Newspapers / The Enterprise (Williamston, N.C.) / July 7, 1953, edition 1 / Page 1
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THE ENTERPRISE IS READ BY OVER 3.009 MARTIN COUNTY FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEES THE ENTERPRISE THE ENTERPRISE IS READ OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNT! t AM5LIES TWICE EACH WEEJ VOLUME LVI—NUMBER 54 William ston, Martin County, North Carolina, Tuesday, July 7, 1953 ESTABLISHED 189* Y oung F armer Killed By Bolt Of Lightning [ Funeral Held For Hewett Edwards Friday Afternoon Mrs, Edwards Stunned By Bolt That Claimed Her Husband's Life —• William Hewett Edwards, pro minent Martin County young farmer and a leading citizen oi this community, was instantly killed by lightning while work ing in a field on his farm near Williamston at 3;30 o’clock last Wednesday afternoon. He was pronounced dead upon arrival at a local hospital. * Mrs. Edwards, just a few steps away, was stunned by the lightn ing bolt that claimed her hus band's life, but her injuries, con fined to the hands, were not seri ous. A hired hand on the farm was with Mr. and Mrs. Edwards but she was not hurt. The three were moving toward the house ahead of an approaching rain storm when the lightning struck in the open field. It was the first death caused by lightning in this county in a number of years. The son of the late William Herbert and Annie’Taylor Ed wards, he was born near Williams ton forty years ago on May 5, 1913, and spent all his life on the farm. Attending the Williamston schools, he was a star player on the high school football team, and was popular among both old and young. He was an able farmer and a leader in his community, con tributing much to all phases ol life and lending a helping hand to worthy causes. Surviving besides Mrs. Edwards the former Miss Grace Page, are a son, William Hewett Edwards Jr., stationed at Baltimore with the U. S. Coast Guard; a daught er, Audrey Page Edwards; s grandchild; one brother, Johr Henry Edwards of Williamston and Mrs. Lyman Johnson of Rock} Mount. Funeral services w>ere conductec at the home last Friday afternor at 3:30 o’clock by Elder A. B. Ay ers, assister by Elder W. E Grimes of Greenville and the Rev E. Gordon Conklin, pastor of the Williamston Memorial Baptist Church. Interment was in Wood lawn (Jeme"Tc!wT,M^^ New Member Of Education Board I Sherwood L. Roberson subscrib ithfw>Hth of office admimsr | ered I^Vicrk of Court L. CiruM I Wynne in the\ commissioners ■ room in the county courthoust Inst Tuesday, and immediately en tered upon his duties as a membei of the Martin County Board ol Education. Making no statement Mr. Roberson signed the oath o! office and immediately took his seat, declaring he was ready foi work. Resigning as a member of the Rohcrsonville local school com mittee, Mr. Roberson recommend ed Ernest Beaman Whichard a: his successor on the local com puttee. The appointment was du ly made, and Mr. Whichard is tc serve at least until May 1955. Mr. Roberson was appointed t short time ago by the Martin De mocratic Executive Committee te fill the position made vacant bj the untimely death of Cecil Po well. several terms a member o: the board. Board Members Howard Gay lord, Leroy Harrison and Ernes Edmondson were present wher Mr. Roberson subscribed to th< office oath. Member C. U. Rogeri was absent. Cannery Opens At Oak City for The Sensor . 1 " ^ — Information from the Oak Cit; Parent-Teacher Association stat ed the cannery would open thi week for the first time this sea son. Canning operations will taki place on each Monday and Thurs day afternoon from 1 o’clock to o’clock. , DISTRICT DEPUTY I ____:-/ Ben D. Courtney, local business man, has been ap pointed deputy district gover nor for the Lions by District Governor Sapi Holton of Louisburg. Receiving one of the highest honors accorded a member of the local club, Mr. Courtney will visit the clubs from here to Manteo. Damage Done To ! Crops Bjr Storms ; In Martin County -1> j Tobacco and Corn On Hun I tired Farms In Oak (lity I Area Damaged Friday - A combined electrical, hail, rain and wind storm with major 'portions of rain and wind, hit an ; area extending from the old Eve j retts-WilliamStnn road to Fisher j Harris’ farm on U. S. Highway 17, ■last Wednesday afternoon ut3:30 o’clock. It was during this same storm that a bolt of lightning took the life of William Hewett Edwards. One of the first farms to be struck by the storm was that of Raymond Cherry near Mickey’s Inn. His to bacco crop was damaged at least 40 per cent and his corn crop suf fered similar damages Further west on the same road corn and tobacco crops were dam aged by wind and some hail but i not to serious proportions. A large tree fell across the road at Miekev’s Inn stopping til it was cleared by7'nsonTaffip labor. A large tree also