Newspapers / The News-Herald (Ahoskie, N.C.) / Jan. 1, 1959, edition 1 / Page 92
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PAGE 8—THE HERALO, Ahoskie. N. C;—MILESTONE YEAR 1959 Christian Harbor Established in 18S1 Blind Preacher Sparked Church's Beginning CHRISTIAN HARBOR — “Mill Neck,” they called the section of rich farmland below Swain’s Mill on the Chowan, cut off by Tay- I'r’s Pond and Deep Swamp Branch on the northwest and the Bertie County line on the south, 'i'nis was an isolated section of Hertford County in the early IBOO’s, with the easiest access made by boat to Winton or up river to Miu'freesboro. A few families owned most of the land in Mill Neck, dividing it into large holdings on which sons and daughters settled as they married. Shipments of produce, tar and naval stores were carted to the “warehouse ’anding” just below the “Big Mill,” or to Mount Pleasant Wharf, just upstream frp-n the Mdl. There they were loaded on the busy river steamers which sailed down from Murfreesboro to Win- ton to Edenton and thence to Nor folk and points south. A few miles downstream from the Mill was “the Harbor,” from which a ferry ran across the Cho wan to Holidays Island and then to Cannon’s Ferry on the opposite shore in Chowan County. The Harbor held no wharf, but sp^'ved nrimarilv as an embarka tion point for persons who fish-^d or sailed for pleasure, or came to cnto-Vi th'' eerrv. The Mill Neck families were content among themselves, lead ing a pleasantlv exciting, hard working farm life. Most of .the families orovided good marriage risks for the chil dren. and few outsiders joined the ranks. The Mill Neck school, a mile or so south on Lloyd’s Crossroads, served for an education, and was a community meeting place. Laarge Landholder One of the larger landholders in Mill Neck was Isaac Taylor, v/hose name was on the detached militia muster roll for Hertford County in 1814. Taylor’s land was close to the river. He served the county for a number of years, and was ap pointed one of the inspectors of creeks and rivers at the May term of the old County Court in 1830. His appointment covered the creeks and rivers “from Simmons’ mill race to the Bertie line.” One of Isaac’s nephews. Hilary Taylor, followed his uncle’s foot steps in militia service and farm ing. Better yet, he endowed his large farm with ten daughters and four sons. So diverse were the ages of his children by two wives, that in the Civil War, Hilary Taylor served as a captain while one of his eld est sons was also in the service of the Confederacy. Ninety-year-old James Edwin Askew of Christian Harbor lives across the road from Christian Harbor Baptist Church, built in 1883 on land given by ithe heirs of his grandfather, Capt. Hilary Taylor. Young Ed Askew was 13 years old when Brother David Gilland, a blind minister of the gospel, came to hold a “protracted meet ing” in the Mill Neck school- house. CHRISTIAN HARBOR CHURCH IS CENTER OF LIFE IN SOUTHEASTERN HERTFORD COUNTY The novelty of a real preacher in the community drew crowds which overflowed the schoolhouse so that a bush shelter was thrown up to shade the listeners outside. This was the first religious meet ing in the community, aside fixim a Sunday School then being held at the school, recalls “Mr. Ed,” The late J. H. Evans, a member of the Christian Harlxcr church, cast more light on the formation of the church in a history he wrote for the 44th annual session of the West Chowan Baptist As sociation when it met at Christiaj. Harbor in 1926. “This church was located in ? community known in 1881 as ar ignorant and backward commu nity, wi& a few noble exceptions, wno saw the need of a church,’ he said. “Comparastively few were pro fessed Christians and a large number were known as drunk ards,” Evans stated plainly. And until that time, according to Evans, the church had never had a deacon, Sunday school su perintendent or teacher who had as much as a hi^ school educa tion. Nonetheless, despite the hard- drinking habits of some folks in the community, the blind preach er turned them toward-establish- ing a church. On June 9, 1381, the church covenant was drawn. The Rev. Coop^ Overton was the first pastor. Deacons were Wil liam T. Taylor, George Matthews, and Perry White (Capt. Hilai’y Taylor’s son-in-law). Among the charter members were Mrs. Mar tha Bunch, Mrs. George Mat thews, and Mrs. Fruzzie