Ancient News--March 1931, Askin News

The following is taken from The New Bernian of March 19, 1931:

Askin News

 Friends and relatives of Mrs. Reddin Toler are mourning her death. She passed away at the home of daughter, Mrs. Tom Jones, at one a.m. Sunday. She was buried in the Cayton cemetery Sunday afternoon.
 Mr. and Mrs. S.H. Gatlin and two daughters Mildred and Dorothy and Martha and Richard Morris visited Mr. Charlie Gatlin, of Rhems, Sunday.
 Relatives and friends will be glad to learn that Mr. Waldo Arthur is recovering nicely from a recent automobile accident.
 Messrs. Lewis Wetherington and Blake Adams attended the show in New Bern Saturday night.
 The farmers of this community are prospering in everything but acquiring the weather.
 The young people of Askin are very much interested in kite flying these windy days. There will be a kite flying contest at the fair grounds Saturday.
 Misses Edna Wiley, Martha Morris, Messrs. Mark and Richard Morris and Marrie Williams attended the show at New Bern Wednesday night.
 Mrs. Lena Harding and Mr. and Mrs. Snode Harding, of Chocowinity, were the guests of Mr. and Mrs. I.W. Toler Sunday.
 Mr. and Mrs. N.A. Scott and daughter of Washington were the guests of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Sunday afternoon.
 Mr. Mark Morris who has been working in Southport the past year spent a few days last week with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. S.E. Morris.

Mrs. Reddin Toler was Elizabeth "Lizzy" Foy and is buried in Pine Tree Cemetery. Her daughter, Mrs. Tom Jones, was Mary Susan "Mamie" Toler who married Thomas Edward Jones.

Martha, Richard and Mark Morris are all the children of Stephen Edward "Ed" Morris and Augusta Jones Morris.

Mr. and Mrs. I.W. Toler are Isaiah Willis and Vera Lucretia Whitford Toler.

Mr. and Mrs. N.A. Scott may be William A. Scott and Julia Ann O'Neal Scott, who are visiting Julia's sister Nancy Pauline and William Roberson Arthur. Waldo Arthur is the son of Nancy and William Arthur.

"Askin and Friendship School Baseball Results"

  The following is from the Semi-Weekly Sun Journal of February 21, 1916:

Askin and Friendship School Baseball Results

  Feb. 20, [1916]--The school boys of Askin challenged Friendship to play a game of ball. We concluded we would play them, so we answered to their call. And when those boys arrived here, such a sight we have never seen; red hair, freckles, and some were even green. And when the hour rolled around, the umpire called the game. And the way we boys beat them, was really a sinful shame. You could see those "pretty" Askin girls turn their heads in shame; they knew we country boys were easily winning the game.
  Those red-headed boys of Askin were mad enough to fight, and the way those freckles were shining was greater than an electric light. They called we boys rascals, all kinds of low-down names. But they were all very silent when they saw we had the reign. At the end of the 8th inning the umpire called the game; he saw to play them longer would win us too much fame. And so on the following Thursday, guess what we boys done? We played them in their city of Askin. Now wasn't that coming some.
  I hope you will understand how cheaply we were feeling get on a city diamond. Made us feel like an opossum stealing. The game was started nicely. Every player did his best, but we knew to again face those red-heads, freckles and specks, that we would never stand the test. And when a red-head would hit the ball, was the greatest thing of all--those "pretty girls" of Askin would hollow till they'd fall.
And when the game was ended, the tallyman broke the news, that Askin was victorious by a majority of two. The reason that they won this, we are willing to bet a quarter, that it was because they'd been drinking "Chautauqua Spring Water."          TONY

  Friendship School was located in Zorah (now Caton), on the north side of Little Swift Creek and served those in the community who lived in No. 1 Township. The school was located down the Whitford Road, and was later moved out to Hill's Neck Road (where it was at one time used as a storage barn by Uncle Leon Norman. It has since fallen down.) 

  The reference to "Chautauqua Spring Water" refers to an early attempt to create a spa in Askin. The waters from Chautauqua Springs and Blue Springs were bottled for sale. A large hotel was planned, but investors to the project did not raise the funds needed to support the effort, and soon the project was abandoned.