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2014 2.pdf Davie Dossier, April 2014 page 1 DAVIE DOSSIER Issued by Davie County Historical and Genealogical Society Mocksville, North Carolina April 2014, Issue 2 Davie Dossier, April 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. DCHGS PROGRAMS IN 2014: Jan. 23: Beginning Genealogy and Location of Research Materials in the History Room by Marie Roth 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: Civil War author, Brenda McKean, Blood and War at my Doorstep; http://www.bloodandwaratmydoorstep.com/ April 26: 10:00 am, Field trip to Tyro Plantation May 3: Come help with Daniel Boone Festival on the Square in Mocksville June 26: Lynn Rumley, mayor of Cooleemee, history and future of Cooleemee August 9, Saturday, in Winston-Salem, Annual Workshop of Yadkin Valley Historical Association; see description in next section September 25: October 23: Marcia Phillips, preserving heirlooms November 20: OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOU in 2014 May 7-10, National Genealogical Society, Richmond Convention Center, Virginia http://69.195.124.61/~ngsgenea/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/2014_Announcement_Brochure.pdf Sat. August 9, 8-5, Yadkin Valley Historical Association Annual Workshop, Advent Moravian Church, 1514 Clemmonsville Rd., Winston-Salem; Theme Genealogy in the 21st Century: New Electronic and Digital Tools that help us do Research and Publish Family History; Featured Speakers are Billy King of the Forsyth Library NC Room; Cindy Green of the (Mormon) Family History Center; Nelson Weller on publishing with Family Tree Maker; Cindy Green on Genograms; Bob Lockett on DNA; John Reynolds on Problems from DNA reports. Fee $15. for preregistered, includes hot lunch made by church ladies-- walk ins on the day will not get lunch. http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ncyadvha/ August 27-30, Federation of Genealogical Societies, San Antonio TX; http://www.fgs.org/cpage.php?pt=43 Davie Dossier, April 2014 page 3 THE MEANING OF GRAVESTONE ENGRAVINGS Object Meaning Anchor/Ships Hope or a Mariner Arches Victory in Death Arrows Mortality Bird Eternal Life Bird Flying Resurrection Book open Teacher Bible open Minister Bouquets of flowers Condolences, grief, sorrow Broken column Loss of head of family Bugles Resurrection or military Butterfly Short lived, early death Candle being snuffed Time, mortality Cherub Angelic Corn Ripe old age Cross Emblem of faith Crossed swords High ranking military person Darts or coffin Father time Dove Innocence, gentleness, affection, purity Flying birds Flight of the soul Fruit Eternal plenty Garlands Victory in death Hands shaking Farewell Harp Praise to the Maker Hearts Soul in bliss, or love of Christ Horns The Resurrection Hourglass Swiftness of time Hand of God Chopping Sudden death Hourglass with wings Time flying, short life Imps Mortality Ivy Friendship and Immortality Lamb Innocence Laurel Fame or victory Lily, Lily of the Valley Innocence and purity Morning Glory Beginning of life Oak leaves and acorns Maturity, ripe old age Palm branches Victory and rejoicing Picks and shoves Mortality Poppy Sleep Portals Passageway to eternal life Rings broken Family circle severed Rose bud Morning of life, renewal Rose fully opened Prime of life Davie Dossier, April 2014 page 4 Roses Brevity of earthly life Shells Pilgrimage of life Stars and stripes/eagle Eternal vigilance, liberty Thistles Remembrance Tombs Mortality Torch Inverted Life extinct Tree stump with ivy Head of family immortality Trees Life Trumpeters Heralds of resurrection Urn with blaze Undying friendship Urn with wreath/crepe Mourning Weeping willow Sorrow Wheat sheaf Ripe for harvest, time Winged effigies Flight of the soul What’s that 1.5 inch stainless steel circle on the tombstone? It’s a Memory Medallion. Scan it with your smart phone and you’ll be able to read a biography of the person online. It contains a QR code which you can scan with your smart phone. This will direct you to a Web site that describes the person with words, video, or audio. More information: http://www.memorymedallion.com/ North Carolina Cemetery Laws about Abandoned and Neglected Cemeteries: http://cemeterycensus.com/law/nc-law.htm North Carolina Cemetery Commission: http://nccemetery.com/ Jack Koontz presented a new flag set with both the American and NC state flag to the Davie County Public Library in recognition and appreciation for the work of the Davie County Historical and Genealogical Society in documenting county history. The flag set resides in the library auditorium. This presentation preceded the January 23 meeting. Davie Dossier, April 2014 page 5 WRITING DOWN YOUR MEMORIES Would you like to receive a copy of descriptions that one of your ancestors wrote about daily life? Names, dates and places are basic facts of life, but even better would be memoirs of that person’s life. You could keep a journal or diary of your memories and events that your descendants