I
Beacon and Nevss l
j
Offers Splendid Oppcrtuni- .
ties for Advertisers.
1 he Washington County News
A Family Newspaper
Published for Benefit of En
tire Family. Correspondents
Cover County.
VOL. 40
PLYMOUTH, N.C., FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1929
NO. 44
i
WASHINGTON
COUNTY HAS
FIRE DRILLS IN
HIGH SCHOOLS
During this, the week of Octo
ber 7-12, fire-prevention week has
been observed throughout the State
of North Carolina. Very little has
been done in Washington county
with the exception of a few fire
drills in the schools.
Fire Chief L. W. Gurkin and Lee
Roy Harris went to the various
schools in the county and observed
them in their fire drills. A report
of the results of this has been sent
to the State department. The
State Department requires
that every school should have at
least one drill a month, yet there
hadn't been a drill in any one of
the schools of the county. Superin-j
tendent Norman this week sent out,
circulars and other information in-1
structing the teachers to conduct,
these drills monthly.
Results of the drills this week
that will be sent in to the State de
partment are as follows:
Plymouth High School, first at
tempt was one minute and 45 se
seconds; second attempt was one
minute and 15 seconds; Hampton
Academy, or primary grades, first
attempt was one minute and 30
seconds while the second attemt it
was one minute; after three at
tempts it took Roper one minute
to clear the building; Creswell took
one minute and nine seconds the
the first attempt but cut it down
to 45 seconds the second attempt
and at Cherry the children cleared
the building on the second at
tempt in 25 seconds. The Negro
schools at Plymouth and Creswell j
were the only colored schools test
ed these cleared the building in 50
and 20 seconds respectively.
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ALMO THEATRE
TONIGHT
AND
Saturday Night
Karl Dane and
George K. Auther
IN
“All At Sea”
Sixth Episode
COMEDY
COMING!
OCTOBEIl 21.
‘The Pace That Kills”
MEET ME THERE
First History in Carolina
Began At Durants Neck
“Craddle Of The Colony”
The following article was written
especially for the Beacon and News
by E. T. White Jr., who now lives
in the Leigh house. This is proba
bly the first time that a history oi
this, the first settlement in North
Carolina, has ever been published
in a newspaper. It is right in line
with the work being done by the
Albemarle Society, which was or
ganized for the preservation of his
tory and other assets of the Albe
marle counties, of which Washing
ton is a part. Durant’s Neck will
probably be dubbed the “Craddle
of the Colony.”)
In 1660 George Durant, a plant
er from Virginia, enthused by the
reports he had heard about the fer
tile land lying South, set out on ar
exploring expedition to see if the
reports were true. He found the
Indian land, “Wilkacome,” now
known as Durant’s Neck, to be a
very desirable place to live. He
roamed in and around the Indiar
village Chepanock, now called Ce
dar Point, nearly two years. He
decided to bring his wife, family
and chatties into this new land. He
selected a place near Chepnock tc
build his home, and at once begar
to clear away the forest for hi:
piaiiLciiiviJ.
The old Indian- name Wiekaeomt
vanished from history and this his
toric spot has every since been
known as Durant’s Neck. The
Weapomick changed to the Albe
marle Sound and the Ivatoline
River changed to Little River.
We look back to George Durant
who acted honest with the Indians,
with pride. It is with him, the con
nected history of North Carolina
begins. He bought from the Indian
Chief Kilcoknen, the land on which
he established his home and planta
tion. The deed is now in the court
house in Hertford, Perquimins
county, and is the earliest record
in the history of our State.
The news soon spread about this
fertile land and others came here
to live. Such men as Captain John
Hecklefield, Samuel Precklove,
George Catchmaid and Richard
Sanderson, while later still the
Blounts, Whidbees, Nev/bys, Skin
ners and Harveys, names still pro
minent in the Albemarle, came to
Perquimans county and settled.
The public business for many
years were transacted at the homes
of the planters at Durant’s Neck.
Courts were held, councils conven
ed assemblies were called, while
from the wharves of the planters in
Perquimans county, on Little River,
white ships sailed, with the pro
ducts of the rich fields and fore*t to
the West Indes and M other
Country.
