2022 03 WaterDAVIE DOSSIER
Issued by
Davie County Historical and Genealogical Society
Mocksville, North Carolina
July 2022, Issue 3
WATER
Davie Dossier, July 2022 page 1
DAVIE COUNTY HISTORICAL AND GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY
President, Linda Leonard
Vice President, Marcia Phillips
Secretary,
Treasurer, Marie Craig
Board of Directors
Dossier Editor, Marie Craig
Webmaster, Marie Craig
Websites for Davie County Research:
Our Website:https://sites.google.com/view/dchgs .
Description of books and maps for sale:https://sites.google.com/view/dchgsbooksmaps
Historical Data to research:http://www.daviecountync.gov/440/Genealogy-Local-History .
FamilySearch Wiki for Davie:
http://wiki.familysearch.org/en/Davie_County%2C_North_Carolina
FamilySearch records for Davie:
https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/results?count=20&placeId=191015&query=%2Bplace%3A%22United%2
0States%2C%20North%20Carolina%2C%20Davie%22
Davie County GenWeb:http://ncgenweb.us/davie/
Davie County Public Library:http://www.daviecountync.gov/440/Genealogy-Local-History .
Genealogy data in newspapers, Bibles, Daniel Boone Family info, church history, and Flossie Martin records.
Back issues (1987-2016) and index of the Davie Dossier are online at
http://www.daviecountync.gov/440/Genealogy-Local-History .
FindAGrave for Davie County:
https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/search?name=&locationId=county_1680&page=1#cem-2640813
Digital Davie:https://www.digitalnc.org/exhibits/digital-davie/
Cemeteries in Davie:http://cemeterycensus.com/nc/davie/
Meetings are supposed to be on the fourth Thursdays at 7 pm at Davie County Library History Room.
CONFERENCES
National Genealogical Society:24-28 May 2022, Sacramento CA; “Our American Mosaic” You can stream.
See https://conference.ngsgenealogy.org/. (NGS has merged with Federation of Genealogical Societies.)
RootsTech:2-4 March 2023, online and at Salt Lake City See https://www.rootstech.org. Archived online.
North Carolina Genealogical Society has webinars on Wednesdays.https://www.ncgenealogy.org/webinars/
Davie Dossier, July 2022 page 2
Water? What a dumb title.
Or,is it?We can’t live without water.The
many creeks (Hunting,Bear,Cedar,Dutchmans,and
many others)were desirable locations for homes
hundreds of years ago because of the need for water.
“The creek was also a source of water,so
essential long before there were pipes underground or
faucets in houses.Humans as well as animals accessed
the creek water to meet their needs.”(Davie County
Mavericks, page 30, by Marcia D. Phillips)
Before Davie County was established from
Rowan County,this section was called “Fork of the
Yadkins.”There are still roads bearing the names of
ferries from the 1800s.Davie County has eastern and
southern borders of the two Yadkin Rivers.
The study of water in Davie County can expand
to rivers,creeks,fords,ferries,and bridges.What
seemed like a small research project for this Dossier
turned into a huge project.I have concentrated on ferries
for the south and east borders of Davie bounded by the
two Yadkin Rivers.
I am suggesting a reading assignment in James
Wall’s History of Davie County (pages 94-100)about the
failed attempt to make the Yadkin River navigable for
floating crops downstream for selling.
Dr.John Anderson section of Davie Doctors:
“Purchasing the Eli Gray place on the west side of
Hunting Creek on the Old Georgia Road,he kept horses
on both sides of the creek.Whenever the creek was up
and the bridge was down,Dr.Anderson was prepared to
visit his patients on both sides of the creek.”
I used the Website www.newspapers.com and
searched for Mocksville newspapers and the word
“ferry” which produced many hits.
The shoals on the Lower Yadkin was the site of
a mill powered by water.Later,the Cooleemee Cotton
Mill was built because of this location of falling water to
produce hydroelectric power.See Jim Rumley’s book
Cooleemee,page 10,for discussion of creating the mill
beside the lower Yadkin River.
The next time you ride on a bridge over a creek
or river,look around and imagine that you are on a ferry
crossing with your horse and buggy.Have your money
ready --you will need twenty-five cents to pay for the
ride if it’s 1848.The table of ferries,page 7,probably
incomplete, was compiled from many sources.
Water,so essential,led to too much material to
include in these pages.
“Today’s highways pass over
our state's many rivers on
bridges so efficient that the
driver is scarcely conscious of
the flowing water below. But
before bridges were common –
that is, through most of our
state’s history – crossing a river
often meant relying on a private
ferry. These simple
conveyances – like the
Cooleemee ferry across the
Yadkin River, pictured at left –
were indispensable to travel in
North Carolina for hundreds of
years.”
