2014 1.pdf Davie Dossier, January 2014 page 1
DAVIE DOSSIER
Issued by
Davie County Historical and Genealogical Society
Mocksville, North Carolina
January 2014, Issue 1
Davie Dossier, January 2014 page 2
DAVIE COUNTY HISTORICAL AND GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY
President, Linda Leonard
Vice President, Pat Mason
Secretary, Pat Reilly
Treasurer, Marie Roth
Board of Directors, Claude Horn
Dossier Editor, Marie Roth
Webmaster, Marie Roth
Our Website, www.rootsweb.ancestry.com.com/~ncdavhgs has these features:
All the churches in Davie County
Cemeteries in Davie County with locations
Names on the War Memorial in Mocksville
Index to Bible Family Records at DCPL
Order blanks so you don’t tear up Dossier
History of nine newspapers in Davie County
Meeting Dates and Programs
Guardian Accounts, Davie Co., 1846-1859
Apprentice Bonds, Davie Co., 1829-1959
1974 booklet about old schools in Davie
Branson’s NC Business Directories for Davie Co.
Sources for black family history
Another Website about Davie County genealogy and history:
http://wiki.familysearch.org/en/Davie_County%2C_North_Carolina
Meetings are on the fourth Thursdays at 7 pm at Davie County Library History Room.
PROGRAMS IN 2014:
Jan. 23: "The Southern Cross of Honor and Crosses of Military Service and National Defense Medals
presented by the United Daughters of the Confederacy." Ed and Sue Curtis
Feb. 17 (Monday): 6:30; Library Auditorium; Library-sponsored program by Adam Miller, folk singer and
autoharp player; songs and stories behind the songs; http://www.folksinging.org/
March 27: 6:30 book sale by Friends of the Library; 7:00 basic research techniques and how to find information
in the History Room; Marie Roth
April 24
May 3: Come help with Daniel Boone Festival on the Square in Mocksville
June 26
August 9, Saturday, in Winston-Salem, Annual Workshop of Yadkin Valley Historical Association
September 25
October 23
November 20
2013 Financial Report
1/1/2013 Balance brought forward 4748.97
Received for books and maps 654.88
Received for memberships 971.00
Expenses (postage, subscriptions) -691.16
12/31/2013 Balance 5683.69
OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOU in 2014
February 6-8, 2014, Rootstech Conference: Salt Palace, Salt Lake City; attend or watch talks live online.
https://rootstech.org/
May 7-10, 2014, National Genealogical Society, Richmond Convention Center, Virginia
http://69.195.124.61/~ngsgenea/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/2014_Announcement_Brochure.pdf
August 27-30, 2014, Federation of Genealogical Societies, San Antonio TX
http://www.fgs.org/cpage.php?pt=43
Davie Dossier, January 2014 page 3
100 years ago in Davie County; The Davie Record, 7 January 1914
“The slit skirt has been with us for some time, but so far as we know the anklet and kneelet have not yet
arrived. This subject will be handled very carefully through The Record, as we noticed a few days ago that a
North Carolina editor got a flogging on account of discussing this same subject.”
“The Record hopes that the year 1914 will be the best that Mocksville has ever experienced. The town is badly
in need of more manufacturing enterprises, and we hope to see among other things a cotton factory and a
tobacco warehouse. Our town has not gone forward as fast as it should have done, and if we don’t get a hustle
on ourselves we will be lost in the shuffle. We need a few more live, bustling men who are not afraid to invest
their money at home, and we need fewer knockers. The citizens of the town are responsible for its growth and
development, and if the town is to grow, the citizens will have to pull together if anything is accomplished.
Some our citizens don’t want the town to grow, or at least it appears that way. We must welcome the stranger
to our midst instead of trying to discourage them. We want every man in Mocksville to help us boost the town
during the next twelve months.”
