Sunday, March 21, 2010

J. A. Burns: Caswell Rifles

Even though Caswell was a county of many slave owners, most of whom held a comparatively large number of slaves, her people were not among the advocates of disunion over the question of the admission of "free states." Caswell, nevertheless, was one of sixteen counties in the state having a larger slave than white population. In the 1840s and 1850s, a period of high feeling on the question of slavery and states' rights, Caswell was in the Fifth North Carolina Congressional District and represented by men who were opposed to the destruction of the Union.North Carolina was completely surrounded by Confederate states and on April 17, 1861, Governor Ellis called a special session of the General Assembly to convene on May 1. The first act of the legislature was to set May 13 as the day for an election of delegates to assemble as a state convention on May 20.the convention chose to pass an ordinance simply repealing the ordinance of 1789 by which North Carolina had joined the Union in the first place. The assembled delegates then asserted that North Carolina was once again a completely sovereign, free, and independent state.

Friday, March 19, 2010

Elizabeth Nichols Whitlow

Elizabeth Nichols Whitlow is celebrating her 90th birthday. Whitlow was born March 15, 1920 to parents Ruth Caroline (Stephens) and Robert Norwood Whitlow. The eighth child, she had six brothers -- James, John, Martin, Ralph, Carlton, and Stanley --- and she had five sisters---Eudora, Ruth, Evelyn, Marion, and Jeannine. Her childhood years were spent growing up on the family farm in Leasburg where, along with her brothers and sisters, she helped with tobacco and grain crops. Whitlow served in World War II along with four brothers and one sister. As an Army nurse, she spent a good deal of time in Italy. She achieved the rank of Lieutenant. After the War, she located in Indianapolis, Indiana with husband Jim Reith. There she continued for many years in her nursing profession working in the health care field for one of the large corporations in the area. After Jim’s death, she re-located to Orangeburg, S.C. where she eventually remarried. When her second husband, Bill Price, died she decided to move back to Leasburg to be closer to relatives. A very active person, Whitlow remained true to her farm roots, engaging in “urban farming” activities of vegetable and flower gardening. Other past-times she has enjoyed include bird watching and walking. Until very recently, she took a brisk walk every day. She once wrote in a letter when in her 70’s that she had been up on the roof of her house to remove leaves from the gutter. Elizabeth, Happy 90th Birthday from all your relatives and friends!

Source: The Caswell Messenger, 17 March 2010.
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For more on the Whitlow family see the Caswell County Family Tree.






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Sunday, March 14, 2010

Rainey Family Soldiers

Caswell Co NC soldiers:

Virgil Morse Rainey, War of 1812 Military 1814 11th Company, 5th Regiment, Caswell County, North Carolina

Demosthenes Rainey, Civil War, Company G, 22 NC Enlisted 5-28-61 at Wake Co, NC. Private, age 31. Also served Co B, 65th NC Infantry and 12th NC Infantry.


RAINEY, David M. Co D, 42nd NC Infantry Enlisted 2-4-62 at Rowan Co, NC. Private, age 22. Promoted July 1862 to Corporal. Reduced to Private 7-30-62. Died 4-10-63 of smallpox at Hamilton.

RAINEY, Demos Co G, 22nd NC Infantry Enlisted 5-28-61 at Wake Co, NC. Private, age 31. Also served Co B, 65th NC Infantry and 12th NC Infantry.

RAINEY, John Co K, 8th NC Infantry Enlisted 7-31-61 at Rowan Co, NC. Private, age 18, farmer. Killed 4-20-64 at Plymouth, NC.

RAINEY, William Co K, 8th NC Infantry Enlisted 8-27-61 at Rowan Co, NC. Private, age 24, farmer. POW 2-8-62 at Roanoke Island, VA. Transferred 11-7-62 to Co B, 4th NC Infantry.

RAINEY, William Co K, 8th NC Infantry Enlisted 7-15-61 at Rowan Co, NC. Corporal, age 25, cabinet maker. POW 2-18-62 at Roanoke Island, VA. Transferred 1-21-64 to Co B, 57th NC Infantry.

