USA > North Carolina > Edgecombe County > History of Edgecombe County, North Carolina > Part 31
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1 A blacksmith in Tarboro today.
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The county, beginning with 1867, began to revive, and the pro- duction of cotton for this year was 15,000 bales. The county, while it had considerable labor to leave, received many laborers from Nash and Halifax counties, thereby causing farm operation to increase. In addition inducements were offered immigrants to make the county their home. In July, 1869, Tarboro received twenty-eight Swiss immigrants who had been induced by a Mr. Atkinson to come to Edgecombe. These men were soon placed on the farms of Messrs. John Staton, John W. Pippin, William Pippin, and Mrs. Foxhall. They did good work, and offered a more reliable source of farm labor than the emancipated negro.
In 1869 the Agricultural Society began to emerge from the effects of the war. It began to publish a monthly magazine at Tarboro known as the Reconstructed Farmer. James R. Thig- pen and John S. Dancy were its editors and proprietors. The pur- pose of the magazine was to discuss matters pertaining to farm- ing and farm life. Among some of the subjects presented to the people were ditching and manuring, growing hogs, how to destroy the tobacco fly, tobacco culture, cultivation of cotton, and straw- berry culture.
Agricultural interests were also aroused in the holding of fairs, which exhibited displays of farm products. The year 1868 marked the beginning of Edgecombe fairs, which, except for a few intermittent years, have been held in the county ever since. Tar- boro, since about 1800, had been noted for its racing. In 1837 Tarboro had organized what was known as the "Tarboro Jockey Club," and had more than thirty-eight articles of regulation specifying the various official starters and defining the procedure of the course of races. There had been a few men in almost every decade of the county's history who possessed the sporting spirit, and racing was more or less practiced for these 180 years.
The first fair, consisting of an agricultural display, racing, and other features necessary for a successful fair, was held near McKendree Church, near Cokey's Swamp, in 1873. In 1875 Dr. A. B. Nobles, an enterprising farmer, supported the fair and managed to keep the annual exhibits at this place. The fair, however, was soon transferred to Rocky Mount. The interest soon died and the fair went out of existence, to be revived in Tarboro about 1881. At Tarboro the fair lived about three years, when
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Dr. Pittman began to support the movement by giving financial aid and establishing the premium idea for the best exhibit. The fair made money for a few years, and at last ceased to exist.
Tobacco, which had suffered a setback for several years, again came to the front about 1868. It had several years' prosperity, warehouses were erected, and places for storage constructed. About 1880, however, the large farmers on Tar River lost interest and preferred to plant cotton, which had increased in price. Tobacco culture was again revived about 1890, when cotton de- clined in price, and Tarboro soon possessed one of the best tobacco markets in Eastern North Carolina. Large prize warehouses were erected. R. O. Jeffreys came from Virginia and conducted a large warehouse for several years. The growth of tobacco was again discouraged about 1895, but was again revived in 1917.
The fluctuation of the growth of tobacco was caused by two rea- sons : soil conditions and labor, and the change in prices. More- over, in all successful enterprises there must be a coming together or a harmonious cooperation in order to be successful. For a suc- cessful tobacco market the merchants, the farmers, and the tobacco buyers must meet and make provision for the storage of the to- bacco and keeping active the tobacco interest. Such has not been the history of the tobacco market at Tarboro.
Cotton, which had been a staple product of the county for many years, had its worst reverse immediately after 1865. Much of the cotton produced just before and during the war had been destroyed by Federal troops and by the Confederate Government in order to prevent the North's securing same. At the termination of the war, therefore, there was great scarcity. The fact, how- ever, that the United States Government placed a heavy tax upon cotton discouraged many planters. The Government tax was three cents per pound, causing a bale of cotton weighing 500 pounds to cost the farmer $15.00. It is obvious that the southern farmer was robbed to enrich the North.
After 1880, however, conditions became more normal and cot- ton reached a safe basis for production. Land conditions im- proved and cotton was produced in great quantities. A. B. Nobles produced 71,505 pounds of seed cotton, or sixty-five bales on fifty-
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two acres in 1882. He accomplished this by composting and manuring. Other farmers produced cotton and other crops in proportion.