100 years ago in the United States
Jan 1 -first scheduled airline flight, St Petersburg-Tampa (Tony Jannus pilot)
Jan 1 - Northern & Southern Nigeria united in British colony of Nigeria
Jan 5 - James Cox of Ford Motor Co announces wages will jump from $2.40/9-hour day to $5.00/8-hour day
TOP SONGS:
St Louis Blues by W.V. Handy I Love the Ladies by Grant Clarke
Play a Simple Melody by Irving Berlin By the Beautiful Sea by Harold R. Atteridge
Land by Irving Berlin Cecile Waltz by Frank McKee
Pigeon Walk by J.V. Monaco Sylvia by Clinton Scollard
COSTS:
A loaf of bread cost $0.06 A car cost $500
A gallon of milk cost $0.36 A house cost $4,800
A dozen eggs cost $0.33 Average income was $1,055/yr
DOW Average was 75
US President was Woodrow Wilson; Vice President was Thomas R. Marshall
Hot New Toy was Tinkertoy Information above from http://dmarie.com/timecap/
DAILY NORTH CAROLINA HISTORY EMAIL : Sign up at http://nchistorytoday.wordpress.com
North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources
QUERY ABOUT McMahan/McMachan/McMakin
address: Kenneth H. Thomas, Jr., 619 Pinetree Dr., Decatur, GA 30030 404-377-4943 home
email: ktomjr@aol.com
Query: I Recently learned of descent from the McMachan/McMahan/McMakin families of Cabarrus Co. NC
and of Rowan Co. NC. Need to know from anyone who knows any link with James McMachan/McMahan
(1713-1799) who is buried in what is now Davie Co., NC but who left a will in Rowan Co., NC. I have seen
the two sketches on this man and his family in the Davie County Heritage, North Carolina 1997 volume. Not
sure the info is proven. My line descends from John Rogers who married in 1799 in Cabarrus Co., NC, Ann(a)
McMakin and moved to Montgomery and then Stanly Co., NC where he died in the 1840s. His second wife
was Sarah Biles Gordon, dau. of Thomas Biles. Anna McMakin's ancestors in Cabarrus and Rowan spell the
name many ways, including McMahan. I have been doing genealogy for 50 years but only discovered this link
this past fall. All help will be appreciated.
Davie Dossier, January 2014 page 4
MARCHMONT
Davie County Arts Council sponsored a Tour of Homes in Mocksville in December 2013. Hundreds of people
enjoyed touring seven beautiful old homes. Cooleemee also sponsored a tour of its historic homes and churches. Even if
you didn’t get to go to either one, you can enjoy just driving in the county and seeing the many historic homes which still
exist. See page 9 of this newsletter for directions for ordering the county’s guide to architecture. It has a world of
information in it about the homes and the people who lived in them.
One previous home I wanted to know more about was Marchmont (location: 35.9346, -80.3800) on the east edge
of Davie. I planned to find just a little bit of info and a photo and then move on. But I have been taken hostage by this
research and the people who lived there. I was even able to go visit the site where the house used to stand. The original
home was literally falling apart and could not be saved. A beautiful home sits in the same location now on this steep hill
not far from the Yadkin River, and this home site has a circular driveway near the top of the hill. The first home was built
about 1885. The house had 14 rooms and 14 fireplaces. The driveway would have been notched into the hill with great
labor. The home builder, Col. William Booe March, previously had slaves, but this home was built after the Civil War.
The road builders would have been employees instead of slaves. The boxwoods, rock pillars, and rock wall remain, along
with large granite posts along the road. There is a rocked-in spring at the bottom of this steep hill. Beyond this is the flat
bottom land (about 1300 feet) leading to the Yadkin River. There were 500 acres of land in the estate and 250 acres
across the Yadkin River. A great granddaughter remembered how Col. March would climb the spiral staircase to the
cupola and watch the work on his plantation through a telescope. At one time, Gaither Sanford of Mocksville was the
caretaker.
Col. William Booe March (22 March 1819 – 30 September 1897) Marchmont
“An announcement in the September 4, 1885 edition of the Davie Times stated that March had given the contract
to build a new residence to H.L. Austin (1853-1922) of Farmington. Austin was the son of Henry R. Austin, who
designed and built the first Davie County Courthouse.” (The Historic Architecture of Davie County, page 234) He would
have been 66 years old.
Davie Dossier, January 2014 page 5
Four generations in 1895:
Col. William Booe March
His daughter at far right, Mary Frances
Mary Frances’ daughter, Luna in middle
Two little girls are daughters of Luna
Luna was a Williams who married a Williams.
