Newspapers / The Yancey Journal (Burnsville, … / Oct. 5, 1972, edition 1 / Page 2
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PAGE 2 THE YANCEY JOURNAL OCTOBER 5. 1972 ■Black Mountain Boys’ ft (Cont'd from page 1} fag one, and in sharp political divisions between counties which would seem otherwise to hgve common causes, rather than differences. To this day, Yancey County is predominant ly Democratic, while Mitchell County's politics are Republican List of the volunteers known "The Black Mountain Boys" were as follows:-?- J."S, McElsoy, Captain,May 1, ■i# 1861; A t J. Roberts—lst Lieutenant &B, Johnson — 2nd lieutenant Byrd— 3rd Lieutenant Pioneers Settled . (Cont'd from page 1) Agriculture was the main occu pation of the people and they vwjre self-sufficient in their isolated homes and communi - ties. Early settlers produced what they consumed, and lack ing nearby markets, they had plenty to consume and to share with friends and neighbors. Up until the Civil Wat and beyond, almost the only manu facturing was done in the home The farmer often tanned his ovyn leather, made his own shoes and hats for the family, and such articles as harnesses and saddles. The standard of living varied from family to family, depending largely on its own skill and ingenuity. * The mountain people made their handicraft articles, sang their ballads and verbally pass ed them from generation to generation. The mountain cul ture had its unique characteris tics. Today only traces of that culture remain alive in the crafts and stories and songs of the old timers who have in them tJfe blood and spirit of ancestors who tackled the rugged Appa lachian Mountains and made a new life for themselves. FALL I SAVINGS I SPECIAL I THE NORTHWESTERN BANK J , V . ’ • \ ROIC i, V *7: T ' - -- ™ ~ -M -w ... - i J. > ' » C.F. Young—lst Sergeant J.H. Ray—2nd Sergeant W. J. Edney—3rd Sergeant W. J. Byrd—4th Sergeant James Thomison--lst Corporal Wilson Hensley--2nd Corporal N. A. Thomas—3rd Corporal H. L» Hensley--4th Corporal PRIVATES Samuel Austin S.R.Hensley Nathanel Allen Riddle R* S *, AUen W . b. Robertson J. S. Allen S.S. Robertson Henry Allen F . I, Randolph L.N.Byrd W.J. Thomas Samuel Boone C. Young James Boone w . S . Young J.J. Boone S.G. Woody John A. Boone j.M.Hall Jairymi Boone David Robertson S.B. Banks Jonathan Horton Jonathan Banks P. V. Honeycutt Allen Bryant w. M. Moore James Bryant W.A.McClellan David Brinkley C.Mechinson F. A. Baker a. L. McPeters E. M. Burleson John Mclntosh Alfred Buchanan S.J.Maney R. C. Deyton S. L. Price J. H. Dellinger Elisha Randolph J. G.Edge Ansel Randolph C.R. Edwards Samuel Rantblph James Edwards W. K. Robinson C. L» Fortner Jacob Robinson W.A.Fox N.B.Ray J.P. Horten J.L.Ray J.M. Honeycutt Ervin Ray Elisha Hbneynitt Monterville Ray E. M. Honeycutt s. P. R ay A.J.Hamilton j c hn R ay A. R.Hensley J.W. Roland LZ.Hall C.M. Rector J.R.Hall H.G. A. Silver William Hill j.w. Silver J.W. Higgins JV. A. Silver Wilson Hawkins g. Shepherd J. L. Hyatt Nathan Thomas Peter Ledford John Turbyfill Alex McC Thompson J* Young Willbum T ipton Jessie Young Seal Tipton Thomas Edge J. w. Wilson Robert Boone R. D. Wilson E. Banks N.M. Wilson Jason Carraway S.F.Wilson John Collis Henry Wiggans S. B. CHtes J. W. Wheeler John Gouge T.H. Young C.M. Hensley Yancey Country Store Building Was A Boarding House For Many Years 1833 Senate Act Establishes Yancey (The following is part of an article which appeared in the Asheville Citizen-Times, De cember 10, 1933 and was writ ten by a Yancey County resi - dent, Annie Wray—now Annie Wray Bennett) Burnsville, December 9 One hundred years ago to day the North Carolina Senate passed an act establishing Yan cey county. The act of the General Assembly followed the introduction by a Mr. Britton, member of the General Assem bly from Burke country, of a bill which was entitled: "A bill to be entitled an act to erect a new county by the name of Yancey. " The measure was introduced in the lower house of the Gen eral Assembly on November 25, 1833 and was continued until December 7, when it was pass ed by the house without a re corded vote. The bill was pre sented to the senate on Monday, December 9, 1833, when it passed that body by the close vote of 33 to 28. The county, as formed by the legislature, contained 298 \A & ,y/ Jr , \Sr \ * V W \ j \ 1 SHUT sjf \ fcj Jm ■ / jIl / // m _ / // —\ / y / / /p \ Jf \ J V n : \ \ \\\ jßf&r flf I l sWII 15 LJ il/ Lni ez-jju// square miles. It was formed from parts of Burke and Bun combe counties and the loca - tion of the old Burke and Bun combe lines has been the subject of many land suits tried in the" early history of the county. It was laigely through the efforts of "Yellow Jacket" John Bailey that Yancey county was established. Bartlett Yancey and Otway Bums, Mends of John Bailey, were members of the legislature, one in the house and the other in the sen ate. Bailey rode