Jail History is Tied Closely
With Courthouse Construction
By F. C. SAV.ISBUKY
(Editor's Note: Completed this
summer was the new county jail.
This marks the end of a phase in
county history. The events pre
ceding this "new era" are re
viewed in the following article).
Following the establishing of
Carteret precinct or county from
Craven in 1722. the General As
sembly proceeded to appoint the
necessary officials to carry out
the official business of law and
order for the new county.
As in other counties of the col
ony, the administrative powers
were in the hands of the justices
of the peace, duly appointed by
the governor for life. First named
to fill these important offices in
Carteret County government were
John Nelson, Richard Rustidl.
Knoch Ward, Joseph Bell and
Richard Wliitehurst.
These men constii ed the coun
ty court as well as having control
of almost every aspect of local
government and administration.
The court appointed, or nominated
to the governor for appointment,
the sheriff, constables, overseers
of roads, searchers, patrolers, in
spectors, town commissioners and
almost all local officers except the
clerk of court. The county court
not only tried cases but levied
taxes and exercised wide admin
istrative powers and social and
economic control.
The sheriff, the major execu
tive official of the court and chief
administrative officer of the coun
ty, was appointed by the governor
for a two-year term, from a list
of three names sent in by the
county court. But the persons thus
nominated had to be justices of
the peace at the time of their
nomination, though they were not
allowed to serve as justices and
sheriff at the same time.
The election machinery was in
the hands of the "courthouse
ring" the sheriff being the chief
elective official. Though the she
riff and clerk of the court were
elected by the people after 1832.
the people had little voice in. or
control over, their own county
government, which was in the
hands of the county court.
Building Goes lTp
Selling up the county govern
ment called for a place in which
to conduct court as well as to re
cord legal document*. To meet I
this need, a frame structure is
said to have been built on Craven
Street, about on the present site
of Purvis Chapel.
The only record of such a build
ing is mentioned in a deed given
by Richard Rustull and Ross Bell
in 1724 to St. John's Parish for a
lot, the description of which ap
pears in one of the early record
ed deeds in the county.
The deed, in substance reads:
"Richard Rustull of the Precinct
of Carteret, County of Bath and
Ross Bell, know ye that we the
said Richard Rustull and Ross
Bell, commissioners authorized
and empowered to put in execu
tion an act of the Assembly en
titled an act for incorporating the
seaport of Beaufort in Carteret
Precinct into a township by the
name of Port Beaufort, for and
In consideration of the sum of ten
pounds in hand paid to Richard
Rustull by Joseph Bell and Rich
ard Williamson, Church Wardens
of the Parish of St. John's and
the rest of the Vesterymen of the
said Parish the* receipt whereof is
hereby acknowledged do hereby
in pursuance of the said act give,
grant, bargain, sell . . . unto the
said church wardens and vestery
men and their successors all that
half acre or lot of land lying and
being in Beaufort Town in the pre
cinct of Carteret aforesaid togeth
er with the house now erected
thereon, it being at present the
house appointed for a courthouse
for the said precinct, which said
Photo by F. C. Salisbury
No picture can be found of the brick courthouse in use during the early 20th century. This, however,
is a picture of a group of pupils taken in front of that building. The courthouse had a brick founda
tion and was of stucco. The small-pane windows had wooden shutters. If anyone can identify some or
all of the persons in the above picture, THE NEWS-TIMES would be happy to hear from you.
house and half acre or lot of land
as shown and distinguished in the
plan of said town as number
(000). To have and to hold . . .
Dated June 2. 1724
Hichard Rustall?Ross Bell"
On the basis of this entry, this
building has been accepted as the
first seat of justice in Carteret
County.
Either this building, or another,
erected by the Episcopal society
following the Revolution, was pur
chased by James T. White shortly
before the Civil War and moved
down on Front Street and used as j
a store. It was destroyed in the '
great storm of August 1879.
There is no record stating where
court was held after the sale of
the Craven Street property to St.
John's Parish until some 25 years
later. It could have been that the
first building served both as a
seat of justice as well as a house
of worship. Then again court might
have been conducted in one of the
homes of the justices.
Prison Authorized
To keep law and order in the
new town and punish offenders1
by jail imprisonment, the court
authorities ordered the building of
a prison in 1736. Records under
date of that period read: "The
occasion of the institution of a
prison at Beaufort, in 1736 was the
temper of Captain Ebenezer liar
ker who came into the home of
James Salter of Beaufort Town,
and there in a contumacious and
insulting manner, in the face and
presence of His Majesty's justices
of the peace and divers other, did
call Thomas Lovick, chairman of
this court, several approbious and
scandalous names, and indulged j
in profanely abusive language.
