Few Perquimans men have
served in executive positions
The highest councils of North
Carolina government have not in
cluded a resident of Perquimans
County for many a year, but there
were times when the county wielded
great political influence.
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Three chief executives of North
Carolina were Perquimans men,
namely John Jenkins, Thomas
Harvey and William Glover. None of
the three held tjhe title of governor,
but they did act ^1 that capacity (as
president of the council or as deputy
governor) for extended periods when
the governor was absent.
John Jenkins was the first owner of
that choice neck of land formed by
Perquimans River and Albemarle
Sound. He was deputy governor from
1672 to perhaps 1677 (although his
power during part of that period may
have derived from his presidency),
and president of the council in 1680
and 1681.
It is now widely believed that he.
not John Culpeper, was de facto
governor during 1678 and 1679.
Thoma* Harvey married Jenkins'
widow and purchased Jenkins' land,
which was known thereafter as
Harveys Point. He served very ef
fectively as deputy governor from
16M until his death in 1698.
William Glover's administration as
president of the council from 1706 to
1706 was troubled by disputes bet
ween Anglicans and Quakers. His
right to exercise gubernatorial power
was challenged and he fled the colony
for a time, forsaking his home on
Little River.
Legend wrongly credits
Perquimans with two more gover
nors, William Drummond and John
Harvey. There is no evenidence
Drummond lived in Perquimans, and
stories about his tombstone being in
Durants Neck are marred im
mediately by other stories that the
tombstone was that of someone else.
Further, Drummond was hanged
in Virginia, probably in haste and
without ceremony.
Despite peristent claims to the
contrary, there is abundant evidence
that John Harvey, deputy governor
in 1679, did not live in Perquimans. In
fact, he resided in Pasquotank
County at his plantation on the
southeast side of Symons Creek.
The governor's council, which
possessed considerable power during
the colonial period, inclnded
numerous Perquimans men, some of
whom served for many years.
Councillors during the 1670s included
John Jenkins, John Willoughby,
Francis Godfrey, James Hill,
Timothy Biggs and perhaps Thomas
Peirce.
Beginning their service in the 1680s
were Thomas Finkley, William
Bundy, Francis Hartley, John
Barrow, Thomas Lepper, Anthony
Dawson and John Druant.
In the first decade of the eighteenth
century William Glover, Francis
Foster and Gabriell Newby joined
the council, as did Richard San
derson in the next decade.
Thomas Harvey and Henry
Clayton served during the 1720s, but
John Hecklefield declined the office.
McEora Scarbrough in 1734 appears
to have been Perquimans' last
councillor.
At the Revolution, an elective
Council of State was established.
John Skinner (1787,1788), Henry
Skinner (1834,1835), and Josiah T.
Granbery (1858) were Perquimans'
only members of that body.
Attitude measurement predicts
behavior patterns
j There are, quite probably for each
of us, some things one seems to
sense, or perceive, or just plain
kjiow, without having scientific
research data to support one's
beliefs.
:
So. When the data emerges, and is
just about what you "know" all
along, why, you're not very sur
prised.
And thus it is with research
recently published in the journal
"Contemporary Drug Problems" in
Boston. Succinctly, the data in
dicates, "Psychological tests given
in junior high school can predict
which youngsters will smoke
cigarettes, drink liquor or use
marijuana when they get a few years
older," that which any observant
school teacher who works with that
age group could have predicted
without benefit of such testing.
You just know.
The tests "measure the children's
attitudes toward authority and good
behavior. The most rebellious
younFsters get the lowest scores.
And the lower the score," the
researchers say, "the more likely the
child is to drink and smoke cigarettes
and pot."
This research was extended over a
14-year study, and is said to be
among the first results ? the
behavior predictability ? to come
out of the study.
The researchers came up with a
"socialization" score for each child.
Their findings indicate that "Where
you are at an early age on the scale of
socialization predicts with suprising
accuracy where you will be three
years later in your use of drugs in
high school.. .(and) this same scale
also differentiates those who will
become users of the legal drugs ?
cigarettes and alcohol ? from those
who will not."
There's much more to the study, of
course. The important thing,
however, is that accurate prediction
of who will use cigarettes, drink
liquor, or use marijuana, is possible.
No, on second thought, that's not
really the most important thing.
The important thing is what we can
do to stop our youngsters from doing
it. Perhaps a good beginning would
be, forgive me if I over-simplify, for
adults ? parents, teachers, coaches,
music idols, athletes, et al ? to set
good examples for these young
persons.
This wouldn't be a panacea for the
problem, but one suspects it could
have a significant positive impact.
And we certainly don't need some
scientific research to believe this,
now do we?
APROPOS - "0 God, that men
(and children) should put an enemy
in their mouths (and veins) to steal
away their brains! That we should
with joy, pleasance, revel, and ap
plause transform ourselves into
beasts!"
Shakespeare ("Othello")
Looking back
?/ X C?I O
By VIRGINIA WHITE TRANSEAU
LACK OF PATRONAGE MAY
RESULT IN CLOSING OF
THEATRE: Julian "Little Man"
Broughton, manager of the State
Theatre, stated to his reporter this
week that if residents of this county
don't begin attending the movies
here, the county stands a good
chance of seeing the doors to the
theatre closed again and the marque
dark.
Local support from the public must
pickup. The State Theatre was closed
in November of 1959 due to the lack of
Letters
The PERQUIMANS WEEKLY
welcomes the opinion of its
readers. We print letters to the
editor on subjects of local, state,
national and international in
terest.
Letters should be limited to 300
350 words and should include the
name, address and telephone
number of the writer. Only the
name and address will be
poblished with the letter.
The subject matter should be of
interest to the community, not a
persona! gripe. Letters may be
edited by our newt staff for
clarity and apace limitations.
Mail letters to: The
Perquimans Weekly, P.O. Box
277, Hertford, N.C. 27914, or drop
them off at our office* at Cour
?ZZZZ
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support from the public. At that time
residents here ralleid and expressed
a desire to see the theatre reopened
and in March of 1960 the theatre was
re-opened.
ARCHIE T. LANE SEEKS RE
ELECTION AS REPRESEN
TATIVE: Archie T. Lane Sr..
Perquimans County representative
to the General Assembly, announced
Wednesday that he will seek re
election in the May 30th primary.
In anouncing his candidacy Mr.
Lane stated that he appreciated the
past support he has reveived from
the voter of the county and will ap
preciate their support in the coming
election.
CHARLIE T. WHITLEY
PROMOTED: Charlie T. Whitley,
son of Mr. and Mrs. Roland Whitley
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of Murfreesboro, has recently
become an associate member of the
Society of Acuaries.
This achievement came as the
result of having passed the first five
of ten examinations administered by
the Socidty of Actuaries, a profession
society of life insurance
mathematicians.
Mr. Whitley has been associated
with the Acturial Department of
Security Life and Trust Company,
with home offices in Winston-Salem
since February 1M0. Mr. Whitley
makes his permanent home in
Winston-Salem, where he lives with
his wife, Jean Long, formerly of
tt.-n n ? J
neruora.
Mrs. Whitley is the daughter of
Mrs. Shelton Long and the late Mr.
Long.
Monday's snowfall brought
out strange behavior
It is amazing to see what a little bit
of cold, white powdery stuff will do to
a person of average intelligence in
Northeastern North Carolina.
Monday's snow brought on
massive attacks of anxiety to some
area residents while others relived
their childhood days once again.
I found myself in Elizabeth City
when the "blizzard" struck the area.
Pat and I had gone over to "The
Daily Advance" to finish the com
position of "The Perquimans County
Service Directory," (only one month
past the deadline I might add) when
we were informed that the weather
conditions outside were not exactly
the most suitable for a quick trip
back to Hertford.
After making a hasty exit of the
building to appraise the situation we
decided that it was time to begin
what would probably be a long ride
back to Perquimans Counsty.
When we got to the parking lot we
observed a lot of people sitting in
cars trying very hard to clear up
their windshields so they could see to
drive.. .we joined the ranks and
began the never ending job of
scraping the windshield and cleaning
the snow off of the headlights so we
would be able to see on the way.
With the snow cleared off, and the
car started we hit the road. Luckily
we stayed on the road.. .some of the
folks we met along the way weren't
that fortunate.
Every few miles we observed cars
that had taken one chance too many
and landed in the ditch bank along
U.S. 17. Fortunately no one appeared
to be hurt and the vehicles didn't
appear damaged.
There were also those along the
way that had gotten home safely and
decided that they would brave the
elements and head outside for some
fun. ?
Snowmen were going up
everywhere and snowballs were
being flung. It would be interesting to
know how many of those who had fun
on Monday are now at home suf
fering with a winter cold or pulled
muscles.
Snow is okay, as long as there's not
too much of it and you don't have to
go anyplace except your own yard.
This week's snow is predicted as
"just the beginning" for us
though. ..we've still got March and
April coming.
Letter to the Editor
Editor,
THE PERQUIMANS WEEKLY
As a registered nurse who has
served in a leadership role in NCNA,
you are well aware of the importance
to the nursing profession in this state
of lawmakers who value the views of
nurses, who will listen to nurses'
concerns, and who support a greater
role for nurses in health care policy
decisions.
Lieutenant Governor Jimmy
Green has given this kind of support
to nurses.
As presidents of NCNA for the past
three bienniums, we have had first
hand experience spanning at least six
years in presenting NCNA's interests
in the General Assembly. Each of us
can attest to the fact that Lietenant
Governor Green's support has been a
major factor in NCNA's legislative
acheivements during this time span.
In 1M1 when NCNA sponsored a
revision of the Nursing Practice Act,
mr. Green, as presiding officer in the
North Carolina Senate, was in
strumental in the swift Sentate
passage of the bill.
He iroMd out snags and smoothed
the way for enacting the bill into law.
By personally interceding at the
right time, he assured passage of the
MIL
la 1M2 Lieutenant Governor Green
asked NCNA leadership to meet with
him as an advisory group to discuss
This group has shared with him
in its successful opposition to the
elimination of nurses from eligibility
for state need-based student loans.
He has consistently appointed
members of NCNA to the governing
board of this program.
In the 1983 session, Mr. Green
?gain facilitated Sentte passage of
measures high on NONA'S priority
list. His door was always open to hear
our concerns, and he has received
our input with great respect for the
nursing profession.
While Mr. Green may npt always
agree with nursing's positions, he
listens to nurses and he is candid in
discussin what he does not support
and why.
We are sharing our views with you
about Lieutenant Governor Green's
support of nursing because we think
it is important, in election year 1964,
that you know of his past record. We
believe that he, as Governor, will
give the same unbiased attention and
interest to nursing's concerns and
perspectives.
Sincerely,
Russell E. Tranbarger, R. N.
NCNA President, 1977-79
Ernestine Small, R. N.
NCNA President, 1979-S1
Barbara Jo McGrath, R. N.
NCNA President, 1981-83
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