Thursday, December 11, 2014

The Williamson Brothers of Hobucken - N.C. Family Band of Brothers

 This story is reprinted from the News & Observer by Martha Quillan. November 11, 2011


N.C. Family's Band of Brothers
by Martha Quillen

      Lt. Harry "Red" Williamson spent three years as a U.S. Navy pilot during World War II, much of it swooping in on a seaplane to rescue American troops whose ships had been torpedoed or bombed and sent them splashing in the Pacific.
     Williamson was a member of a patrol bombing squadron called VPB-26 whose pilots were as widely known for their search-and-rescue abilities as for their skill at bombing enemy ships and submarines. Emerging from the clouds to pull survivors from the burning wreckage, they became known as the Flying Angels.
     Williamson had stories to tell.
     It was just that no one wanted to listen.
     "Everybody had stories," Williamson told his daughter, Robin McBrearty, when she asked her 88-year-old father why he had never talked about the war.
     "You could walk down the street and every single person on that street would have a story" about the war, he told her. "But nobody wanted to hear the stories. They had seen enough of war. They didn't want to talk about that anymore."
     Even in his own family, there were too many stories.
     Harry was one of 13 children born to Henry and Emma Williamson of Hobucken, a tiny waterfront community in Pamlico County, and four of them had gone off to fight between February 1942 and September 1943.
      Delbert Williamson was drafted by the Army; he went first. Then Rex joined the Navy, followed by Harry, who was too young to join on his own and had to hitchhike home from Washington to get his father to sign for him. A few months after Grady Williamson signed up, The News & Observer noted the service of the four young men and ran photographs of them in their uniforms.
      The clipping, which floated around the family for nearly seven decades, has inspired a much more permanent tribute to the siblings by their surviving children, who only recently realized how much their fathers did for their country, and how little they had required in return.
      The brothers are gone now - Harry, the last of his generation of Williamsons, died in September - but their story will live.
      On Monday, the U.S. Navy Memorial in Washington will hold a ceremony for the Williamson family, dedicating a plaque to honor the four brothers' service. The plaque features the military portraits and calls the Williamson boys "A Band of Brothers - Heroes from Hobucken, N.C."
      The Williamsons were among 361,000 North Carolinians who served in the armed forces during World War II, more than 7,000 of whom were lost in action, according to the N.C. Museum of History. In September 2010, the Veterans Administration estimated there were about 53,900 World War II veterans still living in the state.
     The Williamsons' plaque will be added to a commemorative plaque wall inside the memorial's Naval Heritage Center. The Williamsons' may be the first of the hundreds of plaques dedicated to a familial quartet.
     War not discussed
     Ken Williamson, whose father, Rex, served in the amphibious forces in the Pacific fleet, started the project.
     Growing up in the Washington area, Ken Williamson was aware his father had served in the war.
"He had medals, he had papers and ribbons and stuff like that," Ken recalls. "But as I got into the later teen years and on into adulthood, we never really talked about it. He never brought it up, either. There were things that happened that they just didn't want to talk about. Ever."
     Rex Williamson died in 1998 at age 76.
     Harry Williamson might never have talked about it, either, except for a random conversation to help a grieving spouse pass the time.
     Harry's wife, Jill, fell ill earlier this year, and once she came home from the hospital to spend her last days at home, Robin McBrearty said, Harry almost never left her side. One day, McBrearty said, the couple's minister came by to visit. Jill Williamson was too weak to talk, so the pastor chatted with Harry.
     "So Harry," he asked, "Where were you stationed in the war?"
     "In the south Pacific," Williamson answered.
     "So did you see the atom bomb go off?"
     "Yeah," he said. "You couldn't miss it. It was huge."
     McBrearty had no idea. She began asking him questions, too, and recording his answers, about seeing the explosion of the second atom bomb, and about being in Tokyo Bay the day Emperor Hirohito walked onto the USS Missouri to sign the Japanese surrender. He talked about the sounds of the ships sirens rising in the bay to celebrate the end of the war.
     Ken Williamson was fascinated to hear his uncle's stories. He and other family members met Harry when he went to Washington earlier this year to see the National WWII Memorial through the Flight of Honor program. Harry went, he told his family, to honor his three brothers who didn't live to see it.
      Ken Williamson and his wife later made a stop by the U.S. Navy Memorial, and Ken started reading all those plaques. The Williamson men ought to have a plaque, he said.
     Harry Williamson learned he had cancer while the plaque was in the works. His family knew he wouldn't live long enough to make it to a November dedication.
     So the last weekend in August, when Hurricane Irene was pounding the East Coast, Ken drove from his home in Centreville, Va., to see Harry in New Jersey with a video showing the Navy Memorial, the wall of plaques and the spot the Williamsons' would occupy. He brought Harry a duplicate of the plaque he could hold in his hands.
     "That just broke him completely up," Ken Williamson said.
      Harry died two weeks later.
     "It's remarkable that the four of them went in and they all came back without a scratch," Ken Williamson said. "We're thankful to them for going to protect us. They gave everything they had, not knowing whether they would even be coming home.
     "They are heroes."

