"OLD BOB"
By DALE GADDY
"Old Bob" (Guqpowder) was
one of the first horses Profes
sor B. B. Dougherty used as he
took to the various rough roads
and trails throughout the ipoun
tkinous area. The two became
the best known figures in the
entire couqty. and soon became
welcomed wherever they went,
for theirs were errands of help
fulness as they journeyed to
the least and farthest out
schools and communities.
In his old age he was a fully
retired and highly esteemed
animal who had already become
quite a favorite with faculty,
students and the people of the
community. The students had
jokingly nick-named him "Gua
powder" although he bad be
come incapable of exhibiting
explosive qualities. To the fam
ily, of course, he was Old Bob
to the end.
No mention of his passing
was made in the late autumn
issues of the Watauga Demo
crat in 1928. Maybe folks were
too concerned with the Hoover
Smith campaignli.^ and with
Will Rogers' Anti-Bunk Party ?
joaUinga to pay any mind to
the deatfe of a meager
Like most "folks," "Ok! BoV.
(or "Gunpowder", as ne was
sometimes called) had done
nothing bad to cause any publi
city for himself. (As one Wi
taugan has phrased it, "You
?ever read about the good fel
lers ? je3t them that goes
wrong!) There wasn't a bad
bone in the old nag who died
that fall. Nor was there any
record made of the happening
in the town's chroicles.
Last week, as a warm March
sun thawed the earth's crystal
fingers along the old road bed
behind President Plemmons'
home, Ed Culler recalled, "Old
Bob is buried over there in that
? p e n i n g, somewhere." The
small, retired worker pointed
to a weed infested field adjac
ent to the road.
Striding over the lip of the
abandoned road, Culler moved
across the rolling hill, turned,
then stooped to the ground and
picked up a gun-bleached bone
(see photo). "For all we know,
this might be one of Old Bob's
bones," Culler said in a serious
?tanner.
Culler, who was employer! by
^STC from 1800 until his re
tirement in 1967, stated that
fsually he helped bury the de
ceased livestock owned by the
College, but that on the parti
cular occasion when Old Bob
was interred he was n ot along.
?But his grave is here? I'm
sure of that."
Walking back from the plot,
Culler continued, "Old Bob was
a good horse ? just as faithful
to the college as anyone. Never
once did he .resist the halter.
Just worked like the rest of
the horses for what little feed
be got."
Recalls Mrs. Annie Rufty
(daughter' of D. D. Dougherty,
eo-founder of ASTC), "Gun
powder was a very, gentle horse.
We all rode him, but Uncle
Blan (9. B. Dougherty) rode
him most."
Mn Rufty related that it was
l*r uncle's practice while rid
ing, to stop along the road-side
?nd talk to anyone who hap
pened alons. "We used to get
4 big laugh out of him (Old
Bob), Mrs Rufty smiled. "Re
gardless of whether Uncle Blan
Mrould pull up or not, Old Bob
Would (top and wait for a con
versation.
"Even if it weren't Un?le
Blan who was riding him, Old
Bob would stop."
According to the only writ
ten account of the life of Old
Qob, as far as this writer
kpows, it fas In the spring of
1898 "on Phillip's Branch, one
prong of the famous Cove
Creek, that Old Bob first saw
the light of this wonderful
world."
The account which appeared
in the 1929 yearbook at ASTC
and which was authored by
Professor L G. Greer reveals
that Old Bob was a year old
when he was sold to the college.
A year later B. B. Dougherty,
then Superintendent of Wata
uga public schools, chose the
young horse for his own trans
portation.
Wrote Watauga Democrat
editor Rob Rivers in the April
26, 1996 issue of the Democrat,
("A Thumbnail History of
ASTC," section 2, page 4). "As
Bishops Asbury and Spangen
burg had earlier horse-backed
over wilderness trails to bring
solace and spiritual guidance
to the early settlements, B. B.
Dougherty straddled Gunpowd
er and set out to arise the
mopey with which to make ?
break in the cloud of illiteracy
which had shrouded the for
ested glades and valleys . .
