Mt. Vernon IL Register (Weekly) - Thursday April 12, 1887

Last Monday night, John Pickett's barn, a mile and a half south of 
Spring garden, was burned.  It was supposeed to be in the work of
an incendiary.  Tuesday morning some of the neighbors came in to 
inspect the ruins and noticed some tracks.  Two of the three youngesters 
concluded to follow the tracks.  They followed until they came to 
William Grandville Pickett's field.  he is the brother of John but 
neither were fond of the other.  Bill went out to meet the track 
inspectors and inquired what they were after.  The answer not be 
satisfactory, he ordered them out and a very warm unpleasantness ensured.  
The result was a set -to-between Bill Pickett and Mark McKinney, in which 
Bill got :chawed"  Mark tried his teeth first into one ear and the the other 
and not relishing these, he made a dive at Bills face in general and planted 
a bite between his eyebrows.  After biting and a large amount of pounding 
the men were separated and Mark disappeared.  the other parties answered 
for the racket between Esq. Clark, but Mark McKinney is still out presumely 
hunting for game that is not quiet so tough as Mt Pickett.  the cannibal 
ought to be jerked up and fed on boarding house steak awhile and have to 
Pickett to pieces with his fingers.

Note:  Mark McKinney was a brother to Nancy McKinney wife of John Pickett



Mt. Vernon IL Register (Weekly) - June 1, 1887


Veterans buried in the Old Covenanter Cemetery (Marion County, IL)
 
William GASTON, Revolutionary Soldier under Washington in 1776.
William GASTON Jr., War of 1812, under Gen. Harrison.
Hugh Parkinson, War of 1812, under Harrison and Black Hawk War in 1832.
Newton A. GASTON, Mexican War, 1846-1848
Rev. J. C. WYATT, Co. I, 79th New York
H. E. McWILLIAMS, Co. C, 11th Illinois
Wm. WALLIS, Co. H, 80th Illinois
Jas. L. PATTON, Co. H, 80th Illinois
John T. KELL, Co. H, 80th Illinois
Thos. BOGGS, Co. H., 80th Illinois
Samuel G. ANDREWS, Co., H, 80th Illinois
Samuel W. SMITH, Co. H, 80th Illinois
Isaac C. SMITH, Co. H, 80th Illinois
Wm. K. STORMENT, S. W. KELL, John B. MYERS, John WYATT, Sam'l A.
 NEWMAN, Wm. B. SMITH, W. Brown MORTON, John K. MORTON, Wm. BURGESS, all Co.
 A, 111th Illinois.
Wm. H. WYATT, Co. E., 136th Illinois
Matthew RAINEY, Co. G., 22d Illinois
John Mc. RAINEY, Co. G, 22d Illinois
 
Mt. Moriah Cemetery (Marion County, IL)
 
Rev. J. MORRISON, RW
Jarmon SHELDON, RW
Wm. BUNDY, War of 1812
David MERCER, War of 1812
Samuel HAYS, Black Hawk War, 1832
Wm. BINGAMIN, Black Hawk War, 1832
Chas. KILPATRICK, Mexican War, 1846-1848
 
War of 1861-1865
 
Franklin WATSON, 111th Illinois
Jon BUNDY, 111th Illinois
M. W. HAYS, 111th Illinois
Urastus Hill, 111th Illinois
Marion ROGERS, 111th Illinois
Jasper HUFF, 70th Illinois
George HAYS, 70th Illinois
Stephen D. HAYS, 70th Illinois
James C. HAYS, 70th Illinois
Peter MARCH, 62d Illinois
Louis BINGAMIN, 6th Illinois
Jno. PARKINSON, 40th Illinois



Mt. Vernon IL  Register (Weekly) - May 4, 1887

 
Unhappy Couples - The following divorce suits have 
been filed for the coming term of Circuit Court 
which meets next week:

 
Eliza E. JONES represents unto the court that on 
February 23rd, 1869, she was lawfully married to 
one Edward T. JONES, that five children, two of 
whom are now dead, were born unto them; that she 
has always conducted herself towards him as a chaste, 
dutiful and affectionate wife. She then charges 
him with extreme and repeated cruelty and says that 
on divers occasions he has beaten, struck, kicked, 
choked, cursed and abused her; that he has reglected 
to furnish her with necessary food and raiment, 
and that in the month of January last he flew into a 
passion and struck her across the back and arms 
with an iron poker, which performance was repeated in 
February. It is further represented that during 
the past winter the plaintiff was compelled to go out 
among the neighbors and plead for assistance to 
keep starvation from their door, while the defendant, 
a stout able-bodied man, lay lazily coiled up in 
bed in the house, awaiting their return, and if their 
mission proved fruitless they were compelled to 
boil a little raw wheat and parch some common corn to eat, 
the latter being the principal diet of the 
family for the past winter. For these and other reasons 
assigned the plaintiff prays a divorce to be 
granted. It is further represented that the defendant 
is the owner in fee simple of $1,200 worth of 
realty and at least $100 worth of personal property, and 
an injunction and order restraining him for 
selling or emcumbering said property is prayed. Since the 
commencement of this suit the alimony 
question has been settled by JONES paying his wife $400 
and giving her all the personal property.  
He sold his farm for $800, and has left the country. 
Norman H. MOSS represents the complainant.

 
Otto W. WALLACE, through his attorney, Judge PACE, prays 
for a dissolution of the bonds of matrimony existing between 
himself and Elizabeth WALLACE, to whom he was lawfully 
married March 4, 1882, at the village of Belle Rive, this 
county.  The declaration charges wilful desertion, which 
according to the bill occurred on the same day.

 
Cannon SAWYER was married to Pernissa Ann SAWYER March 6, 1883, 
and continued to live with her as a kind and indulgent husband 
should until March 10, 1885, when he learned for the first time that 
William BAILEY, of Centralia, occupied a prominent place in the 
affections of his wife. That from and after that date he has refused 
to live with her, and therefore prays a dissolution of the matrimonial 
obligation.  Norman A. PIERCY attorney for complainant.


Loretta V. BONNETT was married to Henry BONNETT Nov. 15, 1868. 
For a time all was peace and joy, when a few years afterwards 
he commenced the excessive use of intoxicating liquiors and for over 
two years past has been guilty of habitual drunkeness; that he 
indulges in protracted sprees, neglecting his family and squandering 
his money. That he has absented himself the last time since May 16, 1886.  
She represents that they have four children, that he is a man of low, 
vicious and vulgar habits, wholly unfit to be entrusted with the care 
and custody of the children. It is further represented that he owns 
realty in this county and in Kansas worth $3,600 and a personal estate of 
the value of $1,500.  The usual remedies are prayed.


Ruth J. HOOTS charges that her hunband, Henry HOOTS, to whom she 
was married June 1, 1883, has been guilty of extreme and repeated 
cruelty towards her in that he has kicked her and struck her with his 
hands with such force as to leave the marks of violence upon her person. 
February 9, 1886, she represents that he assaulted her with an iron poker, 
at a later date with a pocket knife; that by reason of his repeated cruelty 
life has become burdensome to her. She charges him with other serious 
offenses unfit for publication, and prays a divorce through POLLOCK & 
Sons, her attorneys.

 
Mary S. SYLVESTER, through her attorneys, Albert WATSON and George B. 
LEONARD, represents that she was married to Henry J. SYLVESTER in 1876, 
that he abandoned and deserted her in St. Louis, Mo. about 1882. She 
charges Henry with being a loose and dissolute character, in the habit 
of becoming frequently intoxicated, and that he failed to provide for 
herself and two children, wherefore a divorce and custody of the children 
is prayed.
 

Lillie FLICKER was married to one James Austin FLICKER July 1, 1886, 
and it only required three months for Lillie's love to flicker out entirely, 
when she returned to her father's house. She charges him with extreme and 
repeated cruelty in that he was of a very violent and ungovernable temper 
and frequently cursed and abused her, threatening to beat and kill her. That 
during the three months they lived together he expended the sum of fifty cents 
for food, and that her husband finally solicited her to become a lewd woman, 
and proposed to various other men in her presence to sell her honor for money, 
and force her to sacrifice her virtue and lead an unchaste life. We are 
glad to say James Austin FLICKER is a Wayne County beast and does not belong 
to Jefferson.
 

