Monday, January 31, 2011

Amaneunsis Monday - Newspaper Articles About The Death of Alvin A. Huneycutt

Amanuensis Monday is a daily blogging prompt used by many genealogy bloggers to help them post content on their sites. An Amanuensis is a person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another. Amanuensis Monday is a daily blogging theme which encourages the family historian to transcribe family letters, journals, audiotapes, and other historical artifacts. Not only do the documents contain genealogical information, the words breathe life into kin - some we never met - others we see a time in their life before we knew them.

Ambrose Ervin Huneycutt married Jane Elizabeth Hinson and they had a son named, William Eli Huneycutt (my direct ancestor). They had another son named,
... Alvin S. Huneycutt who married Mary Ellen Stafford.

William Eli Huneycutt and Alvin S. Huneycutt were brothers so Alvie would be my Great Great Uncle. This story is about Alvie Huneycutt.


Alvin S. Huneycutt was born on 11/11/1861 in Stanly County, NC to Ambrose Ervin Huneycutt (DOB: 9/1836 in Montgomery County, NC; DOD: 5/20/1914 in Stanly County, NC) and Elizabeth Jane Hinson (DOB: 1838-1843 in NC; DOD: 1912 in Stanly County, NC).

1870 U.S. Census of Big Lick, Stanly County, North Carolina; Roll: M593_1160; Page: 34A; Image:  77; Family History Library Film: 552659, Lines 2-5, "A. E. Huneycutt"
A.E. Huneycutt, 33 yrs old (DOB 1837), M(ale), W(hite), Farming, $0 Real Estate Value, $0 Personal Estate Value, Born in NC
Elizabeth Huneycutt, 27 yrs old (DOB 1843), F, W, Housekeeping, Born in NC
Alia J. Huneycutt (sic, it looks like Alvie S. Huneycutt to me but Ancestry.com has him indexed as Alia J. Huneycutt), 8 yrs old (DOB 1862), Born in NC
Alexander Huneycutt, 10/12 mos old (DOB 1869), Born in NC

1880 U.S. Census of Big Lick, Stanly County, North Carolina; Roll: 982; Family History Film 1254982; Page 320A; Enumeration District: 206; Image: 0314, Lines 2-9, "A. Esaw Hunycutt" (sic)
A. Esaw Hunycutt, W(hite), M(ale), 46 yrs old (DOB 1834), Head, Married, Farmer, Born in NC, Both parents born in NC
J. Elizabeth Hunycutt, W, F, 42 yrs old (DOB 1836), Wife, Married, Keeping House, Born in NC, Both parents born in NC
Alvay Hunycutt (sic, should be Alvie Huneycutt), W, M, 19 yrs old (DOB 1861), Son, Single, Born in NC, Both parents born in NC, Farm Laborer
Alexander Hunycutt, W, M, 10 yrs old (DOB 1870), Son, Born in NC, Both parents born in NC
Joeaner Hunycutt (sic, should be Sarah Joanna Huneycutt), W, F, 8 yrs old (DOB 1872), Daughter, Born in NC, Both parents born in NC
William Hunycutt, W, M, 4 yrs old (DOB 1876), Son, Born in NC, Both parents born in NC
Montgomery Hunycutt, W, M, 2 yrs old (DOB 1878), Son, Born in NC, Both parents born in NC
Elizabeth Hunycutt, W, F, 18 yrs old (DOB 1862), Daughter, Keeping house, Born in NC, Both parents born in NC (Alvie Hunycutt's first wife)

Alvie was married twice. His first wife was Elizabeth McIntyre, aka Sis McIntyre. She was 17 yrs old when they got married on 2/26/1880 in Stanly County, NC. She was the daughter of George Emery McIntyre and Caroline Carpenter. Her brother, Henry Watson McIntyre, was the father of Roy Frank McIntyre who married Dallie Honeycutt (a niece of Alvie's, his brother, William Eli Huneycutt's, daughter).

Alvie and Elizabeth had one child, Adolphus Franklin Huneycutt (aka Tink McIntyre, Tink Huneycutt, Dolph McIntyre and Dolph Huneycutt). Alvie and Elizabeth divorced between 1881-1889.

