Sallie Martin House (Yanceyville, North Carolina)

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Above is what has come to be called the "Sallie Martin House."

The following is from An Inventory of Historic Architecture: Caswell County, North Carolina, Ruth Little-Stokes (1979

"Photo 328. Sallie Martin House. Early 19th century. 1.5-story Federal brick-and stucco house with four exterior end brick chimneys. Considerably altered, but retains eave moldings, 9/9 sash."

This house was named for Sallie D. Walker Martin (1882-1968). She was the daughter of Levi Walker and Margaret Walker Walker. Sallie D. Walker married William C. Martin (c.1867-1968), and they had at least one child: Mary Margarette Martin (1905-1991).

For more on this family visit the Caswell County Family Tree.

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John Azariah Graves (c.1823-1874)

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The photograph shown above is believed to be of a portrait that once hung in the John A. Graves Chapter of Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons (Yanceyville, Caswell County, North Carolina).

While no factual basis has been found, some have assumed that the John A. Graves Masonic Lodge Chapter in Yanceyville was named for Lt. Col. John Azariah Graves (c.1823-1864) to honor his Civil War service. This had been the Clinton Lodge (No. 107, chartered in 1842), and John A. Graves was a member. The charter of this Clinton Lodge was surrendered around 1887, and the John A. Graves Lodge (No. 494) was chartered in 1898.

John Azariah Graves was a Yanceyville lawyer, became a Confederate lieutenant colonel, and died at Johnson's Island Prison.

If one assumes (of course without any basis therefor) that the image dates from before the war, Graves would have been no older than around 38-40. Remove the moustache, and the image seems that of a reasonably young man, and certainly could be John Azariah Graves.

It is believed that John Azariah Graves at one time had his law office in the Graves-Florance-Gatewood House.

He married Catherine M. Dodson as her second husband, and they had two known children. John Azariah Graves is buried at the First Baptist Church of Yanceyville. His gravestone has the following inscription:

"My Brother; John A. Graves; Born Nove. 18, 1822;
Died at Johnson's Island; March 2, 1864"

One daughter, Mary John Graves (1849-1925), married DeBerniere Yancey Mebane (son of Giles Mebane and Catherine Yancey). Their descendants include many well-known Alamance and Caswell families.
_______________

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Jacob Doll (1812-1878) Diaries

Jacob Doll (1812-1878)

Jacob Doll Diaries (1848-1876 and Undated)

Jacob Doll was born in North Carolina in 1812, and died 27 April 1878. Doll was installed at Bethesda Church in Caswell County, N.C., 1 November 1866, and organized the First Presbyterian Church in Reidsville in 1875. The collection consists of eight diaries belonging to Jacob Doll and several enclosures. The diaries date from 1848 to 1876 and document daily events in 19th-century Caswell County, N.C., including marriages, deaths, sermons preached, social events and holidays, weather, church events, and anniversaries. They also include lists of letters written and visits made on church business. National events are occasionally noted, most prominent among them the Civil War. Doll recorded the dates of major battles and the wounding or deaths of soldiers from the community. One diary entry discusses the murder of Republican North Carolina state senator John Walter Stephens by the Ku Klux Klan in the Caswell County courthouse on 21 May 1870. The enclosures consist of several undated notes written by Doll's granddaughter, Mrs. J. M. McCord. The notes point out events in the diaries that McCord found of particular interest.

Source: Southern Historical Collection (Wilson Library, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina)

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Oak Grove Primitive Baptist Church (Caswell County, North Carolina)

Descriptive Summary

Repository: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection. Creator: Blaylock, J. Burch.Oak Grove Primitive Baptist Church.
Title: Caswell County (N.C.) Primitive Baptist Church Records, 1923- 1928. Call Number: 4147-z Language of Materials: Materials in English Extent: 2 items.

Abstract

Minutes, 1923-1928, of the Oak Grove Primitive Baptist Church, Yanceyville, N.C.; and History of the Primitive Baptist Church of Historic Caswell County, N.C., by J. Burch Blaylock, which includes the location, founding dates, and history of the Primitive Baptist congregations in Caswell County, N.C.

Administrative Information

Acquisitions Information: Gift 1978

Processing Information

Processed by: SHC Staff Encoded by: Noah Huffman, December 2007

Additional Descriptive Resources

Preferred Citation: [Identification of item], in the Caswell County (N.C.) Primitive Baptist Church Records, #4147-z, Southern Historical Collection, The Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Copyright Notice: Copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.