"Therefore the court decided at j
once to erect a prison for the good j
and benefit of the precinct on lot
number seven, now part of Queen
Street, converging on Front."
One Story Courthouse
In the early part of 1750 a sec
ond building was erected to serve
for the next years as a court
house. This was a one story struc
ture, located at the intersection
of present-day Ann and Turner
streets. After the building of the
third courthouse on the public
square, this small structure wa&
moved to a lot on the corner of
Ann and Turner Streets, where
through the years it has been
serving as a dwelling known as
the Cramer-Carrow-Thorn as house.
The purchaser of the small wood
en courthouse is thought to have
been Edward Denbey who moved
it where it now stands. Under
date of March 19, 1849. Denbey
deeded the house and fence to
James Hunt. It was from Hunt
that Dr. William Cramer bought
ioopmoof ^
JOE FISKE
BOTTLED IP BOnD 1
'NAlGHT BOURBON 3
BOTTLED
Sk>nd
I*
I the property. Through his daugh
ter who married Nathan Carrow
the property has come down to
present-day heirs.
Builds Ell
Mr. Carrow built an ell to the
house. In the rear was a separate
kitchen, also a small building in
which lived Harriet Gnats, a Ne
gro woman, onetime housekeeper
for the Rev. "Grandpa" Forbes,
rector of St. Paul's church for
many years.
Some sort of a building in con
nection with this courthouse must
have been in use as a jail for
during the year 1756 Thomas Lov
ick, Edward Fuller and Joseph
Bell were appointed by the court
to agree with some person to
build a new jail. The previous
year the Assembly passed an act
requiring that designation of jail
bounds be made.
Records of the county court
read: "December 1755: Order that
pursuant to an act of the Assem
bly of the Province, Joseph Bell
and others appointed to lay off
I three acres of land including the
courthouse and prison and the
same when laid off shall be the
prison bounds for Carteret County,
and to make their return by March
court next. . f! ,t
"June court 1756. This court or
ders that a prison bounds be laid
out, viz, beginning at high water
mark and on the east side of Wil
liam Thompson's wharf, so along
the shore to a stake to the west
ward of Joseph Bell's house, from
thence to a cedar bush a little
above the courthouse so as to in
clude the courthouse. Thence up
on a straight line to the back side
of Captain William Keyse's gar
den to a post, from thence to the
first station. The court appoints
William Thompson, William Den
nis and Solomon Shepard to lay
out the same.''
Tracing today the western line
of the jail limits, which was west
ward of Joseph Bell's house, the
line would follow along the west
side of the Colonial Store's park
ing lot, for Joseph Bell at that
period was the owner of the three
lots from the corner of Front and
Turner Streets, as well as the lot
in the rear.
Date Haiy
The time of the building of the
third courthouse and jail on the
courthouse square is very indefi
nite. It has been placed about 1835,
following the completion of the
building of Fort Macon. Brick
masons who worked on tht fort are
said to have been employed in
the building of the courthouse and
jail. Also that the bricks for the
two structures were made at a
brickyard in the Core Creek sec
tion. The building served as a
courthouse and jail for some 70
years.
In 1881 the Town of Beaufort
gave the county a deed to the
property. The deed describes the
property as consisting of "eight
lots, 110 x 198 feet, facing on
Broad, Turner, Cedar and Craven
Streets, being the public square
on which the courthouse and jail
now stands, the said square being
held and claimed by virtue of
long occupancy and possession, as
well as by divers acts of the Gen
eral Assembly and having been set
aside by the authorities of said
town for the purpose. Deed signed
by W. J. Bushall, Mayor, William
Alexander, Jacob L. Gibbs. W. S.
Robinson, James B. Noe, John E.
Henry."
Simplicity marked the style of
the third building known for many
years as the Colonial Courthouse,
which was erected on the south
east corner of the Public Square,
surrounded by many of the beau
tiful oak trees standing today. It
was of brick construction, some
50 x 60 feet, two stories and a
jump" high.
The main entrance faced Broad
Street. No pillared porch graced
the front nor cupola surmounted
the roof. After sixty years of ex
posure to the weather, the red
bricks of both the courthouse and
jail were covered with stucco.
From the main entrance a wide
stairway led to the court room
above. To the right was the office
of the Register of Deeds. Two
rooms at the rear served as office
of the Clerk of the Court and the
clerk's library. There was no of
fice space for the sheriff in this
building.
