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 5
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As a denominational institution, founded by descendants of Reformed people from the North, her relation to the Church at large has been close and intimate. The immigration into Western North Carolina from Pennsylvania of Reformed families, together with Lutherans, Moravians, Quakers and Presbyterians, began about 1745. In 1775, these families constituted a strong element in the population of the state on a line from Hillsboro to Morganton. Numerous large Ger- man Bibles, prayer books, hymn books, volumes of sermons, catechisms, old churches, deeds for church sites and old church registers, bear ample testimony to their piety and to their loyality to the faith of their fathers. Indeed, their per- sistent devotion is wonderful. For about one hundred years they kept the fire burning on the altar with only now and then a minister from the Coetus of mother Synod, with no school in which to educate their young people, and with no classical tie to bind them together. The earnest appeals from elders sent from individual congregations, or from several combined, to the Synod in Pennsylvania brought several godly missionaries from the North during these years, but the supply at home was inadoquate and few could be spared for this missionary field. Often the congregations had no pastoral care for many years at a time.
In 1831, the scattered congregations in the state were gathered into charges and the classis of North Carolina was organized with three pastors and two elders. From this time forth the churches grew and multiplied, but as they did so, the need of an institution of learning became more and more imperative. In 1849, at an annual meeting at St. Matthew's
CATAWBA COLLEGE, NEWTON, N. C.
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Church in Lincoln county, the managers of the "Loretz Bene- ficiary fund", named in honor of the Rev. Andrew Loretz who had endeared himself to the churches in North Carolina, discussed the difficulties of travel on the part of our ycurg men to our schools in Pennsylvania, where upon the late Judge M. L. McCorkle suggested: "Why not found a college of our own in our midst?" This was the birth of Catawba College.
The idea was inspiring, and in the fall of 1851 Catawba College opened in the "Old Academy Building" in Newton. On December 17, 1852, the college was formally chartered by the state legislature. Professor Charles H. Albert, the first president and Prof. H. H. Smith, father of Governor Hoke Smith of Georgia, the former from Pennsylvania, the latter from New Hampshire, took charge and soon a large body of noble young men made Newton a lively village.
In a few years, buildings were erected and a library and some apparatus procured. But the scholarship plan on which the school was started failed to furnish sufficient funds, and after graduating one student-Daniel Wilfong-the curriculum was suspended and the school was continued by private en- terprise until 1859, when Rev. A. S. Vaughan was elected president, and the late Rev. J. C. Clapp, D. D., professor of languages. Tradition says that pledges for an endowment of $30,000 were secured and another prosperous beginning was made in the Fall of 1860. All went well until the war clouds came in 1861 when the young men went to the tented field, and ruined fortunes swept away the promised endow- ment, thus remanding the school once more to private enter- prise. A successful Academy was, however, maintained during the war and a commanding High School followed immediately after the war, which, for about twenty years sustained the reputation of the palmy days of the beginning. In 1885, the curriculum was resumed and classes of young men and young women have been regularly graduated ever since, the institution having become co-educational in 1889.
The success of the college since that time and the value of her services to church and state are amply attested by the long list of graduates who have gone into the ministry in our own and in sister denominations, and by the numerous pro-
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fessional and business men who have attained to eminence and achieved success. Among these are two State Superin- tendents of Public Instruction, one Congressman, Judge of the Superior Court of North Carolina, two College Presidents and a large number of physicians, lawyers and teachers of both sexes in pulpit, private and church institutions.
PRESIDENTS
The following have served as Principal or President of Catawba College:
C. H. Albert, A. B., of Marshall College, 1851-1852.
H. H. Smith, A. B., of Bowdoin, 1852-1855.
C. W. Smythe, A. B., of Bowdoin, 1855-1859.
A. S. Vaughn, of Franklin & Marshall, 1859-1861 J. C. Clapp, A. B., of Amherst; 1861-1900.
C. H. Mebane, A. B., of Catawba College, 1900-1904.
G. A. Snyder, A. B., of Heidleberg University, 1904-1908.
W. R. Weaver, A. M., of Franklin & Marshall, Pro. Tem. (Dean), 1910.
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CLAREMONT COLLEGE
Claremont College had its conception in a desire of the Reformed congregation of Hickory to provide a school in which the girls of the church might be educated. Prior to this time no ample provision had been made by the church in North Carolina for the education of the girls.