would treasure. A person who described her memories is Louise Graham Stroud (12 January 1913 – 26 February 2008). She was daughter of the editor of the local newspaper, a piano teacher, and a writer. She wrote a book, Music Antic-Notes, in which she described her years of teaching piano students and some of the humorous and interesting events. The History Room has a copy of this book, plus a set of her many articles appearing in the local newspaper. Following is an excerpt from one of her articles which appeared in the Davie County Enterprise Record on 4 April 2002 when she was 89. The Flood of 1916, and Other Memories I seem to be having some random thoughts of things that happened a long time ago. I understand that’s what happens to old people. I barely remember the flood of 1916. People all around went over to look at the Yadkin River (between here and Winston). I didn’t get to see it, but my daddy’s brother was a photographer in Winston and he came over to make pictures. At the time he made the pictures, the water was one foot below the bridge. I always heard that when it peaked, the water was level with the bridge. I think I gave those photographs to the library several years ago. Something else I remember (it must have been 1917), a group of young men came to our home (upstairs) the night before they were leaving the next morning to fight in World War I. I was allowed to stay up for a while. I remember everybody talking and then listening to Victrola records. I think mama served refreshments. It was a sad time and my parents were trying to give the boys a good send-off. I don’t remember who they were or if they all came back. Something I hadn’t thought of in years suddenly came to mind recently. Mr. and Mrs. Bob Wilson and their family lived just beyond the N. Mocksville town limits on what was then known as Bob Wilson’s Hill. Fairly early in the morning, Bob Wilson would come to town in his horse drawn covered wagon full of meat. When he reached the square, he would call out in a loud voice (which could easily be heard inside the house), “Do you want to buy some beef?” The wagon was filled with meat and Mr. Bob was prepared to weigh it with the scales in the back of the wagon. I suppose he had pork, too, but all I remember hearing him holler about was the beef. I guess he sold it all along the way, and it must have worked out well for him. When you mention the Chatauqua, a person has to have lived quite a while to know what you’re talking about. The Chatauqua consisted of three days of entertainment by a group of actors and actresses who came to Mocksville, giving performances nightly upstairs in the Davie County Courthouse. I can’t remember whether or not there were any afternoon programs. Since there were no radios, TVs or movie theaters here at that time, entertainment was scarce, so the whole community turned out to enjoy Chatauqua. I remember particularly enjoying one program. A group of native Hawaiians sang and played instruments and the stage was decorated accordingly. The Courthouse seems to have served a number of purposes. I remember one time when sheets and quilts were put on the floor in the upstairs courtroom, and a large number of children had their tonsils removed on the same day. I can’t remember if they stayed overnight. Children would be examined and if their tonsils were the least bit bad, parents would be advised to have them removed. When I was about 12 years old, we were still living upstairs in downtown Mocksville and the Davie Record office and the Princess Theater were on the first floor of the building. Every Saturday, the theater had a continuing two-reel serial and a western feature film. The price was 10 cents. I usually went. My sister was born before daybreak one Saturday morning, and I was torn between wanting to stay with the new baby and going downstairs to the movie. I really didn’t care about the feature, but I hated to miss the next installment of what I think was the Life of Daniel Boone. So I saw the serial and didn’t stay for the feature, and I was only charged a nickel. I guess you can’t beat that. I grew up with the silent movies, and there was a pause after every two reels while the next two were being put in the machine. Young folks today just don’t know what they missed. Flood of 1916: Photos at http://www.digitalnc.org/exhibits/digital-davie/?theme=Transportation Chautauqua: This is still in existence; research its history since 1874 at http://www.ciweb.org/our-history-about-us Photo of Louise Stroud: http://www.digitalnc.org/exhibits/digital-davie/?theme=Biography, 4th row down, 9th across Davie Dossier, April 2014 page 6 Remembering Downtown Businesses by Louise Stroud Davie County Enterprise Record, 7 August 2003 I suppose most people remember when the Bank of Davie was located on the southern end of the square where the County Administration Building now sits. About halfway between the back of the bank and the Bargain House was a door which led to the upstairs where the Masons and the Order