RAINEY, William A. 2nd Co B, 42nd NC Infantry Enlisted 4-1-64. Private, age 18, resides Rowan Co, NC. POW January 1865 at Sugar Loaf, Fort Fisher, NC. Imprisoned at Fort Monroe, VA.

RAINEY, William T. Co H, 57th NC Infantry Enlisted 2-9-64 at Wake Co, NC. Private, age 18. POW 4-6-65 at Farmville, VA. Imprisoned at Newport News, VA.
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Friday, March 12, 2010

Ethel Earline Martin Cobb (1923-2010)

Mrs. Ethel Earline Martin Cobb passed on Sunday, March 7, 2010 at the Brian Center in Yanceyville, NC. Funeral services will be 2:00 P.M. Friday, March 12, 2010 at New Ephesus Baptist Church. There will be a visitation 1:30 P.M. – 2:00 P.M. prior to the service. Dr. Ponce DeLeon Brown will bring the eulogy. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. Ethel was born on April 12, 1923 in Caswell County, NC to the late Thomas Jackson and Mary Fannie Turner Martin. She received her formal education in the Caswell County School System. Earline was employed and retired from Burlington Industries in Reidsville, NC. Having confessed Christ at an early age, she became a member of the New Ephesus Missionary Baptist Church. She served diligently on the Usher Board for a number of years. She was also a member of the Senior and Mass Choirs. She attended Sunday school and Bible Study for as long as her health allowed. Earline also faithfully served as a Pastor’s Aide member. She sang for seventeen years with The Martin Sisters Singers.

Earline was a person with a generous spirit, kind and giving. She was always concerned about the welfare of her family and friends. She was married to the late Langston Cobb who preceded her in death, April 10, 1999. She was also preceded in death by two sisters, Mary Bell Harrelson and Louise Martin (died at birth), and three brothers, Eddie Martin Sr., David Martin and Thomas Martin. Earline leaves to cherish her memories: two sisters; Carrie Brown, Henderson, NC, Hallie Poteat, Yanceyville, NC, one niece; Mary Miles of the home, one nephew; Justin Jones, five sister-in-laws, one brother-in-law and a host of other nieces, nephews, relatives and many friends. The public may view Thursday, March 11, 2010 from 2:30 P.M.- 7:00 P.M.
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Thursday, March 11, 2010

North Carolina in the Civil War Website


North Carolina in the Civil War
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Photograph: Confederate Memorial Monument on the Courthouse Square in Yanceyville, Caswell County, North Carolina
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Monday, March 08, 2010

Tuesday, March 02, 2010

Henry Ajax Walker (1867-1930)

Henry A. Walker, Tobacco Official Dies in Kentucky

News was received here yesterday of the death in Louisville, Ky yesterday of Henry A. Walker, vice-president of the Liggett-Myers company after a long illness. He succumbed to arterio sclerosis at the age of 63. Mr. Walker was born in Milton, N.C. but came to Danville as a young man and embarked on a tobacco career which was to carry him to a considerable length. He began by following the auction sales. For many years he was identified with Brooks and company whose factory was on High Street, then he went with the American Tobacco Company, and then with Liggett and Myers where he was gradually promoted. He recently was compelled to withdraw from active work on account of his illness.

He is survived by his wife and three children, H. A. Walker, Jr., of Durham, Mrs. R. A. Adams of Indianapolis, and Mrs. Charles Castber [spelling suspect] of Louisville, Ky. The following brothers and sisters also survive: Misses Maitland Walker, Mary Walker, Agnes Walker, and Annie Walker, all of Danville. Mrs. L. B. Morgan of Wyliesburg. Mrs. William H. Jones of Danville, and the following brothers: Lewis Walker of Petersburg, F. L. Walker, Jr. of Durham, N.C., and Charles Walker, of Pittsburgh. The family last night requested that no flowers be sent to the funeral which will be conducted in Louisville.

Source: The Bee (Danville, Virginia), 13 May 1930.

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