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Wayne County

Wayne County
"The State" Magazine - 31 Aug 1940
By Carl Goerch

Mr. Ralph Yelverton is an undertaker. He lives and does business down in Fremont, Wayne County, a good undertaker too. But when Mr. J.T. Aycock died during the early part of the year, he specified that an undertaker from Wilson County should have charge of the funeral. The reason: several years before, Mr. Aycock attended a funeral of a friend in Stantonsburg, Wilson County. The undertaker gave him a chair to sit on. Mr. Aycock never forgot that little act of kindness.

Man of Frugal Habits

During his lifetime, Mr. Aycock was a man of frugal habits. He never spent a penny for anything that he could do without. His home was humble. It lacked electric lights and other conveniences. Mr. Aycock himself always went poorly dressed and denied himself all the things that might be considered luxuries. He said he couldn't afford them. When he died, it was found that he had left an estate in excess of $250,000.

Not only that, but he specified in his will that $5,000 of the above amount should be put aside to pay for the cost of a tombstone over his grave. Before the will was made public, however, they had buried Mr. Aycock. It was found that the lot in the cemetery was not of the type on which an imposing monument could be erected, so the body was moved to another place, and the stone was put up. Although it did not cost $5,000, it is by far the outstanding marker in the Fremont Cemetery. He lived the life of a pauper, but he lies in the grave of a prince.

The story of Mr. Aycock was one of several things we learned while traveling through Wayne County last Thursday. Wayne was formed from Dobbs County in 1779. Dobbs, by the way, used to include Lenoir and Greene counties also. Wayne was named for General "Mad Anthony" Wayne, of Revolutionary War fame. Goldsboro was named for a civil engineer by that name who had charge of surveying the Wilmington and Raleigh Railroad. The first county seat of Wayne was known as Waynesboro. It was located on the Neuse River, about two miles from Goldsboro. When the railroad terminus was established at Goldsboro, a movement was undertaken to change the location of the county seat and a terrific debate ensued.

A Clever Trick

A great meeting was held in Goldsboro in a large oak grove, at which eloquent speeches were made and much barbecue and home-made liquor consumed. There is a story to the effect that one of the ardent advocates of removal of the courthouse deposited in the well in the grove several barrels of ice which had been brought up from Wilmington.

One of the speakers, in presenting his argument, said: "And another thing - we have here in Goldsboro the finest water in the state. If you don't believe me, taste it." They tasted it and, sure enough, it was deliciously cold. Some folks claim that this was the deciding factor in making Goldsboro the county seat. And do you know what happened? Most of the residents of Waynesboro tore down their homes, loaded the lumber and other items on wagons, moved it all to Goldsboro and rebuilt their houses there. A number of those houses are still standing in the town. And Waynesboro is no more.

There used to be another town in Wayne County by the name of Everettsville, six miles from Goldsboro. Some of the largest landowners in the county had their homes there. There was a female seminary, a church and several stores, but Everettsville, like Waynesboro, faded out of the picture long ago, and nothing is left of it.

When we went to Wayne County last week, the first person we saw was Tom O'Berry. We asked Tom who could give us the most information about the town, and he suggested Frank Castex, Dr. "Reb" Cobb, Lionel Weil, Bob Edwards and several others. Mr. Castex wasn't home; he was down in Kinston, visiting relatives. We found out, however, that he is entitled to the distinction of being known as the oldest native-born resident of Goldsboro. He is 88 years of age.

"The man you ought to get to go around with you is Bob Edwards," said Tom. "He's the postmaster, you know, and he knows as much about Wayne County as anybody living here."

Mr. Edwards Agrees - So we went to the post office. Mr. Edwards wasn't in; he hadn't returned from lunch. Incidentally, we believe he is the only postmaster in the country who doesn't live in the town where he officiates. His home is some two or three miles outside of the city limits. Yes; Bob said he'd be glad to go around with us.

"Where do you want to go?" he inquired. "How about Seven Springs?" we suggested. So we got in the car and headed for Seven Springs. "That's the road to Dudley," said Bob, after we had driven a short distance. "What's interesting about Dudley?" we asked.

"Well, there's some mighty fine folks living in that section of the county, but the most interesting thing about it probably is the fact that the railroad station there is at a higher elevation than any other railroad station between Wilmington and Weldon." We drove along a few miles further and then, at Mr. Edwards' suggestion, turned up a dirt road.

"I thought you might be interested driving out to Indian Springs," he said. "There used to be a famous muster ground there, where the young men carried out their drills before the Civil War. Then, too, there's still an old building there which was built 75 or 80 years ago and which was known as a township courthouse. It's just a small structure, but the magistrates used to hold court there and all the voting was done in there too. So far as I know, it is the only building of its kind ever authorized by the county." We saw the site of the muster ground and we also took a picture of the township courthouse.

