EPILOGUE
Bugg Hunt - After a failed attempt to obtain a Presidential Pardon, Bugg served the remainder of his time at the Southern Illinois Prison and was released 4 May 1888. He returned to his wife in Smith County, Tennessee.
When Bugg returned to Smith County, he was destitute and needed a means to support his family. His brother, William Joseph "Joe" Hunt proposed that they go into business together. They began by trading horses and stock under the name "Hunt Brothers & Co". To this partnership, Bugg brought a mare given to him by Tom Trammel, and Joe brought two horses that he owned and two more that he purchased on credit.
About 1890, the brothers purchased a Steam Saw Mill on Bowling Branch. In May 1891, P. Campbell Heflin purchased a 1/3 interest in the sawmill. They agreed that Bugg would continue trading horses and stock in Nashville, Joe would run the saw mill, and Heflin would be the bookkeeper. As business grew, the partners purchased a binder and a thresher.
However, due to allegations of mismanagement of money and assets -- with most of the accusations levied against Bugg -- Bugg and Joe had a falling out. Throughout the rest of the 1890s and early 1900s, Bugg, Joe and Heflin engaged in a series of lawsuits with each other. Four lawsuits prosecuted in the Smith County Court were P. C. Heflin vs H. G. Hunt and W. J. Hunt(1892), W. J. Hunt vs H. G. Hunt(1894), H. G. Hunt vs W. J. Hunt(1894), and W. J. Hunt vs J. D. Fisher(1902).
By 1902, Bugg and Joe were no longer speaking to each, and their partnership had completely dissolved. Due to the death of his father in 1903 and the animosity between the brothers, Bugg and Ciotha moved to 10th Civil District in Warren County, Tennessee between the years 1905-1910. By 1920, they returned to New Middleton, Smith County, Tennessee.
Bugg died on 23 March 1928 in Smith County of heart disease. His wife, Ciotha, died five years later on 21 November 1933 of a cerebral hemorrhage. Both were buried in a public cemetery in New Middleton, Smith County. There was no mention of Bugg's passing in the local newspapers. Ciotha's obituary was published in the 23 November 1933 issue of the Carthage Courier.
Mrs. B. Hunt died at the home of her brother, Axum Winfree. Mrs. Hunt has been confined to her room for several months with paralysis. Burial was made at New Middleton Wednesday. (FOOTNOTE)
Tom Edwards - The last official record of Tom Edwards occurred when John Edwards was captured at the Cookeville Jail on 4 November 1882. (ADDITIONAL INFO)
Every six months, the US Circuit Court in Nashville would issue a new warrant for the arrest of Tom Edwards. Finally, on 26 October 1888, the Prosecution entered a "nolle prosequi" meaning that it was declining to pursue the case further.
Since Tom was on the run from the Texas authorities for his escape from Hunt Prison in June 1882 and now from the Federal authorities for the Stagecoach Robbery, the most likely scenario is that he moved to another state and changed his name. He probably lived past 1910.
The 1900 and 1910 censuses record how many children a mother has given birth to and how many of these children are still living. In the 1900 census, Eliza Edwards, Tom's mother, states that she gave birth to eight children, of which six are still living. John Edwards died in 1887 shortly after release from Federal Prison; and Mary Edwards, who married Nelson Owen, died in Young County, Texas in 1897. In the 1910 census, Eliza states that she gave birth to ten children, of which six were still living. This time, she includes the twins, Sarah and Jacob, who were born in 1868 and died within a couple of weeks of birth. Whether Eliza knew the status of her son, Tom, or just wishful thinking, we will never know.
