Newspapers / The Perquimans Weekly (Hertford, … / May 7, 1948, edition 1 / Page 2
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PAGE TWO THE PERQUIMANS HERTFORD, N. C, F: Y. KAY 7, 194S. onator Unbtoad and C3crc3 C3b' Qoiflo Coy Shared 33 Voars Of Uorli find Ploaeore : iiiiiiii k 4 ... la4 THE UMSTEAD FAMILY Shown here are Senator William B. Umstead, Mrs. Umstead and their five-year-old daughter. Merle Bradley. This picture waa taken at the Umsteid residence in Durham. Mrs. Umstead is the former Miss Merle B. Davis of Rntherford County. Durham, April 26. This is a little known story of a Durham County farm boy who became a U. S. Sen ator and a little black mare, which shared 33 years of his life. It is a story of devotion and hard work shared by a North' Carolina farm boy and his horse. Like so many good stories of American life, it re flects the character and growth of a boy whose industry and integrity car ried him to successful career as an attorney and public official. It all began one day in 1904 when a trim black colt was born on the to bacco farm of the late John W. Um stead in the northern part of this county. To the world this was no special ' event, but to the ' Umstead family and especially to Bill, a slend er, sandy-haired lad of nine, it was a day of great excitement. As Bill expected, the long-legged colt was given to him to raise as his own horse. He promptly named her Robbie, in honor of a favorite school teacher whose first name was Roberta. Under Bill's loving care, Robbie grew into a compactly-built little horse with a gentle disposition and stout heart. Her small but well shaped body and fine head gave evi dence to the good blood lines of her ancestors. While there was no doubt Robbie was more than a common work animal, to Bill she was the world's finest example of equine . beauty, strength and intelligence. By scrimping and saving like most farm boys with little cash income, Bill managed to buy a black, rubber tired buggy which Robbie pulled with an effortless trot that covered miles of dusty Durham County roads. Yet all was not play for the farm boy and his horse. Li", e most farms, life on the Umstead tobacco farm re quired long hours of work. Always an industrious lad, Bill did not mind the work, but he was. anxious to see that no one else handled Robbie, so he hurried home each day from his HAPfV HOTHEMMV MOTHCRmOM US atM FROM JOKKOfr ymttotiTHicomr WE THOUGHT YOU'D 11 KC TO KNOW Wi BOUGHT IT THERE SINCE THAT'S YOUR FAVORITE SHOPPING FOR HER WHITMAN'S and HOLLINGSWORTH CHOCOLATES Cosmetic Sets Perfumes t Toilet Waters Bath Powders Ctstum? Jewelry Biriolds Alarm Clocks Electric Fans We have just received a new shipment of Crystal and Glass ware. A very good assortment. ROBERSON'S "ON THE CORNER DRUG STORE HERTFORD, N. C. YOU ARE INVITED TO PLAY BINGO AT EIGHT O'CLOCK Tuesday Night, May 11th AT VFW POST 8237 HALL BINGO GAMES EVERY TUESDAY NIGHT . J. ''-; V-' -,.' H '-V'V- !' : 'j- ' . , 'V-,-- ' ; -, -."i. v ' '"' V ' '''.'- Hi '. . ;. " -,'.'', vy Join the Fun - Bring Yoiir Friends REFRESHMENTS r country school to make certain that he alone worked the little mare. Years passed, Bill completed high school with a good record and pre pared to enter the University of North Carolina. He and Robbie spent a busy summer before he left for Chapel Hill, and he departed for col lege with the solemn understanding from the Umstead family that Robbie would continue to receive the best care and handling. Bill did well at Chapel Hill, and at the close of his freshman and sopho more years, returned home to the farm .to team up with Robbie and make a tobacco crop so he could pay his way through school the next year. Robbie also provided transportation during the summer days for social outings and picnics. This arrange ment worked fine until the summer before the boy's last year. His father was growing old and had been unable to put in a tobacco crop, so Bill re turned home for the summer faced with the serious problem of making enough money to replace the tobacco cash income and complete his college education. His equipment consisted of Robbie and himself an alert, serious-minded young man with an inherited and ac quired capacity for hard work. For a start he worked at a saw mill for one dollar a day. Then his father dis covered that a road construction gang was planning to build a concrete bridge on a state highway nearby, so Bill went over to see the construction superintendent about a job. With his horse and another one he rented, and a wagon, Bill was given the back-breaking task of hauling sand from the river bottom to the bridge aite. Working steadily from dawn until dusk six days a week, the boy and his team soon proved to the superintendent that they could handle the job. It was not easy work for the .boy or the horses. Bill had to drive the wagon into the bottom, load a square yard tot sand by hand and then his sturdy little team of horses , had to pull the loaded wagon from the deep sand up to the bridge site. One week before school resumed at Chapel