Blaylock, J. Burch. Caswell County (N.C.)--Church history. Oak Grove Primitive Baptist Church. Primitive Baptists (N.C.)--History.

Collection Overview

Minutes, 1923-1928, of the Oak Grove Primitive Baptist Church, Yanceyville, N.C.; and "History of the Primitive Baptist Church of Historic Caswell County, N.C.," by J. Burch Blaylock, which includes the location, founding dates, and history of the Primitive Baptist congregations in Caswell County, N.C.

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Patrick Flynn Will (1781)

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Caswell County Historical Association

The Caswell County Historical Association was organized in 1956. Headquartered in Yanceyville, North Carolina, the goals of the CCHA are to promote the study of local history and genealogy, to collect and interpret local artifacts, to preserve local historical structures, to provide as much information as possible about Caswell County online, and to assist Caswell County with heritage tourism projects.

The CCHA owns and operates the Richmond-Miles History Museum, which is located in the historic Graves-Florance-Gatewood House on The Square in Yanceyville.

In addition to its Main Website, the CCHA also operates a lively Message Board, has created an online Family Tree, offers an online Photograph Collection, has partnered with Cemetery Census to share online information about Caswell County cemeteries, and operates a Weblog.

These online projects, only begun in 2005, have been very successful. The Main Website contains hundreds of articles on various aspects of Caswell County's history and the genealogy of its people. The Message Board is approaching 350 subscribers and has had over 1800 messages posted. The Family Tree has almost 34,000 entries, while the Photograph Collection displays over 15,000 images.

CCHA members receive as benefits our Lives and Times quarterly newsletter, a Members-Only Area at our Main Website, and free access to the Richmond-Miles History Museum.

In 2008, the CCHA in partnership with the Southern Historical Collection at the University of North Carolina, established the Caswell County Historical Association Collection. The materials are housed at the Wilson Library in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. This allows the CCHA to share more broadly its collection of historical materials, provides them a safe repository, and eventually will make much of the collection available online, which should greatly assist those conducting research that involves Caswell County. The centerpiece of the collection is the 1840s Tobacco and Slave Ledger the CCHA recently obtained and restored.

The CCHA has published several books over the years, including:

When the Past Refused to Die: A History of Caswell County North Carolina 1777-1977, William S. Powell (1977).

An Inventory of Historic Architecture: Caswell County, North Carolina, Ruth Little-Stokes (1979)

The Heritage of Caswell County, North Carolina, Jeannine D. Whitlow, Editor (1985)

And, we currently are working on a photographic history of Caswell County that we hope to publish by mid-year 2009.

A major attraction at the Richmond-Miles History Museum is the Maud Gatewood Exhibit. Not only was this famous North Carolina artist born in Yanceyville, she was born in the house that now serves as the Museum. Gatewood was arguably the most important living North Carolina painter and considered by art historians, curators, museum directors and collectors as one of the most important painters in North Carolina history.

This photograph shows part of the Maud Gatewood Exhibit, including the last canvas on which she worked. Gatewood exhibited widely in the Southeastern United States and was honored with a retrospective exhibition covering 40 years of painting, organized by the Weatherspoon Gallery of Art at UNC-G in Greensboro, NC. The exhibition toured from 1994-95 in what is now the Cameron Museum of Art in Wilmington, NC as well as the Asheville Art Museum in Asheville, NC; Albany Museum of Art in Albany, GA and the Gallery of Art and Design at NC State University in Raleigh, NC.

CCHA President Karen Oestreicher can be reached at: karen@ncccha.org

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Pattillo v. Pierson (1876)

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Complaint

Superior Court
Spring Term 1876
Caswell County

A. H. W. Pattillo1 admin de bonis }
non cum test annexo of Thomas Bigelow, Dec’d }
} Complaint
Against }
}
Daniel Penson, Deft. }


The plaintiff complains and alleges:

I. That on the 9th day of June 1873 Thos Bigalow sold to the defendant a track of land situated in Caswell County on County line? ___ adjoining the land of Ike S___ ,T.D. Johnston and others for the sum of _____ dollars, due by installments.
II. That Thos Bigalow is dead. That he made a will, which was duly proven in which Brice Harralson was executor.
III. That Brice Harralson is dead leaving no will.
IV. That the plantiff has been duly appointed administrator de bonis non cum test annexo on the estate of Thomas Bigelow.
V. That the defendant and D. Penson Jr. covenanted under their hands and seals on the 9th day of June 1873 to pay to Thomas Bigalow the sum of one thousand and forty two /47 dollars the defendant payment for the said land.
VI. That Thomas Bigalow obligated himself to make execute and deliver title to the defendant for said land upon the payment of the purchase money.
VII. That the plantiff has ___ and now is ready make execute and deliver title to the defendant for said land.
VIII. That the said sum of one thousand and forty two /47 dollars nor any part thereof has been paid to the testator, or B Harralson Exec. or the plantiff by the defendant or his c_____.