Coley Randolph - It is not known for how long Coley remained as a stagecoach driver after the robbery on 30 October 1882. By 1883, he returned to Viola, Warren County, Tennessee. His activities were reported in the Southern Standardnumerous times throughout the latter half of the 1880s. Two of the more interesting reports include
Colie Randolph says he has terrible "heart disease" and wants some body to prescribe for him. (FOOTNOTE)
Coley Randolph says if his heart trouble does not improve he will start on a tour to "England" very soon. (FOOTNOTE)
The "England" in the second reference refers to his future wife, Eva England. He married Eva on 27 July 1894 in Warren County, Tennessee. In 1900 and 1910, Coley and Eva were living in Maury County, Tennessee. In the later part of 1910, the Randolphs moved to Boonville, Cooper County, Missouri where they became prominent citizens of that community. Coley earned a living as a housing contractor. He served on the Board of Public Works for 25 years and was Chairman of the Board for many years. At his retirement, he became Chairman Emeritus.
Coley and Eva had five children: an infant that died before 1900; a daughter, Beulah M.; and three sons, Hugh L. or Jack, Frank O., and Coleman Lafayette Jr.
Eva died 19 February 1947 of acute colitis at the Alex VanRavenswaay Hospital and was buried in the Walnut Grove Cemetery. Obituaries were posted in the Boonville Daily Newsand the Cooper County Record.
Illness Fatal to Mrs. Randolph
Mrs. C. L. Randolph died at the Alex van Ravenswaay Hospital this morning following a brief illness.
Funeral services will be held at the home of her son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Albin J. Schmidt at 2:30 p. m. Friday. The Rev. H. C. Clark, assisted by the Rev. J. R. Gregg, will conduct the rites. Burial will be in the Walnut Grove Cemetery.
She is survived by her husband, C. L. Randolph; two sons, Frank of Pontiac, Mich., and Coleman of Kansas City; a daughter, Mrs. Schmidt; five brothers, E. England and J. O. England, Neosho, MO., P. N. England, Jacksonville, Fla., and Charles England, Rogersville, Ala.; a sister, Mrs. Joe P. Knight, Pulaski, Tenn; four grandchildren and a great-grandchild.
Eva England was born in McMinnville, Tenn., July 27, 1865, one of a family of 11 children. She was the daughter of Alexander William and Mary Ann Neal England. She was married to C.L. Randolph, July 27, 1894. Mr. and Mrs. Randolph moved to Boonville in 1910.
The body will remain at the Goodman and Boller funeral parlors until Friday morning when it will be taken to the Schmidt home where it will remain until time for the services.
Mrs. Randolph was a life-long member of the Christian Church. (FOOTNOTE)
Randolph Funeral Rites Are Conducted
Funeral Services were conducted this afternoon for Mrs. C. L. Randolph. The rites were conducted at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Albin J. Schmidt. The Rev. H. C. Clark, assisted by the Rev. J. R. Gregg, had charge of the services. Burial was in the Walnut Grove cemetery.
Pallbearers were E. A. Williams, John Sanders, Judge Roy D. Williams, Henry Chrisman, Will Eagon and Ransome Scott. (FOOTNOTE)
Mrs. C. L. Randolph
Funeral services for Mrs. C. L. Randolph, mother of Mrs. A. J. Schmidt, will be tomorrow afternoon at 2:30 at the Schmidt home. Mrs. Randolph passed away Wednesday morning at the Alexvan Ravenswaay Hospital following a short illness. The Rev. H. c. Clark will conduct the services assisted by the Rev. J. R. Gregg. Burial will be in Walnut Grove Cemetery.
Eva England was born in McMinnville, Tenn., July 27, 1865, one of a family of 11 children. She was the daughter of Alexander William and Mary Ann Neal England. She was married to C.L. Randolph, July 27, 1894. Mr. and Mrs. Randolph moved to Boonville in 1910.
She is survived by her husband, C. L. Randolph; two sons, Frank of Pontiac, Mich., and Coleman of Kansas City; a daughter, Mrs. Schmidt; five brothers, E. England and J. O. England, Neosho, MO., P. N. England, Jacksonville, Fla., and Charles England, Rogersville, Ala.; a sister, Mrs. Joe P. Knight, Pulaski, Tenn; four grandchildren and a great-grandchild. (FOOTNOTE)
Coley lived another twelve years dying at the ripe old age of 97 on 23 September 1959 and was buried next to his wife in the Walnut Grove Cemetery. Obituaries were posted in the Boonville Daily Newsand the Boonville Advertiser.
