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This file was contributed by Patricia Armor, January 2001. ========================================================== The Kinston Semi-Weekly Free Press (Microfilm Roll KiKFP.1) Saturday, March 12, 1910 More Local History-The Census of a Hundred and Twenty Years Ago, For Dobbs County, Now Lenoir and Greene Counties. At my last writing I jumped over into Greene. Now I am back and starting at Ratie Thoması not far from John Tulls. The enumerator took an Indian trail across the "Ponds" and came to Miles Hutchins, then living at the Dr. Hartsfieldıs place, now owned by Mr. R.W. Pope. Paul Hartsfield lived not far away. Then after taking the names of some Williamsı (I can remember one Simmon Williams) he came back over the same trail and took the name of Mary Hill who must have been the mother of Linkfield Hill who was the grandfather of Ashley Hill, now of Washington, D.C., also of Mrs. Joe Temple of this city. I do not remember him, but he was a man of note in the neighborhood, particularly for his dignity. Why he used to ride in a sulky and "even the story ran" that he had a brass doorknocker on his front door. Benjamine Bruton (Bruton no doubt) after selling his farm on the Loosing Swamp to John Parrott in 1755, must have located somewhere in this "opening." He was either a colonel or general in the Revolutionary war. I have heard the late Mr. Fred G. Taylor, who was the father of our progressive, J.F. Taylor of Kinston, who is president of several industries in and out of the city say that his great grandfather was either one or the other. I am speaking only from this tradition. He then followed another trail westward across the "ponds" and in the fork of the Briery lived Benjamine Robinson, at the very spot where Pierce Robinson lives today and no other has ever lived there but a Robinson. His great grandfather, by tradition, was a drummer in the Revolutionary war. Then the "turpentine path" brought him out to John Coxıs home. Everyone up on Hull road knows where the old Cox place is, which is not far from Hollomanıs store, and the children of Thomas C. Phillips are his descendants. The next up Hull road, I think somewhat off east were the Skeens, (written Scean then) and Freemanıs, and on Hull road the Suttonıs. Every old man and woman remembers old man Billie Sutton. He was a soldier in the war of 1812, was noted for his high stepping and peculiar sayings. I knew him well; he was a good Christian man and the grandfather of Mrs. S. H. Loftin. Then retracting his steps following the Hull road back past John Coxıs he took another path through the woods to the hill where Major Hardy lived, now the home of James Hardy. Majorıs son Bright married Parrott Mewborneıs daughter and from this union we have as descendants Mrs. James A. Pridgen, W. O. and E.T. and Herbert E. Moseley of Kinston., et cetera, et cetera, and et cetera as Bill Arp used to say. Who next? Out in the "Piney Woods" around and back to the hill just beyond the home of Wm. Arundill, of whom I will speak later-were the Kennedyıs. Mary, who was a widow, Walter and John. I remember well old man Walter and B. Kennedy. The wife and lovely daughter of Mr. James W. Daily, of Kinston, are descendants of Walter and Mr. Chas E. Kennedy came from John. This Mary had a son under sixteen years old and he may have been the grandfather of Col. Wm. L. Kennedy, whose forefathers were in the locality. Citizen. ************************************************************* The Kinston Semi-Weekly Free Press (Microfilm Roll KiKFP.1) Wednesday, March 16, 1910 Article 1: Gleamed From Report of the Census of a Hundred and Twenty Years Ago for the County of Dobbs, Now Lenoir and Greene On the slant of the hill just in front of the large residence (I have often seen it in blue flowers) of Wm. Arundill. I remember this home well, when but a lad I slept for weeks at a time in the old residence. Let us go back up the hill a little and get a good view of the valley. See the beautiful curve of the Falling Creek forest as it forms a semi circle. The tall trees of the "low grounds" statelier and grander but less beautiful than the "deep tangled" vine wood that embroiders its selvage. Look at this picture in the spring time and call upon the spirit of Washington Irving to help you to describe this valley and its surroundings. Do you