PAGE FOUR
c.,'.1 .. - ?c: . . ?Watauga
History
?Continued froir. page one)
clerks arc their term of service he
starts at 1S50. it is interesting; to
ik>te that from that date until ' about
I860" the Rev. Joseph Harrison serv
efl and was succeeded in that office j
try the Rev; JD. C. Harmon. It is j
probable that the standard of literacy
off that time was limited and that the
allergy's scholarship qualified them
for the office. Incidentally, this Is
the only record of clergy in public
office in the history of Watauga
county. Under the heading of Baptist
Church History In Watauga County.
Arthur tells us The Rev. Joseph
liarrisoi! was repeatedly elected register
of deeds of Watauga county,
but daring the Civij War he remainen
loyal to tile Union, refusing to
take the oath of allegiance to the ;
Confederacy, with the result that j
Rjev. D. C. Harmon served during thai
time.? Of the Rev. Mr. Hannan or
Harmon nothing is recorded which
gives us a clue to his denomination
or the proper spelling of his name.
Nor was the Rev. Mr Harrison
alone in his loyal allegiance to the
Union cause. While Boone was solidly
Confederate in its sympathies,
many of the outlying families of the
county remembered their Yaancestry
and refused to take part ir.
the War Between the States. In this j
connection. Shepherd AT Bugger, famous
as the author of "Balsam
Groves of Grandfather Mountain'* j
and War Trails of the Blue Ridge " f
states that whiie his father was em- j
ployed at the Confederate forge at :
Cranberry during the war his father's
sympathies were definitely i
Unionist. Mr. Bugger tells stirring
tales of feeding "outlyers." "bushwhackers''
and "recruitersas he
designates Union participants in the 1
guerrilla warfare which left a legend 1
of wild disunion in homes and fami- 1
Jies throughout This mountain coun- ]
tr>'- i.
Only one major action of the Civil
War affected Watauga count.\ ? | ^
Stoneman's raid. This raiding party j,
consisting of a cavalry division and J
a battery of artiilery from the 1Union
forces at Knoxville, under the j
comjicann of M a.ior General Gtorgt j
Sioneman, reached Beope ii: the j
forenoon of March 28..1&65. Con focieqate
sy.npatftizers fired nr. the head | J
of. the Union column and in the re- 1
suiting skirmish three residents ot j ^
Boone were killed and five wounded, i
Arthur remarks that. Following the j
tiring: dtonema.iV\s men charged and those
who had fired upon them took
off toward Howard's Knob and with
the exception of one all of the
wounded Were shot ;n the tear.**
Local tradition credits Stoneman's
command with much unnecessary
brutality.
Following the raid upon Boone .
Stoneman's command divided and
continued on to harry the foothills of
the mountains of western North
Carolina. This was the highlight of ]
the Civil War so far as Watauga
county was concerned.
Through the years Watauga coun- !
tyJs public officials have been men of i
an unusually high type.
Able Officials
After careful research the most |
complete record of the officeholders,
both elective and appointive, has been i,
compiled and concludes this historical
narrative. It is significant that
the officials of Watauga county have
never been smirched with scandal nor
involved in any of the political scan- ,
dais and feuds of their period. This
listing of county officials starts at
the period of 1878, a few years after
the burning of the courthouse and ^
includes the present county officials:
Representatives
Wm. B. Council*. 1878; Thomas ^
Bingham, J 880-1882-1886-1896; Ed- j
ward F. Lovil] 1884-1892; Jesse -A.],
Crisp. 1888; Jordan B. Phillips. 1890; ,
Lindsay H. Michael, 1894; Wm. B.
Councill. Jr., 1898; W. H. Calloway,
1900; L. H. Michael, 1902; Dr. Phipps, ]
1904; W. D. Farthing. 1906; Smith i!
Hagaman, 1908-1910; John W. j
Hodges, 1912; A. W. Smith, 1914; <.
