Why We Come Home

An old Island home place springs back to life when it's decedents come home.

An old Island church bell rings it's invitation on a beautiful Sunday morning.

A evening ride around the Island is a journey of remembrance.

 

There is comfort here in the ritual of remembering.  This is why we come home.

 

 

Goose Creek. Photo by Nathan Lewis.

 
Tomorrow we will all come together. Homemade pies, secret recipe casseroles, a traditional pot of collards, maybe some fried shrimp will be shared.  But most importantly it will be the hugs and smiles of those who come together.

What began in 1974 as a centennial celebration earmarking the 100 years Goose Creek Island became part of Pamlico County, homecoming quickly grew into an annual event.  For 44 years, we've still continued to uphold our history of this special place.  Family ties, abundant recollections and stories of our Island beauty fills and nurtures our Island spirits. It is these intersections of memory and of the present that is embodied within our Island soul.

There will be people we have not seen in a while.  And there will be people we cannot see.  By our gathering, their spirits will fill those voids.  There's no doubt much has changed on the Island.  A once bustling and prime location of North Carolina's seafood industry, every person had some salt instilled in their blood from toiling in the sea. And the many farmers who plowed the rich, black earth of the Island soil, gave significance to the place where the land and sky meets the water.

As hurricanes and opportunities abroad have dwindled our numbers, many still remain.  The great news is many are coming back.  This summer alone has brought back three Island natives and descendants in securing their place on the Island.  I hope to see many more "come home".  It's here were they can find peace among their people.

As the web of descendants grow more complex each year, the stark beauty of the Island heritage continues to pull us home.  There's a deep connection we have for the Island.  When one drives over the bridge, isn't it "the prettiest sight ever been?"

So tomorrow, let's continue our lifelong connection to Goose Creek Island.  Let's prove to the "naysayers" that this far off, out of the way village will continue to keep the Island's past - the stories, people, and traditions - alive.  This is why we come home.

Did You Know?

Did you know that the ferry Governor Scott is sitting on the bottom at the tip of Brandt Island Shoals? 

LCT 590 (Landing Craft Tank 590) was built in 1943 by Pidgeon-Thomas Iron Co. in Memphis, Tennessee for the Department of Defense.  The vessel was built to carry Sherman tanks as landing craft.  On June 6th 1944, LCT 590 participated in beach operations at Omaha Beach, Normandy, France.  As one can imagine on that heroic date, the LCT 590 sustained heavy damage and casualties as it delivered its tanks and troops. The vessel's Ensign was able to save the LCT 590 by securing repairs offshore of Normandy with the USS Arikara.   At some point after the invasion, the Ensign of LCT 590 was awarded the Silver Star and the Navy Cross for his actions in saving the vessel that fateful day.

In 1950, the State of North Carolina purchased LCT 590 from a government surplus sale. Registered in Elizabeth City, LCT 590 was renamed as Ferry Governor Scott, named after William Kerr Scott, Governor of North Carolina (1949-1953) at the time.  It was put into service as a car and equipment ferry that ran from Manteo to Manns Harbor until 1962.

By the end of 1962, the Governor Scott had been removed from ferry service and was towed to the tip of Brandt Island Shoals and released.  It is there that the Governor Scott sank and met its final fate. Claimed by the rough waters of Pamlico Sound and the aerial target practice from local military, a piece of D-Day and NC Ferry Service history is just laying off of Goose Creek Island.

LCT 590 before conversion to Ferry Governor Scott

Old Ferry Dock in Manns Harbor

Graham Potter - Just A Farmer

History books are filled with stories of great men and women.  But to learn about the average person, one has to dig around or listen to the stories that has been passed down from generation to generation. 

One story of an average person on Goose Creek Island is about my great-great grandfather Graham Potter who died 106 years ago on June 19, 1912. 

I thought it would be good to document his story, as the descendants of Graham Potter gathered together two weeks ago to celebrate family.  And also the weather we have been having was very much like the weather over 100 years ago.

On June 19, 1912, Graham Potter and his family were working on the family farm, located at the end of Middle Prong Rd.  The weather was much like the days we have been having recently.  The weather was hot, humid and with the normal late afternoon thunderstorms building up to the west of the Island, and roaring down the Pamlico River, before exiting into Pamlico Sound.

