Alleghany Historical-Genealogical Society, Inc.

P.O. BOX 817, Sparta, N.C. 28675

President: Mildred Torney			
Vice President: Pauline Jolly
Secretary-Treasurer:  Elvira Crouse

Vol. 11, No.1	 	             	  March 1989			BULLETIN NO. 38

FROM THE PRESIDENT:

	Hello friends! I am looking forward to working with the members of the Alleghany Historical-Genealogical Society as your President this year.  I esepcailly want to thank Marvie Shelor for all the work he did as our President for the last two years.  His untiring efforts and enthusiasm is an example to all of us.  

	1989 promises to be a busy year for the Society.  One of our main projects is gathering and documenting “old-timey” sayings, healing practices, weather forecasting and folk-lore of our area.  Much of the basic knowledge of our forefathers will soon be lost unless we all make a genuine effort to save it.  SO all you members: start looking through your scrapbooks and keepsakes to see what you can come up with!  Much of this information may be resting in the back our brains, so lets start thinking and talking to the old-timers around us.  We're likely to discover a wealth of information!

	We are grateful for the response to our plea for articles to publish in this Bulletin.  Please continue to submit data that will be of interest to our members and others with connections to the County. Old letters, wills, deeds, stories, etc.  that apply to our local heritage and that will be appropriate for publication will be appreciated.  

	I want to encourage each of our members to take an active part in our Society so that it will continue to be successful.  And, of course, we always welcome new members!

									Mildred Torney

TALES TOLD IN THE VERNACULAR by Alton G. Landreth, taped by Becky Landreth Mayes. Submitted for use in the BULLETIN by Lou Reid Landreth.  

DOC AND THE SNOW DRIFT

	I guess I ought to tell everybody how I happened to get mixed up with this Doctor Choate and the deals we got into all these years.  It is pretty simple.  He had a lot of land scattered all over the county, some that other people owned and he was renting and he was always taking in cattle on debts and different things.  He had to raise corn and put up hay on top of all his doctoring.  He had to think of some way to turn it into money.  He would get all us boys in the community to help him hoe out the corn and put up the hay, so I got to helping him quite often and would drive cattle, help him in the office, clean out the office once in a while,

	I finally got big enough to drive an automobile and he found out by that time that he could depend on what I told him.  He just liked to keep me around because we got to hunting together and taking hunting trips to Virginia, the coast or anywhere.  He figured he could trust me with about anything he had and liked the way I drove his automobile and said nobody could get ahead of me out on all those rough roads.  He said I just went around them and left others settin' in the mud hole.  We would take down the fence and go right up through a man's field, or woods, and then back into the road a mile on down—when we had a call and figured we had to be there, you know.  

	One time we started on a trip out to Roaring Gap and a big snow drift was ahead about six feet deep and forty feet long.  I saw that thing and I just stopped.  Doc says “By grannies, back up here and go on through it.”  I says “Shucks, there ain't now way.”  He says “Let me over there under that wheel.”  I got up and let him get under the wheel of that thing and I didn't know what he was going to do.  He backed up on the pavement where the wind had kind of blown the snow off and he put that thing in low gear and took a run at it and hit that snow—the snow flew up on top and all over—and the car went right on up six or eight feet and stopped!  Well, in a minute or so it just sunk right straight down.  We couldn't get the doors open or anything, had the exhaust pipe covered with snow so we knew we would have to cut the motor off or we would get all that gas.  So we cut the motor and rolled the windows down and crawled out the windows.  He says “Well, we've got to get out of tis thing some way.” I said “It looks like we are going to have to wait for the State truck and plow to come along to get us out.”  He agreed it looked like we would have to.  Boy, it was cold, must hav ebeen at least zero and the wind about fifty miles an hour. We got out in the snow and stood around trying to keep our feet warm and in a few minutes we heard a truck coming and the snow plow hitting the road.  In a minute or two he came up the hill and we could see him or the plow on front and a couple of men inside with him

