Cane Creek Mother Or? Meethngs

CANE C RE E K

” MoT ‘HE R or? MEE T HN GS

B BBIE T TEAG E O . U

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOG CARD NUMBER 95 068074 ISBN NUMBER 0—942—7272 5 —8

CANE CREEK MONTHLY MEETING OF FRIENDS

B — HAP IL RD N AMP 2 4 H L . OW NC 605 . REENS ORO EL 73 9 W G C , S C , NORTH CAROLINA FRIENDS HISTORICAL SOCIETY

BO# 8 02 REENSBORO NC 2 4 1 PO . 5 7 9 , G , NORTH CAROLINA YEARLY MEETING OF FRIENDS N 2 4 10 5 5 06 RIENDLY AV E . REENSBORO C 7 F , G ,

COMPOSED BY FRIENDLY DESKTOP PUBLISHING — PRINTED BY THOMSON SHORE CONTENTS

The Beginnings Mother of Meetings Burying Ground u Traveling Friends l Five Meetinghouses Turmoil in a Quaker Community

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Meetings for Worship and Business The Spoken Ministry

Education Concern for Missions and Outreach i A Quaker CuS tom A Quaker Testimony Cane Creek Community The Svyor d of Peace Into the Future Appendices Pastoral Ministers Statistical Report 1 8 8 1 Statistical Report 19 8 1

fOr Meetings . Sufferings The Charleston Fund The Baltimore Association of Friends Works Cited Index To W ILMA GRIFFIN

I consider it a privilege and an honor to dedicate this book,

” # Ca ne Cr eek MOI/7 6 7 o Meeti n s . , f g , to Wilma Grifﬁn It is my “ small way ofsaying Thank you for the support and help that she has given me during the writing of this book . P REFACE

Cane Creek Friends Meetinghouse Stands just north Of the intersection of the Sylvan School Road and the Greensboro

Al t Chapel Hill Highway in southern amance Coun y, North Caro

to lina . It is a place where people gather worship as they have for Y f more than 240 years . oung and Old alike can ind within its walls kindness , love , devotion , and inspiration . This has always been so .

is not now was was It much different than it when I a child , growing up in the Cane Creek Meeting . My memories from that time and place to the present form a kaleidoscope of pictures that seem to change , yet forever remain the same .

’ One ofthe Stories that anyone who grew up in or around Cane Creek Meeting heard over and over again was the story about the time when General Cornwallis brought his British soldiers to

’ ‘ A Simon Dixon s Mill during the Revolution . s a youngster I loved

Stories , but to be perfectly honest , I grew rather tired ofhearing that i story ox er and over . It seemed to me that surely there should be a lot of different kinds of Stories not just one .

I found in Wilma Griffin someone who knew many Stories

of about Cane Creek . In fact , she knows more about the history

Cane Creek and the Snow Camp area than anyone I know . She has been the historian—in—residence for Cane Creek Meeting for well

f for over ifty years . Many people come to the area searching their

Not roots . many of them go away without learning something about their ancestors , for invariably someone will refer them to A ’ . nd Wilma if Wilma doesn t know anything to tell them , their ancestors probably were not from this area# One Ofthe things that Wilma has worked toward and dreamed about for a long time is the publication ofa history ofCane Creek CANE CREEK

Meeting . This has been done with many of the Older meetings in

to North Carolina Yearly Meeting, and she wanted very much have a comparable history for Cane Creek . She made an outline for such a project and wrote a synopsis . When she learned that I had similar interests , we decided to pool our resources . She kindly placed in my hands her writing, her research , and some ofher pictures . My own research included a thorough reading of the Cane Creek Minutes

r to from the ve y beginning up the present time . I also had the opportunity to do research in the Friends Historical Collection at

Guilford College . I consider it a rare privilege to have put the stories , the exper iences , and the facts together in what I believe is a readable and enjoyable way .

The writing ofthis book has given me a greater understanding

fo r of and admiration early Friends . There is indeed more to tell about Cane Creek than just the fact that once , long ago , an English lord brought his soldiers to a grist mill located on Cane Creek . I hope that those Who read this account will enjoy It and learn from it just as I have done .

to : I want express my many, many thanks to the following Mary

r Edith Hinshaw, David Teague , and Ma y Butt for their patience and ki ndness during the editing process ; Mike Ar nold for lending Al his computer expertise; John C . len for sharing information from

for his research; and especially to my husband , Dwight , his help , his support , and encouragement .

Bobbie T . Teague

Snow Camp , NC 1 995 NINGS

t efo e anything there was the land . There

a a has lw ys been the land , a gently rolling plateau with meandering Streams that find — J ay to the faster moving waters of Cane — and on to the swiftly ﬂowing Haw River; a

f rich and fertile soil; a land of tall tr ees z f

oak V, poplar , and ; a land offragrant cedars

' ty pines ; a land that Was for centuries home

red 14 4 4 5 4 man and his 3 , his buffalo ; a land

' r . John Lederer , a German , explored in -Ie recorded avisit to Native Americans who “ ” n rich soyl (Whitaker These were the

haw one— , time inhabitants of the land that is southern Alamance County in central

Carolina . CANE CREEK

1700 In , John Lawson , surveyor for the province of North

to Carolina , organized an expedition explore the land . He de scribed it as a beautiful wild paradise with rich soil , good timber , He and plentiful game . seemed especially fascinated with the wild “ ke e tur s . al y On the third day he reached the Hau . He so

of f recorded his hopes illing the land with thousands of families . Lawson visited several of the local tribes but found only about 17 1 1 living in the area (Whitaker By the year , Indian wars had forced those to move east and join other tribes .

Hunters from Pennsylvania were al so among the ﬁrst white

IS men to come to the area . It said that one hunting party experienced such a heavy snow that theynamed their encampment “ the r Snow Camp , and name stuck . The t aditionally accepted — location oftheir camp was about one fourth mile east ofthe Site on which the meetinghouse would be built . While they were in the f f area, the hunters saw much game , streams illed with ish , fertile

I for land , and great forests . This abundance was an nducement them to return permanently . The settlement of this wilderness area began as soon as peace

f At f seemed assured at the close o the Indian wars . irst a few “ ” a squatters appeared on the scene , cleared sm ll patches of land , — — and built Simple one room log cabins or three sided Shelters . When the Carolina Proprietors saw the advantage ofland develop

to a . ment , they began offer l nd at bargain prices The Granville

640 al Estates offered acres for three shillings and a sm l quitrent , while retaining the mineral rights to the property . North Carolina governors offered fifty acres free to homesteaders . One Carolina resident wrote that 640 acres would cost no more than three or four pounds Sterling and would be free from tax es (Stuart Motivated

O for al by the prospect, of wning large amounts of land a sm l

m for Ri investment , any immigrants headed the Haw ver and its

Game — tributaries . To the north of the Haw the Scotch Irish

10 THE BEGINNINGS

Al Presbyterians; along the western tributary, amance Creek, were the Lutheran and Reformed settlements ; and along the southern tributary, Cane Creek, the Quakers settled .

L Quakers came to the Carolinas several decades before they f arrived in the backwoods country o the Piedmont . Early Friends

m New . emigrated fro Scotland , England , and Ireland to the World

l They came in search ofa better life . To them a better life would have

a included cheap creage , freedom to pursue a livelihood of their

hoice to g , and the freedom worship without restrictions imposed by government . The patterns ofimmigration were formed and made necessary

The by the patterns and forms of the land itself. great bays and harbors in the northern part of the continent beckoned the Ships and their captains with promises Of safe landing Sites and rich soil f d. inlan Thus , the irst Quaker immigrants settled in the Tidewater n N and Easter Shore of the ew World . n Land alo g the shore farther south was not as hospitable . Great

I l n o Barrier s a dSbl cked the entrances to the sounds and rivers . Even good sailors dreaded the shoals and treacherous coastline of the

T not Carolinas . herefore , the settlement ofthis land came with an inﬂux ofimmigrants from Europe but rather from the eastern shore N ew e . of Delaware , Maryland , and Jers y

The first Friends to settle in the area that is now North Carolina

Ab P er uimans came to the l emarle region , to q and Pasquotank 1 f r 66 . Counties , by about 5 Their irst reco ded meetings forworship

W 1672 of f ere held in , at the present town Hertford , when irst

Fox . William Edmondson , and then George , visited the colony

Several meetings were set up in the coastal area , and a quarterly meeting was begun in 168 1 (F4 4 1? 4 71 4 P r4 ctice

173 2 Penns l In , a company made up mostly ofQuakers from y vania and Maryland acquired acres of land in Frederick CANE CREEK

t . Coun y, Virginia, from the colonial government Here , Hopewell Friends Meetingwas established in 173 5 (Forbish 3 3 ) This proved to be an important beachhead for the Quaker migration into piedmont North Carolina . Many of these families joined others

' who were moving south from Virginia, Pennsylvania, and points north into central North Carolina .

The decision to come south , to uproot their families , and to travel some 400 miles into the wilderness was not easy for the early f pioneers , but many Quakers came . The irst Of the settlers from Pennsylvania and Maryland must have made the journey by horseback and on foot and transported supplies on pack animals . Mothers with small children rode horseback while the men Often

a as walked . Traveling was f irly e y through Virginia; however , the

Af t way grew more difficult the farther south they came . ter they lef w the traveled route , they would most likely have follo ed the Great

Trading Path that led to Hillsborough . They would have crossed

Ri — of ak the Haw ver near the present day village Swepsonville , t en

the the lower branch of trail at this point , and followed it into the area along Cane Creek .

’ A family s journey to Carolina was not undertaken without

f not careful preparations . The irst pioneers could have used wagons on Indian footpaths ; routes were widened for wagons soon after the

A to earliest settlers came . large wagon was needed hold the necessary items for the journey and to establish a new home . There was no room for luxuries; everything must have a useful purpose . Occasionally some priz ed possession would be left in the care of a relative with the understanding that it would be brought to

Carolina at a later time .

to On weekdays the Friends tried travel at least ten miles , but

on the Sabbath day they rested . One can imagine the little Quaker

In family or families Sitting quietly, worshiping the dense

A t two forest . f er about months on the road , they would reach their

12 THE BEGINNINGS

new home , and a new life would begin at Cane Creek . The early settlers claimed land along the stream called Cane f — Creek, named for the proli ic amount of reed like cane growing

along its banks . Others settled nearby, in the Cane Creek Valley . For many years the entire area Was known as the Cane Creek

T now settlement . his extended into what is Chatham County on

t t the south , and into Randolph Coun y and Guilford Coun y as far

- a N ew . r s Garden on the west The eastern bounda y was the Eno ’ ’ River near Hillsborough . Bass s Mountain and Mary s Creek “ ” formed the northern boundary (Griffin History

At f to was of the time the irst settlers came this area , it part

Bladen or An son County as identified on the early land grants . In 17 2 5 , Orange County was formed and included the Cane Creek

was 1 1 . t settlement When Chatham Coun y formed in 77 , the northern boundary line ran just south ofthe Cane Creek Meeting

n who house , thus placi g the meetinghouse and members lived

of theline iin t s north Orange Coun y, while tho e living south ofthe

in of meetinghouse were Chatham County . Records many of the early families Show the birth of Older children in Orange County

and the birth ofyounger children in Chatham County . This leads one to conclude that the families had moved when in reality they

had not .

1 849 Al t was In , amance Coun y formed from western Orange

t Al t W h Coun y, putting Cane Creek in amance Coun y ( itaker 1 895 In , the Chatham County line was redrawn once gain , placing it about three miles south of the meetinghouse (Griffin “ History” 1 Therefore , one would be quite accurate in Stating that the Cane

A t O r Creek Meetinghouse has been in nson or Bladen Coun y, A ange , Chatham , and lamance counties . 4 Friends arrived in the Cane Creek area as early as 17 9 . One of the first acts of business ofthe newly formed Cane Creek Meeting was to record the births Of four children in that year : John

1 3 CANE CREEK

hamness son A a , of nthony and Sar h Cole Chamness; Nathan ’ A ike , tenth child of John and bigail Overman Pike; Thomas l rown , son of William and Hannah Moon Brown; and Sarah

W of right , daughter John and Rachel Wells Wright .

