Roanoke Beacon Blog

a not so wordless post

Perry-Spruill House [Taken by Jean]. Digital image. Flickr. 23 Nov. 2008 <http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeandavisolecki/2217156250/>

The Perry-Spruill House is located at 326 Washington Street in Plymouth, NC.  According to the Historic Plymouth: A Walking Tour, the home was built for Theodore A. Perry and purchased by Jeremiah C. Spruill in 1895.  It is a Greek Revival style home.  Spruill was a merchant in the city – his name appeared often in the Roanoke Beacon newspaper. 

Township Tuesday posts will share news specific to a township of local relevance.

Roanoke Beacon –21 Oct 1898

Creswell Chips

• Mrs. SPRUILL has returned with her fall stock.
• Commercial tourist are still visiting our town. Their name is Legion.
• Mr. Herbert WALKER left last week for Baltimore where he expects to enter the University of Maryland
• Rev. Luther EBORN is away attending the T<…> Convention of the Protestant Episcopal church held in Washington City.
• The bears caught up on one of the Lake farms, in the sensation of the day. The owners are trying to tame these bears, a mother and her cubs, before shipping them.
• Wednesday, Oct. 12th was indeed a big day for Creswell. By 11 o’clock fully 900 people had assembled here to hear Hon. John H. SMALL, the Democratic candidate for Congress, and Harry SKINNER, the Fusion candidate, discuss the political issues of the campaign, and Geo. W. WARD, the Democratic candidate for Solicitor and his opponent, I. M. MEEKINS, were also here. Mess. SMALL and WARD were escorted through the principal streets of the town by about forty mounted men, with James PHELPS, a life long Republican, as Chief Marshal. Mr. SMALL did full justice to the occasion, as also did Mr. Ward.

On Ancestry.com, there is a book titled Branson’s North Carolina Business Directory: containing facts, figures, names and locations, revised and corrected annually – that includes some information about Washington County. I thought it would be of interest to share an excerpt here as many of these names I have come across in the newspaper:

COUNTY OFFICERS
Clerk of Superior Court – J.A. Nelson
Coroner – Theophilus Ash
Commissioners – R.S. Goelet, Ch; J.B. Chesson, jun.; M. Jackson, A.M. Phelps, G.W. Jones
Register of Deeds – John Carroll
Sheriff – J.M. Bateman
Surveryor – H.F. Phelps
Solicitor 2nd District – Joseph J. Martin
Treasurer – Levi Jackson, jun.

Hotels & Boarding Houses
Hotel, Plymouth – Spruill & Davenport
Hotel, Plymouth – Mary Lee (col.)
Sanders House, Plymouth – R. Sanders

Lawyers
Armistead, T.S., Plymouth
Collins, Josiah, Scuppernong
Jones, E.W., Plymouth
Johnston, S.L, Plymouth
Latham, L.C., Plymouth

Physicians
Hardison, H., Scuppernong
Lewis, H.G., Mackeys Ferry
Norman, H.H., Scuppernong
Wolfe, H.E., Lees Mills
Walker, Barry M., Plymouth
Ward, W., Plymouth

There is more here, so if you have an Ancestry membership, it’s worth checking out [link here], not only for this county, but others. If you

Roanoke Beacon
23 Sep 1898

The Republican and Populist County Convention was held at Pleasant Grove on Tuesday last, where and when the following fusion candidates were nominated: For House of Representatives, Thomas HOPKINS; for Sheriff, John L. PHELPS; for Treasurer, T.J. BASSNIGHT; for Register of Deeds, W.H. STUBBS; for Clerk Superior Court, W.M. BATEMAN; for County Commissioner, Geo. SPRUILL, W.H. HOWCUTT and Rufus SWAIN.

What of these nominees? HOPKINS is a fusing Populist, being the fusion candidate of the Dem-Pops two years ago for the same place. PHELPS is supposed to be a Republican, though he was a candidate for Sheriff two years ago before the Democratic convention. BATEMAN and SWAIN are classed as Populists. BATEMAN was the Pop-Dem candidate for Sheriff two years ago. BASSNIGHT, STUBBS, SPRUILL and HOWCUTT, the latter a negro, are old line Republicans.

