The Taney County republican., 1905-05-11
EARLY DAYS IN THE OZARKS
S. c. Turnbo Tells OF Old liners and Old
Times.


given names were Nose and Wilson.
Their father whose given name was
also Billy, came from Kentucky, and
died on White river.
As ! viewed the old Judge Yandell
farm, my mind drifted back to 1860,
when two of Yandell's sons and were
schOolmatcs together. Their names
were Wilson and Clayton. and many
happy hours we spent together while
attending school.
Previous to the time Judge Iandell
occupied this land, a man by the name
of Anthony Bales lived down at the
ford Of the creek, where the Iellville
and Forsyth wagon way used to cross.
Bale, was Il noted stone mason, and
some Of the stone chimneys he builtarc
standing 10 the present day.
just across the creek from McHahie's
We find the Mat Laughlin place.
Laughliu's wife was Lucy Onstott, u
sister OF my mother. They were mar.
ricd in lN3s, and died in 1877. Uncle
Mat and Aunt Lucy anu u part of
their children rest in the cemetery
named above.
The next farm above this is the
Henry Laughlin place. Rachel wife
Of Henry, like ALI good wives Of the
settlers, was Il motherly and kind
hearted woman, but during the civil
war she was shot and killed in her
house while protecting her husband,
The murder was an appalling one, and
cast dark gloom over the entire
ncighborhouG. Her iCs, was deeply
momIcd, and many tear, were she'd
over hrr Iifclc.s follu rs it Wa. tcndcrly
lowered into grave on the bank Of the
creek that va, dug for the reception Of
her body Thi, spot had been selected
10y hcrecfaud husband many years be-
fore for Il family graveyard. Some Of
their children and others preceded her
here.
The horrible incident relating to her
death i, about Il, follows: A man by
the name Of Lee Basicr, in company
with AImarian Morgan, went to Mr.
.aughlin's 10 kill him, and while
Basicr was trying to take him out Of
the house, Mrs. Laughlin struck Bascr
across the nose and eyes with the edge
of the chcpping aX. and he fell 10 the
IiUur in the agOnics Of death. Morgan,
who was on the porch, seeing the fate
OF his companion, shot Mrs. laughlin
through the window, The bali passing
through her body, and she died in II
few hours.
1t is sad to think of these dark days
OF blood and death, and the tragic end
ing OF the life Of this true and brave
woman. am told that a few months
after Morgan had killed Mrs. Laughlin,
he was Shot and killed ON Il hill near
the river, and just above the Elbow
Shoals. and was buried in the John
Manlcy graveyard, on West Sugar
Loaf creek,
Let III turn from the details of these
awful scenes Of the horrors of war, and
lock down the river.
y mile or 80 below the mouth of
Beaver is Il small stream called Ce.
dar, from which the little hamlet at
the head OF Yocum creek takes lis
name. There is bluff above and one
below the mouth Of the creek, which
gives occasion for another little hunt.
ing story. This one relates TO panthers.
Jacob Navcs came here in lS32.
Soon after with his brother John, he
went into the buT below the mouth Of
Cedar, and killed two panthers of
enormous SIZE, and soon after Jake and
his brother William, while at clitl of
rock near the top of the bluff. just
above the mouth OF the creek, killed
another one. do rot rccollCct the in
ciderts relating to the killing, more
than that one of them measured | | feet
from tip to tip.
While recalling the incidents at the
month Of Cedar creek, we remember of
q dark and murdcrous crime being com
mittcd there in the latter forties. A
man by the name of Washham- Dave,
! think, was his given name. was living
with his second wife. One day the
body OF his little boy by his first wife,
was found in the creek below the cabin.
He had been murdered and thrown in.
to the creek to conceal the crime.
Washbam was suspected and arrested,
Though pleading innocent, by the
testimony Of his wife he was adjudged
guilty, and sentenced to be hanged.
For safe keeping he was taken to
Springfield and incarcorated until the
day Of execution, when nc paid the
penalty with his life. This WIS the
first legal execution in Springfield. and
was the first man ever sentenced to
death in Taney county.
About - years afterwurd the wo.