Prof. Greer, in his 1929 ac
count, said, "Over the rough
roads,- rock aad muddy, tKejr
tfudfpd their way to every
sehool house whether in the
valley or on the mountain side.
Sometimes theyl were both walk
ing side' by side; sometimes
Old Bob in the lead, sometimes
otherwise.
"Anyway there grew up be
tween these two parties a
friendship, strong and stead
fast, never to be broken. They
communicated in a language
known only to themaelves."
When Professor Blan entered
the school roan, he tucked the
bridle reins under the head
atall in a neat bow ku?t Old
Bah grazed contentedly around
the school house, "and never
dreamed of betraying his com
rade. Sometimes he would look
in at the window; aometimes he
would stand at the door for
hours and look in with deep
and hearty approval ot all that
he aav and heard.
"When tour o'clock came he
would move away from the door
and stand on one aide and
watcb the children, happy and
gay with their empty dinner
baskets under one arm and a
multiplicity of books under the
other, scatter away to their
mountain homes."
The school years went by,
one after anotkcr. Old Rob car
ried his kind master through
the heat of summer, the chill of
autumn, and winter's icy blasts.
The old nag hauled wood to the
college during the Christmas
vacations.
He helped bring in the sup
plies from the depot ("Tweet
sie" Railroad) during the win
ter and every Saturday evening
he pulled the garbage dragon
through campus, collecting bits
of rubbage to haul to some
ditch which vu being filled or
improved.
Continued Greer, "Old Bob
ww always honored and re
spected by the faculty, the stu
dent body, the sextons, work
ers, and especially by the
Board of Trustees, for his faith
fulness to duty and his honesty
of purpose.
"He did away with every
doubt as to whether a horse has
intelligence. No one could have
watched his movements with
out knowing that horses think.
"No one could study his life
without seeing a picture of al
truism most dutiful, but like all
creatures here on earth, death
must come soon or late.
"It was in the fall of 1828
as the October's frost and
November winds began to eome
that Old Bob's health fatted.
Every attention including medi
cine and food, good shelter and
good beds, was given to him,
but he had done his work. He
had served his fellows, he had
lived longer than most of those
of his kind, and now the end
comes."
Old Bob ? nicknamed Gun
powder because of his gentle
ness ? was dead. Greer relates
that "there was sorrow in every
heart and a tear in every eye"
when announcement of the
horse's death was made in
? Improve your appearance =
? Look 10 jmn younger
? Start enjoying life again
CMa&\
HEARING 5
? LAI I Ef |
>
Exciting new designs for g
lop performance, better ap- X
pearance and improved ^
hearing. They bring amaz- V
ingly new "normal hearing" n
clarity to 90% of those with \
? a hearing lou. Now being X
?hown at Maico dealers. \
MAICO ^
HEARING SEKVICE
Hickory, N. C.
Behind- TheEar Aid
Model AP Only ?19?.M
For Free Home Demonstration Call or See
STALLINGS JEWELRY CO.? Boone, N. C.
Where The Prettiest Things Are
Happening To Fashions For
Pretty thing t are in
deed happening at
CaudiU's to make thi?
the loveliest ? the
most exciting Easter
Parade ever!
Fabulous Things To Wear by:
? Netty Don
? Carlye
? White Slag
? Ship *n Shore
Gaudill's, Inc.
East King Street Boone, N. C
morning chapel ll the cellege.
A mere horse? "Hardly,"
Culler wld as h? descended
from the hill where Old Bob is
buried. "He was a very dear
part to the early heritage of
Senator Dirkson again urges
the President to eilt budget.
?
Farm unit asks spending cut.
CAKI) OP THANKS
We wish to expreu our
thanks and ?ppreci?tion to our
friend* end ?eighbom for their
sympathy and help given us
during the illness and death of
our mother, lira. Now Norris.
-Lymn Norris, Mr. and Mrs.
Lewis Norris, Mr. and Mrs. Say
Swift
DEMOCRAT ADS PAY
Outstanding April Valuesj In