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/11/11/1635032_nc-familys-band-of-brothers.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy

Friday, November 28, 2014

In Memory of Mary Jane Whitfield Ireland


Mary Jane Whitfield Ireland, 76, passed away on November 6, 2014, in Las Vegas, Nevada. She was born May 10, 1938 to Stanley Hodges Sr. and Rilla Spence in Oriental, North Carolina. She worked as a loving mother and homemaker for most of her life in Lowland, North Carolina. Prior to relocating to Las Vegas earlier this year due to health issues, she attended Lowland Pentecostal Holiness Church.

Mary Jane is survived by her son, Douglas Whitfield and daughter-in-law, Kimberly Whitfield of Las Vegas; sisters, Elizabeth Mitchell of Reelsboro, North Carolina and Mary Lee Dike of Las Vegas, Nevada as well as numerous nieces and nephews. She is also survived by her special cousin, Charlene Richards of Plymouth, North Carolina. She was preceded in death by brothers Stanley Hodges Jr. and James "Jimmy" Hodges and by her husband Bennie Ireland, her second husband Fred Waldrop, and by her first husband Fenner Whitfield.

Mary Jane was a great nature lover and found great joy in gardening and raising her pets. She loved to cook and share recipes with everyone. She leaves behind a host of extended family and friends and will be sorely missed by those who knew her. "Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!" Luke 1:45

Arrangements were by La Paloma Funeral Home in Henderson, Nevada. On-line condolences may be posted at www.lapalomafuneralservices.com\lapaloma.

Services and burial to be held in Lowland, North Carolina in the spring of 2015.

Thursday, October 23, 2014

In Memory of Elsie Marie Bennett Flowers


Elsie Marie Bennett Flowers, 67, 5390 Lowland Rd, Lowland, died October 20, 2014 at Carolina East Medical Center in New Bern.

She was a member of Wardens Grove Free Will Baptist Church and was a homemaker.

She is survived by her husband Julius Flowers, Sr.; three sons, Julius Flowers, Jr., George Flowers, and Edward "Bud" Bennett; two daughters, Ginger Flowers Nimmo and Crystal B. Rivera; 11 grandchildren and one great grandchild.
A memorial service will be held  at 1:00 p.m. Thursday, October 23, 2014 at Wardens Grove Free Will Baptist Church, Lowland.

Arrangements by Rivers-Morgan Funeral Home, Inc.

Saturday, October 4, 2014

In Memory of Foy Sadler Ballance Sr.

Foy Sadler Ballance Sr. passed away peacefully on September 30, 2014 in Georgia surrounded by his family.  He was born and raised in Lowland, NC, but spent the majority of his life in Everglades City, FL.  Foy was an Army veteran, where he was stationed in Alaska during the Korean War.  He was also a member of the Chokoloskee Church of God.

