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2010 3.pdfDavie Dossier Issued by Davie County Historical and Genealogical Society Mocksville, North Carolina July 2010, Issue 3 Davie County Historical and Genealogical Society MEETINGS ARE HELD THE FOURTH TUESDAY (January through November) President Linda Leonard Secretary/Treasurer Frances Beck Board of Directors Pat Reilly, Claude Horn, Bill Urdanick Dossier Editors Marie Roth, Doris Frye Webmaster Marie Roth Our Web site: http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ncdavhgs has these features: ?All the churches in Davie County ?Cemeteries in Davie County with locations ?National Register of Historic Places sites ?Names on the War Memorial in Mocksville ?NEW: Index to Bible Records at DCPL ?Townships as listed on US Census, 1790 - 1930 ?Meeting Dates and Programs ?NEW:Guardian Accounts, Davie Co. 1846- 1859 ?NEW:Apprentice Bonds, Davie Co. 1829 -1859 ?NEW: 1974 booklet about old schools in Davie. DAVIE CO. HISTORICAL/GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY PROGRAMS, 7 pm at the library: January 26, Beth Hill, Historic Site Manager of Fort Dobbs State Historic Site, Iredell Co., NC. February 23, Larry Campbell, using Ancestry.Com to its maximum potential. March 23, Debra Dotson and Marie Roth, Photography in Genealogy. April 27: Joe and Terri Ramsbotham discussed Moravians with an emphasis on foods grown and used. May 25: Dorothy Rucker Graham discussed her family history research. June 22: H. Lee Waters filmed Davie County events, schools, and people about 1940. We will look at some of his footage and try to identify people and buildings. This 16 mm silent film was changed to video cassette and then recently Marie changed the video to DVD. We’ll talk about preservation methods for films. For information about him, see http://www.colorlab.com/archives/HLeeWaters.htm Duke University has his old films and records. July 27: Discussion about maps of Davie County. Bring your favorite Davie map and share how it helped you to learn more about the county and/or your ancestor. Part 2 of H. Lee Waters films of Davie County. Twenty people came June 22 and really enjoyed seeing Part 1 of these old movies. August 14: Instead of our regular meeting, we’ll attend the August 14 Daniel Boone Conf. in Mocksville. September 28: to be announced. See Web site for program topic. October 26: Bob and Sue Hill will discuss the Salisbury Confederate Prison and the National Cemetery. November 23: SPECIAL EVENTS May 1, Daniel Boone Festival A record number of people took the bus tour (sponsored by our society) of areas in Davie County related to Daniel Boone. May 8, Civil War Monument On Saturday, May 8, a small crowd attended the dedication of the names newly inscribed on the war monument on the square in Mocksville. These 55 additional men had lost their lives in the War Between the States. Since the first listing on the monument years ago, more research has provided these additional names. The first 262 names of men dying in the Civil War filled up the face of the back of the monument. These 55 new names were added to the right edge of the stone. Lynne Hicks welcomed the group, Judge Jimmy Myers had the opening prayer, Jack Koontz spoke briefly, and Mary Alice Hasty gave a short talk describing the research that she and her sister Hazel Winfree did in writing the book The Civil War Roster of Davie County, North Carolina. (The book can be purchased; see page 7.) She gave credit to Mr. James Wall, county historian, for his work in previous research of Civil War casualties. His book, History of Davie County, lists these on pages 401 and 402. This book is also available for purchase on page 7. Judge Myers gave some remarks about the significance of our appreciation for the lives given by military throughout history. Mr. Wall also gave credit to Jack Koontz for being a leader in helping to create the military monument from its inception to the present. A Civil War Re-enactment group marched and fired their muskets 3 times in salute. August 14, Yadkin Valley Historical Association Workshop is at First United Methodist Church in Mocksville. Theme: “Daniel and Rebecca Bryan Boone, Their Lives and Times.” Registration form and more information at http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ncyadvha/. To get ready, read Randell Jones’ article: http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ncyadvha/dbtrail.pdf. Speakers: Randell Jones, Randy Bryan, Everett Gary Marshall and Mark Hager. This will be a special workshop, and you should make every effort to attend !! August 18-21, Federation of Genealogical Societies Annual Conference in Knoxville TN August 18-21, 2010. On Wednesday, there will be a special emphasis on improving genealogical societies. For information, see http://www.fgs.org:80/2010conference/. You can register online for the conference. Make hotel reservations early or you may be sleeping in your car. Brochures are available at Davie County Public Library listing the speakers and topics. September 18, Saturday, 10 am - 3 pm. Genealogy Jamboree to be held at the First Reformed Church on East Center Street, Lexington, NC. There will be exhibits