Until recent years it was left
tor the sheriff to maintain his own i
quarters. At one time the office
of sheriff was on the second floor
of a building at the corner of
Front and Turner Streets.
i ouri i loom
The entire second floor was giv
en over for a court room. The
judge's bench at the north end
with space for lawyers and wit
nesses was enclosed with a rail
ing, as was the jury box along
the west wall. Long benches
served the spectators. A narrow
stairway lead to the "jump" which
was used by grand and trial juries.
About the entire square was a
fence of palings which was keptl
whitewashed. Court was called by
the bailiff or court cryer from the I
front door by a large hand bell.
When first constructed, the white
stucco jail house still standing on
the courthouse square provided
living quarters for the jailer and
family on the first floor with the
cells above for prisoners. In later
years a house adjoining the jail
was erected for the jailer. Through
the years interior changes were
made to the jail.
Steel cell blocks replaced the
old heavy wooden doors and crude
locks. A small addition was built
to care for women prisoners.
Otherwise the ancient structure
has changed but little in its 100
years or more of housing wrong
doers.
Among the jailers of past years
was Bill Piver. During his term
of office three hangings took place,
the only executions ever to occur
in Carteret County. These hang-l
ings were in the li70's. Mrs. Piver
made the black hoods that covered
the heads of each criminal.
The first execution took place
Feb. J, 1871 when Dummer Harget
was found guilty of the murder of
Absolon Fisher. This hanging took
place in the jail yard Sent from
Onslow County for trial was the
case of Lawyer Bryan for the mur
TV house to tV right wan the
rem. It wai told a Ml moved ac
make way for the aew Jail. Bef?
lived on the tower floor of the Jail,
to the left barkfrmmd.
Photo by F. C. Salisbury
residence ef the Jailer far many
reel Craven Street to the east, to
ire this house was built the Jailor
The oM Jail la the while f
d*r of Michael F. Langley. For
aeme unknowi reason (his hang
iag look place within the jail.
The third wan "to he hanged by
his neck until he was dead" was
Edward Foy, guilty of the crime of
rape. This event is said to have
been a gala day for spectators who
flocked from far and near to wit*
ness Foy pay for his crime. The
scaffold for this hanging was out
on the Public Square. John D. Da*
vis was serving as sheriff at the
time of these three executions.
FamUy Occupation
Following the death of Fiver, his
wife piarried Math Chaplain. They
became the parents of R. M. Chap
lain who died the past year after
serving as jailer and deputy for
31 years.
Math Chaplain, serving as jailer
and tipstaff of the court, is de
scribed as being a regular major
demo in his court duties. He en
joyed announcing that court was
about to come to order, with his
cry of, "Oyez, Oyei, the honorable
court of Carteret County . . ."
He is said to have been a man
with a sense of humor and a smil
ing countenance. Along with bis
court duties he conducted a small
store near the jail. This store was
the mecca for school children,
after the building of a public school
on the Square in IMS. One cent
would buy a stick, of candy or a
pickle.
Another jailer who had a long
term of office was David B. Con
gleton, serving for 32 years. While
acting as jailer under Sheriff Al
vin Willis in 1899, a lynching mob
from Bogue came to the jail at
night and at gun point demanded
Lewis Patrick who was being held
for the murder of Elijah Weeks of
Bogue.
After the capture of Patrick he
was taken to Beaufort before
Thomas Parkins, a magistrate,
who after asking him if he wanted
to be tried before C.od or the law,
ordered him jailed and to be
shackled to a ring in the floor of
his cell to await trial. Lynch law
settled his case. Upon urging of
the mob, Congleton assisted in re
moving the shackles from the
prisoner.
William H. Congleton, son of the
jailer, recalls seeing the mob,
coming and going to their boat,
passing his house on Moore Street.
The boat that brought the men
from Bogue tied up near the end
of Ann Street. During one year
while Congleton served as jailer
there were no prisoners confined in
the jail.
In the center of the square, about
where the present courthouse
stands, was the baseball diamond,
where many a hard-fought game
took place between teams from
Morehead City and New Bern
against the Beaufort team.
Frequently the teams took time
out to, "kill the umpire's or settle
arguments among themselves.
Often the battles were hot over4
until the boat carrying the visiting
team left the dock.
After many years of discussion,
the need for a new courthouse was
admitted by the citizens of the
county. The old courthouse was
too small to meet the requirements
of public business of the county,
and moreover, the public records
that had accumulated for more
than one hundred years were sub
ject to loss by fire at any time, as
the old courthouse had no fireproof
vault of any description.
