Seventh Generation

1181. John Reuben DURHAM was born on 25 Jul 1870 in Kentucky.^{26,203,213,223,346} He died Gunshot in neck (suicide) on 22 Apr 1921 in Taylor County, Kentucky.²⁶ Buried in Brookside Cemetery. Informant listed as C.M. Durham of Campbellsville.

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Adair County News - Columbia, Kentucky
(PDF of newspaper given to me by Donna Lee - descendant of John Reuben Durham)
Wednesday, April 27, 1921

A HORRIBLE KILLING.
J. R. Durham Kills Norman Hobson Then Kills Himself. One Eye Witness. Both Parties Known Here.
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SLAYER AND SLAIN BOTH MASONS
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Campbellsville was horrified last Friday morning about 9 o'clock, when the news spread over the city that John Reuben Durham, a prominent poultry dealer, had shot and killed Norman Hobson, also in the poultry business, then shot and killed himself. Recently there was a shake up in the S. H. Grinstead Company, Durham, who was a large stock holder, going out as manager, Hobson succeeding him. Below we give a dispatch from Campbellsville, telling how it occcured.

Both men were Masons, we almost certain they were Knights Templar, Modern Woodsman, members of Churches, bot being deacons, and both were identified with the Republican party. Mr. Durham was a Baptis, Mr. Hobson, a Methodist.

Mr. Durham was a brother of F. H. Durham, this place, and often visited in Columbia. As soon as the news reached here Mr. F. H. Durham left for the scene. We understand that Mr. Hobson leaves a wife and two children and Durham a wife and four children and life insurance amounting to $25,000.

The following is the dispatch from Campbellsville:

Kpjm Reuben Durham, 55, vice president of the S. H. Grinstead Company, the largest poultry house here, shot and instantly killed Norman Hobson, 48, manager of the concern, shortly after 9 o'clock this morning and then ended his own life a minute later in a room over his office.

Dave Thruman, the only eyewitness of the tragedy, said that Hobson was reading a letter in front of the store when Durham came out with a shotgun and fired the load of one barrel into Hobson's neck. He then ran upstairs and another report was heard. He was found dead with the load of the other barrel through his breast.

Durham is believed by his friends to have lost his mind. He had been manager for many years of the Grinstead house and, after a recent consolidation with the McKinley house, was cut off as a salaried employe, for which it is believed he held Hobson responsible. It is known that there was ill felling between the two.

John Reuben DURHAM and Ann Lee "Amie" HUDSON were married about 1896 in Kentucky. Ann Lee "Amie" HUDSON (daughter of George HUDSON) was born on 4 Jul 1871 in Kentucky.^{26,213,223,346} She died Carcinory Liver on 28 May 1929 in Taylor County, Kentucky.²⁶ Gowdy Durham is listed as "informant" to the death of Amie Lee (Hudson) Durham. Amie Lee Durham is buried in Brookside Cemetery. John Reuben DURHAM and Ann Lee "Amie" HUDSON had the following children:

+1666	i.	Mary Elizabeth Cleo DURHAM.
+1667	ii.	Austin Edward "Ed" DURHAM.
+1668	iii.	Ruby DURHAM.
1669	iv.	Bertha May DURHAM was born on 10 Jun 1903 in Taylor County, Kentucky.36
1670	v.	Gowdy DURHAM was born about 1904 in Kentucky.213,346,347 In the 1930 Census for Taylor County, Kentucky - Gowdy Durham, age 26, is listed in the household of Everett and Ruby Kerr. Gowdy Durham is listed as "brother-in-law" and "single".
1671	vi.	Mabel Lee DURHAM was born on 14 Feb 1911 in Taylor County, Kentucky.64,346