General Merchanise and Hardware Store Were the Hub Brevard Community

In the early 1900s most small communities had a general merchandise store.  On the Hendersonville Rd. about 2.5 miles from downtown Brevard the Deaver-Patton Company’s store was located at the busy crossroads of Pisgah Forest surrounded by Brevard Tannin’ Company and Carr Lumber Company.

Deaver-Patton Company brass token for merchandise.
Notice the spelling of Pizgah Forest, NC.

The Certificate of Incorporation of the Deaver-Patton Company on file at the Register of Deeds Office is dated September 1, 1909.  The stockholders were John C. Deaver, T.T. (Thomas Taylor) Patton, T.E. (Thomas Edward) Patton, and H.H. (Harry Heiss) Patton.  A notice for spectacles lost near the store in the September 11, 1903 Sylvan Valley News gives evidence that Deaver and Patton were in business by 1903 though. 

Deaver was the manager of the business, which sold dry goods, clothing and shoes, groceries, feed and seed, and farm implements.  In 1910 the store’s capacity was enlarged to carry hardware and furniture, as well.

A Certificate of Dissolution was filed on March 19, 1914 after Deaver sold his shares to Henry M. Brown and T.C. McCoy of Asheville.  At that time Brown took over management of the store which was rename Brown-Patton Company.  By 1919 the store had added automobile tires to their inventory.

Later the company again changed its name when Brown apparently sold his interest.  It was known as the McCoy-Patton Company from about 1922 until 1927.  An announcement in the January 20, 1927 issue of the Brevard News stated that the McCoy-Patton Company was going out of the dry goods business.  McCoy-Patton did continue to sell tires for a while longer. 

Ed McCoy, son of T.C. McCoy, served as the Pisgah Forest post master from 1920 through 1933.  During that time the post office operated from the store.  When Sid Barnett took over as acting post master in December 1933 it was announced that the office would remain in the old McCoy-Patton store building indicating the store was no longer in operation. 

In December 1934, a news Patton's Store operated by John C. Deaver's half-brother, Frank Patton and Pisgah Forest post master, Dewey Edwards opened in the building.  April 4, 1940 article in the Transylvania Times stated that, “Harry Patton has about completed plans for the wrecking of the present Patton’s Store to be replaced on the opposite side of the highway with a new and modern store building.”

Next week, Picturing the Past will feature more Pisgah Forest businesses of the mid-1900s.

Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library. Visit the NC Room during regular library hours (Monday-Friday) to learn more about our history and see additional photographs. For more information, comments, or suggestions contact Marcy at marcy.thompson@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-1820.