139,130 research outputs found
Webster Teachout Letter : November 2, 1864
No full textThis is a letter from Webster Teachout, a Union soldier, to his father. Teachout writes about his change from Company A to L, the upcoming presidential election, and his need for money to be sent to him from home
Recommended from our members
Letter From Thomas Bertram Lonsdale Webster to Emmett L. Bennett Jr., June 21, 1956
No full textWebster provides Bennett with a manuscript of his views of da-ma-ta and Tereta 14.Classic
Recommended from our members
Letter From Thomas Bertram Lonsdale Webster to Emmett L. Bennett Jr., June 12, 1960
No full textWebster thanks Bennett for "Anonymous Writers" and wishes him well in his new position at University of Wisconsin-Madison.Classic
Letter to Mary Devereaux from H. L Webster, with attached details concerning Radio Program Scattergood Baines , June 6, 1940
No full textLetter to Mary A. Devereaux from H. L. Webster, with envelope and attached details for Radio Program Scattergood Baines, concerning the celebration of Father\u27s Day. Mary A. Devereaux served as National Publicity Chairman for the International Father\u27s Day Association, Spokane, Washington. H. L. Webster served as Advertising Manager for Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company, Chicago, Illinois.https://digitalcommons.whitworth.edu/fathers-day-correspondence/1068/thumbnail.jp
Webster "L" Station
No full text900 block of W. Webster AvenueView of the Webster "L" platform.Serving DePaul Univeristy's Lincoln Park campus, the Webster "L" station was originally part of the Northwestern Elevated Railroad Company. The line from the Chicago Loop going north to Wilson Avenue opened in 1900. The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) was created in 1945 and by 1947 the CTA took over all "L" and streetcar operations in the city. The Webster station has since been torn down.Buildings; Photographs and Illustration
Webster, L L, VX51487
No full textThis record was harvested from a previous catalogue system and will be withdrawn in 2025. Information in this record may be superseded or incomplete. Visit this record in UMA's new catalogue at: https://archives.library.unimelb.edu.au/nodes/view/424684Surname: WEBSTER. Given Name(s) or Initials: L L. Military Service Number or Last Known Location: VX51487. Missing, Wounded and Prisoner of War Enquiry Card Index Number: 39515.252745
Item: [2016.0049.56945] "Webster, L L, VX51487
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
Lewis Webster Jones
No full textJones and Dr. Robins, dressed in graduation regalia, standing beside Mrs. Robins. On verso: Augusta College Picture (l to r): Dr. Robins. Mrs. Robins. Dr. Jones.Lewis Webster Jones (1899-1975) was President of the University of Arkansas, 1947-1951
Teamroom Caverns: Looking at Learning in a Whole Language First/Second Multi-age Classroom
No full textHistoric Webster Vol. 1 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 I· NUMBER I
History of t6e
Historical Society
Webster is changing, not so much in appearance but
in attitudes toward toe small town. People who remember
or have learned about Webster's rich heritage are putting
its great potential all together - people, history, education,
recreation, preservation. Webster might have
became a plush new development, a commercial campground,
or nearly anything which would have changed the
character of its environment. Instead, Webster is to be
preserved as it is, with only adaptive restoration changes
that will maintain the present atmosphere and preserve
the spirit and quality of a charming historic village.
These changes began last year on February 15 when a
few interested townspeople met with Webster Town Coun.
cil members at Mayor Ray Baker's house. Betty Price
suggested appointing an Historic Sites Commission to study
the possibility of having Webster designated a State Historic
Site. The Town Council members - Roy Baker, Margie
Penland, Claude Cowan, Goldman Monteith, Louise Davis,
and Joe Rhinehart - approved the idea and appointed
Mildred Cowan chairman of the new Commission. Others
named were Louise Davis, Mary Morris, Kate Rhinehart,
Jack Morris, Jim Allman, Claude Cowan, and Betty
Price. Due to the efforts of this Commission Webster
is now on a list of proposed historic sites in North Carolina.
On March 5, six persons representing the Webster Town
Council and the Historic Sites Commission met with the
Jackson County Board of Education to ask for the Webster
Elementary School (which was vacated in December 1973'
as a result of consolidation of schools) to use as a community
center and town office building. They were told
they would be kept informed of progress toward that possibility.
The Webster Historical Society, Inc. was chartered
April lith as a fund-raising and promotional organization
for the preservation and restoration of Webster.
The first public interest meeting was held on Friday·
the thirteenth of April at the Webster Elementary School
sponsored by Southwestern Technical Institute and the
Webster Historic Sites Commission. Nearly 200 persons
attended the meeting to discuss the possibility of a preservation
- restoration project in the Town of Webster.
