S Hertford County Herald PIP
, ? ? - A PAPER WORTH WHILE '*
Volume XIV. Twelve Pages Ahoskie, North Carolina, Friday, November 16, 1923 One Section No. 29
; _ , II _? _
BAND WILL PLAY WIRE
AUCTIONEER SELLS LAND
Methodist Main Street Prop
erty Divided By Real Estate
Auction Company '
Real estate will be sold while the
band plays. Ahoakie is to again wit
ness the scenes and take an active
part in the things that made history
arpand these parts in 1918, 1919, and
part of that fateful year 1980. An
_ auction sale of Ahoakie dirt will take
place here Friday, and one of the
auction companies that helped to
make local history back in "The Good
Old Days" will be doing the trick.
Six choice business lots on West
Main street, now belonging to the
. Ahoskie Methodist church, will go
under the hgmmer. The sise of the
plots are 86 feet front, with a depth
of 80 feet This is all of the
church's Main street property, and in
cludes the comer lot on which the
present church house is located.
Later another lot, upon which the
parsonage will be moved, will be sold
on the crass street directly in front
of Hortoe's shop.
From the proceeds of this land, to
gether with the money realised from
the sale of the parsonage and addi
tional lot, the old church house, and
the money already on hand and
credited to the church building fund,
the Ahoskie Methodists will erect for
themselves a handsome now church
building, and a brand new home for
their leader.
Plans have been in the making for
four years looking to the improve
ment of this poperty, and the erection
of a better church. The deflation of
1980 had all to da with the carrying
out of the program. In the moan
time, the ladies of the church have
not tarried with their plans to raise
the building fund. They have play
ed merchant for many Saturdays and
special days here, selling old clothes,
and other second-hand articles to
help the cause. Other affairs have
likewise been held for the purpose of
producing the cash necessary to make
the needed improvement in their
church's property.
Under the (dan advanced, the new
church will be built on the lot on
which the parsonage now stands, the
new pastor's home to be built on the
lot adjoining, next to IJoyd Mitchell's
residence.
me erection 01 ui? ciiurcn ana par
sonage will relieve the situation as it
affects Ahoskie's churches, neither of
which has a building in keeping with
the material progress of the town.
4 ???
WEATHER PLAYS PART
IN CLOSING COUNTY FAIR
Cold Wfa>d Causes Abandon
?Mat of Races on Saturday;
Otherwise a Success
? - Breaking attendance records at the
Hertford County Pair last week was
stopped ohly by the unfavorable
weather, which caused postponment
for a day and then cut off all chances
of a large Saturday crowd. Rain in
terfered Tuesday, and Wednesday
was the first real day, the oAciala
moving the closing day up through
Saturday. The cold biting winds of
Friday threw another wrench into the
olans. and the fair came to a dose.
Nardor's majestic shows, which had
charge of the amusement end, re
mained over Saturday, hut the rac
ing program was called off. Wednes
? . day and Thursday ware big days la
attendance, but the cold weather
made Friday's gate receipts dwindle
considerably. In the absence of of
ficial figures, the financial success of
the sixth annual fair can be measured
?only in approximate figures, the opin
ion being that it might hava broken
evan but failed to make any surplus
fnonty. * * - "
All of the rmcee were exceptionally
good, some fast hence being entered
and competition strong. Although
? suffering slightly from the failure of
?R exhibits to arrive over the bad
roads, the fair did not lock in inter
eat for the lover of farm, home, and
hchool exhibits. Harrellsville waa the
easy leader In exhibits
Night attendance waa the one re
demption for the treasury. Both
Wednesday and Thursday nights'
crowds wan larger than thoee of
former fain. The fireworks display
brought a large somber, while the
midway shbwu also' played a large
part in making the night entertain
ment good attendance pallors.
Building And Loan
Offering New Stock
biructors Extend Initial Pay
munt Until Dacember 1 And
Renew Campaign
Having failed to pursue a strenu
ous campaign for subscriptions to the
second series stock of the local build
ing and loan association, with a con
sequent lack of interest, the directors
of the association have extended the
stock subscription campaign through
November, making the first payments
due December 1st. The same commit
tee to secure subscriptions has been
continued. They are Dr. L. K. Walker, j
1L H. Jortdgan, and 3. Key Parker.
