North Carolina Newspapers

VOL. XXVII. YADKINYILLE, YADKIN CO.*, N. C , THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15,19X1 NO. 38 MC /73 f<7A^ Rich in History, Natural Resources, Original Beauty and Good Pecpte. Th^y Need More Roads By The Editor li is called Little Yadkin be cause it is cut off from big Yad kin by the lucid streams of the Yadkin river, but all that there is of Little Yadkin is all right; it is 100 per cent hospitality, and getting more so every day. It is a small township with some 50 odd voters before the "better half' begun to figure in this vot ing business, but it is full of life and activity; it is progressive and rich in the history of this entire country. Many of the import ant families of the South can trace their blood back to Little Yadkin as it is now called,which was time a part of Rowan coun ty but was added to Surry coun ty about 1746 in order that cei tain congrt ssional districts might be balanceddn favor of the pow ers. ! The writer, together with Mr. John H. Myers, who was visit ing here, accepted afh invitation to visit the home of Mr. Smith Williamson Sunday, August 2^, and, accompanied by Mr. Fred Mackie, we arrived there, about noon, and the remainder of the day was a continous round of pleasure and entertainment, be cause Mr. Williams is a prince at p**Mt*iAing, and sb^is his en tire household, which consists of his good w ife and several bright chiidrt-r, his mother, Mrs. Ldl ington, and her husband, Capt. Nick Lillifgton, who are mak ing their home with Mr. and Mrs. Williams since they have become feeble. In fact' this same place has been the home of Mjrs. Lillington for more than 55 years when she was the wife oi Col. Lewis Williams, who died several years ago. This home is located on a beautiful site overhearing^ the rushing waters of the river to the west. It is a;, typical old homestead, although the present home is comparatively new and is built on the exact spot where the old Williams mansion was burned some years ago. The present home is almost a man rich in colonial furnishings .-'or th 3^ modem com ^'onces, nd has oeen in possession or the Wiiiiams family of five gen eration for more than 200 years. Tnis old homestead, without doubt, has produced more his tory tor this country than any other in this section. Tire house was built and settlement made before Salem was inhabited and when the nearest general store was at Fayetteville. Many of the famous.men of this country can trace their ancestry back to this old homestead and dozens of illustrous Southern gentlemen ] who have held the highest oiiic- j es m the gift of their people and who have served to make this Southland famous in many wa3 s ^we their sterling manhood and Mhivilary to the brawn and brains as produced on the o d. time plantation where the younger generations are now growing to manhood ahd wo manhood. They have been Governors, United States Sena tor, Congressmen, judges and all the lesser officials of this as well as other Southern staie^ more particular Tennessee and - Mississippi. Taking the settlement from the beginning, the present home place of. Mr. Smith Williams was settled about 200 years ago by Mr. Joseph Williams who came south from Virginia and later was a hero of the Revolu tionary war, and fought until its end ip 1784. Joseph Williams had two sons, Lewis and Nicho ! las, the latter being known as Nick Williams, and one ot the ! greatest men tnis country has ever had. A postotfice, known as Panther Creek, was estab hshed at the Williams home. Nick Williams was a moad mrnded, kind hearted man who numbered his friends by his ac quaintences and among his inti mate friends were many of the great men of his day. It is said of him that no man ever went to his home for a favor who did not get it if he deserved it, and all men received prompt and courteous treatment at his hands. He had at this time the most beautiful country estate in western North Carolina aod frequently entertained 'as his guests members of the United States Senate, Congressmen and Judges, who were always glad of an invitation to visit the hos pitable Williams home here or at ' file Cabins," another es