Source:https://movingnorthcarolina.net/the-ferry/
Davie Dossier, July 2022 page 3
Road, Bridge, Ferry Book by Stewart E. Dunaway
When I (Marie Craig) published my 10 Davie history books and 14 family
history books, I used Lulu.com. I searched for Davie County on that site and found
an interesting book which our library bought on my recommendation. The North
Carolina State Archives has paper files about roads, bridges, and ferries in the
1800s. Stewart E. Dunaway copied all those files for Davie County, transcribed the
handwritten documents, and published this book. There are about 350 items in
these 667 pages. The following is the author ’s introduction to his book.
Introduction to Stewart E. Dunaway’s book:
“Davie County Road, Bridge, and Ferry Records contain a nice collection of
records, although nothing from its earliest formation. Nevertheless, a nice collection
of records contained in three fibred boxes (at the NCSA,) [North Carolina State Archives] This book contains
almost all three boxes. If the reader wants to go back in time (pre-county formation), they should read the
Rowan County Road, Bridge, Ferry, and Mill Records already transcribed by this author.
“Davie was formed in 1836 from Rowan County. It adjoins Davidson, Rowan, Forsyth, Yadkin, and
Iredell counties. The ferry records are a clear sign of a large water course requiring boats to cross (Yadkin
River). This collection includes some record-types this author has never seen before - such as gate requests, and
the segregation of record types. Usually bridge records are included together (Petition, order for commission,
commission report, bridge bond for the contractor) but in date order. Here, they have a folder for the bonds,
folder for petitions, etc. I decided to leave the records as they were filed in the fibred boxes. Therefore the
reader will have to look across several sections to see the "full process" of documentation. Nevertheless, this
county has a nice collection of bridge records.
“Petitions were required in order to create a road, alter a road, or even discontinue a road. Early in
British rule, laws were established defining road and bridge construction (width, maintenance etc.)
requirements, including the processes for petitioning and maintenance. Following Independence, American
laws were (more or less) copies of the final British laws, and remained unchanged for many years. For more
information pertaining to the laws established in North Carolina, read "Historical Overview of Road, Bridge,
Ferry and Mills in N.C." (by this author).
“NOTE: I ADDED words to the transcripts to allow for more accurate indexing (e.g. Rutherford in a
document will appear in this book as Rutherford Co. so that I can index it as a county) I will also correct
spelling where I can (e.g. rode=road, inclose-enclose, etc.).” -Stewart
Left, handwritten fees
for using a ferry in
1848.
Right, transcription
from Stewart’s book.
images from
Dunaway’s book
Davie Dossier, July 2022 page 4
The Hartleys’ Ferry on the Yadkin
https://nccivilwarcenter.org/the-hartleys-ferry-on-the-yadkin/by CCW | Apr 6, 2021 |Davie,Reconstruction
AUTHOR: Linda H. Barnette (edited and vetted by Cheri Todd Molter) [used by permission]
As people came from Europe to America, traveling down South in the 1700s, they found a vast network
of rivers and streams. They discovered places where the water was shallow enough to cross, which they did on
their journey. But as more and more people settled in the Piedmont, or the Forks of the Yadkin, as some
historians refer to it, they hunted animals, raised crops, and needed more ways to get their products and stock to
markets.
Davie County was one of the North Carolina counties that started paying people who ran ferry boats
across the Yadkin and its many branches and tributaries. So, by the end of the nineteenth century, there were at
least 20 ferries operating in Davie and Davidson counties, both of which are bordered by rivers on some sides.
One of those ferry boats belonged to my grandfather, O. H. Hartley, and his father, Thomas. My
great-grandfather, Thomas, was born in 1863 and died in 1942; my grandfather, Ollie Hamilton Hartley, was
born in 1885 and died in 1968. My grandfather’s farm was in Davie, and his father ’s land was in Davidson, so
they built the ferry so they could visit each other ’s families. Eventually, they also carried people, wagons, and
animals across the river as well and made a good living doing that. The ferry was located on the river, below
Cherry Hill Road, just below my grandfather ’s property. What is especially interesting to me is that my dad
helped his father operate the ferry when he was a child, as did his younger brother. I personally recall seeing the
old cable across the river.
