Newspapers / The News-Herald (Ahoskie, N.C.) / Jan. 1, 1959, edition 1 / Page 5
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r mm Banking History in Ahoskie: Bank of Aboskie Started in 1905 AHOSKIE—Only 12 days after the first rural mail routes began op erating from the Ahoskie post of fice, the town’s first bank was chartered. On July 7, 1905, all of the original $12,500 stock of the Bank of Ahoskie had been sub scribed. Among the leaders in the bank movement was Luther S. Savage, who had move.d to Ahoskie from Whaleyville, Va., to work with the Branning Manufacturing Company. Another was J. T. Williams of Har- rellsville, who with his brother operated the old '‘company store” near the Branning mill. The bank began operations in November, 1905, in a small frame building in the center of the first block of East Main Street, where Rose’s now stands. Williams, the grandfather of Clerk of Court A. W. Greene and T. W. Greene, Ahoskie insurance man, was the first bank president. James P. Freeman of Winton was first cashier, succeeded BERTIE MAN —' Joseph G. Hayes of Bertip .County was ' typical of the young men who trooped to the. 'Confederate colors in the exciting days of 1861, But young liaye.s was to lose his life in the Civil War, Loweil Powell Gives Town Help in Civic Service AHOSKIE—Lowell K. Powell, le of Ahoskie’s most active boosters of Boy Scout and civic another ol the hundreds of lives | which might have counted for, ' , , ' riety of jobs, including selling much if they had not been call ed on for the bloody conflict. Hayes was a lieqt^jiant in Ber tie’s Company F of the Fifth North Carolina Infantry Regi ment. In the spring/of 1862 as the giant Army of the Potomac moved up Yorktown peninsula toward Richmond the regiment threw itself in the path of the advancing federal army. More than a dozen Bertie men died in. a furious fight near historic Williamsburg. Among- those to. fail was Joseph G. Hayes, lieu tenant of not yet 20 years of age. papers for The Herald. A 1927 graduate of Wake For est College, Powell came back to Ahoskie to work as bookkeeper- teller of the Farmers-Atlantic Bank, of which his father was president. This lasted until 1930, when the bank closed, and he went to work for the Universal Credit Corporation. In 1935, Powell changed jobs again, this time to become sales manager for a Rocky Mount Ford dealer. But 10 years after his col- Lived in Hertford Areo: Wynns, Hill Leaders In Bertie Precinct The political history , of Hert ford County begins, as does much of its history, even before the county was formally organized in 1759. Many of the men who became early leaders in Hertford were leaders in Bertie and Northamp ton counties which preceded the new county. Several of the early colony’s top leaders came from the grow ing precinct on the west bank of the Chowan River. Colonel Thomas Pollock, who tvyas acting governor during the .ijiQOdy Tuscarora War of 1712, liv^i in lower Bertie County. Other “west shore” men served as members of the Governor’s Council and in various colonial offices during the early days of Carolina. Several proprietory gov ernors lived in the area that is now Bertie. And, by the time Bertie Pre cinct was formed in 1722 to em brace all this most western end of the colony of North Carolina, men who lived in what was to become Hertford were west shore political leaders. In these days, the small colony of a few thousand people was ruled by a Governor named by the Lords Proprietors, who gen erally came over from England. He was served by a Council of a ha\f-dozen top local leaders. The General Assembly was com posed of representatives from the various “precincts” (the name was later changed' to “county”). There was no established capi tal of the colony and meetings of the Assembly, and of »the Coun cil, were held in homes or in the crude courthouses that had been built at Edenton and in some other precincts, The colony, of course, consisted of >vhat are to day coastal counties and new , Bertie was the “frontier.” Earliest list of Bertie Assem blymen (the precinct had five representatives in the earliest' Assembly) included two men who lived in what was to become Hertford County. That was in 1731, when Arthur ■Williams was one of the Bertie members, as was Captain George Wynns. Wynns remained a Bertie As semblyman until 1735, Wiliams was a member until 1739. Another early' Assemblyman who lived in what was to become Hertford was Benjamin Hill, who settled on the Meherrin River and was an Assemblyman for Bertie in 1739-45. Then, in 1746, Hill, who ap parently had homes on both sides of the river, was an Assemblyman for the five-year-old county of Northampton, formed in 1741 by dividing Bertie County. The boundary between the old Bertie and its new offspring in cluded the Meherrin River, with that part of north of the river in cluded in new Northampton, Perhaps Hill had homes on both sides of Meherrin, More than likely, the rules were sim ply ignored in a day when—be cause of stringent property quali-. fications for officeholders and for voters— it was hard always to find men who would and could serve. Two other “Hertford” men served as Bertie County Assem blymen during the period be tween the formation of North ampton and the county’s birth in 1759. They were brothers, sons of Captain George Wynns, members of a family which was to be po litically powerful for two more generations. John Wynns served in the As sembly from Bertie in 1746. Ben jamin Wynns was in the Assem bly from T754-60 from Bertie. He