want corn? The plains of Illinois may produce more per acre but this valley will give you enough. Hogs? Thousands of fat hogs have been driven on foot to the New Bern market. Wheat? It used to be a commercial commodity here. Cotton? Cotton, Cotton everywhere and not a bite to eat. Flax? I have often seen it in blue flowers waving to the winds. Nothing is prettier except the blue sky above. Tobacco? Capt. A. Dek Parrott with the help of Col. Perdue is producing elegant crops of the "weed" Horses? I have seen very fine colts that were raised here. Cattle? I never shall forget that "Lowing Herd." I was as afraid of the old black bull as if he was a bear. Women? No place on earth ever produced prettier or nobler. I will not say that Wm Arundill owned all of the valley, but a grand son of his was the "one only master" who once grasped this whole domain, and the great grandsons of William, own it all today. William Arundill had one son under sixteen years old and five daughters. The son must have died in youth or early manhood. One of the daughters married a Sutton and was the mother of old man Billie Sutton. One married a Hodges, after he died a Brown. There are yet Hodges many in the "region around about." From the Brown husband James W. Daly and his people sprung. One married a Hood. (the enumerator wrote it Whood.) There was not far away a bachelor of the "Barkis" is willinı sort, by the name of Robert Whood, the only one in the county at that time. From this union came Reubin Hood of this county. The fourth daughter, I am inclined to think married a Hood also and moved to Texas. The youngest girl, perhaps the youngest, "the beloved Persis," was wooed and won by Jacob Parrott and she bore and reared for him nine sons and daughters and on this beautiful valley he made enough of money to make them all rich. What a pity that Wm. Arundill from all of these five daughters could not preserve his name. The boy died and his name died with him. There is not an Arundill in all North Carolina today and he was the only one then. CITIZEN. ************************************************************* The Kinston Semi-Weekly Free Press (Microfilm Roll KiKFP.1) Wednesday, March 16, 1910 Gleamed From Report of the Census of a Hundred and Twenty Years Ago for the County of Dobbs, Now Lenoir and Greene Gum Swamp head in various branches just above the Hull road and runs in a westwardly direction to Falling Creek., the creek going nearly south until it enters Neuse riverıs valley and then it gently curves to the southeast. Within this district (most of) having the valley on the south, Falling Creek on the west and both of the immediate sides of Gum Swamp for itıs northern boundary, is where we will find the enumerator of the first census, for this issue. Leaving the home of Wm. Arundell he came to somewhere about Gum Swamp and took the following names in this order viz: Aaron Pool, Joseph Pool, James Caswell, Ann Caswell, Moses Westbrook, John Wiggins, Gersham Wiggins, John Hartsfield, Jr., Shadrach Hartsfield, Josiah Pool, Samuel Pool, Moses Lovick and Abram Bush. Abram seems to be bush fellow-he is put down as the head of the family but the family is non est. We first found him over in Green just beyond Wheat Swamp, bushing around and there also being the prime head of no family at all. Sometimes he was convenient thought as a witness to legal papers. I think in his ramblings and bushings he was enumerated twice. Let us now see where we are, I have an old land deed in my possession in which Aaron Pool "Doth grant bargain, sell, alien and convey unto the said Reubin Freeman, situated in the fork of Gum Swamp and Reedy Branch and runs up said swamp to Richard Caswellıs line, then with his line to the branch, then with the branch to the beginning, being a part of a tract of land surveyed for Richard Caswell. This paper was signed by Aaron Pool and witnessed by Samuel and Josiah Pool, three of the men written above. At that time William Caswell, son of Martin was the clerk of the court when this deed was proved and D. Caswell was register. This Martin was brother of Richard Caswell and the clerk of the court from 1765 until his death in 1789, 24 years at least and perhaps further back than 1765. James Caswell was the son of Martin. I do not remember Ann Caswell only that she was a widow. Mosses Westbrook perhaps was the father of Charles