2023 July 7, Day trip to Savannah and Shiloh, Tennessee

 We started our day at the Tennessee River Museum in Savannah. 

A true air-breathing MOSASAUR

The City of Florence, a St. Louis and Tennessee River Packet Company boat, was named to honor the fast-growing city at the foot of Muscle Shoals. Upbound near Coffee Landing on February 8, 1913, she got out of control and was lying cross-stream when the towboat Tomahawk, down-bound and loaded with crossties, rammed and sunk her. One member of the crew and a young passenger lost their lives in the accident.

The picture below is the ship of 2 girls.

12-year-old Ruth Tarbet (left) was one of two casualties of the sinking ship. The daughter of a prominent Saltillo merchant, Ruth, and her daughter had boarded the doomed steamer for the short trip to visit relatives in Savannah.

We saw this picture in the Tennessee River Museum in Savannah

US GRANT HDGS

We stopped to get pictures of the cannons and cannon balls before crossing the Tennessee River and heading to Shiloh. 

HAGY'S CATFISH HOTEL 

We ate fried catfish, coleslaw, hush puppies, and grilled veggies. Ava ate fried chicken fingers and fries. She said that was the best chicken fingers she ever ate and she told our waitress she rated the food at 100. She ate every bite. We took several pictures at the restaurant and near the Tennessee River. 

Garfield's Cabin 

The History of Garfield 
Garfield's Cabin 
If the walls of the cabin could talk they would reveal the intriguing story of an extraordinary yet wonderful, resident for many years, Garfield Luster.
The story begins on a hot summer day around 1920 when Garfield is given a ride by Mr. Narvin Hagy, a local traveling salesman.
During this time, Garfield worked for a family that had mistreated him for many years. He decided to flee from this harsh environment at which time he met Mr. Norvin Hagy on an old gravel road. 
Mr. Hagy lived on a large farm bonding the Shiloh National Military. His parents were Frank and Mary Hagy. Frank, who had grown up on the farm, was a young boy of 13 when the "Battle of Shiloh" took place around their home in April 1862.
Garfield eventually planted his roots with the Hagy family and over the years developed a close bond with them.
During the many decades, he lived with the Hagy family, he helped care for four generations.

He not only cooked, but also laundered, and did other basic chores around the house, but also helped raise the youngsters... a duty he enjoyed the most. He nurtured the young family of Norvin and Dorothy Hagy, showering upon them devotion and care as if they were his own children. 
But Garfield did more than comfort, console and when necessary scold the children, he could also entertain them as well. 

Many years before the fables of Uncle Remas were popularized by Hollywood, Garfield charmed the young Hagys with his folktales of Brer Rabbit and Brer Fox. Another of his talents was acting. He could dress up as a comical character called "Aunt Emiley" and play her so convincingly that the c children momentarily would forget that they were watching Garfield in disguise.


One of Garfield's favorite stories was his explanation of how he got his name. Garfield always chuckled when he told how Garfield was bestowed upon him following the assassination of President Garfield.

Like his namesake, Garfield had experienced hard times: he refused to dwell on the past, only occasionally recalling his unhappy childhood. Garfield was born and raised in the small rural community of Red Bay in North Alabama, probably the son of a former slave.
Garfield was deprived of a formal education although he was highly intelligent and could have done well in school if he had been given the opportunity.

Even though he was not articulate, his speech was peppered with homespun, folksy southern colloquialism, slow as molasses, dead as a doornail, hot a blue blazes, sharp as a tack, strong as an ox, to quote a few.

King Kong 911 1h
Garfield lived a long and happy life in Shiloh with the Hagy family.
However, he suffered much bereavement at the death of Norvin Hagy in 1960, never fully recovering from the loss of a man who had provided a sanctuary for the greater part of his life. 

Shortly after Mr. Hagy's death in 1961 Garfield was diagnosed with prostate cancer. During the last weeks of his life, Norvin Hagy Jr and his wife Teke took Garfield home for a final visit with his relatives who at the time were living in Mississippi.
After his funeral at his church, Saint Rest in Guys, Tennessee attended by the Hagy Family, Garfield was laid to rest nearby in a small grove of trees. 
The Hagys will always remember Garfield with much love and gratitude as a person who embraced and enriched their lives.