horseback to Raleigh, a distance of .300 miles, to petition these lawma kers to urge the General Assem bly to form a county from parts of Buncombe and Burke. The county was named for Bartlett Yancey, speaker of the house, from Caswell County and for many years a member of Congress. In one of his races for Congress he received every vote in his native county except one. Yancey was one of the pioneer advocates of a public school system in North v Carolina. He was a leading statesman in his time,serving in the State legislature eight / , 1 L( : \ / \ I y' VjK, I / j / K* / V j W / / \ f TEA- / Are you getting the best rate on your savings? ! If not, come to The Northwestern Bank. We're S having a Fall Savings Special —5% %on a |1 SIOO minimum deposit. It's protected, l renewable, and the highest allowed by law. j; Northwestern wants your savings to earn the ; highest possible interest. So take advantage !# of this Fall Savings Special today ... 5% % from Northwestern. 534% . . . one of three 3-Way Passbook Savings Plans! 1 □ SIOO minimum deposit | □ Save by the 10th of a quarter. . . earn from the Is{ □ Choose your maturity date between 2 and 5 years □ SSO minimum add-on deposit □ No deposits during final two years before maturity □ Protected interest rate □ Interest paid quarterly by check or added to A. your account □ Renewable terms and two terms as merrier of Congress* When the news came that Yancey county had been estab lished the people were much enthused and held a meeting to select a place for the county seat which was to be named Burnsville, hi this meeting, James Ray, father-in-law of John Bailey, offered to give land for a county seat if it were located in the Cane River sec tion. John Bailey insisted the town should be nearer the cen ter of the county and offered to give 50 acres of land,which is now the center of Burnsville. This offer was accepted and a part of the 50 acres was reserv ed for a public square and for county buildings; the remaindi was divided into lots and sold. Money received from the sale of these lots were used to build the first county courthouse and jail. Captain Otway Bums, for whom Burnsville, the county seat of Yancey, was named, was a distinguished seaman in the war of 1812 and comman ded the United States privateer "Snapdragon. " He was in ma- Baker House Becomes Country Store The Yancey County Country Store, on the town square be tween the Yancey Journal buil ding and the Northwestern Bank, across from the famous NuWray Inn was, according to some of the old timers, built around 1900, probably by John Evans, and was operated as a boardjgg house by Bob Evans in 1902. Among other owners were Mack Baker, and the building was known as the Baker House Hotel, and later on Matt Byrd. The first two residences in Ysmcey County to have running water, which was installed by the late Judge J. Bis Ray,were, the residence occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Westall just be- rry successful naval engage ments in the war of 1812. He was a member of the General Assembly of North Caro Lina from Carteret county from the year 1822 until 1834. Captain Bums died in August, 1850. In the center of the public square stands a monument commem orating the brave deeds of Captain Bums in the second war against England. Dnniel Boone VI Became Legend In His Own Time Like his great-great- great great grandfather with his wil derness-paving exploits,Daniel Boone VI also became a legend in his own time. Until Boone died in 1970 at the age of 68, he operated a unique wrought iron forge in Burnsville. The Boones have been con nected with iron-making since the original Daniel Boone was a wagoner an . 'lacksmith dur ing tile days o. che’French and Indian War. Since the time that Boone settled for a while in what is now Boone, N.C. , many of his descendents have also lived in Western North Carolina and have followed his trade. Daniel the Sixth began blacksmithing with his father, Kelse Boone, at the age of 10 and two years after his death he is still remembered for his wrought-iron artistry. His story has been told in numerous news papers and magazines and his work is valued by those who own the creations of this 1e - gendary mountain craftsman. Candela bras, andirons, and other fine ironware, done in the manner of his ancestors were all welded by hand, using the forge and hot coals. Al though Boone had a modem shop, he did not use modem *«» tttsujr ycau uj WiUC t I I , Kin "timi iJBQHHHMHti ft \ SHU I?** «t Wms3ntm fA H >1 ■ , ts W ft ! ■~ltt»iflgM‘:'l » *§jß l V ‘ :p|gfe |f/ I# / ’ i«t' ?