Since the settlement covered such a wide area it would be n ossible t p to name the thir y families mentioned in the Minutes , m in the immediate Cane Creek area we find these here before

7 1 : t A 5 Joseph and Chari y Wells , John and bigail Pike , George

W A a illiams , nthony and Sarah Chamness , William and Hann h £ rown , Hugh and Mary Laughlin , Benjamin Martin , William ddr a e # h g , Thomas Jones , Richard Kemp , James Carter , acharia /I i ar t n . , John Tidwell , and John and Rachel Wright

Land grants in the area were recorded as early as 1749 . George Williams ’ land grant for 645 acres on the north side ofCane Creek

f 1 0 two n a s recorded on May 17 o that year . In 75 gra ts were made

“ ’ t m f r nvill -A o the Earl o G a e s province nson or Bladen County. “ mthony Chamness was granted 490 acres ofland on Cain Creek 2 nd was 80 . John Pike granted acres , also on Cane Creek John (fright claimed 404 acres on the north Side of Cane Creek joining ’ 1 4 f I t . mes Williams proper y Four years later in 75 , John Stan ield r as granted 2 03 acres on a branch ofCane Creek . In that same year

0 was 63 2 on n May 3 , John Jones granted acres , lying a branch

’ ” “ ” f Cain Creek to John Wright s line (Griffin Histo ry

Each land grant carried the names of the chain bearers and the

rv r I eyo s . In all probability these men would have lived in the

’ e ner al n : area, thus providi g a more complete list ofsettlers names i char d Al dr a e Aldr a e Kemp , Martin g , William g , James Williams ,

) hn f f Stan ield , William Maris , and William Tidwell (Grif in

Iotes) .

The immigration of the Dixon family followed a typical “ f S e oe t a . o ttern William Dixon or Dixson from Parish g , Coun y r magh and other Friends settled on the west side of Brandywine

14 THE BEGINNINGS

Creek in Christiana Hundred , New Castle County, near the present village ofCenterville and became founders ofwhat laterwas ” k a t . nown as Centre Meeting, New C stle Coun y, Delaware (Cook) Ageneration later they would move up the Brandywine to Kennett

Lthere f al Square; from , farther into Pennsylvania and in ly south — ward to the Carolinas within a period Ofseventy five years or three geqer ations . Simon Dixon was one of the first Quaker men to claim land

a . along the C ne Creek He came to the area , then , in Orange

t 1 49 . Coun y, in 7 , and chose a spot on the north bank ofthe creek

” of There he built a Simple cabin , cleared a plot land for corn , and

‘ h m not began plans for a o estead . He did remain in Carolina at this time but , instead , returned to Pennsylvania . He was most likely

a . one traveling with a group OfQu ker men Usually, man from each family, all ofwhom were probably neighbors or relatives or mem “ ” bers ofa cer tain meeting ones with the frontier fever went

t o h orseb ack to sou h together n Stake out their claims , then returned north for their families .

1 1 Dixon returned to Cane Creek in 75 , clearly intending to

, for C stay this time , he brought his wife Elizabeth , his hildren , and

for his widowed mother with him . He also brought provisions his livelihood : a set of millstones to be used in the mill which he

to on planned build Cane Creek . Eventually he would build for his

lo family a stone house , but in the beginning a g cabin would have f . was no to suf ice It t long until he had built a dam across the creek .

Soon the mill was built and the millstones installed . When other

’ pieces of equipment were in place , Dixon s Mill was ready for

t for two business , and it would serve the communi y approximately centuries . Anthony and Sarah Cole Chamness may have had the most unusual arrival in the New World and their subsequent settlement in the Cane Creek area . Seth Hinshaw tells of their experiences in

15 CANE CREEK

' The C4 r olz n4 Qu4 ker ‘Exp er z enee

One fascinating story of an indentured servant is that of

An As b o of thony Chamness . a y thirteen in London , while

Sh on watching ips the Thames , he was kidnapped, brought

to A merica , then sold as an indentured servant . During his

of period servitude he fell in love with Sarah Cole , an

indentured servant girl . In order to hasten her day of

to liberation , he volunteered serve part of her remaining

to . 1 2 time . When at last they were free get married (ca 7 5 ) their equipment for housekeeping consisted of a broken

wooden bowl which she had found , and a wooden spoon which he had whittled out for her.As soon as possible they

r to the moved southwa d the Cane Creek area, and joined

ar ar a th meeting . They re ed a l ge f mily Of irteen children A f John and bigail Pike were two more o the early settlers .

A not al for to bigail was a minister , and it was unusu them to travel new places and lend their support to the establishment of new

Friends communities and meetings . They had left Pasquotank County in eastern North Carolina In 173 8 to travel to Frederick

t to Coun y, Virginia, assist with the Hopewell Meeting, where they “ ” for f remained eleven years , (Grif in History

It is possible that the Pikes heard about the new settlement on

of Cane Creek from families moving into the Hopewell area . Many

to for - a these families planned only remain at Hopewell few years ,

then continue farther south . John and Abigail came to the Cane Creek settlement with their 1 f eight children about 749 . Their certi icates ofmembership from Hopewell were placed with the Carver ’s Creek Meeting in Bladen

ifi t . cer t Coun y, North Carolina This monthly meeting held the cates of not only the Pikes but others in the settlement until the

establishment of a monthly meeting at ane Creek . This was an accepted practice of the day . Many Quaker pioneers , with their

16 THE BEGINNINGS

a not to ith , did want be away from the care ofa monthly

even if that meeting were many miles away .

Iil Pike was the archetypal Quaker pioneer woman . Such

of t would necessi y have been strong, in order to cope with

“ s of frontier life . AS a minister she would also have been her religious faith and obedient to the leadings ofthe Holy er concern for the spiritual life of her neighbors would

r ) pp or tunities fo service which she did not Shirk . With

not background , then , it is surprising that in the early part

11‘ 1 1 for 75 , she would Stand in a meeting worship and say “ embled o Friends at Cane Creek, IfRachel Wright will g we will attend the Quarterly Meeting at Little River in ” ms County and ask that a meeting be set up here . Friends 3 riffin History n s et out A she for the quarterly meeting , bigail Pike left

n son t al you g , Nathan , while Rachel Wright also lef a sm l

rah . so t not Both families were large , the youngs ers were

1. Moreover , the fact that the children were left by their reveal s the determination of both women to fulfill the n they had undertaken , as well as the depth of their for the spiritual life of the more than thirty families living

Il l C Creek settlement .

I imans County lies about two hundred miles to the east of z k e and the trip takes approximately five hours by car now . the difficulty of traveling that distance on horseback v al NO irtu ly uncharted wilderness . doubt there were a few

’ mg the route where a night s lodging and a simple meal

e r to Obtain d , but the nights when it was necessa y camp in

were far more numerous . The Friends at Cane Creek y sent other persons with these two courageous women .

Ict not n for number , however , is k own they are grouped as “ Several friends from them parts (Crow

17 CANE CREEK

The establishment ofCane Creek Monthly Meeting ofF f iends

z as s authori ed at the quarterly meeting held at Little River , “ ” 1 or ded 1 st 1 1 in their minutes , dated Sixth month 3 , 75

Friends on Cane Creek wrote to our Quarterly Meeting Desiring a Monthly Meeting to be Settled amongst them

’ Refer d to 85 which was this Meeting , Several Friends from them parts appeared at this Meeting 85 acquainted Friends that there is Thirty Families and upwards ofF r iends Settled

In them parts , and Desire in behalfofthemselves and their

to Friends have a Monthly Meeting Settled amongst them ,

which Request , upon Mature Consideration Friends think

to it proper grant , and leave to themselves to settle it in the most convenient place amongst the body (Crow

The ' h Now would begin the long trek back . ot September sun

uld w make travel more uncomfortable , and there ould be the n A essa t insects with which to contend . But the good news bigail

( e , Rachel Wright , and the others carriedwith them would lessen

f How of not dif iculties . happy the day return must have been , l for of for y the families those returning , but the entire group of

At Iakers settled along the banks of Cane Creek . last they would ve of own a monthly meeting their , and no longer would their t ifi cates ofmembership be held by a faraway monthly meeting . Abigail Pike ’s story does not end with the establishment ofthe

etin to g at Cane Creek . She was also involved in the effort secure

m for onthly meeting Friends at New Garden , and the mere — t ty five miles she traveled in that endeavor must have been as

1 T is e was in Old S e due to the f the r i is Em ir e h dat tyl , act that B t h p ,

u in the Amer i n o onies didnot o the Gre or i n en r refor ms d g ca c l , ad pt g a cal da

i e r 1 2 fo re m th e r be n w M r so l S e mbe 75 . e i e e i pt B that t , y a ga th a ch , that ” “ l st th Mon in the e bove refer s to Au ust not une . Six M on 3 th dat a g , J th th , ”

l l wou or r es on to S e ember 1 1 175 1 on our mo ern en r . , ld c p d pt , d cal da

1 8

’ Agener4 liz 4 tz on (not elmwrz to se4 le)

Ge o rge W illiams (1 74 9 ) N La nd Gra nt J o hn Pike (1 7 5 0 ) J o hnWr ight (1 7 5 0 )

J os e ph We lls (1 7 5 4 ) me eting

S imo n Dix on (1 7 5 0 )

Ca ne Cree k

’ Di x o n S Mill

2 0 MOTHER OF MEETINGS

con oday, Cane Creek Monthly Meeting sists ofone meetinghouse and one congre

ation g , with most members living within

a few miles of each other and the meetinghouse .

not of This has always been so . The organization early Friends in North America was patterned after the system of organization still in use among Brit

ish Friends (Smith Under this system , a monthly meeting would consist of a number of

n preparative meetings o a fairly permanent basis . Each preparative meeting would prepare business

pertinent to its area , which would then be for

warded to the monthly meeting for consideration . Each preparative meeting was also required to send a representative to the monthly meeting for busi CANE CREEK

ness , and , should it fail to do so , someone would be appointed to inquire into the reason for the absence . In the early years the members of Cane Creek Meeting were scattered over piedmont North Carolina from New Garden in the west to Eno , near Hillsborough , in the east . This created much hardship for the faithful Quakers who had to travel long distances to meetings for worship and also to monthly business meetings . f Therefore , it is not surprising that at the irst monthly meeting for 17 1 business at Cane Creek, held Tenth month 5 , the Minutes state “ that Friends of New Garden requested the privilege of holding a ” meeting for worship in that place . In just three months theywould 1 4 be granted the privilege ofholding a preparative meeting . By 75 , New Garden had grown strong enough to be granted monthly f meeting status , thus becoming the irst of many meetings in this

own area with roots in Cane Creek Monthly Meeting . Having their monthly meeting saved New Garden Friends the inconvenience of — a thirty mile ride on horseback to attend meetings for business at

Cane Creek .

Another early group who wanted to begin their own meeting A was not . 1 4 so far away In 75 , it is recorded in the pril Minutes that Friends at Rocky River requested permission to hold a meeting for “ worship for those persons inhabiting along the banks of Rocky i R ver . This permission was given , and today the Rocky River Meetinghouse is located in Chatham County about five miles south of Cane Creek . The monthly meetings business sessions might rotate or circulate among the meetinghouses of the preparative meetings . This would more evenly distribute the difficulties of early travel a among the membership . C ne Creek Monthly Meeting circulated its business meetings among the preparative meetings when fea

New sible . Garden and Cane Creek rotated the monthly meeting 1 4 until 75 , when New Garden was granted monthly meeting

2 2 MOTHER OF MEETINGS

At 1 82 0 monthly meeting held Twelfth month , Friends at y River requested that Cane Creek Monthly Meeting hold its ng for business once in every two months at the Rocky River in 1 82 1 C house . g This was agreeable , and , in February , ane

Monthly Meeting for business was held at Rocky River . This

.ce continued until Rocky River Monthly Meeting was estab l 1 A 1 02 08 . s in 9 late as 9 , Cane Creek Monthly Meeting also “ w, o meetings yearly with Edward Hill Meeting whenever it

- Tought best . is interesting to note that there was a Cane Creek preparative n was g also . This done , not in preparation for attaining bl i for y meet ng status ( that was already accomplished) , but to take care ofmatters of concern for the immediate area of

not to Creek . It is at all unusual read in the monthly meeting

of tes that , Cane Creek preparative complained

’ ‘ red by a person s name and the offense committed . ane Creek Monthly Meeting eagerly met the chal lenge of ishin g new meetings . Not only were Cane Creek Friends g to establish these new meetings but they also assumed n i ili s b t . 1 y for their care and oversight In 75 7 , William

:tt who , a friend traveled throughout the colonies , Visited

Creek and recorded in his journal , here is a large body ofFriends gathered together in a few z ars from several provinces . They told me they had settled ere about ten years but had found occasion to build five e etin ho s g u es and wanted one or two more . I had good Id reasonable opportunities with them (Weeks here is some confusion about the number of meetings begun ne k Cree . In some cases records have been lost , while in others istin g records are not clear . The Cane Creek Minutes are brief Ictual with little elaboration regarding the business trans

2 3 CANE CREEK

or acted . Through the years some names have been lost changed . ” However , the meetings which might be regarded as the children of Cane Creek fall into three categories : those which still exist and “ are still active today, those that were laid down , and those whose beginningswere helped or supported byFriends from other monthly meetings .

to f In addition New Garden and Rocky River , ive other

e : meetings begun by Can Creek are still active Centre , Holly A Spring, Deep River , Spring, and Edward Hill . sixth , Back Creek, received from Cane Creek its initial permission for an indulged meeting for worship but would later be established as a monthly meeting by Centre .

for W 1 7 1772 Centre began meeting orship in 75 , and in , Cane Creek gave permission for them to become a separate monthly meeting (Griffin “ History Centre Meeting is located on

62 t . Highway in Guilford Coun y It took its name , Centre , because

24 MOTHER OF MEETINGS

it was located approximately halfway between Cane Creek at

New Garden Meetings .

