Chowan County NcArchives News.....THE HISTORIC ASBELL HOME January 4, 2006
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
GERALD WIGGINS gwiggins@inteliport.com May 7, 2006, 9:10 am

THE CHOWAN HERALD January 4, 2006
WRITTEN BY EARLINE WHITE STAFF WRITER FOR THE CHOWAN HERALD,
JOY'S IN THE ATTIC:
      AFTER THE GREAT DEPRESSION MANY PEOPLE LOST THEIR STOCKS AND HOPES IN THE
BANKING SYSTEM BELIEVING THAT THEIR VALUABLES COULD NOT BE KEPT SAFE EVEN BEHIND
THICK STEEL VAULT DOORS. FOR GENERATIONS AFTER, HARD WORK CITIZENS HID THEIR
VALUABLES IN THE EAVES OF THEIR HOME, IN THEIR GARDENS, ANYWHERE THEY THOUGHT
NO ONE ELXE WOULD LOOK. FOR DECADES THE TREASURES LAY HIDDEN. SO WHEN THE NEW
OWNER'S OF THE ASBELL HOME ARMED WITH A CROWBAR, KNOWCKED LOOSE THE SHEETROCK
OF HER DROPPED CEILING DURING HER HOME RENOVATION PROJECT, ONE SUCH TREASURE
HIT HER SQUARE IN THE HEAD AND HAS FOREVER CHANGED HER AND HER HUSBANDS LIFE.
     IT TOOK US 3 YEARS TO FIND IT AND 4 TO RESTORE IT, OF THE NEWLY REVIVED
HOUSE ON MOSELY STREET, A HIT AMONG THE 2005 CHRISTMAS CANDELIGHT TOUR GOERS. HE
AND HIS WIFE DID MOST OF THE WORK STRIPPING THE BROWN FLOORS, RAISING THE 
CEILINGS TO THEIR ORIGINAL HEIGHT, ADDING THE STAIRWELL SO THAT THE SMALL ATTIC.
PREVISOUSLY ONLY ACCESSIBLE BY LADDER THROUGH THE WINDOWS OUTSIDE, COULD BE
INCORPORATED INTO THE LIVING AREA. A STORY PUBLISHED IN THE WINTER ALBEMARLE
MAGAZINE THAT THE NEW HOME OWNERS OF THE ASBELL HOME WERE LOOKING FOR THE
ORIGINAL OWNERS OF THE HOUSE.
    THIS IS MY GRANDMOTHER HOUSE HE WAS A BRICKMASON, I WAS BORN NEXT
DOOR BUT GREW UP AT HE OLD FISH HATCHERY, WHEN I SAW THE PICTURE IN THE 
ALBEMARLE MAGAZINE I COULDN'T BELIVE THAT WAS MY GRANDADDY'S HOUSE, I REMEMBER
THE WHOLE FRONT YARD AS POPPIES AND ROSE BUSHES. HELEN SAID'"
    SOON AFTER READING THE STORY HELEN AND BILL CONTACTED THEM AND PROCEEDED TO 
TELL STORIES. HOW EVERY SATURDAY HER GRANDFATHER GIVING HER AND HER BROTHER
JOHNNIE JR. A NICKEL AND TELLING THEM TO GO TO TOWN AND GET SOME CANDY, AND 
WHEN YOU COME BACK I'LL GIVE YOU A BOTTLE OF POP. SHE REMEMBER SUMMER'S ON THE
SCREEN IN BACK PORCH EATING WATERMELON-JESSIE ASBELL FAVORITE. SHE REMEMBER HOW
MUCH JESSIE ASBELL LOVED THAT HOUSE SO MUCH IN FACT THAT BEFORE HE DIED IN JULY
1947  HE TOLD HIS FAMILY THAT HE DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE IT HIS WISHES WERE 
RESPECTED AND HIS BODY WAS NOT MOVED EVEN FOR EMBALMING , UNTIL BURIAL AT 
BEAVER HILL. 
     HELEN EVEN BROUGHT PICTURES OF HER AT AGE 3 WITH HER GRANDMOTHER SARAH,
OUT BY THE STEPS HER GRANDFATHER LAID AND PICTURES OF JESSIE AND HELEN'S
STEP GRANDMOTHER(JESSIE ASBELL WAS MARRIED THREE TIMES) TILLIE LANE ASBELL
WAS JESSIE LAST WIFE WHO WAS LIKELY THE ONETO HAVE STASHED ASWAY THE MONEY
JESSIE ASBELL WAS A BRICKMASON.
     DURING THE RENOVATIONS A BROWN BAG ALSO FILLED WITH MONEY FELL FROM ATOP
THE INSTALLATION THIS WAS ANOTHER SURPRIZE.
     WITH THE RENOVATIONS COMPLETE ON THE HISTORIC ASBELL HOME THEY HOPES TO
SEEK INCLUSION ON A REGISTER OF HISTORIC HOMES.
THE ASBELL HOME IS LOCATED ON S. MOSELY STREET IN HISTORIC EDENTON N.C.


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