He did many things in his 83 years of life, from farming to shrimping and crabbing, to driving a truck and working for Gulf Oil.  He could shuck oysters as fast as anyone.  He was an awesome baseball player, too.  Foy touched many lives as a school teacher for Everglades City School where he was also an assistant basketball coach and a bus driver.  Foy was definitely "Mr. Fix It" everywhere he went!  He had an amazing gift for fixing anything he touched.  Everyone knew to call on him.  He enjoyed hunting, camping, oystering, traveling, and spending time outdoor with the people he loved.  He will be missed by many, but now he is in Heaven rejoicing!

Foy was preceded in death by his wife, Yuvonne Hazel Ballance; his mother and father, Della Sadler Ballance and Joe Ballance; and all five of his siblings Elma, Mamie, Dave Taylor, Joe and Helen.

He is survived by a son, Foy Sadler Ballance Jr. and wife Beverly; a daughter, Katy Ballance Fleming and husband Chris; four grandchildren, Bo Sadler Ballance, Kaney Andrews Ballance, Cayden Elizabeth Fleming, and Carlee Alana Fleming; as well as many nieces and nephews.

The family would like to thank Maxine Combs for giving him special care and love the last few years of his life. He loved you too!  Thank you to The Sanctuary of Savannah for all the prayers and visits. We could not have had the strength and comfort without it.  Also, thank you to all his family and friends that called, visited, and fed us during his sickness.  We love all of you!

A viewing will be held at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, October 4, 2014, with a service to follow at 2:00 p.m. at Hodges Funeral Home at Naples Memorial Gardens, 525 111th Avenue North, Naples, FL 34108.

Friday, September 12, 2014

Walking Tour of Goose Creek Island Cemeteries - To See, To Remember

Photo by William Odell Spain, January 2010

     Goose Creek Island's cemeteries are our most important historic resource.  If you ask any Islander what the Island's most important historic resources would be, they will say our churches, working waterfronts (landings) and our cemeteries.  Our Island history is in our cemeteries and preservation of them will be vital to keeping our history alive.
     The cemeteries on the Island is our most sacred places, but they are also places for educating and learning.  At rest, our former neighbors and family are a source of history and our Island stories. Strolling through the cemeteries provides not only a window into our past, but the serenity and reverence of its location, the quiet wildlife amongst it, and the beautiful outdoor sculptures of the markers.
     If we desire to tell our stories to future generations and visitors, our cemeteries offer the best opportunities.  From the hallowed ground lays stories of Island characters, their triumphs, their tragedies.  They offer the opportunity to gather genealogical information and the history that is revealed.
    I am planning a Walking Tour of Goose Creek Island Cemeteries for the fall.  Several folks have mentioned they would like to visit the Brickyard Cemetery at Middle Bay.  I've never been and I would love to bear witness to the history that is there.  We can pick a day and all gather at the Hobucken Marina. We'll drive to each cemetery on the Island and share stories, record any information one would like and take pictures.   But most importantly, we will gather to learn, to record these memories, to honor our fellow Islanders. 
     If you are interested in joining me, please send me an email at tinabeacham@yahoo.com or message me on Facebook.  I will try to pick a Saturday for all of us to come together.  Your thoughts and suggestions are most welcomed. 
  

Monday, September 8, 2014

In Memory of Ray Rhoden Jr.


Raymond Harold Rhoden, Jr., 65, of Hobucken passed away Saturday, September 6, 2014, at CarolinaEast Medical Center.

He was a retired commercial fisherman and enjoyed spending time with his family and deer hunting.

He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Nancy Rhoden; one son, Bryan Rhoden and wife, Kelly, of Lowland; two daughters, Christina Godwin and husband, Troy, of Hobucken and Maria Norman and husband, Jamey, of Merritt; two sisters, Rhonda Luckey of Stark, Fla. and Bonny West of Chocowinity; three brothers, Doran L. Sadler and Lynn Sadler, both of Hobucken and Mickey Sadler of Grantsboro; and five grandchildren, Amber Norman, Jamey Norman Jr., Leighia Godwin, Lora Rhoden and Sara Rhoden.

His funeral will be held 11 a.m. Tuesday, September 9, at New Vision Pentecostal Holiness Church with the Rev. Ray Bonner officiating. Interment will be in Barnett Cemetery.