Alvie then married Mary Ellen Stafford (DOB: 9/15/1871, in SC; DOD: 12/26/1954 in Stanly County, NC) on 4/26/1889 in Cheraw, SC.

Mary Ellen Stafford Huneycutt


Alvie and Mary Huneycutt had 9 children:
1) Lawrence Alexander Huneycutt (DOB: 1/31/1890 in Stanly County, NC; DOD: 3/28/1931 in Stanly County, NC) who married sisters, Daisy McSwain and, then, Bertha Emaline McSwain.
2) Vance Alexander Huneycutt (DOB: 9/18/1891 in Stanly County, NC; DOD: 9/5/1954) married Minnie Lee Wallace, Dorothy Floyd, and Clara Gallimore.
3) Minnie Estell Huneycutt (DOB: 1/25/1893 in Stanly County, NC; DOD: 10/20/1962) married Toll Cline Tucker.
4) Iler Pearl Huneycutt (DOB: 12/13/1894 in Stanly County, NC; DOD: 6/3/1987) married Jape C. Burleson.
5) Ollie Lee Huneycutt (DOB: 2/22/1896 in Stanly County, NC; DOD: 2/15/1975) married Jessie William Russell.
6) Marshall Ray Huneycutt (DOB: 12/25/1898 in Stanly County, NC; DOD: 3/4/1981) married Maude Wilma Shuping.
7) Sarah Jane Huneycutt (DOB: 8/23/1902 in Stanly County, NC; DOD: 5/2/1999) married John Waldo Kendall.
8) John Ervin Huneycutt (DOB: 3/19/1904 in Stanly County, NC; DOD: 11/21/1974) married Minnie Lou Aldridge.
9) Leonard Huneycutt (DOB: 3/29/1906; DOD: ) married ?


1900 U.S. Census of Tyson, Stanly County, North Carolina; Roll: T623_ 1218; Page: 10A; Enumeration District: 128, Lines 38-45, "Alden Honeycutt" (sic, should be Alvie Huneycutt)
Alden Honeycutt, Head, W(hite), M(ale), Born Sept, 1861, 38 yrs old, Married 12 yrs, Born in NC, Both parents born in NC, Farmer, rents farm, Can read and write
Mary E. Honeycutt, Wife, W, F, Born Sept, 1871, 28 yrs old, Married 12 yrs, 10 children with 6 still living, Born in NC, Both parents born in NC
Larnce A. Honeycutt (sic), Son, W, M, Born Jan, 1890, 10 yrs old, Born in NC, Both parents born in NC, Farm Laborer
Vance A. Honeycutt, Son, W, M, Born Sept, 1891, 8 yrs old, Born in NC, Both parents born in NC
Mannie Honeycutt (sic, should be Minnie Huneycutt), Daughter, W, F, Born Jan, 1893, 7 yrs old, Born in NC, Both parents born in NC
Iler P. Honeycutt, Daughter, W, F, Born Dec, 1894, 5 yrs old, Born in NC, Both parents born in NC
Olley L. Honeycutt, Daughter, W, F, Born Feb, 1896, 4 yrs old, Born in NC, Both parents born in NC
Marshel R. Honeycutt (sic), Son, W, M, Born Dec, 1898, 2 yrs old, Born in NC, Both parents born in NC



The Ansonian, Nov 26, 1907
Alvin Honeycutt Killed
Thrown From Wagon By S.A.L. Passenger Train Friday – Wife and Child Wounded.

Friday afternoon as Alvin S. Honeycutt of Burnsville township was returning to his home from some point in South Carolina, where he had been to visit relatives of his wife, his wagon was struck at the Concord road crossing one and a half miles from here, killing him instantly and seriously wounding his wife. Besides the husband and wife, one son about 16 years of age and another two years of age were in the wagon. The older son escaped without any injury and the little child is only slightly wounded. The mules were unhurt, but the wagon completely demolished, every wheel being broken. The accident occurred about 1 o’clock and the train figuring in it was an extra passenger which had been run in the morning to Hamlet from Monroe, being on the return trip.

After the train had passed the crossing about 200 yards, it backed to the scene and took aboard the dead man and his family, carrying them to Polkton, a station seven miles farther on the road. There the body of the father and his two children were left, the mother being taken to Monroe for hospital treatment.

