Caswell County Tobacco Season 1929

Tobacco Curing Begins: 1929

A mighty slashing of the superlative bright leaf is on in every section of Caswell this week. In every nook and corner of the county the fires are brightly burning under thousands of barns, and from reports coming in the leaf is being dried in matchless beauty.

While just a little too soon to correctly appraise the 1929 crop, it is indicated that the crop will be a good one, and the dried leaf will fill the demands of the buying eye.

The rain which fell all over the county last week came at a most opportune time, producing a blanket of moisture and just the right sort of a condition to hurry on the graining and maturing period.

Farmers believe, should the rains run true for the next few weeks and the nights grow a little colder, that you may watch out for Caswell to keep alive its reputation of years for the growing of the ultimate leaf.

In the Country Line hills many barns of the matchless Caswell county cutter have been dried, while the news comes from the Pea Ridge section that the Caswell county sunburst wrappers are likely to abound. Excellent cures have been reported from the Gentleman's Ridge section, the high grounds around Pelham, from Semora and other bright areas.

The crop, while likely to be below normal in poundage, is believed will be one of the most saleable in years. Next week the real slashing will be on and it is generally believed that the cures will prove satisfactory.

The Bee (Danville, Virginia), 14 August 1929, Wednesday, Page 3.

Merchants and Planters Bank (Milton, North Carolina)

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Merchants and Planters Bank (Milton, North Carolina)

Check/Note No. 48 drawn by on Merchants and Planters Bank (Milton, N.C.) in the amount of $17.58 for 1900 taxes, payable to John Tabb Donoho (1860-1937).

While the payee is known, the drawer of the check is not known. The first initial may be "T" or "J" or "L". The middle initial may be "M" or "W".

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Thus, one possibility is Thomas Moore Allen (1859-1926), who lived in the Semora Community of Caswell County, North Carolina.

Merchants and Planters Bank of Milton

In 1889, the Merchants and Planters Bank of Milton was chartered for operation, with up to $200,000 authorized in capital. This bank was given the option of establishing branches or agencies as its president and directors so designated. Among the incorporators were several men from Danville, Virginia, as well as the following from Milton: H. T. Riggs; W. M. Watkins; R. L. Walker; E. Hunt; George W. Thompson; J. S. Cunningham; John L. Irvine; W. T. Farley; W. W. Luck; and J. A. Hurdle.

According to Professor Powell: “The Merchants and Planters Bank flourished into the next century under the presidency of J. A. Hurdle and with J. L. Walker as cashier.” Whether this bank flourished or not is unknown; however, it apparently did exist as a banking entity until at least September 6, 1904. That is the date of the North Carolina Bank Annual Report for 1904, which included information on the Merchants and Planters Bank, Milton, as the only bank operating in Caswell County (which also was the status for 1903). However, the Report for 1905 contained no information of this bank, which presumably had shut its doors. The following from a newspaper of the time may provide the answer:

"The Merchants’ and Farmers Bank at Milton, Caswell county, a State bank, has failed. The assets in sight are about $31,000, $27,000 of this being in notes. The capital stock of the bank was $3,000."

However, unclear is the bank identified in the newspaper item. Milton had a Farmers Bank. It had a Merchants and Planters Bank. But, it did not have a Merchants and Farmers Bank; at least no record of such a bank has been found. The failure of a Milton bank around November 1904 would be consistent with the history of the Merchants and Planters Bank discussed above. Based upon the annual bank reports for 1903 - 1905, the bank was in business at the time of the 1904 report (September 6), but not when the 1905 report was prepared on May 29. Also, the Farmers Bank of Milton apparently discontinued business before 9 April 1903. Query whether the Merchants and Farmers Bank was a successor to the Farmers Bank.

An 1893 map of Milton, Caswell County, North Carolina, identifies the building generally known as the “Milton State Bank” building as housing the “Merchants & Planters Bank.” This would be reasonable as the Bank of North Carolina succumbed to bankruptcy in 1868, thus ending the use of the Milton bank building as a branch of that bank. With its builtin vault and dedicated public areas, this building continued suitable for banking activity.

Leasburg Tavern (Leasburg, North Carolina)

After this photograph was taken, Carolyn Moore Upchurch Thomas repaired the roof. Eventually, the Tavern was purchased from a later owner by a lady in Virginia. Her plan was to reconstruct it as a home. She purportedly took everything, including the bricks from the chimneys. So, the old tavern may still be "standing" somewhere in Virginia.

Photograph courtesy James B. Upchurch, Jr. Click image to see a larger version.

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That the following newspaper item is referring to the above tavern in Leasburg has not been confirmed. However, based upon dates on bricks in both chimneys, the tavern was built in 1809.

Note also the reference to part of the property having been conveyed to Nicholas Thompson. This may add support to the "Tavern" being the old Leasburg tavern because that structure stood on the northwest corner of the Leasburg property owned by Nicholas Thompson.