About this time new agricultural societies were organized. Among them were the Farmer's Institute, with Elias Carr as president and Frank Powell, secretary, and the Gridiron Club, which discussed issues relative to the duties and rights of land owners, comparative conditions of the people, the farmer's margin of profit, things that effect the farmer, and other vital subjects. The late Judge Howard, R. H. Speight, B. B. Howell, W. P. Mercer, N. J. Mayo, J. J. Pittman, and others were active in the work. The Grange movement also supported this phase of farm endeavor, and W. R. Williams, grand master of the States Grange, and H. B. Battle appeared frequently in Edgecombe and advocated stock raising. Application of chemistry to agriculture took deeper hold, and a movement was made by W. R. Cox to have the county commissioners appoint students to attend the Agricultural Col- lege at Raleigh, who should pledge themselves to return to the county and engage in farming.
The Farmers Institute began to teach farming subjects, such as truck farming, tobacco and tobacco curing, proper forage crops and methods of curing, and the best methods of preparing land. Cotton culture and market conditions were also taught, and the idea of stock raising advanced. Tarboro also organized a Pro- gressive Association, with L. L. Staton as president, to take an interest in town and county matters. A building known as the Farmers' Institute Building was used for meetings and consulta- tions.
It was due to the various organizations that stock raising re- vived in 1887. For agriculture and stock raising the climatic advantages and the facilities in Edgecombe are unequaled. Gama grass as early as 1830 was used by William Foxhall. The valuable quality of this grass was developed, and was eagerly sought and transplanted in many places in the county. Along the Tar River and water courses the grass was cultivated with success. The farmers soon began to discover this fact, and began to raise cattle for a financial profit. In 1887 Judge Howard purchased a number of cows and began raising stock at the old Hall Farm. J. W. Jones also put in a large stock farm at his place six miles from
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HISTORY OF EDGECOMBE COUNTY
Tarboro. The Shilo Stock Farm also bought fifty-seven cows of pure stock, while T. H. Gatlin and James Ruffin began the stock business on the Wimberly place.
In 1889 L. L. Staton began to raise pure bred horses at the Shilo Farm. These horses were exhibited at fairs at Tarboro and Fayetteville. He raised colts two and three years old that won nine-tenths of the races during the season of 1889 and 1890. The idea grew until most all farmers were raising stock, while race horses in the county became no longer a luxury. The in- dustry grew until a Live Stock Association was formed in De- cember, 1890, with L. L. Staton as temporary president, A. L. Hussey, secretary, and George Howard, Jr., as treasurer. In recent years George Holderness and Ben Shelton have succeeded in perfecting the stock industry and have become large shippers of cattle. The Live Stock Association was enlarged upon and Stock Feeders' Association survived the early organization. Animals and animal diseases were studied from a commercial viewpoint. Hogs and their diseases were given attention, until the county ranks among the first in the stock business. Considerable atten- tion was given to the production of grasses and clover. Alfalfa, to a large extent, was cultivated and forage was produced in abundance.
The development of stock raising was the logical outcome of the labor conditions and intellectual growth among the farmers. Economic stress from 1886 to 1905 brought heavy pressure to bear upon the farmers. Labor agents were everywhere in the county, causing the farm help to leave. Attempts were made to prevent this both by a law which laid a heavy tax on agents, and by importation of the Portuguese negro. W. A. Hart, John Shackleford, and W. D. Pender tried the imported negro labor, but it proved unccessful. The negro did not understand farm work. The stringent law against labor agents proved more effective.
From a general survey of farming industry in the last fifty years the conditions indicate that more thought and energy were devoted to the work. Agricultural test farms have been introduced and knowledge gained by experiments has been disseminated among the agricultural class. Seed selections improved, better modes of cultivation and fertilization have come. Where only
TYPE OF COTTON GIN IN 1890
TYPICAL STOCK FARM
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MODERN COTTON GIN
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one-half and one bale of cotton had formerly been produced to the acre, one and two bales were raised. Ideal farms and farm living supplanted the crude idea of agriculture. Improvement of fields, houses, and stock pens were noticeable throughout the county. Men who had moved to Texas, Alabama, and Louisiana returned to their native county, and paid handsome prices for the land that had sold for a mere pittance sixty years ago. Mod- ern machinery answered the needs of production and the people proved ready to adopt new ideas. The new cotton gin was per- haps the greatest asset in increasing production. Where the county made 5,000 bales of cotton prior to the introduction of the new gin it increased to about 30,000 bales in more recent times. It is interesting to note that the county in 1881 had 51,880 acres in cotton and produced 26,250 bales.