By: the Hagy Family
Dr Don Hagy/Dean Hagy

Next, we stopped at Shiloh Battle Field. The Museum was closed for repairs but you could watch a film. We did not stay to watch the movie. We heard gunfire and went to check it out.  

Young Park Ranger giving a demonstration 

There was a young man (Park Ranger)doing a reenactment and was finishing up when we arrived. But he did show Ave the bullet, and let her feel the weight of the gun ( I think he said it weighed 10 lbs.) When we stopped at the Tennessee River Museum there was a gun ball behind glass that you could put your hand through to see if you could pick it up with one hand, that weighed 7 lbs. So she compared the two. 

Park Ranger talking to Ava about being a nurse in the Civil War

We stopped at the Book Museum where we bought her a book about not being a Nurse in the Civil War. We walked to the National Cemetery where a young woman was giving a talk about the battles between the North and South at Pittsburg Landing.

Ava had read several pages about the Civil War in her book and was asking several questions about the War.

The Park Ranger finished her talk but Ava kept asking her questions. It began to sprinkle so we hurried back to the car. We rode around the park stopping for a few pictures. 

Shiloh Log Church 

We stopped at the old log cabin church to take a few pictures.

We started for home and the sky got darker and darker and it began to rain. The closer we got to Alabama the harder it rained.

Our last stop was at Wendy's for a Strawberry Frosty. That's what Ava wanted and I had never tried one. We all ordered a Strawberry Frosty and it was good. Ava and I played a game all the way home in our Imaginary worlds.

2022 Dec 4, Tinsel Trails, Christmas Card Lane Ditto Landing & Toyota Field Christmas Lights Huntsville, AL

 Sunday we stopped in Decatur to walk thru the Enchanted Forest in Founders Park which is a tinsel stroll supporting Leukemia and Lymphoma.

We stopped in Madison for their Polar Express Christmas on Main Street where their Christmas trees were displayed. 

We stopped at RSA to take coworkers' Christmas Present Presents.

We rode to South Huntsville to Christmas on the River at Ditto Landing. There we strolled along the Tennessee River Greenway looking at 4 x 8 plywood custom-designed Christmas cards. 

Grinchmas

It's Not what's under the Christmas Tree that matters. 
It's who's around it. 

We stopped at every card to get a picture and before we returned it began to sprinkle. 

We rode to Huntsville's Big Spring Park to walk through the Big Spring Park Tinsel Trail. 

Big Spring Park Tinsel Trail.

We were afraid of getting wet but the rain had stopped.

Next, we rode to Toyota Field to see The North Pole Rocket City Christmas Light Show and Winter Wonderland.

Which are a mile and half maze of bright dancing and twinkling lights. We tuned our radio to 95.5 to listen to Christmas music.

The North Pole Rocket City Christmas Light Show 

After the drive, we stopped at Toyota  Field and walked through Winter Wonder Land stopping for pictures with Santa, Trash Panda, and Frosty. 

Picture with Frosty 

We had not eaten since breakfast and were not sure what we wanted. We were tired and didn't want to go into a restaurant and wait so we decided to stop at Krystal. Believe it or not, their food was good or we were very hungry. 

A picture with Trash Panda 

I ordered a double cheese Krystal and strawberry Milkshake. 

It was late when we arrived home and we both were tired from the long day. Put my cameras away for another day to download and went to bed.

2022 Feb 1, Day trip to Lake Guntersville Birding Guntersville, AL

 Today we rode to Lake Guntersville stopping at Lake Guntersville Park on Sunset Drive. 

We stopped at McDonald's in Decatur for a couple of apple pies and drinks before heading to Guntersville. 

We sat down on a bench near the water's edge then I heard this pecking sound, I looked up and to my surprise, I saw a red-headed woodpecker pecking on a rotten tree. He flew from the rotten tree to a Sweetgum tree. I followed it from tree to tree. Then I spotted a sparrow scratching in the dirt for food when it saw me it flew up into the trees.