Graham, along with his wife Ella Dean and the children were in the fields working.  A thunderstorm was building up to the west of Lowland.  Sensing the need to protect his family from harms way, Graham told everyone to "go on to the house".  Everyone did as they were told and headed to the house.  Graham stayed behind, trying to squeeze in a few more minutes of work before the storm set in. 

The thunderstorm roared upon Lowland with heavy rain, thunder and lightening. Graham had not made it back to the house in time.  Within minutes, a hard clap of thunder roared across the Potter field and Graham, with hoe in hand, had been struck by lightening. 

When the weather cleared, Ella Dean and children went out into the field to find Graham, only to find him dead.  Graham Potter had been killed by lightening at the age of 60 years.  He was laid to rest within the Potter Family farm in the McGowen Cemetery.

But Graham's story does not end with his tragic death.  Through the stories and research, I found many things that were intriguing about my great-great grandfather. 

Born in Beaufort County, February 27, 1852 to Samuel Potter and Mary Sawyer, Graham was born an illegitimate child carrying the last name Sawyer.  At some point after Graham was born, Samuel learned his son was not being cared for properly.  Samuel went by boat, "over the river" and brought Graham home to the Potter Homestead on Middle Prong Rd. Lowland. 

Upon arrival at the Potter Homestead, Graham was cared for by his father and with help of a black slave woman.  During Graham's younger years, he went by the name Graham Sawyer.  He is recorded as Graham Sawyer in the 1860 census.  In January 1862, the siblings of Graham's father Samuel conveyed to them a tract of land at the end of Middle Prong Rd. 

This day and time, it sounds very unusual for a child of the age of 10 to be listed in a deed.  But one must understand, in 1862, illegitimate children were not afforded the same right to inherit property from a father unless there was a special provision.  It is my belief that Graham's uncle's and aunt's cared for their brother Samuel and his son, as in the deed it states " for and in consideration of the natural love and affection which we bear to our dearest brother Samuel Potter".   Regardless of the taboo's of secrecy and shame that shadow the illegitimacy of Graham's birth, family is family and with the stroke of signatures, the Potter family had embraced Graham as a Potter.

By 1870, Graham Sawyer's name was changed to Graham Potter.  With my research, I believe Samuel Potter swore an acknowledgement of paternity or an oral admission, which allowed Graham to legally change his name to Potter.  With this validity, Graham was now entitled to the same rights and protections of legitimacy. 

Photo of Graham Potter, circa 1878.

Through the years, Graham continued farming beside his father on Middle Prong Rd.  In 1878, Graham married Angeline Voliva. Angeline bore a son, Samuel Graham Potter in 1879 but she succumbed to complications of childbirth.  Graham then married Jane Potter, with whom they bore Nancy and Warden.  Jane passed away and Graham married Ella Dean Bridgeman.  With Ella Dean, their children were Thurman, Mary Jane, Tildon, Charlie Warren, Joshua, Alfred, Gentry and Preston Gold.

When Graham died that hot day in June, he left 5 children under the age of 18.  His son Thurman assisted his mother in settling the estate.  When going through the estate papers, I found it interesting that over he had over $6500.00 in "cash found upon his premises" and an $8000.00 insurance bond, that was paid to the heirs.   Today, those amounts are small but in 1912, that was a considerable sum of money. 

Looking into the past, Graham's father and family saw fit that his well-being be delivered a right and responsible upbringing, despite his circumstances and those taboos of secrecy. Those values set the tone for the family foundation and those of acceptance. Those same values we all should embrace today.

The Mystery of a Picture

For as long as I can remember, there was this picture of a lady...a mysterious lady, that always intrigued me and Heather.  It was a haunting image of a lady from years past.  This picture hung on the wall in the back bedroom of my grandparents house in Lowland.  When we packed up Granny and moved her up to Alliance 15 years ago, the picture came also.  We inquired about who the lady was in the picture.  It was Ada Craig.  Granddaddy Clifford Lewis first wife.

Who was this lady?  What was her story?  Of course this led me and Heather to do a bit of research.

Ada Craig was born in Wilmington, New Hanover County in 1888.  Her parents were Simon and Maranda Craig.  She married my great granddaddy Clifford on December 19, 1913 in Wilmington NC.  I do not know the story how they met as I can only speculate by going through the research.  Apparently, Granddaddy Clifford was in Wilmington in 1913, as well as his sister Fannie Lewis Hodges and her husband Thomas Hodges.

