Roanoke Beacon Blog

Mrs. Joanna Newberry Mizell was born about 1832 and was the 2nd wife of Jordan Washington Mizell (1802-1884).  The two are buried next to each other in the cemetery named for him.  Together, they would have at least 7 children that I currently know of.   I’ve posted their family information to Ancestry.com.

From the 31 Mar 1899 issue of the Roanoke Beacon

While walking in her yard on Sunday afternoon last, Mrs. J.A. MIZELL stumbled and fell, one of the family ran to help her up and found that she was unconscious, assistance was called and the lady was taken into the house and a physician sumoned, and while she partically rallied she grew weaker until Tuesday night when she fell asleep to ‘wake no more and her spirit was wafted home to Glory. The deceased was about 75 years old and lived with her son seven miles from this town. We extend sympathies to the bereaved.

From the 10 Mar 1899 issue of the Roanoke Beacon

Editor Beacon: Please allow me space in your columns for a few lines to the memory of my dear brother, McG. AUSBON, who departed this life at the Soldiers’ Home, near Raleigh, N.C., on Feb. 1st, 1899.

“Precious is the sight of the Lord are the death of his saints.” Yes, precious are His jewels, called home to fill a high and holy destiny with that ever living Hand. We feel to hope he now rests in the sweet paradise of God, where sorry and afflictions are known no more, and peace and love will reign for ever more. I was with this dear brother most of the time in his useful part of life. We were together through the war between the North and South up to the time he received a wound and was taken to the hospital, and he was ever brave and true to go where duty called. I was with him in the battle at Bermuda Hundreds, where the enemy was driven from their intrenchments; he advanced over their works, gathering up overcoats and throwing over the breastwork. Again, I was by his side in the great battle at Cold Harbor, and again in front of Petersburg, where he received a wound. He ever seemed to have a spirit of true devotion to his country in time of war, and in time of peace no change could ever lead him away from true democracy. There are yet living witnesses that what I have written is true, our dear old Captain S.L. JOHNSTON is yet alive. May we all meet in peace beyond this vale. — T.E. AUSBON, Palmyra, N.C.

From the Roanoke Beacon:

• Mr. Ben Hassell left this week for Norfolk on Business
• Capt. John Thomas made a busines trip to E. City last week.
• Mr. Will McRoughton has been spending a few days with his parentsys with his parents at Bay.
• Miss Minnie Owens, who has been the guest of her cousin, Miss Bertie Owens, for several weeks, returned to her home in Currituck, last week.
• Our popular and charming young friend, Mr. Tommy L. Swain, gave us a pleasant call this week.  He comes over to teach one of our public schools, and we feel sure he will make a very successful teacher, as he is universally esteemed wherever he is known.
• Essie Wynne, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. R.W. Wynne, departed this life at their home at Bay, Jan. 28th, after a long and painful illness, aged three years and six months.  She was a child of remarkable brightness, and was loved and petted by all who knew her.  The funeral services were conducted by Rev. Mr. Moses, and the remains were laid to rest in Albemarle cemetery on Monday at eleven.  The family have the sympathy of a large circle of friends.

From the March 23, 1883 issue of The Landmark, paper of Statesville, NC

Mr. James Jarvis, of Washington County, died a horrible death on the 7th inst., from hydrophobia, having been bitten by a favorite dog which had the rabies.

From the January 19, 1883 issue of  The Landmark, newspaper of Statesville, NC

Walter D. Norman, a prominent merchant of Plymouth, committed suicide by shooting himself in the neck.  He was recently married to a Richmond lady.

From  the Roanoke Beacon – 6 Jan 1899

While Mr. Enoch BATEMAN and a colored man were engaged in rafting logs at Walker & Myers mill Monday afternoon the boat in which they were standing sunk and the two men went down beneath the freezing water. Men hurried to their rescue in time to save the colored man as he came up the last time, but Mr. BATEMAN had filled a watery grave. His body was soon recovered, but all the efforts to revive him were in vain and his lifeless body was taken to his grief-stricken family. Our community extends heartfelt sympathies to the young wife and little children who are thus so suddenly made widow and orphans.

From the Roanoke Beacon – December 15, 1898

Returned Home to Die – As the morning brightened into day on Wednesday last the messenger of death entered the home of Mr.  Louis P. Hornthal, on Third street, and wafted to the great beyond the spirit of Mrs. Hornthal’s grandfather, S.H. McRae, Esqr., aged 81 years.

Mr. McRae, in years agone was one of the leading citizens of this town, doing a large shingle business, and before the war was a large slave owner and quite wealthy.  Some years ago, he moved to Lewiston, Bertie county, which has been his home ever since.  About two weeks ago he came to Plymouth, as the has often done, to visit his grandchildren, Mrs. L.P. Hornthal, Mrs. H.S. Ward and Mr. Clarence Latham.  He was in feeble health, but no uneasiness was entertained by him or his people until a few days ago, when he took his bed and gradually grew worse until his sufferings was relieved by death at 8 o’clock on Wednesday morning.

It seems that he had come back to the old home to die.  The remains were consigned to their last resting place in the family vault under the shadow of old Grace Episcopal Church, in which so many of his loved ones are sleeping the sleep of the just, on yesterday afternoon at 3:30 o’clock.

Roanoke Beacon – December 9, 1898

Died – Again the messenger of death has invaded one of the quiet homes of Plymouth and claimed its own, leaving the home shrouded in deepest mourning.  On Thursday night, at her home on Main street, Mrs. Kittie Carter, beloved wife of E.A. Carter, Esq., departed this life, after a long and tedious illness, aged — years.  Thus a loving wife, a fond mother, a kind neighbor and a Godly woman has taken up her abode in that land beyond the skies.

The funeral services were conducted Sunday morning at 11 o’clock from the M.E. Church, of which, she had been a faithful member since early childhood.  In the absence of her pastor, the services were conducted in a solemn and impressive manner by Rev. S.M. Spears, of the Christian Church.

Our sympathies are with the bereaved husband, two daughters and a large circle of relatives and friends who mourn.

It’s been far too long since I last posted!

Here is an obituary from the November 25, 1898 issue of the Roanoke Beacon.

“After a long and painful illness near her home near this town on Tuesday morning at 11:30 o’clock, Mrs. Nancy Bateman, wife of Jno. M. Bateman, Esq., age about 70 years. The deceased was a consistent member of the M.P. Church and died trusting in the saving power of her Creator. We extend our sympathies to the bereaved husband and family.”