Robeson County, NC - Grover Walters Turns 100 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Walters Marks 100th With Visitor 99 By BOB HIGH One of the visitors Wednesday to help Grover Walters celebrate his 100th birthday was a Cerro Gordo "youngster." Palmer Hammond, 99, spent about 30 minutes with Walters and the two men seemed to immensely enjoy the meeting. In fact, one observer commented the two men "could have their own bicentennial." For Whiteville resident Walters, Wednesday was really "just another day." "I don't feel any different today than I did yesterday when I was 99," he said with a grin. The longtime farmer and Baptist church supporter was born on May 7, 1888, as the eighth child of William and Nellie Rhodes Walters of Robeson County. The family lived about halfway between Barnesville and Orrum in eastern Robeson, near Grover's grandfather, John Walters. "I remember Granddaddy real well. I broke my right arm going over to his house when I was about 9 years old. I had a watermelon and tried to climb over a split rail fence, but I didn't make it, busted the watermelon and my arm." Walters remembers his Aunt Etta, wife of uncle John Walters, tore her apron into pieces to bind the arm and he was not taken to the doctor. The Robeson resident married a Barnesville school teacher, Grace Pearl Short, who was a native of Henderson in Vance County. They tied the knot on Dec. 17, 1919, and the union was unbroken until Grace's death on July 8, 1987, at the age of 96. "I really do miss my wife. She was a wonderful woman, not just to me, but to everyone," Walters says sadly, emotion in his voice. The marriage came after he was discharged from the U.S. Army, serving 14 months in the Medical Corps during World War I. Walters was an enterprising farmer and astute businessman. He came to Columbus County in 1920 "because land was so much cheaper here than in Robeson County." He purchased 80 acres west of Whiteville for $900 and began applying the knowledge gained in farming with his fathers and brothers. "My father worked all of us boys hard on the farm. And I was never afraid to work. We didn't have any machinery ... I applied fertilizer over a whole field by hand and I remember often about how good it felt to dig my bare feet into the dirt when I was plowing or planting a crop." In Columbus County, he began on his 80 acres and added more land, reaching a peak of 12 mules before he began to replace them with mechanical means ... two tractors. He vividly remembers going to the one room school at Barnesville with his brothers and sisters, and his mother would fix one pail of food for her brood. "I was about 8 and I can remember that six of us ate out of the same bucket. There was always enough for everyone.." Before World War I, Walters recalls traveling to Brunswick County and the area of Tubbs Inlet (Ocean Isle Beach) where he and his older brothers would purchase mullet, salt them in barrels and then drive the family's covered wagon to Robeson. Walters tells of his first car ... an Overland 90 open touring car. It was big, black and powerful. "When you'd come to bad places in the road, people would stand back and watch me drive right through the ruts. I just gave it the juice and it would just plough right ahead. He admits, however, there was a problem with the car. "I didn't know how to put it in reverse, so if I wanted to turn around, I'd just find a wide place and turn in a circle." In the Whiteville community, Walters has always been a staunch member of the First Baptist Church, taking his mules and equipment to the Madison Street location in the 1920's to help carve out the foundation for the sanctuary. "With his money and heart, he's still supporting the church, and they're building the third sanctuary during his lifetime," daughter Olene Utley remarks. "I love my church. It's a great comfort to me," Walters says several times during the visit. Olene (Mrs. James B.) Utley and Dr. H. G. Walters Jr. are the two children of H. Grover and Grace Walters, both still residing in Whiteville. Century Care Center nursing home, where Walters has been living for the past few months, was busy Wednesday, Several friends "popped in" to speak to Walters and wish him continued success in his life. Walters laughed often and talked with animation. He enjoyed the day, a real milestone so few ever see. With 99-year-old "youngster" urging him on, he headed for 101. The above article was in The News Reporter newspaper, Columbus County, NC May 5, 1888 From the Contributor: Hezekiah Grover Walters was born May 4, 1888 and died Feb 17, 1989. He was the son of William Walters born Mar 19, 1842 died Apr 8, 1919 and Nellie Rhodes born May 22, 1850 died Feb 1, 1920. Hezekiah Grover Walters married Grace Pearl Short on Dec 17, 1919 ___________________________________________________________________ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Michael Walters ___________________________________________________________________