Sewell. Church Site Capt. Taylor’s heirs gave a wooded site for the church build ing, on provision the land will re vert to the estate if it ever ceases to be used as a church. In addi tion, the old Captain’s daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mi-s. Per ry V/hite, financed the bills for the erection of the building. In 1883, the one-room structure was completed. There was little hard cash available in that pvost- war era, b.ut the.pspplp determin ed to pay White back so that the church might be debt-free at dedication. As a result, he was paid in corn, cotton, potatoes, meat, peas or whatever they could spare. How did the church get its name? There are many tales, but the most common tale says that one member, Jim Todd, said, “Well, we are all supposed to be Christians and we have a harbo- on the Chowan River near here, so why not call it Christian Har bor?” In this first church preaching services were held on the first Sunday, and on the Saturday be fore the second Sunday, a con ference was held with a sermon R-C Means Many I kings To Many People ... To us it means one of the finest agri cultural areas in the state of N. C. We chose Roanoke-Chowan for our firm name because it is our policy to offer the finest in products to help the farmer make his land even more productive. We thank the folks in this area for their friendship and patronage. We Join Our Fellow Citizens in Celebrating the 200th ANNIVERSARY of HERTFORD COUNTY 'STcxspherte ® Du Pont No. 7 Waxes ond Polishes ® Kendall Motor Oil and Greases ®Wix Oil Filter Cortridges ®Aldrin ® Helptochlor ®Peanut Dust ® No- Dust Floor Sweep ROANOKKHOWAN CHEMICAL CORP. Ahoskie, N, C. preceding. This custom was dis continued in 1947. Three deacons were added to the original board in 1895—Wil liam T. Taylor, D. P. H. Hoggard and J. W. Holloman, who also served as Sunday School superin tendent for 26 years. In 1901, a Missionary Society was organized with Mr. Gil land as president, J. W. Holloman as vice president, John Sewell as secretary, and Mrs. Martha Burch, treasurer. Meeting on the fourth Sunday afternoon, the first col lection of the society was a tota’ of $1.11 from 62 members. Th' society continued until 1943. when the meeting was changed to an evening worship service. New Building In 1902, the church decided to build a new building and use the one built 20 years earlier for a schoolhouse. Ed Askew, one of the men who worked as a carpentei on the new building, had an especial interest in it. The day on which the first load of logs was hauled to the mill to be cut into timber for the new cjhurch, the old building caught fire from an overturned lamp and burned lown. Only a few pieces of fumi ture, including the pulpit which is now in the beginner’s room were saved. The fire occurred in March— but by the following November, a new ons-room church structuri was completed by the members and dedicated. Ed Askew was foreman of construction, and probably hurried for a reason: In April. 1903, he and Gettie Loura Ward were the first couple to be married in the new chiuch. Some time before 1908, Joe J. Fairless gave a plot of land for the church cemetery—for it was in 1908 that a committee compos ed of J. H. Evans, R. H. Hollomon, E. V. Grissom and M. E, Burch, all deceased, put a ferJee around the lot \vhich cost $8.92. In 1904, the late John W. Sa:in ders of Norfolk donated collee- .tion baskets, and communion plates were given by Bismai-ck Hoggard in 1951. In 1907, the new little church undertook the large task of play ing host to the West Chowan As sociation. Ladies of the church, eager to ‘outdo” themselves, disagreed over the manner of serving lunch eon, and so two tables were spread—one in the old, elaborate ■ay, the other in picnic style which has now become the fash- The church was host to the As sociation again, for the last time to date, in 1926, when it had more room by virtue of the eight Sun day School rooms added in 1925. Two more rooms were added in 1940. It is interesting to note that a pulpit Bible bought in 1897 was replaced by a new one in 1937 but the old one is kept ^ the church’s treasured I sions. Also in 1937, the WMU pre sented an individual communion set to the diurch. In 1953, the in terior of the auditorium was re- I decorated and a heating system- installed. ! Eighteen Pastors Eighteen pastors have served ' the church, and 17 deacons have