At some point between that Christmas of 1913 and late 1915, Granddaddy came back to Goose Creek Island with his bride Ada.  For Ada, I can imagine life on Goose Creek Island was far different than the hustle and bustle of the port city of Wilmington.  Prior to her marriage to Granddaddy, Ada was living with her older brother William Freeman Craig and his family, as their parents were deceased.  William Freeman Craig was a police officer in Wilmington and died in the line of duty in September 1918.

On Thanksgiving Day, November 25, 1915 in Lowland, Ada gave birth to a daughter, Dorcas Elizabeth Lewis.  Ada battled many complications from childbirth and died a couple of weeks later on December 15th.  My Granddaddy Clifford was left a widower with a newborn baby to care for.

Because the folks on Goose Creek Island always take care of each other, I am sure Granddaddy Clifford's family and other folks in the community offered much support and care.  One can only imagine the need for this young man to try and care for his infant baby girl.  Sadly, within a month, on January 19, 1916, baby Dorcas had died as well.  She was laid to rest along side her mother in the McGowan Cemetery, Lowland.

With today's technology and the vast amounts of information that can be found, we were able to learn a few small pieces of the Ada Craig mystery.  However, with learning tidbits of information here and there, it also opens up other questions.  Questions that we will probably never get answers to.  Why was Granddaddy in Wilmington?  Was he working on a ship?  How did he meet this woman?  I wonder what her thoughts were of arriving on Goose Creek Island? Did they live at the Lewis homestead beside the Potter ditch?

Several years later, Granddaddy Clifford married Melissa Howerin Rice, my great grandmother and they raised a family together.

So today, Heather is the keeper of the haunting Ada Craig picture and I am the keeper of Ada Craig's rocking chair.  It was the only two possessions known to have belonged to her.  The image of the woman dressed in black will always intrigue us.  Hopefully one day, we will be able to obtain more information.  But until then, she will always be shrouded in mystery.

It's Game Day for Pamlico

It's game day Goose Creek Islanders!  We are cheering on the Pamlico Hurricanes Boys and Girls in the 1-A Championship today at Noon and 2:00pm.  Click the link below to read more about this special day.  Good luck to Madison Sadler and Coach Earl Sadler Jr. 

http://www.newbernsj.com/sports/20180309/sadler-saturday-in-raleigh

Tourney Title Led By Island Pillar

Last night was a regular ole' Friday night for most of us from Goose Creek Island.  But not for the Pamlico County Hurricanes High School basketball team and their coach, Earl Sadler Jr..  Last night was the conclusion of conference basketball and the Pamlico Boys (and girls) was crowned conference champions.  It is the first time since 1984 Pamlico swept the conference regular season and tournament titles.  Being crowned doesn't stop there.  Now it is on to district, regional and ultimately state championships (again). 

Thirty years ago this year, me and Earl Jr., along with Doug, Audrey, Lisa, Kathy, Tammy, A.J. and Lil' Henry graduated from Pamlico County High School.  It was 1988.  Amongst the basketball team in 1988 was Earl Jr. and Henry.  Henry was technically not living on Goose Creek Island, but he spent every Sunday in church here with his granddaddy Roscoe and was here more than he was in Bayboro, so I consider him an Islander with a free pass.

1988 Pamlico County Hurricanes Basketball Team.  From the 1988 Pamlicoan.

I can still see Earl Jr., Henry, Charlie, and others playing basketball down at the "tennis courts" at the old Lowland Community Center.  I even think there were some players who would drive in on Saturdays to play.  The tennis courts never really served a purpose on the Island but it became a great basketball court.  With some spray paint and putting up some basketball goals, that tennis court finally became a useful appropriation of county money at the time.

In the thirty years since graduation, our very own Pamlico County Hurricanes basketball team is lead by Earl Jr., a pillar in our community.  I don't know how many years Earl has been coaching, but I can tell you - his boys love him.  He ranks up there with other Pamlico greats such as Hubert Monk Sr. and Garry Cooper.  Must be something in the water here, because Goose Creek Islanders have always loved their basketball and baseball.

According to the news after Fridays' conference win, Coach Sadler told his guys "no matter the result, I want us to show people how to win the right way or lose the right way."  Sounds a whole lot like a Goose Creek Islander to me. 

Congratulations Hurricanes!