Ok, I know that Grandfather Mountain is not in the Toe River Valley. However, since it is in Avery County, I am going to talk about it. I heard Saturday night, and then read Sunday afternoon, that Grandfather Mountain is being sold by the Morton family to the State of North Carolina. You can read the article in the Charlotte Observer here.
I talked to a couple of people this morning who have ties with the Mountain. Their emotions were mixed. One actually thought the selling to the state was wrong, that the Mountain would be poorly managed by the state who poorly manages other properties.
The property, some 3,000 acres, is being sold for a mere 12 million dollars. The idea is to set up a non-profit, headed by the Mortons, to manage the funds.
It is interesting to look at all of the attempted transactions involving Grandfather Mountain ever since it was owned by Capt. Walter W. Lenoir. On several different occasions, there were attempts (is that the right word) by the state and the Federal government to acquire the property as a part of the national park service. While the wrangling over Grandfather Mountain was occurring, the Smokey Mountains were acquired
For so many folks who live in Avery County, Grandfather Mountain was their first job. So many folks have ties to the Mountain, and so much income, with Singing on the Mountain and the Highland Games, is generated for the county, how do you feel and what are you concerns? Feel free to leave a post or drop me a line.
Today, after church (and after finding gas), we drove up past Grandfather to get on the Parkway. It was a beautiful day and I took this photograph.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Friday, September 19, 2008
Rumors of three hospitals
To say that the Toe River Valley was involved in turmoil during the Civil War would be an understatement. There were men leaving to serve in front-line Confederate regiments, recruiting for Federal regiments, inter-family clashes, and neighbor versus neighbor struggles.
I also have rumors of three different hospitals in the area. The first was supposed to be in Elk Park, and the source is said to be Trotter’s book, Bushwhackers. I read this book some time ago, and I go back to it from time to time. Elk Park is not in the index, and I am not sure what page it is on. The probability is that there was not an Elk Park until the railroad came through about two decades after the war. Elk Park was created as a answer to the company-owned Cranberry, just a couple of miles up the road. Cranberry, on the other hand, was a wide enough spot in the road to have gained a post office in 1850 (long before the railroad). I wish I had other information on this, but I do not.
Second, I have heard of a Confederate hospital in Bakersville. John Baker, a member of Company I, 29th NCT, came home sick and died in a hospital in Bakersville. We believe that Baker is buried in the old Bakersville Cemetery beside his father. Chances are there was not a real “hospital” in Bakersville, but someone’s home or a vacant building. But that is the story the way that I hear it.
Third: in one of Lloyd Bailey’s Toe River Heritage books, the first I think, there was mention of a smallpox hospital in Pensacola. Who worked in the hospital, how many patients, or exactly where it was located are so far all part of the mystery.
So many times, information regarding this time period comes in fragments just like the three that I present above. It could be that someone out there has more information. Or, we must be ready to come to grips with the reality that what information that might be out there is already gone, save for these glimpses into the past.
I also have rumors of three different hospitals in the area. The first was supposed to be in Elk Park, and the source is said to be Trotter’s book, Bushwhackers. I read this book some time ago, and I go back to it from time to time. Elk Park is not in the index, and I am not sure what page it is on. The probability is that there was not an Elk Park until the railroad came through about two decades after the war. Elk Park was created as a answer to the company-owned Cranberry, just a couple of miles up the road. Cranberry, on the other hand, was a wide enough spot in the road to have gained a post office in 1850 (long before the railroad). I wish I had other information on this, but I do not.
Second, I have heard of a Confederate hospital in Bakersville. John Baker, a member of Company I, 29th NCT, came home sick and died in a hospital in Bakersville. We believe that Baker is buried in the old Bakersville Cemetery beside his father. Chances are there was not a real “hospital” in Bakersville, but someone’s home or a vacant building. But that is the story the way that I hear it.
Third: in one of Lloyd Bailey’s Toe River Heritage books, the first I think, there was mention of a smallpox hospital in Pensacola. Who worked in the hospital, how many patients, or exactly where it was located are so far all part of the mystery.
