i inc ier the su
BIRTHDAY GIRL TURNS 98
Maggie Bennett Recoils Early
Years In Brunswick County
THE BRUNSWICK&BEACON
THURSDAY. APRIl ?, 1992
BY DOUG RUTTKR
Maggie Bennett comes from a lime
when people lived without elec
tricity and automobiles and fami
lies had to work together just to survive.
"We worked hard and cleared a farm
and lived off the farm," the Brunswick
County native recalls. "Everything was
scanty hut everybody was willing to do their
part."
Emma Margaret Jcnrette Bennett, known
to family and friends as Maggie, celebrates
her 98th birthday Thursday, which the Town
of Shallotlc has proclaimed "Maggie
Bennett Day" in her honor.
Born April 2, 1894, she was the daugh
ter of Elias "Bud" and Emma Norris
Jcnrette. After living her whole life at Hick
man's Crossroads in southwestern Bruns
wick County, Mrs. Bennett now resides at
Autumn Care in Shallottc.
"I worked lor the Lord," Mrs. Bennett
replies when asked how she's managed to
live so many years. "1 put my life in the
Lord's hands. I callcd on him and tried to
walk in his footsteps."
A devout Christian, Maggie says she has
always tried to follow Jesus Christ's exam
ple of holy living. "I've lived it every day. I
don't look back, I look up to God."
Mrs. Bennett says she tries to love every
one she meets. Leaning forward in her chair,
she whispers, "I think if you" go down (Hwy.)
17 and inquire about me, I don't think you'll
ever hear of a bad act I've done."
At 98 years old, Mrs. Bennett admits she
"I'm getting old but /
can still sing like a
mockingbird
? Maggie Bennett
doesn't have the memory she once hail. "I'm
getting old and I can't remember like I could
a few months hack." she says.
But she has no trouble remembering the
things that arc most important in life. Her la
ther, for instance, was exactly six feet tall
and wore a size 12 shoe. "He was a sturdy
man, straight as an iron rod," she says.
At the age of 16, Maggie married the
Rev. Samuel Luther Bennett. "I went to
school as long as the state said I hail to," she
explains, "but I got married young."
Bennett preached for some time at a
Missionary Baptist church in Fort Smith,
Ark., while she sang and played the piano.
"I'm getting old but I can still sing like a
mockingbird," she says, going into a chorus
of "Holy, Holy, Holy."
For a while, Mrs. Bennett said she and
her husband traveled all over the region to
different churches.
"We'd preach a week and sing and then
go to another place," she said. "We tried to
spread the good news, the gospel and a good
way of life."
They raised seven children. "I tried to
raise them Christ-like so they'd fear God,"
Mrs. Bennett said. "I just prayed to Ciod to
keep Ihem in his care."
Two of her daughters. Emily and Lou
Nell, live nearby in Wilmington and I. oris.
SC.
Lesion lives in Bolivia. Jack resides al
Hickman's Crossroads and Hill and Beth live
in Texas. Warns died in I1)'#).
Mrs. Bennett, whose husband died in
1%5, also has 14 grandchildren and 26
great-grandchildren.
She says everything in the county has
changed so much in her lifetime. "It isn't
even the same place. You have almost any
thing you want now."
Mrs. Bennett said food and clothing
were in short supply in the early 19(X)s,
when people had to work hard just to get by.
"People don't do nothing now. They don't
have to work hardly," she said.
She said her family didn't suffer during
the Great Depression like many others in the
area. They lived off their farm and the hogs
they raised.
"God was good to us. We always had it
good," she said. "Wc didn't suffer like a lot
of people, but some people won't work and
wc worked."
The Bennetts had the first radio in the
neighborhcxxl. "That was the grandest
tiling," she recalled with a sparkle in her
eyes. "But it never played good like they fi
nally got them."
Mrs. Bennett also remembers the first
automobile in the area. "An old man got
one," she said. "It was not fit for nothing.
People can't get by without one now."
STAFF- PHOTO BY DOUG KUTTM
MAGGIE BENNETT, who celebrates her 98th birthday Thursday, still loves to
sing gospel songs.
Landscape Show Exhibit Open
s Friday
!n Southport
cuines in wc Krunswick County Landscape Show
held this past weekend will be on display at Franklin
Square Gallery in Southport April 3 through 26.
An opening reception will be held Friday, April 3,
from 6 p.m. to S p.m. at the gallery, said Emily
Wcinstein, the former Brunswick Community College
visiting artist who judged the show and conducted land
scape painting workshop held in conjunction with the
show. Light refreshments are planned. No admission
r
will be charged.
Approximately 59 picccs were submitted for consid
eration, with 45 picccs exhibited in the show.
Recognition was given in lour categories, mixed me
dia, oil anil acrylic, watcrcolor and three-dimensional,
with the winners as follows:
Mixed Media: Marily Harness, lirst for a watcrcolor
and ink, "Seaside Sampler"; Sidney Ulmcr, second for a
m
waicrcolor and pastel, "Spring's Arrival"; and Pal K.
Hoskinson, liiird lor a waicrcolor and ink,
"Conversations".
Oil and Acrylic: Erinn Cronin Wcbh, first, an
acrylic, "Storm Over Oak Island"; Thomas "Rusty"
Hughes, second, acrylic, "Under the Bridge"; and
Joseph L. Harness, third, acrylic, "Local Shrimpers".
Honorable mentions went lo Nell U. Morel/ for an oil,
"Caswell Beach," and 10 Belly Place, a diptich acry lic.
"Coastal Sand."
YVatercolor: Jennie \1. Tomlin, " Price Creek
Lighthouse," first: Mary Ellen Golden, second, "Bald
Head." and Joyce K. Mart/, "From Caswell Point," with
an honorable mention to 1 lull Scllars, "Passing Storm".
Three Dimensional: Mike Radovich. "Rainbow Tea
Time," first, with an honorable mention to Kimberly
Smittle-Caroon, "Great Day In Mornin'."
A Home Equity Line
Of Credit Helped
Donna Jackson Send Her
Son To College With More
Than Just New Towels.
Now What Can We Do For You?
At NationsBank, we know thai the ear you drive can make a difference in the
way yon live. Wil li t hat t hought driving us, we helped Donna Jackson buy her
son Paul a hatchback t hat not only helped him start his freshman year at college,
hut also helped him get a fresh start in life.
To help you get a car that can give you the most out of your life, our Loan Specialists
offer a variety of loans designed with your needs in mind. NationsBank loans can
not only help you take advantage of the lowest interest rales in 28 years* they
may also be able to help you reduce the amount you pay in taxes.
You can choose our home equity line of credit, which actually lets you write your
own loans for cars, I rucks or almost anything else you ma> need. Plus, the inter
est you pay may be tax deductible. Of course, your tax ad\ isor can help you
determine if tax deductibility may benefit you. With a home equity line, you also
get quick closing, free convenience checks and quick cash advances from any
NationsBank teller.
You can also choose from any of our quick approval car loans v\ it h a variety of
options and terms to meet your specific needs.
Visit our Loan Specialists or call today to find out how the people of Nat ionsMank
can make a difference not only in what you drive, but in how you live.
NationsBank
The PowerTb Make A Difference. M
? llii.se ili >11 IViIithI Ui'MTvr l)jsi (Hiiti Kali* r. |>.,ri. <l l?> lli<- Kiili-rat U. s. , v, Art... may vary. . HHI2N. .