and sale tables for county and state genealogical/historical societies and family surname organizations. Contact persons: David and Belinda Rogers, 336.798.3537 or djrodgers@lexcominc.net . SPECIAL PROJECTS Interviewing: Our society will assist our Davie County Senior Services in an interviewing project of Davie County residents over 90 years old. A committee has been formed and the details will be planned for questions to ask, video equipment for recording and use of the information. One man who is 99 remembers when greater downtown Mocksville had a dirt road and only two stores. This information needs to be recorded. New Map to Sell.Several years ago, our society sold a 1928 map of Davie County that was drawn by Wilson F. Merrell who was a professor at Fork Church Academy. We are planning to have our depleted supply restocked soon. Homes, churches, schools, and consolidated schools were marked with symbols. Roads were also included. Highway 601 was then highway 80; highway 64 was then highway 90; and highway 158 was then highway 65. Check at http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ncdavhgs/sales.pdf to see when this is available. His biography on the map: “Professor Wilson F. Merrell, November 29, 1850 - June 21, 1931. For 62 years a teacher in the Davie County Schools. Professor Merrell was principal of Fork Academy for many years. He was Supt. of the Fork Baptist Church Sunday School for forty years, a Deacon and clerk of such church for over 30 years. For 14 years, clerk of the South Yadkin Baptist Association. He was Postmaster of Fork Church, N.C. From 1879 to 1885 and during such years he was a merchant in Fork Church, N.C., maintaining the Post Office within his store building.” SPOTLIGHT ON A DAVIE COUNTY HISTORIAN Mary Jane Heitman, 2 October 1886 - 23 January 1962 Mary Jane Heitman was the unofficial Davie County historian in the first half of 1900. Her father was Charles Heitman and her mother was Julia Clement. Mary lived at 309 North Main Street, Mocksville, NC. This was at the same location as the current First Methodist Family Life Center. 1860 census of Mocksville, 24 years before Mary is born, her grandfather, J.M. Clement, 34, a lawyer,is head of the household.His wife Mary J. is 27, his son Louis H. is 6, his daughter Florence is 4, his daughter Eliza is 2, and his son John is 1. 1870 census of Mocksville, 14 years before Mary is born, her grandfather, John M., 44, a lawyer, is head of the household. His wife Mary J.is 37, his son Lewis H. is 16, his daughter Florence is 14, his daughter Lizzie is 12, his daughter Julia is 10, his daughter Sophia is 5, and his son Herbert is 2. The Whitaker family of 3 lived with them. 1880 census of Mocksville, 4 years before Mary is born, her grandfather,John M., 52, a lawyer is head of the household. His wife Jane M. is 48, his daughter Florence A. is 24, his daughter Lizzie is 22, his daughter Sophia is 14, his son Walter R. is 8, his son Hubbard is 11, and his daughter Julia is 19. 1900 census of Mocksville, Mary is 13 living on North Main Street. Head of household is her grandmother, Mary J.Clement, 68 (she had had 10 children and 7 were living); her daughter Lizzie is 43, her son Herbert is 31, her son Walter is 28, her daughter Julia Heitman is 39, her granddaughter Mary J. Heitman is 13, her daughter Sophie C. Trundle is 34, and her son-in- law Horatio H. Trundle, 33, was a civil engineer. 1910 census of Forsyth County, Mary is 23, a boarder, and is an English teacher at Salem Academy College. 1920 census, Mary is 33. Head of household is her mother Julia C. Heitman, 59. Also living with them is Herbert, 51, Julia's brother, and Walter R., 49, Julia's brother who was an attorney. 1930 census, Mary J. is 43 living on North Main Street. Head of household is her mother Julia C. Heitman, 69. Julia's brother, Walter R., 58, lives with them and he is a salesman. Mary's listing under occupation is reporter for newspaper. 1930's - She wrote many articles for the Davie County newspaper and also Winston-Salem. She included vital records, inter-views with older people,poems, nostalgia features, and descriptions of the area. She kept many small journals and pages of records such as court records, wills, members of churches (example,Joppa), and dates of birth,marriage and deaths. Davie County Public Library has these note-books plus copies of her newspaper columns she wrote every week for several years entitled "The Corner Cupboard Notes". 