2016 2.pdf Davie Dossier, April 2016 page 1
DAVIE DOSSIER
Issued by
Davie County Historical and Genealogical Society
Mocksville, North Carolina
April 2016, Issue 2
Civilian Conservation Corps
Davie Dossier, April 2016 page 2
DAVIE COUNTY HISTORICAL AND GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY
President, Linda Leonard
Vice President, Margaret Cevasco
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 2016:
January 28: Program chair, Margaret Cevasco will lead a discussion about historical myths. A true/false set of
questions will be featured.
February 25: Honoring Doris Frye; Mark Hager talk about Back Country Culture
March 17: Bill Jamerson talk and entertainment about the Civilian Conservation Corps
April 28: video presentation by historical interrupter, Frank McMahon from Fort Dobbs, foods and cooking in the old
days
May 7: assist with Daniel Boone Festival
June 30: Judge Jimmy Myers presents cemetery laws
(Substitute) members of historical society bring an old newspaper to share news and ads gone by
August: meet with Yadkin Valley Historical Association
September 22: How to Research Your Family Tree, Cindy Green, Family History Center
October 27:
November: 17:
New Life Time Member: James L. Roberts
FUTURE CONFERENCES
RootsTech – February 3 - 6, 2016 in Salt Lake City; see https://rootstech.org
You can watch presentations from previous years online, and watch it archived online.
National Genealogical Society -- May 4-7, 2016 in Fort Lauderdale FL; see www.ngsgenealogy.org
In May of 2017, NGS will meet in Raleigh !!
Federation of Genealogical Societies – August 31-September 3, 2016 in Springfield IL; see www.fgs.org
Davie Dossier, April 2016 page 3
Newspaper Articles about the CCC in Mocksville
DR = Davie Record; ME = Mocksville Enterprise
The Record was a Republican paper with many more articles about the CCC than the Enterprise.
The Enterprise was a Democrat paper but amazingly short on positive comments about the Democratic President’s
program. The following are direct quotes from newspapers.
DR, 13 June 1934 In Fork, Rad Bailey and Robah Smith were at CC in the Smokies
DR, 4 July 1934 These young men reported to Charlotte to be assigned to a CCC: Talph Myers, Weldon Fry, Clinton
Copley, Baxter Kiger, John Bailey, Ernest Griner
DR, Cost of CCC nationwide for 18 months was $443 million
DR, Musical bands toured and entertained them
DR, They received first aid instructions
DR, 1 May 1935 Men in CC from Davie: Mocksville, George Copley, Carson Head; Cooleemee: Everett Hilton; Shady
Grove: Zennie Brown; Jerusalem: J.F. Garwood
DR, 1936 June Bailey Smith was at Otto Camp in Macon County
DR, 1937 Walter Gleen Jarvis from Advance was at the CCC camp in Marion; Capt. Clinard LeGrand was
stationed in PA and was visiting his parents on Maple Avenue; [later articles had him stationed in
Greensboro and then Lexington
ME, 20 May 1937 In contrast to wars and forces of destruction let us put down on the credit side of the ledger the
work of the CCC camps, whose peaceful army of young Americans has done so much toward
building up morale, as well as actual physical resources. This Civilian Conservation Corps is now a
permanent government institution and will remain so as long as the government wants it so; and
the way congress looks at the CCC boys they will be a part of the American scene for a long, long
time. Nearly 2,000,000 men including 128,000 World war veterans, have gone through 2,084
camps in the past four years and have done a marvelous work in conservation, road building,
reforestation and forest fire fighting. The boys have planted more than a billion trees, built
87,000 miles of truck trails in the national parks and forest, spent 3,800,000 man-days fighting
forest blazes, built 3,300,000 erosion check dams; but to my way of thinking its chief achievement
is the way in which it rescued tens of thousands of youths from idleness, viciousness, gloom and
despond at a time when American boys were ready prey for communism and other destructive
propaganda. The work in these camps has given them courage and self- reliance.
These young men, who constitute a good cross section of average American life, have picked up
habits of work and also special skills which enabled many of them to step out of camp into jobs in
useful private employment. President Roosevelt has a hobby in the training….
