Robeson County NcArchives News.....Alfordsville and Ashpole 1878 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/nc/ncfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Glenn McGirt gdmcgirt@gmail.com July 9, 2014, 4:20 pm February 13, 1878 - The Observer [Raleigh NC] 1878 Robeson County Letter. [Correspondence of The Observer.] Alfordsville, Feb. 8, 1878. Messrs. Editors: --It has been said, that the county of Robeson was very much like a pair of saddle-bags, not much in the middle, but a good deal in each end. If the Carolina Central Railway passes through the middle of the county, and the stranger has to form his own opinion from the surroundings, he will generally conclude that the comparison as to the middle section, is quite correct. Within this middle section is embraced the Scuffletown settlement, which has been made notorious, and whose fame is widespread on account of the character given to it by the Lowery gang, whose deeds of defiant, daring, cold-blooded murders, are unparalleled in the history of North Carolina, and which, at the time of their tragical enactment, were fully ventilated through the columns of the State press and urgent appeals made to the Government of the United States for redress, and whose soldiers, while on duty at Moss Neck, permitted the said outlaws to shoot down and then rifle the pockets of John Taylor, Esq., one of the best men in that settlement, while he was crossing the mill dam; this, too, in broad day light and they, the soldiers, standing looking on and still they made no effort to shoot them down. The last of the gang, except George Applewhite, having gone to his reward…I beg to be excused from pursuing the subject further in this letter, and merely made allusions thereto to give the reader some idea of the character of the people embraced in this Scuffletown, or "thin" settlement. But however, "thin" the middle section, of Robeson county possesses some of as fertile lands as any county in the state. Since Tuesday morning I have traveled through the Southern "end" of the county, commonly known as the Ashpole settlement. The land is flat and level, with clay subsoil, and is susceptible of, and in some instances, has been brought to a high state of cultivation. I notice that the farmers are making preparations for the coming crop by upsetting and repairing their fences and breaking up their lands. There is an inexhaustible quantity of pine timber and large quantities of turpentine are still made in the county. Ashpole Church is known "far and wide". It is a large handsome, substantial, wood building, and will seat comfortably on lower floor and gallery about nine hundred people. It belongs to the Presbyterian denomination, and is a very strong church, numbering between four and five hundred members. Rev. C. M. Shepperson, D.D., is the pastor, and has the reputation of being a first class preacher. The church takes its name from the stream nearby. Until within a few years past the Presbyterian was the only church organization in this section, not the Missionary Baptists have a small church within three miles of this place, and the Methodists one six miles off, Asbury, at which Rev. R. G. Barrett, Presiding Elder of the Fayetteville District, will hold the first quarterly meeting for the Circuit Saturday and Sunday next. This community is made up of a high toned, honorable, intelligent and hospitable people, the latch string on whose doors is always to be found on the outside, and you only have to pull the string, when not only the doors open to admit you, but their generous hearts open also, and you at once feel at home. I was pleased to meet Capt. A. T. Harllee, of South Carolina. He is a clever gentleman, and I was gratified to enter his name as a subscriber to The Observer. There is quite a large mercantile business done, both here and at Ashpole. At the latter place Messrs. A. & W. McQueen, two young men, brothers, have a large store and do a heavy business; last year they shipped over one thousand bales of cotton. They also deal largely in turpentine, and ship large quantities of naval stores. These are energetic, thorough going business men, and Mr. J. A. Woodard, their book-keeper informed me that they did about $40,000 to $50,000 trading during the year. I was the guest of those gentlemen while at Ashpole and will long remember the many favors shown me. There is only one objection that can be raised to them, they have had so much to look after that they are still unmarried, but I am of the opinion that Mr. Will. has been making some purchases in jewelry. "'Nuff ced." They have three gentlemanly clerks. John Gilchrist does the honor of the tables; he pours out and sweetens the coffee. Will. McNeill is salesman in the store. John and Will. are trumps. I shall long remember their efforts in helping me to extend the circulation of The Observer. At this place, Alfordsville, Charles McRae has a store and turpentine distillery, and is going a good business. He tells me his purchases amount to about $30,000. He ships between four and five hundred bales of cotton and five hundred barrels spirits turpentine. He has two polite accommodating clerks, C. B. Cox and A. L. Bullock. Something a little remarkable-Mr. McRae and his two clerks subscribed and paid for The Observer. I am the guest of Mr. McRae, he and his amiable wife seem never to know when they have done enough for one who lodged under their roof. The immortal Gaston, must certainly have traveled through this section before he wrote that grand old song, "The Old North State Forever." Soon after I arrived here last evening I was informed that the young ladies and gentlemen of the neighborhood were going to have a sociable, at which my presence was "earnestly requested". Having spent three days at McQueen's bachelor hall, where there are no ladies, and who even have a man to cook, wash and iron, I of course accepted the invitation. It was a very agreeable and pleasant little party, everyone seemed to get as much enjoyment as possible and to have others to do the same. Your correspondent having a large capacity for such enjoyment, especially where there was such a fine looking set of beautiful and intelligent young ladies (not a homely looking one in the crowd) is of the opinion that he got his full share. If those young ladies are a sample of this community, then for magnificently fine looking, beautiful and lovely creatures, Robeson is ahead, and while I do not profess to be a prophet nor the son of one, I will venture this assertion, if these sociables are kept up much longer the services of a clergyman will be called into requisition ere many moons wane. The ladies present were Misses Nannie Buie, Sallie Covington, Belle Alford, Ella McKay, Fannie Millsaps, Mary Dick, Ellen McGirt, Lora McGirt, Amanda Bullock, Rhoda Bullock, Kate McPhaul, Sarah McPhaul; and the following gentlemen: Will McNeill, Wiley Bracey, D. W. McKay, Neill Millsaps, Murdock Smith, Frank Bullock, Julius Alford, Vann Bullock, Wiley Alford, Luther Bullock, Sandy McGirt. At 12 o'clock they all dispersed in fine glee. Alfordsville township has 285 voters, 143 of these have a surname commencing with Mc., and I am of the opinion that every name in the state that commencing with Mc., can be found in this county. I will bet on Robeson having a citizen with more names than any other county in the United States, and for the edification of your readers I will give it, so here goes: ---Sarah Wesley Ritter Jane Quincey Quincis John Barney Anne Cruitt May Adeline Calferni Elephair Musslewhite. How high is that for a name? R. A. Leigh [The correspondent was right about the clergyman! In the list above, Mary Ellen McGirt,(daughter of Archibald "Baldy" McGirt III and his second wife Margaret Campbell), eventually married Julius Alford and Alex/Alexander "Sandy" McGirt, (son of Archibald "Baldy" McGirt III3 and his first wife, Mary Gilchrist), married Amanda Bullock. The other McGirt person of note mentioned was Lora Betsy McGirt4, daughter of John McGirt and Jennette Alford McCormick] Additional Comments: Transcribed by Martie Groome-McGirt File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/nc/robeson/newspapers/alfordsv571nw.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/ncfiles/ File size: 8.6 Kb