Nonegh M. BURGESS wants a divorce from Ephraim L. BURGESS on the ground 
of continued desertion since January 10, 1884, while Logan SAWYER asks 
for a divorce from Elzinia SAWYER on same cause.  Margaret M. BRUCE prays 
on the same basis for a divorce from Jefferson D. BRUCE, and William H. REED 
pleads desertion as a reason for dissolving the matrimonial tie between 
himself and Frances M. REED

 
Hester A. VANCE says she was married to John VANCE August 24, 1884, and 
it only required one month for her to ascertain that she and John could 
not get along together. John went down into Franklin County in September 
and while there was guilty of certain performances not consistent with his 
marriage vows and which greatly displeased Hester, wherefore she is willing 
to part company.

 

Sarah L. WITHEM was united in marriage with Francis M. WITHEM Nov. 18, 1885, 
and conducted herself in a becoming manner until Jan. 1, 1887, when she 
ascertained that Francis had wholly given himself over to the bad, and 
there being no prespect of his reformation she wants the alliance declared at 
an end.



Mt. Vernon IL Register (Weekly) - September 7, 1887

DEATH AND DESTRUCTION - A Threshing Engine Blows Up Near Spring Garden 
- Killing two men and wounding two other, one of whom will die.

Early yesterday morning our citizens were horror stricken with the 
intelligence from Spring Garden of the explosion of a portable engine 
belonging to William BUMPUS, Frank JERALD and Thomas PIERCE, which dealt 
death and destruction among those engaged in the work of threshing on 
Dr. BERNARD's farm a short distance west of Spring Garden.

J. Henry MITCHELL had one leg torn off, and death resulted before 
2 o'clock that afternoon, from shock and hemorrhage.  William BUMPUS, 
a son of William BUMPUS, Sr., had an arm broke and was struck with a 
flying piece of iron in the stomach which caused his bowels to protrude.  
He died soon afterwords.  Thomas J. WILLIAMS, well known as an ex-
Representative from this county, was hit on the side of the head with a 
piece of iron and suffered a fracture of the skull which will result 
fatally, although he was reported resting easy yesterday evening.  
Cooney BUMPUS was scalded badly, but is not in any danger. He will recover.  
Robert BERNARD, a brother of Dr. BERNARD suffered slight injuries, but 
will also recover.

A runner was sent to the city for medical assistance, and Drs. Walter 
WATSON, J. H. MITCHELL, Fred PATTON and Dr. ARUNDEL responded.  BUMPUS 
died before their arrival, while MITCHELL was beyond reach of medical aid.  
They did everything known to the science of medicine to alleviate the 
condition of the suffers and left them in good condition except they 
consider WILLIAMS likely to die.

To show the terrific force of the explosion it is only necessary to 
state that the dome of the engine, weighing near 300 pounds was blown 
a distance of 200 yards, while many pieces of iron were found at distances 
of from one-fourth to one-half mile from the scene of the explosion, one 
piece of iron being found east of Spring Garden, while the accident 
occured west of the town.

Various theories are advanced as to the causes leading to the explosion, 
but the one most generally credited is that on account of the extreme 
drouth which has prevailed this summer portable engines engaged in threshing 
have been using very muddy water, and engineers unite in the statement that 
steam gauges under such circumstances are very deceptive, and that wile 
the gauge would indicate plenty of water the boiler may be nearly empty.  
Becoming hot they blow up, and this hay have been the cause of this explosion.  
Other theories, however, are numerous, and each one has it's advocates.

It was a fearful day's work and brought sorrow and death to two homes, 
and is another costly lesson to inexperienced men engaged in running 
the engines.



Mt. Vernon IL Register (Weekly) - October 12, 1887

One week ago today Miss Daisy VARNELL became separated from her 
father, Hon. George H. VARNELL on the St. Louis Fairgrounds. 
Mr. VARNELL instituted a search for her, securing the services of 
detectives and police and espending time and money until Thursday 
noon when a telegram was received informing him of her safe arrival 
at home in the city the night before. Miss Daisy found her way to 
the Union Depot and boarded a train for home when she gave up the 
search for her father. 



Mt. Vernon IL Register (Weekly) - December 21, 1887

Four unhappy couples unmated in the Circuit Court last week, and 
thereby licensed to go and render some other mortal unhappy. 
Lina E. CHURCH procured a decree of divorce from Emery F. CHURCH 
and her maiden name restored to - Lina E. KNOX. Mathias FAHR was 
divorced from Salone FAHR. Matilda E. WATSON was granted a decree 
of divorce from William WATSON, while John ALLEN and Mary E. ALLEN 
were legally separated, the custody of one child, Andrew, being 
awarded the father, and the other, Walter, being given the mother.