Along
jtiOb. tho Way
*y ??iiy Killatta
Even though many of us
folks were born and arc still
residents in Duplin County,
we do not know much about
its past. For instance, where
was Cates Pickle Company of
Faison orginally founded?
No, not in Duplin, but in
Alamance County in 1898 on
the farm of Charles F. Cates.
It was not until 1929 that
Cates moved his pickle
processing plant to Faison.
The sales volume was
$39,000 at the time of the
move from Alamance
County, and in June of 1948.
Cates had a sales vokupe of
$216,000.
Cates Pickle Companv'had
grown from a three-acre plot
of cucumbers on the Cates
farm to a million dollar
business by 1948. According
to a DUPLIN TIMES article
in July of 1948, the inspi
ration behind the pickle
company was a member of
the Cates family who was a
traveling salesman. One of
the many items sold by him
was pickles.
The first factory was a
wooden barrel on the Cates
farm and the recipe used was
a family secret. The number
of barrels increased each
year until the barrels were
replaced by brine tanks.
Brine tanks were filled with
salt water and cucumbers;
the saltwater kept the cu
cumbers fresh until precess
ing. At the times of the
DUPLIN TIMES article.
Cates had brining stations at
Denmark. S.C.; Rich Square.
N.C.; Emporia. Va.; and
Benin. Ma.
The brining stations were
set up to shorten the
fanners' distance to market
and provide a place where
cucumbers could be stored
without deterioration until
transported to Faison. And.
in 1948. Cates was contract
ing 3.100 acres of cucumbers
and an increase to 4,700 was
expected in 1949.
Contract cucumbers were
said to be of little risk to
farmers, seeds were pro
vided by Cates. and a guar
anteed price was set before
planting. The pickle com
pany encouraged farmers not
to contract more acres of
cucumbers than the farm
family could work without
hired help. The usual amount
contracted per farmer was
from one to three acres.
However, a single elderly
farmer contracted three
acres of cucumbers with
Cates and sold them for an
average of S383 an acre In
order to keep up with the
growth of the crop, the
farmer had to pick contin
uously through the season.
To get the cucumbers to the
market, the elderly gentle
man used a goat-drawn cart!
In 1947. the crop of cucum
bers contracted by Cates
yeilded 300.000 bushels.
Each of the cucumbers
?goes through much of the
same process, from the
market to the brine tanks.
From the brine, they go to
fresh wa'cr where all the salt
is washed trom the cucum
bers. And, the clean cucum
bers are then sent to the
various processing tanks for
pickles and relishes.
Even though Cates had a
national sales coverage, ,the
heaviest sales were in the
states of Alabama, Georgia,
Tennessee, North and South
Carolina, Virginia and West
Virginia. Six salesmen were
constantly on the road to
promote and bring in new
accounts with Cates Pickle
Company. And, the work of
the Cates family, along with
ten other pickle companies in
the state, made North Caro
lina the third largest pickle
producing state in the nation.
North Carolina was third to
the states of Michigan and
Wisconsin.
Today Cates Pickles is one
of Duplin's largest indus
tries. In the town of Faison.
population 598, Cates pays
55 percent of all the town's
ad valorem taxes, approxi
mately $37,400.
Kenansville
News
bridal Shower
Tammy Thigpen. bride
elect of Keith Chambers, was
honored Saturday night,
August 9th. with a bridal
shower. The affair was held
in the fellowship hall of
Grove Presbyterian Church.
Joint hostesses for the oc
casion were Mrs. Winford
Howard. Miss Pam Howaru
and Mrs. Daryl Chambers.
Several contests, led by
Mrs. Carol Chambers, were
held. Mrs. Howard won the
first. Mrs. J.D. Chambers
the second, and she and Mrs.
Howard tied in the third
contest. They presented their
prizes to the honoree, who
was also presented a unique
corsage.
The register was kept by
Miss Howard and Mrs. Daryl
Chambers served the party
cake squares, while Mrs.
Winford Howard served the
frosty lime punch. Others
refreshments consisted of
salted nuts and mints. A
color note of green and white
with a touch of yellow was
emphasized.
The mother of the bride
elect. Mrs. Earl Thigpen of
Beulaville. and the* groom
elect's mother. Mrs. Andrew
Chambers of Kenansville.
assisted with the gifts.
Past Matrons and Patrons
The regular monthly
meeting of the Past Matrons
and Patrons Club of the
Kenansville Chapter #125,
Order of the Eastern Star,
was held Monday night at
the Rose Hill Restaurant.
Among those enjoying the
dutch supper were Amos and
Edna Earl Brinson. Virginia
Holland, Pearl McGowan,
Louise K. Boney, Eunice
Brock, Inez B. Chestnutt,
Celia Stroud and Ruby C.
Newton with her grand
daughter, Sarah Morrow.
Personals
Mr. and Mrs. Joe Brock
made a business trip to
Durham Friday. They were
accompanied by Mrs. David
John Kilpatrick.
Mr. and Mrs. Bob Thomp
son of Rocky Mount spent
last week at Topsail Beach,
where they were joined by
Roxanne Kilpatrick.
Mrs. Elbert Long fnd
Teena spent last week at
White Lake and joined Mr.
Long at Morehead City dur
ing the weekend.
The Rev. and Mrs. Troy D.
Mullis spent last week at
Massanetts Spring in Vir
ginia attending a conference.
The Jerry Paschalls of
Whiteville had supper with
the Gordon Kornegays Fri
day enroute to Kure Beach.
Mr. and Mrs. Wiley T.
Booth and Mr. and Mrs.
Joseph Hewett spent last
week at Topsail Beach.