Coroner Fenton was notified from Polkton and went there at once to hold an inquest. He found the body neatly dressed at the request of the railroad and in a coffin bought by the road. The only witness to examine was Vance Honeycutt, the son who was driving the wagon at the time. Vance is about 16 years of age and very intelligent. He stated, in addition to the following evidence, that he did not know what had struck the wagon until he saw the train up the road after it had passed, not having heard the least noise at the time. Honeycutt’s skull was crushed from a point near the right eye to the center of the neck behind and also at the forehead. Besides this, bruises were found on different parts of the body, some probably due to the fall. Blood was found on the ground where his body lay. Following is the report of the Coroner’s inquest with the evidence of the only witness examined:
Coroner’s Report

Vance Honeycutt being sworn says: “We were in a two-horse No. 21 Nissen wagon going from Wadesboro home on the Brown Creek church road on Friday, the 22nd of November, 1907. We were going on the Wadesboro road in a slow trot. One mule dashed off just as we got on railroad. I pulled her down and deceased said, 'Let her go.' I slacked the reins and she went on. Just as the hind wheel got on the railroad, the wagon turned over by being struck by train. The wagon was covered. My father, mother,baby and myself, were in the wagon. I was thrown about ten feet. My father was thrown about sixty feet and was dead when I got to him. I got to my father before the train backed to the place where he was lying. I heard no whistle,but think that I could have heard one if it had blown. The train passed the scene, the hind car being two hundred yards from where my father lay. The train backed back and the train crew placed the body of my father on the train. My mother was also placed on the train there. My father was not drinking. This was about 1 o’clock, November 22nd. The scene of the accident was at Concord crossing. “ Vance Honeycutt.

“We the jury, duly empanelled by Coroner E.F. Fenton to try the cause of death of A.S.Honeycutt, find that deceased came to his death on Friday afternoon. November 22nd, 1907, by wounds on head and other parts of the body. Said wounds being caused by a blow from a passing train at above named date and hour.”  Thomas Smith, W.G. Huntley, D.A.Carter, G.T. Boyette, J.C. Goodman, W.R.A. Hanna.

Alvin Honeycutt lived near Wightman church in Burnsville township and was a well-to-do farmer.He was an unusually sober and industrious man and while he had not accumulated much property, he lived at home, paid his debts and conducted himself, he and his family, as to justly merit the high esteem with which they are held in the community. He was a member of the Cottonville Baptist church in Stanly county,near his home four years ago when he lived in that county. He was devoted to his church and tried as best he could to live the Christian life. Not having been endowed with an enviable ancestry, he was endeavoring to do better by his progeny.

The burial was at Cottonville. Seven small children survive the father who was about 45 years of age.

Mrs. Honeycutt has apparently lost the sight of her eyes and is at the point of death at Monroe where she was carried.


The Messenger and Intelligencer (Wadesboro, NC), Nov 27, 1907
Terrible Tragedy
Man Killed; Wife Dangerously Injured

A covered wagon, in which was riding Mr. and Mrs. Alvin S. Honeycutt and two of their children, struck by a S.A.L. train, Friday afternoon, at the Concord Road Crossing - Mr. Honeycutt instantly killed and Mrs. Honeycutt dangerously wounded.

Wednesday of last week Mr. and Mrs. Alvin S. Honeycutt, of Burnsville Township, and two of their children, Vance, aged 16, and a 2-year old infant, passed through Wadesboro on their way to a point near Cheraw to visit the father of Mrs. Honeycutt, who is a Mr. Stafford. Friday morning they returned to Wadesboro and fed their mules and did some shopping. About 1 o'clock in the afternoon they left town for their home traveling in a covered wagon. The boy Vance was driving and Mr. and Mrs. Honeycutt and the baby were in the back part of the wagon.

A short time after this news was brought here that the wagon had been struck by a Seaboard Air Line passenger train at the Concord Road crossing, two miles north of town and both Mr. and Mrs. Honeycutt killed. This report turned out to be true as to Mr. Honeycutt. He was knocked some 60 feet by the impact of the engine and his skull crushed and neck broken. Mrs. Honeycutt recieved dangerous internal injuries but the latest news from her bedside is to the effect that she will probably recover.