C. L. Randolph Dies at Age 97, Rites Incomplete
C. L. Randolph, age 97, died at the home of his daughter. Mrs. Albin J. Schmidt at 8:30 this morning.
Mr.Randolph was born at Petersburg, Tenn. on Dec. 21, 1861, the son of C. L. and Levina Moore Randolph. He was married to Miss Eva England on July 27, 1892. Mrs. Randolph preceded him in death in 1947.
The family moved to Boonville in 1910, where Mr. Randolph was engaged in the contracting business until his retirement 12 years ago.
He is survived by one daughter, Mrs. Schmidt, of Boonville; two sons, Coleman Randolph of Kansas City, and Frank Randolph, of Pontiac, Mich., four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Mr. Randolph serves on the board of public works here for 25 years. He was chairman of the board, being appointed chairman emeritus following his retirement.
He was the oldest living member of the Christian church and was an elder of the church; Mr. Randolph was a member of the I. O. O. F. lodge for 72 years and served as secretary of the Far West Lodge No. 4 for many years.
Funeral services in charge of Goodman and Boller are as yet incomplete. Friends may call at the funeral chapel until time of the service. (FOOTNOTE)
Services Friday For C. L. Randolph
Funeral services for C. L. Randolph, dean of Boonville's contractors, who died Wednesday morning, will be at 2 p. m. Friday at the Goodman and Boiler chapel.
The Rev. J. R. Gregg, the Rev. James H. Viggers and the Rev. E. F. Abele will officiate at the services, with burial at Walnut Grove cemetery.
Graveside rites will be in charge of Oddfellows Far west Lodge No. 4, of which Mr. Randolph was a longtime member.
Mr. Randolph was the oldest living member of the Boonville Christian church. He had served many years as an elder of the church. (FOOTNOTE)
Rites This Afternoon For C. L. Randolph
Funeral services for C. L. Randolph, who died Wednesday morning, were held at at the Goodman and Boller chapel this afternoon, with the Rev. J. Roy Gregg, the Rev. E. F. Abele, and the Rev. James H. Viggers officiating.
Burial was in the Walnut Grove cemetery. Graveside services were in charge of Far West Lodge No. 4 I. O. O. F.
Pallbearers were Ray Bishop, A. J. Bozarth, Wm. Eagon, Laurence White, Paul. Darby and E. A. Williams.
Honorary pallbearers were William Cleary, Bob Long, Ed Cundiff and Noel Bayne, present members of the board of public works. (FOOTNOTE)
C. L. Randolph Dies at Age 97
C. L. Randolph, age 97, died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Albin J. Schmidt, at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday.
Mr. Randolph was born at Petersburg, Tenn. on Dec. 21, 1861, the son of C. L. and Levina Moore Randolph. He was married to Miss Eva England on July 27, 1892. Mrs. Randolph preceded him in death in 1947.
The family moved to Boonville in 1910, where Mr. Randolph was engaged in the contracting business until his retirement 12 years ago.
He is survived by one daughter, Mrs. Schmidt, of Boonville; two sons, Coleman Randolph of Kansas City, and Frank Randolph, of Pontiac, Mich., four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Mr. Randolph serves on the board of public works here for 25 years. He was chairman of the board, being appointed chairman emeritus following his retirement.
He was the oldest living member of the Christian church and was an elder of the church; Mr. Randolph was a member of the I. O. O. F. lodge for 72 years and served as secretary of the Far West Lodge No. 4 for many years. (FOOTNOTE)
Fate Boyd - Fate was on the stagecoach that fateful morning, because he was traveling to Texas to look for opportunities to support his growing family. It is unknown whether he continued onto Texas or if he traveled there at a later date. He did, however, remained in Cookeville and raise his family there. In addition to daughters, Ofa and Effie, Fate and Elizabeth added four sons to the family: Vinnie, Muncy Luther, Benton, and Jasper Lafayette.
Fate died 29 October 1914 of pellagra and was buried in the Cookeville City Cemetery. His obituary appeared in the 29 October 1914 issue of the Putnam County Herald.
