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Record #:
22803
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Several very small towns in Pitt County are now forgotten to history. Kammerer gives a series of small historical sketches of these lost places. Coxville was a small town that existed from 1850 to 1906. It was named for William Cox and his store. Jolly Old Field was, in the early 1880s, an important steamboat port along the Contentnea Creek. However, the coming of the railroad in 1890 made river commerce obsolete, and the community died. Hanrahan, named after James A. Hanrahan (1831-1891), had a post office from March 10, 1879, until July 13, 1889. This small town reestablished its post office in April 1898. Another small town might have the distinction of having the shortest-lived post office. Blount Hall, the ancestral home of the Blount family, had a post office from January 15, 1833, until September 6, 1833.
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Record #:
22857
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This article describes some important events and lists some important dates pertaining to long-forgotten towns in the county. Redalia was a small town that had a post office sporadically from April 19, 1853 until April 28, 1894. Renston was a small town with a post office from March 20, 1891 until October 15, 1902. There was a post office in Ridge Springs from May 14, 1844, until December 11, 1866, and August 15, 1867, until January 1886. Roundtree was another small town in Pitt County. It grew around the plantation of Jesse Roundtree (1765-1831). A post office operated there from June 1, 1888, until October 2, 1902. The ancestral home of Pitt County's Blount family and their original plantation started by Jacob Blount (1726-1789) had a post office from January 15, 1833, until September 6, 1833. A very small town called Clayroot had a post office from February 10, 1894, until June 6, 1901. A prominent man by the name of Asa Garris lived at Littlefield.
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Record #:
22858
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A map on the cover of this issue indicates where some of these forgotten towns were located. Johnson's Mill, named after Frederick Johnston's gristmill, had a post office from December 13, 1837, until July 13, 1903. Quinerly, named after W.A. Quinerly, had a post office from February 9, 1894, until January 13, 1904. Gardnersville was a small town consisting of many family members of the John A. Gardner clan. It had a post office from June 6, 1894 until May 24, 1901. A very small town called Pullet also operated a post office under Franklin Jackson (May 21, 1886-February 1, 1888). The small towns of Hanrahan and Centreville also have disappeared.
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Record #:
22886
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The railroad dramatically changed everything about Eastern North Carolina. Two particular changes were the development of businesses and the establishment of towns. The railroad led to the development of the communities called House and Whichard. Originally, House Station was located three miles north of Greenville and was named for David House (1816-1894). The post office became known as House when it opened on August 31, 1891 It remained open until December 7, 1900. The post office was opened again on November 5, 1901. On May 30, 1897, an earthquake in the town shocked many residents. The town slowly died after the telegraph office was closed in June 1899. Similarly, Whichard had a short-lived existence. Whichard Station, named after Willis R. Whichard, was started because of the railroad. A post office was operated there from December 28,1891 until April 1896. However, the town died after the timber interests and the railroad line left it.
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Record #:
22889
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Traveling northeast from Greenville, a person might drive through two rather small communities: Stokes and Oakley. Stokes was named after William Green Stokes (1864-1953), who opened a store there along the railroad line in 1892. Stokes was, and still is, the principal center and post office for Carolina Township. The town was incorporated on February 1, 1903. Mrs. Addie Stokes was serving as postmistress in 1892. The small community of Oakley is located about six miles north of Stokes. It once was a major shipping point and depot for the surrounding communities. On April 23, 1892, it was reported that Willis H. Williams was the postmaster. After its incorporation in 1903, a town hall was built.
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Record #:
22898
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There have been many landings along the Tar River. Two very famous landings were called Pillsboro and Centre Bluff. Pillsboro was known first as Williams Landing, Upper Landing, and Tobacco Patch. Pillsboro was located near Falkland and was owned by several people. Centre Bluff, also known as Foreman's Bluff, was located between two high bluffs on the Tar River about eight miles from Farmville. It was a very vital and important ferry location before the railroad made it obsolete. In between these two landings, a small community called Bruce developed in the crossroads of Falkland and Centre Bluff roads. It was located near Cottendale, which was Robert R. Cotten's plantation, and Greenwreath, which was Foreman's plantation. The community was named after John Bruce, who financially helped Robert R. Cotten during the Civil War. A post office operated at Bruce from July 18, 1900 until December 30, 1922.
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Record #:
22901
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Located near Belvoir along the Tar River, Bensboro was once the ancestral home of the Atkinson family of Pitt County. In the late 1700s and early 1800s, Benjamin Atkinson made it a thriving commercial center with his store and consistent transporting business. When he died on February 2, 1816 at 63 years of age, his businesses were divided and sold. However, the 1,500 acres of plantation were not sold. Ben Ashley Atkinson inherited the land and tried to use the plantation as the cocoonery for a Greenville Silk Company. Peyton Ashley Atkinson took over Bensboro on October 1, 1839 after his father Ben Ashley died. Peyton married the very prominent Susan Virginia Streeter of Greene County on July 27, 1843. This marriage caused Peyton Atkinson to run two plantations in two different counties: Bensboro in Pitt County and Streeter in Greene County. By this time, Bensboro was apparently a beautiful place with its lush trees and rich furnishings. After Peyton died on February 2, 1863, Benjamin Streeter Atkinson took over the plantations. He was elected to serve in the state legislature. However, debts and economic recessions caused Bensboro to become disarrayed. Bensboro burned in 1895 and Susan Streeter Atkinson died on December 4, 1895. Thus, Bensboro finally was lost forever.