My mother was interviewed for an article in the local newspaper, The Davie County Enterprise,
sometime after my father ’s death in 1985, and this is the source of much of my information. My copy
unfortunately does not have the exact date. She said that people also crossed the ferry on the way to Lexington
when Daddy was a young child. The article also included some of the prices charged for ferriage in 1839: a
loaded wagon was $.50; an empty wagon was $.37 1/2; a man and horse-$.061/2; a man on foot $.05; and 3
cents each for cows, sheep, and pigs! Apparently, the operators made a good living!
In a book titled The Historic Trails of Davidson County, Tom Magnuson, the author, writes about our family’s
ferry: “Crump/Barnes/Hartley ferry is at the base of the neck” (Horseshoe Neck in the river). Magnuson
explains that “the Hartley family may have been the last operators of the ferry as it bears their name in the 1915
Soil Survey of Davidson County. The Hartleys still live in proximity to the old ferry and the approach road is a
very distinct landmark running down Roy Hartley Road to the river bottom.” Although I have not been on the
road to the ferry, I have been down to the end of the road to the property where it starts.
When the bridge between the two counties was built in 1927, the family ferry and most of the other
ferries went out of business. People in cars could travel much faster by using the bridge, and thus a way of life
that had endured for many years ended.
Davie Dossier, July 2022 page 5
“Two people stand on the ferry that crossed the South Yadkin River at the Davie County line. Ferries were built wide enough to hold two
wagons. Carrying people across further down the river were the Bringle Ferry, Long Ferry, Stokes Ferry and the Grubb ferry. Post file photo”
This was Hannah’s ferry, at the south tip of Davie County.
Source:https://www.salisburypost.com/2018/07/08/clyde-time-was-on-fishing-ferries-the-silvery-yadkin/
Source:Davie Record, 26 February 1902
Davie Dossier, July 2022 page 6
Name Source of information
Griffith’s Ferry Alderman Map, 1887; 19 April 1889,The Davie Times
Hall’s Ferry
Alderman Map, 1887; 25 December 1912,The Davie Record
“Work was commenced on the Dutchman creek bridge on the Central highway
Monday. When this bridge is completed the road from Hall’s Ferry to County
Line via Mocksville will be the prettiest in the State.”The Davie Record
Idol’s Ferry Alderman Map, 1887; 2 February 1909,The Davie Record
Douthit’s Ferry Alderman Map, 1887
Bailey’s Ferry Alderman Map, 1887; 14 April 1915,The Davie Record
Ellis’ Ferry
Alderman Map, 1887
“The new boat at Ellis’ ferry is a dandy, and is ready for business.” - 7
December 1910,The Davie Record
“Mrs. W.R. Ellis of Advance put in a new ferryboat at the Old Ellis ferry the
past week.” 7 December 1910,The Davie Record
“Mrs. Jessie Zimmerman, Ollie Hege and a Miss Fry will be baptized at Ellis
Ferry Sept. 17th at 3 o’clock.” 13 September 1911,The Davie Record
Old Ferry Alderman Map, 1887
Hartley’s Ferry Linda Hartley Barnette
Peeble’s Ferry Alderman Map, 1887
Oaks’ Ferry Alderman Map, 1887; 23 May 1912,The Mocksville Herald
Hairston Ferry Alderman Map, 1887
Barnes Ferry Alderman Map, 1887
Hannah’s Ferry Alderman Map, 1887;
Cooleemee Ferry https://movingnorthcarolina.net/the-ferry/
Samuel Bryan Ferry, 1774 History of Davie County, page 44; see also page 115
David Enoch’s Ferry, 1777 History of Davie County, page 44
Riddle’s Ferry History of Davie County, page 44
Billy Haden’s Ferry History of Davie County, page 44
Swicegood’s Ferry on the South River 9 August 1899,Davie Record
Fulton’s Ferry 22 December 1920,Davie Record
Conrad’s Ferry 14 January 1904,Davie Record
States Ferry Road, Farmington 26 December 1917,Davie Record,list of county expenses
Starrs Ferry Road, Farmington 26 December 1917,Davie Record,list of county expenses
Humor: Wanted -- To establish a ferry-boat
line from Mocksville to Cana and
Farmington. The roads are impassible, or
near so.6 March 1912,The Davie Record
Davie Dossier, July 2022 page 7
A New History Book by Marcia D. Phillips, to be released in late August
Historic Shallow Ford in Yadkin Valley is the sweeping story of a small watery
crossing on the Yadkin River that witnessed the passages of history. From the
first white pioneers on the Great Wagon Road to arrive west of the Yadkin to
the Battle of Shallow Ford between Patriots and Loyalists to Cornwallis
chasing Greene on the Race to the Dan, it ushered in the opening of the
western frontier and the new state of North Carolina. The Civil War saw
Stoneman's Raid crossing it and later wagons of tobacco to market. Well
known in the Colonial Era, it disappeared from history a century ago but not
from its significance and will soon be visible again as a historic park opens on
the western side in the next year. Due to be released in late August, there will
be a book reading and presentation at the September meeting of the Davie
County Historical and Genealogical Society.