The family will receive friends and relatives immediately following the service at the church.

Flowers are appreciated or memorial donations may be made to Bryant Funeral Home, PO Box 99, Alliance, NC 28509 to assist the family with final expenses.

Monday, September 1, 2014

In Memory of Eula Ballance Heath


Eula Mae Ballance Heath, 93, died Thursday, August 28, 2014 at Bayview Nursing and Rehab Center. She had worked as a seamstress with Sagner Sewing Room and was a lifetime member of Warden's Grove FWB, Lowland.  She was the daughter of the late Charlie and Mamie Ballance of Lowland.

She is survived by her son Carlton Heath and wife Vicki of New Bern;  one sister, Mollie Campen of Lowland; one grandson, Daniel Heath and wife Ashley of Wilson; and one great-grandson Malachi.

Funeral will be at 3:30 p.m. Sunday at Pollock-Best Funeral Home Chapel with burial following at Greenleaf Memorial Park.  The family will receive friends at Pollock-Best Funeral Home Saturday 6-8 p.m.



Friday, August 29, 2014

In Memory of Tracy Andrew Popperwill


Tracy Andrew Popperwill, 48, of New Bern, passed away Tuesday, August 26, 2014 at Carolina East Medical Center. He was the son of the late Varion Popperwill and Jean Popperwill Morris.

He was a commercial fisherman for many years.

He is survived by his wife, Annette Ireland Popperwill of the home; three sons, Joseph Popperwill, Jacob Popperwill and Connor Popperwill all of the home; two daughters, Skyla Popperwill of the home, Ashley Popperwill Barnard of Hobucken, one brother, Todd Popperwill of Hobucken and two grandchildren.

Memorial services will be held at 11:00 AM, Saturday, August 30, at New Vision Pentecostal Holiness Church.

The family will receive friends following the service at the church. Inurnment will be in Lowland Community Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to Bryant Funeral Home, P.O. Box 99, Alliance, NC 28509.

Thursday, August 28, 2014

Journal of the Lighthouse Station at Pamlico Point Shoals


Photo by U.S. Coast Guard, 1973.
     The following notes are from a Journal of the Lighthouse Station at Pamlico Point Shoals.  The notes were extracted in 1999 by Robert "Bob" Kaiser, great grandson of Robinson L. Ireland.
     According to Bob, he visited the National Archives in Washington D.C. in the summer of 1999.  The Journal itself is a large bound book of records of the U.S. Coast Guard.  He began his research at the National Archives that day by searching through their index of records and found this Journal listed.  He requested the materials to view and he was taken into a room.  The book was brought in and he was able to actually view his great grandfather's writings in his own hand.  What a treat!!!  He was only able to make a few copies of the actual Journal itself, as it was quite costly to do this.  He recorded a few pages of journal entries on a notepad. 
     The beginning of the Journal is believed to be written in the hand of Robinson L. Ireland (1844 - 1900).  Other entries to the Journal may have been written by a Lighthouse Inspector.
     The original lighthouse was erected at Pamlico Point 1828. It was a brick tower that was on the shore at Pamlico Point.  It was attended by Noah Ireland (1832 - 1917) and Littleton J. Potter (circa 1840 - 1910).  The "new" light station was erected in 1891 and was a screwpile lighthouse that was on the water.

Notes before actual keeping of Journal begins, believed to be written in the hand of Robinson L. Ireland: 

     10 October 1887     Pamlico Point old tower light was discontinued by Order of the Light House Board.
     28 October 1887    The gas temporary was placed on Pamlico Point Shoal by Lieutenant J. Paul, Asst. Inspector.
     21 April 1889        Steamer Violet visited the station with lampist and erected a beacon light on the Point of Shoal at Pamlico Point, N.C.  Leaving the beacon light in command of L.J. Potter.
     10 January 1891    Capt. J.E. Wyatt came out with new light house for Pamlico Point, N.C. The new house was completed on 10th day of February 1891.
     15 February 1891  Capt. J.E. Wyatt and his crowd of workmen started for Baltimore at 10 A.M. with a moderate breeze from southwest.
    