Then, heading back to the paved road, we were traveling toward Seven Springs when Bob raised his hand again. "Turn to the left here," he directed. We turned to the left. The road got narrower and narrower. "I believe this is the wrong road," he said. "Let's go back." After much effort we managed to get the car turned around and retraced our journey. "Now try this road," said Bob. We followed it for half a mile. It got steadily worse and worse. "Darned if we aren't on the wrong road again," said Bob. "Let's go back." Back we went, and took another road. It brought us to the edge of the Neuse River. "Now get out," said Bob.

Saponey Cliffs

We've never seen a lovelier place in Eastern North Carolina. Steep cliffs, more than 100 feet high, rise up from the river. The view from the top beggars description. You can see for miles and miles and can follow the track of the winding Neuse for a long distance. What a beautiful place for a home!

"There's a path; you can get down to the bottom by following it and you can get a good picture of the cliffs," suggested Mr. Edwards. We carried out the suggestion, although we almost broke our neck getting down to the bottom. The climb was terrific, getting back.

"There's another path," said Bob. "You'll find a beautiful spring at the end of it, and you can get another good picture." That time we almost broke a leg. And the climb back was even more severe.

"There's another path," began Bob, but we interrupted him. We told him with much fervor that we had all the pictures we needed. So we resumed our journey to Seven Springs.

By the way, we found out later, in Goldsboro, that Mr. Edwards as had a rather interesting career. He used to be sheriff of Wayne County; also welfare officer. Prior to that, he was with Buffalo Bill for three years where he did fancy riding and trick shooting and, in addition to traveling all over the United States and Canada, also went to Europe with the show.

Seven Springs is one of the oldest health resorts in the state. The first step in developing it as a resort was taken in 1865 by W.B. Whitfield. The present owner is Mr. G.M. Maxwell, who has been running it since 1912. He looks to be about 65 years old, but he told us that he's really 83.

"First time we heard of Seven Springs," we told him, "was when we lived down in Washington. Mrs. W.A. Blount used to praise it to the skies, she and her husband."

“They’re here right now,” said Mr. Maxwell. And, sure enough, we found them at the pavilion, playing setback with another couple.

Back around 1880 and 1885 Seven Springs was a gay resort. In fact, it was the Mecca for society in Eastern North Carolina. Dances and all kinds of parties were staged and there was plenty of fun and frivolity from early morning until late at night.

With the advent of paved roads and autos, Seven Springs lost its dancing feet and holiday crowds. In its place are a quieter, more sedate group of mature men and women who seek its quiet haven for rest and peace which it’s peculiar beauty gives, and drink themselves back to health with its healing springs. And there really have been some remarkable cures effected. Indigestion, diabetes, kidney ailments, stomach trouble, nervousness, liver ailments – they all respond to the healing waters of Seven Springs. It’s as quiet and restful a place as you can find anywhere.

On our way back to Goldsboro we passed a well-kept farm and, on both sides of the highway could see a lot of Hampshire hogs and Hereford cattle.

“Whose?” we asked Mr. Edwards.

“That’s Weil’s stock farms. Would you like to stop?”

We stopped and met Mr. W.M. Redfearn, manager of the farm. He told us that they have as many as 800 purebred Hampshires a year. And you may be interested in knowing that there are only five or six farms in the entire nation that sell more Hampshires for breeding purposes than Weil’s farm does.

Those Weils, we might say in passing, represent one of the finest families in Eastern North Carolina. This year their mercantile business in Goldsboro celebrated its 75th anniversary. Two months after Sherman’s army entered Goldsboro in March 1865, the business of H. Weil and Brothers was founded. Herman Weil, the oldest brother, just out of service in the Confederate army, was joined in the new enterprise by his younger brothers, Henry and Solomon Weil. The brothers worked hard and pulled together and their business prospered to such an extent that a new store was built in 1870. The business has been going strong ever since.

You ought to see all the ribbons and other trophies that their hogs have won in competition at different state fairs and other places.

Sherman’s Invasion

Speaking of Sherman – he and Generals Scofield, Logan and Terry, with a very large army, encamped at Goldsboro for some time soon after the battle of Bentonville. They made life miserable for the people of that section, and some of their followers remained in the vicinity of Goldsboro for several years, pillaging and marauding the territory for miles around. You can still see some of the breastworks that were thrown up around Goldsboro by Scofield’s army on his march from New Bern to Goldsboro to meet Sherman’s army. These breastworks at one time encircled the town of Goldsboro.

Polly Slocumb’s grave is located between Goldsboro and Mount Olive. She’s the woman, you may recall, who had a dream about her husband being wounded at the battle of Moore’s Creek and made that famous ride on horseback from Goldsboro to the scene of the battle, a distance of about 75 miles.

