Local Items From Rockingham Post-Dispatch, Feb. 20, 1919

From the Rockingham Post-Dispatch, Feb. 20, 1919

The Flu

It is safe to state that at no time since the influenza epidemic started last October has there been as few cases over the county as at the present time. There is still a case to be found here and there, but they are very few.

No new cases have developed from the three families on lower Fifth avenue, in this city, and the old cases in those families have recovered. The only new cases to appear in Rockingham during the past week (and these may prove to be merely bad colds) are reported this morning from the home of Mr. J.R. McLendon, whose two small children are thought to have mild cases.

The value of life insurance is well illustrated in the recent death of Mr. Pearce Whitlock, who died of the flu Jan. 17^th. Last year he took out a policy for $1,000 with the Mutual Life of New York on Sept. 29 and made but one payment on it. A short time ago he took out a policy for $2,500 with the Jefferson Standard, giving his note for the first payment. And now, barely a month since his demise, both insurance companies have paid the full value of the policies, and the sum of $3,500 is now in the hands of his widow, who with a six-year-old son, survives.

Our Soldiers

In the Casualty List published today is given the name of James J. Cagle of Hamlet, as having been wounded in action.

Gaston F. Smith, so of Mrs. J.B. Smith, Ellerbe, is in Co. B 105^th Reg. of Engineers, 30^th division. He left Camp Sevier about May 20^th, and left Camp Mills for overseas May 27^th. His relatives received a letter from him last week dated Jan. 25^th in which he said he was not very well, had a bad cold and headache. He was in the hospital during December with flu. Young Smith volunteered June 8^th, 1917, at Charlotte, aged 19.

Joseph H. Haywood returned to his home near here Tuesday, having been given his honorable discharge Monday from the Navy Signal School, co. 7, Hampton Roads, Va. He is a son of Mr. H.A. Haywood.

Mrs. R.B. Waddell received a letter from her son, J. Robert Waddell, Monday stating that he was at LaMans, France, awaiting passage to the States, and that he would likely sail within three weeks from that time. He is in the Marines.

Miss Marie Torrence, a gifted singer of Gastonia, is now in France where she sailed last month to sing for the Y.M.C.A. and hospitals. Miss Torrence is pleasantly remembered here as having given a concert for the Red Cross last fall.

William F. Gibson, son of Mr. W.W. Gibson of Roberdel, came home on Thursday of last week, having receive his honorable discharge from the army. He was in Co. A, 33^rd Bat. Machine Gun Brigade, 11^th division, at Camp Meade, Md., ready to go across when the armistice was signed. Three weeks ago he was transferred to Camp Gordon from which camp he was given his discharge last week.

Corporal James Stewart has been given his honorable discharge from the army, and came home last Friday to visit his mother, Mrs. S.W. Covington. He expects to return to Texas shortly, to Dallas, and work with his brother, Alec. He volunteered in April, 1917, and more recently was attached to Co. D, 54^th Machine Gun battalion, Camp Travis, Texas. While in the service he qualified as an expert rifleman and was awarded the medal of recognition as such. His military service has agreed with him, and his friends back home are glad to see him looking so well.

Jasper Grant, son of C.B. Grant, Wolf Pit, returned home Monday. Grant was in Co. B, 321^st Infantry, 81^st Division, and received a bullet in his leg in the last few minutes of the fight on Nov. 11. He was invalided home, and now has an honorable discharge. He has a yellow wound stripe on his right sleeve, and a yellow stripe on his left sleeve for overseas service.

In the Casualty List published Wednesday is given the name of Thomas P. Griffin of Hamlet, as having been slightly wounded. Griffin is a very intelligent negro, and at the time of registration was working at Carney’s Point, N.J. He was sent from this county to Camp Grant in the squad of 51 April 4, 1918, and he was placed in charge of the squad on their trip here to camp.

A wire received Wednesday by Mr. J.T. Bennett from Tyler Bennett at Beaumont, Texas, stated that he was making a voyage across to Rotterdam on the ship Dayron.

