VOLUME
THE
PILOT
NUNBER
32
Is a Paper Devoted to the Upbuilding of the Sandhill Territory of North Carolina
Address all communications to
the pilot printing company, VASS, N. C.
FRIDAY, JUNE 29,1923
SUBSCRIPTION $1.50
SKETCHES COVERING A CENTURY OR
MORE OF HISTORIC BETHESDA CHURCH
Early Doings of Its Pastors, Officers
and Members—First Burial
(By N. A. McKeithan)
To tra lition we owe much of the
early history of Bethesda. The com
munity ?-3 early as 1751, as shown
by certai i State records, grants to
John Patterson one of which probably
covered the land now held by the
church ar.d cemetery trustees. Major
J. M. D. llaj forty years ago told the
\\riter thr.t his grandmother told him
that she ind other wo:r.en buried in
1781 in tl:3 night time in the old ceme
tery Arc'id. who was killed by
Revolutio ^ary soldiers while Ray was
in hiding and makixig shoes in the
woods. 1 he place was pointed out to
me some years since. Tvventy years
since a L.dy who was over 80 years
told me thai I:c" "rp.ndmother told
her the first burial in the old cemetery
was before the Revolution, that of a
little girl who was traveling south,
was taken sick and died at her house
(this house stood in what is now the
new cemetery). A wild rose still
marks the spot where stood the gate
to the front yard. Bethesda was
known as early as 1790 as a place for
w'orship. The first known minister
was Colin Lindsay, according to a tra
dition that I think is worthy of ac
ceptance. I gather from the report
to the synod of the Carolinas of Oc
tober 1, 1795 that in a division of
Orange Presbytery creating Concord
Presbytery the name of Colin Lind
say with others whose work was in
this part of the Presbytery of
Orange, Synod, October 31, 1799 lists
Colin Lindsay without charge.
March 27, 1801 we find seven can-
John McIntyre who lived at what
we know now as the Buchan farm, a
widower twice, at the age of 44 years,
reared as a shepherd boy in Scotland,
took up his studies under McMillan
where he mastered his Latin and
Greek and was licensed by the Pres
bytery of Orange in 1809.
It was about this time that Dr.
Hall writes of a visit into this sec
tion and the inference is that John
McIntyre began his ministry here.
Tradition also has it that he began
his work here and in the surrouunding
section. Tradition says that the first
elders were Archd. Patterson and
John McMillan. Patterson died in
1810 and is buried here. McMillan
died about this date or earlier. As
the oldest roll of membership is dated
January 1812 which was preserved by
John P. Graham, clerk and carried
by him to Alabama in 1825, this roll
carries the names of 107 members
who without exception were Scotch,
while this roll is dated 1812 it proba
bly covered a period of several years
following this date and also prior to
this date.
This roll gives John McIntyre, pas
tor; Alexander Graham, John McLeod,
Daniel Martin, Lauchlin Currie, J. P.
Graham, elders. Just here it may be
of interest to speak of the descend
ants of these elders.
Rev. Mr. McIntyre in the period 18-
01 to 1806 married Mary Graham,
widow of Archibald Graham, who
lived at what we know as the Buchan
farm. Among the descendants of
died many years since, leaving no
relatives here.
Norman Shaw, elder, moved to
Alabama in 1835.
Alex Graham, elder, was father of
J. B. Graham and Neill Graham and
grandfather of J. W. Graham, an el
der at present.
The foregoing is a meagre sketch of
the elders who served with father Mc
Intyre during his work prior to 1885.
I have been told that the minutes
and roll of membership covering a
period to 1833 were lost in the burning
of residence of Clerk of the Session.
(To be continued)
BUH,DING AND LOAN ASSOCIATION AT
ABERDEEN HELPS THE TOWN’S TAXES
(We are pleased to inform our read
ers that Mr. N. A. McKeithen has con
sented to contribute from time to time
articles pertaining to the early settle
ment of the Scotch. To him we are
indebted for the above article.—Ed.)
