Roanoke Beacon Blog

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.

Feature Friday posts will feature relevant information from a chosen online resource. This month, the database is Google Books.

Wow.  As I was searching Google Books for blog fodder, I found something so extremely relevant it is just plain cool.   No less than 15 minute prior to going over to Google Books, I added this following bullet item from the December 16, 1898 issue of the Roanoke Beacon into the index.

“Mr. C.L. MORTON, the popular Clerk at Walker & Myers mill, has recently been appointed Superintendent to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Capt. BANKS.”

Once in Google Books, I come across an item that mentions the very same C.L. Morton!

The document is called The Southeastern Reporter, Volume 42: Supreme Courts of Appeals of Virginia and West Virginia, and Supreme Courts of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia. The text covers from July 26, 1902 – January 17, 1903.

On pg. 334 a case is described whereby there was some dispute over a bond related to the hiring of Morton. Involved in the case are D.O. Brinkley, L.S. Landing, Louis P. Hornthal, and Warren Ambrose; names I have seen very frequently repeated in the Roanoke Beacon. They oversaw the operation of a saw mill in Plymouth.

The case states that “…in December of 1898 [they] employed one C.L. Morton as their general manager and agent of said mill and milling business.”  Yep! This matches the date of the Beacon Flashes notice.

I honestly do not understand exactly what the dispute was about, but if you have a penchant for legalese, check out the description.  I just thought it was so neat that I would find this so soon after reading of Morton’s hire.

Morton by the way had several mentions in the paper prior to this time.  I have previously posted about his marriage to Myrtle Bennett.  In July of 1898, he had a very painful accident

“While Mr. C.L. MORTON was at work with an adz at Walker & Myers’ mills on Thursday of last week, the tool (which is said to be one of the most dangerous used by carpenters) slipped, striking Mr. MORTON on the leg, cutting a gash two inches long and one inch deep. Dr. W.H. WARD was called and dressed the wound and at this writing friend MORTON is getting along well, and we hope he will soon be out again.”

Sounds like that one must have hurt!

Roanoke Beacon – 16 Sep 1898

Beacon Flashes

• Mrs M. OWENS has been visiting friends near Edenton this week.
• Mr. W N COOPER has returned home from a visit to Baltimore.
• Mr. G H HARRISON has been North this week to purchase new goods
• Miss Nona BRINKLEY is manipulating yard stick at M. OWENS & Co.
• Mr. C D LOANE and wife have been visiting the northern states this week.
• The Republicans and Populist Senatorial Conventions will be held here today.
• Mr. W F OWENS, of Creswell, was here this week visiting his uncle, Mr. B OWENS.
• Mr. L P HORNTHAL has been north this week purchasing new goods for his fall and winter trade.
• Attorney Edmund ALEXANDER returned Wednesday from a professional visit to Columbia.
• Mr. W A ALEXANDER returned home from Virginia Beach Monday, bringing his family with him.
• Mr. W L SHARED has purchased the R B LATHAM residence corner Main and Washington streets.
• Miss Janette MARTIN was called to Avoca Saturday by the illness of her mother. She returned on Monday.
• Rev. <…> B GREEN wade has been holding a series of meetings at Christian Hope, on Long Ridge, the past week.
• Mr. Herman HORNTHAL, of Norfolk, has been in our town this week visiting his brother, Mr. L P HORNTHAL.
• Miss Mattie BENNETT, of Williamson, has been visiting relatives and friends in our town the past two weeks.
• Mr. J A Wiloughby, of the firm of J A Wiloughby & Co., has been in Baltimore this week burying fall goods.
• Mr. L L OWENS has rented the Hornthal residence corner, Main and Jefferson streets, and gone to keeping house.
• Mr. W L SHERROD’s new store is nearing completion. It will be one of the largest and best buildings in the town.
• The pretty Miss Eloise DAVENPORT, of Brunswick, Ga., is here visiting her aunt, Mrs. Laura LATHAM, and other relatives.
• Mr. H H Brown left Monday for Newport News, Va., where he has gone to do some important business. We wish him much success.
• Miss Irma MARSH, who has been visiting our town for two weeks as the guest of Miss Nina HARDISON, returned to her home in Bath, Monday.
• Miss Leslie HARRISON left Wednesday morning for Morganton, where she will resume her standing <…> upon her duties as Librarian for the D. & D. Institute.
• Mr. Mathias OWENS, of the firm M. OWENS & Co., has been in New York this week selecting fall and winter goods. Their stock this season will be out of sight.
• Mrs. Annie LATHAM returned home on Wednesday from Delaware where she had been visiting relatives for several weeks. While absent Mrs. LATHAM purchased her fall and winter goods.
• Our friend, Hon. H B WARD of Plymouth, the silver tongued orator, and Democratic nominee for the Senate from this District spoke at the town hall Thursday evening last. He is a fine orator and made a lasting impression upon our people. Messrs. WARD and MILLER will be glad to have a joint debate with the fusion nominees and when they get through with them they will be too sick for duty. Bet the fusionists will never canvas the district with them. — Washington Progress

Married.
6 May 1898
Roanoke Beacon

Grace Episcopal Church was the scene to two pretty marriages on Wednesday morning, April 27th. The church was beautifully decorated, and above the chappel was suspended a large bell of evergreens and native flowers, under which the young people took the sacred vows.

The first marriage of Mr. Chas. L. Morton and Miss Myrtle Bennett at 7 o’clock, and the latter was Mr. R.A. Williford and Miss Clara Jackson, at 7:40. The flower gilrs were Misses Carrie Alexander and Jamie Bryan, and the ushers were Mess. W.N. Cooper and P.W. Brinkley.

Miss Bennett entered from the rear door, leaning on the arm of Mr. L.P. Hornthal; Mr. Morton entered from the vestry room accompanied by Mr. Herman Hornthal. Miss Jackson entered from the rear door, attended by her Maid of Honor, Miss Mattie Williford, and Mr. Williford entered from the vestry room attended by his best man, Capt. Bullock.

Immediately after the ceremony Mr. and Mrs. Morton took the N & S Steamer for a trip North, while Mr. and Mrs. Williford boarded the south bound train for a visit to the groom’s parents in Nashville.

The Beacon extends happy congratulations to these young people.

Howard-Pearce
October 18, 1889
Pg. 3

Again on Wednesday night at 7:15 o’clock a large number of our people gathered within the historic old walls of Grace Church to witness another marriage ceremony. This time, the contracting parties were Mr. Chas. P. Howard, of Portsmouth, Va., and Miss Sallie Pearce, of this city. As the musical chime of the old bell rung upon the bustling town at 7:30 the bridal party marched up to the chancel and in a solemn manner they were pronounced man and wife, by the Rector, Rev. Luther Eborne.

Messrs. Clarance Latham and Louis Hornthal acted as ushers. The bride was given away by Mr. Clarence Latham. After the ceremony the happy couple repaired to the residence of Mr. E. R. Latham, the former home of the bride. The groom has accepted a position in the painting department of the “Old Reliable” Carriage Factory, and will make this his future home. We extend to him a hearty welcome among us and congratulations to him and his fair bride, wishing them much happiness and prosperity.

Note: Washington County is great in that the marriage licenses are partially online – here is the link to their marriage certificate.

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