fell in the yard of Lester Rogers tearing down several yards of his fence. Reaching out over the Prison Camp farm the storm did much damage to the corn and truck according to a statement made by Captain Williams, sup^i intend The tobacco crop of John Peele who lives on the Williamston Bear Grass road was also badly damaged. Leaves were torn from the stalks and many of the stalks broke completely off when Mr. Peele and his helpers attempted to straighten the tobacco, liif to bacco and corn damage was esti mated at 40 per cent. Further west the wind' tore* a tobacco barn connecting shelter from its base. His tobacco and corn was damaged but not so badly as that ol Cherry and Peele. A tree was blown down in the yard of J. G. Corey and dumiege to tobacco and other crops was estimated at 25 per cent. (Continued on page eight! | i STILL ACTIVE | ' v-,-' » According to unofficial but reliable information reaching here yesterday, the highway truck route or by-pass around i the town is still in an “active” state, but it was admitted that little progress is bring made on the project at this time. , More right-of-way obstacles are being encountered such as , titles, it was learned. No 0 ‘»s were mentioned, i but it was ■‘•i that highway authorities are greatly Inter ested in starting and complet ing the project. It isn’t likely that much progress will be i made on the project before the fall, x Weather Review For Past Month In This Section Rainfall For Month v Of June Nearly Two Inches . Above Normal The old saying that dry June makes the bread and a wet June is costly is to be tested this year. Reviewing the weather for this immediate section for the past month, Bridgekeeper Hugh Spruill reported 6.89 inches of rain during the period or 1.82 inches above normal. ^ The review shows the old Roanoke was well under control during the period, reaching a top figure of 6.1 feet and a low of 3.4 feet. Temperature readings were comparatively on the hot side during many days in the month, but dipped to a low 51 degrees on the 16th. ■> The weather data, including the river gauge readings, as released by Mr. Spruill for the month of June follow, with the date in the first column, the river gauge readings in the second column, the maximum temperature redd ing in the third, minimum tem perature reading in the fourth and the rainfall in the fifth col umn for each day of the month: I>ate 1. - 2* 3. 4. 5. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. Mr 17. . 18. 19. River 4.4 3.4 3 8 4 4 4.5 4.5 4.3 4.2 4.3 4.6 4.4 5.0 4 8 5.6 4 9 4.7 5.4 5.2 H 87 82 87 90 95 83 80 91 91 84 89 81 79 75 83 79 84 88 r, 61 51 47 52 60 66 68 65 69 70 54 64 63 5ff 51 61 62 57 Rain .00 .00 .00 .00 .09 .10 .40 .00 .00 1.53 .02 .00 .13 1.88 .00 (Continued on naee eight) Everetts Girl At Nurses'Congress Miss Anna Lane Barnhill, a member of the junior class of the Norfolk General Hospital School of Nursing, has been selected to attend the 10th guadrennial con gress of the International Council of Nurses at Petropohs, Brazil, July 12-17. She will leave Norfolk by plane Friday for Miami from where she will travel by air to Brazil.' ’ Miss Barnhill was ; elected iff the student body. Nurses nomi nated by the student council for election were*chosen for their high scholastic attainment, supe rior technical skill in the arts of nursing and outstanding school citizenship. Miss Barnhill will visit Panama, Lima, Sao Paulo. Rio Dp Junerio aim San JuaT^on me way to Petropolis. An attendance of 5,000 nurses from 45 different countrie# is expected. Four years ago ,the student faculty organization sent a stu dent representative to a similar congress in Sweden. Miss Barnhill is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Fabian A. Barn hill of Everetts. ! Two Accidents On County Highways ITo one was injured and proper ty dam^c was held to a compara tively small figure in two minor vehicle accidents on the highways in the county last week-end. Experiencing a dizsy spell, James Holliday, young white man of RFD 3, Williamston, last con trol of his 1950 Chevrolet and ditched it last Saturday morning on the Prison Camp road not far from Cross Roads. Holliday said he got too hot in a tobacco field the day before, and was taken sick suddenly. Damage to his car was estimated at $150 by the in vestigating patrolman. Early Friday night two ears figured in a minor collision at the Switch near Williamston No one .was hurt and property damage was limited to about. $100, accord ing to an unofficial- report. Members of the Highway (Patrol worked from 16 to 18 hours a day during the long holiday week end, turning in quite a few speed ers and three drunken drivers. Chosen For T. V. Poster Lieutenant Anne S. Mizelle, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Mizelle of Wilfcamston, was chosen from the nurses corps in Sam