Blaine Coffey, 1916-1920-1922; H.
T. H. Coffey, 1926; R. a Rivers,
McD. Little, 1918; I. G. Greer, 1924; ,
1928; R. T. Gireer, 1930-1932; Dean
Swih, 1924; W. F. Miller, 1936.
Clerk Superior Court
J., H. Hardin. 1878; Joe B. Todd,
1883*1890; M. B. Blackburn, 1894;
John H. Bingham, 1898; Thos. Bingham,
1902-1906 W. D. Farthing,
1910-1914; O. L. Coffey, 1918; A. W.
Smith, 1920-1922; A. E. South, 19261930*1936.
Register of Deeds
W. W. Presnell, 1878-1880-18821884j
E. J. Blackburn, 1886; M B.
Blackburn, 1888-1890; Calvin J.
Cot troll, 1862; John W. Hodges,
1894-1896; J. M May, 1898-19001902^1904-1906;
W. R. Gragg, 19081910i-1912-1914-1916-1918;
E. M. Harmon}
1920-1922; Pearl Hartley, 1924192$;
Helen Underdown, 1928-19301932-1924-1936.
vv
FIRST MAYOR
_
Tin* late \V. la. Bryan, Esq., who
and |>i'int**r mr reliant and hotel md
Sheriff
A. J McBride. 1878-1SS0: D F
Saird. 1884-1890-J 892; J Hayos
.S86-18S8 W. H Calloway, 1SS4
1896-1898. W. B Bainl. 1900-1902:
John W Hck5?*s. 1904-1906: P C. va
bagar., 19CS-S910: a I. Wilson. t1.912;
W. P Moody, 1914-1911*. .1. K co
"i~ounf.. 1M8-1B20; C. ST. Critch'er. in;
1!>22; "u. M Earthm;;. 1B24-192G-192&- 1:11
LP20: T C Baird. 1932: A V. How- j:
bll. 1934 A J Barhtglen i!MiG.
A. P. Hi.,
(..rone- |r,
J. \V Thornse, JC7S ' 580; W D ha
;o>r;n lgSi, J. ( '. Air.es, i&3G: Jan, [fie
J. Shell. 188S: A. L. Wellborn. 1300: ' vo:
ronu-s E Faia.h:njj. ISO?; Geo. K. : vvh
Biiilfhiim, 1894; 1> o Greene. 189(5; SIj
Too? W Hayes, ISPS: H. 1. Weaver, ort
1900-1808: W. S Henley, 1906: J. (J, Do
Vannoy, J910; A. O Stone, 1012; of
Rob.v James. 1314: W H. Eller. 1016; mi
Henry storie. 101S: II. D. Morotz. on
IP20-1922-.1924; J. b Kagaman <hP
1026-102S-1030-1032: Jack b o v e. Iai
1031: Richard E. Kelley, 1936 "i
Sitr* cvorA.
C. Farthing, 1878; Nathan HerIon,
1SS0: L.. W. Farthing, 1884; b
U Trivetb iS8&-1806i-lS08-3910-lBr
1916-1918; L. H Michael, 1S6S; C. M. j ?P
Hodges, 1SP0; b. D Lowe. 1S92; Mil- th
lard Trivetl, 1894: Willet S. Miller. *r'r
1896; Jones C. Groer ISPS; w T nM
Vandyke. 1900-1902-1912-1914: I. A A
Bumgarner. 1920-1922-1924; \V. R ,r
Vines. 1926 to 193G
to
rensurers
Uv
John Ragan. 1884; I* A. Greene.
1SU6 lo lttS888SSRTA01NTrXUmJX
1886-1888-1894-1896-1898-1900; W. E. j
Greene. 1S90-1S92; E. M. Greer. 1D02;
op
tV. T. >1*1 yes, 1906; \V. X. Thomas,
on
190S-1910; C. M. Critcher, 1912; Jno. ?a
Ward. 1914; W. J Earthing, 19161918:
A Hie G. VViison. 1920-1922 ; E. *,x
G. Greer. 192C-192S. u'f
County Commissioners ;n,
Abram Roten, 1896-1898; L*. H.
