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The Hoke County News
The Hoke County Journal
VOLUME XXXIX NO. 19
RAEFORD, N. C . THURSDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1944
$MK) PER YEAH
in pi
11 tie
news or OUR
MENwWOMEN
IN UNIFORM
NO T I C E
Christmas packages may be
mailed overseas to service
men on Monday, October 16,
the time being extended one
day.
Lt. Gilbert M. Ray
Awarded Silver Star
For Gallantry
' First Lieutenant Gilbert M. Ray of
Rockfish, . has been awarded the
Silver Star Medal for "gallantry in
action" in France, when an engineer
ing unit with which he was assigned
built a footbridge across a river there
while subjected to heavy enemy ar
tillery, mortar and small arms fire.
The citation reads: First Lieuten
ant Gilbert M. Ray, Corps of Engi
neers, United States Army, is awarded
the Silver Star Medal for gallantry
in action on July 7, 1944, in France.
Lieuteant Ray was a member of a
unit assigned the task of building
a footbridge across a river which
separated our troops from the enemy,
to enable the crossing of infantry
troops. From the beginning of these
operations, the trops consgructing
the bridge were subjected to heavy
artillery, mortar and small arms fire,
and casualties were heavy. The part
ly constructed footbridge was hit by
artillery fire, which practially wiped
out the assembly section. Confusion
and lack of manpower at first hin
dered immediate operations, but with
complete disregard for his personal
safety, Lt. Ray aasiste.1i in final
assembly of the bridge by helping
regain control of the men, reorganiz
ing and aiding working parties. Lieu
tenant Ray's coolness and fine dis
play of leadership under enemy fire
were an inspiration to his men.
His courageous efforts aided material
ly in successfully accomplishing the
mission. The actions of Lieuteant
Ray on this occasion reflect the high
est credit on himself and the Armed
Forces.
Lt. Ray is the son of Mr. and
Mrs. M. G. Ray of Rockfish. He
entered the service in March, 1941.
He had his basic training at Fort
Belvoir and was assigned for a year
with an engineering unit which was
on Ascension Island. He was then
returned' to the States and entered
OCS at Fort Belvoir, being com
missioned there on July 7 th, 1943, Just
a year before the day on which his
gallant action drew for him the ci
tation for the Silver Star Medal.
Promoted
Henry Monroe, Jr., son of Mr. and
Mrs. Henry Monroe of Raeford, has
recently been promoted to the rank
of lieutenant colonel it was learned
here this week.
Col. Monroe is stationed at Mc
Dill Field, Tampa, Fla., where he
has been connected with the supply
department for some months. A
former resident of Laurinburg where
he was connected with the Laurin
burg and Southern railway, Col
Monroe is serving under another
Laurinburg man, Col. Lee Tucker,
who is field- commandant.
Marshall Gillis Ray, son of Mr.
and Mrs. M. G. Ray of Rockfish, has
recently been promoted to the rank
of staff sergeant, according to in
fodmation received this week by
his parents. Sgt. Ray is serving in
France with an ordnance unit. He
went overseas last December.
Pvt. Mary Pope Matthews, Wac
of Fort Sam Houston, Tex., is spend
ing a 21-day furlough here with her
stepmother, Mrs. J. L. Pope.
Cpl. Max Pickler of Fort Sill, Okla.,
is spending a fifteen deyfurlough
with his aunt, Mrs. E. R. Pickler
at Ashley Heights.
Capt. Robert McDonald has been
transferred from Langley Field, Va.,
to Camp Polk, La.
James Alexander, son of Mr. and
Mrs. W. L. Alexander, and Tommie
Davis, son of Mr. and Mrs. John
Davis, have returned from the Naval
Recruiting Station and are home on
leave awaiting further call for duty.
Pfc. John Lee Stephens, who is
stationed at Fort Macon, N. C.. is
spending ten day furlough with his
parents, Mr. and Mrs. C. L. Stephens.
It has now been made public that
the 83rd Infantry Division the out
fit that took St. Malo and its fortress
"Citadel," are fighting in France.
From this "83rd Thundering Herd"
hail several of the Hoke county
boys, one of which is Pvt. Jesse G.
Butler of Rt. 2, Raeford.
Eugene Johnson Dies
In Germany Sept 22
Mrs. Fred P. Johnson received word
Friday through the War Depart
ment that her son. Pvt. Eugene Par
ker Johnson was killed in action in
Germany on September 22nd.
Pvt. Johnson was serving with an
army unit and had been driving an
a munition truck since the invasion
of Normandy. He had served In
Panama for about two years. He
returned to the States last year, and
after a period of advanced training,
was sent to England. He had been
in France since the early days of the
first invasion of Europe.
