A BRIEF HISTORY
OF SMITHFIELD
Some Facts of Interest About the Old
Town Little Known to the General
Public. Once Proposed as State
Capital.
Smithfield is the county seat of
Johnston county, which was formed
from Craven county in 1746. Our
county was named in honor of Gabri
el Johnston, Governor of North Caro
lina from 1734 to 1752. Afterwards
parts of Duplin and Orange were
added to it. Little thought is given
to the history of Smithfield by its in
habitants. We should be interested,
however, not only because it is our
home, but because of its historical im
portance.
Smithfield was named for Colonel
John Smith, who owned the land on
which our town was built. It was
incorporated in 1777, when the Legis
lature was in session at New Bern.
Later the Legislature met here. There
must have been, however, a settle
ment much earlier in this section.
There is an old cemetery south west
of the school building where stones
may be found with dates before this
time. Smithfield lost the honor of be
ing the State Capital when Raleigh
won by one vote. The deciding vote
was cast by the representative of this
county, who for some reason was not
in favor of Smithfield’s being the Cap
ital.
When travel was mainly by water,
Smithfield, as it was the head of nav
igation on the Neuse River, was a
busy place. Dibble and Worth ran a
steamboat from New Bern. They
brought salt and other supplies here
on flat boats and carried back timber
and turpentine. These things were
, sent to northern points from New
Bern.
The North Carolina Railroad was
surveyed to come through Smithfield.
There was also another survey lead
ing through Wilder’s Township. Rep*
resentative Watson from this town
ship voted against the Smithfield
route, because railroads were new and
people were superstitious about them.
They thought that the smoke and cin
ders of the “Dreadful Monster” would
destroy their crops, kill their slaves
and cattle, and harm the town in ev
ery way. Another road was started
from Goldsboro to Salisbury in 1882,
but only came as far as Smithfield.
This is the “Captain Jack Road” and
is still in use. Three years later in
1885, the Atlantic Coast Line was
built from Wilson to Florence and
passed through here.
When Mr. McPherson was Mayor,
much was done to beautify our town.
Blocks were laid out, containing four
acres each and running what was sup
posed to be exactly north and south.
Also some of our oldest trees were
planted at this time.
In the time of the “Civil War” one
of the last battles was fought be
tween Johnson and Sherman at Ben
tonville, fifteen miles away. Prepa
rations were made for a battle to be
fought in Smithfield, but Johnson re
treated farther north when he heard
of Lee’s surrender. Sherman march
ed on through here and spent one
night in our town.
In 1876, Zebulon Vance, our best
loved governor, came to Smithfield.
The town had quite a celebration and
he spent the night in an old house
that was where the home of Mr. E. W.
Pou^s now.
Up to this time there were only
two churches here: the Methodist and
the Baptist. In 1812 Smithfield Acad
emy was started but little is known
about this school prior to 1840. H. W.
Guy was the first principal after this
year. For several years at the time
of the “Civil War” the school was
closed. In 1866 the Reverend H. B.
Jones came here and taught for some
thing like fifteen years. About 1880
John L. Davis came and later Ira T.
Turlington from Elevation Township
and together they founded “Turling
ton Institute” which later developed
into “Turlington Graded School” which
is second to none in the state. The
class of 1904 was the first to gradu
ate from the present school.
Before the great fire of 1887, the
business portion of the town was from
the court house to the river. This
fire destroyed practically all of the
business part of Smithfield. It start
ed on Sunday from where Mr. Kirk
man’s garage now stands, and burnt
to where the picture show is: besides
burning many houses on other blocks.
In 1885 Mr. E. J. Holt established
SUNDAY CHURCH SERVICES
At the Methodist Church.
Mr. Cotton delivered a very im
pressive sermon last Sunday morning,
his text being found in the first chapt
er of Isaiah, the eighteenth verse—
“Come now, and let us reason togeth
er, saith the Lord: Though your sins
be as scarlet, they shall be white as
snow, though they be red like crimson,
they shall be as wool.”
“Our Father,” said Mr. Cotton, “is
ever ready to bear with us with the
greatest patience. Though our sins
be as scarlet He is willing to make
them white as snow. God is calling
to us every day in order to reason
with us. Are we prepared to reason
with the Lord?” For an illustration
of this Mr. Cotton showed the betray
al of our Lord by Judas Iscariot. Was
Judas prepared to reason with the
Father? No, not until he realized his
great sin and asked forgiveness of
Him. So it is with us. Unless we
ask forgiveness of God for our sins
we receive no forgiveness. Christ is
today as he was then, always willing
to forgive us-of our sins.