	He says “What are you fellows doing up in that snow drift?”  Doc told him what had happened and he says “Well, we really shouldn't get you out- anybody who ain't got no better judgment than to go into a snow drift , we ought to drive right off and leave you there.”  Doc says “No, you can't do that, you got to get us out  of here.” So they got out and hooked a chain to the back and pulled it back and took a shovel and we cleaned the snow out from the wheels, it was just packed on top and around the wheels.  So we dug it all out and got out of the way and he took the ole snow plow and got the blade angled just right and then he piled the snow out of the road.  I twas quite a job, took him about an hour to do that.

	We got back in the car and reved the motor up to stay warm and he finally got the road cleared out and we followed him on to Roaring Gap and got over the top of the mountain where the snow was not so deep and we were okay.  So we thanked him and he turned around to go back to Sparta and we went on down the mountain to make the call that we was on.  

DOC AND THE FERRY

	Once during a rainy spell Doc got a call to come down to the lower end of the county toward Galax where someone was sick.  It had been raining so that the old country roads were in terrible shape.  We had to stop two or three times and put rails under the car and back up, and go through fences or detour to get there.  Worst mud I ever seen, no paved roads then, and very little gravel in those days.  We got there and he done the doctoring, whatever it was, I forget what the case was.

	Doc said “I tell you right now there ain't no way we are going back to Sparta the same way we came down here.”  I said “Well, let's just go around through Roanoke and come in that way.”  He said “Gosh no, we can make it easier than that, that's too far, we will just go down here next to Galax and if wee can catch that man who runs the ferry  he can just set us across (New River) and we will hit that better road over there in the edge of Virginia.”  I had never been through there—I guess that is still the only trip I ever made through there.  He knew the road and everything.  He said “We'll just try it and see.  He will either be there or the ferry will be on this side of the river.  I fit is on this side of the river, we will just set ourselves across.”  I didn't like the sound of that much, but there wasn't much I could do.  We got stuck in the mud a time or two before we got to the river.  When we got in sight of the river and looked down, he said “Yeah, the ferry is on this side.  I don't know where he is.” (I forgot the man's name) “If he is not there we will just take the ferry and go on across.”  We got down there and nobody was there.  The ferry was all tied up and everything, so Doc said “Just drive right on out here on it, about the middle.”  So I drove out in the middle of the ferry.  I had never been on a ferry before and I didn't know how to operate the thing.  I figured he did.  He said “Untie that thing and shove off and we will be gone.”  He seemed in a hurry. He knew that river, had been across several times and he ought to know better how to set the ferry for going across.  Well, I untied the line and shoved her off.  You see it had been raining and that was why it was so muddy.  As soon as it was out about twenty feet  from the bank the current caught the thing and it was going across the river straight, if you know what I mean.  In place of the back or front being up or down, it was just like a dam across the river, straight across it and chained to that ferry was a little windless that you had to turn and then lock it to pull the front end up and let the back end down.  This had to be changed every time you crossed the river because you wanted the back end of the ferry to be down the hill a good little bit so the water would run off it and not pond up.  That would help pull it across.  Well, we got out there and the current caught it and it was flat straight.  No water was shedding off of it at all, so there we was.  We couldn't pole it at all and it looked like the water was going to run over the top of it in spite of all we could do and, Buddy, I was ready to swim.  I told Doc “Now when that water hits the top of this, old Eck's going to hit that river. Doc says “Oh, we'll make it.”  He as just poling to beat the band.

	Well, we did make it but I tell you right now, it was awful close.  We couldn't move one of the windlesses.  There was too much pressure on it.  You had to wind them up and throw that little catch down so you could unwind it.  I guess we done the best thing we could, just to keep paddling it.  Took us a long time to get over there.  We got on the other side and I jumped all over Doc.  I said “As many times as you have crossed the river and been doing this all your life, you ought to know better.  You might have drowned us and lost the automobile and everything in this river.”  And he said “Well, I just didn't think—yeah, I knew how to set that thing (windless).”  I said “Well, you sure didn't do it.”  I just hit him all the way home about that.  But we made it and that was what counted.