The minutes ofCane Creek Monthly Meeting dated Elevenl , “ month 175 3 record that Friends ofDeep River requested to ho .

, a meeting for worship among themselves every other Fifth dz ” Ri i ur as . [Th sday#at the home of Thom Mills Thus , Deep v

Monthly Meeting began . Deep River is located in Guilford Coun in the High Point area .

to of r iends e Five miles the east Cane Creek, a group ofF receiv permission to hold an indulged meeting” on First days in 176 (Cane Creek Minutes April An indulged meeting Is one II which a request has been made to have a meeting for worship an i this request has been granted or indulged . Thirteen years later ,

1777 r e aratiI , this group was given permission to have a p p

was 1 meeting . Monthly meeting status attained in 793 by Sprir

Meeting .

” n r was Car Begu late in the nineteenth centu y, Edward Hill k’ Hj Cree s last successful attempt to begin a new meeting . Edward was started in 1 8 99 and is located in Chatham County near tl small town of Bonlee .

Back Creek Meeting was begun in 178 5 when Cane Cree

r S ometin Meeting app oved an indulged meeting fo r worship . t la er , however , the people who had the concern for a meeting Back Creek transferred their membership from Cane Creek 1

Centre Meeting . Their concern was then handled by the Cent

At Meetin Meeting rather than Cane Creek . Western Quarterly

1 92 was r ante held at Cane Creek Eleventh month 7 , Back Creek g

e the status ofmonthly meeting . Today the meetinghouse is locat to ofAshebor o In the west Randolph County .

Eight of the meetings begun by Cane Creek have been lai ” As l c down or discontinued . the region became more p op u ate

2 5 CANE CREEK

a some meetings were bsorbed by more rapidly growing meetings .

Sometimes the interest and support for a meeting would decline ,

was but whatever the reason , no meeting ever laid down without r much conside ation .

The Pee Dee Meeting was started in 175 5 and was located in Ri Lancaster County, South Carolina , on the Little Pee Dee ver .

From the Minutes ofCane Creek Monthly Meeting, Ninth month “ 175 5 for for , Friends on the Pee Dee request meeting worship on

‘ fi r st and fourth days , where as customary care was extended a ”

was . committee appointed to visit Pee Dee Two months later ,

Re ke f was . c tt o permission granted William , in the account his

to one travels the early meetings , found this meeting to be whose “ love to truth and dilligence in attending meetings are worthy of notice; for they had nigh one hundred miles to go to the monthly

meeting they belonged to , and I am informed very seldom missed ” The was —wa l for attending (Weeks travel not one y on y, ,

to of 1779 according the Minutes First month , Joseph Cloud and John Carter were given permission by Cane Creek Monthly

Meeting to visit Pee Dee . 1 The meeting was laid down around 799 . No reason is given

was in the minutes ofCane Creek, but in that year there decline of meetings in South Carolina and Georgia . Joseph Cloud visited the area again at this time presumably in the “ interest of removal ” 12 a (Weeks 3 , However , the C ne Creek Minutes of June 1799 , reveal that Friends from Pee Dee petitioned the monthly 1 meeting to have their rights removed to Deep River in 799 . Could

’ it be that their request precipitated Joseph Cloud s Visit , or could ? it be that the request came after his Visit to Pee Dee

The decade between 1 8 3 0— 1 840 saw the demise of several

of meetings begun by Cane Creek . Little is known about several

of them . Friends from Lower Deep River requested the privilege

1 6 . holding a meeting on Fifth day, 7 3 This meeting continued

2 6

CANE CREEK

t for 1 t ft . 8 8 Randolph Coun y, west ofLiber y, about ﬁ een years In 7 , “ Cane Creek Monthly Meeting was asked for advice about setting

of A up another meeting place , being deprived former house .

to unfor tu committee was appointed advise and assist them , but m of ately no record was made the outcome . This gives rise to an ? unanswered question : why were they deprived ofa meeting place

Herman Husband owned a large tract of land in that area . Whether or not the influence ofhis Quaker beliefs had anything to do with the establishment of the meeting is quite uncertain but n 1 . ot t 7 1 perhaps plausible Husband , himself, was in the area af er 7

Fr iends 4 t Holl S r i n Seth Hinshaw, in his book y p g , attributes the demise ofSandy Creek to strong Baptist evangelism and migrations westward

’ Tyson s Meetingwas started in 1783 on Deep River in Chatham A County near Carbonton . group of Friends reported to the monthly meeting Sixth month 1 8 00 that they had visited

’ families of Friends near Tyson s and in their judgement it would ” f be best to discontinue the indulgence ofthe meeting . The basis o their judgment 13 unknown .

’

on 1746 . Dunn s Creek, located the Cape Fear , was begun in “ William Reckett al so visited this meeting but found it to be a small gathering but had been much hurt and scattered in their minds ” from the true shepherd (Weeks Originally, this meeting was 1760 connected to Eastern Quarterly Meeting, but in , it was joined to the newly formedWestern QuarterlyMeeting ofNorth Carolina

Yearly Meeting . It was probably at this time that Cane Creek became activelyinvolved in supporting and encouraging the Friends

’ at Dunn s Creek . However , their interest and help was not enough # f because the meeting was laid down in 1772 . This was the irst monthly meeting to be laid down within limits of the North Carolina Yearly Meeting (Weeks

2 8 MOTHER OF MEETINGs

’ ’

In / A r il of 1 8 1 p 5 , Long s Mill Meeting was begun near Long s f on banks o . Mill the Cane Creek Two months prior to this , Friends

’ living in the area of Long s Mill had asked that they be allowed to “ A hold a meeting amongst themselves . fter the traditional visit of

a committee , Cane Creek Monthly Meeting granted their request . 1 8 0 By 2 , Long s Mill Meeting felt that they were ready to become

a preparative meeting, but Cane Creek Monthly Meeting did not

agree and their request for preparative Status was denied , as stated

in the Minutes ofAugust 1 82 0 . Just how long this group continued

to meet is unknown .

’ Hed ecoCk s t g Creek Meeting was in Chatham Coun y, but the

exact location of the meeting is unknown . However , there is a

’ He o k dgec c s Creek in the general area of Bonlee . Perhaps these friends did as so many ofthe early Friends had done; they built their meetinghouse near the creek and chose to name their meeting

. not accordingly The date for its establishment is known , but it was

laid down in 805 (Griffin Notes) .

Ai small nUmber of the meetings which Cane Creek set up as preparative meetings were taken under the care of another estab lishe e 1 8 0 d . 8 me ting For example , in , Cane Creek began a prepara f tive meeting in Moore County near High Falls (Grif in Notes) . It

t . was called Prosperi y Later , this meeting would be under the care

of Holly Spring Meeting , and it was during this later time that t Prosperi y Monthly Meeting was established .

Information is very scarce concerning the meeting referred to as Dixon ’s which was laid down in 1 805 (Weeks There is no

indication ofthe location . Tradition says that Simon Dixon had a Of second mill east the one near Cane Creek Meeting . Could it be that Dixon ’s Meeting was close to that mill ? This is another

unanswered question . Stephen B . Weeks attributes the beginning

ofthis meeting to Spring , but tradition attributes it to Cane Creek

2 9 CANE CREEK

an also early meeting at Eno , near Hillsborough . iv f o . ere charter members Cane Creek In fact , there

Eno a settlement at before the one at Cane Creek,

I r s 1 1 1 6 1 ee ings for wor hip in that area by 75 . In 7 , Iee ting was begun (Newlin

no seem to have had an independent spirit some

1 of the Quaker mainstream their time . They did not

1 A to what was expected ofthem . minute from the bl 1767 y business meeting , Sixth month , provides 1 that acommittee of three women was appointed — ” ause they did not attend mid week meeting . The to visit them and bring them to a sense of their ” l uct . They reported that they had found a luke at Eno and recommended the privilege ofholding

are taken away . There other , similar incidents ul 1767 the y , Minutes indicate that a different appointed to “ stir them up to more diligence in f ings for discipline or whatever else they might ind . Eno would become a subordinate of Spring Meet became necessary to lay down the meetIng (Newlin

‘ the Eno Meetingwas one mile north oi llsborough

r e in Orange County . lends Meeting was organized byWestern Quarterly a f ) 7 . Cane Creek helped in that ende vor (Grif in

I o preparative meetings under the care of Cane

Meeting at the present time . The last direct effort

. ane Creek to begin a new meeting was an attempt

I 1 0s h was the 97 , w ich undertaken in conjunction meetings in Western Quarter . This was a second #lish a meeting there; the first was in 1 893 (Weeks MOTHER OF MEETINGS

Creek has Neither attempt was successful . Cane , also given

’ monetary support to the North Carolina Yearly Meeting s effort to begin a meeting in the Raleigh area at the present time .

Cane Creek Monthly Meeting has been affectionately called “

t f In Mo ther o Meet s . the g This is an apt title , for one cannot travel

” far in the r ealm OfNorth Carolina Quakerism Without encounter “ ing one of her offspring . BURYING GROUND

he Cane Creek cemetery crowds the meet inghouse as ifin death those who lie there

seek comfort and help , much as they did Here lie representatives of several of the

colonies . England , Ireland , Scotland , and Ger

al many are so represented . Soldiers from the Regu

lator Movement , as well as every war in which our

country has been involved , lie here . British soldiers mortally wounded at the Battle of Guilford Court

’ en House , who died during Lord Cornwallis m ca ment . p nearby, found a resting place here The — — n well to do a d the poor sleep side by side . It has been said that slaves as well as free blackpeople were

Of . buried around the edges the cemetery Ifso , their

graves have since been lost or were left unmarked . BURYING GROUND

Tradition says that the ﬁrst burial was that of a child whose family was passing through the area . While they were camped here , the child died . With sadness , the father dug a grave , wrapped the child in a blanket , took the feed trough from the wagon , and used

ff A . it as a co in . fter burying the child , the family moved on No date

i . is g ven for this burial However , the earliest dated stone in the “ ” 2 ? cemetery bears the mark M 175 . Could that be the child ed Perhaps others were buried earlier in unmark graves , but the earliest marked stone is that of Ruth Dixon Doan 1764 . Joel Brooks ’s death and burial were recorded in the monthly meeting

f 4 for Minutes o Ninth month 176 . No marker his grave can be located .

A to t of dhering the Quaker beliefin simplici y, many the older graves are marked with small ﬁeld Stones bearing only an initial and a date . Sometimes there is only a date . Friends kept careful records of a births and deaths that provide v luable information today . h — ‘ t e s . However , graves of many non member are lost

“ There are many vacant areas in the Old cemetery where un

Ap4 r t of the old section of C4 ne Creek Cemetery

3 3 CANE CREEK

— fesse Dix on (1 78 4 1 8 73 )

1 2 . 8 8 marked graves are located In , the yearly meeting forbade the use of manufactured stones , and a committee visited each cem “ e tery to see that such stones were removed (Griffin History

' The order must have been rescinded later or the monthly meeting

to chose disregard it , as shown by the kinds ofstones over most of 1 84— 1 8 the graveyard . It is said that Jesse Dixon ( 7 73 ) selected a stone , carved his birth date , and asked his brother to put his death date on it and place it at his grave .