Journal of the Lighthouse Station at Pamlico Point Shoals, N.C.at the mouth of Pamlico River
March 9, 1891

R. L. Ireland reported at Station March 9, 1891 as Keeper the new house March 9, 1891.

     9 March 1891     PM rainy fresh breeze South.  Littleton J. Potter reported at the Lt. Station as Assistant Keeper March 9, 1891.  Discontinued temporary light March 9, 1891.

Random selection of journal entries:

     12 March 1891    Thick rain, light SSE; PM thick rain, variable to SW.  Scrubbing and cleaning up generally.
     17 March 1891    Clear, fresh breeze NE; PM clear, fresh NE.  General cleaning the lens and brasses.
     21 March 1891    AM cloudy, light E; PM fresh, cloudy E.  Midnight storm of wind rain continued until 2:15 a.m., then heavy shift from West and dense rain until 4 a.m., fresh breeze continued from west until 6 p.m.
     4 September 1900  Moderate to calm AM, PM fresh breeze East.  Laborer left station 7:30 to attend R. L. Ireland funeral, late keeper of this station who died Sept. 3rd 1900.
    8 September 1900  Calm in fore noon, East; PM hazy.  Mrs. R.L. Ireland came to the station 3:00 p.m. and removed the personal effects of the late keeper deceased.

Names of Attendants - this is not a conclusive list, but names found from the Goose Creek Islander book, census records and other research materials.

Noah Ireland (1832-1917) - attendant of original lighthouse. Was a soldier in the Civil War, Co. B, 40th Regiment, North Carolina Troops, 1862. Served at Fort Fisher, where he fell into bomb proof, struck the step and injured back from which he never recovered. Buried in the Barnett Cemetery, Hobucken.

Robinson L. Ireland (1844 - 1900) - first keeper of  the "new" 1891 screwpile light station. Was transferred from Asst. Keeper of Brant Shoal Light Station to Keeper of Pamlico Point Light Station. Buried in Carawan Cemetery, Lowland.

Littleton J. Potter (circa 1840 - 1910) - attendant of original lighthouse and first assistant keeper of the "new" 1891 screwpile light station.  Was a soldier in the Civil War, NC Union Volunteers, 1st Regiment, NC Infantry - 1862-1865.   1880 census lists him as "keeper of lighthouse".  Home was at Pamlico Point. Buried in an unmarked grave in a field at the end of Prong Rd., Lowland.

Bob Hopkins - believed to serve as Keeper at the death of Keeper Robinson Ireland in 1900.

John T. Tolson - served as Assistant Keeper until his resignation September 30, 1909.

Devaney Jennette - was transferred from Smith Point Light Station in Maryland to Pamlico Point Light Station as Assistant Keeper on October 1, 1909.  His salary was $40 per month.  He took the place of John T. Tolson, who had resigned.  Mr. Jennette was from Hatteras, N.C.

Mumford Guynn (1862-1931)- served as Keeper. He was listed in the 1910 census as Keeper.  He was also Keeper in 1913 during the September 1913 Hurricane that flooded much of Washington, N.C.   Born in Virginia.  He is buried in the Mercer Cemetery, Lowland.


James "Jim" O. Casey - served as Assistant Keeper.

Peter Gallop

Vernon Gaskill

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

The History is Here

 
     This past week, Mr. Odell Spain remarked on a question he had asked about the Robbie Carawan home in Lowland.  In Mr. Odell's words, "The history is here, just have to get a spark to get it going, its most interesting to me."  It's most interesting to me too!  There are tons of stories of our past out there.  If we do not ask the questions to start the dialogue of remembering, those stories could be lost forever.
     In October 2012, I was visiting the Island for Homecoming and had the opportunity to record some local, oral history stories that was told on Uncle Jonah Lewis' porch.  Juston and Roxana Lewis was home and Zool Ireland had come to down the Prong Rd. for a visit.  That afternoon, many stories were told of different things that had happened.  The characters, events and time line of the stories are real treasures.  I learned about people and things that had happened on the Island that I had never heard of before.
     Here is Juston and Zool's story about Mr. Warden Lewis' death in 1955.