The Webster Elementary School cloggers opened the
evening with an exhibition of buck dancing. Exhibits
included an old-fashioned kitchen scene, Jack Hoyle splitting
boards, and pottery-making with Brant Barnes.
Sugar cookies and pound cakes from Historic Webster
recipes and lemonade were refreshments. At the churn,
homemade bread and Hattie Cowan's butter were available.
After a media presentation by Dorris Beck and Arlene
Stewart, the decision was made to undertake a preservation
project in Webster.
When the society organized in the tall, Betty Price
was elected president; Marilyn Jody, vice president;
Mary Morris, secretary; and Jim Simpson, treasurer.
Joe Rhinehart, Spencer Clark, !tichard Iobst, and John
Parris were elected to the Board of Directors. Members
of the Webster Town Council and of the Historical Society
met with representatives of Wachovia and First Union
National Banks of Sylva: Bruce Wike; chairman of the
Jackson County Board of Commissioners; and Jim Allman
·, Board of Education member for a buffet luncheon
at Canterbury Inn on December 10. The purpose of the
luncheon was to inform the county commissioners and
the Sylva banks of the fund raising plans of the society.
On December 3 and January 7, representatives of the
Historical Society and Town Council met with the Jackson
County School Board about purchasing the Webster school.
The School Board accepted an offer of 1,500 option will
be paid at the Board's February 4th meeting, the remainder
to be paid on or before July 10.
~
"If only we are faithful to our past, we shall not have to
fear our future." -John Foster Dulles
Webster, North Carolina
THE JACKSON COUNTY Courthouse in Webster
was the center of all county business until 1913.
This picture, taken in 1932, shows Ann Cowan in
the doorway.
Origins of ~ackson County
The history of Webster is the history of Jackson County,
for Webster served as the county seat from 1853 to 1913.
During that 60 year period, all official Jackson County
functions occured in Webster.
Jackson County came into being on January 29, 1851.
It was formed from parts of Haywood and Macon Counties,
which, before that date, were divided by the Tuckaseigee
River. Two Haywood County men, Michael Francis,
who served in the State Senate, and R.G.A. Love, who
served in the House, were largely responsible for the birth
of the county.
In 1850, the population of Haywood and Macon was
divided between Whig and Democrat factions. In order
to please both groups the county was named Jackson after
the popular Democrat . hero Andrew Jackson, and the
county seat was called Webster after the famous Whig
orator, Daniel Webster.
As Edgar H. Stillwell writes in "The Conquest of the
Carolina Frontier ,t' "the name of the new county was
to keep alive the memory of 'Old Hickory,' father and
founder of our Jacksonian Democracy; while the seat of
government for the new county was to honor that great
champion- of the Union of States - Daniel Webster."
On the third Monday in March, 1953, the final step
in the creation of Jackson County took place in a log
cabin built by the piontier Daniel Bryson in what is now
the Beta community. Here the first court ever held in
Jackson County convened with Judge John W. Ellis, later
Governor of North Carolina, presiding. At this meeting
the wheels of the new county were set in motion.
The commissioners who were appointed to select a
suitable place for the county buildings at first considered
locating the county seat where the second county court
was held, on the old Love farm near the County Home.
However, the hill just west of this place, on the right
bank of the Tuckaseigee River, was chosen to be the site
of the county seat.
A brick courthouse was built on this site in Webster
in 1854. Later a larger brick building was erected on
the site of the first one. This latter building, which
was made of bricks formed from Webster clay, wa"
used until 1913 when the county seat was moved to Sylva.
The building stood until the 1930's when it was torn down.
February 197 4
A fetter
3rom t6e President
Dear Preservationist Friends,
It was once the county seat. Nothing put on - a real,
living, breathing, working town that is simply making
history its industry. Historic Webster is the result of
a giant effort by the people of Jackson County who visualize
its ootential. The reclaimers are as heterogeneous
as a group of people you would ever hope to
meet- old and young, members of pioneer families who
have a strong heritage to share and newcomers attracted
by the quiet and gentle life of t~?e m?untains. . .
The Webster Historical SoCiety IS a non-prof1t orgamzation
supported principally by contributions and memberships.
Besides sponsoring preservation and adaptive
restoration, the Society is planning an oral history
collection. Think of it - tape-recordings of interviews
with senior citizens in Jackson County recalling the day
when Thon.as Edison and Henry Ford ·visited here; reminiscences
of the debate about moving the public buildings
from Webster to Sylva; tape-recordings of long-time
residents talking about the changes over the years;
school teachers discussing the changes in education.
