Newspapers / The Journal-Patriot (North Wilkesboro, … / June 27, 1940, edition 1 / Page 28
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rTWt j**»’^ity J]**^S**V^^ N. C^ Pd^dedby JobnC rCCoatiamd From Page One) a« ll«elF - GrassF Knobe, in the McCann ^ a«i(U>orfaoad. The oldest man in • that section at that time was James McCann, ancestor of the McCann generation. He was then ^aboat 80 years old and was one of : the first settlers. I have heard him say that when he was young &assy Knob had nothing but grass on it, from which it derived its name and that he had seen large herds of deer grazing on it. It is now and was forty-five years ago heavily timbered. The Cherokee Indians were quite numerous in those days, and where . North Wilkesboro now stands seemed to be their capital village. Here the Indians held .their annual com dance, which was their festi val of harvst. There they reeled and frenzied and made merry for days and weeks. In the bottoms along Yadkin and Reddies rivers, which were then heavily timbered with stately cedars, were hundreds of Indian wigwams. On the hill where Gus Finley lived and died was erected by the early settlers a kind of fort known as the “Black House.” Here the whites were attacked by the Indi ans, would flee for refuge. They cculd spy the approaching enemy in every direction and bring him down with their deadly rifles be fore he could get close enough to do any injury to the whites. This house ,or fort, seems to have been burnt by the Indians, but another was built on the same spot. The last one was called the “Red House.” How long the “Red House’’ stood or how it was de stroyed is not known. But it is probable that before it was ce- stroyed the savages had been driv en from the Valley of the Yadkin and it was not longer needed as a fort for protection from the at tacks of the Indians. The early settlers had to go nearly two hundred miles to Cross Creek to get salt, sugar, iron and other necessities that they could not produce here. The women of those days were more industrious than the bon tons of the elite of society that we have with us today pretending to be wives and moth ers. They would work in the fields all day, and at night they had the cotton to seed, flax to spin, carding, weaving, knitting and many other things to do. The meals had to be prepared too, but it required only a short time to do that; the principal articles of food were “hog” and hominy, and such other articles as could be produc ed on the plantation. Coffee and tea were rareties. Tea made from spicewood twigs, sassafras roots and sage leaves and “coffee” mads of parched com or rye was com monly used. In the spring of the year all the stock was belled and turned loose in the woods to shift for themselves. Troughs were hewn in logs where the stock was salted about twice a week. These troughs were called “salt licks.” In those days there was a kind of wild pea vine .that grew abundantly in the woods and the stock would graze upon these pea vines and do well until cold weather. , These wild pea vines ceasd to grow about 50 years ago. There is quite a contrast in so ciety then and now. In other days the dwellings usually consisted of two log houses—the kitchen andj the “Big House.” and occasionally the ‘“Big House’’ had “up stairs”. The ‘‘Big House’’ w’as the parlor, sitting room and bed room com bined. There w'as no organ nor piano, but the fiddle, banjo, flute and fife were the musical instru ments in those days. Courting was carried on in those dr;y. you bet, »but. LuitS'Cti tooiy wouldn’t' have recognized the style in those days. There were no drives in costly vehicles nor expensive bri dal tours. When the distance to be traveled was too far to walk they rode on horseback. Bride and groom or beau and sweetheart would both ride the same horse and hie away over the rough roads as merrily as the mated sparrows fly about their nests. The court ing at home was done in the “big house”, in the comer by the fire, while the old folks were in bed, and pretendodly asleep in the j backend of the room. Com shuck- ings, quiltings, etc., were great so cial events. At night after the| work w'as complete, the neighbor-, hood fiddler came in and the fun began. Until an hour or two be-| fore day both old and young, male and females, would dance and skip and play keeping step with the music all the while. Everybody believed in helping his neighbors do their work and in turn his neighbor would help him. ’The whole community would engage in shucking com, etc., and keep mov ing about until every man’s work .vas done, keeping up the frolicks every night. When a man killed a hog or a yearling he would divide with his neighbors who would re pay when butchering day came with them. Tlie principal sports among the men were bunting and horse rac- moatesing. - b Omm 4mfm, no iax «• '“frar” called it, and from all ii&: used. It is peculiarly “ interesting to study the habito and customs of our fore fathm who first