Red-headed Woodpecker 

Another of my favorite birds the downy woodpecker was aimlessly pecking away on a rotted stump. It was hard getting a picture because the downy was in a shadowed area. I did get a couple of good pictures.

Downy Woodpecker 

We also saw several Canada Geese, white and spotted ducks, and lots of white terns.

We could hear several fish crows above in the trees.  Also saw and heard several bluebirds. 

We rode to Marshall County Park where we saw several ducks and a great gray heron. We also saw a  marker of Major Paramoris Federal Bombardment of Guntersville. 

Major Paramores Federal Bombardment of Guntersville. 

The hill to the immediate left was the site of the 1862 shelling of Guntersville during the War Between the States.
On July 28, 1862, a Federal force under the command of Major J.W. Paramore placed two Parrots guns on the hill and shelled Guntersville from 7 a.mm to 6 p.m. Captain Cyrus Loomis' First Michigan Battery carried out the shelling, which sent more than one hundred of Guntersville's women and children to the ravine south of town for protection.
The rifled Parrots guns fired six-pound projectiles greater distances than older smooth-bore cannons and enabled the Yankees to reach across the Tennessee River. Trenches had to be dug to steady the Parrot's guns and they can still be seen on top of the hill.
Most of the shelling concentrated on cotton warehouses and boat construction facilities south of Henry Island now inundated. The Federals attempted to send an attractive force across the river but failed. 
As a result of the bombardment, several homes near the riverbank were burned and many other homes suffered damage from the shells, including the Nickels and Gilbreath residences. 

Fortunately, both these houses still stand today.
The Chattanooga Daily Rebel reported that the shelling resulted in only two deaths. One was the wife of military General Samuel King Rayburn.

We left Guntersville and rode to Hartselle, stopping at Krogers Grocery for some bottled Mountain Dews and other items. 

We ate a late lunch at O'Bryan's where I ordered a sirloin Steak with sweet potato and diet coke.

We came home by way of the old paper mill road where we saw a red-tail hawk.

We also stopped at Wheeler Dam where we saw several American White Pelicans floating down the Tennessee River. We also saw a couple of Gray herons flying overhead. 

American White Pelicans 

It was a great day for birding. 