It is reported that the officers of the Brenizer Unit have sailed from France. In the Unit having sailed are Lts. Chas. I. Allen and James M. Davis, both of Wadesboro. The personnel of the Unit will doubtless sail immediately.

Mr. L.A. Wilson of Mt. Olive came Wednesday to spend two or three days with his uncle, Dr. L.D. McPhail. He was in Machine Gun Company, 119^th infantry, 30^th division, and was shot in the ankle. He was invalided home the first part of January.

Mr. and Mrs. J. LeGrand Everett motored to Laurinburg on Sunday afternoon to visit with the family of Rev. Mr. Davis, who is stationed there. The Shaws accompanied them to Laurinburg.

Lieut. Francis Liles came over from Lilesville and spent Monday afternoon he with relatives and friends. Lieut. Liles has lately gotten his discharge from the army. He was instructor at Camp Custis, Mich., for some months.

A most delightful party was given at the home of Mrs. James Threadgill Tuesday night in honor of Lonnie C. Cole, who has been home for the past month visiting his relatives. He left this morning for New Orleans, from which place he will sale Feb. 28^th for Panama. He has been in the military service over two years now, and next November, having served his three years, will be discharged. His address is Ft. Randolph, Panama Canal Zone, Pigeon Section. Guests at this “goodbye” party were Misses Netta Poplin, Mabel Dunn, Hassie Richardson, Bertha Covington, Bertha Bolton, Johnsie Henry, Mamie and Katie McDonald, Mary and Nettie Swink, Mary Hamer, and Margaret Cunningham; Messrs. Eugene Bailey, Jim and Carson Ratliff, Lee Davis and James Threadgill.

Marriage Licenses

Feb. 15^th, Dewey Thompson and Willie Henry, white

Feb. 15^th, Foster Parsons and Glennie Thomas, white.

Feb. 17^th, John Allison Winslow and Lena McKay, white.

Feb. 19^th, Freeman Nicholson and Florence Ellerbe, colored.

Personal

J.K. Long and family moved the last of January to the Gore farm near Cognac.

T.W. Childress has resigned as ‘second hand’ at Steele’s Mills and has opened a grocery near Entwistle.

The Library hours are now 3:30 to 6:30 in the afternoons and from 10 to 12 on Saturday mornings.

Mrs. F.B. Garrett is present in Salisbury, 528 Fulton St., where she will remain with her mother, Mrs. Ida Bostian, until April.

Ben Stubbs spent Saturday with his father here. He is working for the Phoenix Construction Co., which is building the tower transmission line from Laurinburg to Camden, 100 miles long.

Young Ben Guthrie, a 7-year-old hopeful of Judge Henry Guthrie, brought the Post-Dispatch a ripe tomato this week that Mrs. G.A. Patrick plucked from her garden a few days ago.

Mrs. Florence Watson will open on March 1^st a ladies’ beauty shop over McNail’s furniture store, for the purpose of electric hair dressing, massaging, shampooing children’s hair, bobbing, etc.

Shelton S. Webster of Cheraw was instantly killed Tuesday morning near Lilesville while climbing a post on the Yadkin Power Co.’s high tension line by coming in contact with a “static” current.

Hal Ledbetter Jr. and John Cole went to New York Tuesday and Wednesday nights respectively, and will return in 10 days. In a few weeks, Cole will open an office in Philadelphia and Ledbetter in Chicago for the Marlboro Cotton Mills.

Mrs. Minnie L. Blanton, secretary of the N.C. Library Commission, will visit Rockingham about the first week in March with the purpose of having the local library permanently established.

The engagement of Miss Caddie Fowle and Mr. Charlie Morton was announced this week, the wedding to be April 30^th. Both are of Washington, N.C. Miss Fowle is remembered here, having visited Mrs. C.K. Waddill, nee Miss Fannie Dockery.

Miss Elizabeth Haywood is doing clerical work in the Register of Deeds’ office.