The most interesting events in
the early history of the Albemarle
occured at Durant’s Neck. 1 he
Culpepper Rebellion, of which Geo
rge Durant’s and John Culpepper
svere among the leaders, began in
Pasquatank county, but reached
ts highest point at George Durant’s
lome on Little River. The cause of
lie Culpepper Rebellion dates back
:o the passing of the Navigation
\ c t by Cromwell’s Parliment.
Cromwell held sway in England and
)ver the American colonies. This
ret prohibited the colonies from
mying any goods, except they were
shipped from Europe and forbade
he use of any but Engiish vessels
carrying on trade. This would
rause interior trade to cease. Eng
and alone should be the market
for the buying and selling of goods
in this part of America.
The large built English vessels
could not pass through the shallow
waters of the Albemarle section
that connected the Carolinas with
the Atlantic inland waterway. To
j obey this law would be a death
J blow to commerce and prosperity
!to the Albemarle settlers. The
| planters in Durant’s Neck paid lit
tle attention to the trade laws.
Thej' had built small boats, which
sailed the waters along shallow
places and had furnished the settlers
with things which they needed. The
| principal crop of the Albemarle
.section was tobacco and the Pro
prietors passed a law that a tax
| should be paid on all exported to
bacco. The Proprietors appointed
Eastchurch governor and Thomas
Miller collector of customs for the
Albemarle section. These men were
at that time in England, but they
had lived in the Albemarle and
were hated by some of the settlers
They soon left England to take up
their duties in Carolina. Stopping
at the Isle of Navis, Eastchurch
became charmed with a Creole
maid and was soon married. He
appointed Miller his deputy and
sent him on. The people of the
Albemarle section received him
kindly and let him fill Etfstefiureh’s
chair. As soon as Miller began to
reign, he enforced the trade and
ila Y l&aliuii laws. jl uu pia.in.^ic
seated. They only needed a spark
to light the flame. That spark came
in a few days when Captain Zackry
Gilliam, a shrewd New England
shipmaster, came in his little vessel
bringing with him supplies needed
by the settlers for the winter days.
In this vessel was the beloved
George Durant. The vessel stopped
at Captain Crawford’s landing on
the Pasquotank River. rl hey were
having a glorious time telling of the
loved ones in the Mother County
All at once Miller appeared on the
scene and accused Gilliam of break
ing the law. Miller was not able to
arrest George Durant and Captain
Gilliam, so he left the boat. Shortly
he returned with several govern
ment officials and went on the boat
to complete his work. In the r>ran-'
time, several planters had heard of ;
the disturbance, and anxious for the
safety of their friends, rowed out to
the boat. The title quickly turned, j
Mil!', r and Riggs were taken over j
to the home of George Durant.:
About TO men had conveyed there :
to try Miller and Biggs for treason.,
But before the trial was ended,
Governor Eastchurch and his bride j
had arrived in Virginia and ordered;
the men to return to their homes. •
This the planters refused to do and
sent armed forces to prevent East-1
church coming in their territory.
Eastchurch became sick and died.
Biggs escaped and went to Eng
land. Miller was kept in prison for ,
two years in a little log cabin built |
for a jail on George Durant’s plan-;
tation. The jail was near where the.
Leigh brick house now stands.
Ten years the Albemarle colony
prospered under the wise and pru- j
dent management of the officers j
whom the people put in charge of j
affairs without leave or license from |
King or Lord. George Durant and j
Culpepper decided of their own
authority to restore the manage-1
ment of the affairs to the' Propric- j
tors. Seth Sothel was appointed1
governor for the Albemarle section.'