tate of liis. The Williams estate as it now stands, the home of Mr. Smith Williams, still maintains a great deal of this ancient beauty,, al though in changing hands it has been allowed to grow up eon siderably. Its present owner intends to weed it out and bring it back to its old time beauty and vigor, with its magnificent large box-bushes, English elms, flower gardens, cedars, and so on, set out in beautiful arrays, one row of improved boxwoods which stand about 2& feet high goes around the front yard while in the center there is more than 400 others of all sizes, covering a lawn of some two acres, set in rows, crosses and other popular figures, a thing of beauty and magnificent splendor, standing as sentjneis, a silent testimony to the artistic * 1 icostral owners. "CXd Nick Wmske) L is here that the. beginning of the famous "Nick Wiiliams Wniskey"' was inaugurated. They made it here, of the best! suh purest ray, and its name! was handed down generation a ter generation until it received i s first Mow when Aus Wads started thinking of things while in the legislature, and its final kaock-out came when the pre libitioa question was voted on m May, 1906. However, the name will long in the minds of the people of this country, but the name is all that remams; the product is gone and in its place we have everything that the minds of a lawless class can im agine. ' The Cabins Not only was the hospitality and good nature of Nick Wi - liams known in this immediate section, btd'he had a large es tate at what was known as "The Cabins" on top of the Blue Badge Mountains, about seven miles beyond Roaring Cap, at Cherry Lane. Long before, Mr. Williams had entered land from the government, hundreds of acres of it, and had erected a would take his family, a few slaves, and some guests, and go to this delightful spot to hunt and fish for the^ season, then leave abouf two slave darkies there with the cabins to take care of them until the next sea son came around. The cabins, as' they were called, became famous throughout the South with travelers under this name and they stood there for many years until they were burned dowu, supposed to have been done by some tramp. Lewis Williams Nick Williams had one broth er, Lewis, who was like his brother in many respects and was liked as well by the people of this section. This is shown by the fact that he was elected to congress fourteen times, serv 28 years without a single defeat, and this a* a time when North Carolina only had three congress members for the epnre siaie. When Ire died in Washington m 1847 he had been a memoir oi; that body longer than an\ other i manthere, and was known as] the "bather of the House,'' the' first man ever to atta n thm name. he became owner oi th<- ime es-! tate of his brother Me*, and an incident which shows how proud he was of the place is re lated. Whiie m W ashington he had seen some English ehns and! determined to bring some home! with him, although he made the ! trip on horseback, ifo t-Tought! two small bushes „al.'3g and} when he reached home and re-} ceived the greeitngs or ht& man ly in the yard he went straight w^y and set out his elms before he entered the house. One oi them died and the other grew to bea beautiful large tree. It is also said that from this tree sprung ail the English elms m North Carolina, small sprouts being carried away by practical ly every visitor who came to the place. ' Whtie m congress Mr. wil liams made many fast friends, one of whom was Hery CLy, j the same Henry (Jay that every : school boy has read of and when; congress had its recesses the two would start south on horseback and €iay would stop over and spend awhile with his friend in Little Yadkin, *- then P,. .. t?r Creok. He also crrtertained atanyotimr disPnguished men at his nneand hcspitahle nome. ,il.ese two brodiers were gen tlemen of the old school, full of Southern chivalry and hospitali ty, hig hearted and big men in eveiyway. And this article would not be complete if we did not say that these gentlemen; weremt all times good and lhiid! to their slaves, it is so often; this cannot be said that we feel, itshouldte related here. Neg-i roes were