THE DANBURY REPORTER.
VOLUME XXXIII.
ECHOES FROM THE DIM, DEAD PAST
A Batch of Ye Ancient Documents Loaned the Re
porter By Mr. J. G. H. Mitchell—Life in
Stokes County Ninety Years Ago.
The Reporter likea to get bold ,
of iuterestiug things pertaining to (
the early history, habita and ons- 1
toms of our forefathers, and to
print them for the amusement or
instructions of its readers. Our
friend, Mr. J. G. H. Mitchell, has
very kindly loaned us some an
cient papers, found in his father's
old trunk, which are really treas
ures, and which carry one irresisti
bly hack into the past with its
quaint oustoms and usages.
There is a letter written by W ,
A. Mitchell to his only brother!
Adam Mitchell. Mr. W. A. Mitch- j
ell was nt the time a member of
the Legislature, and the letter is
written from Raleigh to Red
Shoals. There were no envelops j
used in thnse days, and the letter ,
wa* folded into four folds and
sealed with a splotch of sealing |
wax on the back.
A most interesting relic is the)
muster list of tlie Beaver Island j
Militia Company in "1826, wheu
the district comprised more terri-1
tory than it does now. The inns-1
ter was held at "Raccoon Tavern,"
a place then noted for the many
hard "fist and skull" fights pulled
off there at these quarterly mus
ters. This gallant company have
Jong since passed into the great
unkuown, and their descendants
will be more than pleased to read
*■ this list.
The tabulated statement of the
eleotion in old times when Stokes
-• and Forsyth were one county will !
be of interest to everybody, and j
the reader will betstruck with the
small vote eftf/ showing how
sparsely the country was settled
•«t; years ago.
e "receipt for 50 cents from
x. King for a wolf scalp, will
interest t hose of a nimrodic bent, j
recalling the early days when
these fierce animals roamed the
forests and were so troublesome
to the settlers that the county au
thorities took the matter in hand
and offered rewards to those who
would kill the wolves.
The statement of SO.OO for two
years subscription to the Lynch
burg Press indicates that news
papers were scarce and high
priced in the days of the pioneers,
ijjrhe nearest papers to our county
then were probably the Salem j
Press and the Greensboro Patriot.;
One of the most interesting of
these relics of by-gone days is the
bill of goods bought of Stephen
and E. Moore. Mr. Mitchell tells
us in his notes that this store was
probably at Germanton, and that
presumably the members of the
firm were ancestors of Mr. J. T.
Moore, the present proprietor of
Moore's Springs, and probably
brothers or sons of Matthew R.
Moore, who was prominent in our
county, and for a long time Clerk 1
of the Court of Stokes. English
money was then.the currency be
fore Federal money (dollars and !
cents) came into use.
The deed._or bill of sale of a !
slave sold to Hugh Mitohell is also
of passing interest.
Below will be found exact copies
of each document :
LETTER FROM W. A. MITCHELL,
FATHER OP J. G. H. MITCnELL, TO
HIS BROTHER ADAM MITCHELL,
WRITTEN IK IS4'2.
IJaleigb, Daconaber, t>, IHI2.
Dear brother t
J tnke tbis opportunity of writ
ing a few lines to inform you I
am reasonably well at present ex
cept a oolil and oongb and some
times a bead-ache but not suffi
cient to hinder me from eating,
sleeping or attending to business,
hoping these lines may find you
all well. You may tell Aunt Eliza
! I have not eaten any oysters yet. I
get a plenty to eat of as good as
anybody could wish and a plenty
of time to eat it, and our lodging
is very good, myself and A. F
Nelson board together at 80 cents;
per day, there are some other ex- j
pense?, but we can make nearly !
two dollars per day if nothing hap
pens; the members of the Legis
lature and citizens of this town
; are more temperate than has ever
I been kuown before, and many of
| them are professors of religion of
different denominations, some
Methodists, soruo Baptists and
' some Presbyterians, and they all
i have preaching here every Sunday
| and Sunday eyening. The Presby
terian cliurofi is in 20 yards of my
! room, It is a fine brick building,
| and tall steeple. The State capitol
iis a splendid granite building
j covered with copper. It co9t
$(530,000. I oauuot at present at-
I tempt a further description of it.
j You may tell my folks I received
their letter when I put one in the
office for VV. D. Wilson, and
glad to hear they were all well. I
would be glad if some of you
would write onoe a week. The
postage on a letter is 12 cent#. No
franking priviliges allowed us.