I
\
THE PILOT WINS SII.VER
CUP
It was gratifying to THE
PILOT to win the Savory Cup
awarded to the best example of
a country paper printed in North
Carolina by the committee of
Press Association at the annual
meeting last week at Blowing
Rock. This is a distinction cov
eted by the papers all over the
state, and in bringing home the
prize THE PILOT had to im
press the committee with its vir
tues simply through the influ
ence of those virtues alone. The
committee was not known... It
acted on the judgment of its
members entirely, and not on
I any argument from the publish- |
ers or their friends. The cup is |
didates before Orange Presbytery at j Mrs. McIntyre we have Rev. J. D. A.
this time among them Murdock Me- I Brown, who is a grandson, and other
Millan.
October 2, 1800 we find that the
Presbytery had conditionally suspend
ed Colin Lindsay.
October 1, 1801 Orange Presbytery
reported they had removed the con
ditional suspension of Colin Lindsay.
Among the reports of the Rev.
James Hall of sainted memory and
action during the Revolution speaks
of his visit to Colin Lindsay and
Archd. McDiarmid and the revival
that spread over the country in 1801-
06. This report to the synod by Dr.
Hall was in 1810. In this report
he mentions only McDiarmid, Murdock
McMillan and Malcolm McNair and
John McIntyre as of this section.
October 5, 1809 the Presbytery of
Orange reports receiving John Mc
Intyre.
Extracts from Lfr. Hall's report
in 1810 say “Mr. McDiarmid and Mr.
Lindsay, although having been de
posed from the ministery, continue to
preach and command influence over
thousands of their countrymen from
Scotland.” It is most evident that
these ministers followed their Scotch
inclinations too far in the use of ar-
spirits. In his report he says
“Many families have lately come over
^0 Mr. jMcIntyre and frequently young
People of families who adiiere to Mr.
^jndsay are taken with convictions
^nder Mr. McIntyre’s preaching.”
the authorization of the forma
tion of Fayetteville Presbytery Octo-
5, 1812 we find Murdock McMil-
and John McIntyre. No mention
McDiarmid or Lindsay.
On the 27th of March, 1801, Orange
f^i’esbytery met at Barbecue church,
Seven youn men were licensed to the
^iinistry, one of whom was Murdock
^IcMillan and who near this time
opened an academical school about
^ 1-2 miles from this church. He
^^^ght here for several years and sup
plied this and surrounding churches.
e remained in Moore county, preach-
® and taught until about 1831 when
^ moved to Tennessee and died near
‘ emphis in 1851. He organized Eu-
Phronia church in 1819.
descendants living in Robeson county
of the Purcell family, with whom Mr.
McIntyre made his home in his de
clining years and died in 1863, aged
103 years of Capt. John McMillan, one
of the first elders of this church, I
will say that his father, Daniel Mc
Millan, was one among those who
was killed in 1781 at the Duncan M.
Blue place by Wade’s men. His
daughter, Mary, married Malcolm
Clark and was the great-grandmother
of Rev. J. McM. Clark, of Concord
Presbytery.
Archibald Patterson, an elder
prior to 1812, was the father of Dani
el Patterson who became an elder
about 1833. J. D. Patterson was a
grand-son of Archibald. Archibald
died April 1810, aged 80 years. Dan
iel died May 1861, aged 87 years:
Amelia, wife of Daniel, died Decem
ber 1851, aged 80 years; J. D. died
December 1879, aged 75 years.
Alex Graham lived at the Graham
place near Bethlehem and is buried
there. His son Robert moved to
Robeson, Ashpole county, where his
son, “Mack” Graham lived 40 years
since near Ashpole church.
Lauchlin Currie lived north of what
is now Pinehurst. Rev. Lauchlin W.
Currie who died in Texas about 3o
years since was a grandson, also W.
P. M. Currie, pastor of Wallace and
other churches in Duplin county, is a
grandso’\ Rev. G. C. Currie, a great
grandson, is a minister in Arkansas—
all Presbyterians.
John Black, elder, married Mary
Blue. One son, Duncan B., was a
Presbyterian minister. Rev. J. Sted-
man Black was a grandson.
Daniel McNeill was a father of Mal-
com McNeill, elder, and grandfather
of J. A. McNeill, and elder who was
accidentally killed in 1922.
John McLeod, elder, was grand
father of Rev. R. A. McLeod, now of
Galatia, and father of elder J. A. Mc
Leod, of Eureka. J. W. McLeod died
April 1863, aged about 91 years.
