The Pilot Covers
Brunswick County
THE STATE PORT PILOT
A Good Newspaper In A Good Community
| Most of the News
I All The Time
VOLUME 412
No. 8
10-Pages Today
SOUTHPORT, N. C. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 1970
Si A COPY
PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY
CENTURIES-OLD CEMETERY—“King” Roger Moore, who died in 1750, his tomb is on the right. It
is one of the impressive features at Orton Plantation Gardens near Wilmington, N.C.
Orton Province
Of King Roger
By FRANK O’BRIEN
They were opposites all the
way, even to their final resting
places.
One was George III, English
king, whose royal remains are
entombed in London’s
Westminster Abbey.
The other was Roger Moore,
king in nickname only, but a
super-patriot of early Colonial
days whose burial site is an
obstrusive family cemetery on
the grounds at Orton Plantation
Gardens.
The king and the “king” were
foes from the start when “King”
Roger Moore came to the lower
coast of North Carolina around
— 1730 and dominated the region
in many ways, including
leadership in resistance to the
British Crown.
Roger Moore and his kinsmen
proved such antagonists that
George III, cognizant of their
strong disagreements with his
representatives in the Cape Fear
region of Carolina, referred to
them as “those pestiterous
Moores.”
“King” Roger Moore gained
his nickname for his masterful
personality, generosity, and
occasional high-handed methods
in politics and business.
He build Orton Plantation,
beginning with a one-story,
thick-walled brick home. The
grounds included, some several
hundred yards north of the
house, a family cemetery, which
was required by law of all
plantations during Colonial days.
Just as “King” Roger Moore
dominated the early Colonial
days on the lower Cape Fear, his
tomb Ls dominant in the old
family burial ground, which
today is part of the tour of the
lawns and gardens.
Orton Plantation is situated on
the Cape Fear river between
Wilmington and Southport, and
is one of the South’s best-known
ante-bellum showpiaces.
Although the mansion itself
remains a private residence, the
gardens and grounds are open
year round and provide a
panorama of floral beauty
throughout most of the year.
The cemetery is on a neck of
land in shadowy detachment
between two lagoons near the
northern border of the grounds
and gardens. It is reached by two
footpaths, and the cluster of
large, bricked tombs, plus several
other headstones stand amid
large live oaks, pines and cypress
trees, all heavily-draped with
gray, Spanish moss.
“King” Roger Moore’s tomb is
a brick rectangle about six feet
in height and 12 feet in length,
with a pointed roof. An
inscription was added some
years ago, which says, “Here
rests King Roger Moore, granted
8,000 acres by the Lords
Proprietors in 1720. He built
older part of Orton Mansion in
1725.”
Other tombs are of similar
brick construction, but have
flate marble slabs, or curved
bricks, for tops, and some are
inscribed and still legible.
Three of the brie k
monuments, presumably,
contain the remains of “King”
Roger Moore’s two wives, and
his half-brother .William. Roger
died in 1750, and William
followed in death about two
years later. Some of the stones
and tombs show burial dates in
the 1800s, with the latest being
(Continued On Page Eight)
The featured speaker of the
Brunswick County Board of
Realtors to be held at the
Tranquil Harbor Marina
Restaurant at 12:30 o’clock
September 11 will be C.H.
Touchberry, 1970 president of
the North Carolina Board of
Realtors. He has been a member
of the faculty of the North
Carolina Realtors Institute for
the past seven years and is a
director of the North Carolina
Real Estate Foundation.
FHA Building
Sets Record
A record year of homebuilding
and home improvement through
credit services of the Farmers
Home Administration is in
prospect for Brunswick county,
Parks C. Fields, County
Supervisor, said this week as he
reported on activities for the
past year.
Fields said $220,730. was
channeled into the County
through loans for better town
and country housing during the
fiscal year ended June 30. Loans
included funds for purchase or
(Continued On Page Bight)
Native Of Switzerland
New Presbyterian Preacher
The Rev. Samuel Leuenberger
has assumed the duties as pastor
of Southport Presbyterian
Church and New Hope
Presbyterian Church, located at
Winnabow.
The new minister is a native of
Switzerland, having been bom at
Moutier in the District of Bern.
His father, Hans Leuenberger, is
a minister in the Swiss Reform
Church.
The young minister came to
the United States last year on a
post graduate scholarship to
Richmond Theological
Seminary. He declares that he is
delighted with life and his
experiences in this country,
which include meeting his
fiance, who is a social worker in
Louisville, Ky.
Following graduation from
high school, Rev. Leuenberger
attended Theological School at
Bern for five years, with this
study being interrupted at one
point while he attended the
Anglican Seminary in St.
Stephens House at Oxford
University for six months.
During his seminary days he
spent vacation periods in
England, principally as a worker
in social camps.
He lives at the Presbyterian
manse on Moore St. in
Southport.
