Madisonville Democrat
Wednesday, December 1, 1943
"Seven People Die In Coker Creek Fire---Mrs. Addie Eller Hughes, 38 years old, widow of James Hughes, and six children, Nancy, Esta, Harvey, J.B., D.L., and MacArthur, ranging in age from one to fifteen years, all are dead as the result of a fire of unknown origin which broke out in their log cabin home at Coker Creek on Wednesday night of last week.
These seven, and another daughter, Mrs. Maggie Nichols, and her three-month-old daughter, were in the two-room cabin. Mrs. Hughes was awakened by the crackling of flames. She awakened her daughter, Mrs. Nichols, who, with her baby, was able to get out of the house. They burned an oil lamp all night and kept a fire in the fireplace. The loft was used as an upstairs, and some of the children were said to have been sleeping there. Mrs. Hughes tried to save her other children, but to no avail.
After Mrs. Nichols was outside, she heard a sister, Nancy, say from a small window, "Come and get me out." She went to the window, but flames burst through it and Mrs. Nichols was seriously burned. The baby also had suffered burns. Mrs. Nichols and baby were taken to Sweetwater Hospital and are reported in a fair condition to recover.
One door of the house had been nailed shut, and another had three or four buttons, and "when one was turned, another would fasten," according to neighbors. There was no water near with which to fight the flames, which were so hot that the remains could not be recovered until long afterward.
Leon Nichols, husband of the daughter who escaped, was employed at Fontana Dam, N.C. He had gone to the home of his parents, just across the line in Georgia, for the night. It is said that early Thursday he awakened his mother and said he had been unable to sleep; that he felt as if something was wrong with Maggie and the baby. A neighbor from Coker Creek soon arrived and told him of the fire.
Mrs. Dollie Hamby of Farner and Mrs. Rosie Farner of Tellico Plains are half-sisters of the children. They also leave a half-brother, John Lewis Hughes, of Mayking, Ky.
Remains of the seven were brought to the Biereley Funeral Home in Madisonville and all were placed in one casket. Following funeral services at the Coker Creek Baptist Church, burial was in the cemetery there on Friday afternoon."
Wednesday, December 1, 1943
"Seven People Die In Coker Creek Fire---Mrs. Addie Eller Hughes, 38 years old, widow of James Hughes, and six children, Nancy, Esta, Harvey, J.B., D.L., and MacArthur, ranging in age from one to fifteen years, all are dead as the result of a fire of unknown origin which broke out in their log cabin home at Coker Creek on Wednesday night of last week.
These seven, and another daughter, Mrs. Maggie Nichols, and her three-month-old daughter, were in the two-room cabin. Mrs. Hughes was awakened by the crackling of flames. She awakened her daughter, Mrs. Nichols, who, with her baby, was able to get out of the house. They burned an oil lamp all night and kept a fire in the fireplace. The loft was used as an upstairs, and some of the children were said to have been sleeping there. Mrs. Hughes tried to save her other children, but to no avail.
After Mrs. Nichols was outside, she heard a sister, Nancy, say from a small window, "Come and get me out." She went to the window, but flames burst through it and Mrs. Nichols was seriously burned. The baby also had suffered burns. Mrs. Nichols and baby were taken to Sweetwater Hospital and are reported in a fair condition to recover.
One door of the house had been nailed shut, and another had three or four buttons, and "when one was turned, another would fasten," according to neighbors. There was no water near with which to fight the flames, which were so hot that the remains could not be recovered until long afterward.
Leon Nichols, husband of the daughter who escaped, was employed at Fontana Dam, N.C. He had gone to the home of his parents, just across the line in Georgia, for the night. It is said that early Thursday he awakened his mother and said he had been unable to sleep; that he felt as if something was wrong with Maggie and the baby. A neighbor from Coker Creek soon arrived and told him of the fire.
Mrs. Dollie Hamby of Farner and Mrs. Rosie Farner of Tellico Plains are half-sisters of the children. They also leave a half-brother, John Lewis Hughes, of Mayking, Ky.
Remains of the seven were brought to the Biereley Funeral Home in Madisonville and all were placed in one casket. Following funeral services at the Coker Creek Baptist Church, burial was in the cemetery there on Friday afternoon."
