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Historic Webster Vol. 3 No. 1

  • Historic Webster is a newsletter of the Webster Historical Society, Inc., created at the Society’s founding in 1974. The publication helped to serve the Society's mission of collecting and preserving the history of Webster, North Carolina. Webster, established in 1851, was the original county seat for Jackson County.
  • VOLUME III, NUMBER I The following letter from W. D. Sylva, the man for whom Miss Mae Hampton, later Mrs. Mor­gan Davis, named Sylva, when she was a little girl, tells the story of the naming of the town, how it came to be named Sylva, and throws a great deal of light upon its beginnings. Those who study it, will know why Mill Street is called thus, since it runs from a point near where Judge Cannon's Mills, on Scott's Creek were located, to the square around the Southern Rail­way Station. Many people have forgotten that Capt. Enloe once had a tannery on the branch that runs down from the mountain by the Webster Cemetery, in front of Judge Cannon's old home, re­ferred to by Mr. Sylva, and in front of the old home of Capt. Enloe, now owned and occupied by Mrs. 0. B. Coward. This is the reason that the branch is referred to in old deeds as "Tanyard Branch." Cleburne, Texas, 313 Shaw Ave. Postmaster, Sylva, N. C. I am sending you some history that may surprise you, unless you are 50 or 60 years of age. Jan. 6, 1879, if I am not mistaken, about dusk I walked up to the door of a white house just in the edge of Webster, the county site of Jackson County. The house was just where the road turned going from Charleston (now Bry­son city-Ed. ) and just a little ways west of the cemetery. When I knocked on the door a small like man with red mustache and brown eyes opened and said, "Good evening." I told him I wanted to get lodging. He said the house did not belong to him, but await the time with patience till my request could be made known to Judge Cannon and his answer returned. He came back and bade me come in; supper, bed and breakfast. Next day E. R. Hamp­ton went to Asheville. Judge Cannon and I went out on Scott's Creek to his mills and he told me to stop and live with him awhile ; said his wife was dead and Lou and Laura were at his son , George, in Asheville. I staid with them two or three weeks, and Capt. Enloe owned a store and a mill down on the river. Capt. Enloe wanted me to work; but Judge told him he could not let me go - well - when the school closed at Salem the girls came to Asheville and the Judge and me went and brought them home. Lou married Alf Parker, Dist. Court Clerk. I have forgotten who Laura married. Hampton had one little girl. Her name was Mae. When they decided to move to the mill they hired Jas. H. Hampton and Lucien Baldwin. He came from Hendersonville. Also Charley Parker. He lived out about Muller's Distillery 15 miles from Asheville. We went to sawing lumber and we run day and night. The first we put up was the little store house, then we sawed the lumber to build Hamp­ton's house. We built it west of the mills, between the hill and creek. There wasn't anything on the north side of the creek except a little blacksmith shop. When we got established out there, E. R. Hampton petitioned the P . 0. Dept. for a post-office. He asked .Mae what we would name the office. She said Sylva. I said, "No, call it Baldwin or Parker," but Mrs. Hampton and Mae said, "No, the office is named." I got the second letter that came to the new office. It was mailed at Fort Gibson Cherokee Nation, and was forwarded from Webster. I left it in the table, as I don 't think a.nY of them could read it, as most of it was Danish. I don't think I received more than 3 letters all the time I was there and did not tell anyone where I came from. Henry Brendle was sheriff. He came down one Sunday and attempted to interview me, but I had learned to say my little piece long before I met him. If there is any of Judge Cannon's or E. R. Hampton's family there, please give me their names and tell me some­thing of the town, school, church­es, lodges, and some descrip­tion of the town. I was at Wilm­ington, De., when the Armistice was made and intended to go home by way of Asheville-Sylva, but I was just well of flu and was afraid I might expose myself and relapse. I guess I had best close as I have to send this by freight. I would love to tell you many things, but I don 't know who I am writing and this is the first time I have attempted to write to any­one in 10 months. Several years ago I got a wound on the side of my face that made a cancer. It did not hurt me much until two years ago while I was in Oakland. I