Hill, Bill and Robbie and the new horse completed the job. It meant six days a week of grueling labor unT der the summer sun from a week after school closed, in May until the first week of September. But accustomed .to hard work, Bill had hauled sand I every day, except Sundays, for his entire summer vacation and made fl enough, money to send him back to Chapel Hill for his senior year. , He was graduated from the Unu versity m 1916 with an excellent record as an intercollegiate debator and winner of . the , coyeted Mangum 'Medal. Robbie was then 12 years old. Bill went to Kinston t teach school, and Robbie was moved into the vil lage of .Bahama, where Bill's father had gone to live because Mr. Umstead was getting too old to farm. Most of. the work animals were sold ... but sell Robbie? Impossible! She was a member, of the family. ; In Majv 1917, Bill Umstead left his! teaching: Job r and friends in Kinston to enlist in the Army received brief training at Fort Oglethorpe and was sent overseas with a machine gun company where he saw combat ser vice ' in . France. Robbie waited at home with Bill's father. : Returning from service in 1919. the young veteran entered law "school at trinity College, now Duke University. This kept, him near his aging father, and Robbie 'once; again was serving her beloved master. , ; Obtaining his law license in August, 1920, Bill began the practice of law in July, 1921, and was elected Prose cuting Attorney of the Durham Coun ty Recorder's Court in 1922 and was re-elected in 1C24. - His industry, in tegrity and ch aracter won him elec tion in 1926 1 1 Coliritor of the Tenth Judicial Distri. and he was re-elected n 1930. During thce - ? rl '...s re. !W with Bill's father In E.hama. When he passed away in 1927, Robbie was boarded. , with .friends in Durham County. The busy life of a .public of ficial prevented Bill from many rides on his horse, but he never considered the possibility of selling Robbie. In 1929 Bill Umstead. married and moved into Durham to live. Time passed and in X932 Bill Um- (Continued on Page Eight) - SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON . (Continued From Page Nine) , every man. We should, appreciate the priceless heritage which has come down to us.. ' The best test of the value of the- Bible is its own contents; ' No person can read it deliberately and thought fully without being improved and hav ing higher Ideals for Hie and con duct. The literature of the World and experience of mankind is a sufficient test to the miracle-working power of the Holy Scripture in the lives of mankind. Everyone should : : adopt some method ol studying this great religious record, ' ' " Careful, thoughtful reading of the Bible will result in a definite change of the individual for the better. Greatly needed in our nation today is more regular reading of God's word. The Expositor's Dictionary of Texts. however, points out that "the Word of God must also be practised. Those people (the Jews in Ezra's time) put their Word of God into practice. Our life must be a life of repentance, of joy, of peace, of love, of wholehearted devotion and obedience, and of love, and unselfish sympathy. The Word became the power of God in their life." MOTHER'S DAY i GIFT . , 1 . SUGGESTIONS BUtOVA WATCHES MARVELLA PEARLS v CHEST OFnROGERS 1847; SILVER CAMEO BROOCH STERLING FLATWARE IMPORTED CHINA COSTUME JEWELRY FOR THE FINEST IN JEWELRY COME TO WRIGHT'S JEWELRY STORE "GUARANTEED WATCH REPAIR" Second Floor Gregory's T . ' Hertford, N. C. OFF TO A GOOD Get off to a good start for summer by getting .all your wearables in condition NOW! Call us today and have our courteous, uniformed driver stop. at your door. WW! Bargains for Builders Concrete Blocks, 8x8x16, each ,24c Flat Wall Paint, per gallon . . . : .$3.00 Mortar Cement, per bag .85c Hydrated Lime, per bag . : 65c Wool Insulation, per M... ...... .$60.00 Crushed Stone, on yard : !. .$4.00 Poultry Wire, 2"x4",per roll : $5.00 BED CEDAR , i West Coast Shingles, per square. . .$16.00 Nails, 8d Cut, per lb. lie Well Pipe, 24" Diameter, per ft ...$3.00 Flue Lining, 8x8, per ft. . 45c 18-INCH DIAMETER Concrete Pipe, per ft. . $1.9fr VARIOUS COLORS . Tile Board, per sheet $5.50 5-V Aluminum Roofing, per square. . . $10.65 Copper, in rolls, 14" wide, lb. li40c Grade A Bricks, on yard, per M. . I . . . ..$30.00 Barbed Wire, 4 ft, per roll. .$7.50 Dunktan Supply Co. NEXT DOOR TO COTTON HILLS 1 ELIZABETH CITY, N, C FOR STATE SENATOR WE WILL APPRECIATE YOUR VOTE FOR v ' OF AHOSKIE PRACTICAL BUSINESSMAN . ' SUCCESSFUL' FARMER . FQRMER COUNTY COMMISSIONER EXPERIENCED "LEGISLATOR ( PROGRESSIVE i CONSERVATIVE ; 'SAFE This Advertisement Is Contributed By His Friends and Supporters . . in1 : . .1 'WUf 1 I T 1 " f ( I I M f . ' . - - ::t::tT. : ' . 7' . i - 1L V Ci we to work, jC2t v. ; 2?bt Sj- "TT - ' 'v ' - ' ' " - )T '"'I'VUVi-- n I 9 - M ';'s
The Perquimans Weekly (Hertford, N.C.)
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May 7, 1948, edition 1
2
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