Secretary O. W. Hale, and the oth
er directors, Dr. A. W. Greene, Jas.
I. Crawford, Rev. E. ). laenhower, V.
D. Strickland, 8. M. AppUbaum, W.
A. Thomas, W. L. Curtis and Goo. 3.
Newborn, are also taking subscrip
tions to the second series stock.
Another loan of 98,500 was made
by the directors at their meeting, and
a second application for loan was ap
proved and passed on to the ssssrihj I
tion's attorney for examniation of
the title. Two brick structures one a
residence and the other a business I
house, have grown out of the asso
ciation funds from the first series,
which was opened last May. Pay
ments upon the first of each month
have been steady and withdrawals
have been of no moment.
On account of the demands that
are being made upon the association
for loans and the further faet that
several bidders of stock are planning
now to build in the spring and sum
mer of 1W4, it has become a necessi
ty that further stock be iaaued and
sold. The monthly income must be in
creased in order to make the asso
ciation the homo builder it should be;
and there must be more stock sold in
order that H may function satisfac
torily.
It is the purpoee of the directors
to make it a hundred precent sub
scription here in Ahoskie, although
loans and stocks are not confined to
this town alone, subscribers from the
rural districts and other county towns
being invited to come in and share
in the home building program. The
directors want every person, young
and. old, to become a stockholder in
the association; and they are not at
all particular about the number of
shares to the person, the principal
objective being to fiat everybody in
terested in the development of the
association.
Payments are due on the first day
of each month, in amoante ranging
from 91 and np, according to the
?hares subscribed. It not only provi
des a building fund for home build
ing, but it is an excellent means of
laying up savings that draw good
dividends.
There are more than WO pharos
already subecribed in the association's
first series, and it is the hope of the
directors that an amount equalling
that will be taken in the second se
ries. Any of the directors will be glad
to furnish information about the
workings of the association.
BOARD OF EDUCATION
IN SESSION MONDAY
Routine business was despatched by
the county school board at Winton
last Monday. Two sessions, morning
and afternoon, were held, all mem
bers and Superintendent N. W.
Britton being present. Two or
three committees from schools in the
county were heard.
In pursuance of the State School
Law, the board voted to appropriate
950.00 for the Murfreesboro High
School library. The people of that
town have already raised that amount
riation of 9l(000 was also amto
the purpose of helping lnriHl desks
and equipment for the MdrfTeesboro
?choofc^
KEEPER BROW11 WILL
BE HOST THURSDAY
M. M. Brown, keeper of the County
Home, will have guests next Thurs
day for dinner. The six commission
ers who run the home and the other
business of the county will meet
with Mr..Brown on that date. They
will inspect the home, and fulfill their
duty in caring for the needy of the
county.
A spread will be prepared for the
visitors by Mr. Brown and his asso
ciates, and the commissioners will get
a taste of what tbey are giving the
unfortunates.
^
BIOGRAPHY OF WILUAM PETERSONfiROWN
IS TOLD HEREIN BY A LOCAL HISTORIAN
????
Hon. W. R. Johnson Prop ares Interesting Article on Former
Hertford County Man Who Wept to Arkswm to Settle?
Boor State Man Also Writes Interestingly of the
Stirring Days In Ute Early History of His
Adopted State
Out of the correspondence which has found its way into
the 40100100 of the HERALD lately, from the pens of the virile
"Old Farmer", and Messn. John A. Parker of Ahoskie and W.
P. Brown, of Wynn, Arkansas, has grown an interesting biogra
phy of Friend Brown, which is published in the columns below.
Mr. W. R. Johnson, of Ahoskie, a lover of history and himself a
writer of no mean ability, has prepared this article for the
HERALD, upon the request of the publishers, who have also
been fortunate in securing a photo of^fr. Brown, In the old days
before he left his native county.