1962 - died at age 75 of a heart attack. She is buried in Clement Family Cemetery. Tributes to her mention her almost 50 years of teaching Sunday School at First Methodist Church. This is an editorial in the local paper: “Miss Mary. Death last week took away a most esteemed citizen of this area in Miss Mary Jane Heitman. “Miss Mary”, as she was known to so many, was a reserved and gracious lady with an intense interest in local history, in her church, and in cultural activities.In addition to teaching school, she served on the staff of this newspaper for many years during the twenties and early thirties. During this time she was the author of a column called “The Corner Cupboard” in which she noted many historical articles and items of Davie County, Mocksville,and the area. Her constant research into the future brought to her the recognition as the historian for Davie County and it is largely due to her efforts that much of our history has been preserved. She was most loyal to her church,the First Methodist Church of Mocksville and taught a Sunday School class for years. In the passing of Miss Mary Jane Heitman this county loses a citizen that through the years contributed to the passing scene through her interest in historical and cultural life of the area.” There have been many men and women in Davie County who have helped to document the early history of our area.We are indebted to Mary, the English teacher and journalist,for compiling much information about our county. Old letter to Mary Heitman which describes scenery in greater downtown Mocksville: In the Mary Heitman files, there is a letter from Nannie Herrick, 219 Kelvin Street, Ithaca, NY, dated November 9, 1953. Mary had mailed her a commemorative plate which featured a photo of the old courthouse in Mocksville. Nannie was writing a thank you note to Mary and included this description: “I was delighted to come upon the beautiful plate picturing Mocksville’s old Court House. It certainly brought back scenes of my childhood and fond recollections.I wish the building had not been torn down.It should have been kept as a memento of old times when our grandfathers and great grand fathers were active in and about it. Wasn’t my grandfather,your great grandfather, town clerk with an office there for years and years? (Sounds like Nannie is Mary’s aunt.) Then later associations which crowd and ask to be remembered. I wish we could talk about the happenings the sight of that picture recall. I tried to make a map of my journey up town from grandmas’s but didn’t do very well. After going “down the lane” from the “big gate” that “Old Sauk” used to try to jump over in order to tear unwelcome intruders limb from limb down to the “Sandy Place” where the bull frogs croaked on one side and the path turned on the other side to go by the cotton gin to the Negro Pres. Church and Uncle Peter Hunley’s, up the hill by Aunt Melinda’s to the beginning of Mocksville, with Griffin’s, the jail, the hotel on the right. The Presbyterian Church,Dalton’s, a store on the left with Court House in middle of the square.That was one way. Then if I kept on “up the lane” from the “Sandy Place”,there was the Lexington Road. Across it through the pines, with Uncle Brax’s on one side, I came to the Red School House where Aunt Mary used to teach, then Cousin Sallie Lee, then cousin Mattie.When I started going to school, your mother was “one of the big girls” with big desk in the back row. The other big desk also in back row had Miss Lizzie Spencer for one occupant. I was at a little front row desk right under cousin Mattie’s nose.From the school house the way to the Court House and uptown led down to the “the bridge” (under which we used to keep tadpoles) up the hill by Chaffin’s who had an orchard with very good apples.I could go on and on but you have been sufficiently bored. Anyway, I enjoy looking at my plate very much and remembering. “ The Corner Cupboard Column by Mary Jane Heitman in the 1930's included these by-laws that were established in 1845. Any person stopping his or her wagon and team in the Public Square and feeding the same, or on public days selling cakes, beer or other produce, shall forfeit and pay a fine of one dollar for each offense. Any person hitching his horse to the Court House or any part thereof, shall forfeit and pay a fine of one dollar for each and every such offense. Any person who may engage in horse racing within the corporate limits of the Town of Mocksville,shall forfeit and pay a fine of five dollars for each and every offense. Any person throwing wood, scantling, timber,brick or rock, except for building purposes, into the Public Square or street, and permitting the same to remain over 24 hours shall pay a fine of one dollar for each day until it is removed. Any person shooting a gun or pistol within two hundred yards of any of the public streets of the Town of Mocksville, shall pay a fine of one dollar for each and every offense. Any person having a wet cellar or permitting water to accumulate in it and become stagnant, shall pay a fine of five dollars for each and every day he permits the same to remain after notice to remove it. Any person refusing to serve as a patroller when appointed and notified of the same, shall pay a fine of twenty-five dollars, and any person neglecting to patrol during the time for which he was appointed, shall pay a fine of one dollar for each and every night he so neglects to perform his duty, but he may make his excuse before the commissioners at the first meeting after his time expires. Any manager of a circus or menagerie, who performs or exhibits within the corporate limits, shall pay a fine of ten dollars. Any person neglecting his or her chimney, until they become foul and take fire,shall pay a fine of not less than one dollar nor more than five dollars for each and every such offense.” The first board of town commissioners was in 1839. Commissioners elected