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.

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. 
  

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.

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.

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.

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

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.