Considerable attention has been devoted to the industry of farming. The county, however, although chiefly agricultural, has made rapid progress in other industries. The beginning of manufacturing dates with the arrival of the early settlers. The lack of manufacturing on a commercial scale led the settlers to make their own cloth, shoes, and hats. In 1800 the county had 923 looms and spinning wheels, and made 250,000 yards of cloth annually. In addition there were three hatters' shops, two coopers' shops and numerous carriage and joiner shops. As early as 1787 a snuff factory was erected in Tarboro. The factory must have been a small enterprise, and all the work was done by hand and in a slow manner. There were also numerous grist mills in the colonial days. The Tarboro commissioners in 1789 granted permission for a grist mill to be erected on Hendrick Creek. There are signs of old grist mills to be seen today. The Peter Hines Grist Mill, built in 1772, is visible today, in that an old millstone is still there. On Hendricks Creek several old logs, posts, and an old millstone indicate the former existence of a grist mill. On Buck Swamp, at the old plantation of Newit Pittman, Moses Horn built a mill in 1774. Will Barnes built his mill in 1775 on Stoney Creek, while the old Isaac Sessum mill was erected in 1775 on Fishing Creek.
In the colonial period something like the guild system of Eng- land existed in the county. All' blacksmiths and carpenters served their trade, being apprenticed to some expert mechanic.
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HISTORY OF EDGECOMBE COUNTY
The various wood built houses in the county were constructed on this plan. Almost every crossroad had a blacksmith and car- penter shop.
There were also in 1810, 159 distilleries, making 39,000 gallons of peach and apple brandy each year; 439 tanneries, using 1,964 hides annually; 31 blacksmith shops; 4 hatters' shops; 3 carriage shops, and 29 cotton machines. The county was covered almost with saw machines, some run by horses, hand, and water. Several corn-shelling machines were operated successfully and profitably in the county as early as 1800. Wheat fans were not infrequent, and were operated at a rental cost of $1.00 per day.
It may also prove interesting to know that some gold mining was done in the county at a very early date. On Cokey Swamp, near the farms of Dancy and Griffin, signs were discovered in 1794 of a large pit and tools, where ore had been taken out of the ground. A. I. D. Sturdivant, who rented this farm in 1794, dis- covered the signs through a slave, and went to the place in the swamp. Here he found a mattock and some other mining in- struments and dug only a short time before finding some clean pieces of gold. The ore was in large lumps of different sizes, some of yellow and others of white colors and very heavy. The vein appeared not more than three feet in diameter, and was sur- rounded by rotten wood, indicating a shaft. Ore was found inside the bark of the rotten logs. In 1834 Mr. Sturdivant moved to Tennessee and gave the information to the late Judge Howard's father. It was afterward discovered that the negro, owned by a Mr. Williams in the county, who was killed at Kings Mountain during the Revolution, was working with a man believed to have been a British deserter, and who had been employed by Mr. Wil- liams to get out the ore. The Englishman seems to have been a miner named Jackson, who worked in a shop and made large quantities of money and dug ore on the bank of Tar River. It was carried about three miles to a shop, where there was a small furnace to reduce the ore. Jackson absconded and took all the money with him, leaving the tools in the mine. Some credence was given the story, and tools were found in a decayed condition in 1834.
One of the early pioneers in commerce in Edgecombe was one Mr. Watson. He was one of the largest merchants of New Eng-
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land, and began business with John Brown, founder of Brown University. Mr. Watson began prospecting in Eastern North Carolina in 1777, and at the age of nineteen was handling sums for investment amounting to $50,000.00. He visited Edgecombe in 1777, prospecting and reporting conditions favorable according to the times and conditions.