Daniel Martin, elder, who came
from Scotland in 1811 lived and raised
a family and three daughters; all
I a fine trophy offered the state
! newspapers by Mr. Savory of
I Pinehurst, to be the property of
I the paper winning it until won |
I from it by another in a succeed- |
I ing contest... It was said that "
^ THE PILOT had a good chance
last year, but was eliminated by
reason of its size... This year be
ing more fully grown its stand
ing was conceded.
The prize will be on e.xhibi-
tion at THE PILOT olhce for a
time.
Correspondent Sends Interesting News
Letter—Some Union Church History
1
THE GLORIOUS FOURTH
You’ve the wrong impression if you
think a proper celebration of the 4th
of July means touching off a lot of
fireworks and wasting money that
could be used to a better advantage
Neither are you right in balieving
that it consists in loading up the fam
ily flivver with gas and seeing how
many miles you can cover between
sunup and sundown. No, our fore
fathers who wrote and signed the
most wonderful document the world
will ever know, had neither of these
in mind when they performed an act
which justified a holiday for the
American people.
There is no better way for people
spend a patriotic Fourth of July than
to spend it in a simple, quiet visita
tion among relatives and friends, or
even in a litle family party at home
or in a grove nearby. The church
picnic is also an ideal Fourth of July
celebration, and so is the community
or the school picnic. The family re
union, with a nice big dinner, and a
place for the children to play is an
other enjoyable and appropriate man
ner of observing the event. And al
ways there is someone present who
can entertain with reminiscences of
early days and early ways that will
make the time both interesting and
enjoyable.
There is but one right way to cele
brate the Glorious-Fourth and that is
to celebrate in a safe and sane manner
Noise doesn’t mean real patriotism.
The quiet man is usually the quickest
to take up arms for his country. Be
sane in your celebration this year and
see how much more enjoyment you
get out of it, and how much more en
joyable it will be for all who come in
touch with you on that day.
The Building and Loan Association
of Aberdeen, is about to start its fif
teenth house. To date the Associa
tion has been instrumental in collect
ing over $40,000.00 in dues and sub
scriptions, $39,000.00 of which will be
invested in Aberdeen homes when this
fifteenth house is completed. Not a
great many of these houses would
have been built without the help of
the Building and Loan Association,
and we are safe in saying that the
Building and Loan Association is pri
marily responsible for putting from
$60,000 to $75,0000 worth of taxa-
able property on the tax books—a
most excellent record for the short
time it has been in existence—to be
precise, seventeen months.
T. M. Sparrow of the Aberdeen
Building and Loan Association attend
ed the State Association of Building
& Loan Associations in Albemarle on
Thursday of last week. So important
have the building and loan associa
tions become in the building up of
communities in the state that they are
now receiving special attention by the
State to enable them to become still
more useful. The State Insurance
Commissioner, Hon. Stacey Wade, un
der whose supervision all State build
ing and loan associations are, makes
it a point to be present at these an
nual meetings each year. This year
he delivered a talk on ^‘6 percent and
Safety.” Judge Clarkson also made a
very able address. On Thursday all
the visiting folks were treated to a
cafeteria banquet with an abundance
of chicken and every thing imagina
ble to eat. They were also taken out
and shown over the Badin Aluminum
Plant, and the big dam across the
Yadkin river there. Mr. T. B. Wilder
made the trip with Mr. Sparrow and
attended the meetings with him.
The Young Men’s Welcome Class
of the M. E. Church gave a fish fry
and moonlight picnic in honor of the
young ladies last Friday night at
Blue’s Bridge. Everybody reported
having had a good time, and although
a big crowd was in attendance they
could not eat all the fish their gener-
o’js hosts provided for them.
Mrs. Grace Russell and sons, Scott
and Leonard, are visiting her father,
T. Scott Barkley at Statesville. They
made the trip with Mr. and Mrs. J.
R. Page who were on their way to
Barium Springs Orphanage, of which
j institution Mrs. Page is a trustee.
j T. R. Averitt had the misfortune of
I breaking his arm trying to crank his
j Ford last Monday. The old time Fords
still “rare” as much as they used to,
and if it were not for the fact that the
new models are equipped with self
starters some of us would be having
our arms in slings all along.