Mary Frances Williams at right is holding her granddaughter, Mary
Frances Williams
William raised two daughters alone, Mary Frances and Alice
Virginia, and Mary Frances raised two daughters alone, Luna and
Stella. Both had spouses who died young.
CHRONOLOGY OF WILLIAM BOOE MARCH
1819, 22 March Birth; about 6 miles east of Mocksville
1822, 22 June Mary Moriah Gaither, future wife, was born
1836 Davie County formed
1842, 1 September Marriage Bond; to Mary Moriah Gaither; John Clement, witness; James M. Stephen, Bondsman.
1843, 25 November daughter, Mary Frances “Fanny” born
1845, 27 September daughter, Alice Virginia born
1847, January 14 wife, Mary, died, 24 years old; she was buried at Joppa Cemetery
1842-1850 sheriff
1850 census Davie sheriff, living with his two daughters, 6 and 4, Henry R. Austin and Elvira Gaither Austin,
their 5 children, Anna Austin, and 2 male boarders. Elvira was sister to his deceased wife, Mary.
1850 slave census 5 slaves; 1 male, 60; 1 female, 60; 1 male, 40; 1 female, 35; 1 male, 20
1853 John Hall, trader, shot WBM but he recovered
1854-1858 Served in NC House of Representatives
1860 census 41, trader and farmer, living in Liberty District with daughters, 14 and 13, and Philip Booe, trader,
40. William’s worth was $73,000 and Philip’s worth was $1,000. Philip was William’s cousin.
1860 slave census Slave schedule, he owned 28 slaves
1861, July 21 First Manassas
1861, 8 October Given a Permit to go to Richmond and Manassas
1862, 27 May Fanny married Dr. Francis Rush Williams
Civil War Dr. Williams was Second Lieutenant of Company B. of the militia
William March trained men for the militia on the square in Mocksville
1862, August 28-30 Second Manassas
1863, 11 February Granddaughter, Stella, born to Dr. and Mrs. Williams
1964 Served in NC Senate
1865, 17 June Granddaughter, Luna, born to Dr. and Mrs. Williams
1868, 20 July Dr. Williams died
1870 census 51, farmer in Fulton; name listed as W.B.
1874 Had to sell land at public auction; his daughters bought it
1879, 29 September Daughter, Alice Virginia died
1880 census 61, boarder, general debility, in Fulton; living with daughter Fanny and her 2 daughters, and 2
servants; name listed as W.B.
1885 Marchmont plans were made; WBM would have been 66
1897, 30 September WBM was stricken in court and died at Mocksville Davie Hotel; he was 78; buried at Joppa
Cemetery beside his wife
1943 Luna’s daughters sold Marchmont to A.Z. Hoots at her death; it included 412 acres
1986 House still standing; Lexington newspaper article and architecture book
Davie Dossier, January 2014 page 6
JESSE A. CLEMENT PLANTATION HOUSE
Submitted by Margaret Cevasco
The home of Jesse A. Clement (1808-1876) is a
small but vital part of Davie County history. Believed to
have been built the same year that Jesse married Melinda
Nail (1810-1871) in 1828, it still stands as an example of
the regional Federal style popular during those times. It is
a two story home built by slaves with bricks made on the
property. The legend goes that Jesse had his slaves put
straw, corn and water in a suitable place and then set free
the pigs to rout and churn the dirt in order to make the mud
used to form the bricks. Visitors come to look for the
remnants of yellow corn in the bricks.
The bricks are a combination of English and
Flemish bond. (The Flemish style being more decorative
with the two walls facing guests as they came to visit.) It is
a three bay home with 9 over 9 sash windows that still
retain some of the original wavy glass. There are seven
hand carved fireplaces, and much of the original interior
remains intact including heart pine flooring, pegged doors
and woodwork. You can see the large pegs in the attic
tying the roof together.
The outbuildings
including the slave
quarters, kitchen, ice
house and barn no longer
exist. There is one piece
of furniture left that was
original to the house. A
maple candle stand still
sits in the main room
today.
Jesse’s
plantation originally was
200 acres with maple
trees lining the drive
leading to the home. A
family cemetery,
originally on Clement
property is located on
present day Eaton St.
