Newspapers / The Perquimans Weekly (Hertford, … / Oct. 27, 1988, edition 1 / Page 4
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Perspectives Ghostly encounters As the harvest moon bulges over head, ripe as pumpkins fresh from the fields, it is time once again to share a ghostly encounter or two. Fiction or fact, Halloween tales are always entertaining, despite those that make you hair stand on end. The following are not fiction, so sit back for a moment and tune in to how some folks around you live ev ery day, not just Halloween, with the spiritual world: Ghostly sounds still echo from one deserted town now known as the Village of Voices. Where had once been homes, today there are gaping cellar holes out of which tall trees grow. Though no human habi tation exists for miles around, there is always a hum and stir of human life at this place, heard by those brave enough to venture close to it. They hear the laughter of children at play, the voices of mothers who have been dust for years, still calling those children into homes that are now mere holes in the earth. Vague snatches of songs, rumbles of heavy wagons, barking dogs and howing cattle can easily be heard in this place. Yet, there is no living being for miles around. Somehow, these sounds have pierced the mysterious bar rier. ..that soundproof wall called, "Time". In the evening, whitish blobs and ghostly streaks can be seen, along with sounds that no ma chine has successfully recorded. It remains one of the biggest mys teries of science. A manor house employee refuses to sleep alone or walk outside by herself anymore since seeing a white, transparent shape sitting in a non-existent chair near her bed, standing in a second-story window, and crossing the driveway. Photographs, belonging to both professionals and amateurs, taken in and around the historical house nearly always have "extras" in them, such as unexplained blotches of light and occasional faces and figures. Nearly every psychic and parapsychologist ex pert in the country encountered the same experience here, and vow and declare it to be justifiably haunted. A woman's cat constantly fol lows something with his eyes that she cannot see, but senses in her home. Finally, she calls in a psy chic to help learn the identity of her "guest". When a psychic goes into a place, ti tends to bring out spirits. They draw on the psychic's energy and mental powers, and will open show themselves more easily. And that's exactly what happened. The cat stopped purring the same mo ment the psychic sensed that spiri tual guest... whereupon the slowly forming figure of a woman took shape right beside them. Flames spread up in the fireplace, even though there was no wood or paper there. The apparition was clothed in a white summer dress made of lace and gauzy material, and in her hair were llacs tied with ribbon. She materialized grad ually, then also gradually faded from view. Some weeks later, the owner of the house came across an old photograph of the great-aunt she had never known, but who was born, raised and eventually died at age 36 in the house. Hie manner of dress of the woman in the photo, and facial features, were the same as the ghost... and the ghost the same as the photo. They were iden tical. Even now, at this writing, the spiritual apparition of the great aunt continues to haunt her old home. She even occasionally rear ranges floweres in their vases... f lowers freshly cut from the same garden she herself originally plan ted many years ago. Haunted dwellings. Active spir its. Unexplained lights, sounds and happenings. This world has only just begun to show us its mys teries... mysteries that, especially this week at hand, you yourself just may encounter. Justices of the Peace elected commissioners Selecting a president for the United States and a governor for North Carolina were not the only political choices required of Per quimans County's voters in 1888. Congressional and legislative seats and local offices had also to be filled. Elihu A. White (Republican) of Belvidere sought to exchange his seat in the general assembly for one in congress. His opponent was Thomas G. Skinner (Demoncrat) of Hertford. The two men were the principal leaders of their respec tive parties in Perquimans. Since the Republicans still retained great local strength, White re ceived 997 votes to Skinner's 780. (One Decater W. Jarvis also re ceived 5 votes). Skinner, however, carried the district and won the 6eat in congress, although there were suspicions of fraud. The assembly seat vacated by White was won by John D. Parker with 895 votes, only ten more than his opponent, H. H. Griffin, re ceived. Both parties captured some of the county offices. Republican Ar chibald F. Riddick defeated incum bent Democrat Tudor