PAGE 2—THE HERALD. Ahoskie, N. C—MILESTONE YEAH 1959
INTERIOR VIEW OF ST. CHARLES CATHOLIC CHURCH. AHOSKIE
Hertford's Only Catholic Group:
Church Grew From
Porch Gathering
Two Catholic couples, a century : Father Giles had a wide distance Bible class was Miss Charlotte
apart, have served to keep the
embers of their faith warm so that
the Roman Catholic Church might
be rekindled in the Roanoke-Cho-
wan area during the past 25 years.
The first couple, names un
known, were discovered living in
Murfreesboro in 1821 when Bish
op John England paid a visit to
that town.
The Catholic bishop of Georgia,
South Carolina and North Caro
lina was making his first visit to
his diocese. On his itinerary, he
included a stop at Edenton, where
he found a handful of Catholics
living in Chowan County. Making
the journey up the river to Mur
freesboro, the Bishop met with
even less welcome, discovering
only two Catholics in the county.
After Bishop England’s visit in
1821, the history of the Catholic
movement in the Roanoke-Cho-
wan area encounters a gap of over
100 years.
The first prospect of rebirth
came in 1934, when Mr. and Mrs.
W. H. Foreman moved to Ahos
kie from Norfolk. The Foremans
might well be called the “parents”
of the Catholic Church in Hert
ford County.
In those mid-depression days,
Mr., Foreman recalls, the only
other Catholic in Ahoskie was a
lady whose husband managed the
hotel. In fact, it was pretty hard
to be a Catholic in this county, he
admits, since there was no church
and no others with whom to join
in worship.
Drive to Edenton
“At first we used to drive to
Edenton to attend mass,” says Mr.
Foreman, “but the old bridge
there was so rickety that my wife
was afraid to go over it. Then we
went to Scotland Neck for a
while, where there was a mission
from Tarboro, called St. Thomas.
One of the Franciscan fathers
from Tarboro used to serve the
mission, but he was often late
because of break-downs along the
poor road.”
As a result of this, Mr. Foreman
says he and his wife finally decid
ed to drive to Roanoke Rapids
each week, where Fathfer Mc-
Nerney, who was dean of this sec
tion, conducted mass regularly at
the Catholic Church.
On A Sun Porch
The actual beginning of the
present St. Charles Catholic
Church in Ahoskie can be traced
to Mr. Foreman’s sun porch. It
was in this unlikely spot that a
small group of parishiners met on
Wednesday mornings during 1941.
Mass was offered there by either
Father Bernard Cuskelly or Fath
er Timothy Shannon, from Tar
boro. Four more persons—Mrs.
Sharron and daughter and Mr.
and Mrs. Meyers—had joined the
Foremans in worship by that
time.
In 1942, Father Giles Wade,
T. O. R., succeeded Father Ber
nard Cuskelly as pastor in Tar
boro. The influx of new people
during the first year of the war
brought a few more Catholics
into Ahoskie, and mass was now
said on Sunday as well as Wed
nesday, by either Father Giles or
his assistant.
Store Rented
Later that year, due to the zeal
and devotion of the Foremans and
with the permission of Bishop Mc-
Guinness, a store was rented at
110 Mitchell Street, and convert
ed into a chapel called St. Rich
ard’s. At this time, Edward Ache,
Dr. James Shannon, Mrs. Carroll
Credle and Dr. Archie Monk were
added to the parish.
On Thanksgiving Day, 1942, the
first mass was offered in the
chapel, which remained in opera
tion until the Sunday after Christ
mas, 1943, when the owner asked
for its retiu-n. Until July, 1943,
mass was offered each Sunday in
one of three Catholic homes —
with the Foremans, the Aches, or
the Shannons.
First Pastor
In July of that year, Father
Giles Wade was appointed the
first resident pastor in Ahoskie.
to cover, in his travels throughout
Hertford, Bertie and Northamp
ton counties, contacting persons
who desired to coninue their de
votion to the Catholic Church. “I
used to loan him my old car to
drive,” says Mr. Foreman, “and
he lived in a room over my ga
rage, which gave him more free
dom to come and go.”
