Annals of the Fleeting "STears
A Town With Many Namts
By TUCKER LITTLETON
At if it wasn't complicated
enough to find some history of a
town that has almost no records,
matters are further complicated by
the fact that the Town of Swans
boro has been known in early years
by so many names that it's hard
to keep up with all the names that
are synonymous with that of
Swansboro.
As for records, most of the ear
liest records that would have re
vealed something of the history of
the town were destroyed when the
hurricane of 1752 destroyed the
Onslow County Court House at
Johnston. A subsequent fire de
stroyed more of the county records
that would have helped the present
day local historians, and a similar
fate apparently befell the town
minutes and records.
At least the fact remains that no ,
town records are known to exist
that date further back than fifteen !
to twenty years ago. That seems \
quite enough to discourage anyone, .
but the situation is even worse for ,
the historian, for the oldest grave- ,
yard and town cemetery? one that
should have been preserved be- ,
cause of its historic importance? .
was desecrated, plowed up and ,
made into a cotton field, and its j
markers disappeared. ,
This cemetery, located in the <
southwestern extreme of town, ,
would have yielded vital informa
tion concerning the earliest inhabi- ,
tants and citizens of the town.
In the records that do remain,
however, we find several names
that were applied to the town long
before it was givln its present
name. Apparently, each citizen
VA Officer
Explains New
Pension Law
Five points in connection with the
new pension law were spotlighted
this week by E. C. Elliott of the
Veterans Administration in New
Bern, as a result of numerous in
quiries from veterans and veterans'
dependents.
? First, the new law goes into
effect on July 1, 1960, not before.
? Second, the law does not make !
any changes in the basic eligibility
of a living veteran for pension. The
veteran still must be totally and
permanently disabled from causes ,
that arc not traceable to his mili;
tary service; he must have 90 days
or more of honorable wartime ser
vice. and his income must be below
the prescribed limits.
? Third, the new law has no ef
fect on the usual questionnaires
which VA sends just after the first
of the year to persons who receive
VA pension checks, on which they
must list their income of the year
preceding. All persons who receive
the annual income questionnaire
after the first of the year should
fill it out promptly, sign it and
return it to the VA.
? Fourth, persons now on the
pension rolls will receive full in
formation and details on their
choices under the new law in ample
time before July 1, 1960 for them
to make any nccessary decisions.
? Fifth, the new pension law ap
plies to veterans of World War I,
World War II and the Korean con
flict and their dependents. It does
not apply directly to Spanish War
veterans, who have their own spe
cial pension laws. However, a
small number of Spanish War vet
erans may be affected by a pro
vision which makes some eligible
for an "invalid lift" if their condi
tion requires it for getting in and
out of bed.
had his own name for the town and
used it. The result wai that the
town had at least five names be
fore Swansboro was ever settled
on as the final one.
The land on which the eastern
end of Swansboro is now located
was formerly the possession of
Theophilus Weeks, who died in
1772. Becauae of the long owner
ship of Mr. Weeks, the names of
Weeks' Wharf, Weeks' Landing,
and Weeks' Point were used as
early names of the settlement
which later became Swansboro.
There is a reference to Weeks'
Landing as one of the places in
Onslow County for the inspection
of unmerchantable commodities as
early as 1770, apr> aring in the
Laws of North Carolina for that
year.
The association of the land with
Mr. Weeks continued long after his
death in the usage of the people,
for as late as 1810? twenty-seven
years after the General Assembly
officially changed the town's name
?a deed from Solomon E. Grant to
Otway Burns refers to a lot in the
town as being on Weeks' Point.
Another name of the town that
was contemporaneous with those
above was the name Bogue. It is
quite easy to sec why the name
Bogue early came to be associated
with the town, and now Carteret
bounty has its settlement by that
name.
One of the earliest records of the
name Bogue lor the town of Swans
froai
DAVIS
Jan. 27 ? The Rev. and Mrs.
Charles Paul of Raleigh spent the
weekend with his parents, Mr. and
Mrs. Wesley Paul.
Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Pond and
son. Andy, of Beaufort spent the
weekend with his parents, Mr. and
Mrs. Blakely Pond.