OBITUARY – ELDER A. McKNIGHT
Submitted by Betty E. Bledsoe.  Elder McKnight was her great-grandfather.

	Elder A. McKnight was born June 8th, 1851 in Grayson County, Virginia.  He was married to Miss Rosa J. Lundy on October 15th, 1870.  Unto this union were born thirteen children, nine boys and four girls, twelve of which remain to mourn their loss.  

	He professed a hope in Christ on Tuesday before the third Saturday in June 1873.  On January 31st, 1876 he was ordained to the work of the gospel ministry by Elder Andrew Powers and W.J. Chappel.  

	The first text he preached from was St. Luke 18:16 “Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of God.”  He gave a great part of his life's work to the gospel ministry, served on the presbytery at the ordination of many preachers and deacons, and served in a like capacity at the constitution of nearly a dozen churches, and in all his work showed a zeal for his Master and a profound consecration to that which is right.

	For many years his time was filled by pastoral calls from the churches.  He preached the funeral of more than a thousand people, and baptized a like number.  He was Moderator of the Little River Regular Baptist Association for thirty-six consecutive sessions.

	His terminal sickness began on February 15th, 1931, and on the 11th day of the next June he fell asleep at the age of eighty years and three days.  He fully planned his funeral rites—Bro. Mack Brooks to lead the opening prayer and the undersigned to preach the funeral.  His body was borne to the cemetery at Mountain View church, and while the grave was being filled the audience, following his request made many ears ago, joined in singing “Children of the Heavenly King.”

	Written by Elder M. E. Poole and Elder G.W. Miles in the Little River Baptist Association Minutes of October 23, 1931.  

GENAALOGY INFORMATION ON MC KNIGHT FAMILY
(Submitted by Betty E. Bledsoe)

	William (Billy) McKnight, Scotch emigrant, came to what is now known as Baywood, Grayson County, Virginia.  With his wife, who was born in Scotland ( we do not know her name), he dug a cave out of the bank of New River and took up and entered his claim of 1000 acres of land.  There in the cave, he raised his family of five children.  By trade he was a cobbler and harness maker.  He made collars for horses out of pig skin with tow knobs at the top, as now, but they were slipped over the horse's head at the large end and turned right side up just behind the head.  He made sandals until he learned from the Indians how to make moccasins.  These also were made of pig skin.  The hogs they got the skin from were wild hogs—black as a bear and with real kinky short hair with no bristles.  They were named Corby hogs.  Their tushes would be five or six inches long. These hogs were very vicious and had to be host dead or they would put up a dangerous fight.  Tanbark was used to tan leather.

	As the story goes (this information was headed down from Uncle John McKnight), Billy McKnight's family also cut down large trees and the centers of the logs were hollowed out to make troughs.  

	The five children of William McKnight were:

1.	Elizabeth McKnight, married William Hodges.  They lived near Brush Creek in Alleghany County, NC.  Their children were Mana, Martha and Mandy.
2.	Charity McKnight, married first John Isom.  Their children were High, Spence, Senie, Betsy, Lear, Polly and Poole.  Charity married second Jim Blevins on November 21, 1833.
3.	Samuel McKnight married Nancy Welch.  Their children were Nicholas, Andy, Matilda, John and William.
4.	Billy McKnight died young
5.	John McKnight also died young.

	Samuel McKnight ( Number 3, above) was drowned in the New River.  It was swollen when he attempted to cross to go to a corn shucking on the other side of the river, near where he lived.  More information on their five children follows.  

Nicholas McKnight was born Jun 12, 1825, died August 26 1894, married 
Polly Blevins.  Nicholas married second Permelia Fender on January 20, 1881.
She was  the daughter of John Spurlin.