The next move for the Catho
lics was to acquire a building
which could serve permanently as
a church. The old Jim Eley prop
erty, consisting of a frame house
and a two-story brick building
at the corner of Academy and
first Streets, was available for
purchase. Through the efforts of
the Bishop, $6,000 was obtained
from the Catholic Extension So
ciety, and the property was ob
tained. Money for remodeling the
brick building into a church was
donated by Mr. and Mrs. Joseph
Frese of Baltimore, Md., and
numerous anonymous benefactors.
Father Giles, Mr. Foreman, and
other parishoners supervised the
remodeling, which included rooms
for a rectory on the second floor
above the sanctuary. Eugene
Moore, neighbor then and now to
the new chinch, was instrumental
in obtaining the property and was
a generous donor to the undertak
ing.
First Mass
The first mass in the new
church, named St. Charles, was
offered on Easter Sunday, 1944.
A dedicatory mass was celebrated
by the Very Rev. Eugene J. Mc-
Guinness, D. D., Bishop of Ra
leigh, on Sunday, October 15,
1944, with many high-ranking
Catholic clergy and laymen in
attendance.
The first baptism recorded in
the church archives was that of
Martha Louise Shannon, daughter
of James W. and Beverly Hastras-
sey Shannon, on January 20, 1946.
Dr. and Mrs. Shannon and their
family are now residents of Suf
folk.
In 1946, Father Giles Wade was
transferred from Ahoskie and
Father Raphael Landser became
the new pastor. At this time the
parishiners were: Mr. and Mrs.
Foreman, Mr. and Mrs. Donald
Schlenz, Edward Ache and chil
dren, Billy, Ted and Mary; Dr.
James Shannon and daughters,
Beverly, Katherine and Martha;
Dr. T. A. Monk, Jr., and daugh
ters, Mary Ann, Helen and Jean;
Mrs. Josephine Credle and sons,
Carroll and Bernard; Mrs. Evelyn
Freeman and son. Revel Lee; Mrs.
Baker, M. Stanley of Aulander
and Arthur and Hilda Meyers of
Woodland—25 in all.
During the postwar years from
1946 to 1954, while Father Raph
ael was pastor, the little parish
grew steadily until there were
about 85 members in 1954, when
Father Raphael was transferred.
It was in this period that the
church in Ahoskie really began to
reach out and include Catholics
in many other communities of
this and other neighboring coun
ties — Murfreesboro, Woodland,
Aulander, W i n t o n, Lewiston,
Colerain, Harrellsville, Powells-
ville. Rich Square and Seaboard.
With the sizeable increase of
children in the parish. Father
Raphael started weekly Bible in
struction classes for children and
adults. Among those who devoted
untiring efforts to the children’s
Brett, who continues her service.
The Charles Taylor family of
Ahoskie was added to the parish
during this period.
Training Parish
In 1954, the parish of St.
Charles was called upon to serve
the Diocese of Raleigh as a train
ing parish for newly-ordained
priests. Father James F. Keenan,
newly-ordained, came to Ahoskie
under the direction of Father
Francis M. Smith of Edenton,
Father Keenan says the parish
ioners here were very helpful to
a new priest, and helped make his
first year in the priesthood “a
very happy and inspiring one.”
Among those added to the parish
in 1954 were the Shaver family of
Winton and the Wright family of
Ahoskie.
In 1955, Father Raymond Dono
hue was appointed by Bishop
Vincent S. Waters of Raleigh, as
resident pastor. During his serv
ice until the winter of 1957, the
parish continued to grow, reach
ing a new high of 117 parishion
ers. A brick home on First Street,
adjacent to the frame building
rented as a dwelling by the
church, was also acquired.
S';. Charles’s present priest,
Fath.er Henry Becker, came to the
parish in January, 195^, from
posts in Charlotte and Durham.
Under his direction, an inter
racial religious school was con-
: ducted last summer by nuns from
Elizabeth City, who visit Ahoskie
to conduct catechism classes.
In the brief 15 years since St.
