Adam Lewis was hunting with his father and brother Saturday afternoon when he apparently lost his way because of poor weather conditions, said Joe David Laws, a Weakley County Rescue Squad member.

“They were hunting around 3 Saturday afternoon,” he said. “When they came out of the woods around 5 p.m., they couldn’t locate him, so they called the sheriff’s department. The sheriff’s department contacted the rescue squad and we started looking for him. We usually don’t start searching for someone after only a few hours, but with the severe weather conditions, we decided to go ahead and initiate the search.”

A Tennessee Highway Patrol unit and numerous local hunters aided in the search which ended around 10:30 p.m. Saturday night when Lewis was found, in good condition, near where Cypress Creek empties into the North Forked River.

“He kept moving so he was able to stay warm,” Laws said. “When he saw the river, he began following it. That’s how we found him.”

According to Lewis’ mother, Donna, he had been tracking a deer and had crossed the river. When he attempted to recross the river sometime later, it was too deep.

“He thought he was in the same place, but he wasn’t,” she said. “He’s been hunting in that area for the last 10 years, and he knows it well. The snow and everything just caused him to lose his bearings.”

“There were so many people out there whose names we didn’t even know, trying to find Adam,” his mother said. “They weren’t there because they knew him. They were just there because somebody needed help.”

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In other happenings reported in the Press throughout January 1996, we find that:

• Henry C. Allison, UT Martin’s first recruiter for the department of admissions, died Jan. 12 at Columbia Volunteer General Hospital in Martin. He was 79.

• Austin Chase Ezell was Weakley County’s first baby of 1996. He was born Jan 2 at 12:52 p.m. at Columbia Volunteer General Hospital in Martin to parents Barbara and Travis Ezell of Gleason.

• Joe Brasher was promoted to president and chief executive officer of the Bank of Sharon, succeeding Mark Prince, who resigned to pursue other career opportunities.

• Larry Baker was an animal control officer for the city of Martin.

• Mr. and Mrs. Russell Lovett of Gleason celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. Lovett and the former Polly Smith were married Jan. 22, 1946 in Tiptonville.

• Shelia Hazelwood Dane of Martin announced her candidacy for the office of Weakley County Clerk.

• Martin Westview’s Drama Department performed William D. Fisher’s play “Here Come the Brides” on Jan. 18-19.

• Jerry Rachels of Palmersville was pictured in the Press handcrafting a bowl from poplar wood.

• Kelly Gardner, daughter of Gene and Kay Gardner of Martin, was chosen as an ambassador to speak out about child abuse and against drinking and driving. Published in The WCP 1.17.13