Anthology of Death
Leslie Ward graciously submitted this information in hopes that it might help others in their search.
Jacob ("Uncle Jake") Carpenter, born in 1833, scrawled down in his notebooks a unique record which later generations call his "Anthology of Death," and, because his records will help present and future generations to better catch and understand glimpses of the life that once existed here, when too few thought of recording for those who would come after them, the following excerpts - spelling and syntax unchanged - are given from his old writings, no effort having been made to keep them in sequence:
Davis Frank ag 72 dide july 29 1842 ware a fin man but mad sum brandy that waent no good
Abern Johnson ag 100.7 dide july 2 he ware farmer and run forg to mak iron and drunk liker all his days
Wm Carpenter ag 76 dide nov 15 1881 ware fin honter cild bar and wolves by 100 der by 100
Hargon O1lfs ag 83 jun Il dide he ware grat bar honter in conty he cild 99 bar
Samuel Hugkin 21 dide aug 18 1882 ware farmer and grate liar
Alek Wiseman ag 80 march 20 1877 ware a good man to mak brandy
John Clark ag 42 dide july 14 1914 from milk sick no brandy
Boon Pratt ag 28 dide sep 7 1906 work hard all lif got ratel snak bite brandy cured it
Wm Gary age 96 dide jan 2 1894 ware dere honter and bar honter cild 200 bar 100 dere
Charles McKinney ag 79 dide may 10 1852 ware a farmer lived in blew ridge had 4 womin married 1 live in McKinney gap all went to fields to mak grane all went to crib for corn all went to smk house for mete he cild 75 to 80 hoges a year and womin never had no words bout his havin so many womin. If it ware these times thar would be har pulled thare ware 42 childem belongin to him they all went to prechin together nothin said he mad brandy all his lif never had no foes got along fin with everibodi nod him
Wm Davis ag 100.8 dide october 5 1841 ware old soldier in rev war and got thi broke in las fite at Kings mountain. He war a farmer and mad brandy and never had no dronkards in famely (Note: William Davis was "Uncle" Jake's great-uncle.)
Wm Wilison ag 86 dide july 30 1847 hey warsmy grn fthr
Samuel Frank ag 94 dide july 12 1857 he wars farmer hwed loge for hoses no man cod bete him
Turner carpenter ag 23 dide nov 10 1862 hey fot his contry loste lif (Note: Turner, brother of "Uncle" Jake, took part in the Seven Days Battle Around Richmond, contracted the measles and "suick" consumption developed. He was discharged from service and died five weeks and three days later.)
Joseph Carpenter ag 18 dide auges 18 1862 hey fot for his contry los his life (Note: Joseph was probably not more than 16 years of age when he died in the Confederate army with the measles. He had been recruited by Joe Ollis, who was employed to raise as many young boys as possible for the Confederate Cause. "Uncle" Jake and four of his brothers were Confederate soldiers. This information was given 20 years ago by the almost hundred-year-old Mrs. Lvdia Isaacs.)
Dave oakes ag 80 did apr 5 1862 Shote by John Farmer in ware
Josef Pyatt a 75 jan 15 dide 1864 he wan farmer mad hoges ny 100
Pegey Wise a 75 dide oc 15 1868 she wars granny womin for contgl (When she was old, the porch roof fell upon her and killed her. Her sons found her that evening, her feet and legs sticking from under the fallen roof.")
Soonsy Ol1eS ag 84 did june 10 1871 grates Der honter & turkies bee trees b!· honders and ratel snak by 100 cild Der by thousand
henery barrier ag 78 dide march 15 1871 war fin hontercil ban by 100 Lees vance ag 82 dide march 10 1883 wars fin honter cil terky by 200 Peg Chatem ag 72 did auges 14 1886 she spon an wov cloth
Kim Kone ag 75 dide oc 15 1888 wan blacksmith he had 6 gals tha cod work in shop tha wars b feet hy
Steven buckhanen ag 73 Jun 5 1899 hey wer precher babus A L Wiseman ag 76 auges 7 1899 hey mad brandy by 10000
Margit Carpenter ag 87 dide Jun 5 1876 wars good womin good for pore she did not hav no bed to slep on when she wars marid she slep on denkin til marid but that look lik hard times no womin had to lie on denkins when marid
Wm berlison ag 75 dide july 25 1877 wars farmer & blaksmitb cot wolf lots
harson olles ag 83 jun 11 dide he wars grates bar honter in conty hey cild 99 bar
Jasper buckanen ag 60 did dec 2 1899 wars precher babis
Dock Chiles ag 82 di march 5 1859 wars docker (Note: when Dr. Child's body was removed from the "Tomb," preparatory to Sending it to Lincoln County for burial, the whiskey-filled lead coffin was opened and it was found that the body was well preserved, only a blue mold having formed on the face.)
Albert Vance ag 40 dide auges 30 hey wan Lorenin war of rev hey wars good feller
The last entry "Uncle" Jake made in his notebook reads: "Jacob Carpenter is sick took bed this day." That was his last illness, for he died on March 10, 1920, aged 87, his death being attributed to an attack of the flu.
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