had it operated on and Continued On Page 2 Arthur J. Allman We regret very much the passing of Arthur Allman, 91, on January 23, 1976. Mr. Allman, a native and life time resident of Webster, was one of the town's few remaining elder citizens. The spring issue of Historic Webster will carry a fea­ture article about him. 1\"EilSTEH . :\OHTII CAROLINA WINTER, 1976 Oscar Boman Cow-ard By Annie Louise Madison Reed To establish the background of Oscar Boman Coward, one of the fourteen children of Nathan Co­ward, we go back a little into family origin. Although the first Coward came to America about 1700, the ancestor of the Jackson County, North Carolina, Coward was one James Coward who was born in England and came to this country with his three brothers. He and one of his brothers settled in Rutherford County. Later, one of James's sons, Jonathan, came to live on Caney Fork Creek in what many years later became part of Jackson County. Nathan Coward, the son of Jonathan and Martha Hudson Coward and father of Oscar Boman Coward, was born at Cowarts, or Caney Fork, June 12, 1818. He married Jane Rogers , daughter of David and Mary Berry Rogers. The couple built in 1842, on Caney Fork, a house of hewn Jogs which at first consisted of one large room. Then after a time an additional room at one end and two half-story bedrooms upstairs were built. Still later, a large kitchen was added at the back of the house. Three gener­ations of Cowards lived here and Nathan 's first ten children were born in this house. This home stood until about 1925 when a Blackwood Lumber Company log train jumped the track near the house and damaged it beyond repair. But an old boxwood in the yard near the road is still there. Planted by Jane Rogers Coward about 1860, it stands as a monq.· ment to her. · Nathan's children by Jane Rogers Coward, his first wife, were Minerva Emeline who died at the age of seven; Clara Almira, who married Lewis Smith; Tolvin Berry, whose wife was Rebecca A. Bryson ; Jona· than David , who married Lou Norton; Martha Samantha, whose husband was George Tumlin; Mary Alice, who became Mrs. Christopher B. Zachary; Oscar Boman; John Hamilton, bachelor; Sallie Jane, later Mrs. William C. Norton; and Robert Rogers Coward , who married Lena Euella Allen. Nathan Coward's second wife was Sophia Hedden, daughter of William H. and Jane Jennings Hedden. Nathan's and Sophia's children were Frances Emeline, who married Raymond Glenn, Jane Hedden Coward, Benjamin Franklin, bachelor, and John Homer, who married the widow Jean Appleby Smith. Oscar Boman Coward, the seventh son of Nathan's first marriage, was a pioneer of Wes- OSCAR B. COWARD at his legislative desk in Raleigh. tern North Carolina as were the men and women who married hi!? brothers and sisters. He was born at Cowarts, North Carolina, J lm­uary 20, 1859 in the Coward home described in the first part of this article and died suddenly at his home in Webster, August 26, 1937. Oscar was married twice: first to Emma Long, daughter of Jack and Elvina Ensley Long; and second, to Eleanora Zachary , daughter of Dr. James Zachary, a dentist who lived on Norton Creek. Jack Long, the father of Os­car's first wife Emma, was Re­gister of Deeds in Jackson County and often had his daughter help him with the clerical work in his office at Webster. On one occa­sion when Mr. Long was called out of town for a few days, he left a number of signed marriage licenses in case some love-sick couple might decide to embark on the S'ea of matrimony. Oscar, who was -in love with the thirteen­year- old Emma, bought one of these licenses and as the Jackson County Journal told the romantic story: "A genuine runaway marriage is the latest sensation in Webster. Last Tuesday night Mr. Oscar B. Coward of the firm of Hall, Smith and Company of Sylva eloped with Miss Emma Long, one of the prettiest girls in the county. The marriage license . was issued by the young lady herself. She is not yet fourteen years of age." Mr. Coward said of his young wife, "Emma was an angel whom I loved very dearly_" Angel though she was, Emma knew little about cooking as the groom learned shortly after they were married. He once told this writer that soon after his mar­riage he bought fifty cents worth of rice (which must have been at that time a lot of rice), and Emma cooked all of it at one time. As it swelled and over­flowed the cooking vessel, more pots and pans were utilized until everything was full of rice. The Cowards ate rice and gravy, rice patties, fried rice, rice pudding, and rice with cream and sugar. Needless to say, rice was not a favorite food in their household after that! Oscar and Emma Coward's