ME, 1 July 1937 NC to Have 52 CCC Camps. Washington, June 29. The civilian conservation corps program for the
first quarter of the new fiscal year beginning July 1 provides for the operation of 52 camps in
North Carolina, eight of which are in the section of the state which borders around Winston-
Salem, it was announced here today.
Of the 52 camps, 18 have been assigned to soil erosion control projects, 13 to improvement of
national forests, five to private forest areas, eight to park development, two to work under
supervision of the biological survey, two under the TVA, three are at work on military
reservations, and one on a state forest.
All of the 52 camps are now in operation and the type of work now in progress will be continued.
DR, 18 Jan. 1938 Front page: The Roosevelt Sapling Army. We have contended all along that the Civilian
Conservation Corp, known as the Roosevelt Sapling Army was nothing but a smoke screen to hide
the real meaning for what American youth was being assembled.
Every one of these camps has the appearance of a regular army, the boys are dressed in army
clothes and with the except [sic] of having guns they go through the same drills as the soldiers.
The camps are in charge of army officers and strict army discipline is enforced The Roosevelt
Administration knew that it was useless to ask Congress for an appropriation to establish this
army on a regular basis and took this means of clouding the issue which they thought the people
Davie Dossier, April 2016 page 4
would not find out.
But Robert Fenchner, National Civilian Conservation Corps Director let the cat out of the bad at
Miami, Fla., the past week when he said today the United States has 2,300,00 youths trained in
CCC camps who are rady to act as a volunteer army in an emergency.
“While CCC men are not militarized in the ordinary sense of the wor,” Fechner said, “Their
training is such that they are about 85 per cent prepared for military life. The 300,000 boys now
in camp and the 2,000,000 who were trained before them could be turned into first-class fighting
men at almost an instant’s notice.”
Fechner said: The CCC has provided a gigantic protective body which could back up the nation’s
standing military units.
CCC men, Fechner said, have been taught discipline , how to live in large groups harmoniously,
to care for themselves, and to maintain rigid sanitation. – Union Republican.
DR, 26 Jan. 1938 Seems that honest Harold Ickes, one of the President’s cabinet and yes-men, was asleep at the
switch while the government was being robbed to the tune of over $80,000 by a fellow who was
running an imaginary CCC camp. Wonder how many million dollars have been stolen from the
Government within the past five years.
ME, 5 Jan. 1940 From Point Community, Ashley Thompson visited his father
ME, 21 May 1940 Reforestration [sic]. (Editor’s comments) In the past Davie county has had an abundance of
forest. Much of it has been cut down and land gone to waste. Now is the time to rebuild the land
by reforestration.
The CCC boys will be located here shortly and reforestration is a project on which they are very
proficient. This writer has seen some of them in other counties and they are a beauty to behold.
The seedlings cost but little and even in five years the transformation of the land is amazing.
Davie out to have at least 1,000,000 pine seedlings placed on her land within the next 12 months.
DR, 12 June 1940 The population of Mocksville has increased about 15 per cent in the past week. About 200 CCC
boys have arrived from Lexington and taken up quarters in their new camp on Wilkesboro street.
DR, 19 June 1940 Mocksville CCC Camp by R. Alton Jackson, in Twin-City Sentinel.
Uncle Sam’s “soldiers of the soil,” Civilian Conservation Corp Company No. 3408, are busily
engaged in establishing headquarters in Mocksville.
Recently moved from a point near Lexington, the 179 young men in the camp, not including
officers, are working now under the direction of civilian carpenter foremen and carpenters in
erecting their camp buildings. The camp is located on the Statesville road, on the edge of the
Mocksville city limits.
First Lieut Charlos R. Wright, Jr., is in charge of the camp, assisted by Second Lieut W.D. Vestal,
with Dr. Daniel Rothstein as camp surgeon. The discipline of the members of the company is
under the direction of these officers, while they work under the direction of the soil conservation
service, G.B. Foster, project superintendent.
More buildings are to be used than were in the camp at Lexington. At the present camp there
are or will be five barracks, a mess hall, recreation hall, school building, officers’ quarters,
headquarters building, infirmary and other necessary bath and toilet buildings. This is in the CCC
division. In addition the soil conservation service, located adjacent to the CCC camp, includes four
new garages, S.C.S. quarters, and S.C.S. headquarters.