and who passed these bylaws were Thomas M. Young, Stephen L. Howell, Phillips F. Meroney, Hugh Reynolds, and James R. Linn, chairman.There were 15 bylaws in all, and Mary Heitman listed these nine above. I Know Now Why I Became a Math Teacher by Marie Benge Craig Roth I was always so happy for the consistency and certainty of mathematics. Therefore, I majored in that and taught various math subjects. I was always frustrated with the lack of sureness of history. No one can agree on what caused the Civil War, on what is the foundation of a strong nation, or on what is the exact date of and discoverer of our United States. We don’t even have a name, just a description. However,in the two years that I’ve been working on this book about old schools in Davie County, I have attempted to enter the world of history. E x a m p l e o f frustration in Jerusalem Township: one source says that the citizens of the Augusta area decided to build an academy;another source says that Concord Methodist Church built it; and a third source says that J.D. Hodges designed and built it. It was called Augusta Seminary. But it occasionally is known as Augusta Academy. There was an earlier evidently nearby school called Augusta School which I have determined is the same as Concord School.J.D. Hodges built the brick structure which still stands and has been returned to glory and is now a private home.He called this Hodges Business College, but he also taught across the road at Augusta Seminary. This latter school closed and was bought by Quakers who had an academy and a church in the building. I have copies of Hodges’ ads for summer school for teachers, a boys’ school where they lodged at a nearby farm house and had a farm scholarship, and a girls’ school with Mrs. Hodges as lady principal. J.D. Hodges was superintendent of Davie County schools for about 10 years and closed his College sometime during this era. But when he was no longer superintendent, then he opened the Business College back up but called it Augusta Academy. Augusta Public School burned in 1896 by an arsonist’s hand who also tried to burn the other 2 schools unsuccessfully. The Seminary/Quaker school burned in 1917. These dates range from 1887-1917.That’s a lot to happen in 30 years, and there are very few records that give details. Cokesbury School only lasted a year or so in what is now the Shady Grove Township. It was a Methodist School started about 1793. But there is quite a bit of information about it. This was 100 years before the 3 schools mentioned in the previous paragraph. It has been amazing to me that a school, teachers, hundreds of students and learning situations could happen at a specific site and then 80-100 years later there is very little evidence of any of this ever happening. I have wished for a time machine. Other puzzles are separating the three academies in Mocksville and the several academies in Farmington. What do we learn from all this? Time goes quickly and unless things are written down and archived somewhere,valuable information is lost forever. I read a quote recently: “When an old person dies, it’s like a library burning down.” Are you compiling your family history and your own personal history? If any of you have information or photographs of old schools in Davie, please E-mail me: MarieBCR@gmail.com . Photos below: top row: Augusta Seminary,Hodges Business College second row:Sketch of Cokesbury, Mocksville Academy 1 third row: Mocksville Academy 2,Mocksville Academy 3 fourth row: Farmington Academy, Farmington High School USE THIS UPDATED PAGE FOR ORDERING ITEMS AND/OR PAYING DUES. 2010 3 July (Postage has increased;state taxes increased 1%.) (Out of state residents don’t pay state tax when ordering.) BOOKS:Author non- NC NC res.No.Price Davie County...A Brief History, paperback James W. Wall, 128 pages $9.00 $9.39 The Daniel, Squire, and John Boone Families in Davie County James W. Wall, Howell Boone, and 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 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 1880 Federal Census-Davie County Nancy K. Murphy and Everette Sain $20.00 $21.16 MAPS OF DAVIE COUNTY: Lagle Land Grant $8.00 $8.31 Hughes Historical, 1700's, drawn in 1977 $8.00 $8.31 J.T. Alderman, 1887 $6.00 $6.16 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 COST, send to DCHGS below includes tax, postage & handling Davie County Heritage Book, $45.00 non-NC resident; $48.10 NC resident. 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 can be ordered. This book, published by McFarland, incorporates biographical and military service sketches of 1,147 Davie County Civil War veterans, with accompanying photographs where possible. 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. This 128 page book of old photos and descriptions can be ordered 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. 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 Frances Atkinson Beck 1131 Wagner Road Mocksville, North Carolina 27028 NAME _____________________________________________________________ ADDRESS _____________________________________________________________ E-MAIL ADDRESS _____________________________________________________________