R.B. Hutchinson Wednesday bought a five-passenger from Page Station.

Miss Sallie Davis returned home Monday from Salisbury hospital, much improved.

The Postal Telegraph Company has reopened its office at Laurinburg; it was closed for the past several months.

Dr. A.C. Everett now has his offices in the rooms over the Post-Dispatch office, formerly used by the Red Cross as a Sewing Room.

Dr. Fairley P. James and Miss Hallie Covington, both of Laurinburg, were married in that city Wednesday evening at the Methodist church.

Lieut. “Dutch” Hardison spent Sunday in Rockingham with friends, coming over from Wadesboro.

Mr. Ben Ely spent the week-end in Rockingham with friends, returning to Baltimore Sunday night.

Mrs. Gaskins of Charleston, S.C., who has been the house-guests of Mrs. Robert S. Leak, has retuned to her home.

Mr. Claude Gore went to Wilmington Tuesday to spend the day with his father, whose health is not robust these days.

The many friends of Miss Ann Steele will be glad to know that she is more comfortable than she was for several days last week.

Mrs. W.P. Webb, Mrs. J.T. Bennett and Mrs. A.L. McDonald left Wednesday morning to attend a conference of Home Section Civilian Relief, American Red Cross, Fayetteville, which meets Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

Mrs. Henry Clay Wall returned Tuesday morning from Salisbury, where she has been visiting her parents for some weeks. Mrs. Wall’s father, Mr. J.C. Nicholson, is not at all well, and she will return shortly to Salisbury, when her father is operated on.

Entwistle Items

Mrs. Guy Dawkins, who has been sick for some time, is improving.

Mrs. Jule Caddell has been on the sick list for the past few days.

Mr. J.V. Meacham, who has had a case of the flu, is able to be back in the store.

Mrs. Bertha Covington is still on the sick list.

Mr. and Mrs. Vander Floyd have returned from Fries, Va.

Mrs. D.R. Henderson is visiting friends in Wilmington.

Mrs. W.H. Rich from Columbia spent Sunday with her sister, Mrs. John Gay.

Mr. G.W. Bullard is spending a few days in Wilmington.

Miss Monnie Gay entertained her Sunday school class of girls at a valentine party Friday night. They played games. The room was beautifully decorated with hearts and evergreens. Refreshments were served and all reported a nice time.

Steele’s Mills News

Mr. Charlie Skipper is moving his family this week to Entwistle from Cordova.

Last week Mr. Bill Jones moved from Hannah Pickett to Cordova.

The Baptist preacher of Cordova married a most lovely couple last Sunday afternoon at Cobb Memorial Baptist Church—Mr. Foster Parsons and Miss Glennie Thomas. They are of splendid families.

Hannah Pickett Mill Items

Master Thomas McCaskill is just recovering from what was thought to be a second attack of flu.

Mr. Dock Phifer is also on the sick list with the same complaint; hope he will soon recover again.

Mrs. W.L. Patterson is up again, after a spell of one week’s sickness.

Mrs. Mary Anne Clark, who has been sick for the past week or so, is rapidly improving, we are glad to note.

Hannah Pickett folks seemed to be playing “fruit basket”—moving last week. Mrs. Page moved to Entwistle mill and Mrs. Singletary moved into the Page house, and Jack Kelly moved into the Singletary house. Some one else moved in the Kelly house. Mrs. Fisher moved to Durham and Mrs. Mills moved in the Fisher house. Mrs. Stewart moved in the Mills house, John Patterson moved to Durham and Sam Hyatt moved in the Patterson house. Clinton Whitlock moved into the Hyatt House, John Bean moved to Rockingham and Henry Sanders moved in the Bean house. This is “some” moving for one week’s time.

It is rumored that there is to be a union revival at or near Hannah Picket village some time in the near future. It will depend on the co-operation of the people. Let everybody open their hearts and pocket books too, and let’s have this meeting, and let everyone come together and serve God in unity.