Capt. and Mrs. Frank M. Hunt
and children spent Sunday here
with relatives and friends. Mr.
?nd Mrs. Hunt have been making
their home in Edgewood, Md They
will be leaving in a few days for
San Antonio, Texas, where he has
been transferred. Mrs. Hunt is
the former Elsie Davis, daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. Irvin W. Davis,
who are now making their home in
Beaufort.
Mrs. Guy Dixon of Morehead City
visited Mrs. Joseph Davis and her
lather, Mr. 1. S. Alligood, last
week.
Mr. Braxton Piner spent a few
days with his family. He is em
ployed in New York.
Mr. Theodore R. WUlis Jr. is
home for ten days from the Coast
Guard station at Hatteraa.
Several from this community at
tended the funeral of Mrs. Hattie
Davis last Sunday at Morehead
City. Mrs. Davis is survived by
one sister, Mrs. Georgia Willis of
Davis.
Mr. and Mrs. Francis Murphy
visited his sister, Mrs. Carrie Han
cock of Harkers Island, last Sun
day.
Mrs. Georgia Willis and Mrs.
Mollie Lewis spent last weekend,
with their mother, Mrs. Carrie
Hancock, at Harkers Island.
Mr. Irvin W. Davis of Beaufort
attended services at the First Bap
tist church Sunday.
Mr. Luther Stratton returned to
the VA Hospital at Durham Mon
day, where he it receiving treat
ment.
Several from this community at
tended the funeral of Mr. Monnie
H. Fulchcr at Stacy last Monday.
Students from different colleges
spending the weekend home with
their parents are Brenda Willis,
Judy Davis, Serena Davis, Ann
Marie Davis and Roy Davis Styron.
Community Club Work
Leads to Fire Protection
The Cedar Point volunteer flrel
department, an off-shoot of the Ce
dar Point community club formed
about a year ago, will entertain
the ladies of the recently formed
auxiliary at its first social event
Monday night, Feb. 1, with a din
ner at the Waterway Restaurant.
The Cedar Point community club
officers arc Douglas Ingram, presi
dent; Ralph Gibson, vice-president;
George Williams, second vice-pres
ident; A. J. Blackmon, secretary,
and Joe Ellington, treasurer.
Fire department ? f f I c e r ? are
Ralph Paul, fire chief; Lcland
Crumpler, assistant fire chief, and
Dr. L. J. Duprcc, head of the board
of directors, as chairman. Other
members of the board are A. D.
Ennett, Emmett Harris, Walter
Mooney and John Jones.
Officers of the ladies' auxiliary
are Mrs. A. J. Blackmon, presi
dent; Mra. Ralph Paul, vice-preai
dent; Mrs. E. W. Harris, secretary,
and Mrs. L. J. Duprce, treasurer.
Mrs. Don Walston was named pub
licity chairman.
Followiag Ike organisation of the
club a year ago several projects
were outlined for community bet
terment, and a volunteer fire de
partment seemed of utmost impor
tance.
A. D. Ennett, civil defense dep
uty for Western Carteret County,
was contacted since all Army sur
plus equipment or uppltoi an ae
cured through civil defense offices
in Raleigh.
John Valentine, Carteret County
civil defense director, agreed to go
to Raleigh with Mr. Ennett and
Don Walston, then president of the
CPCC, and try to buy a fire truck.
No ready-equipped Are truck was
available at that time but a 10
wheel Air Force truck was pur
chased at a fraction of its original
cost and converted to a very ef
ficient fire truck for local use.
Within a few days, a tank and
pump was installed and the truck
ready for use. Soon the truck an
swered two calls and extinguished
the fires quickly with little loss to
one residence and a cabin cruiser
tied at Walston's dock.
Tkraagh local civil defease the
club hopes to purchase a reserve
truck with first-aid equipment and
a communications system such as
used by the Army, to connect east
ern and western Carteret in event
of a local or national emergency
A plot of ground on Cedar Lane
Drive, for use eventually as a com
munity clubhouse and a fire house,
was donated by John R. Jones, a
member of the club. At the pres
ent, Dr. Duprce is giving the truck
free storage In his garage building
near Hill Street.