Roanoke Beacon – 22 Jul 1898

Cupid’s Capers – The M.E. Church at Roper was the scene of a pretty marriage last night at 8 o’clock, the contracting parties being Mr. W.B. Jones, a popular salesman of that town, and Miss Florida Spruill, one of Washington county’s most lovable young ladies.  The attendants were: Miss Alice Cahoon with Mr. Johnnie Hassell,  Miss Bessie Brown with Mr. Clem Chesson; Maid of Honor, Miss Eloise Johnston; Best Man, Mr. Jas. Spruill.  The wedding march was played by Mrs. J.T. Lewis.

After the ceremony the bridal party, with a few invited friends,  repaired to the home of the bride’s parents, where a reception was held until 11 o’clock.  Our best wishes are extended to the happy couple.

County Commissioner’s Proceedings
27 May 1898

At a special meeting of the Board of Commissioners of Washington county held on Monday May 2nd with all members present the following business was transacted:

A Card
Roanoke Beacon, pg. 2
March 4, 1898

I have just seen an article in the “Assembly Standard” which is not only untrue, but does me a gross injustice. I am charged in said article, as being the cause of trouble, which occurred in the town of Plymouth last Saturday night.

The facts are these: Mr. Louis Owens and Emporer Spruill had some hot words, and Owens struck Spruill in the face. This was the direct cause of the excitement and bad blood that followed. In a few minutes after this difficulty I noticed a large crowd of coloredpeople standing on the street, they seemed to be excited and mad on account of Spruill being struck. Some of the colored people and whites had been drinking too much, during the evening, after the fire, and there was several intoxicated persons among them.

A short time after Spruill had been struck J.T. Pettiford, J.P., came to me with a warrant to arrest Owens for a simple assault. Having seen the previous condition of tthe bystanders, I tried to persuade him not to have the warrant executed tonight, but to wait until Monday morning, but he demanded that the warrant should be executed at once. Seeing that I could not prevail upon him, I took the warrant and went to look for Owens, when I was met by J.P. Hilliard, a Justice of the Peace, with another warrant which he gave me and demanded that I should serve at once, which I did, and the case was continued until Monday morning and I returned Pettifords’ warrant to him.

The reason why I acted in this matter as I did, was, I honestly believed that if I had brought Owens to trial before Pettiford at once, that there would have been grave and serious trouble between our people, and what I did was to preserve the peace, and to prevent any difficulty from taking place.

I believed then and I believe now, from the intoxicated condition and the bad blood amongst some of our people, that the course I pursued in this matter was the only one that saved the town from having a serious trouble. During my term of office as constable of this town I have tried to preserve the peace and have been fair and impartial to the people of both races. — Jos. Tucker

Roanoke Beacon
21 Jan 1898
pg. 3

It was Infanticide
So said the coroner’s jury. Pearl Lewis charged with the murder of her innocent babe.

On Friday morning last J.T. PETTIFORD appeared before the Clerk of the Superior Court and made affidavit to the effect that he had cause to believe that the infant of Pearl LEWIS, colored, had ocome to its death by foul means. Upon this affidavit, the Clerk appointed J.P. HILLIARD, Esq., Coroner, with the following jury to investigate: A.D. SAWYER, J.E. HINNANT, Thos. BEMBRY, David HARRISON, Emperor SPRUILL and Benj. LEARY.

The corpse of the infant, which had been buried, was taken up and carried to the jail where the coffin was identified by undertaker W.T. NURNEY. In the absence of the county physician, Dr. W.H. WARD, Dr. B.F. HALLSEY, of Roper, was called to hold the post mortem examination. After a thorough external and internal examination, the doctor rendered the opinion that the child had lived and that it came to its death by strangulation. There were two marks on its throat as an evidence that the infant had been choked to death.

After an investigation the jury rendered a verdict that the child had been murdered by parties unknown. Circumstantial evidence pointed strongly to the mother, Pearl LEWIS, and on Saturday a warrant was issued for her arrest. She being confined to her bed the warrant was served and Isiah PETTIFORD was placed guard over her body until she is in condition to stand trial.

Such a heinous crime in our midst naturally creates excitemen and indignation. The law should be fully carried out, and the perpetrator of this, the most inhuman crime that has ever stained the history of our town, should pay the penalty.