Myself and Nelson went out to seel,
the cars start this morning. It
I does appear they can't run more 1
i than 10 miles an hour.
I sent somo newspapers and,
| Governor's message by Gen. John
F. l'oindexter to you or William j
Davis to get at court next week,
you will please hand them out as |
directed, We have been mostly
1 engaged in the Legislature ini
elections. Mr, Poindexter will tell
. you we have had quite a stormy j
| time; the election of United States
Senator is likely not to be easily '
effected. Mr. Graham, the Whig
1 candidate, gets about 64, and Col.
Bedford Brown GO and Gen. R.
M. Saunders about 38. The Dem
ocrats are at present split and can
not agree, you may see from the
papers the doings of the Legis
lature.
When any of you wish to write
direct your letters to Raleigh, N.
C. I expect to get a letter tomor
row and this will reach Red Shoals
next Sunday. I expeot to start one
every Wednesday to some of you
for the present I must come to a
close, hoping I shall hear no bad
news from none of you. I remain
your loving brother till death.
W. A. MITCHELL,
To Adam Mitchell.
MUSTER ItißT FOR BEAVER ISLAND
TOWNSHIP, IN THE YEAR 1826."
Captain—W. A. Mitohell.
Lieutenant—Anderson Carter.
Ensign—Adam Mitchell.
Sergeants—Silas Tuckef, John
j Duggins, John Manuel, Jr., Will
; iam Harvey.
Privates : Samuel Henuis, Jno.
Preston, Robt. Reid, Samuel Neal,
Zachariah Wall, Thomas Neal,
John Vernon, Randolph Riddle,
Richard Vernon, Wm. Southern,
Geo. Brown, Thos. Wilkins, Wins
ton Carter, Daniel King, William
Preston, Abner Ore, Wm. Ore,
Geo. Tucker, James Welch, Geo.
Wilkins, Daniel Hutoherson, Bax
ter Heath, Joseph Alley, Edward
Tilley/Ephripm Stephenson, Wm.
Couner, Daniel Tucker, Paul
Tucker, Washington Amos, Wal
ter Alley, Joseph Murphy, Josiah
Reid, Mead Wilson, John Tucker, \
William Shaffer, Thos. Duggins,
Geo. W. Carter, Robert Ore, Jesse
Manuel, Jas. Ayers, Jas. Amos,
j Reuben Mauuel, Wm. D. Wilson,
DANBURY, N. C., AUG. 30, 1906
John K. Wilson, Wm. Alley, W.
H. Martin, Marcus Patterson, Jno.
Conner, Jr., Isaac Glenn, Jno. F.
Moore, Fleming Priddy, John
Norton, Wm, Harvey, George
Shaffer, Abraham Chandler, Beu.
F. Ore, Martin Morgan, Phil.
Manuel, Fountain Harris, Alfred
Taylor, Wm. James, Stoval Wil
kins. Wm. Chandler, Green Rich
ardson, Wm. G. Phillips, Ben. In
gram, Elijah Harris, Wm. Hntch
erson, Robert Tucker, Roland
Alloy, Hugh Martin, Wm. Powers,
John Amos, John Brown, Isaac
Eades, John Eades, Elijah Moore,
Jas. Wray, Stephen Duggins, Jno.
M. Reid, Berry Glenn, James M.
Hughes, Hugh Manuel, George
Powers, Richard Richardson, Wm.
