Copy: Newspaper article featuring the death of Isham A. Mayfield · Greer Heritage Museum collection

Title

Copy: Newspaper article featuring the death of Isham A. Mayfield

Accession Number

2026.36.46.4

Accession Date

22 September 2026

Accession Creator

Sophie Pendergraft

Depositor

Agnes Dobson Bruce

Description

Copy of newspaper clipping containing article about Isham A. Mayfield's death. Subtitle 'Good Citizen and Post Master of Greer Meets Death by Falling into Well.'

Date

Original article from 1912

Storage Location

Box 80, Folder 4

Text

OF ISHAM A. MAYFIELD

Good Citizen and Post Master of Greer Meets Death by Falling into Well.

Isham A. Mayfield who has been postmaster here for 12 years, was killed at his home yesterday morning as the result of a fall in a 45 foot well. Mr. Mayfield after falling into the well called his wife and sister who were in the house only a short distance from where the tragedy occured*. Mr. Mayfield has been in ill health for some months though he had lost very little time from his office. It is quite probable that his run down condition is responsible for his tragic end.

Mrs. Mayfield expresses the opinion that her husband had fallen into the well while asleep. Mr. Mayfield had been missing only a few minutes when a search was instituted and the body was found in the well a short distance from the house. Dr. Brockman was quickly summoned. He was lowered into the well and tied a rope around the dead man’s body. The body was drawn to the surface and methods of resuscitation resorted to. All efforts however were unavailing.

The verdict of the Coroners inquest of Isham A. Mayfield was as follows:

That Isham A. Mayfield came to his death on June 25th 1912 in our opinion by getting up in his sleep and going to well, fell in and drowned.

The main witness at the inquest was a half sister of Mr. Mayfield. She testified that at four o’clock she heard someone walking down stairs; later she heard cries of distress outdoors. Going out she found the cries coming from the well. She called and told her brother to take hold of the rope. He answered that he was too weak to grasp it, and pleaded with her to go for assistance. Help was summoned, but the man was dead when brought to the surface.

Mr. Mayfield was a painstaking public servant, popular in Greer, among all clases*. His untimely death is greatly deplored, and his family has the sympathy of hosts of friends.

*Typos made in text