Therefore, the plantiff demands judgment against the defendant for the sum of one thousand & forty two 47 dollars with interest on the sum from the 1st day of January 1875 till paid. That in case the said judgment is not otherwise satisfied that the said land be sold under an order of court for the payment of the same.

W ______ attorney for plantiff

____________________________

1An executor differs from an administrator in that he or she is named in the decedent's will to manage the
estate. If an executor dies while performing these duties, a court will appoint an administrator de bonis non
cum testamento annexo (Latin for "of the goods not (already) administered upon with the will annexed") to
complete the distribution of the decedent's estate. This term is often abbreviated: administrator d.b.n.c.t.a.

Answer

Superior Court
Caswell County

A. H. W. Pattillo1 admin de bonis }
non cum test annexo of Thomas Bigelow, Dec’d }
} Answer
Against }
}
Daniel Penson }

The defendant Daniel Penson for answer to the complaint avers:

I. Says – That the allegations contained in Art I of the complaint are not true.
II. That Art. II, III & IV as stated in the complaint are true.
III. That the allegations contained in Art. V of the complaint are not true.
IV. That Art. VI is true.
V. That Art. VII is not true.

For a defense

I. This defendant says that about the 1st of Sept 1872, he purchased of Thos Bigelow Dec’d a tract of land at the price of $3,250 /00 and paid at that time five dollars as a front (?) payment and on the 1st of June 1873 the defendant entered into possession of said land. That on or about the 1st of April 1873, the defendant paid the further sum of $100, and on the 9th of June 1873, the defendant paid to said Bigelow the further sum of $2,415 /00. That there still remained due a part of the purchase money and to this amount the said Bigelow added the interest at the rate of twelve percent on the said $3,245 /00 from the 1st of Jan 1873 to the 9th of June 1873, deducting ___ from this the payment of $100, and the interest for about one month for the same rate, and then to this amount he added interest at the rate of ten percent from the said 9th of June 1873 to the 1st of Jan 1875 and required the defendant to execute his bond for the same.

II. This defendant insists that the ____ bond ____on is usurious and therefore void for the reasons stated in the last Art. of this Answer, as by the law of this State at that time no greater rate of interest than six percent per annum could be exacted upon contracts of this notice.

____________ Defendant’s attorney

____________________________

1An executor differs from an administrator in that he or she is named in the decedent's will to manage the
estate. If an executor dies while performing these duties, a court will appoint an administrator de bonis non
cum testamento annexo (Latin for "of the goods not (already) administered upon with the will annexed") to
complete the distribution of the decedent's estate. This term is often abbreviated: administrator d.b.n.c.t.a.

Judgment

In the Superior Court
Fall _. 1876
Caswell County

A. H. W. Pattillo1 admin de bonis }
non cum test annexo of Thomas Bigelow, Dec’d }
} Judgment
vs. }
}
Daniel Peirson, Def’t }

This Action having ___ a trial by a jury and the jury having returned a Verdict in favor of this plantiff & against the Defendant, and having found in this verdict that the balance due on this bond sued on is six hundred & eighty-nine 84/ dollars (689.84) and that it is for the balance of the purchase money of the land mentioned in the pleadings, of which sum six hundred & eighty-eight 56/ dollars is the balance of ___ ____ money. It is on motion of ____ & ____, ordered that the plantiff recover of the defendant the sum of six hundred and eighty nine /84 dollars with interest on six hundred & sixty eight /56 dollars from 1st Octo 1876 with costs of action.

It is ordered adjudged and decreed that upon payment of the said ___ & costs of this action, the plantiff A.H.W. Pattillo as administrator of Tho Bigalow execute & deliver unto Daniel Penson, a proper deed in fee simple for said track of land. It is further ordered that, if said sum be not paid, on or before the 15th day of December 1876, that R. B. Wate(?) com_____ of this Court, sell said land in Yanceyville at this Court House door, at public auction, for cash. After having advertised this sale for at least thirty days, at this Court house door & four other public places in said county. And upon payment of this purchase money, that he execute & deliver deed to this property in fee simple ___ ___ - and out of this proceeds of said sale, he first pay off ___ by this judgment or ____ as may than be due with this costs of this action & with __ to com___ of sale, and this balance, if any he pay to the said Daniel Penson or his heirs and report his proceedings this next term.