A walk through the cemetery reveals many interesting and

of unusual markers . Prompted by the Historical Society Southern

A t lamance Coun y, whose purpose was honoring pioneer families , Cane Creek Monthly Meeting planned to hold annual reunions of the descendants of its founding fathers . During each reunion a grave marker would be unveiled in honor of one of the pioneer settlers .

3 4

CANE CREEK

A to the death ofher husband , bigail Pike left Cane Creek and went

son . Muddy Creek, near Deep River, to live with her She died and

of 1 1 was buried there in February 78 . The cemetery ofthis meeting still exists on t he outskirts of the present town of Kernersville in

’ the w A Forsyth County, and grave hich is thought to be bigail s is outlined with handmade brick . Thus , the marker at Cane Creek

e r not honors her m mo y, her actual grave .

William and Rebecca Dixon Marshall were honored in 192 9 . f Their marker records their gift o land for the meetinghouse . Later on , the Stout family honored Peter Stout , affectionately called the “ Quaker , and his wife , Margaret Cypert Stout . He had sat at the ” for head of the Meeting many years , as well as serving in many

I I other cap ac t es .

1 94 1 ﬂew . In , a British ﬂag once again at Cane Creek This time f fl was o . the ag a gift; it was sent by the King England, George VI

ax 46 The S apahaw Boy Scouts , Troop , unveiled a marker erected to the memory of the British soldiers who were buried in the cemetery in 178 1 . The original marker was a large ﬁeld stone with the dedication plaque attached . However , soon after the dedication a large millstone was found and the plaque was transferred to it BURYING GROUND

Mem erso the S4 x 4 4 h4 w Bo Scouts Tr oo 46 i n 19 4 1 b f p y , p , , unveiling the m4 rker er ected i n memory of the Br itish soldiers

# 1 Bo on le : Al er t eek. who wer e bur ied i n the cemetery in 1 78 . y ﬁ b Ch

(Grifﬁn History The millstone was embedded in a large concrete block and is about ﬁve feet tall . The inscription on the

, A who stone reads , memorial to British Troops died in the Old Meeting house during Cornwallis ’ encampment here on his retreat 1 1 46 from Guilford Court House March 78 . Erected by troop B S . A. h . . w o Henry Overman leader, died before completing it

No doubt the kind ofprogram for each marker dedication was differ ent A typical program was probably very much like the one / — A 1 1 6 9 0 . for the Dixon Marshall reunion on ugust , 3 On that day CANE CREEK

A M the program began at . with a welcome by the president f A o t . . of the Historical Socie y, E P Dixon . period silent worship

followed . The audience participated in song . Then R. H . Hutchison , Af a local historian , told the story ofthe Marshall family . ter another

McFarland song, the pastor of Cane Creek, Lewis , unveiled and

A I nI . c c r dedicated the marker p lunch was se ved at noon . The

was for afternoon reserved a social hour or hours .

A s fter the ﬁr t few years , membership and interest in the historical society waned and the practice of erecting markers to

a . t honor certain f milies was discontinued However , some for y 1973 years later in , Hannah Hadley Dixon Stanﬁeld was honored by her descendants . The last pioneer family to be honored was that A 1 ah 97 . of nthony and Sar Cole Chamness , in 5 Both of these markers were given and erected by family members and not by any

z organi ation .

Today one can walk among the simple rocks and stones and

envision those early Friends . More elaborate stones mark the graves

A of of those who have been interred in more recent years . sense history and peace pervades this place which has seen much sorrow 24 in its 0 years .

3 8 RAV ELING FRIENDS

ne factor enormously important in the religious life of early Friends in North Carolina was the visits of traveling

r Friends . This was a unique minist y practiced

faithfully and prayerfully by many early Friends , h even those w o had to cross seas . The isolation of the wilderness would have been much harder to endure had it not been for the

— of Fr iends life giving visits . who traveled , under a

to concern , the remote places where other Friends

en had settled . These people brought more than

co r a em nt u g e and inspiration . Traveling ministers

brought I nstruction to \ Fr iends who were far t e moved from the mainstream ofthe Quaker move ment and who needed information and guidance CANE CREEK

in the proper conduct oftheir meetings and daily lives . Considering k the hardships oftravel at the time , it is truly amazing to now ofthe large number of Friends who came to Cane Creek and the large number OfviS Its undertaken by members ofCane Creek to distant places as well . W h en the visitors arrived at their destinations , they attended any public meetings that were held , either monthly meetings or “ n f r At meeti gs o worship . that time theywould share what God had ” f laid on their hearts with the members o the meeting . Their

not to . visitations were limited the public meetings , however The

r to travelers would also visit families and individuals , if necessa y,

t carry out their charges . There would be time o pray together and

al . t k together , as well as meditate and rejoice together It must have been an exciting time in the settlements when such

Ar to visitors came . rangements would have be made for their

two t accommodations . Usually there would be or three in the par y,

al al sometimes more . Early homes were sm l but visitors were cordi ly welcomed . In some cases the family may have had to double up

al or triple up on their norm Sleeping arrangements , but this

for of would have been done gladly, visitors brought glimpses other

Friends and relieved the i solation of many families . Cane Creek Minutes mention numerous Visits of concerned

of Friends . One the earliest was that of Catherine Phillips , an 1 3 . English Friend , in December 75 She tells of her visit in her memoirs :

2 th we new On the 9 got to cane Creek, another settlement ofFriends with whom we had a meeting the 3 0th wherein

low . we were rather , yet favored with peace in our spirits

t —ﬁrst Eno on On the thir y she arrived at , then

1 4 2 nd of l st . day month 75 My companion , Mary Peisley,

returned to Cane Creek to be at the week day meeting . I

40 TRAVELING FRIENDS

we returned to Cane Creek on the fourth . Same day had a meeting at Rocky River and was satisfactory and returned

th t to Cane Creek for First Day Meeting . On the 7 we lef for

’ Carver s Creek . Jeremiah and John Wright accompanied us (Grifﬁn “ History”

From the Cane Creek Minutes we read that

Friend Mziry Kirby accompanied by Grace Crosdale of

r d of3 r d 175 9 Pennsylvania on 3 month , Rachel Wilson of old England with Sarah Jenny ofV ir gInIa 7th of 1 st month 1 769 .

These names are only a very few ofthe hundreds who visited in the Al early years . most without exception their visits were recorded as inspirational and uplifting .

Some of the visitors were not very complimentary . Consider a

’ 1765 : report from John Grifﬁth s journal ,

The meeting at Cane Creek is very large , but most members

. # t s Ir It seem void of solid sense and solemni y, a p of self

righteousness and contention was felt . Went to their First

was n Day Meeting , but there much dark ess and death over

of them . The leaven the Pharisees seemed to prevail (Weeks

Cane Creek Meeting not only recorded Visits ; the members of the meeting often felt led to visit and attend other meetings in the “ A of n Service ofTruth . search the Cane Creek Mo thly Meeting Minutes reveals that Rachel Wright traveled in the lower parts of

a in ul 1 2 A e Virginia with Hann h Ballinger J y 75 , and bigail Pik and Mary Jones visited the meeting at Thomas Pugh ’s later that same

tw 1 year . Joseph Cloud made manyvisits in the years be een 779 and

’ “ 1 8 04 s to Tyson Settlement , to Friends on the Western Waters , 1 4 to 8 0 . to eastern Pennsylvania , and Europe in Other visitors

4 1 CANE CREEK

Litler from Cane Creek included John Carter , Mincher , and

# achariah Dicks .

Sometimes the meeting would give speCIﬁc instructions for the

. 1 6 visits For example , in Sixth month 7 7 , a committee of three womenwas appointed to Visit the Eno Meeting

and bring them to a sense oftheir disorderly conduct; also to visit all the branches ofCane Creek Meeting to stir them

to for up more diligence in attending meetings discipline ,

r o whatever else is needed .

One of the women who made many visits as she served her A meeting was bigail Overman Pike . She and her husband were charter members ofCane CreekMeeting and ser ved it diligently for

A mInI e r many years . bigail was also a Friends st . Tradition says that itwas in that capacity that she would ride out to the army camps and

al to preach to the soldiers . It is not clear which army lowed her n As of . preach . in all things the retelling stories ofte blurs the events It is possible that it could have been both the British and the

A . American forces . bigail transferred her membership from Cane

Creek to New Garden in 1775 . One could assume that the events told here could have happened near the time of the Battle of

f not Guilford Court House and the Battle o New Garden . It is likely that she would have been intimidated by either the British or A a e the mericans . General Nathan el Green , himselfa Quaker at one

time , may have endorsed her ministry, because she was said to be

not the only minister allowed within the lines . She was allowed to

dismount; therefore , her sermons were preached from horseback . A One nightwhile returning from such avisit , bigail met friends

along the way, and soon they came to where the road divided . One Of h fork the road led Straight ome , and the other led past the

o one graveyard . They debated which way to g ; remarked that a A ghost could be seen in the graveyard . bigail whipped up her horse

FIV E MEETINGHOUSES

lthough Cane Creek Monthly Meetii

1 1 one was not organized until 75 , may sure that early Friends established mee

all d ings for worship in their homes , as Friends just as soon as they settled.The ﬁrst mee tinghou

. was probably made oflogs , as that was the accept

and available building material at that time .

would have been large enough to seat a 5 m:

one number of people , the men on side and t

As ofFr ien women on the other . was the custom

fad # meetinghouses , there would have been a bench across the front ofthe meeting room for t

of i use elders , ministers , overseers , and invit

guests . This ﬁrst meetinghouse stood near t.

0 ” center of the Cane Creek settlement , about mile east of the location of the present meetin FIVE MEETINGHOUSES

on o r of house . It was north of the Cane Creek, near the farm the

n late Lawrence McPherso . The unmarked site is near the Snow

on Camp intersection , about one and a half miles north North 4 Carolina State Road 100 . The meetinghouse would have stood on

of . the far side the ﬁeld , to the right of the road at that point

The meetinghouse was located on a portion ofland which was A r of . a pa t the land grant ofJohn Stanﬁeld In his will , dated ugust 4 1 ” , 75 5 he willed a parcel ofland including the meetinghouse lot ” n 1 003 to his so Thomas . By the early 9 the Thomas Stanﬁeld land

1 0 : to . 9 7 belonged John Thompson His will , dated , states

To my four living sons and their heirs , Simeon , David ,

W illiam esse al l l Jonathan , and J , my rea estate consisting of

ﬁft —two two 1 5 6 homeplace , y acres , Marshall places

lot . acres , and a lot known as the meetinghouse

’ The heirs divided the property and William Jesse s part included

h McPh e r so n t e meetinghouse lot . Today the farm includes the l and which belonged to William Jesse Thompson (Grifﬁn “ History ” 4) In 1764 William and Rebecca Marshall gave twenty—six acres ” of land and the house on it to be used for the meeting . It is not clear ifthis house was made into the second meetinghouse for Cane

e or n Cre k ifa new meetinghouse was built o the property . Ifa new c building was constru ted , it seems reasonable that it would have

lo n been a g meetinghouse similar to the ﬁrst o e . Tradition says that

this second meetinghouse stood east of the present building , near

r the center ofthe cemete y . How long this building was used is not

known , but it is recorded that it underwent renovation and

1 At extensive repairs in the late 780s . a monthly meeting held 1786 Ninth month , a communication was read from the yearly

meeting committee for Western Quarterly Meeting . It stated that

John Townsend and Mark Reaves , from Ireland , had visited

45 CANE CREEK

Southern Friends and that they had found meetinghouses in “ disrepair in remote places some scarcely ﬁt to hold meetings “ was in . They felt that this caused by the difﬁculties and straitened circumstances to which Friends have been reduced by the calami ” two 2 ties of w ar . These men had given £ 00 in Pennsylvania currency to help those meetings least able to repair their meeting “ houses . They further instructed that there should be a proper number ofwindows glaz ed with glass to give light and there should ” The be shutters . members of the monthly meeting agreed to use “ their best endeavor to repair and put In order the meetinghouse agreeable to the above .