G. Richardson, Joseph V. Wilson,
Daniel V. Powers, Abner Manuel,
Joseph Adkins, Wm. Morgan,
Wm. Manuel, Jr., Robt. Conner,
Dan Southern, Jas, Hennis, Jas.
H. Hughes, Russel Vawter, Jr.,
Noah Morgan, Sam Murphy, Al
fred Davis, Boyd Lawson, John
Morgan, Wm. Calhoon, George
Harris, Wm. Eades, Jr.
ABSTRACT OF VOTE CAST IN ELECTION HELD IN STORKS (NOW
STOKES AND FORSYTH) IN THE YgAR IHIQ.
~.c- - - .
*ep « ,• . **
. c be !r QJ ©
•g * I J J 4 5 a -8
3 a « P ai _q .•- -g
X> En O MOOsoW'/j
Germanton ..lit) 6 34 3 54 154 > 111 96 23
Salem 117 7 69 38 143 98 318 43 187
Bethany .... 37 1 3 8 19 46 73 15 46
Ritner's...., 12 0 14 U 30 28 101 32 26
Spainhour's .0 6 19 64 90 55 ' 189 (53 63
Ship's .3 0 4 9 44 31 62 17 21
Snow Creek. 0 7 20 61 54 145 142 95 65
Reed's 71 0 6 Vt 9 90 36 52 5
Carr's 10 3 17 3 (5 52 52 18 25
X Road 163 15 130 8 58 100 133 89 56
Total 519 45 316 206 512 -799 1287 520 517
UEOEFPT op ALEX KING FOR A WOLF
SCALP, 1826.
Received of Wm. A, Mitchell,
50 ceuts in full of a wolf acalf
killed in 182(5.
October 9th, 1826.
ALEX KING.
STATEMENT OF SUBSCRIPTION TO
LYNCHBURG PRESS, AT $3.00 A
YEAH.
Mr. Wm. A. Mitchell,
To Pleasants & Smith, Dr.
To your subscription to the
Lynchburg Press, from 15 April,
1820 to 15 April, 1822 $6.00. Re
ceived payment.
BILL OF GOODS BOUGHT OF STEPH
EN & E. MOORE, PROBABLY AT
GERMANTON, NOV. 16, 1822.
Mr. William Mitchell,
Bot. of Stephen & E. Moore,
£, a d
6 yds Black Cloth 7 19
14 Hks Silk 7
4 yds Shirting 11
2 yds Blk Silk 15
3 doz B Moulds 1 2
2 yds Blue Cloth 3 6
1 7-8 yds B Holland 4 3
1 set E Plates 3 9
3 yds Girth Webb 5 3
1 B Silk Hkf 6
.£l3 18 5
DEED OR BILL OF SALE OF A SLAVE
FROM JAMES STIFF TO HUGH
MITCHELL, 18U.
Know all man by these presents
that I, James Stiff, of Bedford
county, and State of Virginia, for
and in consideration of three
hundred and thirty dollars to me
in hand paid by Hugh Mitohell,
of the county of Stokes and State
of North Carolina, the receipt
whereof I hereby acknowledge, ac
quit and discharged him the said
Hugh Mitohell, his heirs and as>-
signs, and all of them. The
said James Stiff have granted,
bargained and sold and by these
presents do grant, bafgain and sell
unto the said Hugh Mitohell, a
certain negro girl, named Violet,
of the age 16 years, to him his
, heirs forever, which
! said together with her
: increase. '• 'J'he said Jainos Stiff,
do by these presents, oblige my
self, heirs exeoutors and adminis
trators to warrant and defend uu
|to the Raid Hugh Mitchell, and to'
! hin hr irsj and assignees forever
j agaf| it t|e lawful claim of any
j pet f a or persons whatsoever and
agi f.st a|y claim or right of free
dor' thatoaay be set up on the
of sflfejiiegro girl in witness
whereof riirave affixed my hand j
and seal.