aways happy in Wii-! barns' ownership. Col. Nick Williams had $ son named Lewis and one Joseph.: The fatter married Miss Lou Glenn, a daughter of the late Tyree Glenn, of Enon, then known as Glenwood, and her sister manied Judge Settle, of Asheville, father of the fate Thomas Settle. This Joseph Williams was the father of the late N. Glenn Williams whose family now resides at the old Jose, h Williams heme place. They have now ^ about 1,500 acres of the original tract of Williams land. N. Glenn Wil liams, at the tune prohibition came, was one ot the largest manufacturers of whiskey in the country and his brands, of w(iich "Old Nick" was the leading one, were known throughout the! United States. Mr Lewis Williams was nam ed fot his uncle, Congresman Lewis, and he was younger than Joseph. He was married to Miss Sallie Smith, of Anson county, whose family has also been famous in that section. A brother, Major Smith, aow lives in a fine country home in Anson county. He was - an honored Confederate soldier ana from the day the war closed until this day he honored the lost cause by wearing absolutely no other coi or than that his wartime suit oi Confederate gray. The Lne country home finally reached the hands of mis i^ewis Witiiams, who had several cni; men, among them Mr. Smith Williams, present owner and oc cupant. cUter the death oi Lew !is Williams his widow married [t^apt. NicK LiHington, who is } now nearing his 7d numJay arm ! is dtowiy recovering itt^ni a ^ati ha sustained fast wilder. The Lt Ring tons ihehmuj.yoi this lamiiy is rather* romantic, Air. Lii lmgtoigofLillmgton, N.C.,was making his^vay pacx and imtn liomhtsimme to juugj Pear sou siaw school, near -Koch ioiu, aim tonnh n coavcment iu st^p at 1 aataer Creuk. it wu^ here mat he ieh in mve with Miss Oettie WiHiiams, Jauguwi of Nick Williams, auu ttmy w^iv married. He uiterwamo be< ame one or the great iawre.s 01 mu M. ie and in his oidthiy^ to Mocksvule, where he ..mco. This couple had two seas, Alee i ana Nick Lillington, both ^hj whom are yet in Little Yadk n. Alec is living with his daughter, Mrs. McBride, and is extreme^ feeble. . CapL Nick Ellington and his wiie, as we have said, live with Smith Williams. Capt. Nick, as well as his brother, is a well educated man of fine intellect, a graduate of the Univertity of North Carolina-and licensed to i ractice law, *but preferred the quietness of &Mr& hie to that oi a public career. These two brothers have been in the public Me and spirit oT Yadkin county for many years; its politics, its progress and advancement have all been of interest to then: wtnd teceived their support. Capt. Nicx was a member or the olu time Ku Klux Klan when it w a^,. lust organized and he himse.h organized this part ot the state mm he can teii many imeresung things connected with hint a.r cmnt order, which was, perhaps hie salvation oi the white ram : m the south. : Connellys and Moieheads Air. Nirk Williams had a niece and hephew wion he ; reared and educated the lender est care and attention. HL ! neice, Aliss Lillie Conueily, at the age oi 21, married Air. Tur ner Alorehead, a son of, then, ! Governor Alorehead, an honor ed family of this state, and oi whom Hon. John Al. Morehead, of charlotte, is a descendent and nephew of Turner More head. Her brother, Jthi K. Connellv, carried the firsi com^ pany from Yadbio county to tm Civil war, and Aliss Lou Cierm, whom we have spt ken of above presented ti e company its flag when it bade good bye to loved ones and wmt off to tight' for a cause that-was already lost. Connelly was la ter made colon el of the 55th N. C. Regiment; and was badly-wounded m the battle of Gettysburg, but rccov U. S. MarshaM Wes&es'in MsMc!' ^ncwNCOw JACKSON ! i gn P U. Hie first Repnbhcan officer to be appointed m Y^^kin coun } ty came Thursday wha-i c-r. C.! G. Bryant. oi j.'mesvc.Y-, was ap- j primed a deputy innrshnt by! Marshal Brown dow Iw^Kson oft die western disnict. Dr. Br\anti is assigned tu Yadkin, Fcrsytbj 'land Siokes counties wdh liead- ) quarters at Yinston-Sa'icm. l :.Yry<iaiil<t; jvadingi Republican in this county for a number of years and has twice been elected to the general as sembly. The