children were Claude, who mar­ried the widow Mrs. Callie Turpin and had one daughter, Emma; a second son, Burke, a bachelor, died when a young man. James Oscar married Lucille Cordelle Jones, and the fourth son, Matt Ransom. married Elda Hibbard. After his first wife's death, Oscar married Eleanora Zach­ary, who was also a beautiful woman. Her tall, trim, but some­what frail figure was always elegantly clothed. With her soft brown eyes, reddish brown hair , and fair skin , she was indeed a Continued On Page 2 Historic Webster, Winter 1976, Page 2 Oscar B. Coward, cont. Continued From Page 1 lovely person to behold. To this union were born Dixie, whO became the wife of Charles English. Their children are Eu­gene, Anne, and Carolyn. Rogers, the son of the Oscar Cowards, married Gladys Dowdle, and five children, June, Dale, Linda, Jul­ius and Gloria were born to them. Dale is married to Bobbie Potts and the couple has one daughter, Tammie. Dale's three sisters are deceased. Very little is known about Oscar Coward's early life except that he grew up on his father's farm on Caney Fork and attended Professor Dawson 's school at East LaPorte. Here he must have obtained a very good education. And he never ceased to learn, a fact which is proven by the talents he cultivated . For a number of years he was a traveling salesman which must have influenced him to become a retail merchant because he oper­ated for many years a general store, first in Sylva, and later in Webster. He was the first bus­iness man in Webster to have a paved walk (the re;nains of this can still be seen in Rhinehart's yard) to prevent his customers tracking Webster's notoriously red mud all over the store floor . He was an excellent surveyor and served Jackson County in that capacity for a number of terms. As a Democrat he was active in local and state politics. While living in Sylva , he be­came the newly incorporated town's first mayor. According to Chapter 139, Public Laws of 1889: "The town of Sylva in the county of Jackson be and the same is hereby incorporated by the name and style of the Town of Sylva and it shall be subject to the provisions of law now existing in re ference to incorporated towns. That the officers of the said town shall consist of a mayor, five commissioners, and a mar­shal who shall be chief of police. That there shall be an election for these officers on the first Monday in May, 1889, and an­nually thereafter . All male citi­zens over twenty-one years of age who have r esided in the state twelve months and ninety days in said corporation previous to the day of election shall be entitled to vote. For the purpose of carrying this act into operation and until ~ t.eir successors are elected, the following persons shall fill said offices for mayor, commission­ers, and marshal, viz: Mayor, 0. B. Coward ; Commissioners, E. R. Hampton, A.M. Parker, W. M. Burns, A. W. Bryson, and R. L. Madison ; Marshal, J. C. Fisher." On May 6, 1889, 0. B. Coward was elected as mayor of Sylva and J. S. Jarrett, A. M. Parker, A. W. Bryson, R. L. Madison, and B. H. Sherrill, as its Aldermen. S. A. Davis was elected Marshal. Mr. Coward later served his county and region in the state legislature as representative in the North Carolina House in 1923 and as senator from his district in 1917-1919. He was a zealous champion of education who never missed an opportunity to forward the cause. In 1905, an election was held upon the question of township consol­idation and a local tax for the purpose of maintaining a graded school at Webster. With a major­ity of seven, of which Oscar was one, the tax and consolidation carried. In this movement, he was one of the leaders and most . active supporters. Later he was the designer of the frame build-ing which was used until the late 1930's, and was the largest single subscriber to the building fund for that school. Mr. Coward was an ardent reader and subscribed to many current papers and magazines. His favorite hobbies were fish­ing, hunting , playing croquet, and, most especially , playing checkers . Many stories have been told of how he would be so engrossed in a checker game at the back of his store that · if a customer came in , he would tell him where the articles desired were, their cost, and instruct him to leave the money on the counter. Often when a customer came in, he would tell his playing partner to be right still, for maybe the customer would go away without disturbing the game in progress. His love for children was out­standing, but he delighted in teasing ·them. I remember an occasioD. when I was a very small child and Mr. Coward was instal­ling the first telephone system between Cullowhee