The First Armistice Day

November 11, the date World War I formally ended at the 11^th hour of the 11^th day of the 11^th month of 1918, was selected for Armistice Day to honor veterans of World War I.  President Woodrow Wilson issued the following message to all Americans on November 11, 1919. 

A year ago today our enemies laid down their arms in accordance with an armistice which rendered them impotent to renew hostilities, and gave to the world an assured opportunity to reconstruct its shattered order and to work out in peace a new and juster set of international relations. The soldiers and people of the European Allies had fought and endured for more than four years to uphold the barrier of civilization against the aggressions of armed force. We ourselves had been in the conflict something more than a year and a half.

With splendid forgetfulness of mere personal concerns, we remodeled our industries, concentrated our financial resources, increased our agricultural output, and assembled a great army, so that at the last our power was a decisive factor in the victory. We were able to bring the vast resources, material and moral, of a great and free people to the assistance of our associates in Europe who had suffered and sacrificed without limit in the cause for which we fought.

Out of this victory there arose new possibilities of political freedom and economic concert. The war showed us the strength of great nations acting together for high purposes, and the victory of arms foretells the enduring conquests which can be made in peace when nations act justly and in furtherance of the common interests of men.

To us in America the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country's service, and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of nations.

WWI Transylvania County soldiers.  Front row: Avery Orr, 2nd from left;
Virgil Merrill, 5th from left.  Middle row:  Jesse Scruggs, 5th from left.
Back row:  Coy Surrette, 2nd from left; Travie Hart, 7th from left.
Others pictured include Harold Harden, Lauder Lyday, Ernest Miller and
Victor Orr.  They served in France in the Medical Department,
at Field Hospitals and with Ambulance Company 324
from Aug. 1918 through Oct. 1919.

The first Armistice Day in Transylvania County was to be celebrated with a parade by the students of the Brevard Graded School and Brevard Institute, followed by the singing of patriotic songs, prayers and speaking.  The parade was cancelled due to inclement weather but the other events went forward with a large audience at the Baptist church.

Following World War II and the Korean War veterans’ organizations advocated for changing of "Armistice" to "Veterans" to honor those who had fought in all wars and those who served in the U.S. military forces during times of peace.  Congress officially renamed November 11 as Veterans Day in 1954.

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.

City Market Played Vital Role in Brevard

Sam Allison, far right, with several employees inside his
City Market butcher shop.

In the first decade of the 1900s there were several butcher shops or meat markets located in Brevard. W.H. “Bill” Duckworth was involved in the business as early as 1907.  Duckworth had a couple of different partners and different locations initially.  By late 1910 Duckworth’s shop, known as City Market, was located on West Main St. and it was reported that he had purchased an electric mill to aid in processing meats into sausage.

Between 1915 and 1919 City Market changed hands several times being owned by S.F. “Sam” Allison and Younge, Allison and Johnson, and then Allison solely for a while.  In August 1918, Allison sold the business to J. Frank McCall who added a refrigerated counter and showcase.  McCall sold it to W.J. Smith but by May 1919 City Market has back in the hands of Duckworth and Allison. 

An employee and Sam Allison stand with knives
at the ready outside the City Market on the south
side of West Main St., circa 1920.  Also pictured is
Allison's wife, Cora.

In early 1920 Allison bought out Duckworth and would continue to operate City Market for many years.  In addition to beef, pork, lamb, chicken, turkey and fish, the market carried produce and eggs. 

In February 1922 Allison moved the business across the street to a storefront between Clement Jewelry and Plummer and Trantham’s Department Store on the north side of West Main Street.  Allison also announced that the shop would carry a large supply of grocery items, foreign and domestic fresh and cured meats, along with local meats, eggs and produce.

Allison announced his retirement in May 1945.  Through the years he had made many friends and become known for his barbeques and fish fries.  He was often in charge of benefit dinners for local events and held large wild game feeds and fish fries at his home on the (Old) Hendersonville Hwy. for large gatherings of friends. 

Allison died as the result of a car accident in October 1950.  Sam and Cora Allison are buried in the Oak Grove Cemetery in Brevard.

Sam Allison with large fish outside his City Market shop.

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.

Planned Boys' Camp Becomes Lake Sega Properties

During the 1920s real estate was a booming business in Transylvania County.  Properties were being developed for business and residential use.  Residential development ranged from farm land and acreages to construction of subdivisions and new homes within the town of Brevard.

A 50-acre property two miles west of Brevard was originally planned as a boy’s summer camp.  In September 1924, Robert Lawrence began construction of a lake and planned to build cabins as well.

The following June, Lawrence announced a prize of $5.00 gold for the best name for the camp.  The name Sega, meaning welcome, was chosen but had not been suggested by anyone so the $5.00 gold was giving away at a July Fourth celebration at the lake. 

Although the camp itself never can to be, the lake was open to swimmers.  Tennis courts and boats were furnished to visitors and picnic parties were welcome.  Lake Sega became a popular picnic spot for school, church and other groups.

Lawrence had served as the first Transylvania County Farm Agent from 1917 until 1920 and then as the Cleveland County Farm Agent 1920-1925.  He returned to Brevard in late 1925 and opened a real estate and insurance company with business partner, Jim Mallory.  At that time they began to develop the Lake Sega property into a residential subdivision.  Work included grading roads, installing water and sewer lines and electrical and telephone service. 

Lot prices ranged from $450 to $1000.  The lots, which sold quickly, were purchased by people from outside of the county looking to build summer homes. 