The remaining 14 acres still have an abundance of maple,
walnut and various other trees.
Jesse was of German descent. His grandfather,
Johann Henrich (1737-1807) having immigrated in 1765 as
a Prussian soldier during the American Revolution, settled
in the Tyro area with his wife Sophia (b.1747) after
receiving a Granville land grant. One of Johann’s sons,
Henry Clement Jr., (1768-1819/20), married Mary
Elizabeth Winkler (1760-1845) and had seven children
together. Jesse A. Clement was the youngest of his
children.
Jesse was instrumental in forming the current First
United Methodist Church in Mocksville. In 1833, he
listened to a circuit rider, Charles Moorman, preach at
Bethel Methodist and was converted. He then chose to
open his home for church services and later donated the
lumber to build the first Methodist church in downtown
Mocksville.
Active in state politics, Jesse helped form the
Yadkin Plank Road Company which built the road from
Mocksville to Lexington. Jesse also served in the NC
House of commons from 1838-1839. His brother, John,
who had a neighboring plantation, was in the House of
Commons during 1836 and presented the bill which was to
form Davie County from what was then a part of Rowan
County.
Jesse was very prosperous before the Civil War,
owning a brokerage firm dealing in plug tobacco, cotton
and wheat and he also owned a tannery, but the war
brought hard times. Although exempt from service at age
53, he chose to fund and organize Calvary Company F, the
Davie Grays. He fought in several locations, including
Fredericksburg and Harpers Ferry. Two of his sons, Baxter
Clegg and Jesse Lee, also fought for the Confederacy.
Both ended up prisoners of war until after the war ended.
At one point, during the war, the Yankee, General
George Stoneman’s troops were raiding the area, looking
for food and supplies. But when they reached the Clement
home all they found was what looked like spoiled meat.
After his troops left, the slaves brushed the flour off the
meat and returned it to the smoke house.
The home was occupied by Clements through
1944, when Lina Clement, the wife of their 4th child, Baxter
Clegg Clement died. It was then rented out until 1978. At
that point Rev. Bill Long and his wife, Ann, purchased the
home and with the help of NC Preservation, restored the
home to its current beautiful condition. It was put on the
National Register of Historic places in 1980. My husband,
Mike and I have had the blessing of purchasing the
Clement plantation house from the Longs in 2006 and
continue to enjoy the stewardship and the sharing of the
history of Jesse Clement’s home.
Davie Dossier, January 2014 page 7
BASIC SUMMARY OF DNA USED WITH GENEALOGY
You inherit half of your DNA from your father and half from your mother.
Tests will show information only about your direct ancestors – not your aunts, uncles,
cousins, or siblings.
Tests cost between $80 and $150.
There are three types of tests:
1. Autosomal, atDNA, tests all ancestry and gives a broader view of your
ancestors; men and women can be tested.
2. Mitochondrial, mtDNA, tests the maternal lines. A woman passes along her DNA to her sons and
daughters, but only the daughters pass it to their sons and daughters in the next generation. Men
cannot pass this DNA to their children. Men and women can take this test, but it will show only
the maternal lines. For more information: see National Genealogical Society Journal, October-
December 2013, pages 26-30. This magazine is on the reading table in the history room at Davie
Library. Our society pays for this subscription.
3. Y-chromosome, Y-DNA, tests men on their paternal lines. Women cannot take this test and no data
is found for female ancestors.
Many companies are selling kits for testing DNA. Ancestry.com and 23 and Me are probably the two best -
known. National Geographic has its project called Genographic .
An easy-to-understand YouTube video which explains how to understand an Ancestry.com DNA test is located
at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiClHKiWcGI
REPORT FROM NEWSPAPER DIGITIZATION
This is an email from the Director of Davie County Public Library, Jane McAllister:
“There are two parts to the newspaper digitization project.
1. The NC Digital Heritage Center at UNC-CH is digitizing small town newspapers, including Cooleemee
Journal, now available online at http://www.digitalnc.org/newspapers/the-cooleemee-journal-cooleemee-n-c/
2. We are also working with a vendor to digitize our larger newspapers and receive searchable PDF files.
Those files are too large to post online, so instead we are burning CDs that will be available in the history
room. Files for the Mocksville Enterprise (1922-1958) and the DC Enterprise-Record (1958 thru 2011) have
been completed. Files for The Davie Record (1899-1956) have not been completed. We hope to complete this
project by June 2014.