A. L. Boyd Dies - Mr. A. L. Boyd died at his home a mile west of town this (Thursday) afternoon, after a lingering illness of several months duration. Mr. Boyd had resided in Cookeville for several years. He is survived by his wife and four children. Mrs. S. Hayden Young. Mrs. Bedford Johnson, Benton and Jasper Boyd, all of this city. The bereaved ones have the heartfelt sympathy of the whole community in the loss of their husband and father. (FOOTNOTE)
His wife, Elizabeth, died 2 March 1920 and was buried in the Cookeville City Cemetery next to her husband. Her obituary appeared in the 4 March 1920 issue of the Putnam County Herald.
MRS. ELIZABETH BOYD
Mrs. Elizabeth Boyd, widow of the late A. L. Boyd, died Wednesday morning of heart failure, while on a visit to her daughter, Mrs. Dolph Sullins, near Trinity. Her death came as a great shock to her relatives and friends.
She was about sixty years old and was a daughter of the late David Nichols, a prominent pioneer citizen of the western part of this county. She had been a devoted member of the Methodist church from her girlhood.
She is survived by three daughter and two sons, Mrs. Ofa Johnson, of Gainesboro; Mrs. Dolph Sullins of the 12th district; Jasper Boyd, of Portland, Ore., and Benton Boyd, of Oklahoma; also by the following brothers and sisters: Mrs. G. D. Byrne of Monterey, Mrs. T. C. Holladay of Cookeville, J. C. Nichols of Lebanon, J. P. Nichols and L. B. Nichols of Buffalo Valley, and B. B. Nichols of Boma.
Three brother, Fate Nichols, Rev. John H. Nichols and Rev. Jasper Nichols, and one sister, Mrs. James A. Boyd preceded her to the grave.
She was a splendid Christian lady, loved by all who knew her. Her remains were interred Thursday afternoon at Cookeville cemetery, beside those of her husband, whose death occurred several years ago. (FOOTNOTE)
Et Martin - Et was the youngest member of the party traveling on the stagecoach, being only 19 at the time. During the late 1880s, Et became a pharmacist in Cookeville. He and his father, Dr. John Preston Martin, opened a pharmacy on the North Side of the Public Square. They called the pharmacy "Dr. J. P. Martin & Son." (See Ad for Dr. J. P. Martin & Son in the The Cookeville Press) On 23 April 1893, he married Minerva "Minnie" Thompson, who was the daughter of John and Lula Mae (Pardue) Thompson. In 1894, Et and Minnie had their first child, which would live for only one year.
The year old baby of Mr. and Mrs. Et Martin, died Saturday night after a lingering illness. It was buried Sunday in the cemetery. It was a beautiful child, and the parents are much grieved over their loss. (FOOTNOTE)
They had a second child, a son named Van Clair Martin, who was born on the 19 February 1896. Late Friday evening on 1 June 1900 (the designated census day), Et Martin died from a lingering illness that had rendered him unable to work in the previous years. He is probably buried in an unmarked grave in the Cookeville City Cemetery. His obituary appeared in the 7 June 1900 issue of The Cookeville Press.
Last Friday night, Et Martin died at his home in Cookeville, after a lingering illness. He had been in poor health for years, in fact he was never stout, which was to a large degree responsible for his retiring disposition. Mr. Martin was the youngest son of the late Dr. J. P. Martin, and was a pharmacist by profession. He was a first class prescriptionist, but on account of ill health, has done but little work for a long period. He leaves a wife and little son, mother, sister, brother and numerous friends to mourn his loss. He was buried Saturday in the cemetery. (FOOTNOTE)
After Et's death, Minnie married Leonidas Cantrell about 1905 and had three more children. She died in Davidson County, Tennessee on 12 February 1928 and was buried in the Springhill Cemetery in Nashville, Tennessee.
Z Martin - Z Martin was Et's older sister and traveling companion on the stagecoach. Z never married. She lived most of her life in Cookeville with her brother, John Ballard Springs Martin. She was a music teacher. She died 12 January 1939 and was buried in the Cookeville City Cemetery. Her obituary appeared in the 12 January 1939 issue of the Putnam County Herald.
