Ancient News--April 27, 1916

The Sun Journal published the following on April 27, 1916:

ZORAH NEWS.

Zorah, April 27--We are having some windy weather now.
Mr. and Mrs.W.H. Caton and children of Dover were the guests of Mr. and Mrs. L.B. Caton Sunday.
Mr. and Mrs. Charley Caton were the guest of Mr. L.B. Caton Sunday.
Mr. Columbus Booth was the guest of Miss Annie Taylor Sunday afternoon, and her sister Miss Bessie was the guest of Miss Katie Gaskins a short while Sunday.
Mr. Thad Boyd of Truitt was the guest of Mr. Jesse Gaskins Saturday night and Sunday. Come again.
Mr. Mack Norman, Miss Katie Gaskins, Miss Bessie Norman, and Miss Oma Gaskins called to see Misses Janie and Annie Taylor Sunday evening.
Mr. Guy Wetherington came to Penciltucky Sunday and broke his new buggy. Ha! ha!
Mr. and Mrs. J.R. Gaskins called to see their son, Mr. Elbert Gaskins, at Broad Creek Sunday.
Mrs. M.E. Toler called to see Mrs. I.W. Toler Sunday afternoon.
Mr. Addie Stilley passed through Penciltucky Sunday en route to Truitt.
Mr. Mack Norman was the guest of Miss Katie Gaskins Saturday night.
There was a great alarm in Zorah when the wedding bells rung on the 16th. We are expecting them to ring again at the same place soon.
A large crowd of girls from Zorah attended the ball game at Truitt Saturday afternoon and report a nice time. The boys are expecting to play a match game Friday evening. Everybody is welcome to attend.
Let us hear from our sweetheart at Truitt. Wake up Truitt.
DARLING BLUE EYES.

  Mr. and Mrs. W.H. Caton were William Harvey and Myrtie Holton Caton. They were visiting his parents, Lewis Bryan and Arnecia Toler Caton. Charley and Amanda Cayton Caton were also visiting his parents.

  Columbus Booth was the son of Merritt and Mary Smith Booth. He was visiting Annie Toler (not Taylor). She and Bessie (and Janie) were the daughters of Abram Lincoln and Mary Norman Toler.

  Katie Gaskins was the daughter of John R. and Lizzy Toler Gaskins. Jesse Gaskins was their son, and Oma (Omie/Naomi) was their daughter. 

Mack and Bessie Norman were the children of John H. and Victoria (known as Puss John Henry) Toler Norman.

  Addie Stilley was the son of Jesse and Elizabeth Rice Stilley.

  As for the location of Penciltucky, the best anyone can figure is that it was down what is now the Cayton Road. This mention is the closest description of a location for Penciltucky that I can find..."Addie Stilley passed through Penciltucky en route to Truitt." Uncle Jesse Stilley (and family) lived at one time near R.W. Stilley's place, in the area where Jonathan Hannah had his trailer before he moved to the back of the Philpot field. If Addie Stilley passed through Penciltucky on the way to Truitt, he would have to have gone either down the Cayton Road or Purifoy Road to get to Truitt (Spring Hope Church area).

  For the alarm at the wedding, see my previous post on the wedding of Miss Mary Knox to Mr. Mack Wetherington.

[Posting updated to show that Katie Gaskins was the daughter of John R. Gaskins. She moved to Lenoir County and married George Washington Buck. In my records, I had she died young, but I discovered today that she lived until 1953.]

Ancient News, April 1916, An April Wedding 95 years ago

The following was found in the Sun Journal for April 18, 1916:

ALLEGES PERJURY IN CONNECTION WITH MARRIAGE LICENSE

S.E. Jones, of Zorah, Told the Register Miss Knox Was Eighteen.

