1999

The Border Watchman, Monroe Co., WV, Friday 02/01/1884

Elijah Higginbotham (ca1866-1884) WV

Died: One day last week, near Andrew Wylie’s, in the Cove, of Scarlet Fever, Mr. Elijah Higginbotham, in the 18^th year of his age.

Transcribed from the original 1889 Bluefield, WV newspaper clipping, now in the possession of Brian Bauer of Madison, WI. The name of the newspaper and the exact date of publication are not attached to the clipping and are unknown.

John Benham Higginbotham (1822-1889)

"Mr. J.B. Higginbotham, the eldest resident of this place, died on August 3, at 6:45 a.m. Mr. Higginbotham has been very poorly for some time, and in fact he has been in feeble health for a number of years. He was the oldest citizen of Bluefield, having come here when the place was nothing but a wilderness, and has made it his home for about 45 years. The deceased leaves a loving and devoted wife and six children, five sons and one daughter to mourn the loss of an affectionate husband and kind and loving father. Mr. Higginbotham was a Christian gentleman, a devout member of the M. E. Church, he was a good citizen and respected by all who knew him, a kind neighbor, devoted husband and an effectionate [sic] father, and he departed this life in peace with God and man. He was 67 years of age. His funeral services were conducted from the M .E. Church, Sunday morning at 11 o'clock. The church was filled with relatives and friends. The services were conducted by Rev. Mr. Kelley, the Pastor, assisted by Rev. Joseph Stras and Rev. Dr. Greever. The pall bearers were, Chas. McCall, J.P. Surface, Allen Davidson, Floyd J. Brown, Dr. Johnston and B.M. McCulloch. The casket was decorated with wreaths of floral offerings from many friends.

The new bell has been placed in the tower of the M. E. Church, and its tollings can be heard for a long distance."

Fairmont Free Press, Friday 01/25/1895

Malinda M. Higinbotham (1885-1895) WV

Millie, aged about 12 years, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Higinbotham, of Dent’s run, died at her home on last Monday of scarlet fever. The remains were interred on Tuesday at the Baptist church graveyard on Dent’s run.

Fairmont Free Press, Friday 09/27/1895

Headline: Asphyxiated-With Gas-Two Young Men Meet Death In a Well Twenty Feet Deep

Seven Pines, September 23—A sad accident occurred at the home of James Higinbotham, near Calhoun, Wetzel county, on last Sunday morning; in which his two sons, Thornton and Silas, aged about twenty one and twenty five years, lost their lives. The well had gone dry, and on Saturday the boys drilled a hole and set off a blast, late Saturday evening. Sunday morning Thornton went down in the well to see what the blast had done, and was overcome by the gas. Through excitement or not knowing the danger, his brother, Silas, climbed down to rescue his brother and met the same fate. Jessie Metz was let down by a rope and tied a rope around the body of Silas, and when Metz was drawn up he was almost suffocated. He said he could not get any breath from the time he got six feet down in the well, but knew what he was doing. Silas’ body was taken out in about one half hour from the time he went down, but Thornton’s body was not gotten out for about two hours. Both were nice young men and loved by all who knew them. A sad blow to their aged father, who is very sick now.

The Monroe Watchman, Thursday 12/09/1897

Otis Higginbotham (ca1877-1897) WV

Headline: Killed While Hunting

Mr. Otey Higginbotham, aged about 23 years, was accidentally killed while hunting on Tuesday evening last, Dec. 7^th, a few minutes before sunset. The accident occurred on the Lewis place about 7 miles east of Union. Mr. Higginbotham had gone out hunting Tuesday afternoon in company with several others but at the time of the accident the only one near him was a young man named Elliot Reed. It seems from what we can learn that Higginbotham had just shot at a rabbit and having reloaded his shot-gun set it down on the ground when from some cause the weapon discharged, the load entering Higginbotham’s left side just below the arm-pit and coming out in part near his neck. Higginbotham fell to the ground, shrieking, and Reed soon came up and called others, but the wounded man was beyond all human help. He lived only about twenty minutes and employed the short time at his disposal in praying fervently. Mr. Higginbotham lived on the Lewis place and was kindly thought of. His funeral took place yesterday.

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