Valuable Possessions For Sale and Lease

Will be offered at Public Sale & Lease at Leasburg, Caswell County, on Friday the 28th instant, the Subscriber's Store-House and Lot No. 40 -- and Lot No. 41 on which is a House 18 by 16 nearly new, occupied as a Tailor's shop -- and Lot No. 59, on which is a new and large set of Stables laid off in stalls sufficient for a large number of horses. The above lots having 1/2 acres of wood lands appertaining to the same, all lying attached together. And will also offer for Least for the term of three years from and after the 1st of March next ___ [number in text not clear] acres or thereabouts of valuable Lands, together with the large and spacious Dwelling or Tavern House in said town, with other requisite Houses and Lots thereunto attached -- with some other detached Houses and Lots; there being on the premises valuable Orchards of both early and late fruit and an excellent Distillery Seat, where such has heretofore been carried on -- and will also be sold with the house a parcel of valuable house Furniture of different descriptions, and some Stock of different kinds, including a Yoke of valuable young Oxen and a Cart, with some Plantation Tools, Corn, Fodder, &c. and a ten-plate Fire Stove.

Nicholas Thompson House (Leasburg, North Carolina)

Photographs courtesy James B. Upchurch, Jr.

Nicholas Thompson House, Leasburg, Caswell County, North Carolina. The rear portion (1 1/2 story house) possibly dates to c.1810. The house was enlarged c.1860 by Nicholas Thompson's son, George Nicholas Thompson, to include the Greek Revival two-story front section. The Leasburg Tavern is in the left background. The last Thompson to live in the house was Ella Graves Thompson, daughter of George Nicholas Thompson and his third wife, Ella W. Graves Thompson.

The first Caswell County Courthouse was built near the current structure. Ella Graves Thompson stated that as a child she remembered playing on the old courthouse foundation; however, no trace of the foundation has been found. The house faces south toward the old Leasburg Road, which went by the house and then turned right toward the Tavern and then left through the town. Highway 158 was cut through the rear of the property in the 1900s. In 1960, Ella Graves Thompson wrote a wonderful history of Leasburg: "A History of Leasburg with Personal Recollections."

Dale Carnegie Class No. 586

Dale Carnegie Class c.1962

Photograph Courtesy James B. Upchurch, Jr.

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Dale Carnegie Class No. 586

Left-to-Right

Kneeling in Front: Ben Baber, Instructor; Herman Gunn, Graduate Assistant

Front Row: Marilyn Collie, Bill Atwater, Carolyn Thomas (President), Ellis Byrd (Secretary), Mack Willis (Treasurer), Dora Watlington

Second Row: Harold McCain, Burch Blaylock, Ryland Farmer, Charlie Guthrie, Bill Witty, Clara Matlock, Cotton Williams

Third Row: Elbert Keene, Elwood Clayton, Bob Wilson, Sammy Cooper, Roy Jones, Clyde Cole, Bill Murphy, Henry Hicks

Not Pictured: Pick Cheek, Billy Yeatts

ACT ENTHUSIASTIC AND YOU WILL BE ENTHUSIASTIC

Caswell County in the World War 1917-1918

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Anderson, George A., Compiler. Caswell County in the World War 1917-1918: Service Records of Caswell County [White] Men. Raleigh: Edwards and Broughton Printing Co., 1921.

After World War I concluded, the Caswell County Commissioners asked George A. Anderson (then Superintendent of Education) to write character sketches of the Caswell County soldiers who served during World War I. Unfortunately, either this request was limited to white soldiers or Anderson so interpreted the request.

The book is dedicated to four white Caswell County soldiers known to have died: Benjamin Franklin Brooks; Algernon Sidney Neal; Roy Patillo; and George Thomas Warren. There were more, but Anderson apparently did not have adequate documentation. See the photograph of the 1929 World War I memorial, which itself is incomplete

Anderson also described the efforts of the American Red Cross (Caswell County Chapter), the registration of men for the draft, the contributions of Robert L. Mitchelle, Robert Thomas Wilson, the Legal Advisory Board, E. F. Upchurch, those who helped with occupational cards, the Y.M.C.A., Cary H. King, J. F. Walters, Franklin Rudolph Warren, Dr. Stephen Arnold Malloy, and Dr. Robert Franklin Warren.

The book also describes the Caswell County Militia and lists its members.

To see this book online go to Caswell County in the World War. It is a large PDF file and may take a while to load.

John Junius Lea (1895-1918)

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John Junius Lea (1895-1918)

When John Junius Lea registered June 5, 1917, for the World War I draft, he was single, and living with with his parents in Milton, Caswell County, North Carolina. He was described as a tall negro of medium build, with black eyes and hair. He was not bald and had no disability.

Registrant Lea was born August 1, 1895, in Milton, Caswell County, North Carolina, to John Lea and Maria Bell Scott Lea, who he listed as dependents on his draft registration form (but this may have been an error). John Junius Lea, who went by Johnnie, apparently could not write as he signed the registration form with his mark. He claimed no exemption from service. He had at least eight siblings.

Johnnie Lea was inducted into military service July 18, 1918, at Yanceyville, North Carolina, when his age was described as 22 11/12 years. From July 18, 1918, to August 25, 1918, he served as a private in "38 Co 154 Dep' Brig." From August 25, 1918, until his death November 6, 1918, he was assigned to Company D, 545th Engineers Service Battalion. He died overseas (possibly in France), where he had served since September 23, 1918. He received no injury or wound as a result of combat, and died from pneumonia. His father, John Lea (Route 1, Box 30, Caswell County, N.C.) was informed of Johnnie's death. Whether pneumonia was secondary to influenza is not documented.

Where Johnnie is buried is not known. However, his service and sacrifice apparently is recognized on the World War I memorial on the Square in Yanceyville, North Carolina.
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