    "Mr. Warden died in the church (Primitive Baptist Church)," Juston said.  "Right on the front seat, on a Saturday morning," remarked Zool Ireland.  "Momma, Daddy, everybody was up to the church but I was home", said Juston.   "All the sudden, Momma (Ollie Lewis) came running up the road. She was shouting, 'Honey, get me a pillow, get me a pillow!"  She was out of breath.  Juston said, "I thought something had happened to Daddy (Jonah Lewis)." 
    Juston explained, "Anyway, she came in the house and grabbed a pillow and I went back out there (to the church) with her."  "When I got there, Mr. Warden was on the floor. Mr. Warden had got up to make some kind of speech," said Juston.  Zool explained, "Granddaddy was a deacon of the church or something."  "Anyway, when he finished, he sat down and fell right over," continued Juston.
    Zool said, "It was in August 1955, between Hurricane Connie and Diane - he died between the second and third hurricanes that summer."

    This story was one I had never heard.  I never knew someone had died in the church.  It's stories like this that preserves the past in a unique way.  The voices, the emotion, the picturesque quality of a time and place that adds depth and meaning to the spoken word.
    In the next few weeks, I would like to "throw out there" a few stories I have heard over the years to get insight, clarification and reflection.  Stories like when the tug boat ran over Mr. Williams out in Goose Creek when he was crabbing, or when the Coca-Cola truck turned over in the road near the Hobucken Marina.  These stories are not important to some folks but they are important to our Island history.  Without the "spark" to get it going, they will be lost forever.

Thursday, July 31, 2014

Hold Fast to What Is Good


Denard and Elma Carawan, 1961. Middle Prong Rd. Photo courtesy Monica and James Roy Carawan
   The Carawan's are coming together on Saturday to celebrate family.  There will be plenty of parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, extended cousins, and cousins who are twice removed congregating at the Denard Carawan home place on Middle Prong Rd. Food, laughter and fellowship will abound.  But have you ever really thought about why families gather and celebrate each other?
     I don't know the history of when the Carawan's started getting together each summer.  It probably began way before my time but I do know that they have been gathering up Middle Prong Rd. for as long as I can remember.
     They gather at their ancestral home - the home of Denard Carawan, on land that was purchased more than a hundred years ago. On land that has been passed down thru generations and I hope will continue to be passed down.   It's home to them. It's a place that they always return to.
     The children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren have been left a treasure.  I'm sure the land would be worth a little something if they ever sold it, but it's a different kind of treasure that I talk about.  They are family. They are bound by love. They are bound by their story.
    The biggest thing I love about this family gathering is that they continue to share dinner at the home place.  Dinner on the ground. Yes, if it rains, they'll either go to the church fellowship hall or over to Hobucken to the community center, but having their family reunion at their ancestral home makes it even more special.  Folks gathered on the porch, sitting in lawn chairs, chatting with each other, swatting away the flies is part of the story. 
     I miss families having their family reunions at home.  I understand the convenience of air-conditioning and facilities, but if it was good enough for our families in the past, why can't it still be good enough for us today?  By not continuing the traditions of our ancestors, we take another piece of history away from our children and grandchildren. 
     Denard Carawan's grandchildren, great-grandchildren and other young folks will get to experience what a real family gathering is all about.  Yes, they will probably complain, "it's hot" or" the mosquitoes are bad".  I challenge their parents to tell them like our parents told us, "go play", and turn away and keep on visiting.  The kids will find something to do - we did!
      Family gatherings remind us of what we have in common.  We also have an opportunity to learn from one another. Generations impact one another.  You hear stories you've never heard before.  Who would have known that a certain person had a certain brewing device located in back of the field.  Or who would have thought Denard Carawan's hogs took away baby bottles. Those stories bring out the character of a different time in life.  A time when "all was good with the world."  A time, when the Primitive Baptist Church just down on the corner was a big part of growing up on Middle Prong Rd.  and every other part of the Island.
     A family is a story.  It's a breathing, living, loving, working and dying story.  It has a million plot-twists.  Some of it is mystery, some of it is real.  Sometimes its dark and sometimes its a journey in light.
     So Carawan family, when you gather on Saturday, love each other. Be generous with food and memory. Do justice to the remarkable men and women who caused you to be there. Honor your cherished elders. Show faith in the next generation to keep your traditions alive. Show them where you came from because it will be much easier for them to understand how to walk their own path. Hold fast to what is good!

