Gastonia, July 25—News reached Gastonia this evening of the death at 6 o’clock this afternoon at Montreat, of Rev. George A. Sparrow, for 28 years pastor of Olney and Union Presbyterian churches in this county. Mr. Sparrow was 77 years of age and was the oldest minister in point of service in King’s Mountain Presbytery. Heart failure was the cause of his death.
Rev. and Mrs. Sparrow went to Montreat a week ago to spend a vacation of two weeks. Only today the Gastonia Gazette had along communication from Mrs. Sparrow, who was one of that paper’s correspondents, telling of the great time they were having in this Presbyterian resort. Mr. Sparrow apparently was in perfect health and his sudden death comes as a distinct shock to hundreds of friends over North and South Carolina.
Mr. Sparrow was a native of Washington, North Carolina, and was a practicing attorney in that town before entering the ministry. He was twice married, his first wife being Miss Sue Brown of Washington, a sister of Judge Brown. He is survived by the following children: Mrs. S.B. Sparrow, G.A. Sparrow, of Charlotte, Tom Sparrow of Gastonia and Evans Sparrow of Statesville, and Mesdames R.B. Riddle Jr. of Gastonia, C.W. Keys of New York and Chesley Watkins of Statesville. His second wife was Miss Jennie Ewing of Washington. There were no children by the second marriage. A sister, Mrs. B.F. Dalton of Greensboro, survives.
The body will arrive in Gastonia Wednesday afternoon at 4:40 p.m. from Montreat and will be taken to the former home at Union, seven miles out in the country from here. Funeral and interment will take place Thursday morning at 11 o’clock.
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Veteran Editor Dies After Long Illness. . . D.J. Whichard Sr. Passes Away at Greenville Home; Funeral Today
Greenville, July 25—David Jordan Whichard Sr., one of North Carolina’s best known newspaper men, died this morning at 11 o’clock at his home here after several weeks’ illness. The funeral will be held tomorrow afternoon at 5 o’clock.
Mr. Whichard, a veteran editor who published and edited the Greenville Daily Reflector from 1885 until he was appointed postmaster during the Wilson administration, was 59 years old. He learned the printing trade when a youth and was publisher of a paper by the time he was 16 years of age.
The deceased was born at Greenville August 8, 1862, a son of David Fleming and Violetta H. Whichard. He received his early education in a private school conducted by his mother. He had barely mastered the rudiments of an elementary education when he began learning the printing trade. In 1877 when he was 15, he and his brother Julian established a small paper known as the Express. In 1822 they established the Reflector, a weekly paper, and in 1885 he brought out his brother’s interest and in 1894 established the daily edition of that paper. The weekly edition is still continued under the name Eastern Reflector. Mr. Whichard was editor in charge until 1913, and was president of the publishing company. In the early part of 1917 the publishing company was dissolved and he again became sole owner of the paper.
At different times other activities engaged his time and attention. For 29 years he was manager of the local office of the Western Union and for four years was express agent at Greenville. He served as city clerk two years and on May 26, 1913, became postmaster of Greenville and was also secretary of the North Carolina Postmasters’ Association. He resigned as postmaster because of poor health. Both personally and as editor and publisher Mr. Whichard put forth strenuous efforts in behalf of the cause or prohibition in the community and State. He was the founder and later vice-president and director of the Home Building and Loan Association here.
Mr. Whichard was a deacon of the Memorial Baptist church of Greenville since 1884 and for many years was chairman of the board of deacons and a trustee of the church. He was also a Royal Arch Mason.
November 14, 1888, at Greenville, he married Miss Hennie Sutten. They had four children, Hennie, Essie Sheppard, David Julian and Walter Linden. The son David was assistant postmaster at Greenville until he entered military service in the war.
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F.B. Jordan, Prominent Citizen of Wayne Is Dead
Goldsboro, July 25—Frank B. Jordan, 52, member of the board of county commissioners, is dead of typhoid fever at his home in Grantham’s township.
Mr. Jordan was a prominent figure in Wayne county politics for many years. During the recent campaign he was urged by many friends to enter the race for nomination to the legislature. But he seemed to pay more attention to community work than politics. His memory will be perpetuated by the Baptist church in his community bearing his name.
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Funeral of J.B. Elliott
Durham, July 25—Funeral services were held Sunday afternoon at 5 o’clock in the First Baptist church for J.B. Elliott, for many years a prominent merchant of this city, who died Saturday night at the home of his daughter, Mrs. D.T. Dickey, on Roxboro street. Mr. Elliott was 67 years of age, and until his retirement from business was a member of the firm of Barbee and Elliott, a large grocery concern here. He was a deacon in the First Baptist church, and has for many years taken an active interest in all religious matters connected with the church. He was also chaplain in the Odd Fellows Lodge here.
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Mrs. George Mebane Dies
Mebane, July 25—Mrs. George Mebane died Tuesday morning at her home here after an illness of several months. Mrs. Mebane was 64 years of age and a faithful worker in her community for many years.
Surviving are a daughter, Mrs. William Ralph of Belhaven, two sons, Mason, a druggist at Fayetteville and Yancey Mebane of Asheville, and several brothers and sisters and a host of friends and relatives.
The burial will be held Wednesday, conducted by Rev. A.W. Shaw of the Presbyterian church.
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Ernest D. Adams Dies at His Residence Here
Ernest D. Adams died at his residence, 116 S. McDowell street, Tuesday morning at 9 o’clock after a brief illness. Surviving are his widow who was Miss Lucy Brown, daughter of the late John W. Brown of this city; a brother, Brosia Adams of Clayton; three sisters, Mrs. W.H. Brewer of Raleigh, Mrs. J.W. Wilson of Wilson’s Mills, and Mrs. D.A. Adams of Four Oaks, and Mrs. H.Y. Scarboro of Rocky Mount.
The funeral services will be held from the residence at 3 o’clock this afternoon, after which the body will be taken to Clayton, his former home, for interment.
(Article says three sisters, and then list four names.)
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James Cotton Dies
Scotland Neck, July 25—James Cotton, one of the oldest and best known residents of Scotland Neck, was buried at the Baptist cemetery Sunday afternoon. Mr. Cotton died Saturday night after a brief illness. Rev. Reuben Meredith, rector of Trinity Episcopal Church, conducted the services.
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Daniel Jennings Dies
Elizabeth City, July 25—Daniel Jennings died at his home in the Berea community Sunday at noon. He was in his 85th year and was the oldest citizen of that community. He was a Civil War veteran, and was in action during the hardest fighting of the war, having one leg so shot to pieces that he was a cripple for life and always walked with the aid of a stout cane.
He was a good citizen, and a leading member of Berea Baptist church. For the last three years, he had been in declining health. Mr. Jennings is survived by seven children, by 22 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
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Miss C.A. Alexander Dies
Scotland Neck, July 25—The death Sunday afternoon of Miss Carrie Angelyn Alexander came as a shock to her many friends here and throughout the State. Miss Alexander, who was 70 years of age, is survived by two brothers, J.H. Alexander of this city, and Edmund Alexander of Wilmington, besides a number of other relatives and friends. Interment took place yesterday afternoon in the Episcopal Cemetery, Rev. Reuben Merideth, rector of Trinity church, of which the deceased was a member, conducting the service.
From the Raleigh News & Observer, July 26, 1922
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