26,935 research outputs found
George Oliver Webster Correspondence
No full textEntries include brief biographical information, a typed letter introducing Webster to the Maine Author collection, and a typed letter from the Maine State Library on receipt of his historical novel Pentagoet for the Maine Author Collection with notice that a description of the book would appear in the Maine Library Association Bulletin
Teamroom Caverns: Looking at Learning in a Whole Language First/Second Multi-age Classroom
No full textHistoric Webster Vol. 1 No. 3
No full textHistoric Webster is a newsletter of the Webster Historical Society, Inc., created at the Society’s founding in 1974. The publication helped to serve the Society's mission of collecting and preserving the history of Webster, North Carolina. Webster, established in 1851, was the original county seat for Jackson County.'VOLUME I NUMBER 3
Cook6ook Will Be
Ready 9n o lie :Jall
A cookbook containing mouthwatering local recipes,
pen and ink drawings of Webster, and "Growing Up
in Webster" sketches will be on sale in the fall.
Tho rocipe book1 which is being compiled by Florence
and Joe Parker Rhinehart , will have a hard
cover with a color picture of Webster as the dust
jacket. Joe Parker estimates that it will have approximately
200 pages, The book will be printed
in brown ink on off white paper, and will have a brown
cloth cover with a sketch of the former Jackson County
courthouse,
Original sketches of people and places in Webster
will be featured at the beginning of each of the II
divisions of the book, as well a throughout the 250
odd recipes.
A short history of the town accompanied by a
sketch of the courthouse will begin the book, Then,
in addition to the delicious recipes, the cookbook will
feature character sketches of some of the donating
cooks and several "growing Up in Webster" stories
written by Webster women of different generations,
Mildred Cowan, Mary Morris and other women who
grew up in Webster will be contributing their accounts ~
The book will conclude with a feature menu for
Christmas dinner with recipes, accompanied by a
story about Old Webster at Christmastime,
The recipes in the book were collected from cooks
in the area by Joe's mother, Kate Rhinehart, Florence
Rhinehart will draw the pen and ink sketches.
The price of the book has not yet been determined,
but it is estimated at 5 or be placed in a makeshift
"jail" on the school grounds, .
other harpenings at the July event will include
board splitt'ng lessons, booths of all sorts, sales of
cookies and cakes, old fashioned bonnets, a varied
display of mountain cr afts, and of course entertainment.
If you have suggestions for additional activities at
the Independence Day fest, contact Paul and Linda
Cowan, co-chairmen of the Special Events. and Projects
Comm ;:tee,
Webster, North Carolina
EDD DOUGLAS DAVIS
olie :Jirst Sheriff
of ~ackson County
Edd Doug Davis, known as Doog Davis, became in
1853 the first sheriff of Jackson County, With the
exce~ti.on of the period he lived, while sheriff, in
the Jail at Webster, he spent his adult life on his
large farm located between Webster and Cullowhee
Today this area is called Rolling Green, '
Sher iff ~Alvi s and his wife Nancy Allen, daughter
of Nathan Allen of Webster, were the parents of
seve~ sons and two daughters" Mro Davis, who died
at h~s home August 25, 1911, is buried in the family
P!ot m Webster Cemetery along with his sife, two of
his sons, Nathan A, and Joe W, and other members
of later generations of llivises,
The copy of the JACKSON COUNTY JOURNAL
from which the article is reprinted, and the tin-type
picture of Mr , ~Alvis reproduced here ar e are owned
by Cather ine ~Alvis of Big Ridge, Catherine is a
granddaughter of Sheriff Doug ~Alvis,
The following article was taken from THE JACKSON
COUNTY JOURNAL dated January 29 1906 - Webster
N,C, - Mr, E, D, ~Alvis ' '
AUTOBIOGRAPHY
The author of this article was born in Buncombe
County <now Transylvania) Sept, 4, 1827, My father
lived where the late George C, Neil lived to the time
of his death, on what was then known as Lamb's Cr rek
which was a tributary of Fr ench Broad river, It~
head waters were near where llividson's river has
its source, with which it ran parallel, but being much
smaller, It was then known as Ben llividson's river
but of late years the "Ben" has been dropped,
Ther e has been a postoffice at this place for more
than seventy years" Davidson's River postmaster,
Ben .lli vidson, was my great-grandfather.
When I attended school the course embraced
reading, writing, and arithmetic, My teachers were
Turn to page four , , , •
~ ·'We6ster 9s ~ackson County's Hometown"
April 1974
A fetter
:Jrom the President
Dear Friends,
"A journey of a thousand miles begins with one
step" and that step in compiling and collecting the
history of Jackson County has resulted in 5,000 copies
each of three newsletters of the Webster Historic
Society; nearly 300 members and ll3,500 to the Jackson County Board of Education
for the old Webster Elementary School because an
an idea whose time has come can't help but succeed.
The school will become the Jackson County Museum
of Living History. The fund-raising committee needs
your help with the Webster idea. If you know wher e
money is a·.11ilable - from individuals, corporations
foundations, etc. - tell us - we'll contact theU.:'
Many grants have already been applied for from foundations
and other sour ces such as the Bicentennial
Commission in N.C. and the America the Beautiful
Fund,
We are hopeful that the County budget for the
1974-75 fiscal year will include a generous donation
toward the effort to preserve Jackson County's History,
But for many of these potential grants we need
non-federal matching funds, '
Th.e next newsletter will be sent only to the membership
of the Webster Historical Society, If you
have not joined but are "infected by the contagious
~n?'usiasm" as the honorable Hamilton Hayes wrote,
JOm. no:v, Send 5.00 yearly
Associate (outside Western N.C.): 10.00 yearly
Supporting: 30.00 yearly
Life: 1.00 a day to begin with) for her little family,
During the thirty-four years that mother was postmaster
the Post Office was in three locations: first,
in a little building where Mr. Baker's shop and apartment
are now located; next in the old Masonic build·
ing between our place and the home of Mrs, Nancy
Ensley Potts; then back to the Baker Upholstery Shop
location; and last to the little building in the corner
of her yard across the lane from the Monteith home.
Because of the necessity of having the office convieniently
close to our home, the location changed as we
moved, The family moved from our old home (built
by Dr. C.Z. Candler's father at about the time of
the civil war) to Uncle Andy's house , then to the
Aunt Hicks Wilson house <now owned by the Potts)
later to the old jail <Mrs, Margie Penland's place)
which was the principal's home when my sister ,
Mrs. Ruth Allison Morris, was principal of Webster
High School, and finally to mother 's new home, built
after the old Candler house was torn down , on the
same lot which she had owned since my father's
dea.th,
When my mother was postmaster she loved her
work (though it did get aggravating at times she said)
and it enable her to make a living in her own yard
for the most part. She could keep an eye on Ruth,
Uln and me as we grew up, and grandpa too when
he was sick, while she looked after the post office
which was the social, as well as news center for the
community. Sometimes when we all gathered to watch
little Oscar Coward buck dance in the post office
vestibule things would get too noisy and we would
all be sent outside so my mother could do her work,
She wrote and read letters and orders for a few of
the patrons who could neither r ead nor write, and in
emergencies would open up the post offic e at night
and on holidays to better ser ve the community, Service,
honesty, integrity and independence wer e virtues of
great value to her, as they had been to her Godfearing
pioneering ancestors,
During the thirty-four years that my mother
was postmaster she was assisted to some extent
by the following : George Self, grandpa Moor e, my
sister Ruth, Mrs, Margie Penland, Mrs, Evelyn McKee,
Mr. Dan Cowan. When I became old enough I was
officially made assistant, or r eplacement, so I could
substitute occasionally when she was sick or away,
Dear to all of our hearts was the mail carrier, Arthur
Allman, who was always kind, cheerful, accomodating
and generous with rides to and fr om Sylva in his
truck for all of us.
HISTORIC WEJ~STER April 1974 Page 3
The Webster "Mail Box"
Some people have called the Webster Post Office
the "Mail Box" and frequently someone laughingly
remarks that it is surely the smallest post office
in the United States, They seem disappointed when we
tell them there are other smaller. We enjoy our
rather unique building, However, the size of the
building does not designate the size of the Post Office
housed therein.
The Webster Post Office is the oldest office in Jackson
County, It was established as Scott's Creek
(Haywood County) April 5, 1828. Jackson County
had not been established at that time, The Haywood
County and Macon County line was at that time the
Tuckaseigee River at Webster, The first postmaster
was Ulniel Brisson, appointed April 5, 1828, He
was succeeded by Samuel B, -Bragg December 17,
1828, The office was later discontinued for a brief
time and reestablished May 24, 1832 as Scott's Creek.
At that time William Thomas was installed as
postmaster serving till January 27, 1843, Thomas
was succeded by Allan Fisher.
When Mr. Fisher took the office he had a store
in Lovesfield, said to have been located near the
intersection of what is now highway 107 and ll6,
Presumable the post office was operated in his store,
The name of the post office was changed to Webster
on November 28, 1857 while Mr, Fisher was still
postmaster, He ser ved the office for 22 years which
was the longest time any postmaster served until
Mr s, Eugenia M. Allison was the postmaster in later
years. The second court held in Jackson County
was held also in this store. A great-grandson of his,
Mr. Allen Bergin Fisher, Sr .. , now lives in Addie
Community, Route I, Sylva, N, C.