As early as 1805 Edgecombe felt a new awakening for manu- facturing, which began on a small basis. It is clear that in that year a varnish factory was erected in the county. In 1811 a deed was recorded in Tarboro courthouse signifying that in addition to many other merchandises, sixty-five barrels of varnish were shipped to Baltimore in care of Captain Davidson. Moreover, twenty-six barrels of varnish and thirty barrels of rosin were shipped to Town Creek. At the same time the tools and instru- ments of a turpentine distillery with a capacity of twenty barrels a day, and all tools of a lampblack factory, and twenty barrels of lampblack were sold at a sale at Tarboro. Jonas Bell became the owner by purchase, and it is reasonable to believe that the tur- pentine distillery, varnish factory, and lampblack factory were continued in operation.
In 1847 Tarboro had a considerable boom from the turpentine industry. Four years prior to this time not more than 1,000 barrels annually were produced in Edgecombe. In 1847 one large distillery was in operation, producing more than 300 barrels daily, while the quantity of turpentine timber soon made possible the erection of more distilleries.
In 1833 the study of the cotton industry resulted in the inven- tion of a machine to separate the kernals from the lint of the hulls, which absorbed the oil and prevented a complete extraction. The machine was invented by Lancelot Johnson, then a resident of Edgecombe County. The oil extracted was used in lamps and served the purpose of kerosene oil. The result of this invention was the erection of machines at Tarboro and other localities in the county. A great revival occurred in the production of cotton and cotton manufacture.
About this time agricultural works were erected in Tarboro, where the Edgecombe Iron Works now stands. Mr. Hines, of Wilson, N. C., first began the enterprise and later the late Judge Howard's father supported the project as a partner. The struc-
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ture at first was made of wood and when Mr. Howard became a partner a large brick building was erected. The plant made plows, castings, and repaired agricultural machinery of all descriptions.
Early in 1828 a movement began to organize the Edgecombe Manufacturing Company. Joel Battle became the nominal presi- dent. Registration books were opened by the county commission- ers in March, 1829, for the subscription of stock. Several hun- dred dollars were secured. Through public subscription and pri- vate capital enough was furnished to erect one of the greatest enterprises ever undertaken in this part of the State. The plant was located at the Big Falls of Tar River, where an abundant water power made possible the use of a large quantity of ma- chinery. A stone structure about seventy-six feet long by thirty feet wide with four floors was erected. The mill at first had 2,000 spindles, with a large wooden building annexed for the accommo- dation either for spinning or weaving. Attached to the factory was also a large grist and saw mill, two store houses, a large dwell- ing and other necessary buildings. The mill was bought in 1829 by a joint stock company.
This was one of the early factories of its kind to be established in the South. The erection was almost immediately after the inventions for cotton pressing. On September 1, 1827, Lewis Laysaid, a minister, invented a machine to press 300 to 380 pounds of cotton into two breadths of forty-two inches, the bagging being four feet six inches long. The work was accomplished with con- siderable ease and in a short time. The press was worked by a lever acting on a fulcrum driving the headpiece, which pressed the cotton into the bale. It appeared that the press was accepted in the county about 1828. Many mechanics in the county examined the invention and pronounced it good.
There is some dispute over the erection of another factory at the Falls of Tar River. It has been stated that the factory was projected by Henry A. Donalson, and that the corner stone was laid in 1816. The building was constructed in 1817, under the immediate direction of Mr. Donelson, and under the proprietorship of Joel Battle, Benjamin D. Battle, Henry A. Donelson, and Peter Evans. The factory was operated, as is now known, by Joel Battle until 1848, when it passed into the hands of James S. and
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William S. Battle, who refitted it with new machinery. In 1858 William S. Battle became sole proprietor. In 1863 Federal cavalry burned the factory and grist mill. Mr. Battle, with a true spirit of enterprise, commenced to rebuild in 1866, and com- pleted in 1867, a splendid brick building on the old site. The new building was also of four stories, the basement was used for looms, the first story for carding, the second for spinning, and the third for reels in which the "dressing" was also provided. The factory, as it was rebuilt, contained thirty-eight looms, 1,600 spindles and all necessary adjuncts. In full operation it had the capacity of using 700 pounds of raw cotton per day, and the looms turned out about 1,200 yards of shirting and 500 pounds of cotton yarn. Fifty operators were daily employed.