This 14th day of Sept., A. D.
18 V. •
JAS. STIFF (Seal).
SjgnedAsealed and delivered in
toe presence of
HU MARTIN. (Seal).
t
The Reporter extends its sin-!
oere thanks to Mr. Mitohell for
sending it these old relics, which !
will be read with a great deal of
entertaiuineut, if is felt sure, by
all of our readers. And to others
who can find among their old pa-
pers suoh interesting data of our j
past history, a oordial invitation \
is given to send them-in for pub
lication. Both old and yonng will (
find pleasure in reading them.
J YAdkin Valley Institute.
The Reporter takes pleasure in 1
calling the attention of its readers ,
to that excellent school, the Yad
kin Valley Institute, of Boouville,
which ia doing a great work of
education among the boys and
girls of our county. See the ad
elsewhere in this paper, aud writff!
at once to J. J, Beach, principal,
Boonville, or N. R. Hamm, Agent,
Dalton, N. C., who will give you
all desired information with plas
ure.
Chtldrens Day At Delta SePt. 2.
Sandy Ridge, Aug 25.
Editor Reporte :
Please announce in the Re
porter that Childrens Day will be
observed at Delta church on the
first Sunday in September. Ex
ercises to begin at 9:30. Preach
ing at 11 o'clock.
DELLA CARTER.
The Zinzendorf, Winston-Sa
lem's new .hotel, will be completed
by October. The building, which
is located on Main street on the
old Jones Hotel site, ia to be a
very handsome one. It will oost,
when finished, about $160,000, and
will have 130 rooms, most of
which will be furnished with
baths.
Several of Danbury's small boys
will go to Winston Monday to see
Robinson's cirous.
THE END OF THE WORLD
of troubles that robbed E. H.
Wolfe, of Bea Grove, la., of all
usefulness, cam" when he began
taking EleotricV.'Uers. Hs writes:
"Two years ago Kidney trouble
caused me great suffering, which
I would never have survived had I
not taken Electric Bittere. They
also cured me of General Debility "
Sure cure for all Stomach, L»ver
and Kidney complaints, r Mood
diseases, Headaohe, md
Weakness or bodily decline. Price
50c. Guaranteed by all drug
stores.
"Mc" DENOUNCES "HELL BALL" ETC.
«
As Adjuncts to. Sunday School Conventions and
Protracted Meetings—Wants Some Warrants
Made Returnable Before Himself.
Pino Hall, Aug. 16.
Dear "Mc." :
As you have a mighty good
way of sayiug things just as tbdy
ought to be said, never hesitating
I to call a "spade" by its right name
I want you to write an article for
the Reporter condemning Sunday
School conventions that have as
side shows, baseball games and
ice-cream and soda-pop stands
running at full blast. I think it is
an insult to the Sunday School
work to allow such things; and I
believe you think as I do, tell us
what you do think, it may do sortie
good in the future.
Your friend,
J. C. F.
Above is a letter from a good j
Methodist Sunday School superin
tendent, and was written just after
the Knowl Hurst convention, and
while I did not attend, I under
stood that thore were three stands
selling ice-cream, lemonade, cigars
and all kinds of soft drinks, and
from the way a number "looked
ouf for every side of the road,''
there must have been a blindtiger
nearby dispensing tangle-foot, be
sides there was going on, not a
hundred yards from the church,
what seemed to be a very inter
esting game of hell ball, and all
this during the exercises of a
Methodist Sunday School con
vention.
Well, to say the least, I think
the devil gets about as much grat
ification out of such gatherings as
God does glory; and I am surpris
ed at the blindness of our church
workers. It seems to me this work
runs too much in grooves, is plan
ned by some one not on the spot
and old Satan takes advantage of
our cut and dried program; and as
a consequence, his friends succeed
in claiming the atteution of many
who should be doing and taking
part in church work.