Kalph rail and other club mem
bers put on a turkey shoot each
Saturday during December for ben
efit of the dub, raising a substan
tial turn.
boro ii found in i letter from Ed
ward Howard to Governor Richard
Caswell, dated November ?, 1777.
Edward Howard writes: "My pro
ceeding after I left your bouse was
aa follows viz: I went down to
Bogue on White Oak River and
spoke to Mr. Steal k Capt. Gurlin
both and agreed for a passage with
the first that did sail, my chest and
bed & part of clothes has (sic)
been there ever since I was order
ed out . .
It appears that Nr. Howard was
a Tory and was being ordered to
leave the country because of the
Revolutionary War. His memories
of Bogue were probably not too
pleasant.
In the 1810 deed from Solomon
Grant to Otway Burns mentioned
above, there is also a mention of
the town by the name of Bogue,
showing that the name was still
in use as late as that. The deed
reads in part: ". . . unto Otway
Burns a certain lot or tenement of
land with a bouse thereon lying on
Weekses Point on the west side
of Whiteoak River . . . known by
the Lot No. 6 in the plan of the
said town of Bogue . .
One of the things that makes all
these names confusing is the fact
that all these names were used
at the same time to mean the same
place. While some people were
calling the town Weeks's Point and
Bogue, others were calling it by
still another name? that of New
Town.
In the State Records of North
Carolina, Laws of 1777-1788, we
find a reference to the former com
mon name of New Town, which
was to give way to the official
name. The law reads: "And be
it further enacted . . . That the
said village called New-Town shall
be, and it is hereby erected into
a town by the name of Swans
borough . .
The early name of New Town
suggests to me that there was an
Swansboro
Jan. 26? Miss Blanchc E. Gar
rett, Sunday school extension work
er of the Presbyterian Synod of
North Carolina, has been in Swans
boro for several days contacting
Presbyterians to determine the
need of a Presbyterian Church in
the community.
Those who have expressed in
terest, and anyone who has not
been contacted but is interested in
forming a Presbyterian congrega
tion, will meet Tuesday night at 8
in the American Legion hut, Miss
Garrett said.
Principal speaker will be Dr. L.
A. Taylor of Wilmington, executive
secretary for the Wilmington Pres
bytery. Others on the program
will be the Rev. W. M. Schotanus,
pastor of First Presbyterian
Church of Jacksonville; the Rev.
Alvis M. Daniel, pastor of Wild
wood Presbyterian Church; the
Rev. Charles Kirby, pastor of the
Morehead City Presbyterian
Church, and Elder Pete McMillan
of Jacksonville.
While in Swansboro Miss Gar
rett is staying with Mr. and Mrs.
James Griffins, 3C Shore Drive.
She may be contacted by phoning
EA6-4747, or at postoffice box 805,
Swansboro.
Swansboro Girl Scouts will be
out in full force Feb. 3-17 with
their cookies for sale. Mrs. Ron
ald Sandridge, in reporting the
sale, said five different kinds ?
sandwich creams, butterscotch,
chocolate mints, vanilla thins and
chocolate chips? will be available
this year at 40 cents per box.
A portion of the cookie sale prof
its goes to individual troops and a
larger portion toward maintaining
and establishing Girl Scout camp
ing facilities.
In the political arena of Swans
boro there has been a Democratic
club formed to boost the candidacy
of John Larkins, led by no less
than his honor, the mayor, M. N.
Lisk, as chairman. Vice-chairman
is J. W. Black, and secretary-treas
urer is Frances Wollerton. Mrs.
Woilerton is town clerk.
Miss Velma Askew was a Sunday
dinner guest of Miss Karen Gal
lagher.
Mr. and Mrs. S. E. Sutton of
route 24 had as their houseguests
last week Mr. and Mrs. Otic Trintz
of Arlington, Va. Mr. Sutton re
turned to Arlington with the
Trintzes on a business trip.
John S. Jones Jr. and John S.
Jones Sr. made a business trip to
Morchead City Tuesday.
Dr. L. J. Dupree and A. D. En
nett attended the Emeritus Club
meeting in Morehead City last
Monday night.
Thursday visitors in Morehead
City were Mrs. Hugh Hurst and
Mrs. Bertha Chestnut.
Emmett Harris spent Monday in
Raleigh.
Mr. and Mrs. Gus Crist of Jack
sonville recently gave a barbecue
dinner at their home on Cedar
Point.
Mr. and Mrs. A. D. Ennett Jr.
visited the J. Ellingtons in More
head City Tuesday night.
John Valentine and A. D. Ennett
attended a civil defense meeting
in Raleigh Wednesday.
Ralph Gibson recently visited
his mother in Nashville, Tcnn.
Saturday evening dinner guests
of the Jimmy Gentrys were Mr.
and Mrs. Edwin S. Gentry and
children, Sandy, Carl and Susie.
Mrs. J. L. Gallagher and daugh
ter, Karen, and Mias Mary Elixa
i beth Smith spent Sunday in Wash
liagtoo visiting friends.
earlier settlement? an Old Town,
so to apeak?adjacent to the new
development which came to be the
New Town. That happened in the
caae at the Town of Beaufort,
which has iti Beaufort Old Town
and Beaufort New Town.
Homes were not built on the site
o I Theophilus Weeks' land until aft
er it was plotted and sold off as
individual lots, the plans having
been drawn up and dated Oct. 20,
1772.
However, the laws was settled
decades before that, for there was
a Colonial port operative at the
mouth of the White Oak River in
pre-Revolutionary War days. A
more progressive minded people
bought lots in the new development
called New Town, and it was they
who moved to have the town in
corporated and re named.
The official name of Swans
borough, given the town in 1783,
has persisted while the other earl
ier names have passed on into dis
use. The spelling of the town's
name was officially changed by
the Post Office Department on Oct.
16, 1893, and modernized to Swans
boro, though lazy residents had
been spelling it the short way for
some time.
Except for a few visitors who
didn't know how to spell thi name
of the town, like Bishop Asbury,
who spelled it Swansbury, the
name has been faithfully applied
to the town just like the General
Assembly said it should be done.
High grade gold ore was found
in 1880 at White Oaks, N. M? by
George Wilson who was then flee
ing from a sheriff's posse. He im
mediately sold his claim for $40.
With Hi* Aimed
Carferet Men to Take
Part in ' Winter Shield'
Augsburg, Germany? Army Pvt.
John A. Stiles, X9, son of Ennis F.
Stiles, 305 N. 15th St., Morehead
City, is scheduled to participate
with other personnel from the 24th
Infantry Division in Exercise Win
ter Shield at the Grafenwohr-Ho
henfels training area in southern
Germany Feb. 1-7.
Winter Shield, an annual winter
maneuver designed to determine
the combat readiness of Seventh
Army troops, will provide realistic
training under simulated combat
conditions. Special emphasis will
be placed on the role of the indi
vidual soldier and the small-unit
leader.
The exercise will involve 60,000
troops and will mark the first time
in history that major units of the
new German Army will participate
jointly with U. S. ground forces in
a field exercise.
Stiles, assigned to Company C of
the division's 31st Transportation
Battalion, entered the Army in
May 1959, completed basic train
ing at Fort Benning, Ga., and ar
rived overseas last October.
He is a 1958 graduate of W. S.
King High School.
Regensburg, Germany ? Army
Pvt. William G. Petteway, 20, son
of Mr. and Mrs. Clarence W. Pette
way, 305 Queen St., Beaufort, is
scheduled to participate with other
personne1 from the 11th Armored
Cavalry Regiment in Exercise Win
ter Shield at the Grafenwohr-Hoh
enfels training area in southern
Germany Feb. 1-7.
Petteway, assigned to Troop H
of the regiment'! 3d Battalion in
Regenaburg, entered the Army in
March 1959 and received biaic
training at Fort Jackson, S. C. He
arrived overaeaa in Auguat 1969.
Petteway ia a 1957 graduate ?f
Queen Street High School and wai
employed by Eubanka' Studio be
fore entering the Army.
Guantanamo Bay, Cuba? Henry
F. Williams, airman, USN, son of
Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Williams of
Newport, ia aerving with Utility
Squadron Ten at the US Naval
Baae, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
He reported to Guantanamo Bay
in November.
Before entering the Navy in Octo
ber 1957, Williams attended New
port High School.
Norfolk, Va. ? Milton N. Webb,
sonarman second class, USN, son
of Mr. and Mrs. Milton W. Webb
of 709 Fisher St., Morehead City,
and husband of the former Miss
Sara Ballou of 510 Bridges St,
Morehead City, departed Norfolk,
Va., Jan. 4, aboard the destroyer
escort USS Basilone for training
operations in the Caribbean Sea.
Scheduled to be operating with
other units of the U. S. Atlantic
Fleet and to visit the Virgin Is
lands and Puerto Rico, the Bas
ilone and her crew will return to
Norfolk in late February.
Newport News, Va. ? Eldridge C.
Rhue Jr., chief torpedoman's mate,
USN, son of Mr. and Mrs. Eldridge
C. Rhue Sr. of 1512 Ann St., Beau
fort, and husband of the former
^ SMYRNA
L_J ? n
Jan. 26? The Smyrna boys bas
ketball team ia playing Louis burg
Miss Betty K. Okada of Honolulu,
Hawaii, ia serving aboard the new
guided missile submarine, USS
Robert E. Lee, which waa chris
tened at Newport News, Va., Dec.
1(.
The Lee is the first atomic-pow
ered vessel to be launched ia the
South.
College basketball turn Monday
night at Loulabarg.
Mr. and Mn Guion Simpson
were vlsitori in ?reenville la*t
Thursday.
Mr. and Mn. Hugh Willis vera
v 111 tor ? with Mr*. T. E. Wiiaoo and
family Friday.
Mr. ?nd Mn Wally Holliday and
children have moved to Beaufort
Mrs. Eva Willis of Morehead City
was a visitor with Mr. and Mrs.
Guy Willis last week.
Mrs. Herman Reid and children
of Beaufort were visitors with Mr.
and Mrs. Lonnie Gillikin Sunday.
Mn. Hilda Gillikin left this week
to visit her son, Mr. Roy A. Gilli
kin, and family in Florida.
The United States has more than
7,000 hospitals.
DRESSED AND DELIVERED
Open 24 Hour*
Just Call ? Phone PA 6-4020
It's Economical to Sorvo Delicious,
Easy to Proparo Seafood. Havo Soma Today!
OTTIS' FISH MARKET
8th ud Etuu St?. Mor?h??d City
Fred or \
(white
food shop here and
SAVE BIG
Quantity Rights Reserved
FRESH ? 4 to 8-Lb.
Pork Shoulders - 29^
PURE PORK
SAUSAGE 4 ^ 99
JESSE JONES PRODUCTS
Roll Sausage, 1-Lb. Roll 45c
Breakfast Sausage, Vz-lb. Pkg. . 29c
Franks, Lb. Pkg 49c
FRESH CUT
PORK CHOPS ?? 39
CORNED FRESH ? 8 to 12-Lb.
HAMS - 49<
LOCAL FRESH
EGGS """ 39^
RED & WHITE PINEAPPLE
JUICE ~ 19/
With $5.M Food Order
RED * WHITE MIDGET
Lima Beans ^ 29/
RED A WHITE TOMATO
CATSUP a: 19/
RED ft WHITE CREAM OR WHOLE KERNEL
CORN 2 " 35/
OlIR VALUE CANNED
PEAS 2 - 29*
MARCAL
Napkins 2 ??- 23^
Gill's Hotel
COFFEE
l-Lb. Bag 57c
1-Lb. pv.7k"c" 63c
Instant 2 ? 29c
Instant 4 ft 51c
Our Own Sun Spun
BISCUITS
3 c"~ 25*
Red * White
Applesauce
2 "^25?
BE SURE TO REGISTER FOR THE
NEW REFRIGERATOR TO BE
GIVEN AWAY FREE JANUARY 30
"FROZEN FOODS"
Frosty Acres French Fried
POTATOES 2 29^
Gorton'*
Ocean Perch IK"* 43 *
Sua Spun
OLEO j?; 19^
Large Pascal
CELERY - 9<
Waxed Red
Potatoes 5^25'
C. D. Jones Red & White
(Across from Huntley's)
INTERSECTION OF HIGHWAY 101 AND 70 "
Beaufort, N. C.