MAN UNDER ARREST IS NOT THE BRIDEGROOM

  When S.E. Jones, of Zorah, this county, came over to New Bern last Saturday morning and told Register of Deeds S.H. Fowler that Miss Mary Knox, also of Zorah and the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. C.B. Knox of that place, was eighteen years of age and that he desired to secure a license permitting her to become the bride of Mr. Mack Wetherington, he probably did not think he would face a jury at the next term of Craven Court and explain why he said the young woman was eighteen years of age when she is only fifteen. However, such he will do.
  Mr. Jones secured the License and the wedding took place Sunday night at Ernul, being performed by 'Squire C.J. Heath. The parents of the bride, when they heard of the affair, decided to do about and they did, in fact their doing resulted in a warrant being sworn out for Jones charging him with perjury and today he appeared before 'Squire C.K. Hancock, this county, to answer to the charge.
  The bride's parents swore that she was fifteen years of age, that her birthday occurred last March and that it was their belief that the whole scheme was a concocted plan. Mr. Jones testified to the effect that he thought the bride was of age, that she had told him so and that he had no reason to believe otherwise.
  The affair culminated in 'Squire Hancock finding probable cause and binding Jones over to court under a bond of one hundred dollars, which he gave.

S.E. Jones was Shady Elcaney Jones, son of Azariah Jones and Sarah Jane Toler. He was born in Beaufort County in 1889 and died in 1936. He married first Nellie Jane Booth (1886-1929) in 1909, and in 1930 married Mary Emma Clemmand Ward. [The Jones Family of Blounts Creek by P.A. Jones, Jr., p. 137]

Mr. and Mrs. C.B. Knox were Charles Bryan Knox and Armetta Toler Knox.

Miss Mary Knox married Mr. Mack Wetherington (son of Henry B. and Laura Toler Wetherington) on 16 April 1916, 95 years ago on the day of this posting.

Martin Whitford Family Bible

Whitford-Smith-Whitehurst-Spite Family Bible

Original in possession of W. Richard Faulkner, Salisbury, NC, April 2011. 

Transcribed by Victor T. Jones, Jr., from photographs provided by W. Richard Faulkner, and from viewing the original. 

[New Testament Page]
The New Testament of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Newly Translated out of the Original Greek: And with the Former Translations Diligently Compared and Revised. By His Majesties Special Command. Appointed to be Read in Churches. Oxford: Printed by John Baskett, Printer to the University, M DCC XXIII [i.e. 1723] 
[penciled in near bottom of page]
Nancy mother of H.P. Whitehurst
Daughter of Martin Whitford. 

[page 1]
Sarah Smith wife of Thos. Smith was born [illegible] the 19th in the year of our Lord God 1762.  
Nancy Whitford daughter of Marten Whitford and Marry his wife was born the 23 day of march in the year of our Lord & Saviour 1783. 
Betsey Smith daughter of Tho[s Smith] & Sarah his wife was born the [torn] of July, in the yeare of our Lord [&] Saviour 1781. 
John Smith Son of Thomas Smith [torn] his wife was born the 8 day of March [in] the yeare of our Lord & Saviour 1783. 
Polley Smith daughter of Thos. Smith and Sarah his wife was born April the 30 1785. 
Salley Smith daughter of Thos. Smith and Sarah his Wife was born Febury the 7 1788. 
Polley Smith daughter of the Same parents was bornd the 6 day of [faded in photo] 1791. 
Solomn Smith son of the same parents was born June the 5th day 1793. 

[page 2, End of the Apocrypha]
John Whitford son of Martin Whitford and Mary his wife was bornd October the 9, 1766.
One thousand seven hundred & sixty six. 
William Whitford son of Thos: Whitford and Sara his wif was born Novmbear ye 21 day about half an ouer past on oClok in ye aftrn. In year of our Lord God 1752 [photo has year cut off, year provided by W. Richard Faulkner] 
Henrey Purify Whithust Son of Shadrick Whithust and Nancy his wife was Bornd August the 19th day 1813. [Photo has the 9 in 19th cut off, day provided by W. Richard Faulkner] 

[page 3]
Thomas Spite son of Willum Spite and Elesabeth his wif was born Novmbear ye fost day in year of our lord God 1752
& mar marred on November forth day  David Whitford. [year of marriage not given] 

[page 4]
David R. Whitford son of John Whitford and Hollon his wife was bornd July the 30th Day in the year of our Lord—1784. 
Celia Whitford Daughter of John Whitford and Hollon his wife was born the 19th [in gutter of Bible and illegible on photo] of April in the year of our lord [in gutter of Bible]. 
Marten Whitford [smeared]
Martin Whitford Departed this Life November the 16th Day 1804. Aged 70 years and one month. 