Wayne County had had two Governors – Governor Brogden and Governor Aycock. The former’s home is alongside the railroad tracks near the north end of Goldsboro. It evidently was quite a pretentious mansion in its day and time and it’s still in comparatively good condition.

In order to find Governor Aycock’s birthplace, you drive north from Goldsboro, pass through Pikeville and then, after going over the overpass you turn up a dirt road that leads to the right. The Historical Commission has put a marker there.

Two-thirds of a mile in, you come to a comfortable-looking home on the left of the road. We got out of the car and proceeded to take a picture. A lady came up just about that moment with a somewhat inquiring expression upon her face.

“Just taking a picture of Governor Aycock’s home,” we told her.

“That’s our home,” she said. “The Governor’s home is out back.”

She introduced herself as Mrs. Wiley Aycock and said that her husband was a nephew of the Governor’s.

The old house – out behind a barn – is in bad state of repair.

It’s a small, one-story structure, and we learned that a movement is now underway to restore it. Not much has been done about the matter up to the present time, however. Great man, was Governor Charles Brantley Aycock, and we hope that something will be done about his birthplace.

Other Interesting Things

There are many other interesting things about Wayne County. There’s the Odd Fellow’s Orphanage, a mighty fine institution; there’s the town of Mount Olive, center of a large and prosperous trucking area and the location of one of the largest pickle plants in this section of the country; there’s the town of Eureka, a fine little community surrounded by a rich farming section; there’s the big textile plant of the Borden Manufacturing Company in Goldsboro as well as a number of other large manufacturing plants. All in all, Wayne probably is one of the best balanced counties in the state. Goldsboro has made great progress during the last two or three decades and is the trading center for a wide area. Its stores are modern and well stocked, it has fine residential sections, a beautiful Woman’s Club building and many other assets. There’s a splendid spirit of cooperation among its citizenry, and this same thing might well be said of every other town and community in the county.

Wayne County raises tobacco, and it also raises cotton. But in addition, its farmers carry out a program of diversification which has been proved to be very successful.

A Famous Swimmer

Wayne County has produced its governors, its members of Congress, its great educators, its judges and its men and women in other high fields of service. There’s a sixteen-year-old girl in Goldsboro, however, who is bringing national publicity to Goldsboro. Her name is Prince Nufer. She has been swimming in competition for four years and is now sixteen years of age. She is the only athlete in the Carolinas to hold two junior nation records and titles. She won her first national title in 1937, the Junior National 150-yard Individual Medly in Pittsburgh, and her second this summer, the 100-meter Junior National Backstroke in High Point. She also broke the Junior National Backstroke record at that time.

Prince has more than one hundred medals, trophies and certificates. She has competed in New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Washington, D.C., and in many other towns. On August 30-31 she will swim in the 14th annual Mid-Atlantic meet in Charlotte. She now holds seven records in this meet.

And, in connection with outstanding people, we can’t refrain from mentioning one who treads the humbler paths of life but who, nevertheless, has made a state-wide reputation for himself. He is Adam Scott.

Adam is a colored man and a highly respected citizen of Goldsboro. He started making barbecue a number of years ago and it was such good barbecue that people got to talking about it. He opened up a small place and it immediately proved popular. Then he expanded his service, and today he has a neat little restaurant adjacent to his home in the colored section of Goldsboro. Great and near-great, from far and near, have beaten a pathway to Adam’s door. In addition, he goes all over North Carolina, and into other states as well, catering to picnics, conventions and other large gatherings.

Wayne County was one of the leaders in the inauguration of the public school system in North Carolina. Several years ago Judge Frank A. Daniels – a finer man never lived – wrote a history of Wayne in which he mentioned the vigor with which the fight for better educational facilities was waged in that county. Said Judge Daniels: “If a man in Goldsboro who cares for popularity wishes to destroy himself utterly, let him put himself in opposition to the progress of our school. Some of the finest educators in the State have gone from its halls. I might mention Moses, Alderman, Claxton, Joyner, Foust, Brooks, and others.” And today, Wayne County takes just as much pride in its schools as it did fifty or more years ago.

The county has produced many great men – it is impossible to mention all of them, so we won’t even attempt to mention a partial list. But there was one man whose heart and soul were wrapped up in the welfare and progress of Wayne; who devoted his entire life to the service of that section of North Carolina and whose memory will be kept alive for many years to come.

We refer to Colonel Joseph E. Robinson, for many years editor of the Goldsboro Argus. He died some time ago, and there was sincere mourning over his passing, not only in Wayne County but throughout that entire section of the state. He was a man who exemplified the highest type of citizenship.

And so, we bring our story of Wayne County to a close. We have omitted many things of interest, but we hope that what we have mentioned here will give you a better idea of that favored area of North Carolina – the land of the Allens, O’Berry’s, Royalls, Dortches, Weils, Bordens, Kornegays, Aycocks, Humphreys, Deweys, Robinsons and others.


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