Newspapers / The Clay County News … / Sept. 16, 1927, edition 1 / Page 1
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VOLUME II. NUMBER J. HAYESVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 1927. 5c COPY—11.50 PER YEAR OLDEST CLAY COUNTY MAN, 97, STILL EXPERT HUNTER; HAS BAGGED 800 TURKEYS By CHARLES S. PLYLER One of the most interesting men in Western North Carolina is John Moore Crawford, of Clay county, whose post office is Hayesville. He is the oldest man in the county. He was 97 years old last Christmas day. He was born in Macon county on Cartoogachaye, on Christmas day, 1829, and he added it was a “wet Christmas."- It was not the typical old time white Christmas for it “rain ed all day, the said,” he added. He has one. of the most vivied memories I have ever known. His mind is clear and keen and he has a keen sense of humor. While . I was interviewing him, we were as sembled about the fire, for it was a cold crisp day, he kept up laughing at his good clean> jokes until it was difficult to write. ! I think the most medicine this great old man has ever taken in his lift was that packet which he carries about in his bosom, a merry heart. He has been an outdoor man and has taken the weather as it came. He has been a great hunter, and of all his varied experiences through life he likes to talk about his hunting ex- , ploits best. i - Game was plentiful in his young : " days. Bears and deer were all around. He killed his first deer with a rock. “Uncle John” was thirteen years old when, one evening, he started to■ carry up some wood and heard a dog baying. Out stepped a “spike buck” in the open. Another dogj came from apparently nowhere and I fastened his teeth in that deer and, threw him. Johnnie proceed to the a large stone ' in his hand dispensed scene of battle in post haste and with ; with the buck by the shortest rule he knew—he knocked it in Hie bead. * Uncle John has killed forty deer in his life and betwemr 800 and 1,000 wild turkeys. “Tile most narrow escape I aver hed was not hunting bear or deer but hunting a coon," he said. “I was by myself. The dogs had it treed up a large tree on a hillside. I proceed ed to cut the tree down though the light was poor. When the tree be ga nto crack I thought it was going the right way, but it wasn’t. When I discovered which way it was going it was falling right on me. I manag ed to step, to one side and scrambled out of the way.” Uncle John moved to Clay county in 1851. The first thing he did was to go to school for three months, then he taught for five terms before he married again, for he had been mar ried before he moved to Clay coun ty. While in Macon county he married Martha Bryson, who died seven mon ths later. When questioned about his pay for teaching, he said, "I could almost put a month’s pay in one eye, for it was twenty dollars, and that in gold.” * “After five terms of teaching,” he continued. “I thought I would try something else, so I got married again. This marriage was to Miss Arbe sana Ledford. To this marriage'was born nine children, three girls and six boys. All of them lived to be grown. Two of these boys studied medi cine, George if. and James Wiley. George died early while James Wiley is practicing medicine at Cornelia, Ga., and is considered one of the leading practioners of the south. The other children have reared large families that are making goqd in varied walks of life. ' Uncle John once made a trip to. the west in an ox wagon that is in 's teresting to every detail, but let him tell it 4 “In 1869 I had two brothers in SWEETWATER (Last Week’s Letter) Wheat threshing is about over in our communty, the grain is very poor ■this year. On Monday, September 5th, a fine girl arrived at the home of Mr. and Mrs. W. M. McClure. We are glad to report that Mr. Claud Hill is improving after a long illness. Mr. Norman McCray and Deborise Chance left for North, Georgia to seek work. Mr. James Duckworth and Frank Hill had a fine fox chase Monday night. Relatives of Mr. Lee Stamey from Canton, N. C. visited him this week. Mr. Vance Loving who was severe ly injured a week ago is improving nicely. Fodder pulling is the order of the day on Sweetwater. Quite a number of our young folks attended a singing at Mr. Crawford Auberry’s on Fires Creek Sunday. Miss Willie McClure visited her uncle, Oscar McClure, at Birch, N. C., last week-end. Miss Inez Guy, Lelia Mae Hendrix Harley Coffey and Roy Guy, of At lanta, Ga., visited their friend, Miss Jessie Lovin last week. them grase at Bight and save feed. “There were three families of us —two of my brothers-in-law and my self with our families. They told me the land could be bcoight for two and one-half dollars per acre. . “When we got there we found we could, but it was covered with run ning post-oaks and flint limestone rocks. While out on the prairie where the land could be worked it cost fifteen dollars per acre', then that was a good price. “We had just enough money to pay our necessary expenses out there. “In going out there we would walk through near cuts and kill our meat. “We didn’t find things as they had been pointed to us so we only stayed one year. We returned to Clay and here we have since remained.” Uncle John’s Confederate war rec ord was one year in active service and nearly two years