On September 21, 1865 a Mr. George w. Stake
became postmaster and served until April 15, 1873,
Postmaster Cannon was the father of the late Lewis
Cannon of Webster . He was the grandfather of James
~ann?n of Cannon Brothers Gas and Oil Company
m Dillsboro and other descendents of Dillsboro and
the state of Washington,
Succeeding Mr, Cannon was Martin H. Lovelady
who ser ved thre
Letter from Elijah White to Wm. P. Dole with a letter from Henry A. Webster, 1861
No full textSubmits his report in reference to the reservations he visited in California and to the Supg. Agts. Also in regard to Supt. Kendall. Enclosed a letter from Agent Henry A. Webster
Recommended from our members
A letter from William H. Webster to Dr. Hector P. Garcia.
No full textA letter from William H. Webster, Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, to Dr. Hector P. Garcia regarding the recognition of Special Agent Raul Salinas' efforts among the Hispanic Community
Historic Webster Vol. 9 No. 2
No full textHistoric Webster is a newsletter of the Webster Historical Society, Inc., created at the Society’s founding in 1974. The publication helped to serve the Society's mission of collecting and preserving the history of Webster, North Carolina. Webster, established in 1851, was the original county seat for Jackson County.new s let ter o f t he Web s ter Hi s torical Societ y. In c .
VOLUME IX, NUMBER 2 WEBSTER, NORTH CAROLINA SUMMER 1983
Church Celebrates 131 Years
The Webster United Methodist Church was founded in 1852. The church building
was photographed for a 1907 booklet and has changed little since tha t year. Photo by
Dan Hirt.
Church is "Outstanding"
Example of Classic Country
Religious Architecture
By Doug Swain
The Webster United Methodist Church is an outstanding example of the classic country
church built to serve rural America throughout the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
Typical of the type, the church utilizes a simple gable-roofed rectangular form entered on one
end to create a " temple form" which harkens, ultimately, to classical Greek architecture.
other classical elements are present in the building's cornice treatment, corner boards, which
refer to columns or pilasters, and in the modest triangulation introduced above the side windows,
which refers to a classical pediment.
Most of the building's architectural interest, however , is found on its entrance facade. This
face of the building is dominated by an engage bell tower which rises in two stages and
culminates in a splayed pyramidal cap which serves as the church's steeple. Gothic arched
''The entrance design
is high spirited and full of charm.''
vents are centered on all four sides of the tower 's second tier , just beneath its cap. A blind fan
and a diamond-shaped vent ornament its principal face above the church's entrance.
The building's entrance composition is truly outstanding. Gothic arched windows flank the
base of the bell tower. The corners of the base are supported by boxed Ionic columns with recessed
gothic-pointed panels. These columns carry an elongated basket arch under which entrance
is made into a sheltering portico hollowed out of the base of the tower. The door into the church
is surmounted by a Gothic transom and is flanked by sidelights with Gothic heads. Fluted Ionic
pilasters with Spearpoint heads divide the sidelights from the doorway. In total the effect of this
vernacular entrance design is high spirited and full of charm.
Doug Swain is a member of the staff of the Western Office of the Division of Archives and
History, North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources. Asheville.
By Joe P. Rhinehart
"I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills," the psalmist David
wrote, "from whence cometh my help."
For 131 years, since 1852, Webster Methodists have been
following David's directions. And after 33 years of moving
from building to building they built a church in 1887 whose
steeple still directs their eyes and the eyes of passersby to
those hills.
Webster was founded with Jackson County in 1851, and two
years later Methodism was recognized in the new town when
the church conference changed the name of the Tuckaseigee
Circuit (the part of Haywood County that became Jackson) to
the Webster Circuit.
The Methodists of Webster joined with the town's Baptists
and Presbyterians in church services at the Court House until
1870. That year the three congregations moved into a building
(now the site of the Lucy Hedden house) that they shared with
the town school. The Methodists made up the largest part of the
congregations and they were awarded the use of the building
on the first and third Sundays of the month. The Presbyterians
used the building on the second Sunday, and the Baptists took
possession on the fourth Sunday. The fifth Sunday was left for
special occasions for all denominations.
On December 11, 1881, trustees of the church, William A.
Enlow. L. C. Hall, James M. Candler, Thomas M. Frizzell and
James W. Terrell, with the minister , George W. Spake, purchased
from William Bumgarner and his wife, Mary, a lot on
Main Street for 75.00 to J . T. Myers and his wife, M. J . Myers, for that parcel
of Main Street land.
Six years after the purchase of the property, 25 years after
its founding, and who knows how many ice cream suppers to
raise money for the new church, in 1887 the Webster Methodist
Episcopal Church, South, opened its doors. Through the hard
work of the members, men who helped with the construction,
women, who provided the furnishing , the church was raised.
Today's Webster United Methodist Church is not a great deal
different from 1887. If the door is opened, a visitor steps into a
"mountain classical" sanctuary. Red carpet now covers the
hardwood aisle, the gas lights have been replaced, a modern
piano sits where the old organ, played so many years by Ethyl
Leatherwood, did, and the portrait of John Wesley has been
moved. The sunlight still sifts through handblown frosted
pains, the parishioners sit on peged wide board benches, the
minister preaches from the hand fashioned pulpit, and the
communicants kneal at the carved altar . (See article on the
church's architecture on page 1.)
The membership of the Webster church has never been
large. Early rolls, 1870, list 379 white members of the Webster
Circuit and five black members. A recent report shows 25 on
<Continued on page 3)
Page 2, HISTORIC WEBSTER, Summer, 1983
Church Leaders Past and Present
Mr. and Mrs. George McConnell came
from over the river to the Webster
Methodist Church.
Joseph W. Rhinehart, Sr. was a longtime
member of the church Board of
Stewarts.
Nan Frizzell, who spent
years in Washington,
always felt that Webster
was her home church.
Louise B. Davis taught
the adult class ilt Sunday
school for many
years.
Martha Lavenia McLain McKee
0872-1953) held many roles in the
Webster Methodist Church.
Minnie Wild and her husband
Jake were "across the
river Methodists.
Ruth Allison Morris was the Sunday
school superintendent and
teacher in the Webster church.
Is a bella Allison Ca lton ,
daughter of Eugenia Allison,
lives in Florida and continues to
help the Webster church.
L. C. Hall, Sr. helped build and lead the
Webster Methodist Church.
Robert Lee Madison provided years of thoughtful
Sunday school lessons.
Church
Founded
in 1852
(Continued from page I)
the church list. The influence
of these people has always
been felt. The church has
always provided a full
spiritual program for its
members. The best of
teaching, lead years ago by
Robert Lee Madison, Ruth
Allison Morris, and Louise
Davis, more recently by Ray
Ledford, Kate Rhinehart, and
Sally McConnell, continues to
challenge its listeners .
Ministers who have spread
the doctorine through the
country, William Hicks and J.
R. Long, and those now filling
the highest Carolina pulpits,
Ernest Fitzgerald, Donald
Ellis, began their careers at
Webster.
The early membership
roles of Webster read like a
who's who in North Carolina:
Madison, McKee, Terrell ,
Alley, Enloe, Allison, Moore,
Fisher, Broyles, Bryson,
leaders of both church and
state.
The church, through its
history, has offered study opportunities
in its classes, its
summer Bible schools, its
Christmas and Easter programs,
its women's group,
and its youth group.
As population has changed
in Webster, the church has
altered its programs, but one
group that has always been
active is the women's
organization, now headed by
Sarah Barrett. These women,
many wives of the church's
early male leaders, have
often pulled the church
through with their spiritual
and financial support. Begun
in the early days of the church
as the Ladies Aid, the association
is now the United
Methodist Women. It continues
its active social programs
to its neighbors both
local and worldwide, its study
of religious questions, and its
aid to the church program.
Bordering the Webster
church is the parsonage for
the Webster Circuit. This
building, one of the few recent
buildings on Main Street, was
built in 1956. The original parsonage
was begun about the
time the church was completed
in 1887. In the early
part of this century, additional
rooms were constructed,
making a large, but
not particularly comfortable
home. After many freezing
winters, the circuit decided it
was time to build a modern
house, complete with central
heat and an electric stove.
(One minister , name no
longer remembered, and his
wife, lasted only one night
when the kitchen cook stove
damper got stuck.) By 1963
(Continued on page 6)
HISTORIC WEBSTER, Summer, 1983 Page 3
Reflections by Janice Monteith Blanton
Webster United Methodist Church
When I was in Webster recently for Mother's Day, I attended
Sunday school at the Webster United Methodist Church, my
borne church, with my mom. We sang "The Church in the
Wildwood" that morning, and Mrs. Kate Rhinehart told about
a time when Mr. Lewis Cannon was superintendent of the Sunday
School. She said he wanted to sing this song quite often and
that once she suggested they change the "brown" church to the
"white" church. He emphatically said " no" and that settled
that. Well, somehow the idea of the "white" church has stuck
in my mind the past few weeks since then, and I hope Mr. Cannon
will forgive me from his heavenly home for the following:
The Church on the Hill
(sung to tune of "The Church in the Wildwood)
There's a church on the hill in Webster,
No lovier church in the world.
