North Carolina Newspapers

? -h ? tT' ! - Watauga democrat ===============^_ An Independent Weekly Newspaper ? Established in the Year 1888. v*| WATCH the LABEL rout putt U 11 ?howl UM dsM ?Cff wilt ua .ifi ?? b? . Jl TW opomtlna itrlcllj on ? VOL. LVII, NO. 45 BOONE, WATAUGA COUNTY, NORTH ?AROLINA, THURSDAY, MAY 9, 1946 5 CENTS A COPY J. ELIHU LUTHER, LAST CIVIL WAR VET, DIES AT 102 "Watauga's Last Surviving Fol lower of Lee, Succumbs Last Thursday; Funeral Services Conducted Saturday at Gap Creek Church Je^se Elihu Luther, Confederate ?veteran, Watauga county's last sur viving soldier of the Civil War, and one of the state's most aged citi zens. died at the home at Deep Gap last Thursday at the age of 102 years. ? Funeral services were conduct ed Saturday afternoon from the Gap Creek Baptist Church, by Rev. Mr. Stevens of Todd, who was as sisted in the rites by Rev. E. C. Hodges of Hendrix. Interment was in the Gap Creek cemetery, Reins Sturdivant being in charge of the arrangements. Surviving are a son and two daughters: John E. Luther, Deep Gap; Mrs. Ida Welch, Mount Zion, and Mrs. Cora Moretz, Fleetwood. There are 25 grandchildren, 84 great grandchildren and 19 great-great grandchildren. Native of Randolph Counly Mr. Luther was born in Randolph : ?county September 10, 1843, the son i of William and Mary Loflin Luther, i and the family moved to Wilkes boro when he was 12 years old. He j served in the Confederate army during the Civil War period, having been enlisted in Wilkesboro May 10, 1862, and assigned to Colonel Bar ber's regiment. Later he served in A. P. Hill's division. Lane's brigade, with General Stonewall Jackson commanding. He participated in a number of campaigns, including the Battle of the Wilderness, Spottsyl vania Court House, Chancellorsville, and the Second Battle of Manassas. He suffered three wounds, two in flicted in skirmishes, and one in the fighting at Spottsylvania Court House. Taken Prisoner Mr. Luther was taken prisoner w hile serving on picket duty at Chaf lin's farm in Virginia, after he had been surrounded by 25 Union sold iers, who were concealed at this point. He was taken to the Federal prison at Camp Lookout on the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland, where he was confined for a period of eight months. When he was paroled from prison and returned home it was at the time Stoneman, a Yankee officer, came through this section of North Carolina, and he was arrested and carried oefore Stoneman. When it was revealed that Mr. Luther had been given a furlough to return home, he was released. Mr. Luther, who had lived at Deep Gap for 73 years, had served as post master at that place for near 25 years, and had served in this cap acity at a salary of $24.00 per year. During his last tenure however, in 1934, he received $800. Prior to his first postmastership, he carried the mail from Wilkesboro to Boone via horseback, was a corpenter and mason by trade, and a successful farmer. He served as deputy sheriff in Watauga for four years, and was a justic of the peace for thirty or more years. He was a member of the Calvary Methodist Church at Fleet wood. Mr. Luther has been honored by friends in Watauga and Wilkes county on his last birthday anni versary, and last year when he cele brated his 102nd anniversary large crowds gathered in his honor. On one of these occasions he was asked to what he attributed his long life, and answered in these words: "Well, I have never done any drinking or smoking; I've worked hard and have always tried to keep regular hours; I've spent a lot of time out of doors, breathing deeply of this grand mountain air, and rve tried not to worry." Baptist Association - Being Held' on Friday Attention is again called to the spring session of the Three Forks Baptist Association which will be held with the Poplar Grove Church on Friday, May 10. The associational officers are urging that each church in the as sociatfon be represented by the pas tor and at least three delegates or messengers. American Legion Post Will Meet on Friday Watauga Post No. 130, American Legion, will meet at 7:30 p. m. Fri day, May 10. Officers are to be elected at this time, therefore it is important that all members be pres ent. Crippled Children's Clinic Set for May 