North Carolina State College head football coach, Gus Tebell had a home at Lake Sega.  The Wolfpack team used the facility as a training ground in September 1926.

Community house at Lake Sega.

In 1928 Lawrence and his family moved to Canton where he was an insurance agent but he continued to own and operate Lake Sega cottages and recreational area.  The Lawrences returned to Brevard in 1941.

Cabin rentals were available at Lake Sega until at least 1965.  The property included a community house, badminton, croquet and shuffleboard courts along with swimming and boating at the lake.

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.

Civil War Letters Were Written To Lover Ones

The Local History Collection at the Transylvania County Library includes several letters written during the Civil War that express the struggles and fears of people trying to make a living and raise a family in troubled times.

On the day before the newly created Transylvania County was to hold its first official meeting and elect county leaders, Amanda Lankford wrote to her brother, “This week is to be court & it is raining now. I think they will hold court at the camp ground. It is said there is to be a flag hoisted & a cannon fired on Tuesday next & a speech by Jordan to make up a company in this part of the state as hard times are here and worse coming I fear.”  The following day, May 20, 1861, North Carolina declared its secession from the U.S.

In March 1862 Addie Duckworth wrote, “You say my dear cousin for me to give Mr. Duckworth up. Cousin Mollie, I never can. He is so ill able to endure hardships that I can never bear to say farewell. God help me if he is ever called off, for I will despair of ever seeing him alive again. No I cannot give him up. I love my country but I love my own dear husband better.” 

Joseph Duckworth did serve for the Confederacy and survived the Civil War.  However, Addie died in April 1863, leaving seven young children.  Duckworth married Addie’s cousin, Mollie in December 1863 and they had thirteen more children.

James Adolphus Bagwell, was buried at Chicago City
Cemetery.  After the war his remains were exhumed and
re-interred in the Confederate Mound (mass grave) at
Oak Woods Cemetery in Chicago.

Before leaving for duty James Bagwell addressed a letter to his children, “There are dangers abroad and dangers at home and life is uncertain and death is sure. It seems as if the time has come for me to leave home.  It seems necessary that I should leave on record some remarks for instruction to my family. They will need my labor, but will need my instruction worse. I want you all to live uprightly if you die by it.  I want you to live with your heads up, be ashamed of nothing but sin and consider yourselves as good as anybody if you behave yourselves as well. Never pass an insult without just provocation. Never make sport of anybody. Don’t tell a lie, don’t swear, don’t steal. Pay all your just contracts. Take no advantage of anybody and keep them from taking advantage of you…Be faithful and industrious…get all the education you can. Get all the religious instruction you can. Remember that all these things are my desire and will and prayer to Almighty God.” 

Bagwell served in the 62nd NC Infantry for less than six months before being captured.  He died at Camp Douglas Prisoner Camp in Chicago on December 20, 1864. Three of Bagwell’s seven children died of illness in late 1864, as well.

On a lighter note, 19-year-old Martin Orr wrote to his cousin, Julia Mackey on October 10, 1861 describing his first visit to the “Atlantick Ocian.”  Orr continued with a plea, “I want you to write to me soon and let me know how the girls are coming on in Transylvania. I have not heard from any of them since I left Asheville.”  He concludes by filling the back page with a variation of an old English folk song, “To the Girls I Left Behind Me” that was popular among Confederate soldiers.

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.

World War I On the Transylvania Home Front

Handwritten letters were the leading means of communication for hundreds of years.  Correspondence of well-known historical figures have long been used for research, however letters of everyday people are typically undervalued.

Nora Ross with family and friends.  The man to her right is
unidentified, Rufus Barton is to her left.  The photo also includes
Nora's sisters, Emma and Addie and brothers, Ed and
Boyd (in front of Emma and Addie).

On October 13, 1918 Nora Ross of the Selica community wrote to her “true friend till death”, Lester Wilson who was serving in the U.S. Army in France.  In her letter she states, “Several more of the boys have got their war papers.  Joe Lance, Rufus Barton, Frank Turner and Odd Bryson.  A lot of people here think the war will soon end and I hope and trust it will.”  She shares that, “Chester is still at Camp Severe.  Bud is still at Augusta, GA.”

She mentions other newsworthy events, including a fire that destroyed Toxaway Tanning and several thousand pounds of leather ready for shipment on Friday afternoon, October 11.  Apparently the blaze did not have much significance to her personally as she only briefly mentioned, “Last Monday night the Tannery at Rosman was burned down,” getting the day incorrect.

Of much more importance to her was a recent outbreak of illness.  Nora writes, “There is a new disease here now called influenza.  There is a good many cases at Brevard and several at Cherryfield.”  Later in the letter she adds, “Geneva is at home now.  Her school has stopped two weeks on account of the influenza.” 

In between Nora told of a chestnut gathering party on Kuykendall Creek and her disappointment over not receiving a letter from Wilson this past week.  Her letter shows the effects of major events like WWI and the influenza outbreak in a personal way not found in official or news accounts.

Just five days after writing this letter, Nora would learn that her brother Boyd had died of pneumonia at the hospital at Camp Hancock near Augusta, Georgia.  His obituary states, “Owing to the epidemic of influenza only the family and a few friends were present at the interment.”

Nora Ross and Lester Wilson were married on December 25, 1919.  The Wilsons had three children.  Nora was also a beloved aunt to her sister’s ten children, ages 2 weeks to 23 years at the time of the death of their mother.  Lester died in 1936 but Nora lived another 62 years to the age of 101. 

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.