No place is so dear to my childhood,
As the little white church on the hill.
Oh, come to the church on the hill,
To the church where my good friends all go.
Where the Gospel will be taught,
Where we all learn to love the Lord.
How sweet on a clear Sunday morning,
To see all my neighbors go by.
They proudly carry their Bibles,
On their way to the church on the hill.
From the church on the hill in Webster,
When I was growing up.
I received good christian training,
Which I'll use for the rest of my life.
Chorus :
Oh come, come, come, come - come to the
church in Webster, 0 come to the church on
the hill; no spot is so dear to my childhood,
As the little white church on the hill.
Yes, the Webster United Methodist Church will always be
very, very special to me for many reasons. It is the church
where I became a Christian ; it is the church where I received
excellent training in the Bible and Christian leadership; it is
the church where I was married; and it is the "love nest"
where I grew up being loved and encouraged by the adults of
the church.
I can easily recall many, perhaps incidental, but memorabl·~
church-related events during my years in the church: being
called down by a preacher for talking during a revival ; being
given chewing gum by Professor Robert Lee Madison between
Sunday school and church; being a student in various Bible
schools and the fun and learning that went with them ; being
pulled around on a large cloth to serve as a "shiner" for the
church floor that the young people had waxed ; being a part of
many, many M. Y. F. and church programs "ready or not! "
being a eater of the scrumptuous food prepared for various
social events by the fine cooks of the church; being a listener to
flannel-board stories told by one of our pastor's wives; being
excited over two handsome college-age workers we had work
with the youth one summer; being a baby-sitter for the Rev.
Don Ellis and his wife who, when I told him he didn't owe me
anything, always replied, "Well, I'll give you a 'free'
wedding," <I held him to it too ! l; and being a helper Mrs. Eva
Mae Davis decorate for my wedding.
Too many people to possibly mention at length come to mind
as I think of church members who have meant a lot to me during
my years in the church. Members of the church were good
people who loved God and loved one another. I cannot recall a
single significant conflict between members. At the top of my
list would have to be Mrs. Kate Rhinehart, because she was our
youth leader and the person who naturally had the most contact
with, and influence over, us young people. She unselfishly
gave of herself in ways that many adults will never know. She
believed in us and made us believe in ourselves. Others in the
Rhinehart family come to mind: Nannie Hart, whom I enjoyed
sitting and talking with and dearly loved; Joe, who, unbeknown
to many, was often responsible for the warmth of the church in
the winter as well as other maintenance ; and of course, Joe
Parker and Jim, who, in effect, were so close to me that I consider
them my brothers.
Other young people who were members of theM. Y. F. during
the time I was, who went through many of the same programs,
who took many of the same trips, (I know I don't have
to remind Jack, Joe Parker and Jim of how Nell and I always
got car sick!) included: the Allmans : Jimmy, Alan, and
Blake; Dickie McConnell; Paul Jr. Cowan; Jack Allison; Nell
Ensley ; Jeanetta Cannon ; and my sister, Billie Jo Monteith.
TheM. Y. F. was really a strong working force in the church
during those days taking responsibility for programs, singing,
janitorial work, and many other activities. Our Sunday evening
M. Y. F. meetings on the church lawn, on the pastor's
porch, in the church, or at Mrs. Rhinehart's hold very special
memories for me. I recall the Rev. Ellis as being one of our
most supportive pastors ; he attended our meetings and gave
us lots of positive attention.
Music has always been important to me, and I especially
remember the McConnell family in this respect. I loved to hear
Sally and George McConnell sing, and Anne Laura Cowan's
piano playing always fascinated me. Miss Nan Frizzell, about
whom I've written an earlier article, felt very strongly about
the church's music propgram and I really have her to thank for
my finally learning to play the piano when I was in high school.
Mrs. Lillian Madison introduced me to the "lemon"as a means
for clearing the throat for solo singing.
The Davises: Doug, Louise, Eva Mae, Myrtle, and Wood ; the
Penlands : Mrs. Penland and Aunt Dess; the Cannons : Lewis
Elizabeth, Jeanetta; the Madisons : Professor Madison and
Mr. and Mrs. Roe Madison ; theFulmers: the Nicholsons : Mrs.
Eugenia Allison ; Mrs. Fred McKee ; Mrs. Vearl Ensley; Miss
Lucy Hedden, and, naturally, my own Mom are some of the
folks whom I remember were going to the Webster Methodist
Church when I did. I loved each and every one these members
and have many special memories stores away about each of
them.
"Yes," there 's still a church on the hill in Webster (thank
God!) - the WEBSTER METHODIST CHURCH, and " No," no
spot is so dear to my childhood (and adulthood) as the little
"white" church on the hill.
Methodist Women Added Support
By Oberia Wild Hyatt
I grew up in Webster and I
often think of the good times
and good friends of my days
in the Webster Methodist
Church.
The women ot the church
called their organization The
Ladies Aid Society (now the
United Methodist Women).
The group met once a month
in the home of one of their
members. I can just see them
walking down River Road to
my mother's home. For other
meetings they climbed the
red clay hill to Webster. They
had several good times.
The ladies sponsored ice
cream, box and oyster suppers
. These community
events were well attended
and provided fun and enter tainment
for young and old.
These parties were one of the
ways the ladies raised money
for their special projects such
as church and parsonage
repairs. They really were
aides to the church.
Prepa ring welcoming
meals and directing the
" pounding" of a new minister
was another of the ladies' activities.
They always had din-ner
or supper ready for the
family and saw that it was
supplied with staples - a
pound of this and a pound of
that.
Some of the ladies I
remember include Lela
Moore, Eugenia Allison, Lillie
Broyles, Lillie Rhinehart,
Hannah Hall , Dean Frizzell,
Laura Moore, Gracie Hall
Brown, Ella Davis , Nora
Coward, Mattie McKee, Mag
Nicholson, Sallie McConnell,
and of course my mother,
Minnie Wild.
Mr. Lewis Broyles was Sunday
school superintendent
and was loved by all
Professor Robert Lee
Madison was one of the Sunday
school teachers. He
would teach the class with
tears running down his
cheeks.
Uncle Andy Allison would
sit in his pew during
preaching. He would get so
excited that he would shake
all over, but he never uttered
a sound.
My father, Jake Wild, Uncle
John Wild, and Mr.
George McConnell were
faithful church attenders
from our side of the river.
Page 4, HISTORIC WEBSTER, Summer, 1983
Webster Methodist Leaders Were
Coleman Hall, though he lived many years in
Mississippi, always supported Webster church.
Gracie Hall Brown, living in
Cullowhee, has continued her loyal·
ty to Webster church.
The Reverend and Mrs. Vero R. Masters
were in Webster in 193J.l933.
Eugenia Moore Allison and her daughter Ruth
were leaders in Sunday school and church.
Mr. and Mrs. Gene McCants
were entertained at a church
dinner in 1977. Sally McConnell
served the dinner.
Janet Highfill, daughter of the Reverend
and Mrs. T. G. Highfill, was three years
old when this photograph was taken in
the parsonage yard.
Rachel Hall in 1907 was Webster's oldest
church member.
Judge Walter E. Moore and his wife were
Webster church members.
Rachel McKee Hall and her husband, L.
C. Hall, brought their children up in the
Webster church.
Summer, 1983 HISTORIC WEBSTER, Page 5
Part of Many Community Events
The Reverend Dale Troutman
served Webster from 1979 until
1981.
Edith Moore Hall and Stella
Broyles Hall.
Mary Jane Fisher (Aunt
Molly), In 1939, was 90
yean old
Dr. and Mrs. Ernest A. Fitzgerald lead the Webster congregation in
1943-1948.
. .. - .;
j i:.~ t~: ·, 4
James W. Terrell was chairman
of the Board of Stewards
in 1907.
Lewis Cannon presided many
years as Sunday sc hool
superintendent.
Captain William A. Enloe was a long
time Webster church member and
church trustee.
Before Judge Felix E. Alley moved to
Haywood County he was a Webster
Methodist Church leader.
Lela Enloe Moore worked with
the Ladies Aid Society.
The Reverend G. A. Hovis
preached in Webster in 1936.
Lillian Gudenrath, Lily Broyles, and Mag
Hooker were church member s and
workers in the Ladies Aid.
Page 6, HISTORIC WEBSTER, Summer, 1983
Ministers Were
Life of Webster Village
By Lawrence C. Frizzell
Only a few of the Webster
Methodist Church ministers
are clearly remembered by
me, but two come distinctly to
mind.
I do not remember the first
one at all, but my parents
must have thought highly of
him because they named me
for him, my middle name being
Cordell. That is all I know
of him. (L. T. Cordell served
Webster in 1886-1888.)
The next one is also indistinct
in my mind. His name
was Richards or something
like that. (Could have been J .
S. Ragan, 1900-1901). He used
to ride a very spirited gray
horse when he came to visit
us. I used to think that horse
was about to run away or
throw his rider every time he
came around. That made me
admire him tremendously,
because in those days a good
horseman was something to
be admired.
The last two come clearly to
mind. The first was Mr. C. H.
Clyde, who served during the
early years of the century.
(1906-1908) He had two
daughters, Mabel and Helen,
who were very popular
among the students of our
new Webster school. Mr.