A meeting to consider the establishment of such a school was held in the home of Mrs. John Wilfong on April 24th, 1880. At this meeting definite action was taken and it was decided to start such a school and in order to execute the plans it was determined to secure from H. W. Robinson an additional lot on which a church could be erected and to use the building then occupied by the Reformed congregation for school purposes.
Subsequent meetings were held in which the principal movers were: Dr. Jeremiah Ingold, J. F. Murrill, W. P. Reinhardt, A. C. Link, A. D. Shuford, A. A. Shuford, F. D. Ingold and Mrs. Wilfong. Many of these meetings were held in the office of F. D. Ingold.
About this time the Rev. Samuel R. Fisher, D. D., Edi- tor of the Reformed Church Messenger, visited Dr. Ingold. The purpose of establishing such a school was called to the attention of Dr. Fisher, who on his return to Philadelphia, wrote several articles about his trip South and mentioned Hickory as a desirable place for such a school as the church had decided to establish.
These articles attracted the attention of the Rev. A. S. Vaughn, who had formerly been president of Catawba Col- lege, Newton, North Carolina. After some correspondence, Mr. Vaughn came south and met the trustees on July 10th, 1880. Mr. Vaughn was enthusiastic, if not visionary, and prevailed upon the prime movers to enlarge their plans and establish a school which would comprehend in its patronage this entire section of country. To do this it must be unde- nominational. Lending themselves to Mr. Vaughn's idea, the interested parties solicited the co-operation of the entire
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town of Hickory in the new enterprise, however reserving one saving clause for the church in the charter, and that was that a majority of the trustees must be members of the Reformed church. All might be, but a majority must be.
The entire community became interested in the school, and among the most active, in addition to those mentioned above, were Messrs. J. G. Hall, R. B. Davis, N. M. Seagle, and all the denominations having congregations in Hickory were represented on the board of trustees.
A tract of land was secured from H. W. Robinson. Two deeds were made by Mr. Robinson. The first deed stipulated that the consideration should be the education of the daughters of John W. Robinson, grand-daughter of H. W. Robinson. This deed was made in 1880. Another deed was made a year later and the amount paid was about the price land was selling for at that time and this is a straight quick claim deed. There can be no question about the title to the property.
The school was organized and formerly opened in the fall of 1880 with Mr. Vaughn as president. Mr. Vaughn had associated with him a most excellent faculty.
The school from the standpoint of efficiency of work was a decided success, but the ideals were not realized. Mr. Vaughn resigned and the policy of the trustees was to lease the school to any worthy party" whom they could secure. This brought to the school some most worthy men, and a degree of success, but the school lacked stability and per- manency
Finally in 1907, the trustees tendered the property to the Classis of North Carolina, Reformed Church in the United States, and after due consideration the church accepted the school. To harmonize with the change, the charter was amended by the legislature of 1908-09 so that the Classis of North Carolina elects two-thirds of the trustees and this two-thirds elects the other third. Should the Classis fail to maintain the school, then the property reverts to Corinth Reformed Congregation of Hickory, which congregation would elect trustees who would manage the school.
The location of the school is ideal. The campus consists
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at present of seventeen acres of land shaded by native trees. The buildings are large and well adapted to school purposes.
The school stands for the education of the girls separate and distinct from the boys. The founders believed that it was best not to have co-education. In harmony with that view the school is run today, and the course of study is arranged especially for the girls.
The departments of study usually found in schools of this class are maintained. Much stress is laid upon the study of the English language.
Claremont has always maintained a high standard in music, and that standard was never higher than at the present time.
The faculty is always selected with care, as the manage- ment believes that the faculty makes the school.
At present the Rev. Joseph L. Murphy, D. D., is presi- dent. Other teachers are Rev. J. H. Keller and wife, Miss Margaret Hoffman, Miss Frankie Self, Miss Grace Wrren, Miss Elizabeth Bost and Signor D'Anna and wife.
The girls board in the building and enjoy the comforts of a well established home. The cost is far less than at most schools of this character ..