Carawan Grandchildren , circa 1970's. Photo courtesy Shawn Carawan
Photo courtesy Monica & James Roy Carawan

Photo courtesy Monica & James Roy Carawan

Monday, July 21, 2014

George M. Jarvis and His Boat Building Days

The following pictures and story is submitted by the late George M. Jarvis's daughter Patty Jarvis Loftin of Beaufort, N.C. who compiled his boat building history in 2008.  Through conversations with her Daddy and Momma, she was able to put together a small booklet of pictures and memories of the many boats that he built.  Nina Voliva Jarvis now resides with her daughter Janet in Beaufort and would love to hear from folks from home.  Her address is 1201 Live Oak St., Beaufort, NC 28516 or give her a call at 252-504-2504. 
                         All pictures are property of Patty Jarvis Loftin and posted by permission. 
George M. Jarvis


In the fall of 1991, Daddy, Mama and Penny went to White Lake, NC to do repairs on this ferry boat.  It was a tour boat for the lake and owned by Charles Dubose. The family went down to spend Thanksgiving with them on the lake that year. The 2 pictures below were taken December 23, 1991.





This boat was built for Murphy Hopkins. It is 38 feet long.

 It was built in the yard at 79 Fulford Point Road.





The B & G was built in 1987. It was owned by Bill & Glenda Gilgo.




The beginnings of the boat Daddy built for Gilgo.  It was 36 feet long.

1987


These are more pictures of the B & G owned by Gilgo.

Summer 1987



The Capt Weddell (83’) was built before the Angel Dawn(84’). In these pictures they are docked side by side in the Bayboro harbor on Hwy 55. The Capt Weddell was built on a lot near the road as you enter Bayboro, NC coming from Lowland.  At 75 feet long,it was among the biggest boats Daddy built. The propeller was 50 inches high.






The is the Miss Carolyn L built for Ray Lupton in the lot next to Fred & Pearl Lewis’ store, later Adrian Watson’s store on the corner of the Horne Road.  The year was 1981. It was 51 feet long. Daddy felt this was the most attractive cabin he ever built.
Mr. Bill Everett, son of Jesse Everett



The Cliff & Chris was built for Connie Ballance. It was 55 feet long.

  Also, see the make shift ladders daddy built.  Quite creative. 
The Telstar was started under the shelter.  It is 32 feet long and was built for Ray Hopkins.  It was named after the satellite Telstar.  Daddy  was especially pleased with the flare of the bow.  He thinks this boat may be in Belhaven today.


The children were always fascinated by the BIG BOATS daddy got to “build and play with”.

 This is the Captain Weddell. Joshua at 3 years. 1983


Eric Shane gets in on the action. This is the same boat as below.  It was built in the summer of 1982 in the side yard at 79 Fulford Point Road, before daddy built the shed.


 
This is a 32 foot boat that was sold to George Bateman or Ray Rhoden. After Ray  it went to AE Watson, Danny Malone and then Scooter.  It is strip planked. Daddy, Lee, Barbara, Shannon, & Glen. Father’s Day 1982

 
Daddy built this boat for Scooter Leary.  January 4, 1990. The ribs of this boat started out up side down.  It took 7 or 8 men to come and turn it over.  Carol Ross was one who helped.




This is a boat that daddy and Earl Sadler owned together.  Daddy did not build this boat. 

This picture was taken August 31, 1974. The Little Lil
 
 
An interesting note: Mr. Jesse Everett would bring his tractor to help daddy launch his boats.

