A Singular Family. – A friend and subscriber furnishes us with the ages of a very peculiar family, formerly living in Meriwether county, as regards matrimony, a state of existence they did not seem to appreciate.  The members of this family were raised in Lincoln county, this State, and moved to Meriwether some 40 or 45 years ago.  Alexander Smith, born February 13, 1759; died October 18, 1851; aged 92 years, 8 months and 5 days.  William Smith, born January 12, 1774; died September 15, 1844, aged 70 years, 8 months and 3 days.  Miss Mary Smith, born March 12, 1777; died February 8, 1859; aged 81 years, 9 months and 19 days.  Miss Rebecca Smith, born December 29, 1782; died October 12, 1866; aged 83 years, 9 months and 13 days.  Miss Jane Smith, born December 20, 1778; died March 1, 1870; aged 91 years, 2 months and 11 days.

The female portion of this family were members of the Presbyterian Church—the last surviving one having been a member for 65 or 70 years.—None of the family were ever married.—LaGrange Reporter.

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Page 3.

Colored Baptist Church—Town Cemetery—Fair Grounds—“Ye Local” and what was the result.

On Sabbath last, in the afternoon, in company with Maj. William Milner, S. H. Patillo, and Capt. J. F. Leak, we ascended the hill that environs our Western boundary, to the colored Baptist Church, with the view of hearing a discourse from the Rev. Jeffrey Milner, the Pastor, but, upon our arrival at the place, found the Church already crowded to overflowing, and the hill literally covered with people unable to gain admission.—Looking in at the windows we discovered it was communion season with them, and finding our chances for hearing unflattering, we concluded to pay a visit to the city of the dead—i. e. our cemetery, which was but a little distance farther, to the West of said Church.  Upon our arrival at the cemetery, oh!  Horror of horrors! What should first attract our attention but a neglected grave, where some of the plank that covered the mouth of the vault had given way, and the dirt had caved in leaving a ghastly hole down to the coffin, that was unsightly to behold.  Instead of finding a nicely cleaned and laid off plat of ground, enclosed with a substantial fence. We found a mass of utter confusion—the whole plat overgrown with sprouts, and covered with brush, logs, old decayed palings and fences, crumbling brick vaults, and tottering tombs, with here and there, a neatly fixed up grave or graves, the spot selected without any reference whatsoever, to streets or roads.  Everything except for a few graves, wore the appearance of dilapidation and neglect.  Many of the graves have become extinct, and other rapidly approaching extinction.  This cemetery commands a beautiful view of our Fair Grounds.  Early in October, the Fair comes off, which, doubtless, will be attended by thousands of visitors from a distance.  What will they think of us, as a people, and of our enterprise as displayed in these beautiful grounds, while our only town cemetery is abandoned to the moles and bats?  Who is to blame for this neglect?  All eyes turn to our town council.  The Methodist Church surrendered her claim to the town Council, because she thought in so doing, it would be fixed up, and she would no longer lie under the stigma of neglecting her dead.  Soon after the Council took it in hand, they added an additional few acres of land to give room to bury all the dead, irrespective of color or denomination, and the whole was partially cleared off.  But the work has since stopped, and stands in status quo.  Why it is we do not pretend to say; but we do say that we hope if the Council does not take it in hand at once, that the citizens will, and don’t let this foul blot stain the fair reputation of our town and people, during the approaching Fair. [Article goes on to describe the new Fairgrounds and a visit to Col. Howard’s residence.]