Merchants Millpond State Park

History: Settlement in the Gates County area began in 1660. Residents of early rural
communities made a living by farming and lumbering. In the early 1700's, Hunters Millpond
was built at the head ofBennetts Creek to provide a means of processing and marketing regional produce. Highway construction destroyed this millpond in 1922, but further downstream Norfleets Millpond, built in 1811, thrived. Gristmills, a sawmill, a farm-supply store, and other enterprises made the area the center of trade in Gates County. Thus, the pond became known as Merchants Millpond.

Shortly before World War II operations around the millpond came to a halt and millers sold the land to developers. In the 1960's A. B. Coleman of Moyock purchased the property and later donated 919 acres, including the millpond, to the state. Coleman, a canoeist and lover of nature thought the area too beautiful for development. His generous donation led to the establishment of Merchants' Millpond State Park in 1973. In the same year, the Nature Conservancy contributed an additional 925 acres of woodlands to the park that now encompasses more than 3,250 acres.

Park Activities: A variety of outdoor activities may be enjoyed at the millpond such as camping, fishing, hiking, and canoeing. Many species of plant life exists in the park, and the park supports an abundance of animal life, as well.

Hurricane Isabel

10/15/03

Hurricane Isabel was a storm that deeply affected the northeastern part of North Carolina, and especially Gates County. Most of us experienced the devastation first hand, saw it the morning after, shared hardships, and began of clearing and removing downed trees and debris. Many citizens were without electrical power for as much as eight days.

Isabel was the size of Colorado, packed hurricane-force gusts ranging from 74 to 107 miles per hour. Due to the 2002 drought and the extraordinary amount of rain in 2003, our region's trees were unusually vulnerable to high winds. The catastrophic nature of the damage to our homes, woodlands, creeks and river is impossible to convey in words.

In 1995 a volunteer group known as the Stewards ofBennett's Creek took on the task of snagging and clearing Bennett's Creek, a six-mile stretch leading from Merchants Millpond to the Gatesville bridge. After three years the mission was accomplished.

Now Isabel! After all homes in our county are secure, we will once again need to address this enormous challenge of snagging and clearing Bennett's Creek. Because of the severity of the damage, we may need to solicit the support ofRC&D, Army Corp of Engineers, or other governmental resources. This is our county! Let's work together to restore our natural resource to its original state.

Stewards of Bennett's Creek

THE TINKHAM BIBLE

By Louise Parker Lyon 10/15/03

This early old Bible was actually owned by the well-known Rev. Mills Greens. The reason it was called the "Tinkham Bible" was because it contained the family records of Perez Tinkham from Massachusetts and Maine. Perez Tinkham boarded a boat in 1842, came up the Chowan River and took a job in the log woods. Shortly thereafter, he married a local girl, and raised three children, namely, Spencer Tinkham and twin girls, Mary and Martha.

Mills Greene married Martha and raised a large family. All the local Tinkhams descended from this family. Rev. Mills Greene was brother to the noted midwife, "Aunt Sophia" who delivered babies here for about 50 years.

This bible was found after much searching, and it has now been given to Cool Spring Baptist Church in Gates County. The cover on the Tinkham Bible was drawn and printed for the Gates County Historical Society's Bible Records of Gates County.

The Tinkhams are descended from Peter Brown of the Mayflower.

A True Story

By Louise Parker Lyon 10/15/2003

The Atlantic Coast Line Railroad was run through Gates County in 1888. Before that time the county was isolated with the only transportation being by boat, or horse-and-buggy or cart on the county's primitive roads. By 1900 a village had grown up where the railroad train stopped in Eure. The back porch of Nat Eure's little mercantile store was used for the loading platform. The station became known as Eure's Station.

The slow moving freight trains induced persons looking for excitement, and sometimes running away from something, to catch the rails and ride to wherever. These people were called tramps or hobos. One such person got off the freight train and asked for a place to stay and do odd jobs in payment.

My father had a logging business and lived in the old painted top house, which was torn down and Henry Eure built his house. This person was sent to Elisha Parker in hopes he might find a place to stay and work. He gave his name as Oneley Marney from Springfield, Ohio. Nothing more was known of him until one night after work he was having a drink with my father, and mama overheard him tell of killing a man that made love to his wife. As a result, he was running from the law, occasionally taking the train to Norfolk, Virginia. He would say he was going to see his lawyer.

My family was small at that time—two girls, 4 and 6. A boy was bom while Oneley Marney was there. He was bom May 13, 1908. The stranger became attached to the family and the new baby. He was a nice looking man and appeared to be educated. He said there was money in his family, and he wanted to will some to educate the children. So one day papa and Marney went to Gatesville by buggy, and Marney made out a will. He would leave $10,000 for my brother and $1,000 for each of my sisters. That is how my brother was named Lyman Trumball Parker. We never knew who he was named after.

One day Marney took the train to Norfolk and he was never heard of again.

The will was kept in the bottom of a trunk until in the 1920's Mama threw it away.

( Editor's note: Maybe Oneley Marney was an alias name, and his real name was Lyman Trumball.)

Albert Ray Newsome Award

The Gates County Historical Society received the Albert Ray Newsome Award of
$250.00 for excellent activities for the year 2002-2003. Accomplishments were:

1. Collected, published, and offered for sale Carlton Morris Writes 1957-1958, a 165-
page book of local human-interest stories.