Clyde was a very ardent and
oratorical preacher, and put
on some spectacular performances.
One time he leaped
to the rail around the pulpit
and balanced himself there
for several seconds to emphasize
a point. On another
occasion he put on an impassioned
appeal to care for
those in need, ending each
sentence with "FEED MY
SHEEP" ! He loved to gather
a few of us boys around him
and pray for us. He did this in
the small barn back of the
parsonage instead of the
church, which always puzzled
me.
The fourth one was Mr. J .
A. Peeler. Again I don't
remember just when he served,
(1908-1910) but it was also
early in the century. As nearly
all other men in those days,
he chewed tobacco. And his
favorite "plug " was
"Browne's Mule", only he
pronounced the "mule" as if
it had two syllables, making it
sound like " mu-el" . He probably
had several children,
but I remember only one. His
name was John, and I rescued
him from drowning one day.
A bunch of us boys were
swimming in the river about
half way between the bridge
and the Hall house. There was
a big rock out in the river at
the upper end of the bend, and
another jutting out from the
bank at the lower end. The
water between the two rocks
was pretty deep and
dangerous for one who
couldn't swim. It was in this
deep stretch of water that
Walter Wild drowned in 1906.
John Peeler was one of the
boys swimming there that
day. I happened to be on the
rock at the lower end of the
hole when John started yelling.
We thought he was just
trying to kid us, but when I
looked up to where he was
about the middle of the deep
water I saw his face just as he
went under the water. There
was no question about his being
in trouble, so I dived in
and got to him just as he came
up and grabbed his arm and
started swimming for the
rock at the lower end. Just as
we got near the rock Frank
Coward got there to help, and
we got John up on the rock
and drained him. He was one
scared boy, and I never saw
him swim again. As we were
all probably swimming
without the permission
Historic Webster Vol. 1 No. 4
No full textHistoric Webster is a newsletter of the Webster Historical Society, Inc., created at the Society’s founding in 1974. The publication helped to serve the Society's mission of collecting and preserving the history of Webster, North Carolina. Webster, established in 1851, was the original county seat for Jackson County.Volume 1 Number 4 a newsleffer of 16e we6sfer 6isforical sociel!: Summer 1914
Historic Webster Days
Celebration
Historic Webster Days will Swan, and Bill McinTyre will
provide a truly old fashioned gtve us a night of good listening
Fourth of July celebration for and square dancing. Music
Jackson County dur ing the four begins at 8: 00 on Thursday
days of festivities at the old night, 9:00 on Friday and SaturWebster
Elementary School. day nights.
~~~s~~~n~i~~oik~fSo~~e~: ~~~ Mr. & Mrs. Webster
the Sylva Jaycees, as a benefit
~or the ~ebst~r Historical Soc- The two oldest residents of
tety. It ts hoped that the e~en~ Webster' Arthur Allman and
c"!-n be ~n an!lual <:elebrati?n, Lilly (Nanniehart) Rhinehart,
wtth an espectally bi_g occast?n will be honored at the Opening
planned for the Bicentenmal Ceremonies of the first annual
year of 1976· . . . " Historic Webster Days Fourth
;<\mong,the many acttvtltes at of July Celebration." They will
th.ts year s. July 4th at Web~ter be named "Mr . and Mrs . Hiswtll
be dtsplays of old . tJ!lle toric Webster" in an official
crafts such _as. blacksmithmg proclamation presented by the
and boardsphttmg, manned by Mayor of Webster, Mr. Roy
Jack. Hoy!~ ~nd Gene Thorn- Baker. The proclamation will
burg! a spmnmg ~bee~ demon- be inscribed on a hand decorstrat!
On b~ Sophie. ~t.shop ; a ated scroll made by Elizabeth
broommakmg exhtbitlon ar.td Keys. Mr. and Mrs. Historic
broo!"" sale as wei~ as a qu!It Webster will then reign over the
~~M~"~~~~~~Jtr:;~~~ean~~~~l! four days of festivities.
~ ~~~~i~~~it i~~ffiu~.ut~~~~W~~ Opening Ceremony
Eldredge and Margo Crawford
are in charge of the STI exhibit. The Mayor of Webster, Roy
Handmade crafts such as bon· Baker , will ride into town in a
nets and wood carvings, signs horse drawn buggy provided by
burned in wood, and other items Dr. Ralph Morgan, to open the
will be sold at var ious booths to first annual Historic Webster
be set up on the school grounds. Fourth of July Celebration . A
Gracia Slater, Susan Morgan, dinner catered by the Canter·
and Judy Coyle are setting up a bury Inn and served by the
Country Store where they will women of Webster will begin at
sell locally prepared foods such 5:00p.m. on Thursday, July 4th,
as homebaked bread and followed by the flag raising
chcrned butter , honey, canned ceremony, courtesy of the Webfruits
and vegetables, and fresh ster Boy Scout Troop No. 903. A
produce. The Store will be cons- Readers Theatre production ditructed
inside the school house. reeled by Kathy Carr will be
On the grounds for the Fourth presented during the dinner.
will be baked goods and sand- Mayor Baker and Bruce Wike,
wiches sold .by the East Sylva C~ai~man of .the County ComBaptist
Church Dorcas Sunday !lllSStoners, wtll make the openSchool
Class; a lemonade stand mg remarks.
Horse Show set up by the Webster Home·
makers, who will also be selling
handmade bonnets; and a booth
selling watermelon slices. The first annual Webster
Some of the old fashioned Horse Show will be held on
games and contests planned Saturday, July 6, on the grounds
include a greased pig chase, a o~ the old Webster School begingreased
pole climb, a tug~f- nmg at 1:00 p.m. Show Secrewar,
and gunny sack races for tary. Diana Nicholson and Show
all ages. James Roper is in Chairmen Dean Allman and
charge of games, which begin at Johnny Watson have been larg-
2:00 p.m. on Friday and Satur- ely responsible for planning the
day. Also at 2:00 on Satur- show. The Judge for the show is
day is the tubing iace, under the Tommy Lucas of Franklin.
super vision of Jerry and Laura Woody Hampton, Sylva, will be
Coffey. While the games and Ringmaster, and Jon Danencontests
ar e in progress, David bower of Dillsboro is Master of
Purser will be offering buck- Ceremonies. Duggan Ledford
board rides around Webster, from Franklin will serve as
and the Jaycees will have all Farrier .
their tra ditional entertainmeQt Entry fees for the twenty·four
booths open. Paul Cowan, J r ., different events planned will
Buddy Lane, and Richard Tay- range from 2.50,
half the regular yearly dues.
The new membership year will
begin in January, 1975, when we
hope that all old members will
renew their memberships and
continue to be active in the work
or the Society.
School Grounds Are
Shaping Up For Fourth
Spencer Clark and his Build- and for l<.. .o urth of July decor·
ing and Grounds Committee ations.
have been getting the Webster The Bwldmg and Grounds
School in shape for the big Committee has also had the
Fourth of July festivities. Under help of eight young people
Spenc~r 's supe~vision and the working under the auspices of
direction of thetr Scout Master the Neighborhood Youth Corps.
Al Byers, the Webster Boy They are Davis Wood, John
Scou~ Troop No. 903 has been Houston, Dale Stiles, Billy Friz·
mee~mg at the school and zell, Joyce Hammerly, Pamela
helpmg to clean up. Bobby Ray Bradley, Kathy Powell, and ,
and Gail. Wtl~on , Paul Cowan Geneva Donaldson . Joyce
Jr. a~d Jtm Stmpson have been Hammet;Jy is answering the
workmg on the grounds, land· telephone at the Historical Sociscaping
and getting. the grass ety Offic~ and keeping the office
mowed. ~e School ~s surroun- open ft:om 8:00 to 3:00 daily,
ded by mne ~aubful acres. Monday through Friday. The
Buddy and Margaret Clark other ~YC workers ha.ve ~n
have donated plants for the scrubbmg floors_, washmg winbeautification
of the _gr'!unds ~~~~it~~~ cleanmg away trash
Attention, Artists!
Artists, please come for the artists who wish to commence a
hanging on July 3 and 4 at lively career in the Art World to
Webster, N.C., to be held in the enter their work. We will man
gray stone building on the hill the Art Gallery for the full four
(at one time, the School !) We days of the Webster Historical
expect to exhibit works of Society Festival July 4, 5, 6, 7.
celebrated artists who live or Any volunteers for duties in·
visit in our beautiful world of valved in conducting an art
the Smokies. gallery are welcome. Please
advise us by phone or come by
Any work to be sold will pay to the Webster School. Telephone
the Webster Historical Society Elizabeth Keys, 586·5988, Chairfifteen
per cent of the sale price. man of The Webster Art Lea-
There will be a Grand March History. DeSoto's people in- We also invite all aspiring gue.
and Judging of costumes, eluded the Gentleman of Elvas,
beards, and moustaches at the DeSoto's Portugese Scribe, as
Webster School Building Sun- well as men of the clergy,
day evening, July 7, '74, at 7: 00 scouts, and probably cooks and
p.m. (Men who arrive with dish washers, too. Later on,
Society Business Meeting
clean shaven faces may be fined there were British Red-Coats, The members of the Webster
or sent to the local jail"!) French Voyageurs from the Historical Society will meet at
and to make plans for the
future. Come and exchange
ideas .. You can have a large
share m determining the future
of Webster.