The bathing beach across Aberdeen
Lake is getting to be a public rendez
vous. Not only do Aberdeen folk con
gregate there for their daily swim,
but strangers are attracted to it. We
have heard it pronounced an ideal
swimming place by outsiders. Just at
present though, the bridge over the
front gate in the dam is out of com
mission, or rather in an unsafe con
dition. This makes it impossible for
cars to get over to the other side. We
understand, though, that steps are be
ing taken to put it in proper repair.
Miss Dorothy Morrison of Bennetts-
ville, S. C., is the guest of Mrs. Mary
McKeithan.
C. 0 .Corbitt, of Miami, Fla., is
visiting his brother, K. R. Corbitt, the
new manager of FarreFs Cafe.
R. M. Carpenter is assisting Arthur
Carpenter, his brother, at the Auto
Oasis. This brother is just off the
farm. This makes three Carpenters
—all brothers—in Aberdeen now;
enough to start a union.
The ball team went to Raeford to
play their return engagement there
last Friday afternoon. Raeford won
10 to 5. Batteries for Aberdeen: Mar
tin and McLeod; for Raeford: Cul-
breth and Poole.
Postcards arriving here show J. Mc-
N. Johnson and entourage to have
been in the Grand Canyon on the 19th.
The cards also state that they expect
to arrive at their final destination,
Caronado, Cal., on Friday the 22nd.
The party reports a most pleasant
trip.
Mr. and Mrs. W. A. McMillan, of
Candor, visited at H. A. Keith’s Sun
day.
Mrs. A. C. Eatman and children, of
Raleigh, are visiting W. P. Page and
family.
Aberdeen has a “Kurious Kat.” It
is an eight-toed cat, or rather kitten.
Mrs. Keith states that it and a pet
chicken are steady companions, and
that the chicken sets up a squall when
the cat goes out of sight. Our own
experience with cats and chickens has
been most disastrous. Perhaps if all
cats had eight toes they would leave
the eating of chickens entirely to us.
Old Bethesda
“Who is left among you, that saw
this house in its first glory-”—Hag-
gai 2:3.
On this scriptural question, the Rev.
Martin McQueen based his farewell
sermon to old Union church, Bethes-
da’s neighbor. It’s application is
again apt now at the time of the com
ing together from everywhere every
one of the children of Bethesda.
Time has brought progress and
changed men and customs, but the
creatures of our modern day civiliza
tion do not carry with them the at-
tachements of the generation before.
We have our imposing church edifices
into which we come and go. We hi
bernate and travel back and forth, be
coming little, or if at all attached to
anything. The first glory of Bethesda
is her greatest glory. Kinship, friend
ship and fellowship in worship were
so closely interwoven then that the
ideals of the church were those of the
community; stern ideals which our
present generation would consider
onerous, but which produced the
strong men and women of the past
generation. That first glory is now
but a recollection. There will be at
the reunion some who are still living
in it. To them the day is dedicated.
Old Presbyterian History Reprinted
For Bethesda Reunion
On August 10, 1910, Union Pres-
bv^erian church on the occasion of the
Home Coming printed a booklet writ
ten by Rev. John K. Roberts, then
pastor of the Union church, which
contains much that is pertinent and
of interest at Bethesda lleunion,, and
we give such excerpts as we think
will particularly interest our readers:
“The only way possible to ascertain
the dates of the first settlements in
Union congregation is to search thru
the grants on file in the Secretary of
State’s office in Raleigh. Permanent
settlements, however, began with the
great scotch immigration into the
Carolinas after the disastrous battle
of Culloden in 1746. Shiploads of the
Highland Scotch landing at Wilming
ton made their way up the Cape Fear
river to a point first known as Cross
Creeks, afterward called Campbelton
for the Rev. James Campbell bat
changed to Fayetteville in honor of
Marquis LaFayette during his visit
to that city in 1825. From this point
they formed settlements in the sur
rounding country.”
“The first grant issued to a Scotch
man in North Carolina was filed by
a Mr. McPherson in the Pamlico dis
trict in 1707. In Foote’s “Sketches”
we find that a man by the name of
Clark and other Scotchmen had set
tled near old Bluff church in 1729.
(Continued on page two)