Without the knowledge of Mr. Brown, this newspaper is
using the biography and picture this week. Fortunately for the
newspaper, our Arkansas brother got the writing bug in his
syrtem at the same time we were having his life history prepar
ed. In a parallel column, there also appears an interesting arti
cle written by Mr. Brown himself, and which tells of the early
history of the Bear State. We have delayed its publication
one week, in order to give it a place Alongside that of Mr. John
son. The articles follow:
rioaaar Days la Arkansas
Editor Hertford County Herald:
As Mr. Parker and Old Fanner are
writing of the old times. If you will
give a little space in your paper, I will
tell your readers of the pioneer days
of the Arkansas Bear.
I came to Arkansas in 1881. There
was only one short line railroad in the
State and that was from Memphis,
Tennessee to Little Bock, Ark. It
ran from Memphis to Madison on the
St. Francis river. The other end
from Little Rock to Duvails Bluff on
the White river to middle was finished
after the Civil War. I came to Madi
son, from there to Wittaburg by stage.
WBtsburg was the head of navigation
on the St. Francis river. These four
counties hauled their produce and
goods with ox teams, four or five
yokes of oxen to a wagon, no rope on
any of them, and f have asen trains
of wagons a mile long. Friday was
boat day as It made only one trip a
week. When they got in and unload
ed they would hurdle their oxen,
would commence to drink whiskey
and play cards and fight There was j
no law against fighting or gambling i
and there was a bunch at Wfetsburg;
who did not do anything else but
fight and gamble. When they fought
no one was allowed to part the fight
ers until one hollered he had enough.
When they sat down to play cards
they put their guns en the stable and
if a crook got in the game they killed
him. They played a gentleman's
game and were always ready to help
the weak and needy but had no use
for any one not straight according to
to th^r standards.
On the farms in the spring of the
year we had log rollings?roll logs all
day and dance all night. I have had
fifty for dinner and supper. We Would
sometimes roll logs every day tor a
week. Nearly everyone could play
the fiddle.
There were not many schools then,
the natives would use the plural for
everything and everybody such as
"We us" and Too una" and the wife
would speak of her husband as "he".
There was plenty of game lu the
woods and everyone carried a gun and
knife. There were no buggies and
and everyone rode horseback. But.
they were happy days and everyone
counted.
Say to Mr. Parker and Old Farmer
to come on and let's swap a few
yarns of our happy boyhood dfiya. I
could tell of some of my childhood
das around dear old Colerain and at
Laay Hill bull pond and Eden Bouse
Fishery.
If this escapes the waste basket I
may come again.
Your old Tar Heel friend,
WILLIAM PETERSON BROWN '
BSf klu, Cross County, Ark.
(By W. R. JOHNSON)
After reading the tetter of Mr.
W. P. Brown in your issue of Octo
ber 19th and then "Old Farmer's"
paragraph of thanks to him in
your issue of the 26th ult, I have
felt that a few facte bearing directly
on the life of Mr. Brown, who cant
and dont want the tar rubbed off his
keels, might be of interest to the
readers of the Herald.
Of course Mr. Brown has naturally
passed from the memory of our oldest
people, because he left this section
when a mere boy and amidst the most
exciting times that this country has
ever experienced, but in Cross,
County, ArluRfeas, the borne of his
adoption, he is known and appreciat
ed.
But, let me begin at the beginning
?Us father was Dr. Thomas Brown
who practicea his profession In Win
ton, Harrellsvilte and Colerain and
lived at Afferent times at all three
places. Inils day doctors were not
thieldy settled over the country and it
was often the ease that the doctor
would come to ass the patient the
next day after receiving the call. It
was a current expression, when a
person had become so violently ill
that he was regarded as being at
death's door, "Put a boy on a horse I
and send him for the doctor." The
horseback method of sending for the
doctor was used because the rider
was expected to make quick time and
IpMlR a person living near the road
saw a rider pass on horseback Mid the
horse in a long gallop, the Inquiry
was made in the neighborhood, to
ascertain whether someone had died
as a person was seen to pose "like he
was going for the doctor."