appointment is wed merited and we congratu late him on hts good fortune. \ He has not .yet resi^Std from thaotticeof representative. It seems that two other members, Doughton and McBee, have been members of the State Highway Commission for sever al months and have not resign ed and ail will take action along the same line. *"**"*" _ ___ cre-i and after the war was over became a Baptist minister. His tory shows that at the battle of Gettysburg Connelly's company lost 7b per cent of her men, this jemt', the great*- ; - * compay, with perhaps the cx "Ccpbun of one, the iihth X. C. Regiment, ct*C hottOS Although the people of ihh section are progressive limy have bee a unable to get more dian three miles of good roads in the township. This one goes , from the river bridge to the For-; sythline. They rued at least one more road, running from: West; Bend souih to the line,: which would put them in good i shaptf and give an outlet. Peo pie living in this end of the township have to leave their at - tomo^iles three miles and more from home during the winter in order to use them at ad. Our Hosts But back to our hosts. Mr. j Smith Williams and his good: wife are great entertainers; no j time grows dull mound them; and there's no halt way ground; you must he happy when under their roof. For them uc whh all the good things of this world; may they be visited be entranc ing dreams by night and sweet-, realities by day. They deserve much and we hope they live long aud happy, and may their tribe increase. Despondent over a love affair, Miss Lillian Mitchelt, 23 yya?s old, jumped from fthe top of the new Robert E. Lee Hotel at K inston Salem last Sunday aft erncon amd was crushed to death on the cement lit) feet btd low. ^ She had gone to the top of the notel with a couple of friends and, while on top of the hotel chmbed, unnoticed, over the parapet, forty inches high, and pmuged downward. She was ternbiy crushed'. Mrs. F- ". Smnh, who lives near the hotel, is i.ie only pe:son who saw tier she ei!. .\cc'udm^ to her toom tu.de Site eas:e ts;VA- Wtth n \OLiUg tnan no :s now in a tubereu!ar In- ; i!a. . d couht r u ma'iy. She went to iu,ston S.dem irom Stoises e<m: ty last spring. She :s survived by her parenis and several Mothers and ststers. State * tl'HlS Ihe<*u;-h;.!u Pu/'u L<t!uts Go iia-i <-r-.'0 i( -hut* ion i.i S)OU!c'.)dcl\ri( ! - Hit'.'re.}-.'{- is street c o Stit-'f'iii) -oops r , j fnre!<ntr*"n(h*St'n.<!... Jud^eW. <b '1 n, =^o aso jounce of die S!:;u -.-m court of Nt'rtli Girodiia, died suddenA* Thursday at his home in Golds boro. *' ,-^.. Iredell countGs t:rsi hu e or new was sold in Statesville last weekandorounhidd cents oer pound. ; NOTICE "* Application will be made to His Excellency, the governor of North Carolina for the }^)idon of Coioiie! Baynes, convicted at the March term, 1921, oi the Su} erior court of Yailkin county of store breaking and larceny, and ami sentenced to the state prison for term of one year. " This September 12, 1921. V\ idiams & Rent is Attys. NOTICE XortitCaiolina ! In mnierior court Ymtiiiu county ; before the clerk. WHtiam Kkk and Susie Smith '-s ^ Sarah PldHips, John K*rk, Frank ivirk.'dauo Bynum,(\'t*aB\nmn; Odell H.- num, and Son Jhi.om and Jam. sXirk. Tlmfml'-'tMtant* Fame r. nub JohnXiik, Flank Fir!. ;mu.'c;:,l Moryar ''-dl lake notice Fata special ^roceedmn entitled a !)ove ims heen commenced in the Superior Ceurt of Yidkin <-,,ant.<, vrliicli is fc-r sale of landsdescrib. cdi)t{n-tittpn,tiie ^occcAsFun which to be divided amon^the tenants bi common; and said de fendants will furlber ta'te notice that they ate repaired to appear before the Clerk of Supmior court of Yadkin county, at his olhce in Yadkinviile. on Cm JVthdayof September, 1921, and answer or demur to tup petition filed, or theielief therein demanded wilt be granted. This Au^. 17, 1921. J. L. Crater ClerkSnperior Court —The llip[de p;ocs to press at noon mi Wednesday. Advertis erf; should send in their ads so as tf)? i^each us not later than d'ues^!:^'. AH th^. work in a news^u t)j)HRiC.ce is..iiof done in jonesa '. T'k^soqpcr you send advyrtisif^' co;)y tliebeF se vice Y\ e ^-an. ^ive you. —- . , .<< ^ ter