as a prisoner of war at Johnston’s Island. “I attribute my good health and long life to fruits, wild meats and looking at the bright side of life. I was always temperate in all things. I never used intoxicants nor tobac co,” he said. “Yousay you never used tobacco?” I asked. “Yes, once,” he replied, “my uncle gave me a chew once,” he continued, “and told me to swallow it. I did not back out, but the tobacco did, then the world turned round. That was my first chew and last.” Uncle John Crawford reads every day, by the aid of a big reading glass, his Bible, religious papers and news papers, but he won’t read political matter on Sunday. He keeps well posted on the cur rent events of the day and can dis cuss them with keen judgment. He was a member of the first board of commissioners ever elected in Clay county and served.the longest of any man on this board, it is thought. He is spry and shows but little signs of age. He still likes to hunt and ffah as he did in his younger (fays. SLiir The first car load of hogs to be shipped co-operatively from • the counties of Western North Carolina, was shipped from-Clay County on the 13th of last April. Probably at times before there were a few hogs fed scientifically and shipped to out side markets, but Clay County took the lead over all other Western North Carolina counties in feeding out and shipping in carload lots. Since this car was shipped last April Jackson and other counties have shipped in carload lots. Every few weeks a car of hogs is shipped over the Murphy branch from the .countis which it traverses. Clay .and Cherokee ship ped a car of sixty-seven hogs from Murphy last Wednesday and County Agents, Arrendale niid Gray plan to ship another this W&k. Scientific *hog ipeding was first started in Clay Cdijfjty by Mr. W. R. Anderson, County^Agent for Clay County during lt24 to February 1927. County Agent Anderson got a number of farmers interested in this work in the fall of 1926. He helped personally,**each man to get started in this woffcjby weighing his pigs when they started on feed at six weeks old, working out the feed sche dule for them. Mr. Anderson had two- things in mind when he started this work; First, toteach the farm ers of Clay quickest and most eco nomical way to make a pork hog of p six weeks old pig; second to pro vide a market wihch would bring the farmers more than seventy-five cents per bushel for his corn. The result of this demonstration is a follows. These figures were pre pared by the State Swine Specialist at Raleigh: The initial weight of the sixty seven hogs which were fed out, was 2086 pounds, the tinal weight 140 days after star-ting on feed was 14849 or a total gain for the feeding period of 12763 pounds. Thehogs were fed for a period of 140 days. They made i. gain per pig of 190.5 pounds, the average daily gain per pig was 1.36 pounds. Total feed consumed, 43292 pounds. Total cost of feed consumed $734.19. Feed required for 100 pounds gain, 339 pounds. Feed cost per 100 pounds gain, $5.75. Profit per pig, $9.60. Value of gain over feed cost, pork selling at 10.75, $642.98. Deducting the actual cost of pur chased feeds—wheat mill feed and fish meal or tankage $224.95 from the value of gain at 10.75 cents per pound, 12763 pounds at 10.75 per pound, $1377.18, there remains $1, 152.23 as return for the 678.98 bush els of corn feed, or $1.70 per bush el each farmer received for corn fed to hogs. How much does it cost you to pro duce a bushel at seventy-five cents? the profit would be, $642.98. The fertilizer, or plant value of the above feeds, which remains on the farm is $193.18. FIRES CREEK The farmers of this section have been very busy for the past week pullirig fodder. Uncle Eud Leatherwood has been at Andrews the last ten or twelve days at work. Rev. I?. B. Ledford made a busi ness trip to Murphy last aSturday. ' 1 i What has become of the fox hun ters? We have not heard their dogs running for some time. Mr. and Mrs. f. M. Hicks and Hn. Haseltine Roach visited Mrs. Hick’s mother last Sunday. Born to Mr. «nd Mrs. Homer Au berry, September 9th, a boy. Mr. Arthur Bristol, of Andrews *as in our community last week. let HAYESVILLE HIGH SCHOOL The members of the Lanier Society met Thursday, September 1st and orgapieed. The former president acted as Chairman. William Scruggs was elected president, Ralph Kil lian, vice-president and Miss Men dell Passmore secretary. There being no other business we adjottriied. The president and secre tary appoined as program committee, Robert Penland, Lola Duvall and Ralph Killian, critic, Miss Hearn. A very interesting program was rendered by the Lanier Literary So ciety Friday, September 9th. The following program was given: Song by School. Prayer by Ray Crawford. Musical reading by Reta Hyatt. Jokes—Lola Duvall. Quartet—Moon Beam Kiss Her for Me.—Marjorie and Wendell Passmore and William Scruggs and Robert Pen land. Piano Solo—Katherine Scroggs. JUST A THOUGHT FOR YOU Although it has been now 3 weeks since Hayesville High School opened its ’17-’28 session and not a word of publicity has been heard or said about it. To the average citizen here and there it may mean just an other school year but to us students it means more than it has ever be fore—work, seriousness, earnestness, companionship, new acquaintances and associations, pleasure, and joy mixed with a little sadness some times when Prof. Shuler takes the helmn. To these five hundred stu dents it means the finest school spirit and the greatest school year in the history of old Hayesville High. Prof. Shuler’s three minutes talk at chapel the other morning on envy was to the point and penetrated to the core. Many extra.