Miss Z. Martin Dies After Long Illness - Miss Z. Martin, about 78, died this morning at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Will Phillips of Cookeville, at 5:15 o'clock after a long illness. Funeral services will be held tomorrow afternoon at 2 o'clock at the Church of Christ. Burial will be in the City cemetery. She is survived by a brother, Dr. Henry Martin of Cookeville and a number of nieces and nephews. She had been a member of the Church of Christ since girlhood. She was one of Cookeville's oldest families and had lived here practically all her life. (FOOTNOTE)
Mary Amanda Harper - Mary Amanda Harper and her son, William D. Harper, were traveling on the stagecoach that fateful morning, because they had been visiting family in Putnam County and were on their way to Texas. History does not record whether they were able to continue onto to Texas or if they simply went back to Illinois. Neither Mary nor William were called to testify at trials for Bug Hunt and John Edwards. Mary Harper died 27 October 1886 and is buried in the Ten Mile Cemetery in McLeansboro, Hamilton County, Illinois.
William David Harper - Before 1887, William Harper lost his wife Sarah Jennie. On 5 January 1888, he married Mary Elizabeth "Bettie" Thomas. They had one daughter, Eliza Elleo, who was born and died between 1888-1900. William lost two more daughters, Mary Mollie Harper and Maude L. (Harper) Clark, in 1903 and 1909, respectively. William died 15 August 1918 and is buried in the Ten Mile Cemetery. His obituary appeared in the 29 August 1918 issue of The McLeansboro Times.
W. D. HARPER- William David Harper was born in Putnam county, Tennessee, April 17, 1843, and died at his home in McLeansboro, August 15, 1918, aged 75 years. 3 months and 28 days.
April, 1868, he was united in marriage to Jennie Lewis; to this union five children were born -- Mollie, Oscar, Maude, Fannie and Jennie; his wife and three daughters having preceded him to the Great Beyond.
January 5, 1888, he was again married to Bettie Thomas; to this union one daughter was born -- Eliza Elleo, who had also preceded him.
He professed faith in Christ in 1858 and united with the Ten Mile Baptist Church since which time he has been a pillar of the church, a regular and faithful attendant of all the services, giving the best within him to its support; exercising judicious control over his children, shaping their lives for good. It can be truthfully be said of him, "he was a good man, full of faith and the Holy Ghost."
He spent 3 years in the civil war, joining the Union Army in 1861. He spent several years teaching in the common schools in Illinois, Tennessee and Teas. Four years ago his eye sight failed him, later he had a stroke of paralysis which left him an invalid for the past two years. His faithful wife, affectionate daughter and obedient son did all in human power to relieve his suffering and prolong his stay on earth. (FOOTNOTE)
His second wife, Bettie, outlived him by seventeen years. She died 1 July 1935 and is buried next to her husband in the Ten Mile Cemetery. Her obituary appeared in the 4 July 1935 issue of The Times-Leader.
Mrs. Betty Harper Passed Away Monday
Funeral services were held at Ten Mile Church Tuesday afternoon for Mrs. Betty Harper, aged 85, who passed away at her home in this city Monday, July 1st. The services were conducted by Rev. John B. Maulding, assisted by Rev. T. B. Hunt.
Mary Elizabeth Harper, daughter of Peter and Polly Ann Thomas, was born in Beaver Creek township on Feb. 18, 1850; departed this life at her home in McLeansboro Monday, July 1, 1935, at the ripe old age of 85 years, 4 months and 12 days.
She was united in marriage with William D. Harper on Jan. 6, 1889. To this union one child was born, but died in infancy. Her husband, W. D. Harper, died on Aug 12, 1918. She leaves two stepchildren, Oscar and Fannie Harper of McLeansboro. She also leaves a number of nephews and nieces.
Oscar Clark and Fannie Harper made their home with her, and will miss her very much. She often expressed her faith in her Savior, and her preparedness to meet Him. Also she never united with any church, she was heard to say in her last moments that all was well.