The Hecklefield house must have
been a large one as it was used for
a place of meeting for Governor’s
Councils, the general court and on
one occasion, as Legislative Hall of
the General Assembly of the Albe
marle. The Hecklefield farm was in
Durant’s Xeck on the plantation
adjoining George Durant. The old
residents of that place can point
out the site of Captain Hecklefield’s
home; it was about 300 yards to
the North of the main Durant’s
Xeck road. An old Sycamore tree,
whose great girth gives evidence of
the centuries it has seen, stands by
the side of the road at the entrance
of the lane. For more than 40 years
after the first recorded settlement
in North Carolina, no towns had
been built. Therefore we know
there were no public buildings of
any kind, courthouse or capital,
established. Records show that no
less than 20 times did executives,
judicial, and legislative officials as
semble at Captain Hecklefields to
perform their various duties. In
1708, the assembly met at the
Hecklefield plantation to investi
gate the Cary-Glover question an^l
to decide which of these two claim
ates had the right to govern the
people. It was at this same place
I that Governor Eden was sworn m
| as ruler of North Carolina under
Queer Vn;.,v.
Of all these old homes in Dur
ant's Keck, where so much history
; was made, there is none left, they
are gone.
Colonial James Leigh, an English
man, migrated to Durant’s Neck in
the later part of the 18th century
and began to buy tracts of land
until he owned several thousand
acres of land. About 100 years ago
he built a brick mansion on the land
once owned by George Durant.
This old home is visited by many
tourists from all parts of the United
States. It is a typical old slave
plantation with the q u a r t e r
The Leigh house is two-faced.
That is, there no front or back as
far as the appearance. The back
has the same type of steps, which
are stone pillars, and porticos as
the entrance. This house 60 feet by
60 feet, including front and back
porches. The 1 uikling is four stories
high. The first story consists of
basement. An average person can
walk under the porticos. The outer
walls are t wenty inches thick, while
the inner walls are 14 inches. In
the hall you will see about the cen
ter, an arch. The house is built of
brick, and has eight fire places. All
of the mantles are hand carved and
have marbel hearths. Between the
parlor and the living room are large
sliding doors. The stair steps lead
ing to the third and fourth floor,
are in the hall. You can imagine
the size of hall and rooms as there
are only four rooms and a hall on
each floor. The only difference _ in
rooms down stairs and up stairs,
the end windows upstairs are inset,
while the ones down stairs are not.
The fourth floor has two large ar
ched windows. This room was used
for a dance hall.
An old tombstone, found in
the Albemarle Sound, which is now
at the lower steps of the side porch,
is said to have once marked the
grave of Seth Sothel. The inscrip
tion on the stone is now worn off,
(He Was The Most Despised Gov
ernor Of North Carolina.) Under
an elm tree in the Leigh yard, you
will see the slab that is said to have
marked George Durant’s grave.
Mrs. C. H. Robinson, a grand
daughter of Colonial Leigh, now
owns the brick house and about
1000 acres of land.
Albemarle Society Met
Edenton Monday Night;
Washington Is Member
YOUNG TAR
HEEL FARMERS
MET MONDAY
NITE AT ROPER
The Young Tar Heel Farmers
Club of the Roper High School had
its first meeting for the coming
year, in the agricultural class room
Monday night with 2o members
present. The purpose of this meet
ing was to reorganize the club and
elect officers to serve for the coming |
year. The meeting was opened by
Aubrey Ainsley, retiring vice-presi
dent, who gave the history and pur
pose of the club.
The new officers that were elected
to serve were Thomas Tarkingtonj
president; Roy Blount, vice-presi
dent; Aubrey Ainsley, secretary;
Aumack Everett, treasurer; Leslie
B. Spruill, reporter and B. G.
O’Brian, Advisor. After the election
of officers short talks were made in
behalf of the club by all the new
officers.
After the election of officers and
short talks, 13 new members were
accepted and initiated in the organ
ization. One of the projects for the
coming year is the building of a log
cabin dib house in which to hold
their regular meetings. This cabin
| o il be. bibit on one of the nearby
beached
The program and plan of work
for the coming year will be drawn
up at the next regular meeting to j
be called by President Tarkenton. !
CARD OF THANKS
We wish to take this method of i
thanking our many friends who
have so generously assisted us dur- ■
ing the period our daughters were;
recuperating from an automobile
accipent a short time ago. I
MR. & MRS. R. G. HARDISON
GRACE EPISCOPAL CHURCH
Rev. A. H. Marshall, Rector, Mr.)