The success of the present year would indicate a career of usefulness and an era of prosperity for Claremont College.
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CONCORDIA COLLEGE AND CONOVER, N. C.
When it comes to a recital of the facts concerning the founding and growth of a school and the village in which it is situated, proneness to say too much, and the fault of not say- ing enough, are far from being pleasant companions of a pen having a disposition to be fair. However, to relate the plain, simple facts as they have occurred from year to year, and that without bias or exaggeration, is a happy middle-ground for the narrator. So then, with that intention, it is with pleasure that we give the following sketch of a quiet village - Conover-a Catawba hamlet, inhabited by a very quiet people.
Located upon a "bench" nearly in the center of Catawba county, in the celebrated Piedmont section of North Carolina, and in Newton Township, is Conover, a village of about five hundreds inhabitants. This place had its beginnings in the year 1871, when Mr. Francis Smyer, of Catawba county, purchased of Mr. Pink Spencer a lot situated at the "Y," that is, at the point where the trains on the Southern Rail- way had a branch line leading over to Newton. The "Y" of course served as a turn-table for trains going either north or south. Mr. Spencer had obtained his lands from a large tract owned by the Hermans, who lived at or near by the present site of Conover. Then Mr. J. Q. Sietz, a builder of railway cars at Columbia, S. C., acquired a large tract of the Herman lands, a portion of which he improved.
Mr. Francis Smyre's house situated as it was, at the "Y," soon acquired popularity because of the accommoda- tions it afforded for travelers who preferred to rest at the "Y" while their train backed over to Newton, three miles away and returned.
To Mrs. Wheisiger, of Morganton, a lady of good pre- sence and ideals, is given the credit of changing the name of the "Y," or the "Junction," to the name "Conover," after the name of a family residing somewhere in the North, probably in Ohio. Mrs. Wheisiger was ably sustained in her
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choice of a name for the new town by Mrs. A. D. Hollar and Mrs. J. Q. Sietz, and their choice prevailed.
The little hotel and boarding-house of Mr. and Mrs. Smyer soon suggested to a number of persons living in the neighborhood that at the "Y," or at Conover, as it was now beginning to be called, would be a good location for a general store, and, accordingly, a building was erected and a stock of goods procured by Messrs. Townsend, McCreery and Fin- ger. This undertaking meeting with success others in a little while came up from the surrounding country and open- ed shops or stores, and so such firms arose as Henkel, Lippard & Reitzel; Cline, Roseman & Co .; Smith, Hunsucker & Co. (later, Smith Bros.); Smith, Yount & Co., who manufactured sash, doors and blinds, dressed lumber, and built a number of houses in Conover.
There were others connected with these enterprises but space forbids mentioning them. Among the first to erect dwellings were J. S. Schell, Geo. Brady, J. Q. Rowe, Alex McCreery, Noah Townsend and "Doc" Davis, by trade a carpenter. The stores and shops were for the most part built close by the boarding-house, and all fronted upon the Oxford Ford road which led to Newton. Sometimes the store buildings served for dwellings, but in no great while the merchants and factory men built dwellings near their stores, or wherever they could obtain building lots near by. However, from the beginning, lots were difficult to obtain, the owners of the Herman lands, as well as those who came into possession of the Sietz estate, not being disposed to sell; and we are told that this has been the chief reason why Conover has never been able to grow-to expand, for not every new town is able to build in the air after the sky- scraper method of expansion.
Along with the several enterprises mentioned, followed the building of a burr mill near the "Junction." The rail- road company had already built a depot and the mill was placed but a few yards below it, leaving a public drive-way between. The proprietors of this mill were Messrs. M. J. Rowe and S. G. Schell. Later, in addition to flour, meal etc., the company manufactured lumber and ginned cotton. In 1897 Messrs. Schell & Herman sold out to a company, the
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head of which is the present proprietor, Mr. S. S. Rowe. New machinery for making a high grade product was install- ed, and today Conover flour enjoys a wide distribution and sale.
Another enterprise which has done much toward im- proving Conover is the Picker Stick and Handle factory, owned and run by Mr. Jonas Hunsucker, a leading farmer and formerly a merchant in Conover. Large quantities of hickory timber are annually worked up in this mill and the finished product sent to northern markets where it finds a ready sale.