Bonds Issued
Twejity-five thousand dollars in
bonds were issued for the construc
tion of a new building. Work was
started in 1807 and completed the
following year. The first session
of court in the new building was
held Oct. 19, 1908.
For several years following the
erection of the new building the
old courthouse was used mostly
for storage and offices of minor
county officials. In June 1915 a
notice appeared in the Morehead
City Coaster stating that the old
courthouse would be sold to the
highest bidder, to be moved within
90 days after date of sale. The
building was purchased by Ike
Ramsey of Beaufort and torn down
for the material it contained.
Law enforcement in the early
days of the precincts or counties
was administered by a provost
marshal. He was the executive of
ficer of the county by appointment
of the governor. In 1731 the title
of his office was changed to
sheriff.
Diligent search among the early
records of the county fails to bring
to light the names of those men
serving Carteret County as provost
marshals up to the time of the
change over to that of sherifl.
Rated as the major executive of
ficial of the court and chief admin
istrative officer of the county,
sheriffs of early days in the county
bear the names of some of the
most prominent men of their time.
First Sheriff
First mentioned, following the
abolishing of the office of provost
marshal and creating that of
sheriff in 1737. is the name of
Samuel Chadwiek. The term of
office as established by tha as
sembly was for two years, ramain
ing so for 208 years, when la IMS
the term was changed to four
years.
Appointments of sheriffs by the
assembly were very irregular. For
that reason the names of two
sheriffs often appear as serving
during the same year.
Joseph Bell Sr., and Joseph Jr.,
according to the records, held the
office for 15 years fallowing Chad
wick. Distinction Is not always
made in the records between
ior or junior so It Is difficult
to assign the term of office to
each.
Following the Bolls, were Daniel
Rees, 1756; Joseph Fulfard, 1788;
Rrfufera Co aperate
Nanaiaao, B C. (APj-A house
building co operative has hwn
formed hf-re by ts refugees frttn
Hungary. All are qualified jour
neyoien, and they aim to build
about 20 brick homes
Robert Read. I76S; Thomai Chad
wick, 1769; Solomon Shepard, 1775
John Weal. I77T; William Urania
17(4; David Cooper, 17M; Rich
ard Whitehurat, 1794; William
Thompaon, 17??; Elijah Bell, 1100;
Joaeph C. Bell. 1(01; Mathew Nor
ria, 1(02; John H. Hill. 1(06; Joha
Fulford, 1609; David Ward. 1(10:
George Dill. 1830 |0 igug.
Afler the Civil War, John D. |
Davie waa elected aheriff in April
1M8, aerving for 11 yeare. He
might have served longer, but it ia
aaid that that the last of the three
hangings that took place during
hie term of office so unnerved him
that he resigned the office. Rec
ords show that be served until the
last term of court in 1*79.
1. F. Jones Appointed
Julius F. Jones waa appointed to
serve out the balance of Davis'
term. He was elected to the office
in 16(0 and 1862. Jones either died
in office or resigned after aerving
three years and nine months. M.
A. Hill filled out the balance of
Jones' second term.
Either Hill did not run for office
in the election of 1684, or was de
feated. for John B Russell came
into office to serve for four years
The election of 1(88 brought 14. A
Hill the office which he held for
10 years.
Alvin Willis held the office for
only one term, being elected in
1898 His term is said to have been
one of strife and trouble The only
lynching ever to occur in the coun
ty took place while he was in of
fice. No arrests were ever made
of any of the lynching party.
One of the most popular sheriffs
50 years ago was S. P. Hancock,
holding the office for 16 years
from 1900 to 1916. He was follow
ed by T. Murray Thomas Jr., who
held the office for six years. The
election of 1922 brought into office
T. C. Wade, who gave the county
efficient service for six years.
Republicans Take Over
Political upheaval in the county
election of 1928 gave the office of
sheriff to the Republican candi
date, John H. Davis. He served
only one term in office for at the
1930 election E. M. Chadwick came
into office to be re-elected to serve
eight terms.
Had C. G. Holland served out
his full term following his election
in 1938, he would have established
the same record of service as S.
P. Hancock, that of 16 years. Hol
land resigned November 1953 to ac
cept the office of state fisheries
commissioner.
Hugh Salter, the present sheriff,
tvas appointed to fill the vacancy
He was duly elected to the office
in 1954. It was during the term of
office of C. G. Holland in 1946 that
the term of office of sheriff was
changed from two to four years.
