THOMAS S. AUXIER
1940
     
THOS. AUXIER KILLED SUNDAY AT EAST POINT
  
Victim Was a Member of Prominent Family of Big Sandy Valley
  
Thomas S. Auxier was run over and instantly killed at 7 o'clock Sunday
morning.  The tragedy took place at East Point and was witnessed by a
number of people.
  
Mr. Auxier was 22 years of age and was returning to his home in
Blockhouse Bottom on the opposite side of the river from East Point.
  
Mr. Auxier was the fourth victim to lose his life by a railroad
accident within four weeks between East Point and White House, a
distance of approximately 10 miles.
  
Was Member of Prominent Family Young Auxier was the son of Mrs. Milt
Auxier.  His father died six years ago.
  
He was a member of probably the oldest family in the Big Sandy Valley.
  
His ancestors came into the Big Sandy Valley from Virginia when this
section was a primeval forest inhabited only by wild animals. Together
with a number of other Virginians they settled at what is now East
Point and erected a blockhouse as a defense against the Indians and
since that time the bottom lands opposite East Point have been known as
"Blockhouse Bottom." It was from this stronghold of the white man to
which Jennie Wiley fled from the Indians and was ferried across the
river on a raft of logs lashed together with grape vines.  As Mrs.
Wiley reached the opposite shore and the safety of the blockhouse
settlement the old Cherokee Chief who had held her captive for more
than a year appeared upon the opposite bank of the river with a party
of his braves. Members of the Auxier family were instrumental in
returning Mrs. Wiley to her husband and family in Virginia. The Auxier
family has been prominent in the social and business life of the Big
Sandy region since the establishment of the first settlement at
Blockhouse Bottom. Mr. Auxier had many relatives in Johnson County. He
was a brother of Mrs. Dawson Wheeler, wife of Judge John W. Wheeler, of
Paintsville. He was an employee of the supply department at Van Lear.
He was a very popular young man of his community and his untimely death
has brought sorrow to a large number of friends and relatives. Eleven
railroad cars passed over the man's body.
    
He was said to have been sitting on the railroad track evidently
dozing.
  
The engineer said that he could not bring the train to a stop in time
to save the man's life, although it is said that the train crew had an
unobstructed view of the line for several hundred feet.
  
Funeral services were held from the home Tuesday morning in charge of
Rev. Spurgeon Honeycutt, of Auxier, and Rev. Spear, of the M.E. Church,
of East Point.
  
Burial was made in the old Auxier cemetery on the home farm.
  
He is survived by his aged mother, three brothers, Eugene Auxier,
Jenkins, Ky., Sam Auxier and Polk Auxier, at home; three sisters, Mrs.
John W. Wheeler, Paintsville; Mrs. Martin Crider, East Point, and Miss
Fanny Auxier, at home.
  
Paintville Herald
Thursday
July 25, 1940
    

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