Conover has had a post office for years, the first post- master being Noah Townsend. The town was also incorpor- ated in 1877 and Captain Peter F. Smith was elected the first Mayor. A small jail, constructed of wood, stands near by the site of the old depot, but happy to relate the lock is piti- fully rusty and the threshold unworn. A constable, (and this completes the list of officers), is responsible for order in the town, and he is also the tax collector. The present postmaster is Mr. J. L. Isenhower, and Capt. P. F. Smith is the Mayor, while the office of Constable and tax-collector is held by another Civil War veteran, Mr. J. P. Spencer.
Early in the 80's, after a lively fight in the Legislature, Newton succeeded in having the railroad moved so as to pass by that town. This change necessitated the moving of the track from the eastern to the western side of Conover, the location it now occupies, and here a new depot was built at once. The change appears not to have injured Conover in any way-only it cut off the fond hopes of a number who had longed to see Conover become the County seat- a hope and desire that was but natural in view of a number of consider- ations which were patent to all. The new depot was built in 1889. The old depot formerly erected on the east side, after weathering the elements for many years, was finally torn down in 1908.
The blacksmith shop was one of the early enterprises be- gun in Conover, and it has remained, that of Mr. Elkana Eckard being one of the first and most important.
The shops of Messrs Jerome Bolick & Sons are located just without the limits of Conover, upon the Newton road. Mr.
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Bolick is the inventor of the Conover spring steel wheel for buggies, pony carts, and carriages. The firm is widely ad- vertised.
Near the Conover Roller Mills is the plant of Messrs. Yount and Schell, established about ten years ago. This firm has installed equipment for ginning cotton, for sawing and dressing lumber, for the manufacture of shingles, and also for the manufacture of cane sorghum.
A number of the early business enterprises have long since been discontinued. Besides those mentioned, the chief business houses now are those of Messrs. P. E. Isenhower & Son, J. A. Yount, Hunsucker & Simmons, for general merchandise; L. F. Hunsucker, hardware, and the groceries of E. A. Herman and A. L. Barger. Dr. D. McD. Yount's drug store was established years ago and has proved a valu- able necessity and convenience both for Dr. Yount in his practice, and for the town and community in general. The office of Dr. F. L. Herman, a leading physician of Catawba county, is located at his home in Conover.
From the beginning, Conover appears to have been alert to the needs of education and educational facilities. At the beginning of the 70's we find Rev. Adolphus Yount and Rev. J. M. Smith teaching a small school in the little dwelling, still to be seen just beyond the limits of Conover, on the Ox- ford Ford road, and near Poplar springs. Soon after, about the year 1873, the school was moved within what are now the limits of the town, being located at or near where the dwelling of Mr. B. A. Hewitt stands, and we are told was taught by John Moser, Rev. R. A. Yoder and others for several years. Dr. P. C. Henkel also took an interest in the work though being unable to give his time to the school as teacher. Thus from these beginnings came the larger and greater idea about the year 1875, from congregations of the Lutheran church of the Tennessee Synod, to establish a high school in the central part of the county. Delegates then from those congregations desiring the school held meetings, and at last decided that it was the wish of all interested to found such a school at Conover, and the people there showed their appreciation of the decision by subscribing nearly $2,- 500 for the school buildings.
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By 1877 the contract for the college had been let (to Messrs. J. P. Cline and Alfred Huffman) and completed ready for occupancy soon thereafter. Dr. P. C. Henkel, the leader in the Tennessee Lutheran church in North Carolina, was made its first president and teacher of theology. Associ- ated with him in the work then, and for some time there after, were Profs. R. A. Yoder, J. C. Moser, J. S. Koiner, and others. For years Dr. P. C. Henkel remained the lead- ing spirit in the school which he had labored so hard to es- tablish, and with his strong mind, will-power and good judgment, saw Concordia College (the name given the new institution) attain to a high degree of efficiency before his death. In 1885, he resigned as president of the institution, and Prof. J. S. Koiner, of Virginia, was made teacher of the theology in his place, while Prof. R. A. Yoder became pre- sident of the College.