1919-1925 Victums of Wilson Dam Construction

Wilson Dam Victims

Wilson Dam Victims

On June 20, 1919, Charles Current, was run over by a train

July 11, 1919, William Simpson's cause was not listed

Oct 23, 1919, Oscar Ramsey, railroad accident

Dec 3, 1919, Henry W. Vanhoose, railroad accident

Feb 6, 1920, J. H. Holland drowned

April 16, 1920, Johnny Jones Murdered

May 20, 1920, Martin Mardon Black, pier collapse

May 20, 1920, Ed Broadfoot pier collapse

May 20, 1920, T. M. Davis pier collapse

July 23, 1920, F. J. Oxford struck by a rock

Oct 17, 1920, Edward Parish rail accident

Oct 22, 1920, Cecil Curtis crushed by a load of lumber

Oct 22, 1920, Edward Harris run over by a train

Dec 20, 1920, Harvey Matheny drowned 

Dec 20, 1920, T. P. O'Neal drowned

Dec 20, 1920, Henry Gillham, drowned

Dec 20, 1920, Forrest Pelt downed

Jan 14, 1921, John Castleberry struck by a pipe

Jn 21, 1921 J. B. Donaldson crushed by cement 

Feb 11, 1921, Albert McFarland struck by a train

On April 25, 1921, Andrew E. McCord caused an unknown

Dec 20, 1921, John W. Clark cause unknown

Dec 6, 1922, Clarence Ashmore cause unknown

Feb 1923 Joe Johnson cause unknown

Mar 9, 1923, James Thigpen drowned

Mar 23, 1923, Ike Anderson was crushed by gears

April 23, 1923, G. E. Copas struck by a train 

Aug 10, 1923, Ben Rice Scalded

Oct 12, 1923, Lawrence D, Lloyd was found dead

Jan 1924 Jasper Welch cause unknown

Mar 1, 1924, Rush King drowned

Mar 1, 1924, Edward Jones drowned

April 30, 1924, Nathan Mosley fell above the powerhouse

May 5, 1924, George D. Pettus cause unknown

On May 24, 1924, Tom Tate struck by a concrete bucket

June 16, 1924, L. R., Loyd fell over 80 feet

July 4, 1924, R. D, Butler stepped off the barge and drowned

Sept 4, 1924, VC Miller shot by his wife 

Oct 3, 1924, Rube Martin fell from the concrete arch

Dec 1924 George W. Alexander cause unknown 

Jan 26, 1925, William A. Mecke fell 80 feet and drown

March 28, 1925, C. D, Phillips struck by the concrete form 

May 1925 Fred King cause unknown

June 1, 1925, Arch Austin struck by concert form 

June 12, 1925, Claude L. Danley fell 25 feet in the powerhouse

Aug 4, 1925, Richard Buckingham struck by a chain

Other victims 

Laurel Davis, Dave Denny, Percy Harris, Alexander Hobbs, Ardee Ingram, John Marshall, Will Monroe, Isaac Morgan, Nelson Nelson, Richard H. Stinson, Isaac N Stutts, Jessie Swoope, Troy Wardell 

Listed in the index of the state death certificate

Dead certificate index for Colbert County man. Also listing for Lauderdale man of the same name who died in March 1924.

The reward for Drowned Men
T. P. O'Neal, Henry Gillham, Harvey Matthews & Ernest Pelt
Dec 24, 1919

The reward for drowned men 

Fifty dollars each for bodies of men drowned at Wilson Dam on Christmas Eve.

The authorities at the Wilson Dam have offered a reward of fifty dollars each for the recovery of the bodies of the men who were drowned on the 24th day of December.

The name of the men who lost their lives in the swift waters of Tennessee is T.P. O’Neal, Harvey Matthews, Earnest Pelt, and Henry Gillham. At the time of the accident that cost these men their lives the river was running strong, and it may be that the bodies have gone far downstream. 

It is announced that the finder of any of these bodies will hold and promptly communicate with Capt. Henry Fox, C.S. Engineer Office Wilson Dam Florence by telephone or telegraph.

Accident at the dam is fatal
Albert McFarland
Feb 11, 1921
buried Florence Cemetery Florence, Al 

Accident at the dam is fatal 

Albert McFarland was struck by a train on Construction work and succumbed to injuries in a few hours.

The entire community was distressed last Friday evening to learn that Mr. Albert McFarland had been struck by a train on the construction work at Wilson Dam and had had a leg badly mangled that amputation would be necessary but fatal news that he had scummed to his injury before an operation could be performed shock and brought sorrow to a large circle of friends.

Mr. McFarland was in charge of the unloading of bars of concrete on the construction bridge where from track and many switches handled the heavy load on the construction train. 

While looking in the opposite direction he was struck from behind by a car and knocked down on the track. 

He caught hold of the car to pull himself from beneath the wheels and his leg became caught between a crosstie and the truck boxing of the car and was badly mangled in the flesh 

Negro Crushed in Cog Wheel

Government employee caught in the gears of unloading crane on deck

Below the Florence Bridge

Ike Anderson 

Mar 23, 1923

Ike Anderson, one of the colored employees of the government working at the unloading dock at the Florence bridge met a horrible death last Thursday evening when he was caught in the gears of one of the big electrical cranes used in unloading sand and gravel.

Anderson was at work about the dock when his boot became caught in the cog of the crane and before it was noticed by anyone his entire body was drawn into the egrets and terribly mangled, death resulting in a short time.

The big crane was busy unloading the sand and gravel brought up from Buck Island, which was taken off the barges and dumped into cars for transportation to the dam, where the accident occurred.

Another Fatal Accident Occurs at Wilson 
Dam John Castleberry Killed
Jan 14, 1921

Another Fatal Accident Occurs at Wilson Dam

John Castleberry was killed.