Buildings in some respects are larger in the CCC camp than they were in Lexington because the
personnel of the company is expected to be increased to some extent shortly and perhaps even
more later. On July 1 there will be 79 new men in the camp, this being the quota assigned
company 3408. About 30 of the present 179 men will be mustered out of service, their time
having expired, leaving a net gain of 49 as of July 1, bringing the total “strength” of the company
to 228 men, excluding officers.
Then about July 1, officers of company 3408 are expecting 75 new recruits for “conditioning”
before they are sent to the West coast. When these arrive the camp strength will be raised to
about 303 for at least 20 days. The 75 recruits are expected to leave about July 20 for the West
coast camps of the CCC after they have been properly outfitted, disciplined and conditioned for
Davie Dossier, April 2016 page 5
the CCC work.
Not all of the numerous buildings in the cap can be seen from the highway. Most of the
barracks are built in the woods, giving the boys a cool place this summer to rest on their time off
and to sleep during the hot nights. The camp presents a busy atmosphere as the boys work on
completing the movable houses, getting everything in readiness for a long stay.
With the exception of the help being given by the several civilian carpenters, the boys are doing
the work themselves. They have built roads through the camp and otherwise conditioned the
grounds in addition to putting up the buildings.
First building completed was the mess hall. Here several boys work faithfully peeling the
thousands of potatoes and otherwise preparing the huge quantities of food that only 179 hungry
young men can put behind their belts three times a day. The mess hall, without doubt the most
popular spot in the camp, is under the direction of Mess Sergeant I.L. Wright.
Once the camp is properly established the personnel will begin their usual work in repairing soil
erosion damage and in working with the landowners in the area in preventing erosion in the
future.”
DR, 21 July 1940 The Mocksville water supply became exhausted last Wednesday, and the business houses and
private residences on and near the square were without water from the middle of the afternoon
until near midnight. Since the town is supplying the CCC camp, it seems that another well or two
will have to be used to supply sufficient water for the town.
DR, 21 July 1940 Mr. and Mrs. Steve Wood, of Lexington, have moved into the Horn apartments over Allison
Johnson Co. Mr. Wood is connected with the Soil Conservation department of the local CCC
camp. The Record is glad to welcome Mr. Wood and family to Mocksville.
DR, 7 August 1940 Later
ME, 7 Feb. 1941 CCC Enrollment. In addition to the regular quarterly CCC enrollments the local welfare
department has received authorization for “intermediate junior CCC enrollments” to begin the
latter part of February. The county will have eight instead of four junior replacement periods and
those enrolled will be assigned only to companies in their corps of origin. Boys between the ages
of 17 and 23 ½ who are interested in enrolling are asked to see the local welfare department at
once.
DR, 20 Aug. 1941 Thousands Attend Picnic. …”Music was furnished by the Mocksville high school band and the CCC
drum and bugle corps of the Davie camp.”
DR, 15 Oct. 1941 (Editor’s comments) We understand that two hundred CCC camps will be closed this fall. Don’t
know whether the Davie camp is included in this number. With conditions as they are today,
some of the folks think there is no necessity for the existence of these camps.
DR, 5 Nov. 1941 Mr. and Mrs. George Mooney, two daughters and one son, of Forest City, have moved to
Mocksville and are occupying the LeGrand house on Church street. Mr. Mooney is a mechanic at
the CCC camp. The Record is glad to welcome Mr. Mooney and family to our town.
DR, 11 Feb. 1942 (Editor’s comment) We can’t figure out why this country needs any CCC camps now. With plenty
of jobs for the young men in Mills and factories and on the farm, and with an army and navy of
three to five million men wanted in the next year or two, it would seem like operating these
camps would not be necessary. They were created to give jobs to the poor boys who parents
were in need, and who could not secure any kind of employment or at least that is the idea we
had.
DR, 11 Mar. 1942 The CCC camp, located in Mocksville is to be discontinued. Eight other camps in the state will also
be closed soon. Those to be discontinued are at Brevard, Buffalo Cave, Albemarle, Danbury,
Raleigh, Maple Hill, Mars Hill and Murphy. The Raleigh and Maple Hill Camps are occupied by
Negro youths. The camp in this city was erected about two years ago, having formerly been
located near Lexington.