A PRAYER FOR GENEALOGISTS by Curtis Woods
Lord, help me dig into the past
And sift the sands of time
That I might find the roots that made
This family tree of mine.
Lord, help me trace the ancient roads
On which my fathers trod
And led them through so many lands
To find our present sod.
Lord, help me find an ancient book
Or dusty manuscript
That’s safely hidden now away
In some forgotten crypt;
Lord, let it bridge the gap that haunts
My soul when I can’t find
The missing link between some name
That ends the same as mine.
Davie Dossier, January 2014 page 8
NEW WEB SITE WITH LOTS OF INFORMATION
Www.extremegenes.com is a really interesting site with a 45 minute weekly radio show. You can listen with a program
called iHeart Radio, or you can listen to previous programs from your computer, or download previous programs onto
your smart phone or tablet. I have been listening while I walk on the treadmill and while driving on a Christmas trip.
These are the topics so far. Look for a new program each week.
No. Topics
1 Charlemagne; DNA; Fort Douglas Cemetery volunteer
2 Heritage Societies
3 Genealogy in very old Bible -- coincidence?
4 Limiting access to vital records; Ground Penetrating Radar
5 ?Line back to Adam? Restoring damaged media
6 Repairing tombstones; DNA summary
7 Oral traditions; preserving recordings
8 Genealogy crafts
9 Using newspapers in research; online sites
10
Ancestry and FamilySearch will combine efforts;
Manhattan Project worker now interviews soldiers
11 Who Do You Think You Are interview
12 Researching in large cities; are you descended from a pirate?
13 Find a Grave founder interview; how to store VHS tapes
14 Ancestry DNA program; Family Search
15 Ghost stories
16 Ellis Island reopening; Billion Graves founder interview
17 King Tut; David Laskin, author of The Family
18 Pilgrims, Puritans, the Mayflower
19 Heritage Consulting, advice on a road trip
20 Book printed in 1640; WW2 plane crash
21 Recording found of an ancestor who lived to be 103
22 Recapping best genealogy stories of 2013
OTHER WEB SITES ABOUT GENEALOGY:
www.newspaper.com ; online newspapers, subscription
www.fultonhistory.com ; free online newspapers of New York; scanned by a volunteer; 20 million pages
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/ ; Library of Congress newspaper scanning , 1836-1922, free
http://tmcplace.com/ ; this company updates media to current format; ex., VHS to DVD; super 8 film to DVD
www.familysearch.org ; there are new features: your family tree, upload family photos and identify each person, more
extracted names
www.FindAGrave.com; some entries contain genealogical information; 110 million graves; contacting the submitter
might find a new cousin who can information with you
http://www.archives.gov/research/genealogy/ ; National Archives suggestions for basic research
Davie Dossier, January 2014 page 9
ORDERING BOOKS AND MAPS (Out of state residents don’t pay state tax when ordering.)
Title Author Non-
NC
NC No. Cost
BOOKS:
Davie County.A Brief History, paperback James W. Wall, 128 pages $9.00 $9.39
The Boone Families in Davie County Wall, Howell Boone, Flossie Martin $8.00 $8.31
Davie County Marriages 1836-1900 Nancy K. Murphy $25.00 $26.55
Davie County Marriages 1901-1959 Nancy K. Murphy $25.00 $26.55
Davie County Cemeteries, a 2-volume set D.C. Historical/Gen. Soc. $55.00 $58.88
1850 Federal Census-Davie County Forsyth Genealogical Society $15.00 $15.68
1860 Federal Census-Davie County Nancy K. Murphy and Everette Sain $20.00 $21.16
1870 Federal Census-Davie County Nancy K. Murphy and Everette Sain $20.00 $21.16
MAPS:
Lagle Land Grant $8.00 $8.31
Hughes Historical, 1700's, drawn in 1977 $8.00 $8.31
J.T. Alderman, 1887 $6.00 $6.47
Wilson F. Merrell, 1928 $6.00 $6.47
POSTCARDS OF DAVIE CO. SCENES, (set of 8) $2.50 $2.50 $2.50
CD of all issues Davie Dossier since 1987 $7.00 $7.39
TOTAL NUMBER AND COST
Davie County Heritage Book, non-NC resident cost is $45; NC resident cost is $48.10.
