T
AHOSKIE PUBLIC ARCHITECTURE—These photograhic studies of famous Ahoskie
buildings evoke a mood remir-iscent of imposing public architecture in big cites,
At right the facade of First Baptist Church, on Main Street, built in the 1930’s.
The Gothic lines of ‘the v^indows are repeated in the paneled interior. At left,
the columned front of the old Farmers-Atlantic Bank on MSln, built in the mid-
1920’s. When biylt, the classic-fronted institution was one of the most imposing
public buildings m the Roanoke-Chowan section,
HERALD
(Continued from Page 2)
the mud and dust; support of the
state-wide campaign for better
roads which culminated in the
present-day system of highways;
improvement of agriculture
through the employment of home
and farm demonstration agents—
a long and hot battle against
lethargy and conservation; im
provement in court'; pfocedures
and the establishiji^Kt of a Re
corder’s Court.. And -there were
many more in which The Herald
assumed initiative./,afid became
the voice of liberal and progres
sive--, leadership .in. town and
county.
,(I know about these things, for
soon ^ after Roy Parker became
edit^’ of The Herald in 1915, as
his kid brother of 14 years I was
taken into the print shop for
sweeping chores after school and
to learn to set type. It was all
done by hand in those days. I
learned to set type. I also learned
many other things about printing
and newspapering and of the
business of being an adult, as I
stood at the type cases and heard
the talk of the partners, Vinson
. and Parker, and of the lawyers,
politicians, farmers and business
men who came into the news
paper office to transact business or
for simple conversation. Life was
more leisurely in those days
when autopiobiles were a novel
ty, telephones were just coming
into use, there were no paved
roads, radio was not invented,
and airplanes had not been heard
of. Among the things I learned
was an abiding appreciation of
the influence of the printed word
and a high regard for the art and
craft of printing. And through
employment in the printing plant
of The Herald, working after
noons after school and Saturdays,
I became a printer. It has been a
rewarding art and craft to prac
tice.)
In 1928, after schooling when
summers were spent at jobs in
printing plants in various places
Belk-Tylers Is Success Story
AHOSKIE—A good sign that
the depression was nearly over'
came to Ahoskie in 1937, when
the first big Belk-Tyler Depart
ment Store opened on Main
Street. At that time, it was locat
ed in the Parker building at the
junction of Railroad and Main
streets, formerly the office and
plant of the Hertford County
Herald.
William Henry Belk, founder of
the Belk chain, had started in
1888 with $1,200, in a store he
called the “New York Racket” in
Monroe. He believed that he
would prosper, selling all mer
chandise for cash, with price
tickets displayed on each item —
an idea over which older mer-'
chants shook their heads.
But Belk’s "store, and the many
which followed it, proved the
wisdon#of this principle, and to
day there are Belk’s stores
throughout the southeastern
states. Ai'thur L. Tyler, execu
tive vice president and general
manager of Belk-Tylef Stores,
joined Mr. Belk in 1932. The
Belk-Tyler stores are now locat
ed in 14 eastern North Carolina
communities.
When Belk-Tyler’s opened in
Ahoskie, its first manager was
Rupert V. Massey, who had been
manager of the Elizabeth City
store. During the past 22 years,
he has seen the Ahoskie store
grow in importance and size to
the present location at the corner
of Catherine and Main streets.
From the 1937 site, Belk-Tyler’s
moved across the street to the op
posite corner of Railroad and
Main in 1942, That building, now
leased by Thornton’s Furniture,
was vacated in 1957, when the
new Belk-Tyler store was opened
at the present location.
that intervened between 1934 and
1957. They were busy years, years
during which Ahoskie and the ex
panding community that The
Herald serves have experienced
much growth and progress. There
were bitter years of World War
There were frantic years of
The present building is leased speculation and inflation follow-
from E. R. Evans, who construct- j^g the war. Through all these
ed the $100,000 building, using,yga^-s The Herald has not deviat-
the walls of the fbrmer Ahoskie from its purpose of communi-
Motor Company building struc
ture. The store has a modern 100-
foot front on Main Street, en
trances at the corner and or
ty service and of fostering and
encouraging economic, cultural,
educational and spiritual progress
and growth. It has followed this
Maple, and a parking lot for 125 purpose in example as well as
W. Vfsco Greene, who recently
received the Distinguished Serv
ice Award from the Ahoskie Jun
ior Chai^ber of Commerce, is as
sistant manager. Both Massey and
Greene iiave been noted for their
precept.
Grown now far beyond the
one-man efforts of the youthful
years df its beginnings fifty years
ago, "rhe Herald and all its staff
neveyrheless are guided still by
the ^purposes of those who found-
service Hn civic and church or- ^ ed it and established it firnlly as
..anizatibns in Ahoskie. i -. t , _ i ..
the weekly newspaper at White-
ville in Columbus County. I be
came a partner with my brother
in the business of publishing and
printing The Herald by buying
the half interest of Vinson.