So wUle Dr. Brown lived in Win-,
ton, the subject of this sketch was
bora in January, 1146. His mother's
maiden name was Elisabeth Speight
and was educated at the Wesleyan
Female College, (and am Inclined to
the opinion that she eras born in Gates
County.) When she died, she was
burid near the Odd Fellows Hall in
Colerain. So we find young Willis si
Peterson Brown growing up in Cole
rain^ Bertie county and when he
grew to be a larger boy, he attended
the celebrated Harrellsvilte Academy
under the management of Professor
Frank Lyon, whose nephew, W. L.
Lyon, Esq., is the efficient Clerk of
the Superior Court of Bertie County,
for the past forty years. Colerain
was then a noted community for en
tertainment and social life among the
young and no doubt young Brown
off-times "tripped the light fantastic
toe," to the music of the fiddle and
(Continued on page 2) |
.. jr ' . !
Charlotte Minister
Dies At Hospital
Baptist Minister Was First
Strickan While In Masting
At Wbaton Church
Rev. Wilism Alonsa Smith, Bap
tist minister of Charlotte, died in a
hospital of that city lata last Thurs
day, following an operation to re
move a cyst from the brain. It waa
while assisting Rev. R. B. Line berry
in a revival at his ehareh In Winton
that Mr. Smith was lint stricken,
about three weeks ago.
Immediately after concluding a
sermon in the Winton Baptist church,
Reverend Mr. Smith suffered a stroke
of paralysis, and elapsed into un
consciousness. He Was removed to
Mr. lineberry's heme across the
street and there attended by local
physicians for mere than a week. He
improved slightly, although he never
fully regained consciousness before
being taken to Weldon to board the
Seaboard train for his Charlotte
home.
He underwent the operation suc
cessfully, regained consciousness and
was thought by the hospital physi
cians to be on the road to recovery,
when his condition suddenly grew
worse and death soon followed.
Reverend Mr. Smith was a native
of Durham county and graduated from
Wake Forest College and Louisville
Theological Seminary. He held a
pastorate at West Durham and later
at Lexington. For the last eleven
years he had served the Pritchard
Memorial Church at Charlotte and
was regarded as one of the moot pop
ular and able ministers of that city.
He was very active in the 7S-Million
Campaign, and took a leading part
in the raising of funds and laying
plans for the Baptist hospital at Char
lotte and was president of the Asso
ciation which fostered the hoepital.
His wife, prior to her marriage
Miss Mary S. Cheek, survives, as also
do three sons: Brady Smith, of Char
lotte; Grady Smith, completing a
medical course at the Richmond, Va.,
medical school; and Wallace Smith, a
student at the University of North
Carolina.
Winton person* who heard the late
Mr. Smith preach hare apoken many
words of praise for the great mes
sages he delivered during the short
time he was able to assist Reverend
Lineberry. They have received the
news of his death with great grief.
baptist pastor has
offered resignation
Rev. E. J. Isenhower, for two
years pastor of the Ahoskie Baptist
church, has tendered his resignation.
His letter of resignation was Nad to
the church people last Sunday morn
ing, in a conference called immed
iately after the regular preaching
hour.
Considerable discussion was pre
cipitated after the letter was read by
Dr. C. 0. Powell, a member of the
board of deacons. Reverend Mr.
Isenhower did not insist on an im
msdiate settlement of the question,
offering to remain hare until next
June, or after the close of the school
yuar. However, he left the question
open for settlement by the church.
final disposition of tha resignation
was not made Sunday, some members
thinking probably he could be per
suaded to retain his charge here. Mr.
Isenhower is a strong and able
preacher, and Ids work ksre has been
of the same high order as he did as
evangelist before accepting church
work in Ahoskie.
rev. s. t. barber is
in west conference
Rev. S. T. Barber who MM to this
charge last spring after Rev. M. T.
Hodges removad to the Afltmdor
charge, has been sent by the Western
North Caroline Conference to Ben
ton. Mr. Barber is a profound and
logical preacher of the Gospel. He
preached the doctrines of the old
faith and his inffoaac* waa uplifting.
