Dobbs County, NC - Biographies

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by
Cathy Summerlin <summerlin@earthlink.net>

Goldsboro newspaper no date, but is probably from the series of articles on Wayne 
County's history from 1700 to 1900, this one from Moses Rountree. 

SIDELIGHTS 

    Back in World War One Days, when automobiling was reserved mostly for big shots, 
Walter Summerlin, Jr., then around 17, became the proud possessor of a second-hand 
Overland roadster. Bought it with money earned working afternoons for his father. 

    One Sunday afternoon Walter and a friend, Linwood Edwards, drove over to 
Smithfield to see their sweeties, the Coates sisters. It was quite a journey -  the 
road was bumpy and the Overland was past its prime performance of 60 miles per hour, 
in high. 

    Arriving in Smithfield, Summerlin and Edwards were jogging along in a direction 
of their girls house, not noticing that their speedometer - if they had one - 
registered a scandalous 20. 

    Then, pulling alongside them, came the town's motorcycle cop - only he wasn't 
riding a motorbike but a bicycle. 

    "Hey, you boys - where you think you are ? " puffed the officer. "I clocked you 
at 20 miles an hour and we only allow 15 in town." 

    Then, noting the out-of-town license plate: "We ain't allowing you Goldsboro 
squirts to come over here and break our laws - understand ?" 

    Following the lecture, the Law breakers were allowed to proceed on their way - 
a little less proud of the Overland for having been overtaken by a bicycle.

------

Walter Summerlin, Jr. was actually James Walter Summerlin the son of Walter Limuel 
and Linnie Francis (Tucker) Summerlin. 

He born April 11, 1901 and died in Goldsboro May 15, 1981. James Walter had 5 
sisters and 4 brothers.

He married Mary Lucille Gregory and they had 2 sons and 2 daughters. They lived for 
many years on N. Carolina Street. 

James W. and Mary Lucille were affectionately known as Nunny and Poppoo by their many 
grand and great-grand children. 

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