’ At the time of William and Rebecca Marshall s gift to Cane

17605 Creek in the , the British government forbade anyone to give

to land for a church except the Church ofEngland , so the deed for

: the land was made to four members of the meeting Peter Stout , 1 8 al . 79 Benjamin Piggot, William Piggot , and David Vest In , the North Carolina General Assembly gave chur Ches the right to hold 1 8 0 1 ’ t . proper y However , it was not until that Cane Creek s land was deeded to the trustees ofthe meeting . The amount ofland held

’ was 1 8 07 by the meeting reduced in , when the Marshalls son ,

’ John , asked the meeting to sell him ten acres ofhis parents original land gift . The meeting agreed and the money received was used to make some repairs on the meetinghouse (Grifﬁn “ History”

1 8 005 d was . In the early , a thir meetinghouse built Probably by

thelo was this time , g structure again in need ofextensive repairs and the growth ofthe population demanded more space . The prudent Quakers would have concluded that it would be better to build

al anew than to spend money on the old structure , though the benches from the earlier meetinghouse were used again . The new f building was a typical meetinghouse o its time . The facade was

was made Ofbrick up to the height ofthe windows , and above that

t to frame . It was partitioned through the cen er in order allow the

46 FIVE MEETINGHOUSES

for n to meet separately their business sessions , as A ary among Friends . facing bench extended

of usuali The the meeting room , as was also new

id to have a heating system , which

sual for that time . This building burned in January, was some speculation that the heating system may

the ﬁre , but its exact cause was never determined tory

s Al the ﬁre a committee con isting of Samuel len ,

Solomon Dixon , William Henley, and Louis appointed to solicit subscriptions for a new build ter this committee reported that it had received and $600 in subscriptions and that the meeting pleted that an additional 8100 would ﬁnish

fourth meetinghouse for Cane Creek . It was

t t — for y feetwide and six y seven feet long, with

’ here was a ministers gallery extending

t of front . The windows along bo h sides the interior were These were painted white and had dark green outside Another feature was an elevated floor which was slanted

.e front . There were two aisles in the meetinghouse with nche Two of s in the middle section . sets Shorter benches ither side ofthe pulpit at right angles to the main section

:s . s t One e was known as the choir corner , and the other

7n as the amen corner .

t efo e the building was ﬁnished , the Philadelphia Meeting i ngs gave $ 5 00 from the Charleston Fund toward the

of ion , with the provision that as much the money as should be used to install a moveable or Sliding partition he center ofthe building . This condition was accepted by hl y meeting .

1 8 8 0 for was arch , meeting worship held in the new

47 CANE CREEK

The our th meetin house [8 8 0—1 42 f g , 9

for building the ﬁrst time , and it served the Cane Creek congrega 4 1 942 tion until Sunday, January , , when ﬁre again destroyed the

. e meetinghouse Just as people were gath ring for Sunday School , the

ﬁre was discovered . Flames roared quickly through the building e a and nothing was saved exc pt the pi no and a few chairs . Once again there was speculation that a faulty heating system might have been the culprit, but no exact cause for the ﬁre was determined .

While the coals were still smouldering, a prayer service was held on the front lawn . The members decided to h old a meeting later in the day at

o b A Sylvan School t egin plans for rebuilding . t the afternoon i f meeting a bu lding committee was appointed . It was made up o

al Elbert Newlin (the p astor) , Jesse Thompson , Claude Coble , W ter

48 FIVE MEETINGHOUSES

Thomas , James Henley, Lorraine Grifﬁn , and Ruth Moon . Sunday services would be held at nearby Sylvan School until the new building could be completed .

Work was soon started on the brick building which would be

’

e . Can Creek s ﬁfth meetinghouse , the one in use today Through ’ OIIt ne of T the ni months rebuilding , donations were received from m s ur ces : to any O people with ties Cane Creek, Friends from across the yearly meeting, other church congregations , businesses , and the b membership ofCane Creek itself. Local uilding supply stores were generous with gifts of materials , some free and some at reduced prices . People with building skills offered their services , while others helped by keeping materials ready and handy for the workers .

In their ﬁnal report to the monthly meeting , the building committee explained:

“ the Paul P . Thompson had brick contract at per

thousand for the labor . He directed this work up to the

main ﬂoor , then he went into government work, and Morris Roach became the b r ick foreman and ﬁnished the

building .

t ¢ Charlie S out was the carpenter foreman at 5 5 per hour , and we are grateful to him for his ﬁne cooperation and

excellent work .

There was also payment for the labor ofboth man and beast : thirty

’ cents was allowed for a workman s labor , and ﬁfteen cents per hour “ ” for a team Of horses (Grifﬁn History

was n O c The meetinghouse dedicated o Homecoming Day, 6 1 42 9 . of tober , On the morning the dedication , there remained

to A a debt of be paid on the building . t the beginning of the the service , pastor, Elbert Newlin , explained the situation and asked for pledges . The congregation responded with great

49 CANE CREEK

C4 ne Creek Meeti n house 1 42 g , 9

fervor and in a brief time the building was debt—free (Grifﬁn “ History”

There are no exact ﬁgures available for the total cost of the

building, but it would probably have been somewhere between and Compare this with the the meeting

1 8 0s house cost in the 7 . Of course , the cost of building materials

of and furnishings was much less then . One example the differences

’ in costs may be seen in the previous building committee s report , 1 dating from 8 80 . The earlier committee reported the purchase of two stovepipes with one knee for feet of lumber at labor for thirty—eight benches at nails and screws for six chairs at four bracket lamps and chimneys at and ﬁve tables at (Grifﬁn “ History”

Aunique feature ofthe present building was the water arrange i ment made w thJim Dixon , who lived just across the road from the ’ meetinghouse . The meeting put a water pump into Mr . Dixon s

for well , with the understanding that he would pay its operating

5 0

CANE CREEK

Changes have been made to both the interior and the exterior 1 . 9603 of the meetinghouse through the years In the late , services were once again held in Sylvan School while a front porch and steps

ﬁ

' h Al h tim to t e . t at e l w were added building so at , a wa k ay around the

’ al basement was inst led , as well as new classrooms , a pastor s study,

l A was and a sma l kitchen in the basement . ramp added to the north entrance to provide access for the elderly and the handicapped .

1 4 98 . In , ﬁre once again threatened the building This time , fortunately, the ﬁre was discovered quickly and only minor damage resulted . The meetinghouse did , however , require a new coat of paint and new carpeting .

a Through the years , there have been memori l gifts which have

f for added to the comfort and beauty o the meetinghouse . Cushions the benches were given in memory of Lester and Olive Al len by

Al l P of their son , George len . Pu pit chairs were given by lato Stuart

Ar of Phoenix , izona , in memory his parents , Burton and Emma

on Stuart . The electrically lighted sign the front lawn was given by

for Della Stuart in memory ofher husband , Plato . Bibles the pews were given by Lu and Carl Longest .

Today the meetinghouse is cooled in summer and heated in

to winter quite comfortably, and sometimes it is easy forget that

e not . these conveni nces have always been available For example , in

1 92 0 to al , a committee was appointed inst l electric lights in the meetinghouse even though electricity was not available in rural A — areas at that time . thirty two volt storage battery was purchased and the buildingwas wired . The initial cost was and the monthly bill was eightycents . This system served the meeting until 1 93 5 , when Duke Power extended their lines into the area (Grifﬁn History”

The facilities ofthe meeting expanded with the completion of 1 the fellowship building in 980 . It is located to the rear of the

5 2 FIVE MEETINGHOUSES

r A meetinghouse . Carpent y students from Southern lamance High

of School , under the direction William Coble , did much of the woodwork, greatly reducing the cost ofthe building . Thus , through

donations and careful stewardship offunds , the building was debt

’

fr ee when . / it was ready for use

There is another smal l building at the back ofthe meetinghouse

h ot ak a whic houses the big p used for m ing Brunswick stew , the s le ofwhich has greatly contributed to meeting the building needs of

f r Cane Creek o manyyears . The ﬁrst Brunswick stew at Cane Creek ’ 1 A was made for the meeting s ﬁrst Fall Festival in 948 . large

to washpot over an open ﬁre was used hold the mixture of beef,

chicken , pork, and various vegetables . On this particular occasion , a program had been planned for the morning, with Kerr Scott as the

a . spe ker Because the stew required constant stirring, that task was

f one of assigned to two or three o the younger girls . Having been the girls , this writer can testify that we were delighted to assume the responsibility for stirring the stew because we escaped the conﬁnes of the planned program and what we thought would be a dull — “ speech What we did not know was that the so called dull ” speechmaker would soon be the governor of North Carolina . Awashpot over an open ﬁre that required constant stirring was

wa to 1 9 08 the y make Brunswick stew at Cane Creek until the late 7 ,

At when the pothouse was built . that time , gas replaced wood as the

u for f el cooking the stew . Unfortunately, the constant stirring is still required .

5 3 TURM OIL IN A COMMUNITY

or many years life among the had settled al ong Cane Creek was Farmers tilled their ﬁelds; the b hammered at his forge; Simon Dixon ke; wheel turning; bonnetted women and l T ted men went to meeting on First Day . of Friends prospered in the years follc

establishment of Cane Creek Meeting .

places , however , events were taking 1 would shake the peaceful Quaker comm “ challenge its determination to remain a

things worldly . In the eastern part of the colony at 1\ Governor Tryon was building for himsel

mo usly expensive pal ace . Its cost TURMOIL IN A QUAKER COMMUNITY place an unbearable tax burden on the farmers who had settled in the Piedmont section of North Carolina .

“ the i In Olde England , Earl ofGranville pa d a gambling debt

of to Lord Burrington , a former governor Carolina , with ten thous and acres of land in the colony . Deeding this same tract of

’ land to Edward Mosely along with Granville s other acreage without separating the two tracts would add to the confusion in

’ drawing up deeds in the future . Mosely served as Granville s land agent for several years until he was replaced in the early 17603 by

two U r . nsc upulous men , Childs and Corbin It was at this point that corruption and greed began to enter into land deed transactions (V I/hitake r

One of the agents it is not clear which tricked several

As t to w . set lers by pretending be a la yer such , he pronounced many

’ “ of the farmers deeds invalid because they were signed , Granville , “ a ” R by his gent rather than The ight Honourable Granville , by his ” As of agent . a result of this and Other forms trickery, some of the land was sold with an immense proﬁt going to the land agent .

1766 to of By , the corruption had extended the collection taxes ,

lr r was which were a eady ex o bitant . One couple charged ﬁfteen pounds about for a wedding license (Stuart If a

tax on farmer could not pay the excessive levied his farm , he might

ﬁnd that his plow or his cow or his crop would be conﬁscated .

or Homes were invaded and any silverware , ﬁne china , precious hand- woven linen and woolen goods brought from the old country that could be found were taken despite the desperate and tearful

of r ief str i ke n protests the g i c housewives . It is said that on at least one occasion a farmer ’s wife had the dress taken from her back and

to to ax o n tax sold the highest bidder pay the t es the farm . These

GOV collectors were generally accompanied by armed guards , and “ ernor Tryon himself admitted that the Sheriffs have embezzled more than one - half the public money ordered to be raised and

5 5 CANE CREEK

collected by them (Whitaker 2 1)

Protest was in the air . Existing conditions gave rise to the

tax Regulator Movement , which was an effort on the part of the “ ” burdened farmers to regulate the affairs of the Colony in acco t

For dance with reasonable justice and harmony . the most part , the men who formed the Regulator Movement were honest , honorable men who believed that the rampant injustices to which they were “ subjected could be corrected through true and proper regulation .

It was during this period of unrest and protest throughout the

now kn Al Piedmont area , own as amance , Chatham , and Guilford

of al of counties , that one the most unusu members Cane Creek entered the scene . Herman Husband was a convinced Quaker . His 1 24 brother had led him to become a Friend in Maryland in 7 , and

1 1 to by 75 he had migrated eastern North Carolina . He joined

’ B t Carver s Creek Meeting in laden Coun y, and that meeting later granted him a certiﬁcate of removal to Cane Creek Meeting . The

’ receipt of Husband s certiﬁcate was recorded in the Cane Creek 1 Minutes ofTwelfth month 75 5 .

not Husband was apparently satisﬁed with the local situation , as he left in 175 9 for West River in Maryland (Weeks

Wanderlust seemed to afﬂict him , however , and he returned to

1 6 1 k of Cane Creek in July 7 , this time ta ing possession land along

Sandy Creek . Something other than wanderlust may have facili tated his return because in less than a year he had married Mary

of one . Pugh , the daughter of his neighbors In the Cane Creek “ 1762 r e Monthly Meeting Minutes , Seventh month , Friends ported that the marriage ofHerman Husband and Mary Pugh had been accomplished orderly .

