John Wilson Glenn II (1819-1876)

The following is from a Glenn family descendant:

I have a photo of my great great grandfather, John Wilson Glenn II. He and his father were named for John Wilson, patriarch of the Wilson family that included Mary Lumpkin Glenn who married Bedford Brown of Caswell County. JWG II was born in Milton in 1819 and was Mary Lumpkin Glenn's nephew. I believe, but don't know for sure, that his father (Mary's brother), JWG, had a store in Milton. His wife was Sarah Erwin, of the Morganton Erwin family. His personal affiliations are not quite as prestigious as Mary's, but he was a Surgeon in Charge in the Civil War (Dalton, GA), and served under Jefferson Davis in the Mexican War. The family at one time had a letter from Jeferson Davis to JWG II's son, but sadly my grandmother sold it. The Museum of the Confederacy has two letters from JWG II's son to Jefferson Davis in their collection.

Somewhere in all of this is an intriguing story about why these Glenns left North Carolina for Mississippi and Louisiana. As far as I can tell, they are the only ones who did.

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Young American Patriots: The Youth of North Carolina in World War II

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Above is a page from Young American Patriots: The Youth of North Carolina in World War II, National Publishing Company, Richmond, Virginia (1946). This is the only page devoted to Caswell County, North Carolina. The photographs and service information were provided by the various service branches.

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Caswell County Courthouse Seats

Maud Florance Gatewood (1934-2004) grew up in Yanceyville, North Carolina. Like many children of the town, she considered the Caswell County Courthouse her personal playground. She probably knew its ins and outs, secret doors, and special hiding places as well as any Yanceyville child. Her family home was just across the Square, and her father John Yancey Gatewood (1883-1954) was Caswell County Sheriff on three occasions. His office was in the Courthouse. Eventually, Maud Florance Gatewood left Yanceyville to pursue her art career.

Later in her life, Maud Gatewood returned to Yanceyville and became a member of the Caswell County Board of Commissioners. And, given her knowledge of the old Courthouse, it is not surprising that she would again nose around in the non-public areas.

Below is a photograph kindly provided by a Yanceyville photographer that shows what Maud Gatewood found on one of her excursions. These photographs were taken in July 1976.

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(click photograph for larger image)

This is in the Courthouse attic area above porch. It is accessed by the stairwell to the left of the main entrance. Note amongst the "rubbish" are what appear to be two pieces of furniture.

Maud Gatewood rescued this "discarded" furniture, had it restored, and eventually bequeathed it to the Caswell County Historical Association ("CCHA"). Today, the two seats are in the Richmond-Miles History Museum's main entryway. The CCHA owns and operates the Museum.

(click photograph for larger image)

(click photograph for larger image)

Some speculate that the seats were used by lawyers to confer with clients. Whatever the use or purpose, they are beautiful. We have Maud Florance Gatewood to thank for saving and restoring the seats and our Yanceyville photographer friend to thank for capturing the before and after images.

Note: Remaining unidentified is the pigeon-holey structure to the right and in the background of the attic photographs. Also note that not enough components appear in the Courthouse attic photographs from which to assemble two chairs. And, what are the curved (scroll-like) pieces seen across the seating area of the disassembled seats? Those items did not end up in the restored product.

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Slade Family Photographs #2

Set forth below are photographs of the Abisha Slade House that once stood in Yanceyville, North Carolina. The location was where the Harrelson Funeral Home now has its parking lot and across the street from the White Apartments. Also below are photographs of two members of the Slade family. To see more on this family go to the Caswell County Family Tree and use the search function. More photographs of the Slade Family and a collection of Abisha Slade House photographs can be found at the Caswell County Photograph Collection.

Dr. Gunn

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Believed to be Dr. Gunn, but which Dr. Gunn is not known.

This photograph earlier incorrectly was identified as an image of Dr. Allen M. Gunn, M. D. (1807-1884) of Yanceyville, North Carolina. However, the badge being worn in the above photograph shows the following:

Medical Society of the State of North Carolina
51st Annual Meeting
Raleigh
May 24-26, 1904

Thus, this cannot be Yanceyville's Dr. Allen M. Gunn, M.D., because he died in 1884.

When this photograph was taken (presumably at the Raleigh meeting in 1904) Caswell County had three medical doctors with the Gunn surname: Dr. George Washington Gunn, M.D.; Dr. James Lynwood Gunn, M.D.; and Dr. Adolphus Gunn, M. D. of the Purley community.

Slade Family Photographs

Back porch of Abisha Slade House with grandson of Ella Slade Vincent in arms of Grandmother Sullivan (Maggie). Inscription: "Maggie Sullivan Vincent Stephen Hilton" Date 1940's.

Ella Slade and grandson Vincent: Presumably the woman is Lou Ella Slade Vincent (1871-1958). She was a daughter of Ezekiel B. Slade and Cora Ann Harrison Slade and married Richard Vincent. Lou Ella Slade Vincent and Richard Vincent had a son named Slade Vincent. The notes would suggest that the child is a son of Slade Vincent and that he married a Sullivan. Maggie Sullivan would be his mother-in-law and the grandmother of the child. The reference to Vincent Stephen Hilton is a problem (unless the child is Stephen Hilton Vincent).

Abisha Slade House during the big snow of 1927 with Miss Adeline May (Addie) (1881-1952) Slade venturing out to pick up mail left under big rock on gatepost by kind neighbor. The house was built during the 1840's. It was demolished in 1976.

Cora Ann Harrison Slade
(1846-1933)

Cora Ann Harrison Slade (1846-1933) was the daughter of Samuel Satterwhite Harrison (1818-1885) and Louisa Matilda McDaniel (1820-1889). In 1870 she married Ezekiel B. Slade (1838-1914), and they had ten children.

For more on this family go to the Caswell County Family Tree and use the search function.

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Dr. Jayne's Advertisement

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This item possibly dates from the late 1800's. While the A. M. Gunn most likely is Dr. Allen M. Gunn, M. D. (1807-1884), that has not been confirmed. Note the holes in the corners, which may indicated that it had been pinned up for display.

For more on Dr. Allen M. Gunn, M. D., visit the Caswell County Family Tree and use the search feature. To see photographs of the house in which Dr. Gunn lived in Yanceyville (and from which he may have run his medical practice), go to Dr. Allen Gunn House.

Founder Dr. David Jayne began as a country doctor in NJ, but moved to Philadelphia in 1837 where he set up a practice. By April 1837 he moved to No 32 South Third Street. He started buying and selling medicines to patients, but then expanded to making his concoctions available to the general public. In 1845, Dr. Jayne moved to a larger establishment at No 8 South Third Street. In 1850 he moved to the famous address embossed on many of his medicines: No 84 and 86 Chestnut Street. He later died in 1866. His medicine business was a major success. He is credited with being the first to publish almanacs for advertising business. Above info taken from info provided by descendant John Jayne, Email: jrj@sonic.net

The Dr Jayne's cards are one of the most beautiful series of Victorian trade cards (#5 is the first, #22 is the last, and some are unnumbered). They were put out one a year for 22 years. See Winter 1997 issue of Trade Card Quarterly for article on Dr Jayne's Family Medicines by Neil Nichols. The “Talking Well” card was # 10 in the series, but the date is unknown.

For much more go to Dr. Janye Family Medicines.

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