F. Winslow in the race of sheriff; the vote was 998 to 775. Riddick's father-in-law Josiah Nicholson, a leading merchant and Quaker, retained his position as county treasurer by polling 971 votes to the 803 cast for William S. Blanchard, also a merchant. James P. Winslow was unable to take away the office of the register of deeds from the popular Uriah Winslow Speight, who had held it for twenty years. Speight took 1006 votes to Winslow's 767. Another Speight, John W., won the office of coroner by 997 votes to John H. McMullan's 781. The most one-sided victory of the year came in the virtually uncon tested race for county surveyor. Thomas W. Babb, a Baptist pre acher and staunch Democrat, re ceived 774 votes. Thomas Morgan got 3. Some important local offices were not voted upon in the elec tions of 1888. John Quincy Adams Wood was only halfway through his current term as clerk of superior court and would not face the electo rate again until 1890. No county commissioners were elected by the people, for an en tirely different reason. A dozen years earlier, North Carolina Dem ocrats had forced a constitutional change placing the choice of com missioners with the justices of the peace rather than with the voters. In 1888 the justices chose James Monroe Whedbee, Edmund White, Elsberry W. Riddick, James W. Mullen, and Theophilus White to govern the county. There had been one other elec tion in 1888, for the town of Hert ford. William T. McMullan was chosen mayor, with Uriah W. Speight, George Durant Newby, and William F. Stokes as town commissioners. None had any se rious opposition at the polls. CLASSIFIEDS REALLY WORK! BUSINESS BUILDER AD Haunting Savings 1x1 - Retail Ad ?1.50 - 52 Weeks ?2.00 - 26 Weeks ?2.50 - 13 Weeks CALL Perquimans Weekly for more information 426-5728 1 19 N. Grubb St. Hartford, N.C. ? J Son, don't you think your a bit old for trick or treat? Charlie's corner LOCAL SCENE: Recently in trav eling throughout Perquimans County making a survey, we dis covered two galvanized steel senti nels of history.. .rural America nos talgia, if you please. These sentinels are windmills that have been out of use for many years on two farms. One windmill that was in use until disabled by Hurricane Hazel in 1954 is located on the Fleetwood Farm in the Bethel Township. J. Maynard Fleetwood told me that this windmill pumped good water from two well points to provide water for his cattle. The wind activated a bladed wheel, that turned gears to move a piston up and down in the water pump thus causing a steady stream of water to flow into a cattle watering trough. The water overflow helped to keep a farm pond filled. The cattle could hear the windmill turn ing, and they would come to the trough knowing good fresh water was being provided. (I believe cattle can smell water!!). The other windmill is located on the Nixon Plantation on U. S. 17 North of Hertford. Julian R. Mat thews, who has lived on this farm for some 43 years, said the wind mill has not been active for some 50 years. The two windmills made of steel, each some 50 feet in height, still remain structurally sound. Hie installation of electric water pumps, led to the demise of the wind driven water pumps. Both Mr. Fleetwood and Mr. Matthews have had many offers from people to buy the windmill towers. In looking at old pictures taken in Hertford and information given me by the late Phillip S. McMullen, there were a number of windmills in Hertford prior to 1916 when the Town of Hertford installed a water main system. The last windmill structure I can remember was on the George E. Major property on Market Street in the 1930's. Jasper J. Winslow of the Whites ton Community has built a wind mill structure in his 15 acre peach orchard. Hi is work of art is more like a giant "air fan" than one to pump water. The "air fan", driven by a farm tractor power take off unit, is designed to stir the air over the orchard to prevent early spring frost from killing off the peach blooms. This structure some 40 feet tall, equipped with 4 feet by 8 feet plywood sheets serving as blades, can move a lot of air. Mr. Winslow is now building a second "air fan" 48 feet tall to compliment the other windmill in keeping frost off the or chard. Mr. Winslow can do with an arc welder torch and steel any thing his mind can conceive. Like an artist using a brush, paint, and canvas, Mr. Winslow uses steel and a welding machine to create. He has built land leveling equipment and other practical farm equipment that makes good common sense the most valuable resource we have. I am afraid the use of windmills in our area is like the use of ker osene lamp6, and nine foot roads. They were valuable in their time and remembered by folks over 55 years old. (We would appreciate pictures of windmills in