One day-maybe soon-it will be possible to walk through
Historic Webster and see a fire in the blacksmith shop,
to see herb gardens and orchards; to visit the Museum
and Archives where you can push a button and see and
hear instant history.
All of this is possible because you are taking up
the challenge now. We've got to hurry and capture the
oral history we have left. Join today! Send your contribution
to Historic Webster for its 1-year, tax deductible
campaign to raise 5.00 yearly
Associate (outside Western N.C.): 10.00 yearly
Supporting: 30.00 yearly
Life: $100.00
All contributions are income tax deductible.
Page 2 HISTORIC WEBSTER February 1974
A Guide To The Map Of Webster
This drawing of Webster at the turn of the century
has been compiled by Betty Price, Through records,
ne·wspaper articles, and with the help of Claude Cowan,
Lily (Nanniehart) Rhinehart, Arthur Allman and Mildred
Cowarr,-the-JI'ap-has beefnlrawn up to simula:te Webster
around 1900.
The town well across from the Court House is the one
depicted in the HISTORIC WEBSTER banner. The well,
according to Nanniehart, was a gathering place for thirsty
travelers and their horses. Though the well has been
filled in, its cornerstones can still be seen next to the
Webster Post Office. ·
'!be Court House was built with red bricks from the
clay mine and brick plant across the river. The Webster
clay mine also supplied clay for dolls' heads and fine
china made in New Jersey,
The Wilde store, the two mills, and the homes on the
river were washed away in the flood of 1940, and the road
was rebuilt closer to the river, on the site of these
buildings.
Prize Given For Design
The Historic Webster bannerhead was designed and
drawn by Karen Moscowitz, a sophomore art student
at Western Carolina University, Prof. Ray Menze's
two-dimensional drawing classes took the newsletter bannerhead
as a class project, and the work of each student
was submitted to the Historical Society for review, Members
of the Historical Society Executive Committee chose
Moscowitz's work out of approximately 30 entries.
Moscowitz, who comes from Leona, New Jersey, will
be awarded five dollars by the Historical Society for her
efforts,
The Mountain View Hotel, ~athan Coward Hotel, drug
store, Tuckaseigee Bank, and Allison home were destroyed
in the fire of 1910. The Allison home has since been rebuilt
in its original style,
The map was drawn by Julie Blankenship, a student
at Southwestern Technical Institute.
If you have any additions or corrections to the map,
or if you can narrow down the date to a more specific
year, please write Betty Price, Drawer w, Webster, N.C.
28788. Any information about specific homes or buildings
will be welcomed.
In "Jackson County: Its Climate :and Natural Resources,"
a column in THE TUCKASEIGE DEMOCRAT, this siatement
appeared each week:
... "The water is pure, cool and sweet, and for household
purposes is taken from springs with which the county
abounds."
olie 'Oown of We6ster
around 1900
OJokbook
<.oll'hw...,
(_()\l)o."\
L...woH:
Will Provide
- Good Reading
A forthcoming Webster recipe book promises to provide
not only a cpllection of Webster's oldest and most
delicious dishes but also interesting reading and browsing
material.
The cookbook, which is currently being compiled by
Flossie and Joe Parker Rhinehart, will feature original
pen and ink drawings of people and places in Webster.
Character sketches of the donating cooks will accompany
some of the mouth-watering recipes, and Joe Parker is
compiling a series of "Growing Up In Webster" stories
written by Webster women of several generations. Mildred
Cowan, Mary Morris and other women who grew up in
Webster have been asked to contribute their accounts.
The recipes in the book were collected from cooks
in the area by Joe's mother, Kate Rhinehart. Flossie
Rhinehart will draw the pen and ink sketches.
The Rhineharts hope to have the cookbook completed
and on sale by mid-April. The recipe book is a fund
raising project of the Webster Historical Society, Inc,
Joe Parker Rhinehart, who grew up in Webster, and his
wife Flossie, who comes from Georgetown, Kentucky,
now live and teach school in Bethesda, Maryland, They
have worked with the historic preservation and restoration
of Murfreesboro, N.C., where they are restoring a home,
HISTORIC WEBSTER February 1974 Page 3
Nanniehart Recounts
Her Memories Of Webster
NANNIEHART in her earlier years. This photograph
was taken when she was about eighteen or
twenty years old.
Arthur Allman
Nanniehart was born Lily Cagle on August.