Pvt. Johnson is the son of Mrs.
Fred P. Johnson of Raeford and Mr.
Johnson, who is now with the USDA
at Stoneville, Miss. His wife is a
resident of Washington, D. C. A
brother, Phillip Johnson is also in
the army in France. Surviving also
are a brother and sister, Paul and
Joan, of Raeford.
$160 In Prizes For
School Children
Cotton Pickers
Merchants Of Countv Give
Money To Winners Of Contests
In cooperation with the schools,
and merchants and businessmen
throughout the county, the Farm Ex
tension Service is sponsoring a cot
ton picking contest with all school
children. The contest will run from
October 11 to November 10. The
contest is designed to encourage more
cotton picking among school chil
dren, reports County Agent A. S.
Konwles.
Prizes will be offered by age groups
fo rchildren of the white, Indian, and
negro schools. In addition a prize
will be offered to the school that
picks the most cotton, based on
percentage basis.
A large number of merchants and
businessmen made the contest possi
ble by their liberal contributions.
Those giving toward this contest are
as' follows:
Hoke Oil and Fertilizer company,
$10.00; Raeford Oil company, $5.00;
Moke Auto company, $5.00; McLauch-
lin company, $10.00; Farmers Furni
ture company, $5.00; Baucom's Cash
store, $10.00; Israel Mann's $5.00;
Collins Dept. store, $5.00; W. L. Alex,
ander, $2.50; Graham's Service sta
tion, $5.00; McDonald's Esso. sta
tion, $2.50; Raeford Gin company,
$10.00; A. W. Wood, $2.50; Wright's
Esso station, $2.50; Upchurch Mil
ling company, $5.00; J. A. Hodgin &
Son, $3.50; Alex McCormick, $5.00;
Duffie Gin company, $5.00; Dundar
rach Trading company, $5.00; Hoke
Hoke Drug company, $5.00; Davis
5 Sc 10, $2.50; Amos Furniture com
pany, $5.00; Macks 5 & 10, $2.50;
Raeford Theatre, $5.00; Home Groc
ery, $5.00; Lee Service station, $2.50;
Bank of Raeford, $5.00; Newton's
Service station, $2.50; and N. H. G.
Balfour, $2.00.
O
Ray Family To Hold
Reunion At Galatia
Members of the Ray families, de
scendants of early Highland settlers,
Malcolm, Hugh, Lewean and Col.
Duncan Ray. who settled in this sec
tion in the middle 1700's, will gather
at Galatia Presbyterian .church on
Sunday, October 22nd, according to
an announcement this week from the
Rev. Louis Duncan Ray, of Detroit.
A first reunion of the clan was
held last year, at which time a great
deal of family history was reviewed.
There will be regular church ser
vices at 11 o'clock, and a basket lunch
will be served on the grounds. At
2:30 the reunion will be held'. The
Rev. Mr. Ray has traced much of
the history of the family including
some thousand years genealogy while
existing as a family in the Clan Mac-
donald of the Scottish Isles, and the
antecedent of this group to about
1000 years. B. C.
Revival At Edinburgh
" The revival meeting at the Edin
burgh Community church, In Rae
ford, is progressing nicely. The Rev.
Bennie L, Maness is assisting in the
meeting. There will be services each
evening at 7:30 through Sunday night.
Come and worship with us.
Speaking of mailing overseas
packages to servicemen, Mrs. Paul
Dickson, Sr.. wants to know who else
in the county has mailed them for
four years in succession to the same
person.
Seaman Second Class Malcolm K.
Sessoms is stationed at Little Creek.
Va., where he is in training for a
gunners mate.
PM. Hubert Pamwnn hn rpntlv
been transferred to Camp Pickett,
Va.
D. H. Yarborough
Released By Jury
In Negro's Death
Prominent Hoke County Farmer
Manager Shoots Carson Jones
In Self Defense.
A coroner's Jury returned a verdict
of "justifiable homicide" last Thurs
day morning following the coroner's
hearing and Investigation of the
shooting of Carson Jones, 18 year
old negro, by David H. Yarborough,
manager of the W. T. Covington
farms, early that day.
The shooting occurred about '7
o'clock Thursday morning at the barn
on the Covington farm, according to
Sheriff D. H. Hodgin, who investi
gated the shooting. Immediately after
the affair Mr. Yarborough called the
sheriff's office and told him to come
out to the farm. A young negro,
Redel Melvin, accompanying Jones,
and an old highly respected negro,
John Fairley, witnessed the shooting.