and Sylva. He needed a weight to hold the ground wire straight and, noti­cing some mule shoes that I was playing with, asked if he might use them. Now, these mule shoes were very dear to me because my father had brought them to me in order that I might play horse shoes with my brothers. As regular horse shoes were too heavy for me, this was the only way that I could join my brothers in the game. Sensing that I was loath to part with them, Mr. Coward told me that if I would let him use the mule shoes, a "mule tree would grow with lots of little shoes on it." I reluctantly gave them to him. You 'II never know how many buckets of water I poured on that wire to make it grow. Alas, no shoe tree! As for looks , Mr. Coward was described as an exceedingly handsome man in his young days, with very. dark penetrating eyes, olive skin, and black hair. He was tall , erect, and walked with a stride that caused him to stand out in a crowd. He was also quite a "gay blade" , I'm told. To the day of his death his erect car­riage, gray hair, and over all distinguished appearance com­manded attention. He had a violent temper that could be triggered at the drop of a hat. However, when he had had his say, he held no grudge or resentment but quickly returned to normal. He was always straight forward , outspoken, and honest. He also possessed a keen sense of humor. As a neighbor, he was more than ready to give a helping hand to anyone who was down on his luck or in dire need of an understanding friend. At home he was always hospitable, gen­erous, friendly, and gracious !lost. He had many friends, and certainly left his mark as an out­standing citizen of this area . •••• The picture on the left, reproduced from an old tin-type, made about the year 1878, shows six of Nathan Coward's fourteen children. Front row, left to right, Oscar, Samantha, and Mary. Back row, Robert, John, and Sallie. •••• Scene at the Cowan\ fne Mason. Edna Barnes of the class of '35 played first string as a soph­omore; lana Buchanan, Mary Owens, and Edna Lee Morgan "warmed the bench." Helen Buc hana n , e lected "Most Athletic Girl " of her class or '34, was the only junior playing first string. Bennie Cowan was a junior substitute. Lucy Buchanan, formidable in action , was elected "Most Ath­letic Girl" by the class of '33. Ada Green, Anne Morgan, and Helen Thomas were senior "subs." The team suffered a great loss when Bobbie Owens, Mati lda "Sis" McKee, Lucy Buchanan, and J anie Evans graduated; for these girls, big assets to the team's prowess, had helped to create its enviable record. Girl's basketball at Webster continued, and later teams made good records ; but the peak of '33 was never again reached. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS : Miss Janie Evans Mrs. Grady Henson Mrs. Carson Bryson Mrs. J . D. Parker Mrs. Harry Mason Mrs. D. D. Davis PERIODICALS : The JACKSON COUNTY JOUR­NAL 1932-1933 Jos. J. Hooker President Dr. A. A. Nichols V. President J . L. Broyles Cashier TUCKASEIGEE BANK Webster. N. C. Although we had a very destructive fire on Sunday night November 13th , which destroyed our building and pa rt of our fixtures, our loss was covered by insurance; and we are again open for business temporarily occupying the room adjoining the Broyles Store; and are prepared to take care of any business entrusted to us. (This disastrous fire occurred on Sunday, November 13, 1910.) Historic Webster, Winter 1976, Page 5 Miss Young, Poet, Advocates Love Rev. Cowan's Letter To Mrs. Stella Bryson Permission for reprinting the following, which appeared in the Asheville Citizen-Times Sunday, December 14, 1975, was gracious­ly given to the editors of Historic Webster by Barbara Blake, Citi­zen- Times staff writer. Webster Histori ca l Society's newsletter of March, 1974 carried a taped interview with Miss Young, one time principal of Webster School, and many in­quiries have since come from people who knew her. -" You've got to have something to live, something to work for .. something to love." At 97, Miss Charlotte Young says she has "always been in love." A SELF-PORTRAIT"- .. as I think I should have looked." "There are a thousand kinds of love and I know them all," she said in her room at Brentwood Rehabilitation Center . One indication of truth in that is in the publication of two books of her poetry: "The Heart Has Rea­sons," published in 1953, and " Speak To Us Of Love," pub­lished in 1959. After a career of teaching in high schools and colleges, writing and publishing her poetry and serving as the backbone of the North Carolina Poetry Society and the Poetry Council of North Carolina, Miss Young said, " It 's ironic that the price