The buildings of Concordia College occupy an elevated site within the town limits. The College is a two-story frame building containing a large hall and the library and reading rooms are on the ground floor; above there are four lecture rooms with a small laboratory. The Dormitory, situ- ated on the campus, is a brick structure containing sixteen rooms, and thus offers accommodations for a number of stu- dents. In late years, these buildings have been put in gocd repair. The campus includes seven acres of grove. Primi- tive, uncomfortable benches and desks have given place to patent desks, maps, and other equipment suitable for the time and work. The Chemical and Physical Laboratories have been stocked at considerable expense, and now an annual appropriation is made for increasing the equipment. The Library offers to the student means for general and supplementary reading, and for reference. The College is controlled by a Board of Trustees and discipline is exercised by the President of the school and faculty. The discipline is mild, but no openly immoral, idle, or disobedient student is received or retained in the College. As the institution was founded for the purpose of giving adequate religious in- struction, so this branch of study remains the main course in the school, but is not, however, obligatory, and those who, for good and sufficient reasons, wish to be dispensed from
-
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all or part of this course, are made welcome and accorded every privilege enjoyed by others. Thorough work is insist- ed on in all courses, but the abilities and opportunities of the individual student are not disregarded. The Faculty of the College, by and with the consent of the Board of Trustees, has the power of conferring the degree of Master of Arts, and the degrees and distinctions of less dignity than Master of Arts, which are usually conferred by colleges; but no degree is conferred except after honest and successful effort on the part of the candidate.
The death of Rev. P. C. Henkel, D. D., occurred Sept. 26, 1889, at his late residence in Conover, after a few days of intense suffering, at the age of 69 years. He was buried at St. Peter's church, Catawba county, September 28, 1889, Rev. J. M. Smith preaching the funeral in the presence of hundreds of people who came from far and near. Dr. Henkel was born August 20, 1820, and was the oldest son of Rev. David and Catharine Henkel, of Lincoln county, N. C. He was the descendant of a long line of distinguished Lutheran ministers. He inherited very great physical and mental powers from both of his parents. On the 5th of September, 1343, he married Rebecca Fox. the daughter of David Fox, of Randolph county, N. C.
Dr. Henkel was a man of extraordinary mental powers; original of thought, and a logician of fine acumen. Thus in debate and controversy he proved to be a formidable anta- gonist because of his sound reasoning and the manner in which he clinched his every argument. It is known, too, that he would never for any consideration go back on his word. In his manner he was humble and unassuming-humility be- ing manifest in all his dealings with his fellow-man. Inte- grity was also a salient point in his character. He was rigid- ly honest and truthful. His style of preaching was exposi- tory, plain and forceful. He preached for forty-six years without interruption and wholly in the Tennessee Synod, except a few years while in Missouri. At one time he had pastoral charge of fifteen congregations, and did an immense amount of missionary work. He was always ready to speak a word of comfort to the sorrowing, the word of life to those seeking a knowledge of the way of life, but he was an un-
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compromising antagonist of error, and boldly and fearlessly denounced it wherever he met with it. His influence in all the relations in which we have mentioned him was very great, and we would add, lasting also. In the Lutheran Church of the South, he was, perhaps, the greatest man in its history. And as stated, he labored hard to establish the school of Conover for his Synod, in which the Word of God should be recognized as a factor in education. His influence yet today is felt far beyond the limits of his own Synod, even throughout the Southern Church. He was in the midst of his earnest labors both writing and preaching when he was called to his reward. Thus ended his work. A good and great man had fallen.
Some of those who were privileged to receive instruc- tion from Dr. Henkel were the Revs. A. L. Bolick, P. C. Wyke, Jacob Wyke, Darr, G. E. Long, S. S. Keissler; Profs. R. L. Fritz, C. C. Coon, A. P. Whisenhunt, and others well known in Catawba and other counties.
In 1892, Concordia College passed under the control of the Synod of Missouri and the States with the Rev. Prof. W. H. T. Dau, of Memphis, Tennessee, at the head of the faculty. The new management maintained the curriculum already provided, only with the change that those having the minis- try in view were to graduate in theology at St. Louis, Mo. Also suitable courses were provided for those desiring to become teachers, and for others a sound education along general lines was arranged for, and the institution remained coeducational.
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