the * county). Little things like periods and comma's can get you in trouble! The sea level marker mentioned in a past column, should read 15 feet above sea level at the courthouse rather than 15 thousand, etc. If we were at 15 thousand feet above at the courthouse, we may experience nose bleeds. Mrs. Roberta Phillips, formerly at Snug Harbor, has moved to Nor folk. Mrs. Phillips served as a ra dio dispatcher at the Perquimans County Emergency Dispatch Cen ter in the courthouse. Mrs. Phillips was a very capable dispatcher and dedicated lady. We will miss see ing her in our county. It was good to see Tommy Jones / (Addie Keegan's son) and other 1 members of the Jones family re cently. Tommy is with the NASA space program and was on his way back to California from a Cape Ca naveral project assignment. QUESTION: When the tempera ture is 32 degrees Fahrenheit, is it freezing or thawing? Morgan plays significant part in county's progress Mrs. W. M. Morgan, affectionately known in Perquimans County as "Mama Morgan" will celebrate her 99th birthday on Friday, Octo ber 16, 1970. Well known through out Perquimans and surrounding counties Mrs. Morgan with her late husabnd, W. M. Morgan (known as the furniture man) opened up the W. M. Morgan Furniture business here in Hertford May 3, 1914. Mrs. Morgan assisted Mr. Morgan, her activities were generally confined to the bookkeeping end of the busi ness. For over twenty years Mrs. Morgan assisted her husband in the business until her health began to fail, and to restore her good health she retired from the store in 1939. The Morgans through the years built up a good furniture business in which the entire com munity is proud, and the couple kindled friendship among all of those that knew them. Mrs. Mor gan has two children, Miss Helen Morgan and Mrs. B. C. Berry. DR. I. A. WARD STILL ACTIVE AT 91: Dr. I. A. Ward, who prac ticed medicine for 60 odd years is still active at 91. On June 24, 1907, he opened his office in Weeksville and served the people of that com munity for one year. Then moved to Belvidere in Perquimans County to continue his practice of medi cine. With his horse and buggy he traveled in Perquimans and Cho wan County for years. He delivered approximately 5000 babies, at tended many with typhoid fever and pneumonia and during the first flu epidemic went from house to house attending the needs of the le without sleep and very little as long as 72 hours (three day and nights) at the time. In 1912 Dr. Ward bought his first automobile. It caught fire and burned after six months, so back he went to the horse and buggy and traveling for another year. In 1915 the good doc tor married the late Ruth Lassiter from Corapeake, Gates County, and they were blessed with four children, Ruth Alice, Alphonso, Jarvis and Marguerite, three of whom are still living. Alphonso died in service in 1944. In 1925 Dr. Ward attended college at Bel view Hospital in New York where he specialized in the treatment of dis eases of the eye, ear, nose and throat. He opened his office in Eliz abeth City, as an eye, ear, nose and throat specialist. After Dr. G. E. Newby's death in 1935, a petition from the county pole of Perqui mans County was handed to Dr. Ward, urging him to return to Per quimans as a general practitioner. He returned to Hertford in 1936 and was actively engaged in the prac tice of medicine as well as eye, ear, nose and throat work for 28 years. THE PERQUIMANS WEEKLY Established In 1932 Publith?d Eath Thursday By Th? Daily Advanc*. Elizabeth City. N.C. Second Closs Pottog* Paid at Hertford. N. C 27944 USPS 428-080 Gina K. Jepson Editor ham L Wood Advertising Manager ONE YEAR MAIL SUBSCRIPTION RATES In-County ?10.00 Out-Of-County >11.00 1 19 West Grubb Street P.O. Box 277 Hr ? tford, N.C. 27944 North Corollno PrMi A?*ociotion National N?wipap?r A??ocio?ion NEWS COUPOk. Th* n?w? and *ditorial staff of th* Perquimans Weekly would Ilk* you to loll us what kind of stories you liko to see in the paper. H th*r* i* something or tomoono you fool Is important ?or soma provocative issue you would Ilk* us to examine ? pleas*, tat us know. Just dip and fid out this coupon. Includ* as many d*toils a possible (Names, oddresses , telephone numbers, etc.) It may not be possible for us to use some of the stories tummtid but vm art ohwavi lookioa for niw id*ot WIHWIWU iw www *1 w wt ee uv* 'vwnii*^ 1 v I ivwww >uwu*. So. n*xt tim* you think of something you f**l wwM a good story, send it to: N*ws Coupon. Per- ' P.O. Box 277. Hertford. N.C 7VH* ?nu,, s?=fe.. iae? **iy The Perquimaf- Weekly , 1 19 W. Grubb St. Hertford J 426-372* I
The Perquimans Weekly (Hertford, N.C.)
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Oct. 27, 1988, edition 1
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