of a long life is hardening of the arteries and softening of the bones." But talking with Miss Young, one forgets about age and be­comes involved only in the magic of the lady. Miss Young li ves and breathes the poetry she loves , often re­sponding to a question by reciting an appropriate poem. " I'm not a poet tied to any cult," she said. "Poetry is some­thing wohhwhile and shouldn't be haggered by any group. The poet should be himself. " Totally absorbed in all facets of literature, her advice to young people is, " If something gets to you, slings you around in its teeth and won't let you go , write it down.'' From the time she was three years old, she said, that is what she has done. " Before I could read, I found old newspapers and saw the poetry. I knew what it was and tore it out and loved it. Right then , I became involved in the wonder of things ." From that rather nebulous be­ginning, Miss Young grew to be a highly respected poet and con­noisseur of life_ "I feel the need of a thousand lives to see and do and learn all the things that appeal tome," she said. A few of the thousand lives, in addition to her more public accomplishments, have included gathering Cherokee folksongs and legends, drama tic perfor­mances , having once been a member of the Carolina Play­makers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and portrait painting , including a portrait of herself, "as I think I should have looked." And, Miss Young says, " I a lso like to wash dishes and walk in the rain." Occasionally drifting off into another time and place , the mention of the word literature brought back the brightness to her eyes and sharp attention to her face. "The subjects for poetry are as numerous as birds in the air," she said with a smile. "There is an answer to everything in a poem. '' "Study the poems you can judge best and see what it is that kept them from dying. " Accepting her life at the nurs­ing home as "inevitable," Miss Young said, "They give me all the freedom I can use. I've had an interesting life and I 'm sti ll having it." Supporting that statement is Dr. Francis P. Hulme, professor MISS CHARLOTTE YOUNG, 97, reflects on life_ .. --Photo By June Glenn, Jr. !Ifi:::::::::;;::;::;:~;::::~:::~:~::::;:::;~:~:~~:;:::::::::::\.1. Short-term public schools, two Tennessee via Murphy . With or three months in length - well-balanced scholarship, being although better than no schools at equally at home in mathematics, all in Jackson County in the last history, science, and the Ian­quarter of the 1800's did not guages, and with established satisfy the most progressive fa- reputation , Professor Dawson milies; hence subscription auspiciously began his four year schools were conducted and able remarkable career in Jackson teachers were sought and em- county. Arithmetic, Latin, Greek, ployed. Among these were Prof. philosophy , and English gram­A. M. Dawson who with Prof. mar were the principal subjects Hughes, Misses Maria and J ar- of the curriculum taught. Geo­edie Dawson, and Misses Ida and graphy and reading were also Lula Rogers, as assistants, con- taught. Prof. Dawson taught the ducted a high school at East advanced students and Prof. LaPorte. This school which Pro- Hughes, the younger ones. fessor Dawson conducted for four Mr. Dawson was a stern dis­years 0876-1880) was the most c iplinari an and exacted thor­notable and efficient one ever oughness from his students. In­taught in this county before 1881. tolerant of laziness, negligence, Though one session of school was disobedience, or disorder, he was taught at East LaPorte after a stern, unrelenting schoolmas­Professor Dawson left (a Mr. ter. Some of our later most Tidball, as principal, and Pro- prominent and influential citi­fessor Hughes, as assistant), the zens were trained by him. school could not long survive the There were two Literary Soc­absence of the magnetic person- ieties. They were the Olympiam ality that had been its inspira- which meant "Lovers of games" tion and guiding genious. and the Phylomathin which Professor Dawson, a Scotch- meant "Lovers of learning. " Irishman , was born in Virginia These societies met on Friday and having moved to the "Buck- evening at 7:00 o'clock. Dawson eye" state, was a fellow-student was also the first to introduce of Garfield 's at Hiram Academy baseball as a school sport. (later Hiram College) and was Taken from Jackson County graduated from Western Reserve Public Schools by the His- University , Cleveland, Ohio. He torical Committee of Jackson came to Jackson county from County NCEA - 1954 at Warren Wilson College and devoted friend of Miss Young. "She's lived a rich and won­derful life, and