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Record #:
22906
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n 1727, the Williamses were the first family to settle in the region near present-day Falkland. In 1779, George Faulkner operated a tavern there, which might be how the town got its name; however, no one is sure. In 1902, the town had a population of 139 people. Some of the more prominent people in the town were Frank Dupree and F.L. Fountain. The area has supported several noteworthy businesses.
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Record #:
22908
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The crossroads once described as "16 miles from everywhere" is Bethel. Later known as Brandon, this village which grew around a church which was formed by 1774. On April 28, 1858, the town finally received a post office with Bethel as the official name for the town. The town was incorporated on December 18, 1873. In 1883, the population of Bethel stood at 200. Professor Z. D. McWhorter opened his Bethel Academy to educate the local male population. Although this little town had a small population, the businesses and social life in the town thrived during the late nineteenth century.
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Record #:
22910
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The town grew around John Cannon Cox and his cotton planter factory. This plant in 1887 became known as A.G. Cox Manufacturing Company. On May 20, 1891, a post office was established with the name of "Winterville." The town received its name from a similar town in Georgia. After receiving the post office, the town was incorporated on March 3, 1897. The town charter states that the town should remain dry until 2500 AD. In 1901, Winterville High School was established. Unfortunately, all the economic and population booms throughout Winterville's past could not prevent the high school from closing in 1971.
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Record #:
22915
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Frequent travelers or commuters around Pitt County might have seen the two crossroads on Highway 43, Shelmerdine and Calico. These two crossroads have an interesting history. Shelmerdine began in 1901 and was named after May Shelmerdine, the sweetheart of W.A. West, who owned the local lumber mill. It became a town in 1903, with the lumber company's commissary store serving as the focal point. A 1905 report noted that the population consisted of 325 black residents and 175 white residents. Many Croatan Native Americans and African Americans also came into the town to work for the mill and lived in a small community called "Stumptown." In 1909, the mill burned, and the town began to decline. By 1950, the town had only twenty-nine people. Calico, originally called Calico Hill and noted as being a rough place, was owned primarily by George Washington Venters. His store sold more calico than any other store in the entire county. A post office existed there from 1882 until 1902.
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Record #:
22918
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Named after Joseph Lemuel Ballard (1819-1893), this rather small community was known as Walshville in the early 1850s. From February 1854 until November 1860, the post office was known as Pleasant Mount. In 1894 and 1895, the post office was known as "Joseph." Ballard had several stores, owned forty slaves and had bloodhounds to hunt for runaways. Before the Civil War, he buried his money to prevent Yankee thievery, but he was never able to find it after the war. Other people who lived Ballard’s Crossroads included M. A. Rouse, Gahazi Britt (who moved to Brazil with his slaves), John and Aben Slaughter, Henry and Richard Blow, Dr. James M. Hines and Dr. E. J. Blount. In 1872, J. C. Cobb had a store near Ballard’s Crossroads.
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Record #:
22956
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In this article, Kammerer summarizes the history and gives the relative location of all the past and present towns in Pitt County. Some of the towns named include: Alwood, Centreville, Congleton, Coxville, Dicksboro, Glendale, Grindool, Hanrahan, Hollands, Ira, Joseph, Keelsville, Langleys, Maupin, Parkerside, Pineboro, Pullet, Redalia, Rochdale, Rose Hill, Rountree, Standard and Winona. A map is included noting all the towns' locations.
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Record #:
22968
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Kammerer presents two newspaper articles describing Contentnea Creek Country in 1905 and Tyson’s Neighborhood in 1888. The articles talk about the history, growth and farms of these Pitt County communities. Some of the people mentioned include: Benjamin May, Dr. Robert Williams, Dr. J. N. Bynum, E. S. Parker, J. C. Cobb, James H. Cobb, Lawrence A. Cobb and R. J. Cobb.
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Record #:
23020
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Pitt County was once dotted with small communities. Kammerer gives a small history of some of these villages that once existed in Beaver Dam Township, now Bell Arthur Township. One of these villages, Rochdale (or Cobb’s Store), began about 1872 when J. C. Cobb built a store. In 1888, a post office was established in Cobb’s Store known as “Rochdale.” Rochdale faded away by 1912 when Cobb’s Store (later C. D. Smith’s Store) standing at Rochdale was moved to Bell Arthur by L. A. Fulford. Other Beaver Dam communities included Cobbdale, Smithtown, Marltown, and Poketink (Nicholstown)
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