At Episcopal Church.
Rev. Howard T. Hartzell, rector of
the Episcopal church, delivered a very
interesting sermon at the Sunday
morning service. His text was from
the 21st verse of the 15th chapter of
St. Mark. “And they compelled one
Simon, a Cyrenian, who passed by
coming out of the country to bear His
Cross.” Simon did not know Christ
but the soldiers compelled him to
take His cross. Perhaps some of you
have been asked to bear a cross. Did
you, like Simon, do it willingly and
submissively or did you rebel and say,
“Why should I have to take it? Why
not some one else?** We should bear
our crosses patiently and say, “Fath
er, Thy will be done and not ours.”.
At Baptist Church.
Rev. H. W. Baucom preached a
very impressive sermon Sunday morn
ing at the Baptist church, taking his
text from the 15th chapter of First
Samuel.
The main thought of the sermon
was that disobedience to God means
a failure in life. His subject was a
promising young man who made a
complete failure of his opportunities.
Saul was the man whose career Mr.
Baucom so interestingly and instruc
tively traced.
At Presbyterian Church.
Rev. J. J. Murray rendered a very
good sermon Sunday night at the
Presbyterian church. His text was
taken from the eleventh chapter of
John, 25-26 verses—“Jesus said unto
her, I am the resurrection and the
life: he that believeth in me,'though
he were dead, yet shall he live: And
whosoever liveth and believeth in me
shall never die. Believest thou this?”
The main thought of his sermon was
that this life is not an end within it
self. Mr. Murray showed conclusively
that the soul is immortal.
Hunter-Horne.
At the beautiful home of the bride
in Clayton on Saturday at noon Mr.
Cary J. Hunter, of Raleigh, and Mrs.
Rena B. Horne, of Clayton, were unit
ed in marriage. Rev. O. I. Hinson,
pastor of the Horne Memorial church,
assisted by Dr. T. W. O’Kelley, pastor
of the First Baptist church of Raleigh
officiated. Only a few intimate friends
were present. After the ceremony the
couple went by automobile to Raleigh
and from there left by rail for north
ern cities. Their future home will be
in Raleigh where the groom is a very
succesful business man. Mrs. Hunter
is well known throughout’ the state as
a very charming and talented lady.
Their many friends wish them much
happiness.
Charlie Chaplin’s Wife Wants Divorce
We note by the papers that Charlie
Chaplin’s wife, Mildred Harris Chap
lin, is suing for a divorce. Her grounds
are on account of non-support. She
claims that Charlie refused to buy her
a new Pierce-Arrow car but gave her
one that he had already driven 2,000
miles. Her husband proved in court
by check stubs that he had given her
S50.000 last year.
j the first Hardware Store in the coun
I ty. In 1898, the late Allen K. Smith
j founded the present “First National
I Bank" which was also the first in the
! county.
Smithfield has grown more in the
| last fifteen years than in any other
I period of its history; and it now haS1
i many of the improvements which con
stitute a “Modern City.”
FAMINE FACING
NEW YORK CITY
The Railroad Strike Made Half
Million Idle Saturday—Fuel and
Food Famine Threatened as Result.
Latest reports from Washington
tell that orders went out Saturday to
United States district attorneys to
investigate the “unauthorized” rail
road strikes in their districts to de
termine whether there had been any
“joint action” designed to interfere
with the distribution of necessities of
life or whether such interference was
contemplated.
Famine Faces New York.
New York, April 10.—New York
tonight faced the menace of a food
and fuel famine and complete paralys
is of passenger traffic by the unau
thorized strike of 20,000 railroad
workers, coupled with the harbor em
ployes strike. Railroad schedules al
ready have been disrupted and rail
road stations are crowded with those
waiting for trains that have been can
celled. Many slept in the waiting
rooms.
Half a million persons were kept
idle today by the strike, it was esti
mated, and strike leaders said “all
freight and passenger service would
be paralyzed tomorrow.” Railroad
officials said conditions were “ex
tremely grave.”
Two thousand switchmen, brake
men, yard conductors and marine
workers in the Pennsylvania freight
yards are on strike, the officials said,
and six hundred workmen employed
by the road’s contractors at Green
ville, N. J., and on harbor front piers
also had joined the walkout.