The sheriff reported that Mr. Yar
borough's story of the shooting was
verified by the eyewitnesses. Jones
had been ordered off the farm some
time ago and Thursday morning he
came up to the barns. Mr. Yar
borough stopped him and asked him
why he was on the place. Jones step
ped up quickly and grabbed at Mr.
Yarborough's throat, but succeded
only in getting hold of his shirt and
undershirt which were torn when
Mr. Yarborough twisted away. Jones
made a move as if to take a pistol
or knife from his pocket, and when
he did, Mr. Yarborough pulled out
his pistol and shot three times. One
bullet took effect in the negro's heart
killing him instantly.
After the sheriffs investigation
Coroner Dr. R. A. Matheson, sum
monsed a jury which consisted of
Harry Greene, John Walker, W. C.
Odom, L. J. Campbell, W. C. McLeod,
and John McKay Blue. After hear
ing the testimony of all the witnesses,
the jury decided that Yarborough
killed the negro in self defense.
Issue New "A" Gas
Books Nov. 2 to 7
The new "A" Gasoline ration books
will be issued by the War Price and
Rationing board of Hoke county at
the office in Raeford beginning on
November 2nd and continuing through
November 7th.
Each applicant must bring his or
her 1944 registration card. If unable
to apply in person send someore "'iih
the card for your "A" book, during
this tire.
Little River
In Little River township members
of the board will be at the Community
house at Lobelia from 2 to 6 p. m.
on November 1, to issue books for
that community.
O
Hold Harvest Day
Wednesday, October 18, will be
Harvest Day at Sandy Grove Metho
dist church. Barbecue and chicken
salad dinners will be served, and
country produce and fine handiwork
will be auctioned.
Report From Soldiers' Center
Your hostesses beg leave to report
the activities of this community pro
ject to the War Fund Committee and
also through the local press to all in
terested friends of whom there aie
many.
Reporting each manifestation of in
terest in the work would take up
too much of both time and space but
each and every donation has been
thankfully received and enjoyed by
the soldiers. We have had many ap
preciative letters, expressing all good
wishes for "The Soldiers' Center" and
for Raeford from those who have
gone away.
We have continued this year our
assistance to those who wished to
find places to live also to those who
have asked us to find suitable ren
ters for their apartments or rooms.
Also, we have, as far as possible.
tried to make things pleasant for the
wives of the soldiers, coming into
unfamiliar surroundings and among
total strangers.
Volunteer workers come down each
Sunday morning and serve break
fast. This, and the increase in food
prices, have required that we buy
more supplies than formerly. How
ever, it is certainly worth the price
both in money an dservice and we
wish to express our gratitude and ad
miration to those who so generously
contributed their Sunday morning
rest to this worthy cause.
The local post office and express
agency being closed at times before
the soldiers can get here has given
us the opportunity to send off their
packages, etc. for them and also to
las; :
Sr tysf.. 1
f fi, ' : i
I ' 'Uv:
ROY L. MCMILLAN of Raleigh and
native of Wagram was the speaker
at last Thursday meeting of the Rae
ford Kiwanis club. Mr. McMillan
gave a most interesting review of re
cent events in his talk, "America,
Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow"
and held his audience well over the
usual 30-minute period outlining and
discussing some of the vital post-war
problems with which John Citizen
will be faced and asked to solve in
the coming years.
More Names Given
For Honor Roll
The following additional names
have been received by the Names
Committee, of which Mrs. Ina Be
thune is chairman, of the Hoke Coun
ty Honor Roll.
WHITE
Cashwell, Eugene
Hinson, jack John
McFarland, Hazel Grey
Norton, Ralph
Wallace, Melvin Harold
COLORED
Blue, Samuel
Griffin, John D.
Griffin, Benjamin F. '
Grifin, James '
Headen, General Lee
Howard, Thirdia
Kelly, John E.
Kemp, Jame D.
Steele, Garlee
Scriven, William
Thomas, David
Thompson, James
-o-
Mrs. Harriet Dees
Funeral services for Mrs. Harriett
Christian Dees, 71, who died at the
home of her daughter, Mrs. W. L.
Jones near Overhills, Cumberland
county, were held at Mt. Pleasant
Christian church Monday.
Surviving are two daughters, Mrs.
H. O. Wooten and Mrs. W. L. Jones of
Little River; five sons, F. L. and
Daniel Dees of Portsmouth, Va., H. E
Dees of Raeford, A. D. Dees, of Win.
ston-Salem and Marlin Dees, serving
with the army in France; two sisters,
Mrs. N. A. McNeill of Maxton and
Mrs. Aex McMillan of Raleigh.