The train, after running more than 200 yards past the crossing, stopped and backed to the scene of the tragedy. Mrs. Honeycutt and the children (neither of whom were hurt) and the remains of Mr. Honeycutt, were taken on board, after which the train proceeded on it's way. At Polkton the two children and the dead body of the father were taken from the train. The wife and mother was carried on to Monroe and placed in a hospital, where she still is.

The Scene of the Accident
The railroad, in the direction from which the train was coming, approaches the Concord Road crossing through a shallow cut and trains are not clearly visible from the dirt road at any distance from the rail road. This fact, together with further facts that it was a dark rainy day and the Honeycutts were traveling in a covered wagon, is probably responsible for the accident.

So far as known the only persons who witnessed the accident were two colored men, who were working in a nearby field. These men say that the engineer on the train failed to blow for the crossing as he appraoched it.

The Dead Man
Mr. Honeycutt, who was about 45 years of age, moved to Anson four years ago from Cottonville, Stanly County, and settled on the Shep Lee old place, in Burnsville township. He was a good citizen in every way and made many friends in his new home. At the time of his death he was superintendent of the Sunday school at Rocky River church. The interment was at Cottonville Saturday afternoon.

The Coroner's Inquest
Coroner Fenton went to Polkton Friday afternoon and held an inquest over the dead body of Mr. Honeycutt. The only witnesses examined was the son, Vance Honeycutt, who testified as follows:

"We were in a two-horse No. 21 Nissen (?) wagon going from Wadesboro home on Brown Creek church road on Friday, the 22nd of November, 1907. We were going on the Wadesboro Road in a slow trot. One mule dashed off just as we got on railroad. I pulled her down and deceased said, 'Let her go.' I slacked the reins and she went on. Just as the hind wheel got on the railroad, the wagon turned over by being struck by the train. The wagon was covered. My father, mother, baby and myself were in the wagon. I was thrown some distance and the baby was thrown about ten feet. My father was thrown about sixty feet and was dead when I got to him. I got to my father before the train backed up to the place where he was lying. I heard no whistle, but think that I could have heard one if it had blown. The train passed the scene, the hind car being two hundred yards from where my father lay. The train backed back and the train crew placed the body of my father on the train. My mother was also placed on the train there. My father was not drinking. This was about 1 o'clock, November 22nd. The scene of the accident was at Concord crossing."

After hearing this testimony the coroner's jury, consisting of Messrs. Thos. Smith, W.G. Huntley, D.A. Carter, G.T. Boyette, J.C. Goodman and W.R. A. Hanna, returned the following verdict:

"We, jury duly empanelled by Coroner E.F. Fenton to try the cause of the death of A.S. Huneycutt, find that deceased came to his death on Friday afternoon, November 22nd 1907, by wounds on head and other parts of the body. Said wounds being caused by a blow from a passing train at above named date and hour."


The mules spooked and ran onto the railroad track and it's a wonder that they all weren't killed!  Leonard, Alvie and Mary's youngest son was the 2 year old child mentioned in the article. Lawrence Alexander Huneycutt (Alvie's eldest son) and William McSwain went to Polkton, NC to bring Alvie's body back in a wagon. They had to cross the Rocky River and it was high. They crossed on a ferry. Mary Ellen Stafford Huneycutt survived and married the above mentioned William McSwain. She and William had 2 children: Curtis and Lena McSwain. Mary died at 83 yrs old on 12/26/1954 in Stanly County, NC.