helped God knows how many people," Dr. Hulme said, especially children and young people, by pushing and sponsoring poetry contests. "Her memory is fantastic. She can quote things she had recited as a girl in school , and often does," he said. "She is open and easy to know up to a point, but her high approval has to be won. She is extremely sensitive and 100 per cent aware of people's feelings. I call her an aristocrat of the spirit," he sa id . Reflecting upon her life as she gazed out her window on a sunny afternoon, Miss Young said, "Be­fore I die, I want to write the greatest poem of my life." She said the title of that poem will be "The Fire in the Cloud" and it will be about "man's struggle upward in a naughty world." Asked if the poem would be optimistic or pessimistic, Miss Young replied , " It will just be human." Wedding Bells On the evening of March 22, 1899, the people of Sylva and surrounding country witnessed at the Baptist church, the beautiful ceremony performed by Rev. W. V. Honeycutt, pastor of theM. E. Church , South, of this place, which united two lives as one. The contracting parties were Miss Carrie Bryson , the charm­ing daughter of Capt. and Mrs. A. W. Bryson , of our town , and Mr. Jas. W. McKee , the popular merchant of the firm of M. Buchanan & Co., also of this place. As they start out upon this new voyage of life we extend our wishes that the future may have an immeasurable amount of hap­piness for each--for what greater thing is there for two human souls than to feel that they are " joined for life--to strengthen each other in all labor, to rest on each other in all sorrow, to minister to each other in a ll pain, to be one with each other in silent, unspeakable memories at the moment of the last parting." We rejoice to know that Jim 's fortune has resulted in an "ev­olution from a bachelor to a benedict" and to know that he "has drawn one of the chief prizes in the greatest of lot­teries ." May their happiness continue as begun and may fortune in­crease all along the road of life until finally like Darby and Joan "each one expire together in a whiff of smoke up the chimney and go up, up until they reach the shore of eternal youth and love." Lela Potts Associate Editor of High School Advocate, Sylva, N. C. From Rev. G. N. Cowan's letter to Mrs. Stella Bryson <Mr. Cowan was born July I, 1866) "The first school I attended (and that was before I was six years old) was in a little log school house about a quarter of a mile beyond our home, on Little Savannah Creek. We sat on slabs supported by wooden pegs driven in auger holes, eight full hours a day. The first teacher I went to was Laura Woodfin. The next teacher was Hattie Woodfin , Laura's sister. The third teacher in the one room log house who taught me was Tom Frizzell. The fourth teacher was "Bud" Co­wan. He was looked upon as, perhaps, the best educated man in Jackson County in his day. After this, the location of the school for that district was moved to River Hill , and took in Webster. I remember several teachers that taught at River Hill. The first one was a man by the name of Shuford - George I believe. Miss Laura Woodfin , mentioned before, now Mrs. Ro­binson, taught one or two schools at River Hill . William ( Bill) Hughes, a great mathematician and a great teacher taught at River Hill several schools--public schools frequently continued by subscription for those who wished to continue and pay so much a month. Tom Carpenter also taught at River Hill. He was from Graham. For a while the school for the Webster district was held in a house in Webster. Oocated where the Lucy Hedden home now stands). Prof. Hughes taught a lso in this house. A man by the name of Bascom Clemmon also taught in this Webster school house. He had one of the most brilliant minds I have been per­mitted to know and was a very exacting teacher. He knew it and expected you to know it. When I began going to school we did not have even four months. We would get about as far as "Baker" in Webster's Old Blueback spelling book and school was out. The next year we would get about that far and school was out. My father was on the school committee for the Webster district when I was a boy some ten years old or per· haps older. One day the com­mittee had met in Webster and I remember my father came home that day with smi les on his face saying "We are going to have four months schools in the county this fa ll '" Something new and unheard of had taken place. That school house in Webster burned and the school sh ifted back to River Hill. About that time, a new set of teachers sprang up in Jackson County . Among the number , some fe llows by the name of Cowan began teaching: Coleman, Cicero and Napoleon a ll taught at Webster. .Jackson County Public Schools. Hi s tori ca l Committee .Jackson County NCE!