15 Dr. John S. Gaul of Charlotte, j will hold a crippled children's clin ic in the district health department on Wednesday, May 15. Anyone who wfltats a free examination should register in the health office on that day at 1:00 p. m. i t-i.: ' DIES AT 102 ERNEST CLINE IS VICTIM ROBBERS HiCk?LT? M" Near vuas: Officers Fail lo Lo cate Assailants Ernest Cline, Hickory taxicab vi W^*^eld up and robbdo by Vilas^lonHn hl8hw0ymen near vuas Monday evening, and Statf* highway patrolmen are making ev ery effort to locate the four Sccu panls of a New York automobile who perpetrated the holdup According to C. M. Jones local state patrolman, the taxi driver was tonr?Tenn? HlcKkory fr?m Elizabeth- 1 V fenn., when he noticed i h n York Stlt^?r10bile' ,carrym? New h?i ^tate license plates. The ve hicle had been passed by Cline a }'ml? and would subsequent The strange conduct of believe uia?t th* Bu'Ck led Cline to i! ? } 1,16 occupants of the car, being from outside the State were not -*m> of being on the ri^ht VHas to St?P^d near nni?f.u hls distance when one of the women flagged him. He was immediately covered bv a sub-machine gun in the h^ds of one r? aLh,C mCn' *hik' th<-' other delib a 3(f 30 parh w''aJ appeared to be about 42n !^'ne surrendered aoout J20 in ?currency and checks in addition to personal effects and to Proceed. urficer Jones immediately secur ed the short-wave broadcast of the information about the robbery but abln "r t poIlce have been un able to apprehend the highwaymen Parkway Funds Cut By Senate Committee :l^^ash'?ng?ton? May "?A $15,000,000 al Pa?k"a?0n S?Ught by lhe NaUon work 1 f to finance 1946-47 work on four national parkways including the Blue Ridge parkwav' was cut to $7,500,000 today ft recommendations of the house ao pronations committee. P r ? mhrl , ?^rri m 'A!ee recommendations. I on tot 1947" ^ report to the house I on the 1947 interior department an- 1 propnation bill slated for considers- i l!? ^egmning tomorrow, will if i t?n ? .i! ??ntiaUy cu* an alloca tion to the Blue Ridge parkwav a i! -ii p" Zebulon Weaver of Asheville, had expected to reach a minimum of S5.000.00q. a Veterans~FWi^T Wars To Be Organized Here P?st of the Veterans of Foreign Wars is to be organized here at a meeting to be held in the court house next Saturday afternoon May 11, it is stated by Charles T. Zim merman, local attorney and veteran or the recent war. thlt 'f. 8tated by Mr. Zimmerman that there are already seventeen paid up memberships, and that A C HTh mp a.djUtant quartermaster! lnP"!"f' w"> be present to wst An^,0rgamz?Uon ot the new I ur^d toBBttend""5 ?f the COUnty are Farm Intentions To , Be Filed by June 1 FaTm ?nfi>r,or 1946 ,/ l?n intentions under the hLnnJ^ral conservation program has been extended to June 1 ?& ?,KUnty fam?erfi who have wilh^, mtontions and still wish to carry out pracUces under local AAA^"/* sho"M contract the local AAA office before the closing demonstration School To Present Operetta lhe Boone Demonstration school ill present the last program of the school year on Thursday evening at ' o clock in the college auditorium r^Lfr?5ram wi" feature a Mother EST "PPropriate co?- ; a?ta^?ion will be chart ed, and tfoe public is invited. I BRIEF ILLNESS PROVES FATAL TO HENRY J. HARDIN Former County Official and Prominent Farmer Succumbs at Wilkes Hospital Friday; Funeral Service Held Sunday Henry J. Hardin, 57 years old, for- , mer county tax supervisor, election board chairman, and member of one of Boone's most prominent families, died in a North Wilkesboro hospital Friday from an illness of three days. Funeral services were conducted Sunday afternoon at 2 o'clock at the Boone Methodist Church, by Dr. E. K. McLafty, and an unusually large crowd from this and other sections of the state- gathered for the rites. Interment was in the Hardin fam ily plot in the community cemetery by the Reins-Sturdivant Funeral Home. Active pallbearers were: Roby Brown, Steve Brown, Wilson Brown. Lee Greene, Colen Cottrell and Max Norris. Surviving, in addition to the wid ow, the former Miss Grace Black burn, are one son, Joseph Hardin, a commercial air pilot, who is now located in China, and one daughter, Mrs. Martha Crowell Boiling, of Boone. Mr. Hardin was a son of the late William Hardin and