Beacon Flashes
January 10, 1890
pg. 2

• Mr. Geo Houston is the happy man – it’s a girl.
• Mr. R. L. Williams, of Roper, gave us a call on yesterday.
• Mr. S. M. Whaley made a short visit to Norfolk this week.
• Miss Belle Fagan is visiting Miss Pattie Williams at Roper.
• Mr. J. F. Jackson has opened a bar on Washington street.
• Miss Adelia Skittlethorpe has returned from a visit to Creswell.
• Hon. J. L. Howell, Mayor of Creswell, was in the city this week.
• Dr. B. F. Hallsey and wife, of Roper, were in the city yesterday.
• Miss Carrie Hilliard, is visiting her sister, Mrs. W. T. Spruill, at Roper.
• Miss Ida Woodley, of Creswell, is the guest of Miss Adelia Skittlethorpe
• Miss Nellie Chesson, of Roper, was the guest of Miss Lizzle Goelet this week.
• Mr. Geo. Houston gathered ripe straw berries from his garden from his garden on Wednesday.
• Mr. Johnnie Whaley filed the pulpit at Ware’s Chapel on Sunday afternoon last.
• Messrs. Charles Everett and William Ausbon of Palmyra, were in the city this week.
• Master Willie Bowen, formerly with R. Schultz & Co., has accepted a position with W. H. Hampton, as salesman.
• Dr. H. P. Murray, wife and children are visiting in Wilmington, N.C., as the guests of the doctor’s parents.
• Mr. and Mrs. B. F. Owens spent the past week in Baltimore as the guests of their daughter, Mrs. J. W. Reed.
• Miss Mamie DeCromia is again honoring our city with her presence. She is the guest of her sister, Mrs. H. Peal.
• Messr. J. H., E. R. and Robert Ausbon, of Scotland Neck, have been visiting relatives in the city for the past week.
• We notice that needed improvements is being made on the residence of Mrs. Annie Walker, on Third street.
• Mr. James Harrison has moved his family from the country to town, and is occupying one of the Jackson houses on Main street.
• Misses Annie and May Whaley, and Mr. Johnnie Whaley left Monday morning to resume their studies at the Western Maryland College.
• Mr. Edward Crocket, who has been on a visit to his aunt, Mrs. P. V. Clark, for the past week, returned to his house in Norfolk on yesterday.
• Mr. Haywood Davenport, formerly of this place, but now of Brunswick, Ga., is visiting her sister, Mrs. Laura Latham, at Latham House.
• Rev. William Pettigrew, who has been visiting relatives in Plymouth for the past week, left on the 6 o’clock train this morning for his home in Ridgeway.
• Bishop A. A. Watson held services in Grace church on Thursday night of last week, at which time Mrs. W. H. Hampton and Mr. J. E. Davenport were confirmed.

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Creswell Letter
January 10, 1890
pg. 2

Editor Roanoke Beacon

• Our village was again enlivened last evening by a brilliant party at Capt. B. F. Spruill’s, with Miss Mattie Ludford and Mr. W. D. Holmes as managers. Our town was well represented, and everything passed off pleasantly.
• Messrs. Sikes and Holmes left this a.m., for Middleton, Conn.
• Bishop Watson preached to a large and appreciated audience, at St. David’s church (near here,) last Sunday, from the text, “Not every one that sayeth unto the Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of Heaven, but he that doeth the will of My Father who art in Heaven.” The sermon was simply grand. Three persons were confirmed during the services, viz: John J. Rowe, George Burgess and Miss Allie Hassell; and one baptized, viz: Miss Matilda Spruill, of Tyrrell county, daughter of Noah Spruill.
• Mr. McCleese, of Pamlico county, who is a brother-in-law to Dr. J. L. Hassell, of this place, be in our midst. We learn that he came over to look at a farm near here, with a view to purchasing and locating. We hope he purchased, as we would gladly welcome such worthy men in our section.
• Mr. Alfred Moore (an old gentleman who lives in Tyrrell county, 4 miles from here) was stricken with paralysis yesterday and is in critical condition with scarcely any hopes of recovery, so is physician says.
• Mr. Henry T. Hassell of our place is the happy father of another “bouncing” boy, aged about 3 weeks.

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