Charles Church was organized,
the support of the church has
grown to the point where a mis
sion from the Ahoskie Church is
now maintained in Windsor.
There, the priest from Ahoskie
celebrates mass on Sunday morn
ings in the movie theater build
ing, since there is no Catholic
Church building.
The growth of St. Chiles from
a tiny mission to a parish sup
porting another mission must be
Peddlers
On Rood
In 1830-60
A familiar sight to 19th century
Americans was the pack peddler.
Loaded with goods, the peddler
was a welcome sight in the tiny
villages and on the lonely coun
try roads.
The records of the Hertford
County Court for 1830-60 indicate
only four of the peddlers who
passed through this section both
ered to get the required license.
Surely there were others.
In 1846, the County Court
granted a peddler’s license to
One “M. Rosenfield.” This is
the earliest record of a Jewish
peddler in the area.
Rosenfield was presented to the
Hertford Court by Attorney
David Outlaw of Windsor, indi
cating that this pioneer Jew in
the area was plying his wares
throughout the Roanoke-Chowan
and that he was welcomed.
In 1851, the court granted a
peddler’s license to Joseph Beas
ley and in 1852 to Cross Dickens.
In 1856, a peddler’s license was
issued to Thomas Matthews.
Mixed Reaction in County
For Cameron Road Program
(Continued from Page 1)
Ahoskie with Murfreesboro, by
way of Union, the Blow place,
and connecting with the St.
John’s road above Murfreesboro.
All survey work was done and
bids almost ready to let, when
two county commissioners voiced
their opposition to the road. The
commissioners from Maney’s
Neck and Murfreesboro wanted
the road to enter Murfreesboro
by way of Chowan College.
Tactful handling by state high
way commissioner Merrill Evans
of Ahoskie resulted in a solution
to the problem—not only was the
new road paved, but a two and a
half mile link by the college wa.=
added. After approval in June
1949, of the Governor’s proposed
$200 million bond issue for roads,
Hertford County was allocated
$268,000.
During this last decade, most
roads in the county which serve
a reasonable number of people
have been pived. The farmer is
out of his rut.s.
directly credited to the faith of
two persons, Mr. and Mrs. Fore
man, who now divide their time
between Virginia Beach and their
home on the Aulander highway.
—MARY ELLEN ALBARES
(Information for this article
was obtained from a history of
St. Charles Catholic Church,
prepared by Father James F.
Keenan of Lexington; the rec
ords of St. Charles' Church in
Ahoskie; and from Father Hen
ry Becker, W. R. Foreman, Mrs.
C. S. Credle and Dr. T. A.
Monk, Jr., of Ahoskie.)
Explorers Tell of Rivers:
16fh Century Englishmen Describe
Geography of Roanoke-Chowan
The historical significance and
romantic appeal of the first Eng-
glish exploration and colonization
of North America has, of course,
been well exploited and well pub
licised, especially the justly famous
“Lost Colony.”
The late 16th century explora
tions and colonizations also left a
rich legacy of history for the Roa
noke-Chowan section, too, and this
story—of rushing rivers, great In
dian towns, pearls, high adventure
and wild dreams—comes to life in
the written reports of the first
Englishmen.
Four documents record the story
of the Roanoke - Chowan in the
earliest history of the English in
North America.
They include the report of Cap
tains Phillip Amadas and Arthur
Barlowe, who were sent in 1584 to
explore a suitable site for an Eng
lish Colony in America; the report
of Ralph Lane, who headed the
first English colony in America:
the report of the first months of
the “Lost Colony,” and “A brief
and True Report of The New
Found Land of Virginia,” a cata
logue written by Thomas Hariot—
a member of the Lane Colony and
later a famous English mathemati
cian.
Amadas and Barlowe were sent
to explore the North American
coast by Sir Walter Raleigh. They
arrived on the Outer Banks of
North Carolina on July 2, 1584, and
spent several months exploring the
coast.
