The Blight Of Time
?Jr
EDITORS NOTE ^Published In
TUe Cherokee Scout, Oct. 31,
18 #3-- Republished in the Cher
okee Scout January 22, 1926..
Written by W. H. Meroney and
published in 1893 by his son,
J. S. Meroney, who was the
Publisher and owner at that
time. Typed by Margaret Me
roney Warner (Mrs. Ben War
ner, Jr.) and retyped by Lou
ise Axley Bay less, Mrs. John
H. Bayless. July 29,1964.
In 9th month, the month of
September, I was called on bus
iness to the Marietta & North
Georgia Railway depot. In pass
ing through the nearest way,
by foot-path that leads through
* beautiful woodland on the
Hitchcock property, once owned
by Col. Hunter, and after cross
ing a brook I found myself
on the old road that led by and
through Fort Butler more than
half a century ago I was arous
ed as if by inspiration, and the
question unwantonly propounded
itself to me: How long since
you first passed this old lon
ely and now abondoned highway?
For a few moments I seemed
riveted to the spot, and my
mind flew with lightning speed
back to the year and month,
for it was September and for
aught I know it may have been
?the very day of the month,
fifty-four years ago, and with
distinctness did I remember
the scene at my first coming
over that identical spot of the
road down the grade to the
brooklet. How the leaded wag
ons pressed the team with all
the worldly possessions of an
man an woman in the prime
of life, with a girl nearing
twomanhood, two little boys,
[Six and eight years old, and
>a baby girl. This the family
of W. H. Meroney.
r Could I be mistaken? No, it
was 1839, and as we neared
the log cabins that had lately
sheltered the troops for the
removal of the Cherokee Ind
ians west of the Mississippi
River, we took up our abode
In a cabin a few rods above
tiie spot that now leads to the
remains of Col. Archibald S.
Hunter and wife.
In a few days we crossed
the Hiawassee into what was
intended to be the town of
;Murphy, we being the first
white family that had lived in
the town proper. There was
but one house, aside from the
house we moved in, which was
a heavy log structure- one of
the first houses, the other was
the store of King & Thomas,
(Will Thomas) which was not
completed. It stands on the
Cooper corner yet.(Esso Stan
dard Oil station is now locat
ed.)
Soon there was a Hotel comm
enced near by, and the stables
were exactly where our new
Court House now stands. The
building was begun by Col.
Archibald Hunter, father of
Mrs. Martha Hitchcock, near
the bluff below town, and well
do I remember that good, old
kind hearted gentleman on his
Indian pony with his white locks.
He would ride into the infant
village regularly as the morn
ing came.
He sold the Hotel soon af
ter, however, to William Cun
ningham, from Macon County,
who completed it, sold it, and
removed West, where he died.
Ramsaur & Summey built a
Hotel on the corner where the
elm trees now stand.
We learned the alphabet in
a little log house above Fain's
office from Drewy Weeks in
1840. I cannot recall a man
that was a resident of the town
at that time that is now liv
ing, and but a few that was
there up to 1844.
I remember the first grave
that was dug in the church
yard. It was the first wife
of G. W. Hayes. She was
the mother of Mrs. Rolen.
Not only was the town quite
different then from the pre
sent time, but all the surr
oundings were different. The
stock lived fat the winter
through on the cane brakes,
on the creeks and rivers, and
the mast and winter range in
the mountains. The rivers were
alive with fish and the woods,
abundantly supplied with game.
The pastimes and amuse
ments were different. The sett
ler swere mostly from the Wes
tern part of the State, and they
were intelligent and well to do
farmers, and were like a band
of brothers. The bear hunt
and the deer chase was most
common; other wild animals
were plentiful; the wolves could
be heard howling on the moun
tain tops at a fearful rate,
and it was no strange thing
to hear the war whoop of the
red man, for there were hun
dreds left who had concealed
themselves in the fastnesses of
the mountains, so the vigillance
of the soldier could not reach
them, and squads could be seen
on the streets of the new town
trading for ammunition and beg
ging for bread every day In the
week, and when they would
chance to get a little firewat
er" they would start out single
file, about ten paces apart,
and would think nothing of run
ning ten miles without a halt
to their home at the foot hills
near the valley.