J sign for and receive them.
Many of the boys come to us feel
ing strange and' homesick, needing
an ear for their troubles or a shoulder
to weep on some just need to feel
that somebody is interested and they-
will sit down and tell you about their
home, families, loved ones, anything
back where they'd love to be. It is
wonderful to feel that one has helped
in small ways to ease their lonliness.
We have been your representatives
in this work now for two years and
three months and we thank all of you
who have made our service possible.
We love to sew on their buttons, their
insignias, and darn holes, to make
dates with the girls, to find maga
zines to put on the troop trains, or
do the one hundred and one other
things as they present themselves,
but of which we keep no record.
Now for statistics which speak for
themselves.
Report for this year, 1944, to date,
October 1, 1944:
Visiting Civilians Served
Servicemen Meals
January 519 172 365
February 395 157 292
March 464 136 247
April 428 137 308
May 432 139 236
June 534 137 311
July 569 106 433
August 593 163 337
September 414 143 259
4,348 1.330 2,818
Respectfully submitted.
Flora McNeill Boyce
Ruth Gordon Currie
Stuart Car Wrecked
In Two Car Crash
The car of Miss Helen Patricia
Stuart was badly damaged when side
swiped by another car driven by Pfc.
Irvin J. Resnich last Friday. The
wreck happened near the Puppy
Creek bridge on Fayetteville road.
and the Resnich car was thrown into
the cr
Nl vas injured "in the wreck,
and a vestigation of the wreck
by oft settlement was agreed
between . r owners.
Sheriff i Hodgin stated that
Resnich, .'Jj. anied by another
soioier, was s i t to r lorida. Kes
nich told Shei , " 'gin that he must
have fallen i Sj. at the wheel,
having driven r. jfa, ' the time for
the past 24 hoi Misses Jenny
Warren and AnniJf Webb were ac
companying Miss Stuart to Fort Bragg
at the time of the accident,
O
Hold Annual Meet
November First
Lumbee Coop Will
The fourth annual meeting of the
members of the Lumbee River Elec
tric Membership Corporation will
be held Wednesday, November 1, at
10:30 a. m. in the Hoke county court
house. Raeford. Manager D. J. Dal-'
ton announced today. I
The committee On nominations con
sisting of A. F. Currin, chairman, of
Rowland, Hubert Prevatte, Rowland;
Neill Mclnnis, Fayetteville; J. H. Bris
son, St. Pauls; E. A. Wright, Red
Springs; Alex Mclntyre, Laurinburg:
W. M. Monroe, Raeford: James Mc
lntyre, Maxton; and Helton Mc
Neill, Maxton, met in the co-op of
fiec, October 5 and named the fol
lowing nominees to be voted on for
directions at the annual meeting on
November 1: C. A. Alford, Rowland;
J. R. Caddell, Maxton; Mrs. Lucy
Smith, Raeford; E. Morris, Maxton;
Marshall Newton, Raeford; J. McN.
Gillis, Fayetteville; J. E. Morrison,
Red Springs and C. L. Ballance, St.
Pauls; and Lambert Lewis, Pem
broke. Accondnig to the by-laws of the
cooperative, Mr. Dalton states that
names may be added to the list of
nominees by petition of fifteen mem
bers or by nominations from the floor
at the meeting of the members.
The annual meeting o the mem
bers will be the most important event
of the year for the cooperative's 1300
members. The program will include
the election of a board of directors
for the incoming year and reports
from officers and committees on the
progress made by the cooperative dur
ing the past year.
Mr. Dalton pointed out that the
cooperative has extended electric
service to farms wherever possible, a
a part of a program to encourage
the best use of electric labor-saving
and food-producing equipment along
its lines. Since January, 1943, War
Production Board regulations have
authorized the connection to rural
power lines of nearby farms able to
use electrical devices in livestock
dairy and poultry production.
The cooperative now operates 480
miles of rural distribution lines in
Hoke, Robeson, Scotland and Cum
berland counties and has an ap
plication on file to build 230 addition
al miles of line.
O
Rockfish Church
To Have Ingathering
The Tabernacle Baptist church at
Rockfish will hold its ingathering
on October 19th. A barbecue and a
picnic dinner will be served at the
noon hour. Farm produce and fancy
work will be auctioned by County
Agent A. S. Knowles. The public
is invited.
O ;
Bethel Ingathering
Next Thursday
The annual ingathering of Bethel
Presbyterian church will be held' at
the Community house, just three
miles from Raeford, on Thursday,
October 19.
