Rederick Higgs Dead: Rederick Higgs for more than a half of a century a resident to the Pleasant Valley locality west of Butterfield and a well known citizen of that section of the county passed away Saturday morning following an illness of many weeks, age 69 years, 3 months and 28 days.

The deceased, when a boy came to this county with his parents from Tennessee. In November, 1873, he was married to Martha J. Tucker. To this union five children were born. The wife, and one child proceeded him in death. The surviving children are, Mrs. Sherman Lane, Mrs. Gerthia Stamps, Epy and James Higgs, all of near Purdy. For a number of years he had been a devoted member of the New Hope Baptist Church, and his death removes a man of strong Christian influence in the community in which he so long lived. The funeral services were conducted Sunday at Mt. Pleasant Church by Rev. Chas. Vanzandt in the presence of a large number of neighbors and friends of the family.

Clark News: We have received the following information about the sickness and death of a friend and neighbor. Mrs. Bessie Gardman-Black, wife of Samuel Black and formerly of this vicitny, passed away at Nordhoff, Cal., Nov 16, 1913. She had been in poor health for several months. Her trip out west was for relief which proved to be in vain. She bore her afflictions with fortitude and never grieved a moment about her condition. The funeral services were held at the home, conducted by Rev. Hayes. The choir of the Baptist Church sang beautifully the hymns, Meet Me There, Looking this Way and Nearer My God to Thee. Her body was interred in the Nordhoff Cemetery. The grave was beautifully decorated with evergreens which express the esteem and love of her many friends.

***

Clark News: Sunday, November 30, 1913, at eleven o'clock a.m. occurred the funeral of our esteemed friend and brother in Christ, Rederick Higgs, conducted by Rev. Chas. Vanzandt, pastor of the New Hope Baptist Church where Mr. Higgs had been his membership for over 40 years. The gathering of his old friends and neighbors at Mt. Pleasant was large, but listened with interest to the sermon, "He being dead yet speaketh". Seth Rederick Higgs was born in North Carolina, August 1, 1844 and died Nov 29, 1913, being 69 years, 3 months, and 28 days of age. He was married to Martha Jane Tucker, Nov. 23, 1873, who proceeded him to the glory world about 16 years. He professed faith in Christ at the age 28 and lived a devoted Christian life during his remain life. He was loved by all who knew him. He leaves four children, all grown and one brother to mourn his death. They have the sympathy of all.

Dead: Walter Abernathy, son of M. L. Abernathy, died Tuesday evening at the home of his sister, Mrs. J. B. Hesse near town. When three years of age, Walter was stricken with spinal meningitis and bore afflictions from that disease until death. Only a few days ago in company with his father, he returned from few years' stay with a sister at Sour Lake, Tex. Thursday of last week he became ill from what seemed to be a culmination of his afflictions and was unable to with stand the ravages of disease.

Walter was born in this city, August 18, 1874, but owing to his early afflictions his life was confined at the home. Besides a father he is survived by two sisters. They are Mrs. Minnie Drake of Sour Lake, Tex., and Mrs. J. B. Hessee of near town. Funeral services conducted by Rev. E.W. Love, were held at his sister's home Wednesday afternoon and interment made in the Oak Hill Cemetery.

[Research Note: Marcus L. Abernathy, clerk of Barry County, Mo., was born in Giles County, Tenn., in 1830, and is the son of John Y. and Matilda (Alexander) Abernathy. John Y. Abernathy was born in North Carolina in 1806, of Scotch parentage. When a small boy he was taken by his father, David Abernathy, to Maury County, Tenn. It was here that he grew to manhood and married. He chose farming for his life vocation and soon after his marriage he removed to Giles County, Tenn., where he resided until his death in 1849. He served in the Seminole war. His wife was born in Maury County, Tenn., and died in 1854. They were the parents of nine children, six of whom are living. They are Ann (wife of Jacob Yokley, who resided on the old Abernathy homestead in Giles County), Marupree) and Milton S. (a saddler of Rocky Comfort, Mo.) Marcus L. was educated in a pioneer log schoolhouse in Tennessee. He grew to manhood on a farm, making his home with his parents until he was past twenty-one years of age. In 1851 he left his native state for Greene County, Mo., where he purchased land and resumed farming. In 1854 he married Nancy J. Sims, a native of Greene County, Mo., born in 1836. She became the mother of eight children, viz: Mary, wife of Archibald Hessee, a hardware merchant of Cassville,) Ophelia M., (deceased wife of W. T. McClure), William A., (a farmer), Ida (wife of J. B. Hessee, a farmer), Fannie, Frank, Minnie and Walter. In August, 1861, Mr. Abernathy enlisted in the Confederate army, joining Company A, Third Regiment of Missouri Cavalry. During the battle of Pea Ridge on March 7, 1862, he was severely wounded by the bursting of a shell. It was necessary on account of the wound to amputate his left leg near the hip. After the war he clerked in a store at Ebenezer, Mo., until 1871, when he removed to Cassville. Soon after he became deputy clerk of Barry county and in 1874 was elected clerk. He has served his constituents so faithfully and well that he has been re-elected at each succeeding election, being the present incumbent. He is a man of the people, universally respected by all parties, and is an adherent to Democratic principles. Ref: Page 1011, History Of Newton, Lawrence, Barry And McDonald Counties, Missouri: Barry County, The Goodspeed Publishing Co., Chicago, 1888]