Make check to Davie County Heritage Book. Use DCHGS address below.
The Historic Architecture of Davie Co., non-NC resident cost is $30; NC resident cost is $31.94.
History of Davie County, hardback, by James W. Wall, 449 pages; non-NC resident cost is $30; NC resident cost is
$31.94. Make check to Davie County Public Library. Use DCHGS address below.
The Civil War Roster of Davie County by Mary Alice Miller Hasty and Hazel Miller Winfree incorporates biographical
and military service sketches of 1,147 Davie County Civil War veterans. Non -NC resident cost is $60. NC resident cost is
$64.26. Checks should be made out to M & M Books and sent to Mary Alice Hasty, 105 East Brick Walk Court,
Mocksville NC 27028.
Images of America, Davie County by Debra Dotson and Jane McAllister. 128 page book of old photos and descriptions.
Order from Jane McAllister, DCPL, 371 N. Main St., Mocksville NC 27028. Make check to Jane McAllister. Non -NC
resident cost is $26.99. NC resident cost is $28.69.
History of Davie County Schools, 318 pages, by Marie Benge Craig Roth has photos, locations, longitude/latitude, names
of students, and teachers. There is an 18 page index of 3,222 names. A chronology describes the evolution of the school
system in Davie. Make check to Marie Roth for $40.26 for non-residents and $43 for NC resident. Order: 276 Park Ave.,
Mocksville NC
Davie County in World War One by Marie Benge Craig Roth has 670 biographies of Davie men and women who served,
photographs, old letters, description of military bases, and extensive index. 400 pages. Make check to Marie Roth for
$42.47 for non-residents and $45 for NC resident. Order: 276 Park Ave., Mocksville NC 27028 .
Davie County Veterans’ Memorial, by Marie Benge Craig Roth has lists of all war deaths and biographies and photos of
WW2, Korean, Vietnam, and Beirut Bombing deaths. Tom Ferebee’s 32 minute talk at the dedication in 1987 is
included. $31.23 for non-resident and $33 for NC resident. Order: 276 Park Ave., Mocksville NC 27028.
Cana Connections, 201 pages, by Betty Etchison West; Life in Cana in the Thirties and Forties and Special People with
Cana Connections. There are many biographies and photos of people and buildings. Order from Betty West, 3532 NC
Hwy. 801 North, Mocksville NC 27028. Make check to Betty West for $35, which includes tax and shipping.
Looking Back at Davie County II by Charles Crenshaw and Ron Smith. $45. Mail orders to Charles Crenshaw, 421
Park Avenue, Mocksville NC 27028
DCHGS, 371 North Main Street, Mocksville NC 27028
You are encouraged to send articles and queries to be published in this next issue.
Send to DCHGSList@gmail.com
Davie Dossier, January 2014 page 10
Davie county historical/genealogical society
371 North Main Street
Mocksville NC 27028
If you would like to receive your Dossier as a PDF attachment in an E-mail instead of a paper copy,
please send an E-mail message to the editor at dchgslist@gmail.com.
Please state “E-mail my Dossier instead of mailing a paper copy” and include your E-mail address. This
saves money, time, postage, effort, and paper.
The number beside your name, above, shows the year for which you last paid $5 dues. Example: if you have a 13 by your
name, you have paid dues through 2013 and owe us for 2014, or $5.
Time Marches On: Now it’s time to pay 2014 dues.
MEMBERSHIP for a calendar year is still just $5.00/year. Life Membership is $100 per person.
We are 501(c)(3) and dues are tax deductible.
Below is a registration form for your use; checks, payable to the Society.
DAVIE COUNTY HISTORICAL AND GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY (DCHGS)
Davie County Public Library, 371 Main Street
Mocksville, North Carolina 27028
NAME ________________________________________________________________________
ADDRESS _____________________________________________________________________
E-MAIL ADDRESS ______________________________________________________________
Send my copy by E-mail instead of paper; yes, no