The most exciting amusement
and one that was patronized by
all, or nearly all, ages and sex
es was the horse race. There
were fleet and fine stock from
several states, and well do I
remember when Sleepy Pete
of Tennessee ran against the
big headed filly of North Car
olina. There were more than
two thousand people present,
and little fortunes changed
hands. South Carolina .Georgia
and Tennessee were well re
presented but the old "Tar
Heel" State pocketed the stakes.
The Race Tracks were along
the Richmond &. Danville depot
stands. Many a gold watch
went home in a strange pock
et, and many bridles were tied
and the less fortunate walked
home. Mo one was killed
or hurt on such occasions, and
repeaters were not carried in
back pockets in those days.
"Many Days" and Fourth of
July celebrations and one week
for Christmas were as reg
ularly kept as the Sabbath is
now observed. No man shuck
ed his corn, rolled his logs or
raised his own house without
the neighbors joined him, while
the young ladies helped the good
wife quilt or made one in the
frolic at the corn shucking, and
when the last ear of corn was
finished, which had been di
vided between the two parties
headed by captains, the one that
completed his part first was
hoisted on the shoulders of
friends and carried around the
pile of corn victorous.
Then they retired to the farm
house, the older people to look
on and the youth and maidens
would engage in the play of the
dance. Homespun dresses and
calico's were worn by all and
in reach of all. Contentment,
yea happiness, was in the grasp
of all, for no silk and satin
dresses vied with each others;
no diamonds or brilliant gems
sparkled on the bosoms or hung
in the rosy ears or against
the peachy cheeks of the child
of nature in that frontier life
of primeval age.
Education then consisted in
the spelling book, arithmetic,
a smattering only of grammar,
a thorough knowledge of history
and the sacred Scriptures, and
any further knowledge was
drawn from the book of nature,
which was so lavishly and
grandly spread out before them
from mountain peak to lowly
valley, from die grand roll
ing river to the tinest brooklet
all was peace, friendship and
socialbility.
But where are we now?(Year
1893)- More than half a cen
tury has passed like a dream,
and we are living in the fast
age. The humble, comfortable
home no longer satisfies our
craving. Our desire for hun
dreds has given in to a wish
for thousands, and from thou
sands to an insatiable thirst
for millions, and our once hum
ble, quiet, village has caught
the inspiration.
The carryall changed to the
buggy, to the hack, the carri
age, the phaeton, and now no
thing less than the electric car
and the locomotive speed and a
wants of this generation.
The half Century that has
passed on the wings of the wind
has brought us from childhool
to gray hairs and age era we
were aware of the fact, and
bring forth no mind can fathom,
no inso
"Oh, happiness, not to be
found unattainable treasure,
Adieu."
Meroney.
Deed Transfers
Wayne and Virginia Gibson
to Wendell T. and Kate Y. Da
vis, 5 1/2 acres more or less
in Hayesville Township.
Wendell T. and Kate Y. Da
vis to Neal Kummeret, prop
erty in Shoot in Creek Town
ship.
Wendell T. and Kate Y. Da
vis to William E. Whitlock,
property in Shooting Creek
T ownship.
Wendell T. and Kate Y. Da
vis to Edward and Marion Kum
merer, property in Shooting
Creek Township.
Wendell T. and Kate Y.Da
vis to William Heverly, 2
tracts in Shooting Creek Town
ship.
Arthur P. and Verna Moore
to Thomas A. and Mary A. Dech
man, 101 3/4 acres more or less
in Tusquittee Township.
T. C. Gray, Commissioner
to N. C. Browder, 31.8 acres
more or less in Hiawassee
T ownship.
CONFIDENCE
By The People Of Murphy and
Cherokee County In Our Materials,
Ability, and Policies Has Enabled Us
To Serve You For Seven Years.
STAFF MEMBERS FOR ROGERS ELECTRIC SERVICE ARE: (L-R) James Carroll, Harry Ingram,
Larry Jones, Bruce Mills, and Robert Rogers.
Congratulations To The Cherokee Scout On Their 75th Anniversary
ROGERS' ELECTRIC SERVICE
Z. L. Alverson, Mgr.
FROM AN OLD FHEND. . .
SMOKY MOUNTAIN GAS
Smoky Mountain Gas Company
Interior View Of Smoky Mountain Gas
Employees
(L-R) A. G. Qulnn, Joan Harness, Lois Taylor, Weldon Simonds, James Golden.
Lloyd Simonds, Johnny Hartness, Ralph Tabor, William Mallonee, Edgar Leather
wood and Ralph Rogers.