Mrs. Sarah Winkle- ' irdin, and for many years was a jder in the agricultural, business and public life of Watauga county. For a number of years he was engaged in the mercantile busi ness in Boone, entering upon this activity at the death of his fatnej in-law, Mr. M. B. Blackburn, a lead ing merchant here. Subsequently, he was chairman of the Watauga county board of elections, and for three terms county tax supervisor. He was named to this position by the slate legislature when the ol fice was created by the 1929 assem bly. When Mr. Hardin retired from public office he devoted the remain der of his life to his agricultural and business interests. He was widely known for his many unselfish con tributions to the life of his coun ty and community. English War Bride Is Fond Of Carolina "I love it here and would like to stay here forever," was the opinion expressed by Mrs. Patricia Brixton Scoggins, English war bride of Wil liam A. Scoggins of Henderson. Mrs. Scoggins. whose home was in Ayles ford, Kent, England, arrived in New York April 19 on the USS Washing ton, and she was met by her hus band there. After a shopping trip trip in New York and a week's stay at Nag's Head, the couple came to Henderson April 28. Mr. Scoggins is a brother of Mrs. Joe Crawford, of Boone. The charming English miss and Bill Scoggins were married at Mardstone, Kent, England, on Oct. 27: 1945. while Bill was on fur lough from duties with the 9th air corps in Germany. They plan to make their home in Henderson where Mr. Scoggins, who is the son of Mrs. W. L. Scoggins and the late Mr. Scoggins, is employed at the air field. Mrs. Scoggins is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. G. Brixton, of Aylesford, Kent, England, and at tended Cross and Passion college at Ballyestate, County Antrim in northerfl Ireland, For four years during the war she worked as civil service draftswoman for the South ern Railway. With a delightful English accent, she stated that clothes and food were still scarce items in England and that her trips through the New York stores were delightful. She expressed regret at not being able to eat the delectable food aboard ship during the oceanic trip for the rough passage caused a siege of sea sickness. She revealed a particular fondness for southern fried chicken, stating that she had only had boiled and roasted chicken before coming to North Carolina and the United States. She was among the 900 English war brides aboard the USS Wash ington as it made the Atlantic voy age from Southampton to New York. STRIKE PUTS 800.000 WORKERS OFF JOBS Unemployment resulting from the i 38-day soft coal strike skyrocketed past 800,000 yesterday as the fuel i shortage put a tight stranglehold on | the nation's industries. ? The Association of American Rail- j roads reported about 51,000 railroad men had been laid off because of the strike and estimated industries served by the railroads have laid off another 250,000. The Ford Motor Company an nounced a shutdown last night of "virtually all operations," affecting an estimated 106,000 workers. DUGGER NAMED MAYOR II* VOTE AT ELK PARK Ben Dugger was named mayor of Elk Park in the municipal election held Monday. The vote was light and there was no opposition for the offices to be filled. Mr. Dugger re ceived. a total of 50 votes. Named to the board of commis sioners were J. H. Pedson, Geo. W. Nesbitt, R. L. BrinkJey, T. L. Har mon and Joe L. McCurry. MERCY WHEAT DRIVE ON flTT"ii| I i' I Tijilmit IMIilll I ITiMiMriillW? Northwest grain farmers are responding to the appeal for their wheat to feed the starving millions in Europe and Asia. This scene at the Farm< rs Union Co-op elevator at Flasher, N. D., shows a group of the neighboring farmers who have just brought in their wheat. They are taking U. S. government certificates which give them a year in which to choose the time they wish to convert it ihto cash. TO APPEAR HERE JUDGE HUBERT E. OLIVE OLIVE TOSPEAK AT BLOWING ROCK Lexington Jurist Chosen to Deliver Memorial Day Address For Legion Judge Hubert E. Olive of Lexing ton, will deliver the Memorial Day address Sunday afternoon May 26 at 2 p. m. at Blowing Rock, it was announced this morning by Cleve Gross, chairman of the program committee of Watauga Post no. 130, American