In the shadow of the courthouse
stands the jailhouse that has
served the county well over a cen
tury with its black-barred windows
contrasting against its white walls.
Within these walls and cells, over
the years, have been confined a
host of prisoners who ran the
gauntlet of the law in punishment
for their crimes.
Upon the record books of the
court can be found charges
against offenders of about every
crime, felony or misdemeanor.
When first built, at the time of
the building of the third court
house, the lower floor was occu
pied by the family of the jailer.
Cella on the second floor were of
thick timber construction, equipped
with ironbound doors. Much of the
woodwork of these cells and walls
today bear the initials and other
carvings of former offenders.
Passing years brought an in
crease in the number of offenders.
To meet this need a jailer's house
was built nearby. This move gave
over the lower floor for more cell
blocks. Later an addition was
made to the west end of the build
ing for the housing of women pris
oners.
Escapes Frequent
At several times prisoners have
made their escape by sawing or
breaking their way out of the crude
wooden cells. A block of steel cells
was installed a few years ago in
which were confined prisoners
charged with serious crimes.
Although it was originally
planned to tear down the old jail,
current plans are to use- it as a
storage place or any other need
which may arise.
East Drive-In
Theatre Beaufort, N. C.
Tuesday ? Wednesday
"THE RIVER'S EDGE"
Starring Ray MlllmS
Anthony Qelaa a Debra Paget
PI.US CARTOON AND SHORT
Thursday ? Friday
TWO TOP THRILLER-CHILLERS
"I WAS A TEEN-AGE
WEREWOLF"
"INVASION OF THE
SAUCER MEN"
PLUS COLOR CARTOON
Newport Principal Lists
Faculty for Current Year
E. B Ctinn. principal of Now-1
port School, has released the
names of faculty members for the I
1957-SI school year. They are as
fallows:
First grade?Mrs Janis Owner.
Mrs. Mary Catherine Miliis.
Second grade?Mrs Irma Quinn.
Mrs. Florida Garner
Third grade ? Mrs. Geraldinr
Garner, Mrs. Audrey Edwards
Fourth ? Mrs. Dorothy lieath.
Miss Veins Chitly
Fifth-Mrs Heater Mason. Mrs
Kidth May, Mrs. Mully Henderson
Sixth?J. D. Thompson, Mrs. J.
D. Thompson.
Seventh?Mrs. Barbara Patrick.
All Wet
San Diego, Calif. (API?The fire
department said Paul Protiman
turned up the heat in his apart
ment to dry some clothes The heat
touched off an automatic fire
sprinkler. Protsman's clothes got i
all wet again and the water leaked
down through another apartment
into a photography studio and a
beauty shop.
1HIAIKI
Last Times Today
piCNUp
qlleilaN^
Starts Wednesday
He's going to bust
loose tonight!
rrrrr.
Bachelor
1 Ul'Wr
.kjrdMmMwtoMteKAITTI
I thru United ArtlaU
Ttiorehead
"TRULY CARTERET'S
FINEST THEATRE"
Box Office Open* Daily at 12:48 P.M.
Last Two Day* ? Tuesday ? Wednesday
Eighth ? Frank Giilikin, Mrs.
Iris Womble.
Ninth ? Mrs. Margaret Maim,
Mrs. Ruby Simmons.
Tenth ? Otis Adams; eleventh,
Mrs. Betty Mizelel; twelfth, R. E.
King and C. S. Long, agriculture
instructor.
Mrs. Ruby Woodruff, piano and
glee club, and Melvin Edwards,
band director.
Mr.1 Comer announces that 19 in
struments have been purchased
for the band. The instruments will
be rented to band members.
Beaufort
Air Conditioned
By Refrigeration
Tuesday -- Wednesday
FIRST SHOWING IN THIS AJtEA
THE CURSE OF
FRANKENSTEIN
Wave You?
? AND ?
NOTHING COULD
STOP IT...
.Warner Bros.
Thursday -- Friday
Not Recommended (or Children
?sLUEO ARTIS1S present*
GARY COOPER
AUDREY HEPBURN
MAURICE CHEVALIER
Produce* aad Directed by
BILLY WILDER
? CARY GRANT i
DEBORAH KERR.
AN AFFAIR TO
remember
I ONg^-^ScOP^El COCO l> Kllitf
STARTS THURSDAY
.... , - >
Ifs a zingy
love chase
that swings
across two
continents!
MlllO ADTISTI hmi,