Michael. 1896: E. M. Greer. 1896; \y
W. C. Coffey. 1898-1906; W. L. Hill- se;
shouser, 1898-1900: John W. Hodges, ij,
1900-1902: L. M. Trivett. 1900; G. Sj
W. Robhins, 1902; L. A. Greene. ! to
1902-1906-1908-1914-1916-1918- 1922; I st]
E. R. Eggers. 1906-1908: Thos. L. ;
Day. 1908-1910; J. M. May, 1910; W. i inj
F. Winkler. 1910-1912; Z. T. Watson. ; th
1912: A W. Smith, 1912: Leroy Bol- ?
linger, 1914-1916; J. L. Glenn, 19141916;
J. C. Brooks'nire, 1918; J. C.
Miller, 1918-1920; G. W. Robbing,
1920; L. H. Hollar, 1920; Sherman
Welbom. 1922; J. B. Miller, 1922; W.
N. Howell, 1924; S. C. Eggers, 1924;
0. L. Coffey. 1924; T. C. Baird, 19261928-1930;
R. T. Greer, 1926-1928; J.
Y. Walker, 1926-1928-1930; Eller McNeil,
1930-1932-1936; W. P. Miller.
1932-1934; C. T. Billings. 1932-19341936;
Ira Edmisten, 1936.
The early potato acreage in North
r-o?vii;?.o 4 V,:- ? ** "
uoiuiiua uii? accusuii was estimated
at 34,000 acres compared with an
estimated acreage of 43,000 acre9
harvested in 1937 and a ten-year
average of 33,100 acres, reports the
N. C. department of agriculture.
Although North Carolina's cultivated
hay acreage ranks third among
the crops produced in the state annually,
the state ranks 30th among
the states in the production of hay,
N. C. department of agriculture sta- il
ticians report.
ATAUGA DEMOCRAT?EVER
OF BOONE
, ih;
I fit
' ou;
was the fir>i mayor of Boone (
its <?f thr <-s?mm:itiit.y. ; rnc
Boone's History
~ ers
! Continued from pr.rrc one) j ^
1 i'-ns ~rur tan .o::i:n unity Eith- |
in thtir "fnciai - lt r.c ty or as prito
c.i they <.ev; :od :n:ioh time ;
urcnr.p" rqati improv-.inohts closer > Bl.
-hi .era.ion with agencies .-ook- ^
- toward expansion of the com- j
;.?:ty<: o pcrtu:uties e-itnej in trade j T
cultural -uivatiiatre > ?
; L;r
FY "v.. t-hr i jog in ding. Dr B. B. i
ugn-.Tty fa:?d*Y D I> I>c*ugjifcrt.v Lg
i? : the iowrt ofin
Is i:. creating civic conditions farahk
to the growth of the school ; S0J
lich has no\v beethfcc Appalacn?an j ftu
ite Teachers College. D. B. JDough- i
y. second editor of the Watauga Q
mocrat. and fatner of the founders
Appalachian College, served as
lyor of Boone in 1901, taking office
May r LaU r, 1 <3. Greer, a noted Q
uca tor ano professor at Appaiach- | g*
1 College and now superintendent i |i
the Baptist orphanage, the Mills i g
inu\ served as one of the town j JJ
mmiss:cners ir. 1919.