Mrs. Robert Hollingsworth
spent several days last week
at Topsail Beach with Dr.
and Mrs. Al W. Payne.
Miss Roxanne Kilpatrick
spent last week in Las Vegas.
She accompanied Mr. and
Mrs. H.L. Sanderson of
Magnolia and Mr. and Mrs.
H. 1. Sanderson, Jr. and
family of Wallace on the trip.
Mr. and Mrs. Gene
hnglish and Stephen spent
the weekend with Mrs.
Sheldon Swann and Mr. and
Mrs. David English.
Mrs. Tommy Chambers of
Suffolk,. VA spent the week
end with Mr. and Mrs.
Andrew Chambers.
Mrs. Nicky Bowden and
daughters visited relatives in
Kings Mountain during the
weekend.
Mr. and Mrs. Bobby
Quinn and Karen of Zebulon
visited Mrs. Viola W. Quinn
Sunday.
Miss Mary Lee Sykes left
Guardian Care Saturday to
go to Charlotte to live with
her sister, Catherine S. Wil
lard.
Mrs. N.B. Boney attended
the 28th annual Boney re
union held Sunday afternoon
at The Country Squire. She
was among the 115 present.
CARD OF THANKS
My sincere thanks to
everyone who remembered
me in so many kind and
thoughtful ways during my
illness.
My new address is: 1012
Pinafore Drive, Charlotte,
N.C.28212.
Mary Lee Sykes
CROOM FAMILY REUNION
The Croom Family will
assemble for its 50th annual
reunion at the Croom Meet
ing House on Sunday.
August 17. The morning
program will begin at 11 a.m.
Conference On Leadership Development!]
Women Urged To Register
Women in Duplin County
will be able to attend a
conference on leadership de
velopment September 6 from
8:45 a.m. through 3:15 at the
E.E. Smith School in
Kenansville.
"The conference is a gol
low-up to the statewide con
ference held in Raleigh in
May 1978! and the nine
regional conferences held
across the state last year.
Space will be limited but the
conference is open to all
women." said Mrs. Christine
W. Williams, chairperson of
the planning committee.
"The conferences will pro
vide leadership development
opportunities and encourage
women to exercise their
talents to ^rengthen their
communities. The theme w ill
be 'Leadership and Citizen
Responsibility,' " she added.
The conferences are co
sponsored by the N.C.
Council on the Status of
Women and the N.C. Council
on Women's Organizations
in cooperation with the office
of the Governor.
Mrs. Violette K. Phillips of
Kenansville is serving as
treasurer. She should be
contacted for registration,
with the $5. fee including the
coffe? hour, luncheon and all
materials, by Monday,
August 25. in order to allow
time to order food for the
luncheon and assemble the
workshop kits and materials.
Workshops will be chosen
from Assertiveness Training,
Time Management, Women
and Stress Management.
Buildirg a Positive Self
Image and Becoming the
Best That You Can Be,
Decision Making and
Creative Problem Solving
and How Diet Can Affect Our
Leadership Style. and
Women and the Law.
CERAMICS CLASS
The continuing education
department of James Sprunt
Technical College will offer a
54-hour ceramics class at
Mary Jo's Ceramics Shop on
Highway 117 jn Wallace. The
class, instructed by Mary Jo
Teachey, will meet from
7-10 p.m. Mondav and
Thursday nights beginning
August 7. The class will
cover cleaning, staining,
applying glazes, and decals,
and hand painting.
BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT
Thomasine and Ken Ken
nedy of Chinquapin, an
nounce the birth of 'their
second daughter. Susan Eli
zabeth, on August 2, 1980. at
Onslow Memorial Hospital.
The grandparents include
Mrs. Ethel Sanderson of
Chinquapin and Mrs. Leila
Kennedy of Pink Hill.
; SIDEWALK SALE
Open at 8 a.m. Fri. & So*.
Final Markdowns
On All Summer
Merchandise
? Shorts ? Tops
? Skirts ? Dresses
? Blazers ? Slacks
* Swimwear.
1 Rack of fall sweaters V* price
1 Table (eans $10.00
1 Rack long sleeve
blouses Vi price
For Bock To School Specials ~
TOPS-BOTTOMS I
Center Street Mount OMwe
Fri. & Sat. Sidewalk
Paisley'd
Classic
| i
I \ '
TON I TODD
A new twist to the preppy look from Toni Todd.
Vibrant paisley teams up with crisp khaki poplin
for both business and pleasure. Classic button
down collar at the polo neckline, slim cord ties
the elastici/ed waist. Rayon top, poly cotton skirt.
Machine wash-dry. Black or Navy Paisley with
Khaki. 6-18 Hrg M-Thui*. & Sat. 9-6
Frl. night*, 9-9
E. Hill St., Wartaw
j Bob s PLACE
HjPHjttil Our 29th
CARKTSl r~
? Lowest Prices
? No Waiting - Over 300 Rolls
Of Vinyl & Carpet In Stock
? Professional Installers
? Our Own Financing
Frederick Furniture
Company
"Quality For Less"
Located Between The Stoplights
I HWY. 117 -ROSE HILL I
I PHONE 289-3448 I
B , Open Deity Except Sunday I
Qtoi, Mow- ? <?hJ?}
JIjmulmt. . rOtao Ui^uL*^'
^SlAaJL QljLpo&t A#**.
hu^- .
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BB&T's no-service-charge student checking is something to write home about.
With a Branch Banking and
Trust student checking account
right here at home, your full-time
col lege or technical school scholars
won't have to pay any service
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So enroll them in the one no
service-charge checking program
that's especially for students.
Because at BB&T, we're work
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through school.
"-I??? ? ~ ?
NODoay worm ncraer
tor your wo?y.
HBB&T i
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i