Category: Obituary

LACEY, Charles (d. 1889)

Shot by a Horse Thief

Charles Lacey, a well known liveryman of Memphis, was shot and killed at Dexter, Tenn., by a negro named Bill Swift.  A few days ago Swift stole a mule from Jon Farable, a farmer, living near Dexter, and brought it to Memphis, where he effected a trace with Lacy. 

Farrable appeared and claimed the mule.  Lacey swore out a warrant for Swift’s arrest and in company with Farrable drove out to the thief’s house.  Swift was ready for them, and as Lacey opened the door shot him dead. The murderer escaped. 

Source: Roanoke Beacon newspaper (Plymouth, NC), 11 October 1889, page 1, column 4. 

THOMPSON, Rose P. – (d. 1898)

Mrs. Rose P. THOMPSON died January 19, [1898]. She was 84 years old.  She was the widow of William C. THOMPSON, who in the early days of Memphis was manager of the old Memphis Theater.  She was born in England August 20, 1814.  She came to America while a young woman and was married here.  She was at one time a member of a stock company at the Memphis theater and afterward became an actress of note.  After retiring from the stage she taught elocution.

Source: Memphis Daily Appeal, January 2, 1899, page 2

RAMSEY, E.A. (Rev.) – (d. 1898)

The Rev. E.A. RAMSEY, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, died at Excelsior Springs, Mo., January 13 [1898].  He had been pastor of that church for six years.  He was 47 years old and was a native of Tennessee.  His birthplace was Sweetwater, near Knoxville.  His theological education was received at the Union Theological Seminary, then at Hampton-Sidney, Va. He was pastor of the Presbyterian church at Murfreesboro for nine years before coming to Memphis.  He was a member of the educational committee of the Southern Presbyterian Church as the time of his death.  He was for a while a member of the committee on foreign missions.

Source: Memphis Daily Appeal, January 2, 1899, page 2

HEISKELL Jr., Joseph B. – (d. 1898)

Joseph B. HEISKELL Jr., the 18-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. F.H. HEISKELL, died January 7 [1898], at Rockville, Md., near Washington, D.C., where he was visiting relatives during the Christmas holidays.  He was unusually gifted with a talent for art, and went to Baltimore some months previous to his death to study art.  His remains were brought home for burial. He was a grandson of Gen. J.B. HEISKELL and also a grandson of the late L.G.C. LAMAR of Mississippi.

Source: Memphis Daily Appeal, January 2, 1899, page 2

UHRIG, Adam Joseph – (d. 1898)

Adam Joseph UHRIG died January 7 [1898] in the forty-third year of his age.  He was a native of St. Louis and came here in 1885.  He was secretary of the Tennessee Brewing Company.  He was a thirty-second degree Mason and high priest in Penn Chapter R.A.M.  He was an Odd Fellow and a member of the Bruderbund and Maennerchor.  He was well known, and was among the popular German citizens of Memphis.  He was buried in St. Louis.

Source: Memphis Daily Appeal, January 2, 1899, page 2

FORBUSH, Rev. T. B. – (d. 1898)

The Rev. T.B. FORBUSH, pastor of the First Unitarian Church, died January 6 [1898], from the effects of grip.  He was 66 years old and had been pastor in Memphis only one year.  He was a man of fine education and intellet.  He had occupied a pulpit in Boston for a number of ears and went from there to Chicago, where he gave up a charge to come to Memphis and take charge of the work and struggling church here.

Source: Memphis Daily Appeal, January 2, 1899, page 2

GABRIEL, Edward R. – (d. 1927)

Electrocuted While Repairing Leaky Pipe

Edward R. GABRIEL Killed Instantly by Shock

Screaming with pain as the current from an electric torch passed through his body, Edward R. Gabriel, 32, foreman in the wheel department at the Ford plant, was electrocuted yesterday afternoon at 4:30 o’clock while repairing a leaky water pipe under his home at 777 Richmond Avenue.

Mr. Gabriel’s body lay limp when Mrs. Gabriel, his wife, rushed to him after hearing his agonized cry.

About 4 o’clock yesterday afternoon Mr. Gabriel went under his home at the request of his wife to mend a leaky joint of pipe. He had been under the house only a short time when Mrs. Gabriel hear his cry of pain.

Instantly she rushed to the switchbox and shut off the current. She went to his side and on seeing he had suffered an extremely severe shock she called a Cole-Carlin ambulance.

Mr. Gabriel had been in Memphis about five years since coming from Meridian, Miss., his home. He is a member of Masonic Lodge No. 308 at Meridian. He had been employed in the wheel department at the Ford plant for several years.

He is survived by his widow and four children, Edward, Jr., Frederick, Norris Ray and Dorothy Jean.

The body is being held at Cole-Carlin funeral parlors pending funeral arrangements.

Source: Commercial Appeal, Memphis, Monday Morning, March 21, 1927

Contributed by Steven Gabriel (maesrick [at] att [dot] net)

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