Madisonville Democrat
Wednesday, December 1, 1943
"Seven People Die In Coker Creek Fire---Mrs. Addie Eller Hughes, 38 years old, widow of James Hughes, and six children, Nancy, Esta, Harvey, J.B., D.L., and MacArthur, ranging in age from one to fifteen years, all are dead as the result of a fire of unknown origin which broke out in their log cabin home at Coker Creek on Wednesday night of last week.
These seven, and another daughter, Mrs. Maggie Nichols, and her three-month-old daughter, were in the two-room cabin. Mrs. Hughes was awakened by the crackling of flames. She awakened her daughter, Mrs. Nichols, who, with her baby, was able to get out of the house. They burned an oil lamp all night and kept a fire in the fireplace. The loft was used as an upstairs, and some of the children were said to have been sleeping there. Mrs. Hughes tried to save her other children, but to no avail.
After Mrs. Nichols was outside, she heard a sister, Nancy, say from a small window, "Come and get me out." She went to the window, but flames burst through it and Mrs. Nichols was seriously burned. The baby also had suffered burns. Mrs. Nichols and baby were taken to Sweetwater Hospital and are reported in a fair condition to recover.
One door of the house had been nailed shut, and another had three or four buttons, and "when one was turned, another would fasten," according to neighbors. There was no water near with which to fight the flames, which were so hot that the remains could not be recovered until long afterward.
Leon Nichols, husband of the daughter who escaped, was employed at Fontana Dam, N.C. He had gone to the home of his parents, just across the line in Georgia, for the night. It is said that early Thursday he awakened his mother and said he had been unable to sleep; that he felt as if something was wrong with Maggie and the baby. A neighbor from Coker Creek soon arrived and told him of the fire.
Mrs. Dollie Hamby of Farner and Mrs. Rosie Farner of Tellico Plains are half-sisters of the children. They also leave a half-brother, John Lewis Hughes, of Mayking, Ky.
Remains of the seven were brought to the Biereley Funeral Home in Madisonville and all were placed in one casket. Following funeral services at the Coker Creek Baptist Church, burial was in the cemetery there on Friday afternoon."
Wednesday, December 1, 1943
"Seven People Die In Coker Creek Fire---Mrs. Addie Eller Hughes, 38 years old, widow of James Hughes, and six children, Nancy, Esta, Harvey, J.B., D.L., and MacArthur, ranging in age from one to fifteen years, all are dead as the result of a fire of unknown origin which broke out in their log cabin home at Coker Creek on Wednesday night of last week.
These seven, and another daughter, Mrs. Maggie Nichols, and her three-month-old daughter, were in the two-room cabin. Mrs. Hughes was awakened by the crackling of flames. She awakened her daughter, Mrs. Nichols, who, with her baby, was able to get out of the house. They burned an oil lamp all night and kept a fire in the fireplace. The loft was used as an upstairs, and some of the children were said to have been sleeping there. Mrs. Hughes tried to save her other children, but to no avail.
After Mrs. Nichols was outside, she heard a sister, Nancy, say from a small window, "Come and get me out." She went to the window, but flames burst through it and Mrs. Nichols was seriously burned. The baby also had suffered burns. Mrs. Nichols and baby were taken to Sweetwater Hospital and are reported in a fair condition to recover.
One door of the house had been nailed shut, and another had three or four buttons, and "when one was turned, another would fasten," according to neighbors. There was no water near with which to fight the flames, which were so hot that the remains could not be recovered until long afterward.
Leon Nichols, husband of the daughter who escaped, was employed at Fontana Dam, N.C. He had gone to the home of his parents, just across the line in Georgia, for the night. It is said that early Thursday he awakened his mother and said he had been unable to sleep; that he felt as if something was wrong with Maggie and the baby. A neighbor from Coker Creek soon arrived and told him of the fire.
Mrs. Dollie Hamby of Farner and Mrs. Rosie Farner of Tellico Plains are half-sisters of the children. They also leave a half-brother, John Lewis Hughes, of Mayking, Ky.
Remains of the seven were brought to the Biereley Funeral Home in Madisonville and all were placed in one casket. Following funeral services at the Coker Creek Baptist Church, burial was in the cemetery there on Friday afternoon."
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