13, 1881. She and her husband, J. W. Rhinehart,
used to run the Mountam View Hotel
until it burned down in 1910. After that,
the Rhineharts managed hotels in Sylva and
Bryson City before they came home to Webster
and opened up the country store across
from the Court House.
Nanniehart got her nickname 34 years ago
when her grandson, Joe Parker Rhinehart,
was a baby whose ver sion of " Granny Rhinehart,
came out "Nanniehart/' Now there's
not a person in Webster who calls her
anything else.
As the oldest resident of Webster, Nanniehart
tells some colorful stories of the town
in its younger days. Of her school days,
she says, "I was raised out on a farm about
two miles from here, When I first went
to school I didn't come in to town. I went
to a country school. That was four months'
school. Later on they changed us to the
Baptist Church at the top of the river hill,
we'd go .ill_ven monthLout of the year.
in the summer, thy'd have what they
subscription school and I went to that.
That was when a teacher would come wantin'
to work in the summer and he'd char ge either
50¢ a week or 50¢amonth,Ican't remember .
But I went to school every chance I could
get up until I was 18. I would have kept
on then but my mother go~ sick and I had to
stay home."
Is Prize Storyteller
Arthur Allman has a story to tell about
practically every person or event he can
remember throughout his 89 years in Webster.
And he's even got some tales about
times he can't remember - like being born
on March 17, 1884.
His parents, Polk and Betty Allman lived
on the George Penland place at that time.
Dr. Candler was the doctor then, and he
was going to come deliver the baby, but,
as Arthur relates. "there come the awfullest
snow storm you ever saw. We had
a picket fence then, and the snow was banked
up all around it. I was born, my mother
said, at 5:00 in the morning, and of course
nobody could get there so the girl that was
staying with us and my father were the only
ones there when I was borno
"Now old llln Boone (no kin to lllniel
Boone) lived up in the house right above
us, When they shoveled out a trail, his
mother came lookin' around, and she saw
me and said, 'why, this baby's about froze
to death. ' Now her son llln wasn't much
older than I was, so she took me home and
nursed both of us until my mother could
take care of me. And it took three weeks
for my mother to get strong enough to take
me home.
"So, I had it rough from the time I come
into the world; I've had it rough and I'm
still having it rough."
Arthur describes Webster during his childhood
as ''a nice clean country town with
lots of nice people. The (Tuckaseigee)
River was a beautiful river then, clear as
a crystal, just as pure as any spring water
you could find. You could drink out of it
then, and now it's not even clean enough to
take a bath in. It was bigger in those days,
about four times as big as it is now. And
fish--that river was just loaded with fish."
The covered bridge in Webster was a
gather ing spot during rainstorms until sometime
in the nineteen-teens when it was torn
down. It, too, sparks a story by Arthur.
"That old bridge was covered and had
two windows on either side. It sheltered
many a person on a rainy day. Hunters would
go there to kill ducks. Back then there were
no lakes on the river, so there were lots
of ducks. Well, one bad rainy day when
Bill Henson was sheriff, old Henry Norman
and I wer e going to go hun tin ' and we were
standing under there because of the rain.
Henry had a new double-barrel gun and he
was mighty proud of that gun. Now they
were strict about taxes then; it's not like
it is now; if you didn't pay your taxes
they'd just come and take something you
owned until you did pay.
"Now the sheriff walked in and saw Henry
there with that gun, and asked him, 'Henry,
is that a good gun?' Of course, Henry was
proud of it and told him it was, and the
sheriff said, 'well, Henry,Inoticeyouhaven't
paid your taxes, so I'll just take the gun
until you pay it. • Poor Henry had to give
him the gun, and he didn't get to go huntin'
that day,"
~oin tfie Historical Society 'Godayl . "e The mailing list has been compiled from the Webster
township tax listings, the Sylva Herald out-of-county subscription
list, a list of Jackson County public school
teachers, the Western North Carolina Historical Society
membership list, WCU faculty and staff directory; the
Appalachian Consortium Board of Directors list and personal
lists from members of the Webster Historical
Society.
0
D
I want to be a Charter Member ~
If you know of anyone who would like to receive the
newsletter , please send the name and address to Drawer W,
Webster, North Carolina, 28788·.
The first three issues of HISTORIC WEBSTER will
be sent free to anyone interested in receiving them.
Further issues of the newsletter will be sent to all
members of the Webster Historical Society at no cost
other than membership dues.
D
My dues are enclosed
10
30
ll5,000
Plans call for the building to house the Webster Town payable on or before July 10. The Jackson County Board
Council offices, Historical Society Offices, a museum and of Education on January 9 agreed to accept the offer made
archives, a restaurant, a community theater, an
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