J ______
Judge Presiding
____________________________

1An executor differs from an administrator in that he or she is named in the decedent's will to manage the estate. If an executor dies while performing these duties, a court will appoint an administrator de bonis non cum testamento annexo (Latin for "of the goods not (already) administered upon with the will annexed") to complete the distribution of the decedent's estate. This term is often abbreviated: administrator d.b.n.c.t.a.

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Milton Gateway Sign

(click on photograph for larger image)

Milton (Caswell County, North Carolina) has an impressive new gateway sign, which was dedicated at 4:00 PM, Sunday, 19 October 2008. The sign was made possible by funds raised by the Milton Preservation and Beautification Society.


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Caswell County Books

A history of Lea Bethel Baptist Church. [Prospect Hill], 2001. Alexander, Clayton Brown. "The first of patriots and best of men": Richard Caswell in public life. Kinston, NC : Lenoir County Colonial Commission, 2007, c1930. Anderson, George A. Caswell County in the world war, 1917-1918 : service records of Caswell County men. Raleigh, NC : Edwards & Broughton Print Co., 1921. Bishir, Catherine W. A guide to the historic architecture of Piedmont North Carolina. Chapel Hill : University of North Carolina Press, 2003. Boswell, Ron. The blessing of Beulah. Roxboro, NC : The Beulah Baptist Association, 1984. Brown, Deborah. Dead-end road. Bloomington, IN : AuthorHouse, 2004. Butler, Florence Roberta Walker, 1942-. The Thomas Jackson Walker, Sr., family of Caswell County, N.C. [Hamlet, N.C.] : F.R.W. Butler, [c1991]. Caswell County, North Carolina records. Yanceyville, NC, 1957. Caswell County, North Carolina, Bible records. Yanceyville, NC, n.d. Collie, Betty Cox. The Cox family from Caswell County. Elon College, N.C. : B.C. Collie, c1995. Dixon, Elizabeth W. Lea family and the Slade family : The Lea family of VA, NC, and Mississippi. The Slade family of Caswell County, NC. Donaldson, Mary Frances Kerr. Caswell County, 1777-1877 : historical abstracts of minutes of Caswell County, North Carolina : index. Cincinnati : Donaldson, 1977. Doyle, Allison. Descendants of Charles Mitchell Jr. of Rockingham and Caswell Counties, North Carolina. [North Carolina?]: at the sign of the Gunnsmith, 2004. Duckett, Edmund D., Jr. Harrison. Fla. : Author, 1984.

William Woods Holden (1818-1892)

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_______________

From: Sen. Doug Berger
Sent: Tue 3/22/2011 12:17 AM
To: Rick Gunn; Sen. Neal Hunt; Sen. Dan Blue; Sen. Tom Apodaca
Subject: RE: SJR 256 Pardon Governor Holden

Senator Gunn: On May 21, 1870, Republican Senator John Stephens who represented Caswell County was assassinated at the courthouse in Yanceyville. Five days earlier Senator Stephens had written Governor Holden reporting that a black Republican named Sam Allen had been driven from his home for having a school for blacks on his property. Senator Stephens specifically requested military assistance from Governor Holden because of the fear being induced by the KKK. It is important to note that on the first two articles of impeachment charging Governor Holden with unlawfully proclaiming Alamance and Caswell counties in a state of insurrection, he was found not guilty. I would also point out to you that Republican president Grant provided federal units to back up the soldiers Governor Holden sent into Alamance and Caswell Counties.

Finally, I would also point out that the 17 black representatives in the General Assembly opposed the impeachment of Governor Holden as did most of the elected Republicans in the Senate who found him not guilty on all charges. Governor Holden the founder of the Republican Party in this state was honored at the 1872 state Republican convention when delegates adopted a resolution expressing "deepest gratitude for his manful and bold defense of them from the assaults of Ku Klux Democracy; for his uniform and consistent defense of the poor and humble when he was Governor; and his faithful and ceaseless maintenance of Republican principles. In 1873, Republican President Grant appointed Governor Holden to a Raleigh postmastership position.

Given the bipartisan support for this bill, I think it is ill advised to send this bill back to a committee. It is historically significant that we take this action tomorrow on the same day he was unjustly removed from office 140 years ago.