In their report is the first men
tion of the Roanoke-Chowan. Evi
dently, they did not explore the
region in person, but from the
friendly Indians of the coast they
learned;
“Beyond this island (Roanoke)
there is the mainland, and over
against this island falls into this
spacious water the great river
called ‘Occam’ (Albemarle
Sound) . . . Into this river falls
another great river, called ‘Cipo’
(the Roanoke), in which there is
found great store of mussels in
which there arc pearls: Likewise
there descends into this Occam,
another river, called ‘Nomopana’
(Chowan), oii the one side where
of stands a great town called
‘Chawaneok,’ and the lord of that
town and country is called ‘Poo-
neuo.’ This Pooneno is not sub
ject to the king of Wingandacoa,
but is a free lord. Bevond this
country there is another king,
whom they call Menatonon, and
these three kings are in league
with each other.”
A year later, the Roanoke-Cho
wan was to be explored and de
scribed by Captain Ralph Lane, the
head of the first English colony in
America.
Lane and his group of over 100
men, arrived in ‘‘Virginia” on June
26, 1585, and shortly afterwards
built their fort on Roanoke Island.
The written and eye - witness re
ports of the Amadas and Barlowe
explorers created a sensation in
England, and a year later the first
English colony in America landed
on the Outer Banks.
Captain Ralph Lane and his
“Roanoke Hundred” landed on
June 26, 1585, and immediately
built a fort on Roanoke Island.
First Exploration
It was not until March of 1586
that Lane and his parly explored
the Roanoke-Chowan region. B y
then. Lane had made enemies of
many of the Indians on the Banks
and on the mainland. More in
terested in finding riches than in
settling colonists. Lane and his
men came into the Roanoke-Cho
wan region looking for gold, and
seeking a better spot for a settle
ment than the sandy, windswept
coast.
He was sure that he had both
when he arrived in the Roanoke-
Chowan.
The setting for the earliest his
tory of the R-C was well described
by Lane, and later, was outlined on
maps b.v John White, leader of the
famous “Lost Colony.”
Lane’s report described the coun
try:
First, the Chowan—“From Mus-
camunge (an Indian village situat
ed at the site of present-day Eden
ton) we enter into the river, and
the jurisdiction of the Chawanook.
There the river begins to straighten
until it comes to Chawanook, and
then grows to be as narrov/ as the
Thames between Westminster and
Lambeth.
“Between Muscamunge and
Chawanook, upon the left hand, as
we pass there, is a goodly high
land, and there is a town which
we call the Blind Town, but the
savages call it Ohanoak, and it ha.s
a very goodly corn field belonging
unto it. It is subject to Chawanook.
“Chawanook is itself the greatest
province and seigniory lying upon
that river, and the very town it
self is able to put seven hundred
fighting men into the field, besides
the force of the province itself.”
Not mentioned by Lane, but on
the White map were Ramushounog,
located at the mouth of the
present - day Meherrin River, and
Waratan, located in present-day
Chowan County.
The Lane group was most im
pressed, however, by the Roanoke
River.
Said Lane’s report: “. . . from
the west runs a most notable riv
er, and in all those parts most
famous, called the River of Mora-
toc. This river opens into the broad
sound of Weapomeiok (Albemarle
Sound). And whereas the river of
of Chawanook, and all the
other sounds, ar.d bays, salt and
fresh, show no current in the
world in calm weather . . . This
river Moratoc has so violent a
current from the west and south
west, that it made me almost of
opinion that with oars it wo'uld
scarcely he navigable.”
Thus the reputation of the Roa
noke for vipience. a reputation
which held true until the present
decade, was settled by the Indians
who lived upon it, and the first
white men who explored it.
Lane further described the
length, cour.'^e, and character o f
the Roanoke:
“It passeth with many creeks
and turnings, and for the space of
thirty miles • rowing, and more,
it is as broad as the Thames be
tween Greenwich and the Isle o f
Dogges (islands at the entrance of
the famous British river which
flows through London), in some
places more, and in some less. The
current runs as strong, being en
tered so high into the river, as at
London Bridge upon a vale water.”
The mighty Roanoke worked
great legends in the minds of the
Indians who lived along its banks.
Lane recorded the fanciful Indian
legend about the origin of the
river;
“. . . the savages report strange
things of the head of that river . . .
that from Moratoc itself (the
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