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Story
December 4, 1896
Clinch Valley News
Tazewell, Jeffersonville, Tazewell County, Virginia
What is this article about?
J. D. Buford recounts a humorous encounter in Wise County, Virginia, where a landlord assumes he is related to local Bufords who murdered their father and were hanged, based on family resemblance.
Clipping
OCR Quality
98%
Excellent
Full Text
THEY WERE KIN.
But the Traveler Did Not Care to Inquire Too Closely.
"The best joke I ever heard was on me," said J. D. Buford to a Washington Star reporter.
"I was in Wise county, Va., in the heart of the mountains, in the southwestern part of the old dominion. I am a Virginian, and in common with all loyal Virginians, claim kinship to every one of my name in the state. The landlord saw my name on the register.
" 'So yo' name's Buford?' he said.
" 'Yes.'
" 'Uster be sum Bufords hyar.'
" 'Well, they must have been relations. My family are all Virginians.'
" 'Yaas. Yo' do favor em. Reckon yo'all air kin. Yo' look jess like Dave.'
" 'My father's name was Dave.'
" 'Thar war three, Bob, John an' Dave.'
" 'I have uncles by those names. They are family names.'
" 'Yo' sho' air kin. I thought so minit I looked at yo'.'"
"You say the Bufords moved away?"
" 'Not zackly.'"
"I thought you said they used to live here?"
" 'Thet's what I sed. Yo' see, John an' Dave was Bob's sons. Th' ole man was gwine ter marry agin, so th' boys wouldn' git th' little propity th' ole man had, an' they killed 'im, so we hung John an' Dave.'"
"I did not trace the relationship or the family resemblance any farther."
But the Traveler Did Not Care to Inquire Too Closely.
"The best joke I ever heard was on me," said J. D. Buford to a Washington Star reporter.
"I was in Wise county, Va., in the heart of the mountains, in the southwestern part of the old dominion. I am a Virginian, and in common with all loyal Virginians, claim kinship to every one of my name in the state. The landlord saw my name on the register.
" 'So yo' name's Buford?' he said.
" 'Yes.'
" 'Uster be sum Bufords hyar.'
" 'Well, they must have been relations. My family are all Virginians.'
" 'Yaas. Yo' do favor em. Reckon yo'all air kin. Yo' look jess like Dave.'
" 'My father's name was Dave.'
" 'Thar war three, Bob, John an' Dave.'
" 'I have uncles by those names. They are family names.'
" 'Yo' sho' air kin. I thought so minit I looked at yo'.'"
"You say the Bufords moved away?"
" 'Not zackly.'"
"I thought you said they used to live here?"
" 'Thet's what I sed. Yo' see, John an' Dave was Bob's sons. Th' ole man was gwine ter marry agin, so th' boys wouldn' git th' little propity th' ole man had, an' they killed 'im, so we hung John an' Dave.'"
"I did not trace the relationship or the family resemblance any farther."
What sub-type of article is it?
Biography
Crime Story
Curiosity
What themes does it cover?
Betrayal
Crime Punishment
Family
What keywords are associated?
Kinship Mistake
Family Murder
Hanging
Virginia Anecdote
Buford Family
What entities or persons were involved?
J. D. Buford
Bob
John
Dave
Where did it happen?
Wise County, Va.
Story Details
Key Persons
J. D. Buford
Bob
John
Dave
Location
Wise County, Va.
Story Details
J. D. Buford registers at a hotel in Wise County, Va., where the landlord notes his name and assumes kinship to local Bufords Bob, John, and Dave, who were sons that killed their father Bob over inheritance and were hanged.