of the Eastern Star held their meetings in the Masonic Hall. They gave me permission to have one of my piano recitals there. I’m not sure whether Walker’s Bargain House was before or after a wholesale grocery company which was located on that same lower end of the bank building. I do remember that Charlie Thompson worked there, and he and his family lived on Church Street, the first house beyond Deano’s. I think he traveled for the company. Later, D.L. Pardue’s store occupied that building for a while before moving to where J.C. Dwiggins had a dry goods store many years ago. This later housed C.J. Angell Appliance Co. I believe the Western Auto store followed Pardue’s in the Masonic building. George Rowland operated that for some years. It was later run by Mr. and Mrs. Sam Howell. On the left of Western Auto was Meroney’s Hardware Store, which was owned and operated for many years by Flynn Meroney and sons. Later, E.W. Junker had a store there. In the old days, P.K. Manos ran a café, which was later run by a relative, Dennis Silverdis and wife. This was when the Post Office was where Miss Judy’s Dolls is now (2003) located. Between the café and the Post Office was a door leading to the second floor, where Dr. E.C. Choate, dentist, had an office and later, Dr. P.H. Mason, had his dental office there. Attorney Jacob Stewart also had his office on the second floor. John Sanford ran Sanford Bros. there, and Katherine Kurfees Meroney worked for him for years. Marie’s Beauty Shop was located there on the second floor for a time. The library occupied one room here at one time. When John Durham was mayor of Mocksville, his office was there on the second floor. Another office that was there for some time was that of Prof. W.F. Robinson, Supt. of Public Instruction. His secretary was Miss Jessie Woff, daughter of Rev. W.B. Woff, pastor of First Baptist Church in the 1920s. I’m sure there were others that I don’t remember. I believe that Dr. Clyde Young, veterinarian, had his office there for a while. Mr. and Mrs. Millard Harmon and their daughter, Billie Jean, lived in an apartment on the third floor. When they were preparing to move to their home on Salisbury Street, I wondered how in the world they were going to get their piano down. Then I realized that they got it up there, so surely they could get it down, which they did. I remember that Phil Young at one time ran his undertaking shop (they didn’t call them funeral homes in those days) in the building that set back from the street, between the American Café and the building that houses a beauty shop and other businesses. After that, the G.G. Walker Motor Co. was located there along about 1929 or 1930. This building was torn down years ago. I don’t know the year the Princess Theatre opened, but it was not open when we moved downtown in 1914. Beside our newspaper office, where Star Furniture was located, was Ben Hooper’s Hardware Store. Later, it must have been about 1923, Mr. and Mrs. J.A. Daniel opened the Princess Theatre there. We lived upstairs and heard the player piano until 11 o’clock every night, except Sunday. Some time later, when the theatre moved across the street beside the Mocksville Hotel, it was run by Mr. and Mrs. Frank Fowler and Mrs. Fowler played the piano. Recently I was asked who the movie stars were in my young days – the days of silent movies. When I was very young, my favorite male star was Thomas Meighan. Other stars that I remember were Lila Lee, Gloria Swanson (who made it into the talkies), Bebe Daniels, Pola Negri, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks (who usually starred together), Charlie Chaplin (the comedian), and sisters Dorothy and Lillian Gish. Lillian died not too long ago, and I think she was in several movies late in life. Tom Mix and Tex Ritter played in western movies. Much later, Myrna Loy and Claudette Colbert came along. Two of my all-time favorites were Nelson Eddy and Jeannette MacDonald. Since I have been writing this column, I have met some very interesting people, some by telephone and some in person, who were kind enough to say that they enjoyed reading about Mocksville in its early days. Back when I was chauffeuring my father, who didn’t drive, over Davie County years ago in our little Whippet, we knew just about everybody in the county. Now, I feel I know very few. Of course, many of my contemporaries are no longer here. An old store in Mocksville: http://www.digitalnc.org/exhibits/digital-davie/?theme=Architecture, 3rd row down, 1st image Princess Theatre: http://www.digitalnc.org/exhibits/digital-davie/?theme=Social%20Life%20%26%20Customs 4 down, 8th image Davie Dossier, April 2014 page 7 ORDERING BOOKS AND MAPS (Out of state residents don’t pay state tax when ordering.) Title Author Non-NC NC No. Cost 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 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 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, April 2014 page 8 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