It is interesting to note that W. I.. pi
th< first mayor, by charter ?
pointment, had the confidence of
c lew. : > such a remarkable de- |J
e< that he served intermittently as jg
lyor lor 25 years. Col. J. B. Todd,
*v."n ai.tnvnov 91
- III
er.d of Mayor Bryan, as well as j J
? of the first commissioners for the i 5)
.v: hy charter appointment, served 11
o terms in the state legislature pj
ring this same period, and did
ich to foster the growth of Boone ! to
that body. It is through the co- I
eraticn of W" G. Todd, son of Col- gt
el Todd, that the records of this g
riier period are available. Except II
r such memories almost the only to
tant records of the town's corporate i (
e are contained in the now yellow*
files of the Watauga Democrat. IJ
The founder and first editor of the to
atauga Democrat, J. F. Spainhour.
rved as a commissioner in 1890 and II
91. Now living at Morganton, Mr. J
>ainhour was a distinguished at- ?
rriey of his period and served as |]
ite's attorney for this district. pj
In 1S90. W. C. Coffey, then a lead- ^
? merchant of Boone, was elected to to
e office of mavor "MV Si
^ fc
wen Wilson, manager of Smith- |]
efa store here. ?
PKnlg ~ *1 ,<y ~?l
f THURSDAY?BOONE. N. C. j
rhour. the other commissioners j
at yea: were \V. L. Bryan, the ;
si and R. C Rivers, for 44
. h.her cf tlie Watauga!
M3 R y< rs S rve I in ISdl, j
L>7. 1899 anc" 1911 as well. In cor:- i
cti n wit1- Mr Rivers' service it is'
cresting to note that the Dr. J. G. j
vers appointed by charter as o::e j
i ;rst town commissioners. was
^ father cf the late publisher.
addition to Mr. Spainhour and
Rivers, I W. Thomas served as
[? 4 the citv commissioners in
189$', ?i hew city cabi
took office with J. D. Council!
Lh'1 mayor's Chair. Mr Couxicill
s a worker in metal and a buildar<
had been a leading citizen of
or.t for years, serving several
mi as x>oetmaster. The town cumssioners
for this year were Dr. L..
Reeves, a well known physician:
B. Blackburn, merchant and hotel
>prietor, and E. S. Coffey, an atTicy.
"Co record exists of the town offi7s
ejected in 1895 to serve until ,
*7. but for that latter year J. C.
:teller, an attorney, was elected1
ivor. The town commissioners were
S. Coffey. M B Blackburn and j
C. Rivers
?V. L, Bryan, first mayor of Boone ;
ain took office on May 4, 1899.
I the city oommissidners for that
ir were R C. Rivers. J. M. Moretz
:1 T F. Coffey. In 1901. the year
which D. B. Dougherty took office
mayor, the town commissioners
cted were E S. Coffey, J C. !
?tcher and M. B. Blackburn
\gain there Ls a hiatus in the reci.
this time for the years from
)3 to 19C7. Every effort has been
ide tr. bridge these gaps in the
vn's his ton," unsuccessfully. J. C.
?tchcr took office as mayor on
iv 10. 1907, and the commission5
elected to serve with him were j
B. Blackburn, L.. B. McNeill; a ;
rmer and merchant, and M. F.
I
itcher, a holelman of the period. j
Again in 190P, on May 0. W. Ivan
look over the duties 01 mayor j
Boone. His commissioners for j
> term of two years were Adolphus j
Cook. P. Critcher and L. L.. |
itehcr.
Mayor Bryan yielded office in <
] l :o W R. Grag^r. whose com- !
ssioncrs were D. J. Cottreil, U- C. i
and John \V. Hedges, who
:ved for a time as sheriff of Watga
county.
Por the year 1913 there is no rec1
extant of the city fathers, but on
ly 6, 1915, J. M. Morctz took over
lOEsoaoraocac
I
i S m
k/ i l l
Depa
Located in I
A direct service
and factories of
EFI
Every man emp
No drones to pa;
executives to pe
operate day and
to the markets
goods. A co-<
| with you.
Your visit is alw
Signed:
Smit
P. S.?^Our trad
last week f
Honey-Cui
aOOOOODOE
F .