been ordained. The Rev. R. B. Lineberry is particularly remem bered for his 20-year pastorate, together with the Rev. Oscar Creech and the Rev. W. E. Carter, who served when the church was without a pastor. Two men have been licensed from Christian Harbor to preach the gospel, Wade Baker and Nor man L. Blythe, who was also or dained by the church. Today the area served by the Christian Harbor is still, in sense, an isolated section of Hertford County. Farming is still the chief occupation, and the same family names are found which made up the original mem bership of the church, which re mains the center of community life. (This axiicle was prepared from a history of Christian Harbor Church written by Miss Dorothy Askew in 1950; minutes of the West Chowan Baptist Association for 1907 and 1926; "The Ahoskie Era" by J. Roy Parker; and Win- borne's "History of Hertford County.") HERTFORDIANS (Continued from Page 1) Uriah Vaughan, my curiosity caused me to look for his grave. His granite vault was one of the largest in the cemetery, and showed that he was born Novem ber 29, 1813, and died January 18, 1890. At the age of 15 he became in terested in the mercantile busi ness and left school, to become a clerk to William Rea. He was so successful that within a few years he launched out on his own, and then success crowned his ef forts on every hand. Because of his excellent mind, high morals, and Christian life, he was loved and respected by all who knew mm. He owned a large estate, but most of it was destroyed by the Civil War. With his undaunt ed spirit, however, he renewed his energies and, at his death was considered the wealthiest man in Hertford County. His great life was aptly describ ed by the well-chosen words of his epitaph: “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me. Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” Shadows had begun to fall over the calm setting before I had finished my tour. Birds were al ready seeking the sheltering branches of aged magnolia trees which cast their shade over the serene spot. I suddenly felt proud, not only of the people whiom I have mentioned here, but also the many others who lie interred in this graveyard, These citizens contributed their best to the ec onomic, social, and cultural de velopment of Murfreesboro and Hertford County. The epitaph of Lewis Cowper Lawrence characterizes the lives of these men and women. “Mark the perfect man and behold the upright for the end of that man is Peace.” BANK (Continued from Page 2) ment Cashier; Mrs. Elaine Cooke, Bookkeeper; Mrs. Charlotte Robert son, Proof-Transit clerk. Members of the local Board of Managers are: Joseph B. Burden, attorney; Ralph L. Basnight, presi dent, W. H. Basnight & Co., Inc. Cohen W. Parker; Rupert \ Massey, manager, Belk-Tyler Com pany; T. E. Ward, manager and partner, Ahoskie Motor Company: J. C. Sessoms, partner, Sessoms Brothers; W. B. Everett, farmer, Harold G. Veazey, partner, Bas night Warehouses, Inc.; H. H. Newsome, farmer. Bryant Agency Young, Active AHOSKIE—Working with people one of Joseph R. Bryant's great est pleasures, he admits. It was this interest which occa sioned his switch from the agricul tural extension service to the in surance business in the winter of 1951. A native of Rich Square, Joe Bryant took time out from his studies in agricultural engineering at N. C. State College to serve a bitch in the Navy during World War II. Returning to get his de gree in 19‘18, he spent three years as assistant county agent at Eliza bethtown, in Bladen County. In December, 1951, Joe Bryant decided to return to the Roanoke- Chowan area as agent for Farm Bureau Insurance Company (now Nationwide). He served in the Ahoskie bureau of that firm for five years until January, 1957, GROVE (Continued from Page 1) then called to the pastorate, and under his direction the church be gan a program of self-improvement Ill 1945, after 108 years, electric lighting finally came to Pleasant Grove. The church agreed to pay necessary costs of connecting with a new VEPCO line in the area, and for wiring the church for electricity. In 1946 the en'dre out side of the building was painted, and the inside got the same treat ment in 1947. Illness once again prevented the church conference from meeting in July, 1948, when the clerk noted that “infantile paralysis” had caused the conference to be can celed. Today, 122 years after the found ing of Pleasant Grove, the mem bership remains very much the same as it was in 1837. There are about. 