HISTORICAL SKETCH OF EDITH

In Which The Early History of the Town Is Given-How it Was Called The Bull
Pen-A Man Can Be a Republican Still be Courteous and Polite.

In the last three years we have frequently been asked to give a history of
Edith and the surrounding country, but as our space is too limited to give a
history of so large a section in one letter we will confine our remarks to
the corporate limits of the town which we will define as one mile from the
square.

Edith is located on the Towship line, between Catawba and Mountain Creek, at
a point where the Buffalo Shoal and Lincolnton roads cross the Sherrills
Ford and Morganton or Newon road.  This section or at least the most of it
was donated to the founder of the Iron works on Mountain Creek as timer for
coal and to encourage the manufacture of Iron in this section.  I doubt
whether these manufacturers ever had any right to anything but the use of
wood from this land, but by having that right this give them possession
hence the land was claimed by them and was so poor no one else ever made any
effort to stake a claim to it.

It was generally known as the Bull Pen or Bull Pen land.  This became a
familiar name from the fact that during a big snow that fell in the year
1816 which was referred to as the big snow.  A traveller with an ox team
camped at this point the time the snow fell and as the snow was too deep for
him to continue his trip he built a pen and camped till the snow got away.
It was also known as the coaling ground because the iron works made lots of
charcoal to use in their forges.

Up to the beginning of the civil war, and for some years after, it was a
perfect wilderness of second and third growth sap timber and even the
opossum hunter dreaded to follow his dogs through the thicket, as rattle
snakes were not uncommon, and owls and pheasants abounded, and even the last
deer of this section found refuge here at the close of the war within the
corporate limits of Edith.  The population at that time was seventeen, and
since the war twelve persons have died within its limits--the present
population is eighty-eight souls.  The wilderness has and is being cleared,
and good buildings have, and are being, built.  The land produces good crops
of corn, oats and wheat ,and is as fine a fruit section as you will find any
where in this section of the country.

Last year, with only fifty-three of the population engaged in farming,
thirty- two bales of cotton were made, and we have not heard any of these
farmers saying that they had to buy corn this year, but some have sold corn.

Well, Edith's people are progressing.  Edith's free school building is
located within a quarter of a mile of town square, and the parents send
their children regularly.  The teachers like to teach at this school.  Prof.
J.D.  Fisher, one of Catawba county's commissioners, is teaching this
winter--this is his second term.  We hear no complaint and he is liked by
parents and pupils.

The first one to buy in this wilderness was the late B.F.  Gant.  He settled
on the northwest square.  He paid $4.00 per acre for land that now commands
$10.00.  The next, Messrs.  J.A. and W.P.  Beal, bought the north-east
square, and built the present store and post office building and dwelling
combined.  The next, W.M.  Gant, bought the north-west section and opened a
large lot for cultivation.

The next, Gilbert Shufing bought a four acre lot on the south-east square
and built a dwelling.  He sold out and moved to Tennessee.  The last of the
Bull Pen lands was bought by G.L.  McCombs on the south side of the
Sherrills Ford road, east of the square, and J.B.  Drum and J.F.  Edwards
the north side of the road, east of the square.  Don't understand that all
the corporate limits was Bull Pen land, for only about six hundred acres was
of that land.

The first post office for this section was located at the A.B.  Powell store
house, known as the Gold Mine House or Fry House.  It was established in
1880, and was called "Sherford."  It only lasted about two years and was
discontinued for want of some one to take charge of it.  Edith was
established in 1885, with G.D.  Snuggs as post master, and he located the
office at his residence, an Kenesaw street, three hundred yards from the
square.  When he moved to Norwood, W. M. Gantt was made postmaster, and he
moved the office to his residence, on Pleasant View avenue, north-west of
the square.  When Mr. C.A.  Setzer moved to the square and opened up goods,
(he being a prominent Republican, and the office too good a plum for a
Democrat, when a Republican could enjoy it), Mr. Gantt was requested to turn
the office over to him, which he did freely.  The post office has changed
post masters twice since.  The present post master is a Republican, though
he was once a strong Democrat, but now we don't know the difference--he is
just as polite and pleasant as he was when he was a Democrat.

Edith is the best paying country post office we know of--with a rural route
running around it like a horse shoe, and nearly if not quite into the
corporate limits on the east.  The office pays $65.00 a year.

This shows that this wilderness is blossoming as the rose, because the
people believe in good schools and something for their children to read.
This is the best means to interest the children in an education.  Give them
good books, magazines and papers, and this the people of Edith are doing.

In conclusion, I will say.  After this county was laid off into townships, I
was appointed to the office of road overseer from Shuford's Creek to the
Bull Pen.  This office enabled me to take sugar in my coffee--when I could
get it.  The first work was done when we got to the Bull Pen.  I was talking
of this wilderness, (I felt good from the effect of the office) and remarked
that before I would die of old age, I expected to see just what I now see
every day, and I had to talk nice to keep the boys from riding me on a rail.
                                                                --RAMBLER.

                   [Catawba County News, March 16, 1906]