Husband was attracted to the cause of those who were being

z tricked and cheated by the government , and he helped organi e the group of protesters who cal led themselves the Regulators . Gover nor on of Tryon , the other hand , called them a faction Baptists and

5 6 TURMOIL IN A QUAKER COMMUNITY

Quakers trying to overcome the Church ofEngland (Weeks

Husband became the spokesman for the Regulators , and several

o times he petiti ned the court and Governor Tryon for redress , askingthat the colonists grievances be heard . He also wrote and distributed pamphlets explaining the position of the Regulators .

’ From accounts of Husband s life , we learn that he was quite outspoken and opinionated . This latter characteristic would get him into trouble with the Quakers . A controversy began at Cane Creek that has become known A the . through the years as Rachel Wright ffair In his book,

S outher n u4 kers 4 nd Sl4 oei . Q y , Stephen B Weeks explains it thusly

“ ” ’

t . Rachel Wright , a weigh y Friend , committed some disorder She ri “ ” was d ly complained of, and , to settle the matter according to

Friends discipline , she offered a paper condemning her behavior ,

now which was accepted . Then for some reason unknown , she

i k r r eder c sbu . asked for a certificate to travel to F g, Virginia Some members of the monthly meeting did not want to give her the cer tificate fl which of , would have functioned partly as a letter introduction to other Friends and partly as an official endorsement

Awr an le by the meeting . g resulted and the meeting refused to grant

r a the ce tiﬁcate . The matter w s appealed to Western Quarterly

Meeting, which advised that the certiﬁcate be granted

of Herman Husband , though , did not approve the decision and in typical fashion was very vocal in his disapproval so much so 1764 that , in January , the meeting disowned him for speaking

As against the actions and transactions of this meeting . for

’

r eaction , the r e Old Husband s , is an Story that when he heard about the disownment , he sat down , took offhis shoes , shook the dirt of ” Quakerism off them , put them back on , and walked away .

’ was However , the Wright affair not over , and Husband s inﬂuence continued to be felt in the meeting . Some of his friends signed a paper expressing dissatisfaction with the meeting ’s deci

5 7 CANE CREEK

s At sion to disown Hu band . this point the quarterly meeting offered the following advice (although it is unclear whether advice “ had been requested) : appoint a committee to deal with the

’ m n n s l r alco te t eade s . This group included Jos . Maddock, Isaac

a Vernon, Thomas Branson , John and William Marsh ll , Jonathan “ Fe 1 4 . e ar 6 C r e Cell , and divers others In y 7 , the ommittee ported that “ there might be dangerous consequences to allow them

“ [the malcontents#to be active members until suitable satisfaction ” f r r o . al is made thei outgoings Maddock, Cell , and the Marsh ls

appealed the matter to the yearly meeting , which responded that Western Quarterly Meeting had done wrong in granting a cer tiﬁ W to . cate Rachel right in the ﬁrst place Furthermore , the quarterly meeting should restore to active membership those who had signed papers expressing dissatisfaction with the disownment of Herman

a Husband . The quarterly meeting, accordingly, cknowledged itself wrong in the matter of Rachel Wright and restored the persons

’ under the ban to active membership . Herman Husband s disown “ ” ﬁ ment , however , was not rescinded . (Grif n History

’ to There is no record ofwhat happened Husband s ﬁrst wife ,

r of i Am Al Ma y Pugh , but his choice a second w fe , y len , again caused controversywithin the meeting . This second marriage made

- in—law of him a brother Simon Dixon , which would cause still A more controversy in the next few years . monthly meeting minute 176 “Am Al dated Fifth month 5 reads , y len Husband disowned for

r mar ying out ofunity . Eleven months later the Minutes reveal that three women and sixteen men were complained offor attending the “ was marriage , which not accomplished according to the good Am ’ Al of . order Friends Moreover , y s mother , Phoebe len Cox , was complained offor consenting to the marriage and accompany ” ing her daughter . Once again the quarterly meeting and the yearly meeting were drawn into the local matter involving Husband

# 1766 Fifteen months after the wedding , Ninth month , the

5 8

CANE CREEK

Harmon Husbands or any other person concerning their being engaged in the late miserable unhappy disturbance in this County (Regul4 tor P 4p ers 745

l A However , Regu ator advertisement number eight dated pril

seems to Show that Fanning had been misinformed .

At a general meeting ofregulators on April 3 0th it was laid before us an appointment ofthe ofﬁcers by the means ofthe Revd Mr micklejohn to meet us the 1 l th day of May next to settle the several matters ofdifference between us and it was agreed on thatwe will send 12 men thatwe have chosen

' ’ to meet on the said 1 1 th day of May at Thomas Lindley s when we hope things will be set in a fair way for an amicable settlement and Mr Hamilton is appointed to contrive them a copy hereofand bring from under our [their#hands ifthey will meet us The signers of this advertisement included three men from

: Cox Cane Creek Herman Husband , William , and Simon Dixon (Regul4 tor P 4p ers 745

Governor William Tryon arrived in Hillsborough on July

r to stabilize the situation there . Previously, Governor T yon had given James Hunter , one ofthe Regulators , a letter in which he gave his assurances ofjust treatment for the grievances claimed by

r l the Regulators . Governor T yon hoped that this wou d placate the

Regulators , but he soon found this was not to be , for they continued h holding their meetings . The matters reac ed a climax when , on A 10 1 68 e ugust , 7 , a report was mad to the Governor that

upward of 5 00 men had rendezvoused at Simon Dixons

tw of the of within enty miles Town , with a ﬁrm resolution

and coming into town the next day to do mischief, and as

a testimony of their intentions , they gave notice to some

60 TURMOIL IN A QUAKER COMMUNITY

families immediately to carry their wives and children out of the town (Regul4 tor P 4p ers

The mischiefintended was to burn the town (Hillsborough) if

( their requests were not met . Fortunately, the insurgents were stoppedwhen the leaders ofthe Regulators metWith Tryon the next

day . He assured them he would satisfy their demands .

’ As Herman Husband s popularity increased with the Regula

z was tors and their sympathi ers , he growing in disfavor with

tw Governor Tryon and his representatives . The differences be een

the two groups continued to intensify, ﬁnally culminating in the

ofAl amance 1 6 177 1 Battle on May , , in which Herman Husband i took no part . On the eve ofthe battle , he ﬂed northward in d sguise ,

toward Maryland .

’ A There is a local story about Husband s journey north . s he

traveled, dressed in homespun and riding an ancient swaybacked

who horse , he was approached by a group ofsoldiers asked him if

he had seen anything ofa man riding fast along the trail . Husband a assured them th t he had not , and when they asked him where he

’ was a w s . going , he replied that he about his Father s business The s'oldiers thought that he was a harmless old preacher and asked him

for was to deliver a note them in the next village . The note addressed

to Squire E a Tory, and read

Husband has escaped . He got word of our approach and

. wa . barely saved himself Ifhe comes your y, have him taken

He must not escape .

“ was d . The note signe , Corning Husband carried it to the squire ,

who , after readingit , thanked him and , in gratitude for this service A to the Tories , wrote him a permit allowing him to travel . fter

thanking the squire , Husband continued on his journey northward

and , as far as is known , never returned to the Cane Creek area

(Grifﬁn Notes) .

6 1 CANE CREEK

A the on 2 3 17 1 r week after battle , May , 7 , William T yon “ ’ k ordered Captain Simon Bright to go to Dixon s Mill , ta e

to t possession of the same , and make a report me of the quanti y

lOad 4 therein , and waggons [sic#with ﬂour or corn whichever can

” ’ was be had . This order apparently due to Tryon s beliefthat Simon A . d Dixon supported the Regulators ditionally, in a separate requi sition the governor levied the Cane Creek settlement for forty — eight barrels ofﬂoUr ; making a note ofthe fact that sixty three had been delivered . This would have amounted to about sixteen wagons

’ ofsupplies for Tryon s army . However , it is not clearwhether or not the entire amount was actually delivered . When Captain Bright

’ “ ” of and his men left Dixon s Mill with the four waggons ﬂour , the

’ regulators intercepted them , but a short time later Tryon s men were able to recapture the supplies . Upon hearing about the

r adventure , Governor T yon ordered his men to take three addi

’ “ tional i loads from Simon D xon s Mill , the owner having favored and assisted Rebels (Regulator Papers) . The extent ofthe involvement with the Regulators by members ofCane Creek Meeting is not clear . No doubt there were some who

As supported and assisted the Regulators from the beginning . early

1766 of for as , seven members the meeting had been disowned attending a disorderly mass meeting (Grifﬁn “ History” Could this have been a protest meeting of the Regulators ? It seems possible , for Governor Tryon had just levied taxes for his new palace in New Bern at that time .

The matter ofthe ﬂour was not over . The ever prudent Quakers petitioned the General Assembly ofNorth Carolina on November

2 f r f r 1 o o . 7 , 77 , payment the ﬂour

From our monthly Meeting of the people called Quakers Held at Cain Creek in the County ofOrange and P r ovmce ofNorth Carolina the Seventh day ofthe Eleventh month 1772

62 TURMOIL IN A QUAKER COMMUNITY

E r To Josiah Martin sq . Governor and Commander in

a d Councell Chief in n over said province and to the ,

Speaker and members of the house ofAssembly . Do We as Humble dependents Earnestly Crave your Attention; and may these few lines seek Acceptance with You ; that as we spread our Remonstrances before you; It may be your pleasure to have us redressed; for it is our Principle and known practice as a Society; to be subor di nate and Peaceble under Government altho deviated from by some who make Profession as we do ; for which the S ever all Sheriffs can bear us record; that when their passing about in their respective Ser vices was thought dangerous ; that numbers of us Conveyed our money for our taxes ; to

S ever all the Sheriffs Thereof; When come due and Payable , as being willing to exert our selves to the support of our Gracious King and Government; well knowing from whose clemency we as a people enjoy Great Pr iviledges

Now the moving instance which we have to lay before you is that whereas Governor William Tryon ; requested us to furnish him with Six Waggon Load of Flower; to gether with Six Waggons and Teams; in the campaign against the Regulators; which requestwe complyed with in ex spectation of being paid for the same; and whereas we understand; there hath been but a small part at the last sitting of Assembly; therefore we humbly intrest You; to take it into Consideration; and grant this our petition for it otherwise the Bur ten thereof is most likely to fall on few in the discharge and settlement thereof; which may prove the means of Rendering some of us incapable ofthe p unctuall

our of other respective debts , therefore we Earnestly crave; that you condesind to Administer to our Releof [relief#and

W t we ask ith Humble hearts ; being in du y bound , we shall

63 CANE CREEK

r n A etu due cknowledgements .

Signed in and behalf of the 3 3

R u t P Meeting ( eg l4 or 4p ers) .

“ Huffe Pi c he petition was signed by Chris y, Jeremiah gg

— r l n ' f ty two others . The quaint p a a ce o another era canne

: l l e r emin c a cu at d . d purpose of the petition First , they

” arnor and the Assembly of their patriotism and loyal ty vn al three ; then they asked for redress , and ﬁnally, most

bee 0 continue to pay their taxes . Clever as it may have

) it not was did work, for no money forthcoming fro u bly .

T he price of six loads of ﬂour (ﬂower) would forever n i u d . However , it has added spice to the tales of the Reg n have passed from one generation to the ext .