Whatever century, era, or Mississippi in quest of Furs, 7:30p.m. on Monday, July 15, at
occasion for the costume you then the proud military families the Webster School. The main
wear , try for authenticity first. who migrated after the Battle business of the meeting will be
For example, if you portray a of the Boyne, and the Revolt of to hear a report on and to
Croquet Buff of the Summer of the Irish Earls. There were the discuss the current status of
Music and square dancmg D · Th 1910, remember not to wear plantation aristocracy from effor ts to buy the old Webster This Fourth of July edition of
will be provided mght1y at Inner ealre nylons! The Spanish Conquista- South Carolina and Georgia; Elementary School. Officers of Historic Webster is being sent to
Historic Webster Days 4th of . . dares at the other end of our the American frontier settlers; the Society and members of the al~ m~mbers Of the Webster
J~y celebration. On Thursday t As /jart ~~ th~ ~tsto~:c "teb: tim~ ~ spec.trum did n~t sport loggers; miners; mail carriers Town Council will be meeting Htst?n~al Societ¥. We will be
mght the Webster Cloggers,ser ays e mverst¥ urn cham mail. OK? Durmg the on fast horses; doctors on withtheSchooi Boardon J uly 10 pubhshmg four J.SSues a year
directed by Ken Cabe, will ~;~ ~he~r~ Cpr~ct;ctdo; . ~~ time lapse between these two horseback or in buggies--depen- and will report the results to the from now on-Fall, Winter,
perform, fo11owed by music and .
11 ~ or 0t d a~ th a~ ~r[ extremes, there are possibili- ding on terrain to be covered. membership at the July 15 Spring, and a special Summer
square dancing for everybody WI presen e a e e s er ties for a wide range of fancy meeting. Members will also issue for the Fourth of J uly.
provided by Wallace Swan. On Schr l on J uly .1~ tnd. 6· ~~~ dress, as Webster History in· Also, there were the elegant begin planning the 1975 Fourth Starting with this issue, the
Friday nigh.t "Train" will sup· ~r ormanc.e WI egm . eludes it all. Huguenots who may have at- of J uly and looking ahead to the Summer edition will be sold to
ply the mustc; and on Saturday n!g~ts. at ?1i3~ p.m. c;:: :r~day We will have highly compe- tended church in Parisian bon- Bicentennial in 1976. non-members during Historic
night Ralph Lewis and the mg t It w~ e ~rec e Y a tent J udges, also prizes. nets, with lace parasols. There This will be a good oppor- Webster Days at fifty cents per
Piney Mounta in Boys from ca~ered dmner 10 the school Surplfise us all and wear were brides, and judges and tunity to get acquainted with copy. Members will continue to
Asheville, Earl Cowart and the something colorful, original, or blacksmiths. What else? Plenty other members of the Historical receive all four issues as a
Blue Grass Four, W~llace Tul'n To Page Two beautiful, all Authentic Webster more. Surpr ise us? ! Soci~ty, to join a committee, me.mbership privilege.
Page Z
r~-~- .. ·- ~ -· .• .. . ·~
=••~::: ~~~~~: .~~ ~:~~· . ~ :0;e::: ::::k I ~~= Tickets for the dinner and play ment of Speech and Theatre fashioned hog barbeque, Web- · t
are available in advance at the Arts at Western Carolina Uni- ster is the place to' see one on . . t
Little Theatre Box Office on the versity is the director. July 6. . . The Webster Cookbook is and mk drawmg of Webs_ter 's ~
WCU campus at the Webster planned for publi ca tion landma rks--the covered bndge,
Post Office, o~ at Cowan Insur- Novef!lber I. The book features ~h~ old Webster school , the
ance Agency in Sylva. Tickets Gospel Sing fa voni('S of famous Webster J<u l. _lh_C' l'hurchcs, homes.
will be sold at the school on the Art Show cooks I rom over one hundred _It IS JUSt a good boo~--on_e you t
days of the performance. Cost year s. \\:Ill want to keep not JUSt m the t
for dinner and theatre is 3.50 for children Under the chairmanship of is invited to attend old fashioned _F~J a large dmner try _Mr~ . l{(~ llH'Ill?(' r Chnst rna ~ IS t
under 12. Theatre tickets alone Elizabeth Keys and with the church services in Jackson f~ 1 ~ 1 e , . C ow~ rd En J:?: lJ ~h s e~Hmng : 1 here. a re weddmgs, i for Friday or Saturday night help of Francois Cla~tier, the County and then to bring a .1 l<i nl .t t J,on Supper··a. n ~ h , birthdays. all kmds of reasons
are 3.50 for adults, $1.50 way. For Historic Webster Days School grounds and join in on a c ot n. meat · and noodles. ht•s Jdcs thoS(' you want for t
for children. Reservations may there will be an exhibition and " eatin' and singin' on the yours('lf. t
be made by calling the Depart· sale of paintings at the Webster grounds". Gospel music will be l\1 r s . Ed ith Moore Hal I 's t
ment of Speech and Theatre School, with 15 per cent of the provided by Mike Clayton, Bill (;arlic Grits will li ven a meal. ORDER t
Arts at WCU, telephone 293· sale price going to the Webster Deitz, and the Redeemed' Quar- any meal. It is just grits with t
This play, compiled and a- the show will begin on July 3. garlic. Sprinkled with YOUR
dapted by Norman Corwin, Ham Dinner .:ornflakes, it can be served for
covers the works of Carl Sand· Barlieque supp<·r at night and easily
burg from the cradle to the On Sunday night, July 7, the \\·arm<'d for the next morning's COOKBOOK
grave. It is a compilation of women of the First United hJTakfast.
song, prose, and poetry display· Monroe Lindsey will begin Methodist Church of Sylva will
ing Mr. Sandburg's sense of earlySaturdaymorning,July6, sponsor a ham dinner to be There arc cakes Mrs. Sally AT THE
MOTOR
COURT
Color
Television
Air
Conditioning
Your Bo•ll
Mr. 6 Mrl. A. T. Marroy
Tel. 586-2123
7491. Historical Society. Hanging of tet from Statesville, N.C. th(' lash' of cheese, and a hint of I
humor, sense of beauty and preparing a gigantic open pit served at the Webster School. 1\ ld 'onn('II'S old ' fa shioned
sense of tragedy. , barbeque on tht; Webster ~hool Afte_r the din!ler there will be a pound cak<·, known all over
. The players are Nancy Ham- grounds. He will be roastmg a closmg bonfire and a . vesper town . A hig spice cake has been FOURTH OF JULY + SYLVA, N- C. +
f!1111 of Brevard.' James E1ch· pig ~nd ftfty chickens all day for servtce conducted by the Rev. deH•Iop(>d by Mrs. An nit• Louise t , i hog of Pumpkm Town, and a dmner to be served at 6:00 Gene McCants of Webster. ~ t adi son Heed called War Cake- CELEBRATION + Ma•• St.
-it is (•nough for an army. t Get Involved In Helping ·············'
'
S<ilads, Mrs . Stella Broyles ••••••••••••••••••••-.
llall's Twt•nty Jo'our Hour Salad
Preserve And Restore Webster 1nadl' with (•ggs; brt·ads,
1\kxinlll Cnrnbr('ad , rolls: a
\\onderfu llv ril'h Coffp(• Punch··
Are you looking for a way to
get involved in the Webster
Project? Good! Join the more
than eighty people who are
already sel_'ving on committees.
Call any of the committee
chairmen, officers or directors.
Special Events··Fourth of Ju.
ly: Paul and Lynda Cowan
te~und Raising:Judy Carpen-mon
· and 'mo re··2:~7 recipes in
Tell them you want to help. Board of Directors: Roy Ba·
There's plenty for everyone to ker, Spencer Clark, Dick Iobst, all -- in a 1xlok that a cook who
do, fun in the work, and fine John Parris and Joe Rhinehart. has s<'<'n it ca lls "a readable
people to ~et ac9uainted with. Officers: Betty Pric~, Presi· i n t e r t' s t i n g , p r a ct i c a i
The followmg officers and com- dent ; Manlyn Jody, VIce Pres- cnokhnok." Pradical seems to
mittee chairmen are waiting to ident; Jim Simpson , Treasurer; be a good word for th('S(' times.
hear from you . and Mary Morris, Secretary.
Committees
Museum and Archives: Dick
lobs!
\lusic and Community
But lhNe is more than
rl'l"i pl's: l\ lrs. Lilly Hhinehart ,
1\liss Dorothy l\1ourc, Miss
1\lildrl'd Cowan, Mrs. Louise
Restaurant: Jerry Ewen and i\ lad_ison !~edford , _Mrs. Pat
Edna Beck l\ll'Kee 11lle-y. l\1 1ss Mary
1\Jnrris, and 1\Irs. Janice
i\lontipth Ulanton. all Webst<'r
Country Store: Gracia Slater girl s. talk ~1hout . food as they
and Helen Cowan ).!. l'l' \\" up m \rV(•bstl'l'. Mrs.