was to introduce the bill which erected the new county of Hertford, and was to serve in the Assembly from the new county for several terms after its forma tion. '• Finally, William Murfree, ■ lege graduation, Powell came back to Ahoskie for good. In March, 1937, he began work as an agent for the Pilot Life Insurance Company, with a desk in the office of Dan P. Boyette, Ahoskie insurance man. Several months later, he moved to an of fice on West -Main Street, and took on different types of insur ance to round out hi.s general insurance agency service. In June, 1956, a new brick building was constructed for the Powell Insurance Agency on Me morial Drive, near the Roanoke- Chowan shopping center. The agency offers a’ general' mutual insurance line, and Powell ad mits he dabbles a bit in lots and houses—“but I’m not a real estate man,” he emphasizes. Mrs. Powell is her husband’s assistant, with Mrs. Hazel Knight. The Powells are active in church and civic affairs, and he credits his business with prospering in spite of all his outside activities. Powell has been given the Sil ver Beaver award for distinguish ed service to Boy Scouting, and is president of the Northeastern N. C. Amateur Radio Club, in ad dition to posts in the Ahoskie Kiwanis Club. whose name was taken by the new county’s second incorporat ed town, served in the Assembly from Northampton County in 1760, and was — like Benjamin Wynns—to be a premier legis lator for the new county. Of course, the Assemblymen were not the only political lead ers lip of the precincts and coun ties. Counties (the early “precincts”) were run by groups of Justices of the Peace who met every three months as a “Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions.” This “court” transacted all business commonly done today by a variety of county officials. They received and recorded wills, estate accounts, deeds, mortgages and other official papers. They appointed guardians, ferry and road keepers, inspectors, and other county officials. They elect ed the Sheriff, who was the prin cipal administrative officer of the county. Many of the men who were leaders in early Bertie and North ampton became citizens of the new county of Hertford. Many of the men who served on the earliest Court as Justices of the Peace in the new county had been on the Courts of the earlier two counties. R-C Youngsters Served As Members of Junior Reserves Boys of Northampton and Bertie County marched off to war in a youthful Confederate regiment in the summer of 1864. The First Junior Reserves—70th regiment—was organized in the waning months of the Confederacy. It was composed of youngsters under age for regular units and was used for service in North Carolina. In Company K, youngsters of two Roanoke-Chowan counties saw service. The unit included Lt. W. D. Pru- den of Hertford, and Lt. J. C. Bridgers of Northampton. It served along the Blackwater River just north of Hertford County in the fall of 1864, later along the Roanoke River. In the early spring of 1865, the Junior Reserves joined the regu lar army, and fought against Sher man’s hordes at the battle of Ben- tonville. Young Pruden was wound ed in this largest of fights on North Carolina soil. The unit surrendered with John ston’s army after the battle i n Johnston County. Lt. J. A. Beale of Bertie served in the Second Junior Reserves, a unit organized at the same time as the First. The youngsters served for sometime in Bertie County, guarding against an at tempted federal landing at Cole- rain in January. 1865. Boyette Agency Is 51 Years Old a year later by D. R. McGlohon, who later became Clerk of Supe rior Court. Walter L. Curtis was assistant cashier, and later cashier. The need for the bank had stem med from the fact that the nearest banking facilities were in Norfolk, and merchants did not wish to have to make the long trip to handle financial affairs. Nor did they wish to liave large sums of money to protect from possible thieves. The coming of the Bank of Ahos kie was a signal of the town’s growth, and by 1914, The Herald was crowing over the fact that the bank had grown to $135,000 in re sources. That same year saw the estab lishment of the second bank in Ahoskie. Dr. C. G. Powell, recently retired from active dental practice at the age of 82, was first presi dent of the Farmers-Atlantic Bank. Dan P. Boyette, Sr., Ahoskie in surance man, was first cashier. The original Farmers-Atlantic Bank building was in the present location of the Ricks Jewelry Store on West Main Street. In 1918, a three-story brick structure was erected. The bank prospered until the depression struck, but was not able to open after the moratorium. The building, beside the Richard Theater, is now used for furniture storage and offices. Both the Bank of Ahoskie and the Farmers-Atlantic Bank were ac tively aiding the town’s growth during the 1920’s. In 1925. after several years of haggling by econo my-minded directors, the Bank of Ahoskie at last let the contract for the building in its present site. Controversy had raged over whether the bank would build on land it had purchased on East Main- Street, but this land was sold to the Ahoskie Department Store in 1919. The new bank building' was completed in 1926, with great fan fare as the second large bank structure to go up in Aho.skie. Disaster Hits Disaster struck banks in the county in 1931 and 1932, when al most all were forced to close. L. S. Savage, who had become the Bank of Ahoskie’s president, was credited with much of the successful move ment to reopen the bank on March 24, 1933. By the end of 1934, stability had set in igain, and Bank of Ahoskie resources had risen to over half a million dollars. Thus encouraged, a branch in Aulander was opened in 1935. At that time, there 'were four employees in Ahoskie and Au lander. including Hugh B. Copeland, who came as cashier of the Ahoskie bank when it reopened. First crop production loans were made in the middle ’30’s, ^nd in stallment credit began' in Ihe late 1930’s. 