Frith Winslow, Lay Reader. Sun
day School at 10 A. M. No Service
at 11 A. M.
WE WANT NEWS
In every community in Washing
ton county, something of interest
to people throught the county
hopens - you let us know and we'll
tell everybody else.
T. J. Swain, V. B. Martin, Rev. |
and Mrs. R. G. L. Edwards, Mr. |
Ferrell, Misses Parker and Dunning
attended the Duke football game
at Durham Saturday.
Another step towards construc
tive organization was lent the Al
bemarle Society [Monday night
when representatives from Chowan,
Camden, Pasquotank, Perquimans,
Dare, Currituck, Bertie and Wash
ington counties met in Edenton and
formulated constitution and by-laws
These by-laws will not be officially
adopted until after they have been
passed by the various counties con
stituting the Albemarle section. It
is hoped that by the next meeting
Gates, Hertford and Tyrrell coun
ties will have entered.
Briefly this organization was for
mutated to exploit the counties
washed by the waters of the Albe
marle Sound and its tributaries*
historically, commercially and agri
culturally.
Those who attended were:
J. L. Wiggins, M. F. Bond Jr.,
Clark Kinnaird, Edenton; J. S.
McNider, Hertford; Dudley Bagley
Moyock;Lee Roy Harris, Plymouth
Herbert Peele, D. D. and W. O.
Saunders, Elizabeth City; J. E.
Ferbee, Camden; J. A. Pritchett,
E. S. Askew, J. H. Harrell, Wind
sor and W. C. Lawrence, Theodore
Meekins, Manteo.
Before the meeting, the delegates
were dinner guests of Mayor J. L.
Wiggins at Hotel Hinton.
UNITED DAUGHTERS
WIN THREE PRIZES
Mrs. B. A. Sumner is in receipt
of a telegram of congratulations
from the State Convention of Unit
ed Daughters of Confederacy meet
ing in Statesville this week congrat
ulating the Major Louis Charles
Latham chapter at Plymouth for
winning three competitive prizes of
$10 each.
This is one of the youngest chap
ters in the State, being organized
a year ago, and under the capable
leadership of Mrs. Sumner as presi
dent, has gained recognition as
one of the outstanding organizations
jn the county.
The aim of the chapter is to erect
a suitable monument in some prom
inent place in Plymouth to our con
federate dead. The efforts of the
chapter to raise funds to this end are
going steadily forward with the un
tiring cooperation of the whole
chapter.
Mrs. E. G. Arps, Mrs. John
Brown and [Miss Hc'-mine Ausbon
delightfully entertained the Daugh
ters last Friday and the entire staff
of officers were re-eleeten in addi
tion to [Mrs. Stark Holton as his
torian.
POET AND PEASANT
“I understand that the Connty
Commissioners ordered the sheriff
to clear Washington county of slot
machines, last Monday,” said the
Peasant.
“Yes they did,” replied the Poet,
“but that doesn't make a damn bit j
of difference. It isn’t the first time
that an attempt has been made to
clear the county of these machines.
A few years ago they were ordered
discarded and were for a very short
time then they came back stronger
than ever.”
“I believe that they are gone for
good this time,” said the Peasant.
“Well,” replied the Poet, “I cer
tainly hope that they are, but the
people are crazy about gambling
and will find some other means to
take chances which will probably
|be even worse.”
“I will have to disagree with you
Dii the point that people are crazy
about gambling,” said the Peasant.
“Like heck you will,” said ihe
Poet. “This life is nothing but a
game of chance itself. Nearly every
person you see is always after some
thing for nothing which is the para
mount reason for gambling. Sup- |
pose you knew that il you were to
put 25c in one of these machines
and get out $2.00, wouldn’t you do
it; sure you would.’
“Sure I would,” replied the Pea
sant, “but you never know whether
you are going to get back $2.00 or
nothing. If these machines would
not make money they would not
be operating, therefore I say that
they should go to protect the weak
minded and children.”