Pensioners and members of the ter
minal staff who are familiar with road
operation were pressed into service
at the Grand Central station in an ef
fort to keep New York Central trains
moving. Signs were posted in the
Grand Central stations advising pas
sengers the road would be able to get
trains through Sunday with loyal em
ployes but “the crucial test for all
railroads would come Monday.”
NO STRIKE ON RAILROADS
SAYS SAMUEL GOMPERS.
Head of American Federation of Labor
Will Use His Influence to Settle
It.
Cleveland, O., April 11.—Samuel
Gompers, president of the American
Federation of Labor, who arrived here
today to attend the convention of the
Cigar-makers International union, ex
pects to confer with the chiefs of the
three transportation brotherhoods to
morrow, he said, and expects to urge
the striking switchmen and yardmen
to return to work, possibly in an ad
dress at a mass meeting.
Mr. Gompers expressed confidence
that the strike would soon be ended
and declared he had no fear of its ef
fect on the Union labor movement
generally.
‘‘The strike is a mistake,” he said.
“These men don’t realize the millen
ium cannot be made in a day. Prog
ress comes only by years of persever
ence and labor.”
Latest Ladies Fashions.
Paris, April 10.—'Women s wear
next fall will be even more “undressy”
than the past winter, according to
Paris wholesalers, who welcomed tRe
fact because of the fabulous prices <bf
materials.
Woolens have increased 50 per cent,
silks 100 per eent and cotton 75 j>er
cent, which means that the avenge
woman will be able to buy just about
one-half the amount of dress g^ods
she bought this past winter. /
On the other hand new dresses ®seen
in London are'showing more drapery
than ever before, and even foif day
wear the throat is less open than was
the style last year. The new waiktcoat
is a dainty affair, higher* than for
many seasons and closing at the
throat with a ruffle or a fall df lace.
Fashionable London dressmakers
who go to Paris for inspiration are
setting themselves squarely /against
the low-cut gowns. This was empha
sized recently when one of thepe dress
makers saw a gown in a Rae de la
Paix establishment which spe liked.
The question now is will this Ameri
cans follow the French or jhe Eng
lish?
A cheerful heart and a well trained
hand
Will take a man through any land.
CLAUDE KITCHEN
SUFFERS COLLAPSE
At Close of Debate of Peace Resolu
tion the Famous Tarheel Has Slight
Stroke of Paralysis. *
When Representative Kitchin chal
lenged the Republicans to submit a
straight-out proposal for repeal of
war time legislation the Democrats
were aroused to an outburst of cheer
ing. He charged the Republicans
with “pretense and hypocrisy.” At
the close of this speech, Mr. Kitchin
suffered a collapse resulting from
what was said by his physicians to be
a slight stroke of paralysis. Latest
reports say that he is improving
steadily.
The sorrow expressed in the House
and the deep interest. manifested
throughout Washington was not con
fined tonight to the party colleagues
of Representative Kitchin, but scores
of Senators and Congressmen, togeth
er with friends of the North Carolini
an here in private life, called and in
quired of his condition.
Cherry-Talton.
Sunday, April the 11th, Mr. S. W.
Cherry of Greenville, N. C., and Miss
Lillie Talton of this city were quietly
married at the Yarborough Hotel in
Raleigh by Rev. Dr. Caviness of the
Central Methodist church. The bridal
party then had dinner at the Yarbo
rough, after which Mr. and Mrs. Cher
ry left for Northern points. Those
present at the wedding were Misses
Addie Talton, and Annie Peacock;
Messrs. Madison McGowan, of Green
ville, A. S. Chesson of Wilson, Marion
Ritche of Columbia, S. C., W. M. Gor
don of St. Louis, and W. H. Ragland
of Raleigh.
Mr. Cherry is a prosperous young
farmer of Greenville. Mrs. Cherry is
a very popular and attractive young
lady whose score of friends will miss
her very much but who wish her much
happiness.
President Takes Automobile Ride.
Washington, April 11.—President
Wilson took an automobile ride today
for the first time in two weeks. Ac
companied by Mrs. Wilson he drove
aropnd the speedw’ay along the Po
tomac River and then through Rock
Creek Park, returning to the White
House within an hour.
Raleigh’s Automotive Exposition.
The Carolina Automotive Exposi
tion, the greatest event of its kind
ever staged in the Carolinas, was for
mally opened Monday night, April 12.
It will continue to the 17th.
Thousands of people are attending
this event, which promises to be the
best attended attraction of the season.