Sincerely yours,

Senator Doug Berger
_______________

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Estate of Thomas Bigelow vs. Stephen W. Pleasant and George Hood (1874)

County of Caswell

Brice Harralson Exec ofThomas Bigalow Dec'd
Against
Stephen W. Pleasant & George Hood

To the Superior Court of Caswell County:

An appeal having been taken in this action by the defendant, I Jos. C. Pinnix, the Justice before whom the same was tried, in pursuance of the notice of appeal given at time of rendition of Judgment, and which was accepted by the plaintiff do hereby certify and _______ that the following proceedings were had by and before me in said action:

On 22nd day of May 1874 at the request of the plaintiff, I issued a summons in his favor and against the defendants, which is herewith _____. Said summons was at the return day thereof returned before me at my office; and at the same time and place the parties personally appeared.

The plaintiff complained: That the defendant George Hood by contract in writing promised to pay to S W Pleasant the sum of one hundred dollars at 8 percent interest, and gave a mortgage lien upon one gray horse as security -- that the said S W Pleasant for value received assigned said contract to Thomas Bigalow deceased. A copy of said complaint is herewith filed. May 27th 1874 being return day of the summons the parties were all present, but plaintiff was not ready, when the case was continued by counsel to 8th June 1874.

June 8th 1874 the case came on for further trial. Present the plaintiff B. Harralson and defendant L. W. Pleasant but defendant George Hood not present. Upon examination of witness, I rendered judgment in favor of the plaintiff and against the defendants, S. W. Pleasant and George Hood for one hundred & ten Dollars and interest on one hundred dollars at 8 percent from 8th June 1874 till paid and the further sum of $7.90 cost in this action. It was further adjudged by the court that the gray horse described in the pleadings be sold by the officer W L Stephens and that he apply of the proceeds a sufficient amount to satisfy the recovery and the cost in this action, and the balance, if any, be pay over to the defendant George Hood. Execution was issued to that effect.

On the 15th June 1874, the defendant George Hood filed an application for rehearing (which is herewith filed) which was granted by the court and 11th of July 1876 was appointed to hear the case. And a proper order issued to July 11th 1874. The parties all present. Defendant made affidavit of the absence of an important witness and the case was continued to the 14th July 1874.

July 14th 1874. The case coming for further hearing present all the parties and being ready. The defendant Hood filed his answer to the complaint of plaintiff, which is herewith ___ ___.
After hearing the proof and argument from counsel on both sides the court adjudged that the former judgment, which is above given, was & is correct, and is therefore the judgment of the court after rehearing the case.Whereupon the Defendant Hood appealed to the Superior Court - which was granted a notice of which was accepted by the Plaintiff.

On 21st July 1874 at request of plaintiff an execution was issued against Defendants Pleasant & Hood. And on 28th July 1874 Defendant Hood entered into an undertaking giving Thomas D. Johnston Sr. as surety. Whereupon an order of arrest of execution was issued to the officer by this court.

All of which I send together with the process, pleadings, and other papers in the cause. Dated this 20th day of September 1874.

Joseph C. Pinnix
Justice of the Peace
_______________

Below is the agreement, assigned to Thomas Pattillo Bigelow, that gave rise to the above litigation:

Agreement made and entered into between Stephen W. Pleasant of the first parte and George Hood ____ of the second parte. The said Hood agrees to pay the said Pleasant $100.00 or one hundred dollars for a Bay horse $50 fifty the first of June and the remainder when the present his crop of tobacco is sold. The said title is retained till the money is paid. The said Hood agrees to bind a gray horse as security for the above. Bond this notes is [to bear 8% percent interest ____ ] period. Given under my hand and seal this 22 Feb. 1863

George Hood
His Mark

Test - John H. Fuquay
$104.66 Sept 22 1863

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Johnson's Island Civil War Prison

Thomas Day Tour: Society of Architectural Historians

(click on above text for a larger image)

On October 4, 2008, the Southeast Chapter of the Society of Architectural Historians toured several houses in Caswell County, North Carolina, that contained work by Thomas Day. This included the James Malone House in Leasburg.

The Southeast Chapter of the Society of Architectural Historians (SESAH) is a regional chapter of the national Society of Architectural Historians and includes twelve states - Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia. The nonprofit organization holds an annual meeting, publishes a quarterly newsletter and an annual journal, ARRIS, and presents annual awards, including the "Best of the South" preservation award. SESAH was founded in 1982 at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta to promote scholarship on architecture and related subjects and to serve as a forum for ideas among architectural historians, architects, preservationists, and others involved in professions related to the built environment. The annual meeting features scholarly paper sessions, business meeting, study tours, and a keynote lecture by a national leader in the field. SESAH members come from across the U.S.

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