\ - I !15-1 Historic Webster, Winter 1976, Page 6 Webster's Graded School Webster Community New-s August, 1906 The We bster Graded school opened on the sixth inst, and is in promising condition. We feel sure, under the direc­tion of Prof. J . J. Gray, that this school will be a success. His assistants are Misses Gracie Hall, Lillian Stillwell, and Susie Hooper. The enrollment reaches 166, to balance the highest enrollment last year of 177. This school will reach as high as the eighth grade studies; geo­metry, algebra, higher English and Latin. The patrons of this school have a building that should cause them to be proud. They have a large commodious, well lighted and a beautiful site. We predict for this school a direct achievement of valuable improvement in our town. County Fair At Sylva October I and 2, 1909 It is expected that during the fair the organization having it in charge will call a meeting and effect a permanent organization with a stock company of J ackson county people so that the third fa ir can be along larger lines and with many more attractions than the management is able to offer this year. - There is hardly a county in any part of the country but has a county fair and the first efforts of Jackson County should be encouraged by the people, so that in future years the COUNTY FAIR will be an event not of two days but of an entire week, to which the people of the county will look forward with interest. A meeting of the apple growers of Swain and Jackson counties will be held during the fair to organize an apple growers asso~ ciation. Apri12, 1912 If we have many more rains like fell Monday morning there won't be much danger of the farmers getting their corn planted too soon. Owing to the bad weather on the first Sunday the reorganiza­tion of the Baptist Sunday school was just postponed until Sunday morning at 10 o'clock. Let every­body attend. There will also be preaching Sunday morning at II o'clock by Rev. Deitz. Mr. Geo. W. Sutton spent Monday and Tuesday in Waynes­ville on business. Mr. J . I. Broyles and Miss Edith Moore left Wednesday morning for ten day's visit to relatives and friends in Savan· nah , Tenn. The new glass front to the old drug store building has just been completed and it certainly makes that place look much better. Mr. Broyles will not move his goods there until he returns from Ten­nessee. Messrs. Sherrill, Alley and Bu­chanan are attending court at Franklin this week. Mr. E. C. Hedden returned from his work on Savannah Tues­day. Ex-sheriff Norton was a business caller Tuesday. Mr. W. D. Wike was in town Saturday. Mr. Thomas Moore is in the city again after a few days absence. Mr. W. E. Moore is out of town this week. Hon. J. J . Hooker of Dillsboro was in town Sunday. The prospect for a good fruit crop is evidenced by a very heavy bloom. Wheat crops are looking good and if nothing ha ppe ns this section will reap more wheat this fa ll than for some years past. And most everybody is getting ready to plant a " patch" of corn. I believe the sun and wind are doing the roads more good than the talk of a few months back. I believe the time to build good roads is when the weather is pretty. Mr. Lawrence Frizell who has been in school at Hendersonville came home Tuesday. Webster Cookbook Still Available The Webster Historical Society sti ll has for sale some copies of the Webster Cookbook. If you haven't ordered yours, or one for a friend, better do so soon. Below is an order form with the necessary information. The Webster Cookbook Drawer W Webster, North Carolina 28788 Enclosed is $---- · Send me---copies of THE WEBSTER COOKBOOK at $6.00 plus .75 for wrapping and mailing. North Carolina residents· add .24 sales tax . Indicate on separate sheet if books are to be mailed to other than person making order. Gift cards will be included if indicated. NAME __________________________ _ ADDRESS _____________________ __ CITY __________ STATE--------- Zl p ______ __ Aprill 2, 1912 Dr. William Self departed this life Friday Morning about 9 o'clock after a few hours suffer­ing. His death was a great surprise to the family as well as the community at large. Jackson County has lost one of her best citizens, and this section one of its friends. We extend to the bereaved family our sincere sympathy. Mr. Joe Self of Columbia, S.C. attended the burial of his father. The Sunday School and Mission Rally held at the Baptist Church, Saturday night and Sunday were real good and very largely at­tended. Every one present seemed to