USA > North Carolina > Catawba County > The Catawba soldier of the Civil war a sketch of every soldier from Catawba county, North Carolina, with the photograph, biographical sketch, and reminiscence of many of them, together with a sketch of Catawba county from 1860 to 1911 > Part 3
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Looking back upon this picture of hard toil we see its
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THE CATAWBA SOLDIER
setting and frame-work in the typical home of Catawba County as it was then. These houses were small and un- pretentious looking, but were made lovely in summer by vines and the beloved old-fashioned flowers that grew in every "Grand-mother's Garden." The bordered path led up to the door, and here one entered into the general living room, warm, cheery and bright with it's glowing open fire in winter and it's shadowed cool in summer. Here the family gathered together when the day was over, about the solitary little candle that so bravely strove to light the depths of gloom. Here the friendly neighbors who came over to spend the day, sat working on their half-completed quilts, their knitting or sewing, never idle, but talking of "the days be- fore the War" or the present news while they worked. Here the social gatherings were held, no fear of boisterous young people doing harm to the rag carpets, the home spun cur- tains or the split-bottomed chairs with which the room was furnished. Without doubt these rooms contained many pleasant memories of happy scenes despite "hard times."
Certainly there could be no greater contrast to this cheery room than the gloomy dark "best room" or parlor. With its better furnishing of carpet and chairs carefully guarded, its shades drawn down and the few pictures hung precisely on the wall and the few books placed precisely on the table, this sacred precinct was always kept closed and generally locked. Only on such occasions as weddings or funerals was its dark domain invaded and used.
Passing by the bed rooms with their high four-posted beds, the pretty crazy quilts and the old furniture that had been handed down from mother to daughter, we find the old-time kitchen, the most important and interesting place of all. Here was the great open fire-place with its two swing- ing rods, one on each side, fitted out with hooks on which were hung the many-sized pots over the glowing coals. Sometimes there was an old-time stove; but, if so, this was only used for special occasions such as the baking of all the weekly pies and bread on a Saturday, or the huge cakes for the Christmas season. Generally the daily supply of vege- tables and meat was prepared by boiling everthing over the open fire. Apples, sweet and Irish potatoes were baked in
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OF THE CIVIL WAR
the hot ashes; chestnuts were roasted and pop-corn often popped over a bed of coals. The dutch oven, a round cover- ed pan in which biscuits were baked, was often set on these coals with its layer of coals on top. Strings of beef and sausage, dipped in brine and hung over the stove or around the room to dry out, were frequent ornaments of the kitchen. Bunches of red-repper also made a cheerful spot. The ad- joining pantry was, of course, the realm of delicacies and stacks on stacks of good things. Here was sweet-pickle and preserves made from every kind of fruit, row on row of dried apples, pears and peaches, fresh tomatoes and fruit saved far into the Fall, not to mention the weekly supplies of delicious pies and pastry.
Frequently there was a cellar to the house where winter provisions of potatoes, vegetables and apples were stored. Down in its depths was the place for the shelves of peanuts and the barrels of saur kraut, which during the Fall was made by filling in alternate layers of cabbage and salt, with the whole pressed down by large rocks. Fruit and melons were often placed in wheat bran in the cellar for preserva- tion and it was a great achievement if some could be saved long enough to grace the Christmas festivities.
Almost all of the food was raised on or near the home place. Every household had a garden where the vegetables were raised and fruit trees around the place, if not a regular orchard, while as for meat, chickens were an important ar- ticle and during the Winter great supplies lasted over from hog-killing time. Outside the kitchen in the back yard a low brick oven was generally built, where the baking was done when the kitchen held no stove. Molasses was used a great deal to take the place of the more expensive brown sugar, and once or twice a year a general stock of salt, sugar coffee and commodities of that sort which could not be "home-made" or home-grown were laid in. Water in the kitchen or elsewhere was not used so lavishly as at present, because often every bucketful had to be carried from the spring which might be quite a distance from the house.
If these houses could not boast of beauty, they were nevertheless cheery and home-like. The walls were plaster- ed or sealed without paper and the few pictures on the walls
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THE CATAWBA SOLDIER
with occasional portraits of wood cuts for which the car- penter had sawed out and painted a frame. Books there were but few outside the family Bible, but those favored persons who had small libraries were usually generous enough to lend reading material around to friends and neigh- bors. The novel rag carpets were manufactured at home from scraps which had been saved for that purpose. The candles by which light was insured during the long winter evenings were made by dozens and half-dozens, by pouring the hot tallow into the moulds, after the wick had been fixed, in place. Curtains at the windows gave a touch of prettiness and comfort. These, hanging over the figured paper shades, were of a certain material which lasted-as did most things of that day- year in and year out.