Barbecue and chicken salad din
ners will be served. This will be
followed by the auction sale of needle
work, home canned fruits and vege
tables, cakes and goodies, and the cot
ton and other farm produce.
O
Box Supper Oct 17
At Wayside For
There will be an old fashioned
Box Supper at the Wayside Com
munity house on Tuesday night, Octo
ber 17. The boxes will be filled with
ous things to eat and will be
auctioned off. the proceeds going
to the United War Fund. The public
is invited.
"Early Birds" Give
$1321.50 Opening
War Fund Drive
Chairman Tommie Upchurch
Highly Pleased With Excellent
Start Of Drive For $5750 Fund
For War Aid.
Hoke county got off to a most ex
cellent start towards its goal for the
United War Fund drive of the coun
ty this week. Treasurer Wilmer A.
McDonald reported at noon yesterday
that during the first two and a half
days of the campaign showed that
"Early Birds" of the county had con
tributed $1,321.50 towards the $5,7.50
fund.
The "Early Bird" club was created
last week when the county com
missioners jumped the opening gun
of the campaign with a contribution of
$100 that was received by the trea
surer without personal soliciation. by
any of the campaign workers, and
it was announced that all those mak
ing their contributions on the same
basis would be accorded member
ship in the club if their donations
were received by noon yesterday.
Nearly one-fourth of the sum asked
of the entire county has now been
received and all without personal
soliciation. Chairman Tommie Up
church stated, on hearing this report,
That's fine. That shows that the
United War Fund and' the Soldiers
Center are close to the hearts of
the folks "back home" in this coun
try. We felt like we were being
asked for a lot of money for this
drive and some of us thought it was
going to be mighty hard to raise it.
Now I feel sure that our folks are
going to respond to this call and that
our solicitors will receive every co
operation from everyone they see.
We're just bound to put this drive
over now and I do hope that every
man, woman and child in the county
will contribute to this great cause.
Hoke county has a big stake in this
waf, with well over a thousand men
and women in the services, and we
know we are aiding our own men
and women when we contribute to
the United War Fund."
'The fine work out own Soldiers
Center is doing for the sons of other
American families," Mr. Upchurch
continued, "is explained in the re
port of Mrs. Currie and Miss Boyce
an dl hope that every one in the coun
ty will read the report which is pub
lished in the News-Journal this week.
The support of our Center is to be
derived almost entirely from our
United War Fund drive and, as long as
soldiers come to our county for ret
and recreation we want to con
tinue this Center as their headquar
ters while here."
The solicitation of funds began
Monday with a group of workers as
signed to every community of the
county, and the drive was planned
that the canvas could be made within
10 days, and it is hoped that re
ports received by the treasurer by
next Wednesday morning will show
that the county has exceeded its goal
in this drive.
"Early Birds"
Members of the "Early Bird" club,
and their contributions are:
Hoke County $100
Robert H. Gatlin 10
Baucors Cash Store 50
Mrs. Lizzie J. Tolar 5
Mr. and Mrs. Earl Tolar 7
The Bank of Raeford 100
Raeford Dry Cleaners 10
Mr. and Mrs. W, A. McDonald .... 5
Miss Jessie B. Ferguson 5
Harvey S. V.'arliok $2.50
Miss Mildred Campbell $2.50
Miss Frances Campbell $2.50
Antioch township (Ira Newton)- 33
Carl Morris 25
W. C. Pendergrass 5
Mrs. W. L. Poole 10
Mrs. R. B. Lewis 25
Mr. and Mrs. H. A. Cameron 30
Archie Howard IS
Mrs. J. W. McLauchlin 15
Dr. Marcus Smith 25
Campbell Co 10
Reaves Drug. Store 10
Bluemont Beauty Shop 9
R. L. Murray 50
E. E. Fridell 5
Price Morris 5
Graham Shop 5
L. F. Clark 10
N. McL. McDiarmid 50
I. Mann 40
Upchurch Milling Co 50
T. B. Upchurch Inc. 100
Davis Dime Store 20
Dorothy Bovet 5
Mr. and Mrs. William Lamont
$1.25
Mrs. J. A. Green 1
Mrs. Reba Roberts $.50
Mr. McCall $.25
Mrs. W. B. McLauchlin 1
Mrs. Benita Hutchinson 1
Hoke Oil and Fert., Co 100
McDonalds Esso Sta. 25
Hoke Cotton Whse 25
Farmers Furnishing Co. 50
Mrs. W. L. Smith 2
T. B. Lester 15
(Continued on Page Eight)