Andy McKnight was born June 13, 1831, died October 9, 1909, married Darcus
Collins December 31, 1852.  Darcus was born April 27, 1836, died April 14, 1909.  They are buried at the McKnight family cemetery, Baywood, VA.

No further information on Matilda.  John died young.  William died at age 75, never married.  They are buried at the McKnight family cemetery, Baywood, VA.

FROM THE PAGES OF LUNA WEAVER'S SCRAPBOOK

OBITUARY – 1955

JOESPH MARSHALL HASH

	Joseph Marshall Hash, son of Lazarus and Molly Halsey Hash, was born December 27, 1863, died November 6, 1955.  Making his stay on earth 92 years, 10 months and 10 days.  

	He was married to Jane Bland, about 70 years ago.  Unto this unto this union was born 8 children, 5 preceded him in death, 3 living: Grover Hash, Mrs. Bettie Parson and Mintie Hash. 

	His wife preceded him in death 8 years ago.  He professed hope in Christ some years ago, but never joined any church, but was a Primitive Baptist faith.  He told his loved ones that he was ready to go, and not afraid to die.

	His home was always a welcome place for the preachers, his neighbors and friends, and loved to have services in his home.  He was a hard working man as long as he was able to work and was ever ready to lend a helping hand in time of need.

	He had been afflicted with much patience.  He was a good neighbor and loved by all who knew him.

	All was done for him that doctors, children, grandchildren and friends could do.  But when God called he had to go.  He died easy and we believe he just fell asleep in the arms of Jesus.  

	He leaves to mourn their loss beside his children, one brother, William E. Hash, 10 grandchildren, a large connection and many friends.

	We feel our loss was his eternal gain.  Funeral service was conducted at Piney Creek Methodist Church by Elders Coy Walker and Wiley Carrol and his body laid to rest by the side of his wife in the church cemetery.  

	Written by request.	W.J. Wyatt

				IN THE OLD DAYS

					WHEN THINGS GOT ROUGH

						WHAT YOU DID WAS

								WITHOUT!!!

PUBLICATIONS:

	THEOPHILUS BALDWIN 1792-1851 and His Descendants, North Carolina-Indiana.  Hardbound cover.  Includes 27 pictures, 13 maps, numerous original documents and much more.  Contains 196 pages, plus index and pages for future generations.  This book is he culmination of 25 years research.  Presented in a narrative history format about Theophilus and Sarah Maxwell Baldwin and their known descendants.  $30.00 postpaid.  Order from: Ralph Baldwin, Speedway, IN.  

	A family newsletter known as THE CHEW FAMILY covering all branches of the Chew surname and allied lineages.  Published quarterly at a cost of $15.00 per year.  Has unlimited fere queries.  Contact Frances Brengle, Editor, Baltimore, MD.  

	A family newsletter known as ELY HERTIAGE Covering all branches of the Ely surname and allied lineages.  Published quarterly at a cost of $15.00 yearly.  Has unlimited free queries.  Write Theresa Ryan, Editor, Aberdeen, MD.

CORRECTIONS – CORRECTIONS

	CEMETERY BOOK – No book is perfect!  We would like to give the following corrections which you may want to enter in the Code pages of your cemetery book:

	038	CHEEK, Chesley		Road 1412, east of 1431 toward river, near Clair
						Wyatt's home.

	054	CRAB CREEK		(Not Crab Tree)

 	213	RECTOR, Warren		(There are two Warren Rectors)

	288	WYATT, Calvin		1142, off 18S, 1/10 mi to Mrs. Charlie Roberts and 1/10 mi
 						on to cemetery. (This was omitted, but there are two Calvin 						Wyatts)

	BULLETIN NO. 38 – The names of the members of the Board of Directors were incorrectly reported in the last Bulletin.  In addition to the President, Vice-President and Secretary-Treasurer, the Board includes Marjorie Armentrout, Lou Reid Landreth and M.O. Zimmerman.