—curricular activities are now under way and we certain ly hope to see every one concluded successful. Organization of Basket Ball Team The Hayesville High school basket ball team reorganized last Friday, September 1st. The following boys were included on the squad: Robert Penland, captain; Ferman Smart, manager, Ray White, Clay Rogers, Pearl Cherry, Frank Beal, William Scruggs, Neal and Pearl Kitchens. Mr. Bee Scroggs is coaching the boys this year. He seems to think that hard work and practice makes the team. - He is pushing the boys into condition fast. The boys are confident that they will be fifty percent better. The coach and manager are working on an extensive basket ball schedule. The team this year as the school realize that a floored court is essen tial for them to compete with other schools. There is a move going for ward in the school itself to get a court. Each member of the team is contributing five dollars a peace which amounts to forty-five dollars. Mr. Shuler is helping the boys' on every turn, he is asking the teachers to contribute to the court. A Minstrel Talking about fun, laughter, amusement, a good hour and one half of merry making will be put on in about three weeks. Some of the best humor and ,fun, jokes and comical action will be pulled off at Hayes ville High School in about three weeks. If you want to know what a Goofis is ask somebody who is play ing the minstrel. Set your mouth in a laughing position, your mind in a humors mood and come to Hayesville High in three weeks and laugh until you cry, cry until you thoroughly enjoy yourself. The Editor, “Bill” It may be a fact that present day liquor doesn’t go as far as in the old days, as claimed by bootlegger pa drone. But,—they should also re member this: neither does the person who drinks it STATE SCHOOL OFFICIALS TO VISIT COUNTY Mr. J. Henry Highsmith, Super visor of High Schools, and Mr. L. C. Brogden, Supervisor of Elementary Schools, will be in Clay County for the purpose of inspecting high schools and elementary schools of the county on September 28. Mr. Highsmith will make a close check up on work being offered in the high schools of the county to determine if such work comes up to the standard required by the State Department of Educa tion. A meeting of the County Boat'd of Education, County Commissioners, School Committeemen, and all others interested persons will be held at the Hayesville school house September 28 at which time Mr. Highsmith will outline just what a standard high school is and what must be done in the schools of the county offering high school instruction before the students can receive credit towards graduation in a Standard high school. This meeting is very important and it is urged that all interested in the development of the schools of the county be present at this meeting and hear what Dr. Highsmith has to say. MOORE REUNION HELD SUNDAY The Moore familys of Clay eoun ty held a family reunion at the beau tiful picnic grounds on Neal Gap in Georgia last Sunday. Those attending the reunion were: Mrs. Mary A. Moore, Mr. W. F. Ruth V. Moore, Miss Mary L. Moore, Moore, Mrs. Bertha C. Moore, Miss little William and Bertha Hellen Moore, Mr. and Mrs. T. M. Moore and Master James and Paul Moore, of Hayesville; Mr. N. W. Moore, Mrs. Sallie Moore, Miss Sarah K. Moore and Mr. John Moore, of Decatur, Ga. The party met at the gap about 11:00 o’clock A. M. Sunday the 11th. The meeting was a most delightful one. Every one enjoyed the beauti ful mountain scenery which is so pretty on this mountain road. A gentle breeze came through the gap which helped to make every one en joy the hot day. A most delicious picnic dinner was spread under th* cool shade of the beautiful trees near a good spring of cold water. At dinner the party was joined by Mr. and Mrs. Shay and two children, of Atlanta, Ga., and Mr. and Mrs. O. L. an .1 Air. B. Scroggs, of Hayesville. STATE LINE Miss Etna Kimsey and Mr. John Ferry Moore were the guests of Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Kimsey Sunday. Misses Charm Waldroup, Edith Kimsey and Velva Logan spent Sat urday afternoon with Miss Gladys Neal. Mr. Alex Neal is at home this week working in his fodder. Misses Elva Matheson, Ethel and* Jessie Long were the guests of Miss Euna Sams last Sunday. Mr. Otto Brown of Macon county was here on business last Tuesday. Miss Clarica Webb returned to her home in Atlanta after spending five weeks wtih her grandmother, Mrs. John Parsons. Mr. and Mrs. Adolph Swanson visited Mr. and Mrs. Ed Swanson Sunday. Miss Gladys Neal spent last Fri day with Mrs. Has Duvall, formerly Miss Belle Parsons. FAIR ENOUGH He: *‘I am a self made man. I began life as a barefoot boy.” She: "Well, old dear, I wasn’t born with shoes on, either.”
The Clay County News (Hayesville, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Sept. 16, 1927, edition 1
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