The modern age of Ahoskie and
Herjford ' County was beginning
then. Ahoskie was emerging as
the business and commercial
leader in the Roanoke-Chowan
section, outstripping the older
towns and communities in popu
lation and business expansion. A
lively and aggressive newspaper.
The Hertford County Herald, had
played its part in encouraging
and establishing this leadership.
And, the Newspaper and pub
lishing firm followed in the pat
tern of business and trade exten
sion throughout the Roanoke-
Chowan area that had been set
for growing Ahoskie. There were
local newspapers published in ad
joining Bertie and Northampton
counties, but they were languish
ing, run-down newspapers that
clung to old traditions and meth-;
ods. With modern printing facili
ties available in the printing
plant of Parker Brothers, this
firm acquired these newspapers
and injected into them new and
stimulating editorial qualities
which they have grown to be
come accepted and influential in-
and three years of editorship of stitutions serving the public in
thel^’ respective areas. In 1932
the company, with the assistance
of Miss Addie Mae Cooke, also es
tablished a newspaper in Gates
County where none had existed
for many years.
The acquisition of the printing
and publishing pf these additional
newspapers was the beginning of
the expansion which has contin
ued until the present time. In 1928
the company had four employees
—J. Roy Parker, J, Mayon Park
er, one linotype operator and one
apprentice printer. Today the
firm of Parker Brothers, Inc., em
ploys thirty-four persons in its
publishing and printing opera
tions. Coming to the partnership
in 1928 as linotype operator-ma
chinist was John J. Hill. He today
is vice president of the corpora
tion than in 1940 succeeded the
Parker Brothers partnership. His
ability and diligence in the me
chanical field matched the edi
torial and business enterprise of.
the senior partner, Roy Parker,
giving a solid foundation for the
expansion that has resulted in
today’s newspapers published by
Parker Brothers, Inc.
But today’s Herald, now' pub
lished twice weekly, and today’s
printing service furnished by the
publishing firm of Parker Broth
ers, Inc, have not reached their
fiftieth anniversay without their
trials and tribulations. For just
after the formation of the Parker
Brothers partnership in 1928
there followed , soon after the
great depression of the 1930’s. But
the thinly stretched financial re
sources of the partnership held
togetl^er until better times ar
rived with the Rooseveltian era
of recovery in 1934. Yet it suf
fered a grievous blow in that
year, for the strenuous efforts
of newspaper work and commu
nity activity had taken its toll
of vitality from the senior part
ner. Roy Parker in that year suf-
..ered an attack of tuberculosis
which incapacitated nim Irum
further active participation in the
business operation of the news
paper he had made into an in
stitution of leadership and of
community service.
But The Herald and the corpo
ration called Parker Brothers,
Inc., which took over the partner
ship, has followed in the pattern
established by The Hsrald’s first
editor, W. G. Smith, and of his
successor, Roy Parker, Sr. It is a
pattern of service and of growth
— of community service and
growth through better service.
Out of necessity when my
brother became ill in l934 I be
came The Herald’s edtor and
served in that capacity u.itil 1957.
That was following hi; death
and the acceptance of the eiitorial
mantle' by his son, Roy Parker,
Jr., who is an able successor to
his father.
There are many things that
could be written about the y?ars
THE HERALD. Ahoskie. N. C MILESTONE YEAR 1959—PAGE T
Barnes-Sawyer Ahoskie s First
Big Wholesale Distributing Unit
AHOSKIE — First of the largo
wholeslae distributing firms to
locate in Ahoskie was Barnes-
Sawyer Grocery Company, Inc.,
organized by the late J. Bailey
Barnes and the late J. L. Sawyer.
The Herald of September 4, 1919
announced the firm’s opening on
September 1. with headlines pre
dicting great success for the op
eration.
Barnes had come to Ahoskie
from Roxbbel, where he operated
Barnes Brothers retail firm, and
before that had been a traveling
salesman for several lines. He
was joined in the Ahoskie firm by
Sawyer, who had been a traveling
salesman from Gates County.
One of the stockholders i n
Barnes-Sawyer was the late H. S.
Basnight, whose son, the late W.
H. Basnight, learned the wholesale
business and branched out into his
firm in 1927.
In 1923, J. L. Darden of Union
became an office employee at
Barnes-Sawyer, later traveling for
the firm. Later in that same dec
ade, Sawyer sold part of his
stock in the company, finally dis-
•'osing cf the remainder in the
1930’s.
Original offices were located in
he Ihrce-story warehouse building
on Railroad Street, which burned
.0 1946. The warehouse was re-
uilt by the corporation, but of
fices were moved to the west side
-f the street, in. their present lo
cation at the corner of Hayes and
Railroad Streets.
Heavy and fancy groceries, with
some drugs, sundries and hard
ware were the first lines handled
by Barnes-Sawyer, which had
about 12 employees when it open
ed. These same lines have since
been augmented by building ma
terials, and the payroll has grown
to 35 persons.