As for clothing, forty-odd years ago the styles did not change every season as they do now. Clothing which had been ones mother's or grand-mother's was handed on down. Woolen dresses when obtained were worn every winter till in rags. Stockings were knitted at home and other clothing when the weaver had finished his job was put together entirely by hand. Men's suits were usually home- spun. Shoes were made by the cobbler of the community and one or two pairs a year were considered sufficient. Hats were used season after season and every piece of trimming or pretty bit of ribbon was carefully treasured. At social gatherings the young man who wore a "Northern" or ready- made suit was considered a dude and a dandy. Hair-dress- ing in that time was rather severe, the hair being drawn back over the ears into a coil behind. In the case of young girls, curls were preferred, and their few party dresses were made short waisted or empire in style.
The most pleasant side of this picture is the social life of that time. Neighbors were very friendly -- often one good house-wife would bring her work and spend the day with another -- then a good old country dinner would be prepared- no fancy dishes but plenty to eat. The young people had social gatherings at each other's homes, quiltings and sewing bees and husking parties in the fall. Usually the old people did the work while the young folks played the good old-fashioned sports of "Drop-the-handkerchief" and
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others. At dances the square dances were only engaged in and the Virginia Reel was the most popular. In the summer Camp Meetings were frequently attended and these were a great event in most people's lives, since at these times the country people saw friends and exchanged news and enjoyed social intercourse that was usually denied them. Church during the year was well attended. Whenever an opportun- ity was afforded as the minister went the rounds of his seve- ral charges, the people would drive in for miles around. This was the social side, but nowhere one could look at the people gathered together or in their homes but what one saw traces of home labor and toil. From the food they ate to the clothing that kept the body warm one could discern cease- less industry in the thousand lines of household work.
It would be of little use to go into details concerning the multitude of conveniences and luxuries that have been in- vented -- especially in the last decade-to make the present day homes of Catawba County so different from those they have superceded. It is only necessary to look about one and consider the most important of the changes-how the elec- tric light has taken the place of the single little candle; in- stead of the bucketful of spring water we can depend upon an unlimited supply from a river, from fixtures in our homes; and the simmering pot over an open fire has been replaced by a huge kitchen range with every kind of implement and utensil for cooking that the mind could imagine. When one thinks of the convenience of the telephone, of the well-stocked grocery store that will deliver any kind of commodity at your door, of the deluge of books, magazines and papers for us to read, how one can be supplied with everything in the way of comfort and luxury from kitchen to parlor-furniture, carpets and pictures to make beautiful the home, and every invention to make the home-work easy, it is no wonder that we hardly realize there was a time of privation and inconvenience and hardship just a comparative- ly few years ago when all these things were unknown, and what we now consider necessities of living, were to them unthought of luxuries.
Now that the home work has been so lightened, that the mothers, wives, and daughters have time for other things,
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THE CATAWBA SOLDIER
the social side of the community has increased accordingly. In the towns numerous clubs of civic improvement, of reading and study and of pleasure have sprung up. In the country homes the telephone, the delivery wagons and the daily ar- rival of the mail at one's door have overcome the barrier of the miles, and we are all brought in close contact with the big outside world and its movements by the daily newspaper.
These changes have certainly brought a different life to the people of Catawba County, and it seems to me that this fuller life, this wider range of interest- more education- more literature, would tend to raise us higher, to advance us farther, to make us a more liberal and broad-minded people since along these lines the progress of the world has been made.
Hickory, N. C.
MARY SHUFORD.
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THE POULTRY INDUSTRY OF CATAWBA COUNTY.
The publication of this history, without making mention of the poultry, would not only be injustice to the readers of the same, but to the hen also. We would not have you think she is the old barnyard hen which has helped to fill many a long felt want, but the modern hen of to-day, which fur- nishes more than the wheat and cotton crops of our broad land. There has nothing advanced more than the poultry industry. Twenty years ago hens sold at 25 cents each, no matter what they weighed, and to-day they sell from 50 cents on up to the price of a good cow, and some specimens even more. Twenty years ago, or say fifteen, eggs sold at 5 cents per dozen; to-day they sell from 15c to $15.00 per doz. owing to the quality. These high priced eggs are not layed by the old long ago or any sort of old hen, but by the im- proved hen, such as the Leghorn, Minorca, Barred Rock, Rhode Island Red, Wyandotte, Orpington, Houdan and many others.
