R.Y. Sherrill Visiting Old Home After 53 Years, June 19, 1923

Many Changes Have Taken Place Since He Was Here

Many changes have taken place in 24 years, but the changes that have taken place in Lenoir during this time were not surprising to R.Y. Sherrill of Lincoln, Ark., who is visiting relatives here.

It has been 24 years since Mr. Sherrill was here until he arrived a few days ago. Mr. Sherrill said he anticipated many changes and improvements, so the town, he said, was more or less like he expected to find it. Mr. Sherrill lives in the banner apple county of Arkansas. Washington county is located in the northwestern section of the State and it is in this section, he said, that raises so many fine apples. It is a great country, too. Over at Springfield, he said, in the same county, they have built a big juice plant, and two years ago 2,500 acres in that section were planted in grapes. These are just beginning to bear this year, and the first crops will be harvested soon. The acreage planted in grapes last year was more than it was two years ago. Within a short time Mr. Sherrill believes that grape culture will be the leading industry in that section of the State.

Mr. Sherrill has been visiting in the county for several days. He was in town Saturday and said that he was going to Blowing Rock the next day to see his aunt, Mrs. Polly Elrod, who is over 90 years old.

Mr. Sherrill is a son of Robert Finley Sherrill, who prior to 1869 lived near Dudley Shoals. On Dec. 16 of that year Robert Finley Sherril migrated with his family to the west. With him were Coon Flowers and family, Sylvanus Starnes and Jule Payne. All of them returned to North Carolina after about a year except the Sherrills. They remained in Washington county, Arkansas, and made it their permanent home.

R.Y. Sherrill was just a youngster 53 years ago when the family left here. His entire life up to the present has been spent in that section of Arkansas where he married and raised a family. About a year ago he lost his wife. The children being away from home, Mr. Sherrill is spending several weeks in North Carolina among old friends.

From the front page of the Lenoir News-Topic, June 19, 1923