64 THE REV OLUTIONARY

o me historians have called the Battle of Al amance the opening battle of the Revolu

i n r T 4 r o t O a . he W y War William Powell , in f

the Revoluti on 4 nd the E4 ttle o Al4 m4 nce f , says the real signiﬁcance ofthe battle “ lies in the fact that it stood as a grand object lesson to the people of the

r whole count y . It set them to thinking of armed resistance and showed them howweak might be the — ” British effort to surpass a full scale revolution

No doubt many Quakers found themselves at odds with their neighbors over the rising tumult which would erupt in less than ﬁve years into full ﬂedged war caused by changes in attitudes toward

the government . Just as the Minutes of Cane Cre no reference to the Regulator mo

no disownments , there is ment

e of Instead , ther is a record a peaceable — an orderly and God fearing way of life

No turbulent times . doubt they tried according to their Declaration of Faith to avow o ur unshaken persuasion that al ible with the plain precepts of our divi (F4 ith 4 nd P r4 cti ce

ax To the Quakers , t ation without mean taxes levied by George III on tea 0 portion oftheir taxes that went to supp A 1767 In pril , according to the M William Piggot brought a concer the right “ to inspect what part of ‘ hireling They were al lowed to in

t Hillst In all probabili y, this book was at

so of local government . If , a journey s r necessary . Most men willing to t avel that d concerned about a personal tax rather than Most men would have been appalled to ﬁ that the tax amounted to one shilling and ” we can come at . How like the Quakers to about religious matters in a society threaten

Since the beginning ofthe war in 1776

BI been fought in the Northern Colonies .

con reached the South . Lord Cornwallis ,

Ge ner z forces in the South , had engaged

ai Guilford Court House . On the second day 1 began his march toward Wilmington . would be near grist mills along the route .

CANE CREEK

Af . t to ﬁnd his gold ter a week ofrest, the army left the communi y

on to and continued its way Wilmington .

Destruction and devastation could be seen throughout the t communi y, but some things had not changed . The meetinghouse

’ tho u its benches bor e still stood , even gh the butcher s axe marks .

The Dixon mill and home were still there , and the mill would

t continue to serve the communi y for many years . The rock wall , a reminiscent ofa Pennsylv nia heritage , still marked the road to the

meetinghouse . The marks and ravages left by the British army would soon pass away, but the memory oftheir visit would remain . Amore permane nt reminder oftheir stay in the community was the newly made graves for six British soldiers who died during the m e r . encampment and wer buried in ce ete y Their names , however , have long been forgotten .

’ Dix on s Mill 4 t Snow C4 mp THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR

a o From time to time , relics from that long g time surface and the residents of the community are reminded quite vividly of their ’ A 1 2 0 . 9 ancestors brush with history round , some young boys found a cannon bal l in the rock wall while walking al ong the top of

Al 1 2 03 . 9 it a favorite pastime in years gone by so in the , — gravediggers unearthed some mini b al ls in the cemetery . No one will ever kn ow how these and other artifacts Came to be where they were found . However , discoveries such as these revive the folklore that perhaps Cornwallis had buried cannon as well as some of his soldiers in the meetinghouse cemetery .

It seems that , according to British war records , Cornwallis ’ T captured two of Nathanael Greene s cannon . radition says that the English pulled them as far as Cane Creek . However , they slowed the army and became a liability . Eyewitnesses told of seeing the

’ cannon when not the British arrived , but they did see them when the British left . This tale has been passed from generation to

of generation . Burial the cannon seemed a likely solution that would prevent recapture . Some believe that the cannon were f ’ o . submerged in the Cane Creek east Dixon s Mill Perhaps , some time in the future , someone will discover their hiding place ifthere

n is o e .

Al l so , folk ore indicates that Cornwallis gave the settlement its

of for name Snow Camp , providing a second explanation this name . Supposedly, snow fell while the British army was encamped at Cane Creek . However , as the fourth week in March is rather late for snow in this area , it seems unlikely that this happened .

The Dixon family returned to their home shortly after the “ ” of r few departure thei guests . In a days , Simon was taken ill with

k al some ind of camp fever and died . Loc tradition suggests that

was Simon Dixon tortured by Cornwallis and his men . While this a cannot be fully subst ntiated , it is true that Dixon died shortly thereafter .

69 CANE CREEK

— The long range effects of the Revolutionary War continued into the nineteenth century . Some families chose to migrate rather

tw . than face the difﬁculties of the pos ar era Thus , a pattern was

h n t established w ich would conti ue for the next ﬁf y years .

Prior to the war some Friends had moved south to be united

: C with Quaker settlements in South Carolina Bush River , ane

Fr edr icksbur W r i htsbor ou h Creek, g (later Wateree) , and g g in

n 1 003 Georgia (Grifﬁ History However , by the late 7 the southern settlements did not seem as attractive as they once had

A r was been . fter the Revolutiona y War over , land in eastern l Tennessee became available to settlers . Grants of and there were given to those who applied in return for services they had rendered in the cause for independence . While Friends did not actually

war participate in the , many joined their friends and neighbors in

new the westward migration . Active meetings were begun in the

: New . settlements Lost Creek, Newberry, Friendsville , and Hope

w 1 1 8 04 tw New Bet een 795 and , elve certiﬁcates to Lost Creek and Hope were granted (Weeks

1 8 003 Then in the early , the lure of the West began to attract

was families . The land in the Carolinas becoming poorer each year

was and little was known about soil improvement . Land in the West

1 804 . rich and cheap . In the ﬁrst parties went to Ohio In that year ,

of M . the Minutes indicate ﬁve certiﬁcates removal to iami , Ohio The total number of families who migrated to Ohio between the years 1 8 0 1 and 1 8 10 was forty- three (Weeks

70 uery six was read from the Discipline in a session ofCane Creek Monthly Meet ing First month 1784 :

Are of Friends clear importing, purchasing ,

disposing of or holding mankind as slave , and do they use those well who are under

their care , through management or other wise endeavoring to encourage them in a Virtuous life ?

The scourge ofslavery spread across the land as the slave trade ﬂourished . Plantation owners and farmers alike recognized the economic advantage l that s ave labor provided . However , there were CANE CREEK

who those opposed the enslavement of human beings , believing instead that slavery did not correspond with the teachings ofJesus “

. Con Christ John Woolman , often referred to as the Quaker d science , un ertook the enlightenment of his fellow Quakers

f He regarding the evils o slavery . visited the Carolinas for the

second time in 175 7 . During this visit he wrote Friends at New Garden and Cane Creek:

And now dear friends and brethren as you are improving a

wilderness , and may be numbered amongst the ﬁrst plant

of to ers in one part the province , I Beseech you Wisely

consider the force ofyour examples , and think how much

your successors may be thereby affected . It is a help in a

country, yea , a great favor , when customs ﬁrst settled are agreeable to sound wisdom (four n4 l North Carolina Yearly Meeting expressed grave concern over

’ of the practice its members holding slaves as property . Near the

r beginning of the nineteenth centu y, the yearly meeting itself

accepted the ownership of slaves and placed them under its care . This practice ensured that these persons who would have had no legal status as freed men would be treated fairly . Theywould be paid wages for their labor and would not be separated from their

to n . families . These people came be k own as Quaker Free Negroes

An extract from a yearly meeting epistle was read in the 1 monthly meeting for business Eleventh month 8 00 . Cane Creek “ was asked to appoint a committee to unite with a Quarterly Meeting Committee in inspecting into the circumstances of the black people amongst Friends and in doing what may appear expedient in their power for the enlargement of them and also in labouring with instruction and usage ofthose blacks that are under

so their care . No committee names are recorded , it not clear if

Cane Creek Meeting complied with the request .

72 the yearly meeting asked for the general mind ofhow f ” future in the cases o holding slaves . This time Cane “ ‘d (Fourth month It is agreed that the authority ts appointed by the yearly meeting be suspended or

; e , and that no more people ofcolor be received in that yearly meeting . r few ere slave owners , Quaker or otherwise , in the Snow

The farms were small , the families usually large , and r n al es was ot economically feasible . These practic ities

’ ed the people s sense ofinjustice against the practice of

es .

r iends . did , however , have slaves When this occurred ,

A to of took action . ccording the Minutes November hall and DavidVestal were asked to visit a father and son ” nv lv o ed in purchasing and holding negroes . They nvince their minds of the inconsistence of such con lers of this directive can only wonder if the meeting rould be easier to convince minds rather than persuade One woman was disowned for holding and selling

46 . reek Meeting may have been located in a rather remote f ed from much o the p olitiCal maneuvering ofthat era .

not , however , removed from the seriousness of the In June 1 82 3 the monthly meeting agreed to assist in l ) eo e to . A p of color Indiana , Ohio , and Illinois year 1 82 4 , they considered sending people ofcolor to Haiti

he h t y c ose to go . The meeting would help defray the

endeavors .

Ioteness ofCane Creek served its members well in their

I el A p the slaves . station ofthe Underground Railroad

one n — and o e halfmiles south ofthe meetinghouse . The

73 CANE CREEK

Underground Railroad was a means ofhelping slaves escape from

ak their masters and ﬂee North to freedom . Many Qu ers in North

Carolina were involved in this work . The Underground Railroad

k of was a networ safe houses , called stations , across the state . The

’ one stations were located approximately day s journey apart . Slaves who were escaping from their owners were guided from station to

al z station , where they were hidden and cared for by the loc citi ens who deﬁed the law and risked stiff penalties if caught . The paths “ tw Fo r be een stations were marked with carefully hidden signs .

example , nails would be driven on a tree in a certain pattern

I f An ndicating which fork o the trail should be taken . other pattern

might indicate that the farms close by had dogs .

At e the station near Cane Creek, the slav s were housed in the

f km — r l o . two o home William Kir an He had a sto y g house , the upstairs ofwhich was large enough fo r the slaves to use as a dining room and also a sleeping room when there was no immediate threat i m from their pursuers . The K rk ans were assisted by members of Cane Creek and possibly other churches in the area with donations

of t . food , bedding, clothing, and other items the slaves migh need

Since the slaves had nothing except their clothing with them , these

supplies had to be replenished each time the station was used . During the day the slaves hid in a large hollow log located some

to distance from the house . Only when it was dark and deemed be

safe would they dare venture into the house to eat and rest . The slaves were tutored in ways to survive as they made their way to

freedom in the North . Something as simple as gathering tomatoes from a farmhouse garden patch might give their hunters a clue

to all about their presence . They were told never pick the tomatoes from one Vine but rather to pick one tomato from several Vines

creating a less noticeable loss (Finley Coble Interview) .

The Kirkman property is today part of the farm of Finley and f o . Georgia Coble . Nothing remains the house Only a large rock in

CAN E CREEK

Inter ior of Fr eedom3“ Hill Chur ch

f evidence o the vehement emotions of the times . On several occasions , protesters ﬁred into the building in an attempt to stop the worship services that were going on .

Over the years the church fell into disrepair as members died or

1 03 old . 9 moved away and interest waned Finally, in the 5 , the

76 against the evil practice as the Spirit gave them liberty to do so .

77 CIV IL

rue to Quaker trai written about the utes of Cane C reel

less , try as they would , thei escaped the events ofthe 1 86 men of the meeting would shouldjoin the army or rema

. Peace Testimony . Their de

made more difﬁcult b ecaus l

n camp at Company Shops ,

i few miles away . Even tho known about the enlistment

bo th t rs , it is unlikely they felt their ancestors had felt duri THE CIV IL WAR

War . This war was different from the others in at least one respect . To some it had seemed a noble cause to ﬁght for independence in 1 6 77 , but there would be nothing noble in ﬁghting to preserve a culture that depended on slavery for its existence .

Al amance County saw little ofthe war itself. No major battles

to werefought nearby . The only soldiers be seen were an occasional

or army patrol riding through looking for deserters , sometimes the

’ quartermasters wagons looking for supplies . Other times it would be the conscription wagons looking for draftees and recruits . The writer remembers her father telling the story ofhis grand father , Isaac Holt Thompson , as it was told to him by his grand

mo An n . ther , Mary Thompson She had stood in the middle ofthe road surrounded byher small children and watched as the conscr ip tion wagon carried her husband to war . She remembered his face peering out of the back of the wagon as it carried him out of sight n dow the dusty road . She and the children had stood and watched the empty road long after the wagon had disappeared as if in so

h f l Ann doing t ey cou d will it to come back . Mary and the children would never see him again; he died on a Pennsylvania battleﬁeld .

” Similar stories would be repeated over and over throughout the area .

