From the February 6, 1908 New York Times:

“Asheville, N.C.–News was received here to-day of the death at his home in Yancey County of Big Tom Wilson, the noted bear trapper, who found the body of Prof. Elisha Mitchell of Yale, for whom Mount Mitchell, the highest peak east of the Rockies, was named.

Dr. Mitchell lost his life in trying to ascend Mount Mitchell alone. A party of 500, led by United States Senator Zebulon Vance, continued the search for two weeks, but Dr. Mitchell’s body was found by Big Tom at the foot of a deep precipice.

Big Tom was one of the pioneer settlers of the mountains and held the record for having killed more bears than any one else. He had 110 to his credit, and his son Adolph ninety. He was known as the guide of the Black Mountains. He was seven feet tall and weighed 250 pounds. He was 85 years old.