Daddy would go in the woods and cut down a good size tree and make an axle to put wheels on.  I’m amazed it worked.  Smart thinking! This boat was built for Guy Ireland at 38 feet.



Bits and Pieces



Daddy built his first boat on a dare.  Darrell Gray Potter told him he couldn’t do it so he got to work to prove him wrong.  He talked with Uncle Richard Howerin about how to get started.  When Daddy would get stumped, he would go to Uncle Richard for advice and he would come and help him.  (Uncle Richard gave daddy his first hand cranked drill.)  The boat was a 16 foot skiff.  He built it in about 4 months.  He painted it white.  There was no motor, just oars.  Later Wilber Lewis bought it and put an outboard motor in it and used it for crabbing.  He paid around $200.00’s for it.  Uncle Richard was a first class boat builder.  He worked for Barbour Boat Works in New Bern during World War II.

Another boat daddy built was 24 foot long. Uncle Jamie Jarvis would go fishing with daddy in this boat. He put a 6 cylinder Studebaker car engine in this one.  He sold it to Freeman Ireland for his son, Edwin for about $200.00.

When daddy was around 55, he and mama went to stay in Bettie.  They rented
a little trailer from the Golden's.  Daddy worked for Ted Lang in Harkers Island building “plugs” for fiberglass molds for about 2 years.

When people would ask daddy to give them a $$$ figure on the building of a boat, he asked them how long and how wide they wanted the boat to be.  This would tell him what size the propeller would be as well as how to set the keel up to build the boat.



Other boat jobs people hired

Daddy to do….

In Pamlico daddy planked a 80 foot boat for Eugene Newcom and decked it over.  It took him around 1 1/2 months to complete the job.


In Arapahoe, daddy worked on a boat for Milton Bisegal.  He was a musician, violin I believe.  He put in the dash and did inside work on the cabin.  He put up partitions down below the wheel house.   It is a 50 foot boat.  This boat is in storage at Bock Marine near the Core Creek Bridge.


He cut a stern out of a boat owned by Nelson Lee, replacing it with a ramp.


He replaced the sides and keel in a boat near Oriental.

Clifford Lewis (mama’s step-grandfather) built a boat owned by Hyman Hopkins.  Daddy built a cabin and new chine plank on it.  He learned how to do the chine plank from Uncle Richard Howerin when he gave him pointers on daddy’s first boat.  The boat is about 32 feet.  The name of the boat is Roxie and is currently dry docked at Carol Grays. 


In Oriental Bowen Carawan had him cut the stern out and put in a ramp.

Christopher Fulcher, who is from Carteret County, had daddy work on 3 boats for him over the years.  Christopher  has a fishing business in Oriental.  Daddy built a bulkhead and put in bunks on one boat.  On another he put in sleeping quarters in a steel haul. 

He built a small cabin for Casper Ireland.  

Over the years, Guy Ireland bought 4 boats from daddy.  They weren’t special orders but ones he’d take a look at that daddy was in the process of building. These boats were 28, 36, 40 and 50 feet long.


He put in new floor timbers for Carol Gray Potter at Mill Landing.  Also worked on another boat for him.


Etles Heneries and Clifton Lupton were working on one in Hobucken.  They were having such a time getting it right, they asked daddy to come finish it.  While working on this boat daddy dropped his square overboard.



And the list goes on….



This is NOT all the boats daddy built or worked on, but some of the ones he could think of.  As I often look back, I marvel at the ability he had to do all this.  To build a boat from nothing more that a “paper bag blueprint” and a good eye is truly a gift from God.  I am so very proud of his hard work ethic and his fine workmanship.  I’m thankful, as I see how it has been passed down to his children, and his children’s children.  It is a pleasure to see what God has accomplished through the work of his hands. 

I know we all can say that we love him and thank him for sharing his love for us, the water, and the creative use of his hands.





Patty

December 2008





This picture was taken in Hickory.  Barbara is just a baby.
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 Mama is 16 in this picture.  It was taken by Eric Campen.

 Several friends were getting ready to take a swim..