The following will give you an idea of what is being done in Catawba County in poultry:
Geo. E. Bisanar breeds single comb White Leghorns, having some of the finest birds in the south. If you think he is giving them away, write him.
Piedmont Poultry Yards, under the management of J. M. and W. A. Hawn, are breeding single comb Buff Leg- horns, Crystal White Orpingtons, single comb Rhode Island Reds and Indian Runner Ducks. They say they have chickens of quality, and are here to stay. When you come to Hickory, N. C., you are invited to their yards.
C. M. Shuford breeds Barred Rocks and White Wyan- dottes and finds it almost as profitable as the drug business. J. M. Shuford breeds White Wyandottes. D. K. Fry breeds White Wyandottes, Black Minorcas and Brown Leghorns. J. T. Yoder breeds fifteen different varieties. J. S. and J. T. Setzer breed eleven or twelve different varieties. J. A. Lentz breeds Barred Rocks, White Orpingtons and Columbian
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THE CATAWBA SOLDIER
Wyandottes; J. C. Williams breeds Rhode Island Reds; Edgar Yoder breeds White Orpingtons, and, they say, has invested several hundred dollars in the business; C. E. Bumgarner breeds White Wyandottes and Black Minorcas; J. A. Peter- son breeds White Orpingtons and R. I. Reds; J. C. Deitz breeds Game; A. H. Keever breeds White Wyandottes and Leghorns; Jones W. Shuford and Sons are also in the poultry business; W. L. Boatright has been in the business a long time and he says he likes it. He breeds Black Minorcas. W. J. Shuford, the seed man, breeds White Wyandottes and Turkeys, and his partner, R. O. Abernethy, has gone into the business very extensively. He is going to equip an egg farm with White Leghorns and White Orpingtons. Lloyd Whitener breeds Buff Rocks; S. L. Whitener breeds White Wyandottes; Auston Wood breeds R. I. Reds; Geo. Lyerly breeds several varieties; Chas. Bolick breeds Indian Runner Ducks. E. L. Whitener and J. M. Hawn have a new breed which they have named the Catawba Whites. Editor Banks, of the Hickory Democrat, is also a fancier of the feathered tribe for both pleasure and profit. L. H. Phillips breeds several varieties. There are many others of whom the writer has no knowledge, breeding fancy poultry, both for pleasure and profit.
What has been said has no reference to the chickens bought and sold and shipped to the northern markets for table consumption. The amount realized from the last named is immense.
In the spring of 1910, in sixty days, there was shipped out of Hickory alone thirteen cars of eggs.
Annually, sometime in the fall, the Catawba County people have at Hickory, N. C. what is known as "A Free Street Fair." At this fair is exhibited all of the farm pro- ducts, and it has been said by people who have been around and have seen, that it is a credit to any county or state. At this fair is a poultry show which has been organized as the Catawba Poultry Association. And there you will see some of as fine birds as ever graced a show room, and the number exhibited is not a few. At the last show there was on exhibit five hundred, all the leading varieties being rep- resented. The show is wide open. Let everybody come.
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The time is past for you to send out of the state for fancy poultry of any variety. You can get quality right here and in a few more years you can also get quantity.
J. MORGAN HAWN.
Hickory, N. C., June 20, 1911.
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THE CATAWBA SOLDIER
MANUFACTURING IN CATAWBA COUNTY
Among all the industries of the county none have made greater strides than the manufacturing industries. In 1861 there were perhaps as many as six carders in the county, manufacturing wool into rolls to be spun on the "big" and "little" wheels, then to be woven into cloth on the loom, specimens of which may be found yet in the plunder rooms of sone families. 1331 found a few cotton gins also. Now there are many of the most improved kinds. Then the county could claim but one little cotton manufacturing mill, now she levies taxes on eleven, some of which are not re- coned small. Then we found at many cross-roads, wagon and blacksmith shops, the work all done by hand. Now we find the Piedmont Wagon Co., at Hickory doing all the work by machinery, and turning out wagons at the rate of ten thousand per day-and the Bolick buggy shops at Conover, doing a wholesale business in the building of buggies. Then we had many little tanneries-taking twelve months to tan a hide. Now we have large tanneries doing the work by ma- chinery, and on short notice. In 1861 for the manufacture of lumber there were a few old sash saws, the limit of which was six or seven hundred feet per day. Now the improved mills saw thousands of feet per day. In 1861 the prepar- ation of this poorly sawed lumber for building was done by hand with the plane-now it is done wholly by machinery, nearly all mills running a planer and so on ad infinitum. Nothing in a material sense was done then as now. Look to the town history for information on the subject of manu- facturing, as well as other progress in other lines. One more, please. In 1861 there were few bricks made in the county. We will never forget the day when a boy, ten years old, Father wanted brick to build a chimney, and none to be had. He made a circle about twelve feet in diameter, dug a circle about two feet wide around to the sub-soil. Into this we threw red clay sub-soil, which came out of a cellar near by. Upon this we poured water obtained from a well, and prepared this for the moulds by riding horses around. This seems a little humiliating, but nevertheless true. Some of these bricks, though not good- may yet be seen on the old
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OF THE CIVIL WAR
homestead today-60 years old. Many other devices were resorted to by the then citizens, that seem impossible to the boys and girls of today. But we have given some to show the contrast of periods in which the "old soldier" lived. If the same advances are made in the next half century that have been made during the past fifty years, we wot not what - will be. It has not its parallel in history. More progress in the arts, sciences, inventions, discoveries have been made in the past fifty years than since God said, "Let there be light" or Biblically 6000 years, or Geologically 30,000 or shall we conclude from this that there is in the world's history a great event just in sight? To the author, it portends some- thing, let that something be the "end of time"-the Milen- nium"- or what we know not-we have had the honor of having lived in the most remarkable age of the world's history.
HICKORY'S PROPOSED POSTOFFICE
:
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THE CATAWBA SOLDIER
THE CITY OF HICKORY
As the mind of the reader lingers lovingly over the reminiscences of long ago recorded in this book, it is but natural that we should think in a retrospective way of Hickory Tavern, then Hickory Station, and now the City of Hickory. A glance at the picture of the little old log cabin known as Hickory Tavern will enable the younger readers of this book to realize the conditions here when, in 1858, the deed for the first town lot sold in Hickory was made to Henry W. Link. In the spring of 1859 Mr. Link had the lumber on the lot, and in the fall of 1860, the first house in Hickory was completed by the contractor, Mr. Jackson J. Sigmon. It was a combination dwelling and store house. Henry Link and family moved in in the fall of 1860. The firm of Ellis, Link & Co. was organized, composed of Dr. J. R. Ellis, Henry Link and Wm. H. Ellis. Goods were bought in Philadelphia, and the first store was opened for business. Within the following year stores were opened by Levi Elias and Dr. A. D. Lindsay. There was no building done from 1861 to 1865 on account, of the Civil war, except four com- missary buildings, built by the Confederate Government for packing and storing meats and grain for the Army. These buildings were very large, affording every facility for pack- ing and shipping. These were burned by Maj. E. M. Todd, C. S. A., in April, 1865, just before the Federal troops entered the town. One hundred and forty barrels of whiskey, temporarily stored in one of the buildings, were burned; also, large quantities of corn and wheat, which had been collected as tithe. The payment of the tenth of every thing produced in the country by the women and children was a great sacrifice to the cause of the South. This tithe included wheat, corn, meats, hay, etc. The return of Con- federate soldiers in the spring of 1865 enabled them to plant for a crop. Anything that could be hitched to a plow was used, and the result was the best crop in years. In 1860 there were two stage lines, -one to Asheville, N. C., and one to Abingdon, Va. The Abingdon line was discon-
UNION SQUARE, HICKORY
.
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THE CATAWBA SOLDIER
tinued in 1861. The Asheville line was moved to the ter- minus of the Western N. C. railroad, a few miles West of Icard (now Connelly Springs), at which place "Camp Vance" was located. The first manufacturing plant estab- lished at Hickory Tavern, was the Piedmont Wagon Co. The manufacture of these wagons began at the Catawba . Toll Bridge by Ramseur and Bonniwell. The plant was afterwards moved to Hickory Tavern, assuming its present name. From 1865 to 1870, the town became a good trade centre-especially for mountain produce. It was not unusual
A BUSINESS BLOCK IN HICKORY
in the latter part of the year to see forty to fifty wagons from Watauga and Caldwell counties, loaded with cabbage, apples, butter, cheese, beans, etc., on the streets.
Having given in the above paragraph a few reminis- cences from Mr. A. C. Link, we cannot refrain from quoting from another of Hickory's prominent pioneers, Mr. A. A. Shuford:
"If Mrs. Shuford were here, I wouldn't dare say what I am going to say. Thirty-one years ago I lived in a three- room house; but we added a room for every baby that came. Now we live in a fourteen-room house. This is typical of the towns growth. Thirty-one years ago the old Presby-
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THE CATAWBA SOLDIER
terian church was the best church building in town. Now all denominations have fine buildings. At that time there wasn't a brick building in town. Neither were there any street lights nor electric lights for the homes. Thirty-one years ago we hadn't heard of a telephone. The manager of our exchange here tells me they give between 3000 and 4000 connections a day. Thirty-one years ago the pay-roll for labor here was about $4,000.00 per month. Now it is about $500,000.00 per year. Now we have two strong banking institutions doing a big banking business. Then you may say there was no banking done. What little was done was done in Charlotte. Thirty years ago there wasn't a manu- facturing enterprise here worth mentioning. Now, our varied manufactured goods are shipped to every quarter of the globe."
This little glimpse into the past, with the mental vision of pioneer work, closely followed by the dark days of the civil war, and the hardships and privations that followed, bring out in striking contrast the City of Hickory to-day. Bristling with activity, it has all the ear-marks of Western progressiveness. This feature is the first thing noticed by the new comer: the city is going ahead and planning for the future. And well it may. Nature has been lavish in many ways in supplying Catawba county with an abundance of natural resources, and the Hickory people are not burying any of their talents. The glorious climate alone is every
BROOKFORD COTTON MILLS, NEAR HICKORY
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OF THE CIVIL WAR
HICKORY MANUFG. CO.
HICKORY MANUFACTURING CO., HICKORY
year appealing more and more to people north, east and west, and the lure is irresistible.
MANUFACTURING
Hickory was cradled in a wagon bed. In 1880 it was selected as the site of an unpretentious shop, which was reorganized in 1889 and which has developed into the im- mense Piedmont wagon plant. Here the famous Piedmont and Hickory wagons are built direct from the forest. The plant covers 15 acres of ground and has a capacity of 10,000 wagons a year.
Hickory, having thus been set a-going on wheels, has been rolling onward in a manufacturing career ever since. Lumber of every description floats this way in the seething flume of business, and it is not surprising to find the city a large woodworking centre. The Hickory Manufacturing Company, Hutton & Bourbonnais, and the Hickory Novelty Company, manufacture every kind of building material from the raw product into the finest of finish for mansion and cottage, and do a large domestic and foreign business. Everything needed for building may be had right here.
There are three large cotton mills. The Brookford Cot- ton Mills manufacture sateens and scrim curtains. The Ivey
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THE CATAWBA SOLDIER
Mill Co. makes a high grade sateen, which goes almost ex- clusively into the lining of men's tailor-made coats. The A. A. Shuford Mill Co. manufacture coarse yarns.
The industries of the city are further diversified with the C. & N. W. R. R. shops, two furniture factories, a pump factory, two tanneries, a collar factory, a harness factory, a canner factory, an ice plant, a foundry and machine shop, two hosiery mills, a pickerstick and school desk factory, steam laundry and two roller mills. The money value of
1
RY NOVELTY DO.
HICKORY NOVELTY CO., HICKORY
these factories is $1,850,000 and the annual output amounts to $2,250,000. They furnish employment to a large number of people.
ELECTRICITY AND WATER POWERS
Hickory is on the northwestern edge of a vast loop of the electric transmission lines of the Southern Power Co. Many of the mills and factories use this power, handled locally by the Thornton Light and Power Co., the company
SOME OF HICKORY'S RESIDENCES
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THE CATAWBA SOLDIER
which furnishes the city with its ample electric lights. In addition to this power which comes from the lower reaches of the Catawba, another development of 8000 Horse Power at Lookout Shoals, on the same river near Hickory, is under way. There are enough undeveloped water powers on the Catawba river within a few miles of the city to furnish power for scores of years to come. Industries are attracted by water powers as iron filings by a magnet, and the develop-
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