As for base or more properly
called "hell ball," the devil has
succeeded in making it so popular
that no gathering is satisfiod with
out a game, eveu old soldiers day
at Danbury had to bear the dis
grace of a rip-roaring contest. It
is even said that during a recent
protracted meeting near where
above named convention met, that
during the intervals between the
sermons a game of hell ball was
"played for pastime." Is there a
remedy ? Yes, my friend, it oan
be stopped as effectually as has
been the sale of whiskey around
churches and in the same way. If
you will start a test case and make
your warrant returnable before
me, somebody will pay a maximum
fine and full penalty of the law or
go into a higher court for disturb
ing public worship. As for the
ice-orenm and soda-pop venders
they should be restricted and
allowed to sell only during inter
mission or when the religious ser
vices are suspended. lam told that
nearly a" »he Sunday Schools re
ported very A oor attendance and
that the wore
anxiously asking it was so.
Will some one also t c !l us why
saw-mill owners will- shut- down
when there is a game of bn(l to
come off in the neighborhood, And
will not do the same for a protract
ed meeting; the answer to onev.is
answer to both.
"Mc."
Winston papers say that they
are having light breaks at the
warehouses, but that they are not
expecting much tobacco before
next month.
The vr>r>*-'
be in B
NO. 30
PULLING FODDER DOESN'T PAY.
jAn Article Of Vital Interest to thf
Farmers Of Stokes County.
Forty-seven per cent., or nearly
I half of the Cultivated land in
I North Carolina is devpted to corn,
I and the last census gave the total
value of the corn crop in this and "
adjoining States as $111,000,000 as
against $101,000,000 for cotton.
The corn crop is therefore an im
portant ono and since it is grown
solely for its feed value, the meth
od of harvesting the crop that will
give the greatest amount of feed,
should receive careful considera
tion. The feed value of a plant is
ascertained by chemical analysis
and actual feeding trials, where
both the animals and the feed are
carefully weighed.
The chemist tells us that the
average mature corn plant out off
near the ground contains about 46
per cent, ot its feed value in the
ear, or ears, and about 54 per cent,
in its stalk, leaves and shucks, or
as it is generally called the
"stover,"
But tlie ohemist cannot tell us
exactly the feed value of any sub
stance and to complete our infor«
rnation we must oUrry this oorn
plant to the mule or to the steer
and ask him the value of its parts
as food. To obtain a correct ans.
wor to such a question we must
feed hrge numbers of animals or
repeat the trials many times. This
has been done and the average of
the results indicates that the steer
or mule can digest the ear a little
bettor than he can the stover and
that, he gets about 51 per cent, of
the feed value of the avorage oorn
plant out of the ear and about 49
per cent, out of the stover. If this
be true, aud it is, then the stover
is a valuable part of the corn orop
and careful thought should be
givon to the question of harvest
ing it so as to obtain the greatest
possible smount of feed from the
entire plant.
WE HARVEST CORN TOO EARLY.
Experiments at the lowa Sta- %v
tion have shown that if we wish to
harvest the crop at that time
when the greatest feed value in
stover has beenUkchefe we should
out it when the leaves begin to dry
up, or not later than when one
third to one-half of the leaves are
dry. On the- other hand, these
samo experiments have shown that
the time when the ears contain
their highest feed value is when
all the leaves are dry and the corn
fairly hard and that to out the
corn before this, or long after, les
sens the feed value obtained in the
ears.
But the time to harvest the corn
crop is plainly that time when the
ears and stover together contain
the maximum of feed value. This
time has been found to be about
midway between the two periods
mentioned, or say ten days after
the usual "fodder-pulling" time.
In other words, at the usual time
for fodder-pulling neither the corn
plant, as a whole, nor the ears
have reached their best develop
ment in feed value. There are
several ways of harvesting and
utilizing the corn crop, and at
some other time we shall discusß
dome of the others, but in this ar
ticle we wish tofcay* our respects
to the common method of pulling
the fodder before the plant has
fully matured and their "gathering
the ears at P How are
* venerated
v ig the