1910 U.S. Census of Winfield Rd., Tyson,  Stanly,  North Carolina; Roll:  T624_1125; Page:  4A; Enumeration District:  0125; Image:  531; FHL Number:  1375138, Lines 12-18, "Hunley Cuntwill E." (sic, because of the way the census taker wrote Huney cutt with a space between the first and second syllables and his messy handwriting),
Cuntwill E. Hunley, Head, M(ale), W(hite), 33 yrs old (DOB 1876), First marriage, Married 12 yrs (DOM 1898), Born in NC, Both parents born in NC, Farmer of home farm
Lendy Hunley (sic, should be Malinda), Wife, F, W, 33 yrs old (DOB 1876), First marriage, Married 12 yrs, 6 children with 5 still living, Born in NC, Both parents born in NC, Laborer on home farm
Oscar A. Hunley, Son, M, W, 11 yrs old (DOB 1899), Born in NC, Both parents born in NC, Laborer on home farm
Allie Hunley, Daughter, F, W, 6 yrs old (DOB 1904), Born in NC, Both parents born in NC
Dellie Hunley (sic, should be Dallie), Daughter, F, W, 6 yrs old (DOB 1904), Born in NC, Both parents born in NC
Grover Hunley, Son, M, W, 4 yrs old (DOB 1906), Born in NC, Both parents born in NC
Emmia Hunley (sic, should be Vernia), Daughter, F, W, 1 yrs 7/12 mos old (DOB 1908), Born in NC, Both parents born in NC
Bud and Bessy Floyd
Felt J. and Fannie Linger
Harry and Mary Crump
Crett Mary E. Hurrey (sic, should be Mary E. Huneycutt), Head, F, W, 38 yrs old (DOB 1872), Married 19 yrs now Widowed, 10 children with 9 still living, Born in NC, Both parents born in NC, Farmer on home farm (widow of Alexander McKinley Huneycutt, brother of William Eli Huneycutt)
Nance Hurrey (sic), Son, M, W, 18 yrs old (DOB 1892), Son, M, W, Single, Born in NC, Both parents born in NC, Laborer on home farm
Minnie Hurrey, Daughter, F, W, 17 yrs old (DOB 1893), Born in NC, Both parents born in NC
I. Loe Hurrey (sic), Daughter, F, W, 15 yrs old (DOB 1895), Born in NC, Both parents born in NC
Olla Hurrey (sic), Daughter, F, W, 14 yrs old (DOB 1896), Born in NC, Both parents born in NC
Marshall Hurrey, Son, M, W, 11 yrs old (DOB 1899), Born in NC, Both parents born in NC
Jenenia Hurrey (sic), Daughter, F, W, 7 yrs old (DOB 1903), Born in NC, Both parents born in NC
Johnnie Hurrey, Son, M, W, 6 yrs old (DOB 1904), Born in NC, Both parents born in NC
Leaured Hurrey, Son, M, W, 4 yrs old (DOB 1906), Born in NC, Both parents born in NC
Launce A. Hunycutt (sic, should be Lawrence A. Huneycutt), Head, M, W, 20 yrs old (DOB 1890), First marriage, Married 1 yr, Born in NC, Both parents born in NC, Farmer of home farm (Brother of William Eli and Alexander McKinley Huneycutt)
Margarret Hunycutt (sic), Wife, F, W, 22 yrs old (DOB 1888), First marriage, Married 1 yr, 1 child with 1 still living, Born in NC, Both parents born in NC
Lucy Hunycutt, Daughter, F, W, 7/12 mos old (1909), Born in NC, Both parents born in NC


NC Death Certificate #30432, Registration District #84-80, Registrar's Certificate #150, Mary Ellen Stafford Huneycutt McSwain, DOD: 12/26/1954 at 1491 White Oak Ave., Albemarle, Stanly County, NC (home)
White, Married, Widow, DOB: 9/16/1871 in SC, 83 yrs old, 3 mos, 10 days old
Occupation: Domestic
Father: John Stafford, Mother: Sarah Polson, Informant: J.C. McSwain, 1491 White Oak Ave., Albemarle, NC
DOD: 12/26/1954 at 4:00am
Cause of death: Acute coronary thrombosis (sudden) due to arteriosclerosis and hypertension
Burial: 12/29/1954 at Cottonville



Special thanks to William "Bill" Lee Honeycutt who wrote Hunnicutt-Honeycutt-Huneycutt, Virginia to NC, Descendents of George Honeycutt, Sr. of Stanly County, NC, copyright 1992
-AND-
Hunnacott-Hunnicutt, Honeycutt-Huneycutt, England to Virginia and Beyond, 1587-2009, Augustine and John Hunnicutt's Family History Lines, copyright 2009, ISBN 0-9632664-1-1. His is my cousin and has done years of research.

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