2.- Establishment of website

3. Made hand-embroidered necktie coverlet to raise money for restoration of Old Gates
County Courthouse.

4. Baked and sold bread weekly at library with funds to be used for restoration project.

5. Worked with library staff in organizing and holding yard sale with proceeds to be
used for restoration project.

6. Sponsored annual Veterans' Day Program.

7. Published semiannual newsletter.

8. Participated as guest speakers for high school Local History Class, as well as other
public school presentations.

9. Open historical homes for tour by Local History Class.

10. Held annual Christmas Party and end-of-year dinner meeting with guest speaker.

During the past winter, three members of the Gates County Historical Society put their hands to work with the idea of raising funds to help with the repair of the West Wing of the Old Courthouse. Mrs. Edith Seiling, Mrs. Sally Freeman, and Mrs. Peggy Lefler designed the pattern for the coverlet and then spent many hours washing, ironing, cutting, and sewing neckties. Each individual square of the coverlet is hand embroidered using feather stitch.

The cost of chances for the coverlet has been set at $5.00 each and may be purchased from any member of the Historical Society, the Gates County Library Board, or at the Gates County Library. The coverlet will be on display in the library during the Fall, 2003.

Drawing for the coverlet will be held Saturday, December 13, 2003 at the Historical Society Christmas Party which will be held at The Keppler Home.

GATES COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY WEBSITE

Thanks to Gatesville resident, Julie Sizemore, the GCHS now has a website. One can
leam more about the historical society, order items, become a member, submit queries, and tour the county by visiting www.throughwire.net/gchs/.

NECKTIE COVERLET

If additional chances are needed, photocopy. Complete name, address, phone number and mail chances and donations to Edith Seiling, PO Box 98, Gates, NC 27937.

For a printable raffle form click here

NEWS from the LIBRARY

The Summer Reading theme for 2003 was Mission R.E.A.D. Gates County had 194
active participants. In addition to weekly story times, we had one program provided by the
NC Museum of Natural Science and one program with Fish the Magish, plus other volun-
teers, such as the NC Cooperative Extension Office, especially Helen Eure. The theme for
2004 is "Discover New Trails @ Your Library".

The Library held a Book and Yard Sale on September 13 to help raise money for
the repairs that are needed on the West Wing of the building. This is the wing where the li-
brary has the Children's Activity/Story Time Room. Although the weather was rainy, a little
over $1,500 was raised. We really appreciate all efforts that helped to make this a success!

We continue to raise funds through the Food Lion Shop and Share Program. We re-
ceive monies quarterly from Food Lion. The amount received is determined by the number
of folks who shop with their MVP card and have registered with Food Loin designating the
Gates County Public Library as their charity of choice. Registration is an easy process—just
send the library your name, address, phone number, and your MVP card number (all 12 dig-
its). We will register you and each time you use your MVP card, a certain amount of money
will be donated by Food Loin to the library. No money comes out of your pocket!

YOU ARE INVITED

The Gates County Historical Society's
Christmas Party
Saturday, December 13, 2003 3 to 5 pm
At the home of Mr. & Mrs. Jeff Keppler
Gates, NC
R.S.V.P.
(252) 357-1424 or 357-1733
Drawing will be held for necktie coverlet

Books and Other Articles for Sale

Shipping is $4 additional for books, the Tapestry Print, and the Woven Coverlet.
(See order form for books and materials on page 8 or visit the GCHS website @www.
throughwire.net/gchs/ and order online.)

Order Form for Articles for Sale on Page 8
(Be sure to attach list of items ordered.)

Or print out our Order Form online.

HISTORICAL SOCIETY MEETING DATES

The Historical Society meets fourth Thursday nights at 7:30 pm at Old Gates County Courthouse January-June and September-October. The November meeting is held on the third Thursday night.

All Veterans will be honored on Veteran's Day, November 11, 2003 at 11.00 am at the Old Gates County Courthouse. Everyone is invited to attend!

DONATIONS TO OLD COURTHOUSE REPAIRS

NEW MEMBERS

1) Gerald Brown, 4760 Crawford Oaks Drive, Oakwood, GA 30566
2) Lisa Ann Conner, P.O. Box 784, Ahoskie, NC 28910
3) Jim and Julie Sizemore, Gatesville, NC 27938

NEW ADDITIONS
1. Feather Beds, Bed Steads, Iron Pots and Hogs (History of Keeter, Sawyer, Spence, Nash, Felton, Clark, Parker, Hayes Families). Book can be ordered from Raleigh F. Keeter, 2216 Clifton Park Road, Schenectady, NY 12309-4002 Price $30.00 + $4.00 S/H.

2. Riddick Family-Lineage, History, Tradition and Lore. Compiled by Ruth Armstrong Ross, 1988.

3. Gatlings By W.T. Cross

Membership Dues are $10.00 annually. Please submit to Mrs. Angela Rule, Treasurer, PO Box 376, Gatesville, NC 27938

FRESH BAKED BREAD AVAILABLE AT THE LIBRARY

Every Tuesday around noon the Gates County Library smells like a bakery. Peggy Lefler, member of the Historical Society and chairperson of the Gates County Library Board, bakes bread weekly and donates it to the Library. All proceeds go to the building fund to be used for the restoration of the West Wing.

Most bread is $3.00 a loaf and the types available on a regular basis are sourdough, cinnamon, cinnamon raisin, whole wheat, whole wheat cinnamon, whole wheat cinnamon raisin, orange, cinnamon buns, and cinnamon raisin buns.

Visit your local library not only to check out books and do research, but also to purchase some bread. Not only is the bread good to eat yourself, but it makes a nice thinking of you gift. Support your library and the historical society! Thanks to your support, about $1,500 has been raised thus far this year through the sale of bread. THANK YOU!

MEMBERS' UPDATED ADDRESSES NEEDED

Many newsletters are not being delivered because of incomplete or inaccurate addresses. With the recent change to 911 addresses our database needs updating. Please help us accomplish this by sending us your updated mailing address, as well as by notifying other members that you may know or see, to update their address with us. Please send updated addresses to: Shelby Speight, 511 US 158 West, Gates, NC 27937.