Danish King May Lose Throne.
King Christian Tenth, the oldest
reigning monarch in Europe today, is
in danger of losing his throne because
he opposed the demands of the Labor
Socialists. The Labor party is so well
organized and the king is so undecid
ed as to what he should do that if the
Socialists should desire it he would
have to abdicate.
When Christian first came to the
throne he was greatly disliked by his
people. But later in his life sentiment
changed and he was loved perhaps bet
ter than any other monarch in Europe.
Civil War Threatening Mexico.
Nogales, Sonora, April 11.—Cus
toms houses and all property of the
Federal government of Mexico were
formally seized in the name of the
“Republic of Sonora” here today.
Sonora state officials, headed by
Governor de la Huerta, who has be§n
proclaimed “Supreme Power of the
Republic of Sonora,” by the State
Congress declared today, while the
state had seceded, it would return to
the Mexican republic upon guarantee
from the National administration
that there would be no infringement
of the State’s rights by the Federal
government.
The secession, according to the of
ficials, was brought about by Carran
za ordering Federal troops into the
state. They said the next move was
up to Carranza. Unless he acts, poli
tical leaders of Sonora said, the new
republic would defy the Mexican Fed
eral government and resist with arm
ed forces any attempt of Carranza to
take back the state by force.
THE TRIANGULAR DEBATE
Clayton, Selma, and Smithfield en
tered the Triangular Debate this year.
Clayton found it necessary to drop
out of the triangle because their school
was closed so long on account of in
fluenza.
Smithfield won the decision of the
judges in the debate held in Smith
field, and Selma the decision of the
one held in Selma. Misses Margaret
LeMay and Jeanne Gordon upheld
Smithfield’s affirmative and James
Fields and Cronger Earp Selma’s
negative at Smithfield. Misses An
nette Lawrence and Jean Abell of
Smithfield who were on the negative
and Baxter Ray and Jennings Talton
on the affirmative debated at Selma.
The schools had an understanding
that the judges selected in each place
were to be college graduates. The
judges in Smithfield were: Mr. Clyde
Fore, A. B. University of N. C.; Mr.
L. T. Royall, A. B. Wake Forest Col
lege; and Mr. G. A. Martin, A. B.
University of N. C. The judges sub
mitted in Selma were: Mr. C. K. Proc
tor, A. B. Trinity College; Mr. Wood
ard, student one year in the Pharma
cy Department at the University, and
Mr. G. F. Lattimore, student part of
two years at Washington and Lee.
Smithfield received the vote of the
only college man on the committee.
Because of the misunderstanding
about the other judges’ qualifications,
the Smithfield debating team which
debated in Selma challenged the Sel
ma team which debated against them
to re-debate the question again at
once in any town outside of Johnston
county before three judges who meet
the requirements originally agreed to
by both Selma and Smithfield.
Our school has no hard feelings to
ward the Selma school but our debat
ers hoped that the Selma debaters
would accept their challenge to debate
before judges with the qualifications
agreed to before the debate. However,
Selma has refused this challenge.
Monument of Battle to Be Erected.
A monument, which symbolizes the
defense of Paris, will be erected at
Verdun to commemorate the heroic
stand of the French in 1916.
M. Rodin conceived the idea for the
statue in 1882 as symbolical of the
defense of the French capital eleven
years before, and entered a model of
it in a nation-wide competition. How
ever, the judges refused to consider it.
After the battle of Verdun, Holland
offered an enlargement of the Rodin
statue to France, 10,000 Dutch citi
zens, headed by 80 notables, subscrib
ing the cost of the work. The offer
was accepted by France, and despite
the difficulty in finding the material
to complete tho statue, it is now near
ing completion and is considered one
of the finest examples of Rodin’s art.
—Copyright, 1920, by the Sun and
New York Herald.
Dead Thirteen Years—Returns.
Richmond, Va., April 9.—Mourned
as dead for many years, Howard Bell
now 21 years old, a .veteran of over
seas service, living at 316 South Sal
isbury street, Raleigh, N. C., turned
up here this week and had a happy
reunion with his mother, Mrs. R. H.
Berry, 7 South Mulberry street, it
was learned today. He was supposed
to have drowned in 1907 when he drift
ed out into Chesapeake Bay in a row
boat.
It developed, however, that he was
picked up by a party of fishermen
who carried him to Wilmington. He
was only eight years old at this time.