REV. LEUENBERGER
Letter Urges
Improvement On
Highway 74-76
V.W. Herlevich of Wilmington,
a property owner in Brunswick
county, has written to Chairman
Lauch Faircloth of the State
Highway Commission urging
that Highway 74-76 be given
high priority for early
four-laning.
Following is the text of
Herlevich’s letter:
“The August 20, issue of the
Watauga Democrat carried a
report of your speech to the
Rotary Club in Boone, North
Carolina. I was very much
interested in your comments
about better highways going to
those who demanded most, and
more particularly that the
four-laning of Highway 74 from
Wilmington to Charlotte was
under contract.
“We in this section are indeed
grateful that some of this work is>
underway. However, we are
most concerned about the 6
miles from the Brunswick River
to Leland in Brunswick County.
To my knowledge-that is,
according to newspaper
reports—priority has supposedly
been given this section since
1957, when a centerline survey
was run for a ’proposed new
highway. It would certainly
seem that in thirteen years the
people in this section could
expect something definite in the
way of department plans.
Perhaps the biggest reason we
do not have this road completed
now is that our people have not
demanded enough. .This section
of the highway is most
important to Brunswick County,
and it is'most unfortunate that
Brunswick County officials have
not made greater efforts to get
this work done. Shopping
centers, truck terminals and
other commercial interests are
waiting for this road location
now. The completion of this -
road, with proper access and
service roads, would probably
mean that the Woodbum-Leland
area would become a town of
5,000 to 10,000 people in the
not-too-distant future.
Brunswick County can ill afford
the loss of increased taxes which
they would derive from
increased growth in the
community. As it stands now,
this area is becoming a
conglomeration of mobile home
parks, and, until the new
highway is constructed, I don’t
see that we can expect anything
different.
“My reason for writing this
letter is not only that I travel
this road practically every day,
but also that 75 per cent to 90
per cent of my work is done in
Brunswick County, and I am
vitally interested in its growth.”
Phone Service
Is Improved
Additional trunking facilities
are being placed between
Southport and Wilmington by
Southern Bell according to R.E.
Nantz, manager.
“The equipment desperately
needed were coin boxes facilities
which we had hoped to have
during the summer season,” said
Nantz, “however shipment
delays due to manufacturers
shortages prevented the
installation of coin boxes trunks
during the busy season. This
equipment will be installed in
September and should alleviate
the problems encountered
because of lack of pay telephone
facilities this summer.
And as the hunting season
opens, Nantz also points out
that stray shotgun pellets
frequently cause damage to
(Continued On Page Bight)
Demolishing Continues
Work is progressing on the demolition of the
bumed-out Southport High School building to make
room for mobile units which will be moved in later
this fall. At this point only the lunchroom with the
library overhead and the two classrooms in the west
wing remain standing. (Photo by Spencer)
Principal Asks
Patience From
School Patrons
/ Marion L. Bum, Jr., principal
of Southport Elementary
School, has written a personal
letter to parents of each child in
his school, reporting progress
that has been made in certain
areas, telling of the prospects for
future improvement and asking
for cooperation in working
toward a solution of school
problems.
Following is the text of his
letter:
“The new school term has
begun and the initial confusion
of school opening has subsided.
Now, we plan to get down to the
business of education.
“There have been several
significant improvements and
changes in the Elementary
School that I feel you should be
aware of. First and foremost,
mobile units have been ordered
and it is anticipated that the
entire Elementary School will
move to the Southport location
by Thanksgiving. During that
brief transition there will
inevitably be some confusion.
We shall attempt to minimize
this confusion to the best of our
ability. Secondly, this year we
are receiving more school
aipplies than ever before. These
supplies have been distributed
and are being used in the
classrooms. Third, additional
bathrooms have been
constructed, are in use, and have
been renovated and the mobile
units moved. Next, menus for
the lunchroom will be published
weekly. Both Chocolate and
whole milk will be available on a
selective basis. The bus schedule,
loading and unloading, as well as
discipline are being closely
monitored by the Principal and
designated teachers.
“This open letter is not trying
to paint a “the Sun is in this
Heaven and all is right with the
World” picture as we do have
problems. There are areas that
need improvement but the
(Continued On Page Eight)
e And Tide
The late Dr. W.R. Goley was mayor of Shallotte in 1935, and his
picture appeared on the front page of The Pilot for September 4. A
momentous event of the past week had been a meeting in the lower
part of the country for the purpose of changing the name of “No 5
Crossroads” to the new name which it bears to this day '
“Thomasboro”.
August had been an unusually hot month that year, with the
mercury going above the 90-degree mark on 13 days; the editor had
written an editorial entitled “Pay The Preacher”; and the upcoming
movie was “Steamboat Round The Bend”, starring Will Rogers.
A photo of the batteries at Fort Caswell dominated the front page
of The Pilot for September 4,1940. It was noted in the cutlines that
(OoatiMMd On P4|*
Soil Men Plan
Tour Of County
The Brunswick Soil and Water
Conservation District is
sponsoring a farm tour Friday
afternoon which will include
visits to five farming operations
in Brunswick county.