POSTMASTER
c
Jrofllfw
Wiley G. Hartrog, postmaster
at Boone, who has recently been
appointed ft>r a second term.
the duties of mayor. F A. Linney.
attorney; ML B. Blackburn and D. J ;
Cottrell were commissioners lor this j
tern: %
A gair. in 1P17 The record is missing*, j
i v. sioorc. a primer. was etectea j
mayor in 1919 arid took office on |
May 9 His commissioners were F
A. Linr.ey. il B. Blackburn and I. :
G. Greta.
In 1621, on May 5 T. B. Moore
was again inaugurated as mayor of
Boone A. E. South, now c'.erk of the
court: J. F. Moore and D J. Cpttrell
served luring the following: two years
on the city commission.
E. N. Hafcr., now justice of the
peace, took over the duties of mayor
on May 30. 1923 Dr. McG. An- j
ders, now resident in Gastonia. J. F. !
DID VOL KNOW THAT . .
BARE'S F ^
Boone's Newest ]
4
is attracting the attention c
auga. Ashe. V/ilkcs and Av<
and bargain prices?
?
Congratulations to Th
IIC39ESOSXOBIOC
ithe
rtment S
lie Principal Towns of Ni
North. Carolina.
: to the consumer from th
the North, South, East ai
FICIENCY IN OPERATIl
loyed is a shirt-sleeve mai
y or feed. No losses by ba
ly. No lost motion. Our
i night, carrying the produ
! and bringing back the
operative organization tl
rays appreciated.
they's Si
BY THE CLERKS
le is expanding. We recei\
rom the big city of Londo
-ed Country Hams.
aocaoBoaoHio
JULY 7. 1938
doorc anil T. B. Moore served as city
ommiasioaers during Mayor Haiin's
dminlst ration.
Mayor Hahn ims succeeded ui ofice
by D. J. Cottrell. who took >!ice
or. May 7, 19l">. Dr. J. M. Hlodgus.
V. V. Howeil. now stale probation oficer,
and L. L. Bingham, city raail
arrier. were members cif the city
ommission during this term.
On May 5, 1927. W. R. Grngg was
igain inducted as mayor. A. Y. Howili,
T. B. Moore and Clyde R. Greene,
if the Farmers Hardware Company,
vert elected as city commissioners
R. S. Sv.i/t succeeded to the mayjraJity
on May 9. 1929. That year
Oean J. D. Rankin, of Appalachian
ToLlege, Dr. H. B. Perry and L L
Bingham were elected to serve for
two years as city commissioners.
J. M. Moretz. who had served as
mayor in 181.1. was returned to that
office in 1931, taking office on May
7. His commissioners for the next
two years were R. L. Clay, now deputy
collector of internal revenue for
this district; W. Frank Miller, who
served as assemblyman at the the
time of his death, and Dr. H. B.
Perry
J. Frank Moore was elected mayor
in 1933, taking office on May 4. The
city commissioners for this term were
Dr. H. B. Perry. R. L. Clay ar.d C. B.
Duncan, a hanker, now with the denartmen
tof justice in Washington.
Ir, 1935 the present mayor. Wat!
H. Gragg, was elected to the may
crality and ir 1937 he was re-elected
lor the second time. During Mayor
Gragg's first administration his commissioners
were G. K. Moose, pharmacist:
D. E. Wilcox, laandryirtar.
and L?. T. Tatuin. proprietor of a
meat market. In 1937, Mr. Moose
and Mr. Tatum were re-elected and
A. E. Hodges, automobile accessories
dealer, succeeded Mr. Wilcox on the
board of commissioners.
lIR store
department Store
i
tf careful shoppers of Watay
Counties by its quality
e Watauga Democrat!
!
soraoaosoBG
Tsl
O
tores !
D
rthwestera 2
D
o
e leading mills Q
id West to you. ?
ON 2
i and a worker. Q
id accounts. No
fleet of trucks IX
cts of the farms &
manufactured U
lat is working jj
o
D
O
M
II
tore 8
o
D
? o
ed a mail order Q
n, England, for O
u
o
OOBOSOBol