Another fatal accident occurred last Friday afternoon at Wilson Dam when a thirty-foot section of five-inch iron casing, that was being drawn from one of the drill holes slipped from the rope and fell, crushing the skull of John Castleberry and painfully inuring L. G. Jernigan. 

Castleberry was a Lauderdale young man living on the Jackson highway about twelve miles from Florence.

Death Plunge for Dam Worker
Carpenter Falls from concrete forms into swirling waters of river boy carried swiftly away
James Thigpen 
March 9, 1923 

Death plunge for dam worker 

Carpenter falls from concrete forms into swirling waters of river body carried swiftly away 

The swirling waters of Tennessee claimed another victim Tuesday morning when James Thigpen Twenty-six-year-old carpenter at Wilson Dam lost his foothold while at work on one of the tall concrete forms and plunged into the stream to be carried swiftly out of sight in the current that raged between the pier.

Thigpen had been at work at the dam only since February 20th having come here from Paint Rock, in Jackson County, Alabama where he left his young wife Mrs. Myrtle Thigpen to await him. Shortly after he had gone to work Tuesday morning when he had climbed up on the framework of one of the forms the accident happened.

Efforts to locate the body were useless as the stream is extremely swift when it passes between the piers

Notice was sent to point down the river to be on the lookout for this body, and the relative was immediately notified. Besides his widow, Thigpen is survived by his father Mr. Dan Thigpen of Ramet, Tennessee.

Man fatally burned at the dam
Ben Rice 
Aug 10, 1923

Man fatally burned at the dam 

Crane overturns steam scalding fireman to death. Others of the crew escape by jumping 

A fatal accident occurred last Friday morning at Wilson Dam when one of the locomotive cranes used in escalating for the locks on the north side overturned and caught the fireman, Ben Rice, under the cab where escaping steam scalded him so severely the death followed twelve hours later at the Coffee Hospital, where he had been rushed for medical attention.

Rice was a citizen of East Florence, where he lived with his mother, who with two brothers, Clyde and Ellis survived him. He was about 35 years of age. 

Funeral services were at two o’clock Saturday afternoon at the Fielder Funeral Home, being conducted by Rev. J. O. Hall pastor of the East Florence Methodist Church followed by intermitting at the city cemetery. 

Wilson Dam Labor Foreman was shot and instantly killed by his wife defending herself 

VC Miller 

Sept 4, 1924

Wilson Dam Labor foreman shot and instantly killed by wife defending herself 

V. C. Miller threatens his wife and goes after a hatchet when she probs fatal load into his head from a single barrel shotgun.

A man reported having been abusive toward his wife before.

VC Miller labor foreman at Wilson Dam was shot and instantly killed by his wife at their home on the south side reservation shortly after 8:30 o’clock last night. 

Immediately after the shooting the wife and two small children, ages 3, and 5 took refuge in the home of a neighbor where they remained under guard last night, K. S. Skinner, chief of Guards at the dam, announced this morning that she would be held on the reservation until a preliminary hearing was held before United States Commissioner Merwin Koone at the Federal Building in Florence this afternoon at five o’clock. 

According to statements from neighbors miller had been very overbearing with his wife for some time. He had threatened her on several occasions so the story goes, and recently ordered her to pack her clothes and other personal effects and leave.

Yesterday according to the information given to the authorities by a resident of the reservation, he demanded his discharge and payment in full at the dam. Upon airing at his home he immediately became involved in a quarrel with his wife and when he threatened her life she secured a single-barreled shotgun and shot him, the load striking him in the abdomen. The wounded man rushed for a hatchet but before he could reach his wife with it she reloaded the gun and fired point-blank into his face causing instant death. 

After arriving at the home of W.N. Tracy a neighbor Mrs. Miller collapsed. Guards a the dam were notified of the killing and they, in turn, telephoned the Morrison Undertaking Establishment who removed the body to Florence to prepare it for burial.

