Zorah News, January 30, 1902

The following is from the New Bern Daily Journal of February 1, 1902:

ZORAH
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Dangerous and Exciting Runaway. Personals. Rainy Weather.

Jan. 30--The mild weather of several days has been succeeded by a decided drop in temperature. A slow rain began to fall about 7:30 this morning and has continued through the greater part of the day.
A very interesting and dangerous runaway occurred here last week. Mr. H.A. Brown, Jr., of your city [i.e. New Bern] was in our section and while stopping to shut a gate, his horse started off and soon became frightened and ran away with the buggy. About a mile away he overtook Mr. G.A. Whitford who pulled his horse out of the road, grabbed a rail and as the running horse came up struck him on the head, breaking the rail, but failing to stop him, he jumped in his buggy and ran his horse after the other for a mile and a half. But of course he could not get from his buggy to the other, so he stopped took his horse out, and started on again on horseback, in pursuit. In the meantime, the runaway had overtaken Mr. B.C. Whitford, who driving quietly along, little dreaming of any danger, was suddenly startled a horse dashing into the hind part of his buggy, but he had the presence of mind to catch the bridle and stop him. He had only just succeeded in doing so when G.A. came galloping up in a hot chase. The horse had run four miles and the only damage he did was to break the back and one brace of Mr. Whitford's buggy. Everybody on the way had given them the road and looked on with dilated eyes.
It is a forcible reminder of the people in Gilpin's Ride, who opened the gates and cleared the way thinking it was on a wager.
Mr. and Mrs. W.H. Price little son, of Askin, spent last Thursday night with their daughter near Zorah.
Misses Mamie and Bessie Gaskins were the guests of Mrs. D.P. Whitford Saturday night and Sunday.
Mr. C.D. Fulcher of this place will soon go to New Town Pitt county where he has a position.
P.

The H.A. Brown mentioned appears to be the Hansy A. Brown listed in the 1900 Census as a 64 year old surveyor living at #25 Johnson Street in New Bern.
G.A. Whitford is Gilbert Arthur Whitford, while B.C. Whitford is Bryan Cox Whitford, Gilbert's father.
The mention of "Gilpin's Ride" refers to a poem by William Cowper titled "The Diverting History of John Gilpin" which was a popular children's book, and is available for reading on Project Gutenberg's website.
W.H. Price is William Henry Price, with his wife Mary and little son Milan. I'm not sure who the daughter is, but could be Grace Leona Price Whitford, wife of David P. Whitford (the Mrs. D.P. Whitford also mentioned above). Mamie and Bessie Gaskins were the daughters of Alfred Gaskins.
C.D. Fulcher is the Charles Daniel Fulcher and the son of Silas and Verena Caroline Toler Fulcher.

Zorah News, January 1902

The following was printed in the New Bern Daily Journal, January 17, 1902:

ZORAH--Death of Mrs. Toler. A Large Land Sale with Important Results.
January 15.--Our community has been saddened by the death of Mrs. Betsey Toler, who was reported in last article, as being sick. She was taken ill on Christmas Eve and continuted to grow worse until the 9th inst., when she was relieved of her sufferings here below by the summons from on high.
She was 76 years of age and had been a consistent member of the Baptist church during the most of her life. Two sons and three daughters are left to mourn the loss of a kind and loving mother.
Mr. David B. Caton and wife moved from Zorah, last week, to Blount's Creek Beaufort Co.
Mr. Jas. A. Harrington has returned to New Bern where he has been at work for some months.
Mr. O.C. O'Neal will begin timbering about 5 miles below New Bern on the road to Wilmington next week.
Mr. G.A. Whitford was in your city last night.
Mr. O.D. Jackson, of Norfolk who owns considerable real estate in this community, has just sold 10,000 acres to a company in Ohio. He still has several thousand acres of choice swamp land which we trust he will sell to some one who will develop it. We understand the above mentioned company will begin work upon their purchase, soon.

Mrs. Betsey Toler mentioned above is Elizabeth Lewis Toler, who married Amariah Toler, son of James Toler Sr. They had sons Emmett C. Toler (1858-1931) and Daniel Toler (1866-1935) and daughters Martha Toler (1856-after 1930); Annis S. Toler Harrington (1859-1940) and Julia Amanda Toler Cayton (1861-1933).
David B. Caton mentioned is the namesake of the Caton community. While he gave land to the community for a school in the 1880s, the community name of Caton did not come into use until the late 1920s and early 1930s. Prior to that the community was called Zorah (when a post office was established in the early 1880s).
James A. Harrington was the son of John B. and Annis Toler Harrington.
G.A. Whitford was Gilbert Arthur Whitford. A forthcoming Zorah News will have an exciting story concerning him.
More research needs to be done on the land transaction. Does anyone out there have any information on it?