House Tours and Hospitality Tht'atcr: J .C. Alexander
Margaret Simpson
Louise B. Da vis has written
Wehs!('r's hi story.
ReCreation: James Roper The Webster Cookbook is
illustrated with d('licate pen
Newsletter: Alice HarriH and
Building and Grounds: Spen· Louise Davis
cer Clark
Scrapbook and Bulletin
Board: Mildred Cowan
Cookbook: Joe and Flossie
Rhinehart
Membership and Correspon-dence:
Kate Rhinehart Finance: BiH Fisher Town Planning: Roy Baker
Youmt Historians: Lucille
Bryson and Marilyn Jody
THE
NORTHWESTERN
BANK
Member Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
Contributors:
Editors :
Louise Davis
Alice Harrill
Marilyn Jody
Mrs. Maurice Carlton
Mrs. Jennie Lou Hunter
Mrs. Elizabeth Keys
Ms. Mary Morris
Mr. John Parris
Mr. Joe Parker Rhinehart
Mr. Jim Wells
Western Carolina
Universi9'
Typeset and Printing by Herald
Printing Co., Sylva
HOOPER'S
DRUG STORE
Bob Kelley
KRISMART
FASHIONS
Wishes the best of luck to the
Webster Historical Society, Inc.
in its efforts to preserve and restore Webster
-.
Mountain Folks Are A Musical Lot
\
by John Parris
AFAMILYREUNtON
1905
Last Monday, J une 12, was
the anniversary of the birth of
Mountain folks are a musical Mr. Nathan Coward and the
loi. regular day of the Annual
Even the poorest cabin away Reunion of the Coward Family
off back of beyond will boast a including all of Mr. Coward's
banjo or a fiddle hanging on a children, grandchildren and
nail. grea t-g r a ndc hildren . It has
Neither the phonograph, ra- been a custom for several years
dio or television has caused the now for the Cowards and their
hillsman to part with his banjo rela tives to meet on their
or fiddle, albeit many a cabin ancestor's birthday every year
has one or all three. at the horne of himself and his
And when it comes to mountair.·- children taken in rotation
music--well , it 's right there at meeting first a t the father's,
the top in popularity. ·next the oldest child's and so on
Tunes that never knew any . around . This year the
instrument but a fiddle , broom- celebrat ion took place at his
straws, and a banjo have won own home. Mr. Coward was on
popularity with big orchestras · thC' occasion eighty-seven years
as program spicers. old being born just a bout six
Hillbilly bands are in demand years a ft er the War of 1812. <He
and mountain folk song sym- was born in 1818 l. We hope to
phonies have received acclaim give the story of his life in the
in recent years. journal soon .
ThEl mountain songs boast a There was not as large a
proud lineage for the most part. proport ion of the family present
Many of the ·tunes and words ,as usual, the families of Mr. Kit
can be traced to Elizabeth Z<t<:harv and Mr. Oscar Coward
England. tx•ing barely represented and
For this reason, students and that of Mr. Hobert Coward , who
collectors have been interested li vt•s in Piedmont being ent irely
in them for years. But it's only absPnt. Mr . Coward was also
comparatively recently that the vt'ry sick but in spite of a ll , the
sometimes lilting, sometimes Fiddle made by the tate Rogers Coward of Webster. Don.ated to the Webster Historical Society n·umon was very successful
~~~~~ulof~~!i~e~!~af~~t~Jc.the Museum and Archives by Elda Coward of Norton Commumty. ~~~~~'~1~~·~:·gf~!~~:~f~e:i~~~;
Even Broadway has it 's hill - Tht• di nnPr was served picnic
billy singer. So does Park fa shion : the eatables, whi~h
Avenue, the street .of milk and Several years ago an old-ttme Usually, they are folks who " I could sell ten times as W<'I'P many and good, being
millions. fiddle-player was discussmg fmd pleasure m domg a btg of many,"shesatd, " tf ihad them. spn·ad on two ta bles while the
But for the pure, unadulter- fiddles with a city feller and fidd1ing themselves. Sometimes BesJt:les bemg fme mstruments, gu<'sts all helped themselves
ated stuff, you've got to get off the city feller mentioned that they'll make two or three they are beautifully made and standi ng.
the main roads and plunge into the finest fiddles in the world fiddles a year and hide them would be something just to look Afl <•r di nner they all occupied
the out-of-the-way places back were those . made by a man around the house. And then at even if they never were th<'ll iS{'I\"PS with conversation
in the hills. named Stradivar ius. · they'll go a year or so without played." nnd otlwr amusements . All the
It 's ther
Historic Webster Vol. 6 No. 1
No full textHistoric Webster is a newsletter of the Webster Historical Society, Inc., created at the Society’s founding in 1974. The publication helped to serve the Society's mission of collecting and preserving the history of Webster, North Carolina. Webster, established in 1851, was the original county seat for Jackson County.VOLUME VI NUMBER 1 WEBSTER, NORTH CAROLINA WINTER, 1978
Mrs. Wild
was PTA
leader
H)' Joe P. Rhinehart
Services for Minnie Norton
Wild. 95. formerly of Webster
and Bryson City, North Carolina,
who died March I, 1979,
were held at two o'clock, Saturday
afternoon , March 3, in the
Webster United Methodist
Church. The Reverends Clark
Poole and Dale Troutman officiated.
Burial was in the Webster
Cemetery.
Minnie Norton Wild was born
in Big Ridge, a mountain village
in Jackson County. Later her
family moved to Cullowhee
where she grew lip near what is
now Western Carolina University.
Mrs. Wild was one of the
first gradua tes of the old Cullowhee
Normal School, receiving
her diploma in 1899. She received
a certificate to teach in any
North Carolina public school.
Her first school was on Weyahutta,
an isolated mountain
community, in a one teacher
school. Her salary was t5.00
per month and board.
On December 16, 1903, Minnie
Norton and Julius Jacob Wild
were married in the Webster
Methodist Church. A local paper
reported on the event:
"Married at theM. E. church
in Webster, on Wednesday, Dec.
t6. 1903, by the Rev. Mr.
Marsh, Mr. Jacob J. Wilde to
Miss Minnie Norton , daughter
to Mr. W. C. Norton, all of Web-
Continued on Page 6
In October, 1978, Mrs. Minnie
Wild celebrated her 95th birthday
at her grandson 's home in
Greensboro, North Carol ina.
Church is 125 years old
Webster Baptist Church, 1979
Three views of vera
1886 bell will tell
the '' joyfu I story''
By Joe P. Rhinehart
"As the wagon neared Webster,"
remarked J. W. Cowan
many years ago, "rounding the
turn at the oak grove, the men
began to ring the bell, continuing
to do so until the church at
River Hill was reached."
A bell had been ordered, it
had arrived by railroad in Asheville
from down East, and the
Webster men had taken a
wagon pulled by a team of
horses to the station to bring it
the last fifty miles to the belfry
of the church, the converted
school house on River Hill.
Thirty two years after the
founding of the Webster Baptist
Church, the members could
outwardly make a " joyful
noise."
That bell now hangs in the
"new" Webster church and
since that December day in 1886
it has been a constant reminder
to Webster people that the Baptist
church has kept the faith
and continues to make its joy-full
noise.
And on a July Sunday this
summer the members of the
Webster Baptist Church will
celebrate its one hundred twenty
fifth a nniversary, for it was
on December 30, 1854, that 14
men and women met in the new
ly constructed Jackson County
courthouse to organize a new
church. These 14 had been
members of Old Savannah Baptist
Church and the church was
a rough three or four miles from
their homes near the just established
county seat town of Webster.
The founders of the church
were among the people who had
come into almost wilderness
years earlier and had recently
seen the new county founded
and its seat established on a hill
high above the Tuckaseegee
River. This town-to-be needed
its own church. These
14-Janice Hall, Jess Hall, Narcissus
Hall, Caroline King,
Peter King, Abraham Sellers,
Continued on Page 5
She was a beautiful woman • • •
8.00 for
the four days . But the joy of
going to the movie was worth
the hard work. Sorrietimes we
rode out with Polk's dad Authur.
who had a car and at other
times we hiked across King's
Mountain. Usually we saw the
mov ie tw ice. Our teachers had
told us raisins gave us s trength .
so we bought a box of r a isins to
cat on our walk across King's
Mountain back to Webster.
As we grew older there was
another pleasure that we erijoyed.
It was going across the
river to the Baptist Church to
Baptist Young People's Union
on Sunday evenings. After the
program the boys and girls
walked up the road home. Some
of us pai red off, but mostly we
walked in a group, telling jokes,
laughing, and talking.
Growing up in Webster for a
boy was great fun.
Joseph Wayne and Lilly C.
Rhinehart were the parents of
Joe W. When his father passed
away, he managed Rhinehart's
Store for some years. He worked
in Greenville, South Carolina.
but has now r etired and
lived with his wife Kate at their
Webster home, Court House
Square, built by his father from
the origina l Jackson County
Court House.
Joe and Kate Rhineha rt live
in Webster. Their house is built
from the brick or the old court
house and is built on its site.