Legion. The program for the annual memorial day exercises, sponsored by the legionnaires of the county will be published at a later date. Mr. Gross feels fortunate in hav ing been able to secure the service of Judge Olive on this occasion. The Lexington jurist is a gradate of Wake Forest College, practiced law iD Lexington, was judge of the Recorder's court there for three 1 terms, represented Davidson county in the House of Representatives 1933 State Commander American Legion 1934-35; State manager for Governor Clyde Hoey in his gubernatorial campaign 1936. Served two years years and? three months in the first world war, with one year oversMas as second and first lieutenant 317th FA; 81?t division. He has been a SujpjBrior Court Judge since May 20, Capt. Farthing Talks to Mother From Germany Captain Glenn Farthing, executive officer with the third army, in Heidelberg, Germany, called his mother, Mrs. R? A. Farthing, of Valle Crucis, by long cJiRtance tele phone *ome days ago. The call came direct to the Farthing home over the Sugar Grove party line, the connection was perfect, and Mrs. Farthing was able to hear her sop's voice distinctly. 4-H CLUB COUNTY COUNCIL TO MEET SATURDAY A. M. There will be a 4-H Club county council meeting in the home agent's office in the county building Satur day morning, May 11, beginning at 10 o'clock. The officers of all 4-H Clubs are urged to attend. First noted 100 years ago as a "harmless weed" in this country, lespedeza now is recognised as one of the nation's greatest soil building legumes. 51 TO GRADUATE AT COLLEGE TODAY Hon. Brandon Hodges to D?lir?r Addrns to Appalachian Graduatei Fifty one members of the senior 1 class will be awarded their B.S. de grees at commencement exercises held at Appalachian State Teachers College this (Wednesday) morning, and Hon. Brandon Hodges, distin l guished Asheville lawyer, will de i liver the annual address to the I graduates. The commencement program and < the list of those who will receive ] degrees follow: ! Processional? College Orchestra. Holy, Holy, Holy ? Congregation. Invocation ? Rev. J. K. Parker, Jr. College Chorus ? Miss Virginia : Wary. Address ? Hon. Brandon Hodges. f College Chorus.. I Conferring degrees and awarding diplomas ? Dr. B. B. Dougherty. Benediction ? Dr. E. K. McLarty. Recessional ? College Orchestra. Those students who will be awarded degrees and diplomas for their achievement during the past four years are: Dale Atwood, Lena Brown. Rosedna Bowman, Ruth Brittain, Ellen Burns, Lois Merle Butler, Mrs. Freda Grubbs Cline, Vivian Cline, Clara Cooke. Alma Crowder, Ruby Dancy, Mildred Ea ton, Carrie Lee Farthing, Amanda Ferebee, Rosalyn Francis, Betty Ga briel, Nellie Gabriel, Pearl Gold, Julia Gray, Betty Jean Griffin, Bon nie Jean Hamrick, Helen Home, Bernita Hughes, Mildred Ingram, Margaret Lineberger, Helen Martin, Gloria Matkins, Martha V. Miller, Dorothy Lee Moore, Curtis Murray, Ellen Philbeck, Mrs. Una Perry Propst, Evelyn Ray, James E. Reece, Mary Ellis Reece, Peggy Rogers, Bonita Rominger, Mrs. Elizabeth B. Shaw, Frances Sheirill, A. J. Smith, Mary Eloise Smith, Helen Sossa mon, Paul N. Sowell, Worth Sweet, Claudia Tharpe, Mary Lillian Wil cox. Nina Wilson, Juanita Young. Peace Came To Europe Year Ago Reims, France, May 7. ? Peace | came to Europe a year ago today in the "little red schoolhpuse" at the outskirts of this cathedral city where Gen. Eisenhower maintained sup reme headquarters. The clock pointed to 2:41 a. m. a year ago when * dejection CoL Gen Alfred Jodl, chief of staff of the German army, scrawled his signa ture to the surrender after nearly six years of the most savage war in history. The little red school house, whence the decisive military strokes from the west were directed, is preserved just as it was last year. The sur render occurred in the famous "war room" of supreme headquarters, al lied expeditionary forces, with the maps, charts and battle orders on the walls surrounding the table and the 13 chairs where the capitu lation was discussed and sealed. The room now is a French na tional monument and shrine and a symbol of peace. The anniversary was almost un noticed in Reims. German prisoners of war," 24,000 of them, work in the huge American stockpiles around the surrender