Often he tried to get into communi
cation with his parents but he never
succeeded. Bell fought overseas and
was wounded several times. Recent
ly he found his mother’s address and
i§ now planning to come here to work.
Rheims Cathedral Will Be Restored.
The Cathedral of Rheims was ope
of the most beautiful and renowned
structures in the world. It was start
ed in the 13th century and was com
pleted nearly three hundred and fifty
years later. It is of Gothic architec
ture, and it is especially noted for its
statues and its great rose window.
This building was ruthlessly de
stroyed by tho German advance in
1914. All of the statues and the
great pipe organ, which has 3516
pipes, were mutilated.
The Cathedral wetaoin etaoin aoi
The Catholics who own the church
say that they will restore the parts
that are torn down.
STATISTICS CONCERNING
JOHNSTON COUNTY
Size of County and Estimated Popu
lation—Interesting Figures Are
Given—Fourteen Banks in County.
Some statistics of our county should
prove interesting to all Herald read
ers. Not many of us care enough
about such things to look up old rec
ords, so we are not usually informed
on these subjects. .Tohnston county is
one of the largest counties in the
State, comprising an area of 740
square miles. It is bounded on the
north by Wake and Nash, on the east
by Wilson and Wayne, on the west by
Harnett, and on the South by Cum
berland. In all, there are 17 town
ships with a total population of about
48,000—33 per cent of which are col
ored. Sixteen per cent of our people
over 10 years of age are illiterate; 30
per cent are church members and 47
per cent are tenants. About 50 out
of a hundred men live in their own
homes. The average wealth per man
in the county is $332. In 1914 we had
215 miles of improved roads. In the
same year there were only four Girls
Canning Clubs with 35 members; now
there are 280 members. In 1913 there
were 184 boys in Com Clubs; now
there are 220. These boys raised 62
bushels of corn to the acre while the
farmers produced only 20 bushels.
There are 96 white schools, 30 colored
and 10 high schools in the county.
The main industry of Johnston is
agriculture. It ranks first as a corn
growing and second as a cotton grow
ing county. It has 27,000 head of cat
tle and 70,000 of hogs. It’s money
crop is cotton for in 1919 it produced
57,000 bales of that article. During
the last year we produced 14,000,000
pounds of tobacco.
As a mnaufacturing county, Johns
ton is rapidly progressing. It now has
seven cotton mills, 3 oil mills, 100 saw
mills, 50 cotton gins, 2 brick yards
and 1 ice plant and 1 veneering plant
where automobile tires are made.
There are 5 tobacco warehouses in
femithfield and Benson.
In other lines also our county is
making great strides. We have 14
banks which are doing business on a
tremendous scale and 4 newspapers
which enjoy a wide circulation. We
have produced three writers of poetry
—Miss Vida Munden, Mrs. Ida H.
Horne, and Mr. Riddick. Mr. A. Ver
mont, former Superintendent of Tur
lington Graded School, has written
two French text books, as well as the
charming historical drama, Esther
Wake. There are other facts of like
importance about our county and we
should sometimes pause in our mad
rush for business and money to think
over what is being accomplished
around us.
Would Refuse Democratic Nomination
Herbert Hoover Saturday telegraph
ed Chandler M. Wood of Boston, who
was active with Edward A. Filene in
forming the Hoover Democratic Club
of Massachusetts, that he could not
accept a Democratic nomination for
the Presidency. Under date of Wed
nesday Mr. Wood wrote:
“I feel that the Democrats who
are active participants in the move
ment for your nomination upon their
ticket are entitled to know whether or
not you will accept the Democratic
nomination if offered you, and for
that purpose I am addressing you this
letter.”
Mr. Hoover’s response was: “Your
published letter asking if I would ac
cept the Democratic nomination has
been received by me this morning and
I appreciate the implied compliment.
I gather that it was written prior to
a statement of mine last Saturday
which appeared in Boston and other
papers. You will no doubt, therefore,
now appreciate that the answer to
your inquiry is ‘no.’ ”
Simmons Expects Ratification.
Senator Simmons believes the ac
tion of the State convention in en
dorsing the Susan B. Anthony suf
frage amendment assures its ratifica
tion by the North Carolina General
Assembly to be called into extra ses
sion in July by Governor Bickett.
Representative Clyde R. Hoey, the
convention’s temporary chairman, ex
pressed a similar opinion that North
Carolina Democrats made ratification
certain and the women of America
would participate in the elections of
this year.