Page 4, HISTORIC WEBSTER, Winter 1978
This I remember
Webster will always be home . • •
"I grew up in a special village"
By Janice Monteith Blanton
My family move
Historic Webster Vol. 1 No. 2
No full textHistoric Webster is a newsletter of the Webster Historical Society, Inc., created at the Society’s founding in 1974. The publication helped to serve the Society's mission of collecting and preserving the history of Webster, North Carolina. Webster, established in 1851, was the original county seat for Jackson County.a newsletter of t~e we6ster ~istorical societr
VOLUME I NUMBER 2 Webster, North Carolina
THE MOUNTAIN VIEW HOTEL IN WEBSTER
1885 Hotel Register 9s 9nteresting 9tem
A remnant of the Webster Hotel in 1885 still
exists in Jim Simpson's home in Webster. Here
the hotel register for the years 1885 and 1886 is
housed.
The Webster Hotel was one of two hotels in the
town at that time. The proprietor was F .A. Luck,
who also owned the Penland House hotel in what is
now Cantono
The Webster Hotel stood in the lot between Courthouse
Square and the Methodist Church. It was later
known as the Mountain View Hotel and the Leatherwood
Hotel, and was run at different times by Virge
Brown, the Leatherwoods and Joe and Lily Rhinehart
until the fire of 1910 destroyed it. '
Jim Simpson obtained the hotel register from Tally
Jones of Atlanta, a nephew of the late Miss Sadie
Luck whose home stands in Sylva.
The first date listed in the register, January 4,
1885, shows that two persons stayed in the hotel.
These guests were O.B. Coward, Webster, and Lee
Hooper, county. A total of 13 registered during January,
1885, hailing from Charleston, N.C • (later
B:yson City), Baltimore, Md., Atlanta, Knoxville,
Rtchmond, Colorado, New York, Asheville, Marion
and Franklin.
These people came by rail and by horse, The
railroad from Asheville to Murphy had been completed
one year earlier, and though the railroad bypassed
Webster, there was horse and buggy transportation
from Sylva to Webster, Court was held in Webster
twice a ye;u-, and most likely the majority of guests
were in town torthis purpose.
The Webster Hotel had a barn for keeping horses,
and served three meals a day, I.n the "remarks"
column of the register, there are numerous entries
marked "horse." Another column.has entries marked
''D," ''S," and ''B," denoting which m~ls, dinner,
supper or breakfast, the guests wanted. For instance,
a Mr, Fowler of New York who registered June 10
1885, requested "B at 5 1/2 sharp." '
The guest list included persons from East LaPort
Cullowhee, Caney Fork, Cashiers Valley, Hamburg:
Sylva, Quallatown, Moses Creek, and many from
Webster.
Many of them were in the county seat on busi':'
ess, and. travel on horseback or wagon made staymg
overnight at a hotel a necessity, When court
was in session, it was common for the jury to stay
overnight in the same hotel, so they would not discuss
the cases with anyone. At the turn of the century
the jury stayed regularly at the Nathan Coward House
next door to the Webster (then Mt. View) Hotel, according
to Jane Coward. Perhaps in 1885the jury stayed
at the Webster Hotel.
l.n some of the latter entries of the register,
notations of charges are listed. At that time it apparently
cost not more than 75¢ to stay overnight.
There are many listings of 25¢ and 75¢, but the
register does not show whether the figures denote
meals or room or both. An Asheville man "and
four" with driver and horse was charged 200,000; to bring you the HISTORIC
WEBSTER newsletter; to plan for the July 4th events; ·
to publish a cookbook. in the spring; to plan house tours
of restored homes m Jackson County; to organize a
th.eatr~ group; open a country store; to involve Young
H1stor.ans all over Jackson County in gathering the
County's history; and to keep you informed through
th~ local news services, Some of the various committees
are long and others short on volunteers
This project is alive and growing. Curious? Inter:
ested? Concerned? Join!
MARCH 1974
'Jirst Qeneral Meeting
Attracts farge Crowd
Ov.:er 300 persons attended the !irst general meeting
of the Webster Historical Society on February 15.
Held at the Webster School, the meeting included the
election of officers, adoption of the by-laws, setting
of the goals for fund-raising, and the approval of
plans for the July 4 celebration.
Preceding the meeting was a membership and
fund raising dr_ive, in which 75 new charter members
joined, donating a total of almost ll3,500 . by July 10 and ll3 500
will be used to pay for the Webster School and the
additional 5 or be placed in "jail" for
not wearing a mustache or turn-of-the-century costume
to the July 4th event.
The society's by-laws, previously approved by the
Board of Directors, were approved and accepted by
the general meeting.
Honorary memberships were voted for Alice
Harrill, editor of the HISTORIC WEBSTER news·
letter and Mack Sarvis, director of a video tape
documentary and a slide -sound narration of Webster
Following the business session, the meeting ad:
journed to old fashioned refreshments and a showing
oi the video tape show on Webster made by students
at Camp Laboratory School. An oral history slide
show of western North Carolina by Bill Weaver was
shown, and bluegrass music was presented by Eric
Olsen and Bill Mcintyre,
Audiovisual Shows
To Be Available
A slide-sound narrative of Webster's history
will soon be available to schools, clubs and organizations
for viewing, Compiled by Mack Sarvis, a grad•
uate student at WCU, the show will feature old and
ne~ slides o~ Webster and Jackson County with nar•
ratiOn by residents who recall its history,
Under. Sarvis' direction, students at Camp Laboratory
High School have made a video tape documen•
~ry of ~ebster, including a tour of homes, and inter•
views With three of the oldest residents • Arthur
Allman, Lily Rhinehart, and Lucy Morgan. ·
Those involved in the high school television production
include Barbie Arney, Dawn Davis Larry
Arney, Manda Litchiord,KathyPeterson, DanF~xworth,
Meg Stuart, Robert Brown, Jeff Wilson D:>n.na Kiser
and stephanie Robinson. '
The video tape program has been shown to classes
at the school, the Camp Lab PTA the Kiwanis Club
and the Historical Society general m'eeting on February
15, .
. The sli~e show and the video tape documentary
!"ill be. available for showings to clubs and schools
m April. Those wishing to borrow either of these
programs should write Dr. Marilyn Jody, Drawer
W, Webster, N,C.~
Page 2 lllSTORIC WEBSTER March 1974
R. L. Madison: A Pedagogue Comes To The Highlands
When the subject of the growth of education in
western North Carolina arises, invariably comes with
it the name Robert L. Madison. The founder of what
is now Western Ca;·olina University and a resident
of Webster, Madison probably did more toward educating
the mountain people than did any other one
person in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
Robert Lee Madison was born in Lexington, Virginia,
in 1867, and spent his childhood days on the
campuses of Washington and Lee University and Virginia
Military Institution. As a small boy, he was
bounced upon the knee of General Robert E. Lee.
His father, Colonel R. L. Madison, was General Lee's
personal physician and school surgeon for VMI.
· Madison first came to North Carolina at the urging
of his older brother, who had become captivated by
the N.C. mountains and people. Referring to western
North Carolina as the "Land of Promise," Monro
Madison prevailed uoon his younger brother to come
and assume his position at QuallaSchoolwithProfessor
William A, LOng.
So Robert Madison arrived in Quallatown in 1885,
just after completing a three month teaching apprenticeship
in Tennessee. Fifty years later, when he was
writing his biography, "EXPeriences of a Pedagogue
in the Carolina Highlands," he referred to his coming
to Qualla on "temporary assignment" as an excellent
example of one of those "seeming accidents"
producing "determinative effects."
Madison spent two years at Quallatown, teaching
an average of forty students everything from basic
writing and reading skills to algebra, grammar and
Latin.
At that time, most schools were only open for
two or three months a year. Professor Madison
saw that these schools would never be able to attract
and keep teachers. The pay, 20 to $25 for men, was certainly not appealing
to young teachers, most of whom left to go to long ,
Charlotte Young
Speaks of Webster
Miss Charlotte Young, a long time teacher in
western North Carolina, was principal of the Webster
School and tau~ht there for three years beginning in the
fall of 1914. 'There's nothing I'd prefer to talk about
more than Webster," she says. "Of all my long
years of experience as a teacher, my three years
spent there were the happiest teaching years of my
life.,''
"Webster was the most delightful town that I
ever lived in. The people were a little sad and dis•
appointed over the loss of Webster as the county
seat. The railroad had come through, and by some
strange circumstance it was routed over to Sylva
and then it was easy to get Sylva as the county seat.
Well, there stood the courthouse and the people bewa!
led the fact that they were no more the county seat,
which they had been from time immemorial, almost.
"One person who worked_so hard to keep_ Webster
as the county seat was Professor Robert L, Madison.
He came home on vaction from a government job
in Washington be had at the time so he could fight the
movement to make Sylva the county seat. With all
his wonderful characteristics, he was a scholar, a
gentleman and a Christian Q - time would slip up
on him sometimes, and he was so interested in working
for Webster that he overstayed his vacation and lost
his job in Washington. And so there was a short
while there that he was out of a job.
"Anyway, the second year I was there, Baxter
Jones, the other high school teacher, ran for state
legislature and was elected, so when they met in
January, Mr. Jones had to go and we were lucky
enough to get Professor Madison for a little while
as substitute, So I had the marvelously beautiful
eXPerience of teaching with Professor Madison that
spring until Mr. Jones came back. He was a marvelous
teacher, a Christian gentleman and it was a delight
to work with him.