city. There is still much work to be done in closing out the vast quarter | master depots. PUPILS OF ELK LAND SCHOOL TO PRESENT PROGRAM MAY 10 Elementary grade* of Elkland school will present a program with a Mother's Day theme, on Friday, May If, at 8 o'clock. There will be no admission charge. ANNUAL SPRING MEETING OF BIRD CLUB THIS WEEK North Carolina Bird Club to Hold State Meeting in Boone Saturday and Sunday; Per haps 200 or More Will Attend Perhaps more than two hundred bird students from all parts ol North Carolina, together with guests from a number of other states will be entertained jointly by the Boone Bird Club and Appalachian College, in the annual spring meeting of the State Bird Club, which will be hfld on Appalachian College campus next Saturday and Sunday. The following detailed program, arranged by the Boone club and sent to all members by State Presi dent Clara Hearne, of Roanoke Rapids, will be earned out: Saturday, May 11 11 to 2:30 p. m. ? Registration, lobby Administration building, Ap palachian College. 11 a. m. ? Meeting of Executive committee. 12:30 ? p. m. ? Luncheon Carolina Cafe. 2:30 p. m. ? General meeting, au ditorium Administration building, A.S.T.C. 4:15? Tea. 5 -00? Tour of points of interest in Boone. ? 8:30 ? Annual dinner, cafeteria, A.S.T.C. 8:00 p. m. ? Evening lecture, Ran dolph Ashton. 9:00 p. m. ? Social hour, college girls' gymnasium. Sunday, May 12 The general public is invited to attend the lecture Saturday eve inng. Mr. Ashton is a brilliant lec turer and authority on bird life, and the State Bird Club hopes that as many persons as possible will take advantage of the opportunity to hear this outstanding speaker. The afternoon meeting is also open to the public and will consist of technical papers on birds of North Carolina and activities of the State Bird Club. Bird hikes. A few reservations for the annual dinner are available to former mem bers and persons interested in birds. All merribers of the Boone club and guests wishfing to attend this din ner should notify Miss Cora Jeff coat, 504 Grand Boulevard, Boone, by 12:30, May 9 Boone Lions Club Holds Weekly Meet The Boone Lions Club at its regu lar meeting Tuesday night, staged a "liar's contest," the program being in charge of Tailtwister Howard Cottrell. First prize went to cham pion liar Clyde R. Green, with Dr. K. K. Bingham as runner up. Gordon Winkler, chairman of the ticket committee for the Lions show, reported that gross receipts amount ed to $575.97. He expressed espe cial thinks to Bob Agle of the Ap palachian Theatre, for his splbndid co-operation in making the show a success. Plans are being made to send six delegates to the state convention of Lions Clubs in Raleigh in June. President R. C. Bus teed appoint ed a committee to nominate a slate of candidates for club officers for next year, the committee to report at the next meeting of the club. Gene1 Garbee reported on the Boy Scout camporee held at Camp Wink ler last week-end. Of the ten pa trols present, seven won blue pen ants for skill in camping. Guests for the evening included Col. Smith, Ben Miller, David Rol lins, Harry Cutts, Lewis Reese, H. O. Dowling and Rev. E. F. Trout man. Goverment Efforts Fail to End Coal Strike Washington, May 8 ? The govern ment failed Tuesday in an informal attempt to get 400,000 idle coal miners back on the job and end a 37-day strike which is progremsive ly crippling the nation's economy. Both miners and operators made plain they did not expect any speedy settlement. The union's 250-man policy com mittee voted to stand by John L. Lewis' original demftnds. "We'll stick it out," a union spokesman said, concerning demands for. a Special welfare fund and con trol permitting forement to or gariize. "Then," he said, "we'll settle down and discuss wages." Theatre is Sponsoring Novel Courtesy Contest A courtesy contest is a novel fea ture of the activities at the Appa lachian Theatre this week, and a prize of 20 free passes to the show house will be presented by Mayor Gordon H. Winkler Thursday eve ning, to the winner. A group of judges, says Manager Bob Agle, will determine the win ner. who will be the person who is adjudged to have exercised the the moot consistent courtesy in his or her contacts with the public.