county. Soon after the war she removed to Knoxville with her husband, Wm. Martin who died some years since. Mrs. Martin has three grown sons and one daughter, Mrs. Newman, wife of the efficient engineer of the Market square fire department. She is the mother of Captain John J. Martin, El Martin and Wm. Martin of this city, all well known and respected citizens.

Mrs. Martin has always been in excellent health and until a few months ago has been an exceptionally bale old woman. The cause of her death was principally old age. She lived out four score and eleven and all that was mortal had gradually worn away. She was, however attacked a few days ago by pneumonia which caused her death. The funeral services will be held tomorrow at two o'clock at he residence of Mr. Dave Newman. 309 Prince Street. All friends cordially invited to attend. Interment in Gray cemetery.

transcribed by Pam Rathbone

May 4, 1970

Long-Time Methodist Missionary, 97, Dies

Mrs. Mary Lane Clarke, 97, mother of Mrs. F. Dean Banta of Cleveland, died here this morning after a short illness.

The distinguished evangelical matriarch of the Wesleyan Methodist Church was the widow of the late Rev. George H. Clarke, who with Mrs. Clarke began his missionary work in Sierra Leone, Africa, in 1900. Able to speak or read five languages, Mrs. Clarke at 87 had completed the translation of her fourth book of the New Testament into the alliterative language of the Limba, 12  tribal groups living in the Protectorate of Sierra Leone. In addition to her foreign missionary work, she was also head of the Young Missionary Workers' Band in the United States, begun in 1902 by her husband in Africa.

Houghton (N.Y.) College conferred an honorary doctorate upon Mrs. Clarke in 1951, the same year she was cited for distinguished service in many fields by the Wesleyan Methodist Church of America and the Women's Missionary Society.

Listed in the "Who's Who of American Women," Mrs. Clarke also belonged to the WCTU, The Anna Houghton Daughters, the American Association of Retired Persons and Houghton Wesleyan Methodist Church.

transcribed by Pam Rathbone