Houston, Texas, to pose for a TV poster that will be shown all over the country during 1953 in connection with the Army Nurses Corps All local channels are expected to show the poster this month, Lt. Mizelle is now stationed at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. ROUND-UP Ten persons were rounded up and temporarily detained ■ in the sounty jail during the July Fourth holiday week end. Four of them were charged with public drunken ness, two with drunken driv ing, two with assault and one with larceny. A tenth person was jailed for being absent from the service without leave. Four of the ten were white and the ages of the group ranged from 16 to 60- years. Native Of County Dies In Hospital —♦— Mis. Lillian Davenport Bryant, P.3, of Tarboro, died in a Norfolk hospital Wednesday evening at 7:30 o’clock after a long illness. She was a native of Martin County but had been living in Tarboro for the past fifty years. She was the daughter of the late Joff^WP^Jda Edmonds and wife of the late James Battle Bryant. Mrs. Bryant was an active member of the Little Creek Primitive Baptist Church at Conetoe. She is survived by six daught ers, Mrs. Ashley Walker of High Point, Mrs. H. L. Lewis of Green C. James ut el, Mrs. J. B. James of Williams ton, Mrs. I. R. Cummings, Jr. and Mrs. M. H. Whitehurst of South Norfolk, Va. six sons: J. O. of Fountian, J. B. and F. F. of Tarboro and J. T. and G. P. of California and B. R. Bryant of Chester, Penna., 75 grandchildren and 85 great grandchildren. The body was removed to the home of her daughter, Mrs. F. C. James in Bethel where* the funeral was held Friday afternoon. Inter ment was in Greenwood Ccmctary in Tarboro. * Billy N. Haislip Died At Home In County Saturday Funeral Service llel<t Al Brother’s Home Near Oak City Monday Billy Mack Haislip, retired farmer, died at his home near Oak Ci*y at 4:30 o’clock last Saturday morning. He had been an^ invalid for niuii than fifty years, and was critically ill for about ten days. The son of the late Alexander and Mary Ann Rawls Haislip, he was born in Goose Next Township HI years ago on December 38, 1871. In his early teens he was employed by the Slade-Jones Company in Hamilton, and later was employed by a mercantile firm in Tarboro. While in Tarboro he was stricken with paralysis, and returned to the old home in this county. He never married. Despite his infirmities, he man aged to maintain his house hold, asking few favors of others. Surviving are two brothers, R. A Haislip of Oak City and Grover R. Haislip of Hamilton. File iitTTei a I at the home of his brother, R. A Haislip, near Oak City Monday afternoon at 3:30 o’clock by the Rev. B. T. Cox, a former neigh bor who is now pastor of the Farmville Christian Church. In terment was in the Hamilton Cemetery. Home Here During Raid — — Officer M. E. Whitehurst was attacked when he and other of ficers started to raid a home on Railroad Street last Friday even ing. After reading a search war rant, the officers started to move in, but Pearlie Goss, 17-year-old colored girl, attacked the officer, scratching him on the face and neck, She was arrested and jailed and is now awaiting trial in the coun ty court. Holiday Observed Without Serious Trouble In County T»he July Fourth holiday week end was observed in this county without any serious trouble, pre liminary reports revealing only two minor highway accidents, no killings and only a few infractions of the law. While the tragic death of a young farmer near Williamstnn and other deaths marred the'ob servance, ail was fairly quiet fin other fronts .according to reports coming from various officers and individuals throughout the boun ty. Traffic is believed to have established a new volume record, members of the Highway Patrol, working 16 to 18 hours patroling the roads, declaring it was the heaviest they had ever seen. At the intersection of Main and Smithwick Streets in Williamston, vehicles moved at the rate of more than 1,000 an hour during one evening in the holiday period. North Carolinians returned home in great numbers from Virginia, and North Carolinians left home for the? beaches in two .states. Less than a dozen speeders were stopped during the three day period and three drunken drivers were taken into custody by members nf the patrol. Ten persons were arrested from Friday until noon Monday, near ly half of them being charged with publio drunkenness. Very few accidents were re ported throughout this area, but the accident death toll In the na tion late yesterday was approach ing the 300 mark. No firework;, accidents were reported in this section. County Board Of Commissioners In Regular Meeting Final Action Taken On The Budget In Short Session Monday Morning -#— Holding one of their shortest sessions in months, the Martin County Commissioners Monday morning took final action on the 1953-54 