One thing can be said of him?and
that is that ha went from this town
carrying the love and respect of all
rises*! without reference to denomi
nation.
The North Carolina Conference is
in session at Elisabeth City this week
end the Herald will be able to give
the name of the preacher that will be
seat to the Methodists of this charge
far another year, in the next issue of
the paper.
Sheraton invented the first roll
top desk.
TOWN WILL HURRY ALONG 1
CONSTRUCTION OF SWITCH
Monday Night's Session Lasted
Until Eforen O'Clock and
Quit Promaturoly
Early closing of tba contract for
right of way and construction of
siding to tha light sod power plant
was probably tho most important de
cision reached at Monday night's ses
sion of the town eouncO. H. S. Bas
night was delegated to dose the deal
for the right of way with the Colom
bian Peanut Company, which charges I
$1250 for the land. A contract has
already been submitted by the At
lantic Coast Line Railroad for the
siding, which aggregates $1700.
The two new transmission lines to
the power plant, from Powellsvilla
and Winton, will soon be ready for
the current, and adjustments will
hare to be made at the plant. In
cluding expenditures for equipment.
The plant is now being operated dar
ing the daytime with peanut halls.
Consideration ob bills, preparation
of tax receipts, listening to requests
of water and sewer lines, and the '
informal discussion of the paring
proposition kept the council in ses
sion until 11 o'clock, and, then ad
journment was taken against the rote -
of Councilman Basnight, who wanted
to call an election to determine the
rotor's wishes on the paving of Main
street.
J. Roy Parker asked for extension
of water and sewer lines up Parker
avenue. "Just as soon as we can get
to it," was the answer. It will be
the next extension made. Bill Brew
er was on hand to ask for lights at
his filling station. He got the lights.
Two or three bridges were ordered
rebuilt et once, including the one in
front of C. H. Mitchell's home on
Church street, and one across the
State Highway for the use of school
children at the end of Main street
The council was also asked to ful
fill a pledge made by the former com
missioners to the Chamber of Com
merce, end pay a bill of $75 ordered
paid a few months ago as a donation.
Mayor Williams asked for time to
read a recent Supreme Court decis
ion before disposing of the question.
It was tabled.
A? 1 -
An nour waa spent discussing the
recent ordinance relative to con
nection with the town's sewer lines,
and the paving of Main and Church
streets.
HEAVY TRAFFIC DEMANDS
BRIDGE ACROSS CHOWAH
PUm of StoU Highway Com.
mission Han Not Boon Of
ficially Announced
With 80 to 100 automobilss cross
ing the Chowan river at Winton sv
try Hay In th? week, a demand has
' become almost imperative for a bet
ter means of travel than the ferry
now operated by the State Highway
Commission. Motorists are greatly in
convenienced by the slow process of
moving the cam across by the small
ferry which is now pulled over by a
gas boat.
The exact status of the pre posed
bridge to connect the Hertford and
Cdtas section of the State highway
is a matter unknown to persons lo
cally. Whether the question of loca
tion of the draw has been settled ta
also-unknown. Nothing officially has
been given out since the public hear
ing was had at Winton. -
It was heard at Winton on Monday
that bids had already bean aaked
for by the State Highway Commission
and that a hearing would be gives at
Baleigh on the 28th of this month,
but, if such, is the case, no announce
ment has come frem the office of the
State Highway Commission.
The State Highway through this
county and which connects with Gates
County st Winton is becoming an Im
portant link in Cm good rend system.
?Ud g bridge at Winton is badly
neodod to make K complete.
NOW IN TEXAS
Mrs. Fannie Leary left recently for
La Faria, Texas, where she will gpead
the winter months with her daughter,
Mrs. J. Llojfe Parker. Mies Helen
Leery, her daughter, hat been in jS
Texas for some time.
WITH SICK PATH BE
Mr. S. ft White, local Atlantic j
Coast Line agent, left Monday for
PoUdeksVilie, to attend his father who
fe very ill. Little hope for the re
eovery of his Either la entertained.
xHBcSai?