So many times, information regarding this time period comes in fragments just like the three that I present above. It could be that someone out there has more information. Or, we must be ready to come to grips with the reality that what information that might be out there is already gone, save for these glimpses into the past.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Avery County Civil War Trail Markers
Just a quick announcement. The three North Carolina Civil War Trail markers in Avery County that I have made mention of before have been installed. We are holding dedication programs this Saturday: Cranberry at 10:30 am, Blalocks at Cannon Memorial Hospital at 1:30 pm, and the Banner House in Banner Elk at 3:00 pm. There will be living histories at both the Cranberry site (old Cranberry school), and at the Banner House. If you get a chance, please stop by and see us.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Cruelly Murdered
While on a recent ramble in the Lily Branch Cemetery in Mitchell County, I came across the tombstone of Edwin Horton, born June 10, 1853, and died February 17, 1880. He didn’t just die, but, according to his tombstone, was “cruely murdered” [sic] on February 17, 1884.
How many of these types of stones are around?
I am aware of three, one in Avery County (Cranberry), this one in Mitchell (Lily Branch), and one in Yancey County (Old Zion).
The Cranberry Cemetery includes a stone for Albert Walser who was “murdered by George Hartley…No better man ever died for a more unjust cause.” Since George Hartley, the alleged murderer, escaped, changed his name, and never was punished for the crime, this stone likely served as the family’s way of making sure the crime was never forgotten. The unjust cause was evidently a dispute over horses. Walser ran a livery stable and accused Hartley of riding the horses too hard. The dispute escalated and ended with Hartley shooting Walser.
According to an article in the Lenoir Topic, in February 1884, John C. Miller, Stephen Burleson, and Edward Horton were killed by Edward Ray and Waighstill A. Anderson at the Flat Rock mica mine in Mitchell County. The disagreement was over ownership of the mine, and it seems , from reading the testimony presented during the trail, that Horton had been hired to work in the mine. Horton seemed to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The last stone is in the Old Zion Church Cemetery, off Upper Pig Pen in Yancey County. This stone reads “In Memory of John Hughes Born Oct. 28 1835 was murdered by John Murphy July 26, 1889. Aged 53 years 8 m. 28 days.” I could not find a paper trail for this crime, but I seem to recall being told that the murder was over a woman. Hughes was a Confederate veteran, a member of the 58th North Carolina Troops.
I have been in a lot of cemeteries across the eastern United States, and I do not recall seeing this type of public display in very many other places. Anyone else?
How many of these types of stones are around?
I am aware of three, one in Avery County (Cranberry), this one in Mitchell (Lily Branch), and one in Yancey County (Old Zion).
The Cranberry Cemetery includes a stone for Albert Walser who was “murdered by George Hartley…No better man ever died for a more unjust cause.” Since George Hartley, the alleged murderer, escaped, changed his name, and never was punished for the crime, this stone likely served as the family’s way of making sure the crime was never forgotten. The unjust cause was evidently a dispute over horses. Walser ran a livery stable and accused Hartley of riding the horses too hard. The dispute escalated and ended with Hartley shooting Walser.
According to an article in the Lenoir Topic, in February 1884, John C. Miller, Stephen Burleson, and Edward Horton were killed by Edward Ray and Waighstill A. Anderson at the Flat Rock mica mine in Mitchell County. The disagreement was over ownership of the mine, and it seems , from reading the testimony presented during the trail, that Horton had been hired to work in the mine. Horton seemed to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The last stone is in the Old Zion Church Cemetery, off Upper Pig Pen in Yancey County. This stone reads “In Memory of John Hughes Born Oct. 28 1835 was murdered by John Murphy July 26, 1889. Aged 53 years 8 m. 28 days.” I could not find a paper trail for this crime, but I seem to recall being told that the murder was over a woman. Hughes was a Confederate veteran, a member of the 58th North Carolina Troops.
I have been in a lot of cemeteries across the eastern United States, and I do not recall seeing this type of public display in very many other places. Anyone else?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