budget, approved bud get estimates for the several lo cal school districts and recom mended several road projects in addition to routine duties. Only three commissioners, Mes srs, C. C. Martin, J C. Gurkin and J. H i Edwards, were present j for the session which lasted less than two hours. The 1953-54 budget, calling for a $1.35 county rate, was given final approval, and the auditor's office is already computing the tax figures. The board recommended a road in Williams Township be extend ed and improved, beginning at the residence of Charlie Lee on Highway 64 and running a north erly course three-quarters of a mile to Little Pam Swamp. The road is generally known as the Upper Island Road, and the com missioners would have about 100 yards added to the north end and the entire route widened. It was also recommended by the board that the State Highway and Public .Works Commission in clude in its system six-tenths of a mile of road m Williams Town ship, running from Joe II. Nichols’ to the Barber Road and known as the Lanier Island Road. David L Simmons of Wilson was employed as assist ant Negro county agent, the county to pay part of his salary, An assistant to R M Edwards, he is to begin work on July 16. Upon the recommendations of the local committees and tin Martin {Jountv Board of Educa tion, the commissioners approved the budgets for the various speciSl school districts. Increasing its rate from twelve to fifteen cents on the $ 100 assess ed property valuation, the Oak City district proposes to raise $6,850 for special school purposes. The 20-cent rate in Williams ton’s school district wii, it is esti mated, raise $16,596. Roberson vi He, with a 20-cent rate, has a budget calling for $10,293. Jamesville, with its 15-cent rate, prepared a budget calling for expenditures in the sum of $7,605. With a 20-cent rate, Bear Grass has a budget in the sum of $2,729. districts are used for various pur poses such as employing special teachers,, providing clerical help, salary supplements in some eases and other projects. Iin his monthly report, Tax Col lector M. L. Peel reported that $368,779.66 of the $394,820 levy for 1952 had been collected. A ^Ld/ar'iCe of $“* and on the $*39,478 12 levy for 1951. All but $6,645.60 or the $330,747 19 levy for 1950 has been collected, and $4,296.76 is due on the $314, 225.04 levy for 1949 Off ironi Fitul Omm lily Of Lii/nor In llotnr Hero Raiding the home of Annie Pur vis on Center Street last week end, local and ABC officers found a quart of white liquor. The owner had arranged a big fish fry at her home and was al legedly looking for more custom ers when the raiders made their appearance unexpectedly. She is booked lor trial in the county court. * f TOIIACXO LABOR i ______/ The labor market on tobae farms in this section of the State is getting “tight”, ac cording to re|Mirts heard here this week. Farmers from oth er counties are coming into Martin, contracting for labor and offering special induce ments to workers. Reports from the Oak City section slate that Pitt Coun ty farmers had visited there, offering shelter hands $7 and $10 to primers per day. Wilson County farmers were in Williamslon recently contracting with workers, guaranteeing them transpor tation and wages comparable to those offered by the Pitt County people. Leading County Man Dies Near Palmyra J County Boy Heads Graham Memorial Chapel Hill, July- Jimmy Wal lace, Jamesville. Graduate student in history in the University of North Carolina, has just been appointed director of Graham Me morial, student activities build in};, to succeed Bill Roth who resigned in the spring to become associated professionally with the Bov Scouts of America. Since Roth's resignation John Ammons, Salisbury, has served as acting director. Wallace was named by Graham Memorial's board of directors from among five candidates. The new director took his B. S. degree in physics here in 11144 and received his law degree in June, 1947, and in August of the same year was awarded an A. B in mathematics From 1947 to 1950 he taught school in Robei sunvillc. Returning to the University in 1950 as part time instructor in social science, he began work on lus M A. and I’ll. 1) degrees in history. During his undergraduate years, Wallace was on the Daily Tar Heel staff in every capacity ex cept editor, was president of the Interdormitory Council, chairman of the Carolina Political Union, and was a member of the Student Legislature and the Golden Fleece ranking honorary organization. Currently he is advisor for Mangum dormitory and Scout master for Troop 9 in Chapel Hill. In August lie will marry Miss Nina Gray of Robersonville, a graduate student in English in the University and an associate tediuwwsatvsji. "iv.