At 1:00 p.m. the group will
assemble at the parking lot of
the burned out Red & White
store at Shallotte.
From 1:15 to 2 o’clock they
will visit the Leroy Mintz, Jr.
farm to see water disposal
systems, tile drains, waterways
and use of plastic drain tile.
From 2 to 3 o’clock they will
be at the Edwin Clemmons farm
to observe plantation
management, planting, thinning,
fire control, hardwood control
and thinning natural stands.
From 3 to 4 o’clock they will
visit the T.J. Gilbert farm to see
no-til equipment, corn in rye
and com in residue.
From 4 to 4:30 o’clock they
will be on the Harlee Hewett
farm to view com in residue,
corn in disking, soybeans in
small grain stubble.
From 4:30 to 5:15 o’clock the
tour members will be on the
Harold Robinson—Aunt Wren’s
Antiques farm to see no-til
soybeans.
At 6 o’clock they will
assemble at Vamamtown for a
fish fry.
The BrunswlckSoll and water
Conservation District Is a sub
division of state government
responsible for the overall soil
and water conservation activi
ties within the district.
The district Is governed by
a board of 5 members, 3 elect
ed and 2 appointed. Present
members are James D. Bellamy
Jr., Bryan Smith, Worth Mer
cer, Abner Knowles, and W.A.
Clemmons.
As the land operator's needs
and Interests change, the dis
trict's responsibilities become
more and more complex and
necessary.
The district has received
many requests from landown
ers on the beach areas for sug
gestions and assistance In
maintaining vegetation In their
yards and on the dunes.
The towns are becoming more
aware of the services offered
by the district. Several towns
have requested assistance
through the district. Yaupon
Beach has developed a resource
plan with the assistance of the
Soli Conservation Service per
sonnel assigned to the district.
Through the Soil Conserva
tion Service, the County Board
of Education has been assisted
In developing land suitability
and drainage plans for the pro
posed consolidated school sites.
Donna Lancaster resigned as
district secretary and Cammle
Robinson was employed to re
place her.
Area 6 had a supervisor and
Clerk training session on Dec
ember 2. James Bellamy, Bryan
Smith, Worth Mercer, and Cam
mle Robinson attended this ses
sion.
The district was host to the
Area 6 fall meeting, held at
Calabash onNovember 10,1969.
State Senator John Burney of
Wilmington was the featured
speaker. About 250 supervisors
and guests attended.
James Bellamy andw.S, Cle
mmons attended the state asso
ciation meeting, held In Raleigh.
Bellamy and W.A. Clemmons
attended the state association
Bellamy also attended the
National Convention, held In
San Francisco. He was ashore
Erosion Committee member as
well as North Carolina Council
member.
The district purchased 3
"Entering and Leaving" road
signs. They were placed Just
off U.S. 17 near Wilmington,
off U.S. 17 near theSouthCaro
lina line, and near the Wacca
maw River bridge off N.C. 130.
A district newsletter was
again published. "We feel this
Is an effective way of getting
the Conservation story
across." said Bellamy.
Conservation booklets, "Den
nis the Menace and Dirt", and
"The Story of the Land" were
purchased and distributed to the
schools.
Otho P. Bellamy was named
Conservation Farmer of the
Year and presented an appro
priate certificate.
The Land judging Contest
was again co-sponsored with
the Pender District. Burgaw,
In Pender County won first
place and Waccamaw, the host
team, in Brunswick County
came In second.
The district election was held
(Continued On Page Eight)
McKeithan Is
Reappointed As
Tax Collector
Homer McKeithan was
reappointed tax collector for
Brunswick county at the regular
meeting here Tuesday, held one
day late because of the Labor
Day holiday on Monday.
Jerry Moore, candidate for the
board of commissioners in the
General Election, resigned from
the Resources Development
Commission for Brunswick
county and Alfonza Roach was
appointed to fill his unexpired
term as representative from
Lockwoods Folly Township.
John L. Barbee of Southport
resigned as Brunswick county
representative on Southeastern
Economic Development
Commission.
Encouragement was seen for
future improvement of
Lockwoods Folly River in a
letter from U.S. Army
Engineers. The communication
came from Major Joel T.
Callihan who said “The
establishment of several fish
houses on the river near
Vamumtown and use of the
river by shrimp boat operators
supports the need for restoring
adequate depths in the lower
part of the rivers. Consequently
a report recommending
reclassification of the project to
the ‘active’ category has been
prepared and submitted to
higher authority for review.”
Three resolutions requesting
law enforcement project funding
projects from the NC Committee
on Law and Order were
approved and addressed to Jerry
Ramsey, project director of
COG for forwarding.
The first request was for $600
which would be matched with
(Continued On Page Eight)
Draws Lucky Ticket
Mrs. Betty Hewett of Shallotte was winner of the
Amphicat given away Mbnday night by the Brunswick
County Shnne Club. Shown here drawing the lucky
ticket is young Don Willetts. Archie Dixon is shown at
the left.