"His wife, Ella Richards Madison, also taught
there, which made six teachers for the entire school.
She taught music and art rather on her own, but we
considered her a member of the faculty. Largely
due to her efforts, Webster High School won second
prize in a contest of all the high schools in western
North Carolina, because the booklets and drawings
that were exhibited had been made beautiful by her
students.
"The real matriarch of the . town was Aunt Hattie
Allison. She and her husband Uncle Andy lived in
the cottage next to the Tomkins home,
"She had her own peculiarities. I first met her
as I was walking along the street and someone said,
term schools out of western North Carolina. The
need for a long term school in the area which would
be supported by more than just public taxes seemed
to Madison to be not only logical but urgent.
Madison's crusade for better schools began in
the spring of 1886 in the Qualla community but progress
was slow and Madison left in early 1888 to go to Sylva.
In Sylva, Madison worked as a teacher in the
village school and as editor of the county paper, the
TUCKASEIGEE DEMOCRAT. Hedividedhisdaybetween
classroom and newspaper duties. All nights except
Friday were spent in school work. Friday nights
were given to the literary society at the public hall.
At the beginning of the fall of 1888, Madison had
subscribed to several leading educational journals,
and before the fall term was over he had organized
a group of practice teachers. "As far as I know this
was the first attempt ever made to do practice teaching
in this country," he wrote. It was on a small
scale and participation was voluntary.
Madison stayed at Sylva, with but one intention -
that of starting a public school. Here he became
impressed with the need for a permanent institution
in this mountainous section, an institution which would
not only give · the young people a better foundation
for their future vocations, but would also answer the
acute need for preparing teachers for county and
village schools.
The N.C. General Assembly of 1889 had abolished
the then existing eight normal schools and had provided
instead for teacher's institutes to be held annually
in each county. The teacher's institute in Webster
in 1889 led to the turning point in Professor Madison's
lifeo
Under the direction of Coleman Cowan of Webster,
thirty teachers considered practical matters of
methods, organization and discipline. While attending
the institute, Madison won the close friendship and
admiration of Professor Edward P, Moses, superintendent
of the Raleigh schools. At the close of the
workshop Madison was invited to teach with him as
an assistant in Raleigh.
Madison wished to remain in the mountains and
start a permanent school in Webster or Cullowhee,
but since there were no immediate openings at the
time, he decided to go to Raleigh.
He was writing his acceptance letter, to be put
on the east bound train in a matter of minutes, when
Lewis J. Smith of Cullowhee entered his office and
asked him to come to Cullowhee, meet the people
and decide on opening a school there.
At Cullowhee, arrangements were made at once
for him to begin teaching the following week.
"Accordingly, in an unfinished, unpainted frame
building, unfurnished except for some rude benches
and a blackboard, I began what is now Western Carolina
Teacher's College, with eighteen students," he
wrote in 1938. In October, 1889, his sister was called
to instruct the primary children. By the end of the
first term the enrollment had risen to one hundred
students.
In July, 1890, in response to Madison's call,
teachers of western North Carolina met in Waynesville
and formed the Western North Carolina Teacher's
Association.
The 1890-1891 school term opened with a staff
of tl\ree - Madison as priiiC!pai, Miss Ella v. Richards
as instructor in music and art, and Miss May Bell
Cooper as primary teacher. Miss Richards, of Galveston,
Texas, and Madison were married in November,
1891.
In 1891 the state chartered the school as Cullowhee
High School and in 1893 the bill was amended.
Thus the normal department was put under state care.
After Cullowhee became state supported, it prospered
as had not been possible with only local support.
It advanced from a high school to a junior college,
to a four-year teacher's college, to Western Carolina
College, and now is a university - all because
of the initial efforts of Robert L. Madison.
THE WEBSTER SCHOOL AROUND 1905
'I want to meet you Miss Young,' And after I spoke
to her she said, 'You'll have to excuse me, Miss
Young, I can't come out to the sidewalk because
I'm afraid of worms. • At a certain season of the year,
caterpillars were all around the place searching for
a place to weave a cocoon, and she was allergic to
these 'worms.' That made her more interesting to
me.
"She. was one of the best backers I ever had for
school, Whatever Aunt Hattie said, went for all her
nieces and nephews and great nieces and great nephews
and all the other young people in town. Aunt Hattie's
word was a bond, and it was a command though she
said it so gently. She backed me up and advertised me
to the schoolchildren. And discipline was no problem
whatever in that school.
''I never used corporal punishment but one time
and that was just a pretense. One little boy said,
'Miss Young I'd like to get off this Friday afternoon,
You know I live with my grandfather and he wants me
to come pul: fodder.' I wonder if anyone who reads
this will ren.ember pulling fodder, Old schools used
to stop while they pulled fodder, that is, pulled the
leaves off the corn stalks before the frost to feed
to the cattle and horses in the winter. I said, 'I'll
tell you, Kimsey, one thing, are you telling me the
truth?'
'Yes 1IDo1
I said, 'One thing's sure, I promise you a little
switching if you're telling me a story, and I'll find
out.'
'No m'am, Miss Young, it's so; he wants me/
"Well, sure enough I found out from his grandpa,
who said, 'No , he ran away. I never told him.'
Well, he came back Monday, and he looked at me, I
looked at him, and when I got a chance of quiet time,
I said, 'Kinsey, do you remember what I told you,
that I promised you a whipping?' I said, 'I haven't
had to whip anyone here; I haven'thadto punish anyone,
but I am going to have to do it because you told me
a story..' He said, 'Yes'rn, I told you a story/
"I got a little switch about 2 feet long, and went
through the motion of touching his coat with it a little
bit but that was the only corporal punishment or
really severe punishment.
"I didn't have to discipline those people. They
did what I said. And I said it kindly and friendly,
If there ever was a school that gave the teacher heaven
on earth it was there, Webster High School.
"As the old mountain saying goes: them was
the days. Now I don't bemoan the good old days that
have passed, but I do believe in honoring what was
good then, and I would put up Webster School and
(TURN TO PAGE FOUR)
A Jack of All Trades
Amos Jack Hoyle, blacksmith, logger, board splitter
and yarn-spinner grew up on Blanton Branch, in the
Ochre Hill section of Jackson County, Going strong
since 1892, Mr. Hoyle is one of the most entertaining
story-tellers around. At the Webster Historical Society
meeting on February 15, Mr. Hoyle was asked to tell
his story about the Missouri cabbages. To the delight
of those attending, Mr. Hoyle .told the following tall
tale:
"A drummer from Missouri came through the
Willets section once and stopped his team under the
shade of a tree and saw John Sanford hoeing his cabbages.
The drummer told him it didn't look like his
cabbages would make anything--that back in Missouri
they grew cabbages so big you could drive a
team under a leaf to get out of a storm. Uncle John
Sanford told him it was just a hobby--that he spent
most of his life in a foundry. He got the drummer's
mind off the cabbages and told him that in the foundry
they poured a pot that when they put the handles on
it you couldn't hear them hammer from one side
to the other. The drummer said, 'What on earth did
they build a pot that big for?' John Sanford told him
it was to cook those Missouri cabbages in."
"They had a trial at morning recess, to try to
find out who did it, you see. There was two grown
women there-there's one of them living yet, Bill
Sutton's mother, Ethyl Snyder at that time-and Etta
Robinson. They was grown women and they said it
lay between . me and Ransom Blanton, They was
telling the truth, but how they knowed it I don't know.
"But they had no evidence you know. Uncle Ben
said it couldn't have possibly been. He said he whupped
us out of the creek right off from the school house
and brought us to school. But he said if he found out
who done it, he'd lick them if it was the last day of
school.
"And they had a little entertainment the last night
of the school and I hollered and told him. I got in
the door where I could run, you know, and I told
him who done it. I knew he wouldn't be back the
next year. And then I went home and my daddy
beat the dickens out of me!" It was Mr. Hoyle's
tales of Jackson County--its countryside and its people-
and the building of their log cabin that led Betty
and Marilyn to start thinking about ways to preserve
the history they had learned, especially the skills
that had helped to build Jackson County. And now
that the project Is underway, one dream is already
coming true. Mr. Hoyle is teaching his skills to
another member of- the younger-generation~ Gene
Thornburg is apprenticing in blacksmithing and will
soon start helping Mr. Hoyle split boards with the
froe he had made, the mall Mr. Hoyle gave him, and
the anvil his Daddy, Lacy, got for him down the
country. The board-break and blacksmith shop will
be set up on the school grounds at Webster.
HISTORIC WEBSTER March 1974 Page 3
JACK HOYLE WITH BOARD BOLT AND FROE
Mr. Hoyle and his stories and jokes have been an
important part of the lives of two newcomers to Jackson
County--Betty Price and Mar ilyn Jody, When these
two "good old girls," as Mr. Hoyle fondly calls them,
decided to move the 130-year old Bill Tom Deitz
log cabin from up East Fork to a hillside up
Letter to Jan Else signed by Antigone Kotsiopulos and Ginny Webster
No full textThank you letter to Friends of the Gustafson Gallery member and department faculty member, Janet J. Else, signed by Department Head, Antigone Kotsiopulos, and Friends of the Gustafson Gallery President, Ginny (Virginia) Webster
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