-a ,’w Named Principal Oi Pender School C. Wade Mobley, son of Mr. and Mrs W. Leonard Mobley of Bear Grass, was recently elected nr :v■ -h ■' Creek Fr:: dy School in Pender County lor the conning term. Following service in World War 11, Mr. Mobley attended and was graduated from A. C. Col lege, Wilson, with an A. B. de gree, lie is married to the former Jean Bellingrath id' Clinton, South Carolina, and they have two chil dren. He and Mrs. Mobley ar" both attending summer school at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, working for masters' degrees in education and mathe matics, respectively. Before going with a sporting good,, firm in Wilmington last year,*ie taught at Bolivia, N. C. Now he is returning to the leach ing profession and at 26 years of age he will be one of the youngest principals of a consolidated school in this State. Wife Uses Bottle To Beat Husband Few details could be had about it, but a milk bottle attack cli maxed an argument Abe Spruill, Jr., and his wife had at their home in Griffins Township about 3:00 o’clock Sunday morning. The wife planted the bottle be side her husband’s head, breaking the glass and cutting and bruis ing him. Following treatment in a local hospital, Spruill was plac ed in the county jail where he is being held for the Marines. Of ficers explained that the man was absent without leave from the Corps. Funeral Held For J. A. Everett At His Home Monday Former County Representa tive In Legislature Hail Been III Long Time J Alphonso Everett, prominent Martin County citizen and a lead ing farmer of Goose Nest Town ship, died in his sleep at his home near Palmyra early Sunday morn ing, He had been in declining health for years, but following several major operations his con dition continued fairly good until a heart condition developed some time ago. However, he maintain ed a schedule of limited activity and the night before his death, he apparently was getting along all right. The son of the late Justus and Elizabeth Purvis Everett, he was born in Martin County 66 years ago on August 4. 1886, and spent his early life on the farm. He at tended the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, where he was a track letterman. Complet ing his education there, he taught school and served as principal of the Dover schools. Marrying Miss Minnie Whiehard in 1918, he re turned to the farm in 1921, and right up until his death figured prominently in progressive agri culture. In addition to his farming oper ations, Mr. Everett was active in the affairs of his county and State. He served the county with dis tinction in the State House of Re presentatives during the 1927 and 1929 sessions, and headed the im portant agriculture committee during the second term there. He was also active in the affairs of his community, devoting much time to civic tasks and to educa tion. He gave freely of his time, asking no favors for himself. Mr, Everett was interested in hii county, its people and their wel fare, greeting everyone with a smile and a firm handshake. Mrs. Everett preceded him in death in 1950. Surviving are a son, James A Everett, Jr., of Pal myra; two daughters, Mrs. John 11. Wieting of Texas and Mrs. A. T Winslow of Palmyra; three brothers, R. O. Everett, prominent Durham attorney; B. B. Everett, widely known farmer in this State, and W. Robert Everett, of - •widely known in agricultural circles throughout eastern North Caro lina; three sisters, Mrs. Don Har i Ison, and Misses Hattie and Mar garet Everett of the old Everett home near Palmyra; and four (Continued on Page Eight) FaciajBabbery Charge in Conri —*.— Charged with assult and rob bery with firearms, Lon Hassell, young white man of Virginia Beach is being held under $5,000 bond for trial in the Martin Coun t.v Superior Court. James Beel, Viiginia Beach taxi driver, is alleged to have aided and abetted the robbery, and he was also plac ed in jail m default of a $5,000 bond. The two men are said to have left the beach town yesterday morning about 4:00 o'clock and entered the home of Mrs. Frances Herriott here on Biggs Street where the alleged attack took place It is alleged that Hassell forced Mrs. ^ferriott to write a check in the sum of $500 which was later cashed at a local bank. The two men were taken into custody in Ahoskic and returned here by officers. Drawn on a Virginia bank, the check was made payable to Beel who allegedly tried to cash it at several places before the bank opened. Unable to get the cash, Beel is said to have returned to the home on Biggs Street where, reportedly with a pistol aimed at her head, the victim advised the bank by telephone to cash the cheek. A preliminary hearing in the ease is scheduled before Justice C'has. R. Mobley at 10:00 o’clock tomorrow morning in the court house.
The Enterprise (Williamston, N.C.)
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July 7, 1953, edition 1
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