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They were Hickory’s most prominent and interesting couple. Elizabeth Camp Denison Rutherford was twice widowed, the second time by an older man who left her a fortune. Marcellus Thornton was a peacock, who became a brief nationwide sensation for eating a quail a day for 30 straight days. They met, courted and married in Washington, DC and with her inheritance, went on a spree of buying an Atlanta newspaper which failed and a Kentucky coal mine which succeeded.
After the Queen Anne styled Shuler home in Hickory came onto the market, the Thorntons purchased the house and moved in. Elizabeth became a recluse while, with her money, ‘Colonel’ Thornton (as he dubbed himself) bought the local newspaper, the town’s electric company and wrote two novels.
Gossip around town centered on the relationship and when she died folks had plenty to talk about.
Bringing books to market, one manuscript at a time!
Since 2017, Redhawk Publications at Catawba Valley Community College has been proud to bring distinctive voices and original books to life, with more than 200 titles published so far. We are one of only a handful of community colleges in the United States with a literary press. To learn more about Redhawk, our submission guidelines, local literary services, or writing workshops, feel free to contact Patty Thompson at pthompson994@cvcc.edu.
Books are available for purchase through our website and directly from our authors at book events. We encourage readers to support authors and small presses by buying directly whenever possible.