Wednesday, March 10, 2021

Whitehall Apartments (Yanceyville, NC)

Whitehall Apartments in Yanceyville, Caswell County, North Carolina

It appears the following were living in the White/Whitehall Apartments at the time of the 1940 United States Federal Census:

Robert L. Mitchell (wife Julia): fertilizer/farm machinery salesman

Holland McSwain (wife Ollie): superintendent of Caswell County schools

George Holt: textile mill production manager

Robert Wilson (wife Edith Wilkinson): proprietor of hauling and filling station business*

Clarence Rice (wife Isabelle White): foreman at re-drying tobacco plant
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*Robert White Wilson is a first cousin of Sallie Isabell White Rice, wife of Clarence Rice. It is possible that these two cousins owned the apartment building.
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Note the outline of the original house. Remove the front semi-circular entrance part, the rear addition, and the southerly addition (to right in the photograph) and you will see a typical center-entrance, two-story Caswell County wood-frame house. There may have been another chimney on the other (south) side (to right in the photograph).

Others known to have lived there over the years: 

Whitehall Apartment Residents

Based upon the helpful comments posted with respect to our "Odd Caswell County Building #1" we prepared the following list of residents (no particular order). 

Richard Malcolm Johnston, wife Harriet Walker Stephens, and two sons Richard Malcolm Johnston, Jr., and Julius Johnston (Jule) III

Taylor Montgomery Snead and wife Marguerite Frances Dailey

Pete and "Pig" Peterson (big, beautiful hardwood floors and her piano...grand or baby grand)

Clarence Poe Rice, wife Sallie Isabelle White, and daughter Judith Isabelle Rice

Robert Wilson Brewer and wife Bonnie Gayle Simmons

William Banks Horton and wife Mary Slade Anderson

James Bartlett Upchurch, wife Carolyn McLin Moore, and son William Manning Upchurch

Paul and Glenna Stegall

Dalton Ray Proctor and wife Ruby Lee Hines

Mary Constance Stroupe Upchurch

Dorothy Beatty (1963-1966; one bedroom, one bath on first floor)

John Reid Blackwell (c. 1998/1999)

Roy Slate Hooper, wife Mary Ellen Herman, and daughters Pamela and Ellie (upstairs apartment)

Enrique A Balmori and wife Siomara Clotilde Morales

At the time of the US 1940 Federal Census

1. Robert L. Mitchell (wife Julia): fertilizer/farm machinery salesman
2. Holland McSwain (wife Ollie): superintendent of Caswell County schools
3. George Holt: textile mill production manager
4. Robert Wilson (wife Edith Wilkinson): proprietor of hauling and filling station business
5. Clarence Rice (wife Isabelle White): foreman at re-drying tobacco plant
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Ruth Little, then Little-Stokes, showed little interest in this building. Here is her description:

"H. S. Turner-White Apartment ca.1840. 2-story Greek Revival style house, one of a group found in the district, which was overbuilt ca. 1930 as an International Style apartment house."

Source: An Inventory of Historic Architecture Caswell County North Carolina, Ruth Little-Stokes (1979) at 199.

The H. S. Turner to whom she refers has not been identified.
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PS The deal with Ruth Little-Stokes was for Tony P. Wrenn to be shown as co-author, but she stiffed him.
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The Caswell County Heritage Book (1985) provides the following with respect to Dr. Yancey:

"After his medical education he returned to Yanceyville and entered medical practice with Dr. N. M. Roan. He married 1843 Mary Graves Miles (a 2nd cousin) and in 1848 they built their home on Main St. in Yanceyville across from the home of his in-laws the Abner Miles. His home is now the front older section of the White Apartments. He built a medical office in his yard and practiced independently. A member of the Baptist Church, the minutes show Dr. Yancey was a deacon and usually in attendance at the monthly sessions.

"In the 1930's the house of Albert Galatin Yancey and Mary Graves Miles was converted to an art deco apartment building of six units (White Apartments). Many probate records of Caswell County show medical bills paid to Dr. Yancey indicating a large practice. He was county coroner and had the tasks of holding inquests over the body of John Stephens after his courthouse murder, also over the body of Stephen's mother. He testified at both trials. He and his daughter Eliza Catherine attended the funeral of Stephens at the Methodist Church."

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