Westbrook, clerk, who was the only man who could break the Caswell hold on the court house for 50 years or more. Richard Caswell was deputy clerk, of then Johnson county, in 1749. These Hartsfieldıs perhaps are forefathers of Frank Hartsfield of Kinston. Some Wiggins and Pools are yet living not far away. CITIZEN. ************************************************************* The Kinston Semi-Weekly Free Press (Microfilm Roll KiKFP.1) Wednesday, March 30, 1910 The Census of a Hundred and Twenty Years Ago for the County of Dobbs, Now Lenoir and Greene Near Falling Creek station on the top of the hill now owned by Albert Parrott, Sr., where the census taker perhaps took dinner‹was the home at the time of the first census, of Hardy Croom. I was of the opinion that he was the father of Hardy B. Croom who had lived at and owned this same home, but I am informed by Col. Nathan B. Whitfield, who is a close kinsman of Hardy B. that he was the son of William Croom who lived at "Tower Hill" and was a brother-in-law of Bryan Whitfield his grandfather, what at that time lived at Rockford on the Neuse. Hardy B. Croom was among the first who graduated at the University and was a Botanist of a high degree and on account of his great love for flowers moved to Florida. Prior to his going, he married a lady of refinement, a Miss Smith of New Bern, NC. It is said for that day and time he was very wealthy. Himself, wife and two daughters were sailing to the north to enter these girls into school when off Hatteras they encountered a storm which wrecked the vessel on which they were and the entire family was drowned. A continnal law suit between the wifeıs people and the Crooms wrecked their large estate. I can not locate many of the names, which immediately follow that of Hardy Croom. Francis Shine was a kinsman no doubt of that Shine who 28 years before was one of the trustees of the town of Kingston, when at Atkinıs Bank on Neuse river on lands given my William Heritage-one hundred acres for the town and 50 acres for the commons‹the town in 1762 was chartered. I cannot locate Lany Caswell. Francis l. Freeman is the first man with two Christian names. The enumerator did not write but one name throughout but this Freeman insisted that he must have two written for him. Simon Totwine, written in other records. Totewine and Charles Markland must have lived close to town. William White was a great great grandfather of the wife of Dr. Tom Faulkner, one of Kinstonıs splendid dentists. The old gentleman lived on the farm now owned by Frank Hooker, not far north of Kinston, which as far back as I can remember was called the "White Place." I have mentioned the fact that Kingston was chartered in 1762. Between that time and 1784 the country had fought the Revolutionary war and gained our independence. We did not like the name King; it grated on our wounded nerves, our sore feet were ready to stamp it into oblivion; it stank in our nostrils so much so that in 1784 our legislature struck out the letter Œgı and changed the name to Kinston. The following is a part of the bill. "That the Honorable Richard Caswell, esquire, Jesse Cobb, William Caswell, Isaac Wingate, Richard Caswell the younger, John Heritage and John Sheppard, esquires shall be and they are hereby appointed trustees and directors of the said town." Let us see, since some years have elapsed, who of these trustees and directors can be found. Jesse Cobb was the grandfather of the late Dr. Cobb, of Kinston, and great great grandfather of Hon. E.R. Wooten, of the Kinston bar. William Caswell was the clerk of the court but must not have been the head of a family and therefore was not enumerated. The Honorable Richard Caswell, Esq., died in 1789. Isaac Wingate, no doubt the son-in-law of Martin Caswell whose will I have had occasion to quote was perhaps dead at this time. His wife Mary Wingate was taken, in that part of Craven next to Lenoir. John Heritage lived south of the Neuse and John Sheppard beyond the Contentnea. Richard Caswell the younger was a son of the governor‹a year or so afterward he was doing a large mercantile business in Charleston, S.C., and while on his way to New Bern, NC. Was supposed to be wrecked. Bryan Whitfield was one of the trustees appointed by the legislature to settle his large estate. Sometime I may write about the city of George at Tower Hill. CITIZEN.