March 1814 Deaths in Smithland

Proving once again that it helps to expand the boundaries in your research, the following death notices[1] were found in a Nashville, Tennessee newspaper. While that may seem strange, it really isn't. Steamboats had begun plying the rivers in 1811 between Smithland and Nashville, making travel between the two cities faster and easier.  News traveled farther and quicker by steamboat, but  newspapers were still read, shared and read again.  The following death notices were of interest to the folks who traveled the rivers or who lived anywhere between the two cities.

Died

- At Smithland, Kentucky, on the 4th inst., Maj. Richard Ferguson, an old settler of that place.

-  At the same place, on the 5th ins., Mrs. Elizabeth Hance, consort Capt. William Hance.

-  At same place, on the 6th inst., Mrs. Elizabeth M'Cawley, consort of James M'Cawley, Esq.

-  At same place, on the 7th inst., master Robert Lewis, son of Lilburn Lewis, Esq. dec. of   Livingston County, Kentucky.[2]

- At same place on the 9th inst., Edward Brown,  Hatter.

-  At same place, on the 12th inst., Mrs. Catharine Ferguson, wife of Col. Hamlet Ferguson, of  Randolph County, Illinois Territory.

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[1] Nashville Whig, Wednesday, 23 March 1814, page 3.

[2] According to Livingston County, Kentucky Cemeteries 1738 - 1976 by Livingston County Homemakers, 1977; page 196, Robert died at age 7  and is buried in Lewis Family Cemetery, Birdsville.

Published 6 July 2017, Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog, http://wkygenealogy.blogspot.com/