One of the possible means for aiding agriculture and business in Edgecombe was the establishment of a bank. The exact date of the first bank is not known, but in all probability it was before 1815. It is to be inferred that one did not exist in 1811, since Jeremiah Battle in writing of Edgecombe at this time does not mention the operation of any bank in the county. On the other hand, there was in the county a large bank vault as early as 1818. Bennett Barrow, who must have been the owner, sold to Weeks C. Hadley a certain lot, one of the original lots, No. 80, in the Howell tract, with all the improvements on said lot, "except a large vault to the bank," which he had recently sold the E. C. Guion and Company. This vault was evidently not the one located in the old brick bank building on Trade Street. This vault was probably the property of some private citizen who operated a bank in the county for several years. The Tarboro Southerner makes men- tion of Peter P. Lawrence being the cashier of the Bank of Tar- boro for thirty-four years. This was in 1853, thus placing Mr. Lawrence's activities as early as 1809.1 It is probable that when the branch of the State bank was located in Tarboro about 1830 the private bank ceased to exist, and that Mr. Lawrence became cashier of this bank. R. R. Bridgers was for several years the president of the State bank; at one time James Weddell was president. In 1834 a report was current that Tarboro was to have a new bank, and the official returns to the town commissioners showed the bank had $60,200.00 from subscriptions. It could not
1 Accepting this theory the operating of a bank would begin earlier than this, for Mr. Hadiy preceeded Mr. Lawrence as cashier.
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HISTORY OF EDGECOMBE COUNTY
have been, however, that Tarboro had two banks, since in 1830 the official report showed one "State Branch Bank," and in 1850 it still had only one.
In 1855 the Bank of Tarboro showed a thriving business, and had a credit of $57,048.00. Its resources in 1856 was $16,380.00, with its resources and business increasing annually. In spite of the service that a bank was supposed and did give, the State bank had always been unpopular in Edgecombe. The Republicans and the people generally fought it for four years. When T. H. Hall, of Edgecombe, announced himself as a candidate for Congress in 1839 it drew a notice from the Republicans, who shouted, "To arms, Republicans, to arms. The war is begun. We have at length the great pleasure of displaying the broad Republican banner, inscribed with the name of that stern and consistent Democrat, Dr. Thomas H. Hall."
The whole issue was that Dr. Hall, a Democrat, had turned Republican to beat the bank law. The Democrats were weak, and it was strongly desired to keep the Federalists, who were for a National Bank, from controlling the Government, whereas the Republicans were strong for a national treasury. However, under the leadership of North Carolina politicians, the State Bank gained rapidly in the popular mind, and in 1830 a branch bank was established at Tarboro. This bank was eventually fol- lowed by the Pamlico Bank in 1875. The late George Howard was its first president and John S. Dancy its first vice-president. The late Fred Philips succeeded Mr. Howard as president, while H. L. Staton, the third president remained in this office for sev- eral years. Matthew Weddell was the first cashier of this bank, and remained as such for some time. Theophilus P. Cheshire was for many years the cashier.
In 1853 the mechanical interest aroused considerable attention among the wide awake people of the county. The movement began under the energy and direction of F. L. Bond, a prominent merchant at Tarboro. In 1853 he erected the first and only furniture factory in Edgecombe. His business was a pronounced success, and he was jocularly known as the "Furniture Cham- pion." He conducted a business similar to wholesalers, packing and shipping furniture to all parts of this and adjoining counties. It was his desire to give Edgecombe a reputation for manufactur-
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ing. About 1854 Mr. Bond introduced steam into his factory. He went North in the fall of 1854 and secured a large stock of materials, and was successful in enlarging his plant with new equipment and with steam power. The furniture he made was of fine quality, and there is, at this time, many pieces of it in the county.
Soon after the war manufacturing in the county received an impetus toward further development. In 1870 there were in the county a number of mills, valued as follows: Thirteen steam mills, four water mills, employing 235 laborers, had a capital of $139,225.00, paid $43,696.00 in wages, used $145,934.00 worth of raw materials and turned out products valued at $267,762.00. In addition there were three carriage and wagon shops, one large cotton factory, five flour mills, and seven saw mills. These indus- tries employed 173 laborers, paid $30,156.00 in annual wages, used $116,712.00 in raw materials, and turned out $220,727.00 finished products, and had an investment of $107,170.00.
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