DR, 8 April 1942 The CCC Camp which was opened here nearly two years ago, has been dismanteled [sic], and
most of the boys left for their various homes and other camps on Wednesday. A few will remain
here for a short while. The NYA house on South Main street, also suspended operations last
Thursday afternoon, and the furniture and fixtures have been moved. About 63 young ladies
Davie Dossier, April 2016 page 6
were employed in NYA work. Several of them who have been at work in the county offices will
retain their jobs, it is reported. Mrs. N.G. Bailey, of Advance, had charge of the Davie NYA girls
department.
[The National Youth Administration (NYA) was a New Deal agency in the United States that
focused on providing work and education for Americans between the ages of 16 and 25.[1] It
operated from June 26, 1935 to 1939 as part of the Works Progress
Administration (WPA). Following the passage of the Reorganization Act of 1939, the NYA was
transferred from the WPA to the Federal Security Agency. In 1942, the NYA was transferred to the
War Manpower Commission (WMC). The NYA officially folded in 1943. By 1938, college youth,
who were paid from $6 to $40 a month for "work study" projects at their schools. Another
155,000 boys and girls from relief families were paid $10 to $25 a month for part-time work that
included job training. Unlike the Civilian Conservation Corps, it included young women. The
youth normally lived at home, and worked on construction or repair projects. Its annual budget
was approximately $58,000,000.]
DR, 22 April 1942 There is always something to be thankful for, not counting the ripe blackberries in June. Some
Republicans are rejoicing that the CCC camp has been moved out of the county. This camp was
said to have played an important part in the 1940 election.
DR, 8 July 1942 Wiping Out the CCC. The Civilian Conservation Corps has been done away with. Which is a good
thing. It undoubtedly served a good purpose but there is no longer any justifiable reason for its
existence and we see no reason now why more than $75,000,000 should be spent for the
maintenance of some 350 CCC camps in various parts of the country.
We trust that the various congressional committees that are considering this and other
appropriations at the present time will bring about all possible reductions and curtailments in
those matters which do not play an essential part in our war effort. – The State.
If you have info about Mocksville’s CCC camp please send to me: DCHGSlist@gmail.com. I’m compiling for the library.
Local article about CCC and Bill Jamerson: http://www.ourdavie.com/2016/03/03/life-in-ccc-camps-to-be-explained/
http://ccclegacy.org/CCC_Camps_North_Carolina.html lists the name of Mocksville’s CCC camp as Daniel Boone.
Miscellaneous
Current info about size, population, profile, etc. of Davie County: http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/37/37059.html
RootsTech Conference has some archived lectures for you to watch. http://www.rootstech.org/?lang=eng .
Notes from talk by Peggy Lauritzen:
www.NUCMC has manuscripts for you to search
If an old tombstone says that the wife was a Consort, it means she died first.
If an old tombstone says that the wife was a Relict, it means he died first and she didn’t remarry.
FamilySearch has a WIKI for writing a letter in another language.
Mapofus.org has interesting maps.
A few counties had more than one county seat (but not North Carolina).
The meaning of “grass widow” – her husband left her.
To trace a family, follow the money.
USGenWeb has much info for each county in the United States.
Meaning of Gretna Green: a place to get an easy marriage.
GenWeb for Davie County has been edited and updated by Marie. See http://ncgenweb.us/nc/davie/
Pat Mason and Cathy Veach have updated, relabeled, and enhanced the files in the file cabinets at the History Room.
Did you have Baptist ancestors in North Carolina? Historical library at Wake Forest has many church records. See:
http://zsr.wfu.edu/special/collections/nc-baptist-historical-collection/
Davie Dossier, April 2016 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.
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.
Remembering Davie County Protection and Service Personnel by Marie Benge Craig Roth contains biographies of the
five law enforcement personnel who died on duty and also photos and descriptions of the monument erected in their
memory. The monument also honors all first responders in Davie County. Order: 276 Park Ave.; total cost $17.
NEW: Davie County in the Spanish-American War by Marie Benge Craig Roth contains biographies of the 15 men
who served in this war and the resulting war in the Philippines. Order: 276 Park Ave.; total cost $20
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 the next issue.
Send to DCHGSList@gmail.com
Davie Dossier, April 2016 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 15 by your
name, you have paid dues through 2015. 2016 Dues are due 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