•■' f yß . *L A. Wi f~ V, | Boone VI hfod the Country Store facing Green Mountain St., and the Country Store building. Mrs. Westall is the daughter of Judpp Ray. Through the years, the buil ding gradually deteriorated un til Captain and Mrs. George Downing purchased it in 1968 for its present use. There are eight fireplaces, as each room had its own, and many stove pipe holes where stoves took the place of fire - places. The Downings say that many people come into the Country Store and recall living in the old boarding house, some of them newlyweds who stayed for a year or more, and some just travelers. When the Downings purchas ed the property the area which is now the bank parking Jot was a field, and Troy's Variety Store was in the Old Briggs Buil ding which stood on the comer where the Northwestern Bank now stands. The Country Store is filled •with objects that recall bygone days, including kinds of cook ing trtcnsils used long ago, old timey calico, quilts made by local ladies, homemade jams and jellies and old fashion equipment to turn out wrought iron pieces. "New ways are quick, " he once said, "But old fashioned ways are the best." His work proved his philosophy. Every piece of his hand-finished wrought-iron was worthy to be marked "wrought-iron by Dan iel Boone" before it lpft the forge. Like other manufacturers during World War n, Boone turned to work connected with the war. Part of his job was to repair machinery for local mining industry, but his major war project was making com bat knives for soldiers. When the restoration project for colonial Williamsburg need ed ornamental ironwork for the 18th century buildings, pro ject leaders called on the skill and craftsmanship of Daniel Boone VL One of his more interesting projects was done as a hobby. Boone built a working scale model of a Union Pacific loco motive complete with a fire box that could be fired to run on its own power. Daniel Boone VI wore the name of his famous ancestor with dignity and pride, and his own legacy like that of his forebearer will be remembered for many years to come. "Ground before your lyyes" Pea nut Butter. Cheeses from all over the world are kept in a huge old ice box which has been converted to electricity, and the stone ground whole grain flours are kept in the old Walk in ice box which came from the old art school here inHimsville. Besides being located in a historic old building, the Coun try Store contributes to history with one of the largest collec - tions on the state of North Caro lina books on its shelves, inclu ding history novels, short stories and books on flowers and birds. A Series Os "I Firsts" (Cont'd from page 1) Produced in 1913 by Represen tative Charles Hutchins and $150,000 in bonds were issued for road construction in the county. Th£ first road com missioners were W.B. Wray, chairman; J.E.Evans and Jason Hughes. The first bank was organiz ed in 1905. Until that time, all banking business was carried on in Asheville, a distance which required two days travel. Much progress has been math in the county during its century of existence. Most of this pro gress is probably due to the buil ding program which has been carried on by the State High way Commission. At the beginning of the war Between the States, Yancey was one of the most populated coun ties in the western part of the state. At that time, it consis ted of what is now Mitchell, Avery, and a part of Madison County. In 1851 Madison county was taken from Yancey and in 1861 Mitchell County was formed from a part of this county. Yancey comity is now boun ded on the west by Madison, on the southwest by Buncombe, on the south by McDowell, on the east by Mitchell county, and on the north by the State of Tennessee. The county is sha ped like a basket and is "held" by Bald mountain, the Black Mountains, and the Blue Ridge. First School Is Founded (The following is part of an article which appeared in the Asheville Citizen-Times, De - cember 10, 1933 and was writ ten by a Yancey Coundy resi - I dent, Annie Wray—now Annie Wray Bennett). | Burnsville, December 9 The first school,the Burns ville academy, was establish ed in 1852 by Stevens who came from Tennessee.He served as head of the school for four or five years. At his death le was succeeded by - A. Ammons, who served until the War Between the State* The school was closed for two or three years during the war. Ammons was followed by Prof. Clayton Bowman, George Wil son, and R. Don Wilson. Im mediately after the war Merri weather Lewis served as the principal. During the remaining time the academy was . operated the following men served as Principals * John Simley, J. j M. Cudger, Dr. William Aus tin, J.E.Rheim, J.J. Britt, John McEwin, Professor Mc- Cracken, and E.E. Hawkins. I The academy was considered the best school in Western | North Carolina and students from adjoining counties and Tennessee attended it. [ “ Ant pablic school tea- ; “ cheis in the county were elec- I ted by popular vote and were l paid a salary of sl6 dollars per | month. The public school, term was two months a year. 4
The Yancey Journal (Burnsville, N.C.)
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Oct. 5, 1972, edition 1
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