inhabit ed their country; think of them chasing the deer, elk, bear and other game; their ccmfliets with mm cbktlon with such pione^ as inA- iel. Boone and Benjaa^ 'Clwe- lahd.l Bnt ^ fi thing of- the past; the have long since parsed awi^' and all that is left is tbs county tthieh' they founded and nurtured in its infancy. Let ns honor them‘by keeping hte jrecord of our coi^ti spotless and clean. H>e Moravians In Wilkes Lord Granville was one of the Carolina. of [s ^ not aett ^W&mixi^ ahd t««at in the landa cf^Morth Caxo- Ihqt baci to the King' of En^hnd as di9 the other seven Lords fto- ^et(HS-,..In 1762 hs granted ten ^nsand^n^xs of land to the Mo ravians fidio mrveyed a part of wwip- river to the Blair's the, JhNtf ft .. jmSo ibove WilKMMMro effing and OB the Aoith’'lids» then •gain citNwiiig ths liver between the. Haekett and Stokes farm, laav- the tra thousand acres—.8778 acres !ing the Inttra out ' of the siovey. the“ Yi^jd^ shout wfa£ ' Hoitt' ihey fMM A pap * 1 h— *1.- — Wilkesboro now stands, but when Graavllto - - - - the surveyors came to the heights! 'Lordf^' ji_. —within the present border of the The line crossed the /VHlkesboro county of Wilkes. Two surveyors | and Moravian Falls road near were made, known as the uj^r ^ where R. C. Lows now lives, and and lower Moravian surveys. ’The ran out near Qakwoods and back ANNIVEBSABt EDITIO: Ths iqipev «nv to tiw vejr fiuhidia isetti^ aboot Monviaa fills and CteahsB. ^ ‘The «iaee lines of sitter stnrvey esn not now be located. ' ‘ It is bid ttat tte Monmana In- . tended to indude in their’survey,^rre hi sesKh the bottonubon tte north eide ofjond failing to vaivifr'V aiwMt. ark^ib ' ouantitles they Indias it would be best to leavsj the savagos unmo lested, so ihipM • «iP MOv: up the gfeitf'lwfdii'* It is aaid thi3ttftl "Wpr’B on tte south side of the river : looked over and saw.so u the la^ (C ifterwardr ad* the Moravians . bed Md on pate thTM) i What Is The 1940 The Year Of Opportunity North Wilkesboro cele brates its 501di anniversary population 4501 with ap proximately 37,000 more in the county. Duke Power Company grown to approximately 300 miles of lines serving 3-100 customers to serve most of the county instead of just the town. So, In 1940, We Are 50tl' ANNIVER5ARY [ElE JUNE30 JULY 1-4 50 Years Of County and City Progress Duke Power Company is proud of the part it has played' in the pro gress of our city and community since its pai€ictpsti9ft-4n.^^n^lectrical way in 1927, providing an abundant supply of electricity f^tigMng, heating an^ pojjy^r purposes. This supply will be increased as majjd k^de through continued expansion of industrial and house hold consumption. Today there are thousands of electrical appliances connected to our lines, affording advantages and conveniences to hun dreds of patrons, which in turn create additional leisure for pleasure or time for other essential duties. Whatever the needs of this section, Duke Power Company will not be found wanting in fulfilling its obli gation to supply electrical service to meet the demands of this fast grow ing city and adjacent area. ELECTRIC DEVELOPMENT BUILDS COMMUNITY PROGRESS For more than 30 years the Duke Power company has served the Piedmont Carolinas. Through this period, eledtric service has revolu tionized conditions in industry, in commerce and in the home as has no other new development. For many years, low-priced electricity has been an important factor in bringing new induiitries to the Carolinas. Thus communities have grown and prospered with the application of electric service which is now so widespread that it is indispensable to the high standard of living which our citizens now enjoy. Todsty, Duke. Power Company has almost 1 1-4 million horsepower of installed gen erating Opacity Tn hydro-eiectris-and steam-electric planjs—efeand-ant to oer/e grow ing industry, commercial and home netdsr ' • - " While the Piedmont section is regarded as an industrial center, it is of more than usual interest to note that approximately 10,000 miles of line have been built to serve rural customers. The availability and low rates of electric service will, according to students of agricultural economics, be almost, if not entirely as great a fwtor in the development of our agricultural community as it has been in our industrial develop ment. Lower cost electric appliances with the low cost of electricity now, make the bene fits of electric service available even to the humblest of homes. With all of these comforts and conveniences we can unquestionably look forward to even greater bene fits in the years to come. We Pledge Full Co-operation In The Continued Expansion Program Cf Our Community DUKE NORTH WILKESBORO, N. C. “Electricity k Cheap-Use It Adequately” GenersJ Officn: CHARLOTTE, N. C. m.. hSitia dm
The Journal-Patriot (North Wilkesboro, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
June 27, 1940, edition 1
28
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