have enjoyed them­selves. Those who missed those great lectures certainly missed a treat. Mrs. Geo. W. Sutton, has been confined to her chair for several days from a very bad ankle, caused by an infection. The funeral services of Dr. Self were held Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Baptist Church, conducted by Rev. T. F. Delts, after which his remains were laid to rest in the Stillwell Grave yard. R. 0. Self was on the sick side the first of the week. The small child of T. F . Full­bright has been very sick for several days. Solicitor Alley is attending court at Hayesville this week. October, 1909 Mr. Roy Leatherwood left the 13th for Seattle to attend the exposition. He intends remaining in the West some time before returning home. Mr. and Mrs. James Patton, of LaFayette, Ga. , have been visit­ing Mrs. Patton 's brother, Mr. Walter E. Moore. Mr. and Mrs. John N. Wilson of Cullowhee were in town Sunday. Our worthy townsman, Hon. Felix F. Alley , has been called upon to deliver the annual ad­dress of the Haywood County Fair. We feel quite proud to know that our little town can boast of an orator who is so able as to follow in line with such speakers as ex-Governors Aycock and Dra ... er W Webster, !\orth Carolina 28788 Glenn and other noted men who have filled this position on former .occasions. Too many friends of Mr. Alley have no fears as to his ability to fill the place in such a manner as will reflect great credit upon himself and his county as well. Mrs. James McKee was a visitor to our town Sunday. The handsome office building of Coleman C. Cowan is quite an attractive addition to our town. Mrs. Bradford Adams went to Waynesville Monday, returning Tuesday. The cottage being erected by Mr. J . L. Broyles, is going up very rapidly and when finished will be one of the most modern in this part of the country. Mrs. Amanda Cowan and son leave the 11th of October for Burlington , Wash ., where she expects to make her home. Dillsboro June 18, 1920 Little Helen Simons of Sylva spent the week end with little Edith and Evelyn Jarrett here. Mr. and Mrs. W. L. Snyder of Canton spent Sunday with rela­tives here. Miss Mayme Bryson of Beta spent Sunday with Miss Mayme Snyder. Robert Dobbins of Waynesville is spending a few days in our city. Mr. and Mrs. Jim Ensley and daughter , Jennie, visited Mrs. M. Y. Jarrett this week. B. G. Royse has returned from a few days visit to Asheville. L. V. Brock of Asheville was here Sunday. Miss Edith Sherrill of Sylva spent a few days with Miss Maude Leatherwood. T. Ora Pangle has accepted a position in Sunburst. Scroop Dewitt Hooker has re­turned from Atlanta, where he has been in school. Miss Maude Leatherwood is visiting friends in Canton. Several of our Dillsboro people a ttended the singing convention in Waynesville Sunday. Little Edith Jarrett is visiting relatives in Franklin. Lewis Cannon was in town this week. Mrs. Frank Watson is spending some time in Cullowhee. Sylva June 18, 1920 Lawrence Cowan was here from Webster, Monday. Miss Frances Coward returned Monday from a stay of several days in Asheville. Miss Kathleen Conroy has re­turned from Birmingham, Ala­bama, after a most successful year of teaching in the city High School of Birmingham. Miss Katherine Cox has re­turned from Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, N. Y. , where she has been for the past two years. Miss Essie Norton of Cullow­hee, is spending some time with her sister, Mrs. Billy Davis. Miss Christine Cathey spent several days last week visiting relatives in Asheville. Mrs. Eugenia Allison and daughters, Misses Ruth and Isa­bel, spent the week end with Mrs. J. W. Keener. Mrs. W. C. Allison and Miss Evelyn Allison were here Tues­day from Barkers Creek. Miss Margaret Moore is at­tending summer school at Cul­lowhee and will teach in the Sylva High School the coming session. WANTED - Cook for cafe. Will pay good cook, white or colored, $10. a week. W. P. Potts at City Cafe. FOR SALE - Used Ford road­ster in good repair . John Hoglen, Webster. I have the agency for the Bell car for all counties west of the Blue Ridge. Still have some good territory open for dealers. For particulars and contract, address me at Asheville or Green's Creek, 0. V. Cagle. Miss Dorothy Moore is attend­ing the summer school at Cullow­hee. Mr. and Mrs. Roy F. Leather­wood left Tuesday for Knoxville, where they will make their future home. Mrs. L. Coleman Hall left last week to join Mr. Hall at Ha tties­burg, Miss. , where they wi ll reside in the future. U. S. Postage P ,11 D C. t\j 11 j I 2 Zip Codo 2ul88 MR & MAS J OHN SLA IEH 28 788 . ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED