North Carolina Newspapers

Pag* 2-KINGS MOUNTAIN HERAU>-Tu*MlaY. Octobw 14. 19M PUBUSHED EACH TUESDAY AND THURSDAY GARLAND ATKINS GARY STEWART UB STEWART Publishar Co-Editor Co-Editor MEMBER OF NORTH CAROLINA PRESS ASSOCIATION Tho Horald U publUhod by Horold Publishing Houss. P.O. Box 7S2, Kings Moun tain. N.C. 28086. Business and oditorial oHicos are located at Canterbury Road- East King Street. Phone 739-7496. Second doss postage paid at Kings Mountain. N.C. Single copy 20 cents. Subscription rotes: $12.48 yearly in-stote. $6.24 six mon ths. $13.52 yearly out of state. $6.76 six months. Student rates for nine months. $8.50. USPS 931-040. eDnORINS&OPMOW City is 106 years old The city of Kings Mountain was 106 years of age on February 24. Organized on that day in 1874, the town was operated for more than two years before the voters successfully exercised the right of the ballot and duly elected their officials. It wasn’t because no election was held. The first election on May 1, 1874 found R.S. Suggs elected mayor, but in August the results of the election and board action during the three-months period were removed from the records. The minutes merely stated that it had been found that the May election was illegal. The result was that the town’s first of ficers appointed at the February 24 town meeting resumed their seats. These were WA. Mauney, Mayor, Dr. J.W. Tracy, D.C. Beam, W.T. Falls and F. billing. All had been initially sworn in by A.F. Weir, justice of the peace. The town’s first constable was Emmanuel Patter son; the first secretary of the board, Joe W. Garrett; and R.H. Garrett, the first town treasurer. At its May 1, 1876 election, WA. Mauney re mained as Mayor and R.S. Suggs became a t^rd member. Others elected were F. Dilling, R.P. Roberts and J.W. Garrett. A The first town ordinances were adopted on ^bruary 25, 1874 and the initial one declared drunkenness a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of $1-$10, or a term in jail of 12-24 hours. Later, (in dicated by a marginal vote) the fine was changed to $5 and costs with imprisonment at the discretion of the judge. Other ordinances passed at this time listed as illegal; (2) Profanity in public, particularly in presence of women and children; (3) shooting of firearms within the city limits; (4) selling of any article of merchandise on Sun- ■tm Everyone should give blootl The true nature of the Red Cross Blood Program lies in what blood and blood products do, not only in saving lives of the ill and injured but in helping to prevent illness and in contributing to the steady ad vance of medical science in blood therapy . The Cleveland County Chapter Blood Services is the largest single program of the Red Cross activity in this county. More than 6,000 volunteers are used in this program which includes the active volunteers who help with bloodmobiles, such as the one held in Kings Mountain last Friday, and the volunteer blood donors who come and give. Another blood collecting visit is set for Wed., Oct. 15th in Cleveland County, from 10:30 a.m. un til 4 p.m. at Ora and D&O Clubhouse at 14 W. Ran dolph Rd., Shelby. Blood can only be given in Cleveland County at Red Cross Bloo^obiles and not at hospitals or blood banks. Donors may give every 56 days follow ing last donation, must be in good health at time of donation, weigh at least 110 pounds, and be 17 years of age with proof of identification, (driver’s license) through 65 years of age. All citizens are reminded of the upcoming visit. ATTEND FLORAL FAIR TOMORROW The Woman’s Club nor2il fair and Community Festival annually attracts crowds to the Kings Mountain Woman’s Club for lunch, dinner, and a showing of Fall flowers, exhibits, and crafts by hun dreds of local citizens. This year’s fair is no excep tion and will feature the Bicentennial theme. Doors open at 10 a.m. tomorrow (Wednesday) and is wor thy of support from the entire community. Letters to the editors Thank you An Open Letter to Kings Mountain Citizens: The Kings Mountain Rotary Run Committee would like to take this opportunity to thank the many Kings Mountain Area citizens and businesses who contributed to the success of our Second An nual Rotary Run that was held on Saturday, Oc tober 4, 1980. Many contributed either time, talents, or finan cial support to this event which enabled The Kings Mountain Rotary Club to ftirther support the Rotary Scholarship Foundation and to provide a day of enjoyment for the many participants and spectators alike. We would like to list below the groups who were so generous and supportive in this civic project. First Federal Savings & Loan, of Kings Moun tain, for co-sponsoring this event. The employees of First Federal Savings & Loan for their help on Race Day. The Kings Mountain Senior High School for use of the stadium for this event. Chief Jackie D. Barrett and the Kings Mountain Police Department for traffic control assistance. Kings Mountain REACT Unit. Kings Mountain Rescue Squad. Kings Mountain Emergency Services, Inc. Cleveland County Sheriffs Department Reserve Unit. Kings Mountain Police Department Reserve Unit for traffic control on Race Day. Mauney Hosiery Mills and its office employees for financial and manpower assistance. Burlington Industries, Phoenix Plant,' ffy fts financial assistance. Kings Mountain Herald for advertising support. Thomas L. Trott and John Mitchell for donation of Rotary Run sign. Coca-Cola Bottling Company, of Gastonia, for donation of concessions. Bethlehem Volunteer Fire Department. Ware’s Mountain View Orchard for donation of apples. Bridges Hardware Company and Butler Refrigeration Company for their donation of materials. Kings Mountain High School Band for providing musk. Holiday Inn and Shelby Printing for donation of registration forms. In addition to those listed above, we thank each member of the Kings Mountain Rotary Club for their efforts during this event. Our appreciation goes also to the many other volunteers who helped during registration on Saturday morning, to those who manned the aid stations ^ong the race route, and to all who freely gave of their assistance on Race Day. Finally, we thank and congratulate each of the 304 participants in the actual race itself. These run ners enjoy going from place to place to compete in events of this nature for their own self-satisfaction. In turn, they upgrade their own physical fitness through a disciplined program of exercise. The Kin^ Mountain Rot^ Qub takes great pride in helping to promote this wholesome new way of fun. ROTARY RUN COMMITTEE ChorlM Mounay, Doa Grady. Co-Chairman Congratulations Dear Editor, Congratulations on that anniversary. I saw earlier today that a stamp is being issued to commemorate the event. A Y ou live in a very beautiful part of the country. I can think of no finer place than North Carolina. DAVID LAWRENCE ExacuUva Editor, Datroit Fraa Praw Ed. Note - This letter was written to Everette Pearson of Kings Mountain and reprinted by per mission. You needed program to tell the players day except in case of death or sickness; (this first “blue” law punishable by a fine ranging from $25 to $50) (5) gambling labeled a $5 to $20 evil. The remaining three ordinances related to privilege license taxes. Liquor retailers were to pay $25, circuses $25 and theatrical companies doing business in town $20. The liquor tax was shortly stricken from the record, it being inferred that the board wanted no liquor sold within the town limits. A subsequent request for a license by Carpenter & Bros, caused the board to order referendum, even tually set for October 15, 1874, and the vote was unanimously dry -13-0. The first town fathers were not easy on themselves. On March 2, 1875 they voted on themselves a fine of $ 1 should they fail to attend a board meeting without good and sufficient cause. Other items of business transacted by this first board were - appointment of first policemen, R.J. Kennedy, R.P. Roberts and Jacob McGinnis; first property listings showing taxable property of $24,195 (Dr. Tracy, owning 115 acres had highest individual valuation of $2,500); tax vote fixed at 25 cents per $100 valuation; Poll tax set at 75 cents. A year and two days later, the town board api- pointed Frank Falls the first official cotton weigher. As the organization progressed other matters ap peared on the board agenda - the building of a guard house, the laying out of streets, and specifying the size of a city block to be 550 feet square. It was 1930 before Kings Mountain graduated from “town” to “city” status. In that year the census topped 5,000. Today, in 1980, the population is 8,941, based on recent census figures. By ED SMITH In the southern phase of the American Revolu tion it was sometimes difficult to tell the players without a program. Joseph McDowell, who fought against the British and their Tory allies at Ramsour’s Mill, Kings Mountain and Cowpens, would marvel in later years at the way some citizens of the piedmont Carolinas had switched their allegiances back and forth during that troubled, threatening time. Many of the participants in those and similar battles were well-known by each other, friends, neighbors and even kinfolk serving on opposite - and often chang ing - sides. “In my detachment at Kings Mountain,” McDowell said, “Were a number of men whom I knew had been in the Tory camp at Ramsour’s Mill that previous summer, but who had escaped cap ture. Also at Kings Mountain, when the fighting was done, we discovered among the Tory ranks, as our prisoners, several who had fought alongside me with honor and distinction on previous occasions! They, and others like them, were attracted by Ma jor Ferguson’s promises of food, money and protec tion for their families, and one could only pity them in their present plight ... At the Cowpens, as well, were to be seen among our prisoners former comrades-in-arms from that glorious day at Kings Mountain, in three short months having been seduced from former loyalties. Less to be wondered at, perhaps, was the presence in our own company of some of those former Tories from Ferguson’s corps, who had joined us to avoid imprisonment!” Though there were probably more neutrals than we now imagine, and a number who did change sides with the ebb and flow of the war, an over whelming majority stuck by their convictions -Whig or Tory - and risked death, suffering, financial ruin and banishment for them. Victory in the war brought ruin to many on the American (Whig) side: homes and businesses destroyed, families broken and scattered, years of service in the military repaid by worthless paper money. Many veterans received bonuses in the form of land grants on the frontier. Many others, already settled there, lost even the lands they had cleared and fought for to newcomers with “better” Oegal) titles. Most Tories had their property confiscated at the end of the war. Others - those who had conducted themselves with honor, even amid guerrilla warfare and atrocity - were able to return home and live out their lives among their former enemies. Colonel Anbrose Mills, whose home was in what is now Polk County, was one of the frontkr’s mou respected leaderst'TlibUgit $n^ncainiiit<wiki&^u^ • •• porter of the King’s cause, he had never participated in nor condoned the acts of terrorism against civilians practiced by other, less honorable men. Yet he was hanged by the victors at Kings Mountain, an act many later regretted. Even the earliest, violently pro-American historians of this area regarded Mills’ treatment as an injustice. Yet his son, William, wounded and left on the field to die at Kings Moun tain, was nursed back to health by neighbors. Mills returned home and lived to a ripe old age, leaving many descendants in Cleveland County. Captain William Green, captured among the Tories in the battle, had served honorably in the Lincoln (bounty militia in campaigns against the British forces until that summer. (Actually, there were probably as many local men in Ferguson’s ranks as there were serving against them under Chronicle and Hambright, probably as many as fif ty or sixty on each side.) Green not only escaped hanging as a turncoat, he was allowed to reinlist in the American ranks, and served the rest of the war. Green performed the comeback miracle for former Tories by being elected by Rutherford County to serve in the state legislature fifteen terms. His suc cess rankled at least one of his former enemies, however, a Whig, named James Alexander, who had been wounded at Kings Mountain. After brooding about the matter for some years, Alex ander got his son to contest Green in a race for the State Senate in 1823. As an early historian later wrote: "To gain votes Green joined the Baptist Church. Alexander went to see Green baptized in Broad River. When Major Green rose out of the water, wet as a rat and gasping for breath, Alex ander drew himself to his full height of six foot three inches and, towering over the people around him, sang out the following verse: There stands old Ma jor Green all neat and clean. Though formerly a Tory, the damndest rascal ever seen ... Now he’s on his way to Glory.’ The verse became a campaign song and was Green’s defeat. Kings Mountain had claimed its last victim. Unfortunately, it quickly happened again. Sam - a notoriously short-tempered man - rushed in to the middle of the battle and began fighting his former friends for all he was worth. “Ferguson,” it was later said, “Had no stronger supporter on the hill than Sam Abney.” Wounded a total of seven times, Sam was one of those left behind to die. Somehow he survived, however, nursed by those merciful settlers who liv ed nearby (who cared for the wounded of both sides). Sam Abney returned home and for years u laugted^d told ai^tme who woujd listen - former i. WSffacJbnffo^isaMbottke^at Mngs Mountain. Need 25 years to rest up,.. There probably won’t be another big celebration of the Battle of Kings Mountain for 25 years. It may take us that long to recuperate from the 200th event Tuesday. During the long 18 hours of activities Tuesday, I think the only thing the Herald staff didn’t par ticipate in were the train rides on “Best Friend of Charleston,” which I was sorry to miss. We couldn’t get from the West side of town to the Depot to make the rides when they got underway at 1 p.m. and by the time the Park program was over in late afternoon, the train had packed up and gone home. The train ride attracted several thousand people, young and old, who toured the exhibit car of Southern Railway. We were among the scores of people who climbed to the mountaintop of Kings Mountain and completed the day by attending the outdoor drama. Celebration Chairman John Moss said that the 200th Celebration attracted visitors from 34 states and four foreign countries and estimated the parade crowds as the biggest in several years. Park crowds were estimated at about 3,000. Because of the delay of several platform guests for the luncheon, including Secretary Cecil Andrus of Washington, Q.C., the parade was held up while an overflow of luncheon guests munched on fried chicken, potato salad, and pecan pie at the KMSHS Cafeteria. ■ - It’s no easy task to be chairman of a committee BATTLE OF KINGS MOUNTAIN General Ferguson and his “Redcoats” were camping on top of Kings Mountain. Ferguson bragged that he planned to bum all homes and kill all the leaders in the south. When the mountain men heard that, they gathered together to fight. Final plans were made at Cowpens. On ^turday, October 7, 1980 ... about three o’clock in the afternoon The mountain men surrounded the mountain ... When a musket was fired, the battle began. In about an hour, the battle was over. It was an important victory for our country. We became a free nation! Fifth Gradan - Mn. Simpion's Raading Clean WmI School Lisa Blonton. Wondy Burton. Dana DoUingor, Michaol Itnison, Alnanda Moss, Condy Slayton, Larry Woothors. Shono Wood. Edword Whittington. Grog Young BATTLE OF KINGS MOUNTAIN On October 7, 1780 In South Carolina, on top of Kings Mountain General Ferguson and his “Redcoats” were camping. Mountain men surrounded the mountain And surprised the “Redcoats.” When a musket sounded. Lib Stewart but to be chairman of a five state committee which included 1,500 people was a hefty job indeed. Mayor Moss had been keeping his fingers crossed all week that the weatherman would smile on the ac tivities and sweating out program speakers, with calls back and forth to political leaders to see if a member of the First Family planned to attend, which they did not. With the general election a few weeks off, we can understand why the Carters and Ronald Reagan did not attend the Celebration, but we hope U.S. In terior Secretary Andrus reports to the President that he missed a lot. The spirit of awareness of our place in history was rekindled with color and pageantry. Good crowds attended most all events and the Celebration will be regarded as one of the most significant in the city’s and National Military Park’s history. The Herald scutes all those who had a role in the 200th Celebration Poets Corner they started up the mountain Rushing and shouting, they took deadly aim. Less thm an llqgr l^erthe “Redcoats” surrendered. Twas a .gregt>victory for our country! Fourth Gradora Mn. Simpaon'a Raading riw. Woat School Corrlo Dilling. lohnny Biddix. Kim Failo, Lori Houaw, Donnio Roynolda, Ricky Rippy, Dobro Sloyton, ShoUa Stampw. Bornard Thompson. Cathy Wooror Hill »)