'Both items have since be come important factors in banking operations. In 1937, the Guaranty Bank and Trust Company of Greenville pur chased controlling interest in the Bank of Ahoskie, which it retains today. At the outbreak of World War II, total resources had risen to about one and a half million dollars. Dawn of the war era also spelled the end for old-fashioned fixtures and methods of bookkeeping. A night, depository, air conditioning and other improvements were made, including microfilming items and latest machines. By 1945, resources were boosted to over five and a half million dollars. In 1958, they rose again by a million dollars over 1957, to over eight million. The cycle of progress since the war has been evidenced by a new branch on Main Street in Ahoskie, opened in 1956, and a new building for the Aulander branch, occupied in 1957. Interior expansion at the main bank building is planned for (his year. Officers now are: president, J. H. Waldrop, Greenville; vice presi dent, W. A. Thomas, Cofield; H. B. Copeland, Ahoskie, vice president and cashier; W. Earl Bardin, Ahos kie, assistant vice president. In 1948 and 1951, the Tarheel Bank and Trust Company of Gates- ville applied for permission to open a branch in Ahoskie, but was de nied each time. As the Bank of Gates, the Tarheel Bank was or ganized in 1904 in Gatesville, with $10,000 as starting assets. Today' that figure is over three million. The Bank of Gates is, remarkable THE HERALD. Ahoskie. N. C.—MILESTONE YEAR I95S—PAGE 5 for tile fact that it not only weath ered the depression without clos ing, but absorbed the Planters Sav ings Bank of Gatesville and paid off depositors there. In 1938, Tar heel bought the assets of the Win- ton branch of the Farmers Bank of Sunbury, and operated it as a teller’s window until 1950. At that time, the Bank of Gates changed its name to Tarheel Bank and Trust Company, Inc., and,open ed the Winton window as a full branch. After the Ahoskie request was denied in 1951, a branch was authorized at Lewiston. At the January stockholders’ meeting this year, plans were an nounced for construction of the first new building in the bank’s history, at Gatesville. The colonial type one-story structure- will be Completed late this year. Present officers are: L. C. Hand, Sr., Gatesville, president; A. P. Godwin, Jr., Gatesville. first vice president; R. E. Miller, Gates, sec ond vice president; J. K. Wyatt, Gatesville, third vice president: Paul F. Edmond, GatesvUle, exec utive vice president and cashier; Ben L. Weaver. Jr., is cashier at Winton, and Roy L. Lowe is cashier at Lewiston. Hertford County's Newest Industry .. We are proud to claim that title because we hope, in our small way, to bring economic progress to our county. We appreciate the friendship, help and confidence given us by the citizens of Hertford County. We Join in Celebrating the V 200th ANNIVERSARY HERTFORD COUNTY HOWEirS METAL WORKS MURFREESBORO, N. f. ,,-P.ar^r Boyette 2- of the business AHOSKIE—Dan had his first taste- world as a part-time clerk in his uncle’s store at MaA^eton — and he liked it. In fSOS his family moved to Ahoskie, and for the past 51 years he has watched it grow. After attending high school and Davis-Wagner Business College young Dan got his short-lived job as “butcher” or news vendor on the ACL train from Rocky Mount to Charleston. S. C. He forsook this for a clerk’s job in Portsmouth, Va., but credits the late Dr. A. W. Greene and others for helping him become assistant cashier at the Bank of Ahoskie, before long. , , , When the Farmers-Atlantic Bank was organized in Ahoskie in 1914, he resigned from the other bank to become cashier, later vice presi dent of the new bank. In 1921, he left that post to enter the life in surance business. During the ’20’s he operated a mercantile business with the late M. D. Gatling and F. C. Earley as partners. He was also an officer in the South Atlan tic Realty Company, until the firm closed. When the depression struck in 1932, Dan Boyette went into the genehal insurance business for good. For 27 years, he has operat ed the Dan Boyette Agency, Inc. A Democrat, Baptist and Kiwani- an, Boyette has worked actively in all three organizations. A strong Chamber of Commerce backer, he has -served as president, secretary and director at various times. He is a past secretary of the Ahoskie Kiwanis Club, holding this position for 15 years, and has served as clerk, treasurer and Sunday School teacher at the First Baptist Church. For 20 years Boyette was secre tary and a member of the board of trustees of Ahoskie High School, and has served on the Ahoskie town council. In 1915, he married Miss Blanche Gerock, and they have two sons. Dr. Dan P. Boyette, Jr,, pediatrician, and Dr. Edward G. Boyette, dentist, both practicing in Ahoskie. 1940-1959 A Service Built Upon Coi nfidence LUMSDEIN FUNERAL H( Phone 3097 )ME Ahoskie, N. C.
The News-Herald (Ahoskie, N.C.)
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Jan. 1, 1959, edition 1
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