160 resident members the church roll, and about 170 nonresident. The building has a new coat of plaster inside and paint outside, and the light of kerosene lamps hds given way to the incandescent bulb. But the spirit of “zealous Christians” continues to shine the second century of the church’s history. —MARY ELLEN ALBARES (Material for this article was gained by reference to the min utes of the Pleasant Grove church conferences, through the courtesy of the church clerk, Mrs. Edna Jojuer Burkett; from the Hertford County Herald files of 1937; Winbome’s “History of Hertford County”; Moore’s His tory of North Carolina”; and articles in the possession of Mr. and Sirs. J. Raynor Moore of PowcUsville.) when he opened bis own agency on Main Street. As owner of the youngest insur ance agency in Ahoskie, Joe Bryant says his first two years in his own business have been interesting and profitable. “The people of the area have been kind to me, and I deeply appreciate their interest,” he adds. His continuing interest in people has been evidenced by a long list of civic posts to which he has been elected. In 1956, as president of the Ahoskie Junior Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Bryant was named “Man of the Year.” In IS.")?, he “filled in” as presi dent of the Ahoskie Chamber of Commerce for six months, and in 958 was selected as chairman of the 4-H Development Fund drive in ilertford County. Both Mr. and Mrs. Bryant, the former Hazel Cousins of Enfield, have been active in the Ahoskie ilethodist Church. Mr. Bryant is a lay speaker in the Methodist Ch'urch, and Mrs. Bryant was direc tor of the Wesley Foundation at Woman’s College before her mar riage. They have two children, Dan, five years old, and Peggy, 18 months old. The Bryant Insurance Agency handles a complete line of insur ance, including life, automobile, health and accident. Land-use Cycle The land-use history of Hertford County runs in this cycle: at first, early settlers cleared land, raised food crops and cattle. Next, about the time the county was formed, tobacco bacame the big crop—a cash crop much as it is in modern ‘imes, demanding much cleared land. At the same time, the un cleared forests of pine trees pro vided tar and staves, the most im portant exports of North Carolina in colonial time. Soon after the turn of the 19th century, cotton be gan to become the cash crop, al though Hertford was never a s large a cotton producer as other so - called “plantation counties.” More land was cleared in the 1820- 60 period in Hertford than is now open, as cotton demanded land and the tar and stave market industry disappeared. After the Civil War, much land returned to nine forests, and the era 1870-1900 was a great lumbering era. Then, in the early years of the 20th century, tobacco and peanute again became big cash crops, more land was cleared for cropping. Now, at mid-century, another cycle is be ginning. With row crops diminish ing in importance, land is return ing to forest, or is being converted to pasture. Thus, it would seem that the next cycle in Hertford 1and-i’se history will closely paral lel that of the earliest days, a ttme of larce forests, broken by fields used for food crops and pastureland. Quality Products BACKED BY DEPENDABLE SERVICE Since 1923 Our business, like other businesses, is built on confidence ... the belief that we stock quality products ond the assurance that we can be depended upon to offer good service. Over the past 36 years we have expanded and our business has grown . . , this growth would not have been possible if the people of Roanoke- Chowan had not been good and faithful customers. We feel obligated to the citizens of this county to the extent that we pledge our entire organization to render the best service possible in the years to come. We are proud to be a part of the growth of this 200 year old county and we join our fellow citizens in the celebration of Hertford County's 200th Anniversary ... a Milestone in the history of our fine state. N. S. Godwin & Sons, Inc. WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTORS Ahoskie, N. C, t d
The News-Herald (Ahoskie, N.C.)
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Jan. 1, 1959, edition 1
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