[page 5]
Martin Whitford his Book
ana domney 174_ 

[page 6, end page of the Prophets]
God do men this book attend my book and hart Shall never part and this you See remember Me.
Martin Whitford 176[torn] 
Elezabeth Spite daftar of William Spite & Elezabeth his Wife Was born May ye fost in ye year of our Lord 1752. 

[page 6]
[Several entries too faint to read names, dates of 1710 and 1729 stand out.] 
Fanna giddens daughter of Agnes Giddens borned Junerary the 22 1782.
S
Sarah W 

[page 7, page before Tables]
John Whitford Son of Thomas Whitford and Sarah his wife War bornd October the first Day in the year of our Lord 1744.
[An entry written over and very faint.] 
John Whitford and Hollon his wife Was marred Apriel the 11th day 179[in gutter of book] 
John Whitford departed this life October the 8th 1829 about one Oclock in the morning  on Thursday after eleven days illness aged 63 Sixty three years lacking one day. 

[page 8]
[Several faint entries date 1740 legible on one.] 
Omeata boy called Jhon Mergn was born febrary ye 11 1748. Sold to Artar Jonston and is fre at thorty one year old sold by Thomas Whitford. 
Richard Whitford son of John Whitford and Sarah his wife was Bornd Desember the 12 day 1770. 
John Whi
John hear they was Bornd Desember the 18—1759. 

[page 9, page before Index]
John Whitford, Son of Thomas W and Sarah his wife was bornd October the first Day [in] the year of our Lord God 174[4] 
Elezabeth Whitford dafter of Thos. Whitford Was born July ye 24 day in ear of Our Lord God 1732. 
Marten Whitford son of Thos. Whitford and Sara his Wif Was born Otobr Ye fost 1 day in year of our Lord God 1734.

Ancient News, April 1916

The following is from the April 6, 1916, Semi-Weekly Sun Journal:

NEWS FROM ZORAH

Special Correspondence.
ZORAH, N.C., April 5--We are having some fine weather now, and the farmers are busy getting ready to plant their seeds.
Mr. and Mrs. L.B. Caton were the guests of Mr. and Mrs. A.P. Whitford Sunday.
Mr. Levi Connoway and sister, Gladys, were the guests of Miss Mary Knox Sunday afternoon.
Miss Nina Gaskins visited Miss Janie Toler Sunday afternoon.
Mr. Columbus Booth, Mr. Artis Whitford, C.H. Booth, and Ed Booth were the guests of Mr. Zeffie Toler Sunday afternoon.
Mr. and Mrs. Elbert Gaskins and litte son, Alois, were the guests of Mr. and Mrs. J.R. Gaskins, Sunday.
Messrs. Jimmie Toler and Mack Norman made a call at Mr. J.R. Gaskins' Saturday night.
Mr. Jessie Gaskins, Zeffie Toler, and Addie Stilley made a business trip to Truitt Sunday afternoon.
Miss Nina Gaskins and Jimmie Toler were out walking Sunday afternoon.
Mr. John Rowe took a pleasant trip through Penciltucky Sunday.
Miss Katie Gaskins was the guest of Miss Annie Toler Sunday morning.
Mr. Zeffie Toler made a call at Mr. J.R. Gaskins' Monday morning.
Misses Oma and Katie Gaskins are visiting their brother at Broad Creek.
The little black horse is still tied at Mr. Duffy Price's gate.
Our school closed March 30th. We all had a nice time.
Listen for the wedding bells the 16th.          SWEETHEART.

  Mr. and Mrs. L.B. Caton are Lewis Bryan Caton and Arnecia Toler Caton. They were visiting Arnecia's sister Permelia Toler Whitford and Addison Purifoy Whitford.

  Levi and Glady Connoway should be Conway. Gladys would be briefly married to Mr. Jimmy Toler.

  All of the Gaskinses mentioned are the children of J.R. [John Riley] Gaskins and Penelope Elizabeth Toler Gaskins. I'm not sure which brother was living at Broad Creek at the time, but probably Elbert Gaskins.

  The only local marriage I can find on April 16, 1916, is Mack Wetherington to Mary Knox. More on this next time.