Mr. and Mrs. Milled have lived at the dam for the past two years. They came here from Chattanooga, TN the Deceased had been employed in different divisions of construction work at 

(continued on page six)

Labor falls off of dam to instant death
citizen of Iron City plunges into the river 80 feet below 
LR Loyd
 June 16, 1924
Buried Lone Cedar Cemetery Lauderdale County, Al 
 Mr. L. R. Loyd, a laborer at Wilson Dam, fell from the top of the powerhouse on the north side of the river this morning at 8:10 o'clock, causing instant death. He felt more than eighty feet, and it was about thirty-five minutes before the body could be recovered from the deep water into which he fell. Details of the fatal accident could not be learned, but it is thought that he became overbalanced while engaged in his duties on top of the powerhouse construction, falling to his death. Mr. Loyd was 23 years of age. He was married and made his home in Iron City, Tenn., until recently. He and his wife have been living on Huntsville Road near the dam since coming to Florence. J. J. Phillips, funeral director, has charge of the remains and announced this morning that arrangements for the funeral have not been completed. Printed in the Florence Times, Wednesday Afternoon, June 18, 1924.

Dam Worker Succumbs to his injuries
Phillips dies in few hours after having his chest crushed
other victims badly injured
HC Penny was seriously injured when form fell on the dam
CD Phillips
March 28, 1925

CD Phillips who was badly injured at Wilson Dam 

Yesterday succumbed to his injuries during the afternoon, and his body was taken to Tuscumbia where he had made his home for the past two years.

Phillips and a Florence man, HC Penny, were both caught when one of the big wooden forms for the concrete work at Wilson Dam slipped from the crane as it was being put in place, and both were seriously injured, the death of Phillips following in a little more than three hours while Penny is thought to be on the road to recovery. Phillip’s chest was crushed by the heavy form, his lungs bursting under the pressure. He had come from Barton to Tuscumbia about two years ago, to work at Wilson Dam, where he was a member of the carpenter's force. He is survived by his widow and five children. Penny is one of the old-timers at Wilson Dam having been first employed there in 1919.

Stumble proves fatal when a dam employee attempts to race from beneath falling form
Archie Austin
June 1, 1925
Buried Canaan Methodist Cemetery, Lauderdale Co Al 

Stumble proves fatal when the dam 

Employee attempts race from beneath falling form 

The life of Archie Austin was crushed out this morning when a heavy wooden form topples over on him, Two companions succeeded in escaping 

A young man trips when he starts the race to save his life.

Death instant from accident 

Had been a resident of North Florence in recent month 

Archie Austin 

Jun1, 1925

Archie Austin age 23, a carpenter at Wilson Dam was instantly killed this morning at about nine o’clock when a concrete form fell on him, pinning him underneath. The workman who immediately went to his rescue, lifting the heavy form from his body found that life was extinct and noticed the error of Fielder undertaker who took charge of the remains.

Austin and two other workmen were engaged in putting in place one of the large wooden forms in the lock pit and were moving it forward, with pinch bars, when it was pinched forward too far and tilted over about to fall upon them. All three started to run from beneath it, but Austin caught his foot in some wire and stumbled and fell, being caught beneath the heavy mass and instantly killed, while the other town men escaped. 

Mr. Austin had worked at the dam for the past 23 months. He was transferred this morning from the Power House sector to the lock on the north shore and he had been engaged in his new duties only a few hours when the fatal accident occurred. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. TB Austin of Memphis who was immediately notified and a telegram from his father stated he would arrive on the night train after the funeral arrangement was announced. 

Danley's fall proves fatal
Local youth succumbs to the injury sustained in a fall at the dam
Claude L. Danley 
June 12, 1925
Florence Times Newspaper on June 12, 1925.
DANLEY'S FALL PROES FATAL-- Local Youth Succumbs to Injury Sustained in Fall at Dam--Claude L. Danley, eighteen ear old son of Mr. and Mrs. C.D Danley of this city, died at the Eliza Coffee Memorial Hospital shortly after six o'clock yesterday afternoon as a result of injuries sustained in a fall at Wilson Dam, where he was employed, at 11 o'clock yesterday morning. Officials' information regarding the accident could not be obtained at noon today as papers had not been filed in the office of the record clerk at the dam but was reported that the young man fell a distance of about twenty-five feet in the powerhouse, landing on his head on the concrete floor causing such a serious fracture of the skull that he was rendered unconscious. He was rushed to the hospital where an operation was resorted to, but he never regained consciousness. Funeral services are being conducted this afternoon at the Canaan church near Smithsonian, by Rev. J. R. Jolly, pastor of the Central Christion church. Interment will take place in the family burial ground at the place in charge of O. R. Fielder. The young man was well known in Florence. He had been employed at the dam only a short while at the time of his fatal accident. He formerly worked at the Majestic Lunch Room here and later at O'Brian's Café on W. Tennessee Street. He was a member of a well-known family and had a large number of friends here. Among the out-of-town relatives who arrived today to attend the funeral was Mrs. Berthe Danley of Memphis, an uncle of the young man, who until very recently resided at Florence

