Tragedies and mischief mark Christmas of 1901

By Mickey Starling Riverbend News In the weeks before Christmas in 1901, the joy of the season was lessened by a couple of tragedies in the area, as well as a bit of mischief. Madison's Marshal Dale was summoned to a field  just outside of town after hearing that a body had been found there. Upon arrival, Dale and County Judge Martin located the body of an elderly man lying near the corner of a fence. A nearby resident said the man, later identified as Harvey Peacock, a resident of Lowndes County, was visiting folks in the neighborhood. After Dale was unable to identify any injuries on Peacock's body, it was assumed that he wandered off in the middle of the night and got lost. He