These are images of pages from a 1823 ferry notebook from the vault in the Martin-Wall History Room of Davie County
Public Library. The name on the front is Ormon Kimbrough.
Davie Dossier, July 2022 page 8
BOOKS AND MAPS FOR SALE, prices include postage and tax; check to DCHGS (no cash or credit card)
Description of books and maps for Davie:https://sites.google.com/view/dchgsbooksmaps
Title Author Total Cost #Cost
Davie County. A Brief History,paperback James W. Wall, 128 pages $6.50
The Boone Families in Davie County Wall, Howell Boone, Flossie Martin $8.00
Davie County Marriages 1836-1900 Nancy K. Murphy $25.00
Davie County Marriages 1901-1959 Nancy K. Murphy $25.00
Davie County Cemeteries, a 2-volume set D.C. Historical/Gen. Soc.$55.00
1850 Federal Census-Davie County Forsyth Genealogical Society $15.00
1860 Federal Census-Davie County Nancy K. Murphy and Everette Sain $20.00
1870 Federal Census-Davie County Nancy K. Murphy and Everette Sain $20.00
POSTCARDS OF DAVIE CO. SCENES, (set of 8)$2.50
Maps:Prices below, postage is $5, mailing tube is $2; example: all 4 maps cost $12
Lagle Land Grant Map, $2
Hughes Historical Map, 1700's,drawn in 1977, $1
J.T. Alderman Map ,1887, $1
Wilson F. Merrell Map, 1928, $1
Davie County Heritage Book,cost is $45; Make check to Davie Co. Heritage Book. Use DCHGS address below.
The Historic Architecture of Davie County ,$13;History of Davie County, hardback, by James W. Wall ,$13.
Make check to Davie County Public Library. Use DCHGS address below.
Davie County History Books by Marie Craig.Check to Marie Craig, 139 Sterling Dr., Mocksville NC 27028:
. History of Davie County Schools, 318 pages, has photos, locations, longitude/latitude, names of students, and teachers. There
is an 18 page index of 3,222 names. 318 pages. $43
. Davie County in World War One,670 biographies of Davie men and women who served, photographs, old letters,
description of military bases, and extensive index. 400 pages. $45
. Davie County Veterans’ Memorial , has lists of all war deaths, biographies and photos of WW2, Korean, Vietnam, and Beirut
Bombing deaths. Tom Ferebee’s talk at the dedication in 1987. 190 pages. $33.
. Remembering Davie County Protection and Service Personnel,contains biographies of the five law enforcement personnel
who died on duty and also photos and descriptions of the monument erected in their memory. Paperback, 14 pages. $17.
. Davie County in the Spanish-American War,contains biographies of the 15 men who served in this war and the resulting
war in the Philippines. 65 pages. $20
. Mary Ellen’s Diary,1924,the fictitious diary of a twelve year old girl in 1924 in Mocksville. Included are clippings and
illustrations to verify the events. Paperback. 49 pages. $15.
. Composite Index of Davie County History Books.The indexes of 16 Davie County history books are combined. 17,000
entries. Order from: Lulu.com. Search for book title.
.Davie Doctors Born Before 1900, biographies of 79 doctors. Hardback, 125 pages, $25.
Looking Back at Davie County II by Charles Crenshaw and Ron Smith. $45. Mail orders to Charles Crenshaw, 421 Park
Avenue, Mocksville NC 27028
Davie County Mavericks, Four Men Who Changed History by Marcia Phillips, Daniel Boone, Hinton Helper, Thomas
Ferebee, and Peter Ney in Davie County. $25. Mail orders: Marcia Phillips, 315 McClamrock Road, Mocksville NC 27028.
Eatons Baptist Church Cemetery in Davie County, North Carolina by Pat Mason. A new book which lists all burials
through June 2020. Dates, obituaries and articles are included. $30. Pat Mason, 295 Griffith Rd., Advance NC 27006.
DCHGS, 371 North Main Street, Mocksville NC 27028
Davie Dossier, July 2022 page 9
Davie County Historical and 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 21 by your
name, you have paid dues through 2021.DUES CAN BE PAID FOR 2022 NOW.
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
Davie Dossier, July 2022 page 10