Negro Killed at Wilson Dam today
Richard Buckingham 
Aug 4, 1925
Buried Buckingham Cemetery Lauderdale Co Al 

Negro Killed at Wilson Dam 

Richard Buckingham, a colored laborer at Wilson Dam, met almost instant death this morning when the stay chains of a dump car which was being unloaded brake unfastened and permitted the heavyweight of the dump bucket to swing over knocking him down and catching his head. 

The injured man was gotten from beneath the weight immediately and rushed to the first aid station but died before he got there. 

The dump car was one of the large ones of twenty tonnes capacity, and the accident occurred on the Jackson Island section where the unloading was taking place at about 8:10 o’clock this morning.

Buckingham was a resident of Florence living near Chisholm Road. 

Tom Tate 
May 24, 1924
buried Maplewood Cemetery Pulaski, TN

Accident This Morning Fatal at Wilson Dam
Concrete Forman Dies After Having Back Broken Today

Tim Tate one of the foremen at Wilson Dam, received injuries this morning from which he died in a little more than an hour, after being rushed to the Coffee Memorial Hospital here for treatment. He was struck by a loaded concrete bucket that fell from one of the big cranes, and his back was broken and other injuries were sustained. He was a resident of the reservation at Plant Two, having come here from Pulaski, Tenn., and is survived by his widow and several small children. His death came about half an hour after reaching the hospital. The accident occurred on the south side of the dam where construction was going forward on the powerhouse. 

TOM TATE MAY 24, 1924

NEGRO has fatal
fall at Wilson Dam
Nathan Mosley 
April 30, 1924
"Nathan Mosley, 21-year-old negro, was almost instantly killed yesterday afternoon at about 2 o'clock when he fell from the top of Wilson am while climbing on the structure above the powerhouse.
The negro attempted to cath in a wedge that protruded from a concrete form at the top of the dam when it came loose, causing the negro to fall to his death. He fell more than 60 feet and died while en route to the hospital.

William Necke
Jan 26, 1925
Buried St Michaels Cemetery St Florian, Al 
Local Citizen Killed at Dam
Loses balance on top of Dam and falls
to water below
death occurs by drowning
stunned by fall, unable to get out of shallow water
William A. Mecke, a member of a prominent St. Florian family met an instant death this morning when he fell from the tip of the dam into the spillway, the fall of eighty feet into the water stunning him to the extent that he was unable to save himself, although the water was only four or five feet deep, and drowning occurred before those working with him could reach his body.
Every means of artificial respiration was used, but he could not be revived.
The accident occurred in the Jackson Island section, where the water is comparatively still below the spillway. Meeke and has been employed at the dam since work was resumed some time ago, being a member of the force of carpenters.
He was well known throughout the country as the son of Leo P. Meeke, a prominent farmer of St Florian He was 32 years of age and left a wong wife and two children, Mary Ann aged 2, and an infant of only 2 weeks.
He is also survived by his father, mother, three brothers, and three sisters, Leo, Frank, Thomas Mecke, Mrs. Harry Epping, Mrs. Frank Henke, and Miss Genevieve Meeke, all of this county. He made his home near that of his father at St. Florian. He spent all of his life here except the period during which he was in army service during the war.
The body was taken in charge by James J. Phillips and removed to the funeral home on Wood Avenue. Arrangements for the funeral had not been made at two o'clock this afternoon.