Mr. Darden, who became a
partner in the firm after Sawyer
sold his interest, has been presi
dent and manager since Mr.
Barnes’s death in 1950. Present of
ficers are J. P. Nowell, vice presi
dent; John B. Barnes, Jr., secre
tary and assistant manager; and
J. 'W. Barnes, treasurer.
Walker Came With Model T in 74
AHOSKIE—Dr. L. K. -Walker
hit town in 1914, with his medical
satchel and a Model T Ford.
By 1915, he had acquired a
bride—Miss Grace Stoneham of
Lancaster County, Ya.—and a
medical practice. 'The newlywed
W'alkers stayed at Zeb Bellamy’s
hotel, then boarded in a home
where the present Standard
Chevrolet building stands on
Railroad Street.
Hii first office was in a little
wooden shack near the Copeland
.tore on Main Street. Several old
Negro wome:/i used to sit there all
night long, afraid to go home
where “there was somethin’
under the doorstep.”
In 1923, Dr. Walker obtained
the first loan made by the newly-
organized Hertford County Build
ing and Loan Association, and
erected his own building next to
the Ahoskie Department Store
location. The doctor’s offices were
in the rear of the store, with a
soda fountain and drugs available
in tile front.
Dr. Walker acted as his own
pharmacist, dispensing drugs as
he had before he opened the drug
store. E. D. Cherry was his first
partner, and the firm was called
Walker - Cherry. In succeeding
years, Henry Holloman and Tom
Boone became partners with Dr.
Walker.
The name remains Walker-
Boone Drug Company, although
Boone has since opened his own
drug store and Dr. Walker died
in 1956.
Dr. "Walker was prominen"! in
county and civic affairs during his
lifteime, serving on the County
Board of Education during some
hot controversies, and on the
Ahoskie town council. He owned
several important pieces of prop
erty in Ahoskie, including the site
of Sessoms Brothers garage, and
a number of farms. He was also
active in the Ahoskie Methodist
Church.
Dr. and Mrs. Walker became
parents of three daughters. One
of them, Margaret, married Oscar
Speed, who now manages the
drug firm. Another married W.
Dare Boone, Jr., Charlotte archi
tect. Miss Brinkley Hardin, who
was Dr. Walker’s nurse for 15
years, managed the drug store
from his death until this year.
Jenkins Started Sales in Stable
AULANDER — In August, 1912,
he late Charles H. Jenkins opened
an automobile business in a livery
table in Aulander. Working with
'aim were his brother, Wayland L.
■’’enkins, and Eddie Ward. During
the company’s first year, the "trio
sold one automobile.
Last August, Charles H. Jenkins
■’nd Company celebrated its -ISth
year in the automobile business—
and total new car sales for 1958
Were in the thousands.
> By fall of 1923, the young Jenkins
irm had grown to the point where
•Mstruction’ was started on a new
uu^ing on Aulander’s Main Street,
■esig'ned to give better service,
keeping abreast of the blossoming
ha^itutiony'of Co;n2jj^nity ^to in%stry,^rfiiftii(e first Jen-
jJ’ Ions ^jBncy w^ added in Ahoskie,
1954-1959
Thank You for
5 Wonderful Years
AHOSKIE HARDWARE
FRiGiDAIRE APPLIANCES-BENJAMIN MOORE PAINTS
Hardware : : Housewares : : : Toys ; : : Sporting Goods
as the Standard Chevrolet Com
pany. The same year, Jenkins or-
"’anized the Marsh Chevrolet Com-
nany to operate in .inlander.
The depression halted expansion
temporarily, but the Jenkins Com
pany picked up where it left off in
■933, with the opening of an agency
in Edenton. The following year the
company established a subagency
in Ahoskie, and operated it until
947, when it became an independ
ent agency.
In 1938. fire destroyed the build
ing in Aulander, but before "the ash
es had cooled, plans had been
made to rebuild on the same site.
The present building houses a
modern showroom and repair shop
there. Also in that year, Charles H.
Wil-
the
Jenkins and Company
liamston was organized.
Latest of the agencies is
Charles H. Jenkins and Company
:{ Windsor, opened in 1950.
Mr. Jenkins’s career as teacher,
legislator and politician came to an
end last year, with his death on
November 1, 1958. During his life
time, he served his state in .many
capacities, as highway commis
sioner, senator, and on the state
Board of Conservation and D e -
velopment.
Wayland Jenkins is now presi
dent of Charles H. Jenkins and Co.,
Inc. Other officers are to be elect
ed at an annual meeting this
month. Cecil- McCoy, general man
ager, is also given credit for much
of the firm’s success.
!t Has Been a Pleasure Since 1925
We have been engaged in selling automobiles to
the folks In the Roanoke-Chowan for 34 years. . . .
Your friendship and patronage have made our
business a real pleasure. We thank you for past
favors and invite you to visit us in the future, too.
Authorized CHEVROLET and PONTIAC Dealer
Hill Chevrolet Co.. Inc.
MURFREESBORO