The hardships suffered by the rest of the population were so intense and so devastating that Cane Creek Quakers could not have

of escaped them . While the Violence war did not reach the country

of side around Cane Creek, Violence another kind erupted at the

’ was Freedom s Hill Church which , as previously stated , located nearby . Confederate sympathizers aroused by the abolitionist stand of h McPher son of the church abducted Micaja , a leader and trustee

’ the Freedom s Hill Church , from his home and attempted to hang him . His wife and his grandson , Monroe Roach , watched as his

to w abductors put a noose around his neck, tied him a small dog ood

to tree and pushed him over a cliff. When they believed him be

79 CANE CREEK

Mic4 4 h McPherson 4 l4 m4 n with convictions j , y

rd for . sa , they cut him down and left him dead One account y abductors made the remark as they removed the noose that the

Mica al 1 another hanging to attend and needed the noose . j :Pherson cheated his abductors; he was still alive and r emainec T or some thirty years after the incident (Haines

At t h 1 863 w as ii a meeting held Nin h mont , a letter read nthly meeting from a called Meeting for Sufferings at Spring d o Meeting in High Point . The letter protested the demands Confederate Government that one—tenth ofthe land ’s produc

l was th u d be given to the government . It the judgment of

in tha et g for Sufferings that the tithe not be paid . It was felt h Reticen payments and gifts onlyaided and prolonged the war . a C not wha ver , the lerk of Cane Creek Meeting did record

i S i on . , if any, was made by the monthlymeeting

8 0 THE CIVIL WAR

of 1 863 Earlier in February the same year , , Milton Woody “ reported to the monthly meeting that he had availed himselfofthe

Exemption Act ofThe Confederate Congress . He offered to resign

of no t . as clerk the meeting , but his resignation was accepted

to Woody explained his actions in a letter the monthly meeting . He was Subject to conscription and had been forcibly taken into the

A to Confederate Ar my . uniform and equipmentwas given him but “ ” of he refused to accept them . He saw ﬁrsthand the evils the army . — Woody felt he had no other choice but to pay the ﬁve hundred dollar exemption fee and return home . This must have been , to

the . him , lesser of two evils Another man decided to pay the ﬁve hundred dollars for a h to . w o replacement take his place in the army Ironically, the man went into the army in his place was a member of Cane Creek but

f r not o . was disowned by the meeting joining the army However , the man who paid him was disowned .

, The migration to the West that had begun following the Revolutionary War had continued during the pre—Civil War

F r B . e period riends found the Indiana Territo y very attractive . 1 1 1 1 2 — tween 8 and 8 0 thirty one families migrated to Indiana . The

t — next decade produced the most migration . Fo ty seven certiﬁcates

1 1 to of removal were recorded during that time period . From 83

1 840 tw t — , there were en y three (Weeks

of Certainly, one the contributing factors to the large number of r migrations during this period was the slave y issue . Friends who did not own slaves found it hard to compete economical ly with h Al w o . of farmers did so , there was a sense impending crisis over the

A r . s wa on matter the clouds had appeared the horizon , several young men had made their way to Ohio or to Indiana to escape recruitment into the army .

of f The list certiﬁcates o removal is quite long . Familiar names

on found the list are Edwards , Hobson , Stout , Doan , Cox , Carter ,

8 1 al Al Harvey, Newlin , Hadley, Dixon , Moon , Marsh l , len , Hackett ,

Wheeler , Hinshaw, Wells , and Pike .

The numbers alone are staggering , especially when one realizes

m Is that the nu bers are for heads of families only . It truly an understatement that the membership ofCane Creek Meeting was greatly depleted . Fortunately enough people remained for Cane

was Creek Meeting to continue . When peace once again estab lished r of , the Quake s began picking up the pieces their lives and helping others do likewise .

CANE CREEK

At ﬁrst there were no preachers or pastors as we have toda “ Instead there were recorded ministers , which is a Quaker ter designating those men and women who were recognized as havir “ f o r . a gift minist y They werethe leaders of the meeting . One

1 their responsibilities was to be in charge ofthe worship services . “ l such they were said to sit at the head ofthe meeting . During t worship service they would sit on the facing bench at the front

the meeting .

There were two worship services held each week: one on Pii l day (Sunday) and the other on Fifth day (Thursday) . Picture t scene : the me n are onone side ofthe meeting room and the wome

At tr on the other . the front on the facing bench are the elders for

A one particular meeting . There is silence . fter a while some mig rise and speak about something which he feels has been laid on I ” heart . There might be others to rise and speak . Sometimes the

no tl would be spoken word for the entire time . When those at head ofthe meeting felt that the time had come to close the worsh

o th service , they would shake hands with each Other . The worshipers would shake hands also and the meeting was over .

It was the custom for both men and women to wear their h

and bonnets during the service . When a woman wished to speak

on of t the meeting she would remove her bonnet , lay it the lap

mov to . r e woman sitting next her , then rise and speak The men

— Al l In their black broad brimmed hats also before speaking . removed their hats during spoken prayer (Stuart

Attendance at the weekly worship services was expected of

members . Most ofthe time this obligation was accepted willing The monthly meeting would inquire and deal with anyone w

missed the services without a good reason to do so .

It is rather odd to think that regular worship service attendai

on one occasii could be amusing , but it certainly was at least

Thomas Dixon was a faithful lifelong member of Cane Creek .

84 MEETINGS FOR WORSHIP AND BU sINEss was a recorded minister and leader and as such often sat at the head

not of the meeting . One time Thomas Dixon was sick and could

to attend the Fifth day service . When the time came leave for the service the family dog began to bark in the front yard . When it became apparent to the dog that the family was not going to be leaving the farm on that particular afternoon , the dog ran to the

al meetinghouse , w ked down the aisle to the bench where Thomas

al . Dixon usu ly sat , and lay down under the bench The dog lay

ot o ut . quietly for about an hour , then g up , walked and went home The practice ofspeaking during the worship service has caused r r . t some ather amusing things to happen , also One af e noon during

t r of who o n the Fif h day se vices , there were a number people spoke A a variety of subjects . little boy sat quietly listening as one after

to ak . . another rose spe Finally, he decided that it was his turn He stood , removed his hat and said , When I came by the mill , the big ” wheel was going round and round .

The practice ofwaiting quietly and al lowing time for Friends to share in the meeting has not always been understood by Visitors .

As One young man accompanied his girl friend to meeting . one person after another spoke during the open worship he became

A who more and more agitated . s it happened the people were speaking in the meeting seemed to him to be rising in some pattern which had begun with a person near the front and moved nearer

r of and neare the back the meeting room . The young man became terriﬁedwhen it appeared to him that he was going to be next in line to speak . He was just about ready to bolt for the door when the meeting was concluded .

r Today, the worship services at Cane Creek are ve y different f or . from the early meetings worship However , Friends continue to worship together and share as the Lord leads them . Periods ofsilent meditation and open worship remain important elements of each service .

8 5 CANE CREEK

1 4 ldo o . C4 ne Cr eek mem e s c4 . W4 Wood 4 st r r 9 . b , 7 y, p

While music is an integral p art of worship at Cane Creek

Meeting today, early Friends did not approve of singing or of the use of musical instruments , either in worship services or in the A 1 8 0 m . s 3 home late as , one me ber was disowned at Cane Creek for attending a singing school in the community .

Singing schools were quite the rage in the latter part of the

8 6 MEETINGS FOR WORSHIP AND BUSINESS

r 1 8 003 and into the ﬁrst quarter of the twentieth centu y . Partici

to pants were taught read the music , not by the place ofthe note on

# A space or line of the staff but by the shape of the notes . certain

or shape , such as a diamond , a triangle , a square , a rectangle , stood

z for a certain note and by memori ing the shapes , one could be f taught to sound the note needed or the song . Churches within the community banded together to hire the teacher for the school which usually lasted a week or possibly two . Such schools were well

d for not a atten ed only did they offer music instruction , they lso provided a social occasion for Visiting neighbors .

It is not known when congregational singing began or when an organized choir was begun at Cane Creek . The ﬁrst musical instrument used was a small folding organ . It was kept at the home ofEula and Florence Dixon just across the road from the meeting house . On First day someone would bring it to the meetinghouse where it was played at the beginning and the closing of Sunday

School . During the worship service it was folded and stored under f a bench . The older members o the meeting were quite opposed to

f o the use o the organ . It must have taken some time for its use t become generally accepted (Stuart In 1 9 1 5 Hayes Thompson gave the ﬁrst large reed organ to the 1 2 meeting . In 9 0 Callie Green collected donations for a piano f (Grif in Notes) . The reed organ was destroyed in the ﬁre of 1 942 and was not replaced . Only piano music was used until the early

1 03 95 when an electric organ was purchased .

Unlike Friends of long ago who protested the use of music in

da the meeting, present y Friends at Cane Creek would protest if there were no music on Sunday mornings during worship . Music has become an important and vital part of the life of the meeting .

So central was worship in the life ofearly Friends that necessary business items were handled in a meeting for worship in which

87 CANE CREEK

business was transacted . The primary objective was to ascertain that

’

to w . which was right and discern God s ill No votes were taken , for Friends did not feel that this Was in accord with their seeking worship process .

’ The presiding clerk s job then as now was to determine the

f the n mind o the meeting . Should clerk determine there was ot unity and agreement among members , the matter under consider

r ation would be postponed until another time . It might be necessa y f r o the clerk to make several postponements . Decisions made in this manner negated the possibility of much dissension and hard

tw s feelings be een member , thus freeing them to live a more purposeful life .

The monthly meeting Minutes for the early years were quite

t sparse . Quite of en it was recorded that various reports were made , with no indication ofthe contents . The quarterly meeting required a written answer to queries concerning the spiritual life of the

esse Thomson tr ustee Sund4 school su er intendent 4 nd te4 cher j p , , y p ,

4 nd his wi e Annie Andrews Thom son. f , p

8 8 MEETINGS FOR WORSHIP AND BUSINESS

not meeting . The monthly meeting did neglect this responsibility;

neither did they record their answers . One is left wondering .

al . Fortunately, statistic reports were recorded from time to time

A of 1 8 8 1 of 1 98 1 comparison the report for with that , one

hundred years later , may prove interesting; note the differences .

Our present day report seems to be largely concerned with ﬁnances , A 1 8 1 . while no mention was made of money in 8 (See ppendix . ) Cane Creek Monthly Meeting was organized according to the

n tradition ofF r ie ds . There were separate business meetings for men

and Women . The early meetinghouses were designed for this

A r w f of purpose . long o o shutters ran the length the meeting room and these could be opened during worship but closed for the

’ business sessions . Business matters originating in either the men s

’ or women sside were usually not settled until both meetings were consulted .

The practice of holding two business meetings was discontin

A t 1 877 . o ued at Cane Creek in ccording the Minutes , the last such 1 meeting was held Twelfth month 877 . This predated the yearly

’ meeting s discontinuation of separate meetings by some twenty years .

For more than a hundred years , marriages among Friends were

of under the care the monthly meeting . The couple would state

for f A their intentions and ask the approval o the meeting . clearness

o committee would be appointed t investigate the situation . If no “ ” hindrances were found and the couple seemed to be clear in every way, the committee would so inform the monthly meeting and the wedding would proceed . However , the monthly meeting selected the date and time for the marriage and appointed a committee to attend the wedding to see that it was conducted in a proper and “ ” of seemly manner . One might think this would be the end the ’ so monthly meeting s involvement but not , for there was one more

to committee report be made . The monthly meeting expected a

8 9 e report about the W dding and any festivities after the ceremony .

one Scattered throughout the Cane Creek Minutes , can read where

or a marriage was conducted in a seemly fashion in other cases , there

- of n was evidence unseemly and frivolous e tertainment .

The ceremony itself would be in an appointed meeting for

At the worship . appropriate time , usually after a period of open

to worship , the couple stood and spoke their vows each other , with

no a . minister ofﬁci ting The elders of the meeting were in charge . A C f rather lengthy erti icate was Signed by the groom and bride ﬁrst , and then by those present and the marriage would be recorded in

the Minutes of the meeting .

Ed and Lorraine Grifﬁn were the last couple to be married after m the anner of Friends at Cane Creek Meeting . Their marriage

on 2 8 1 9 16 occurred June , (Stuart One of the more interesting and unusual committees that has been active in the life of the monthly meeting dates from the ﬁrst

decade ofthe 19003 . It was the Transportation and Entertainment

was Committee . Then , as now, Cane Creek some distance from the

t train station . The job ofthis committee was o meet the trains and A W transport Visitors to and from the meeting . lso , they ere to see that places were provided fo r their hospitality while in the t community . The committee , as lis ed in the Minutes of June 1 0 H 9 9 , consisted of ayes Thompson , Lyndon Stuart , Dougan S Thompson , Flora Stout , arah Pickett , Cicero Stuart , Harrison

no Thompson , and Mary J . Coble . Unfortunately , there is

record of the method of transportation . Most likely , it would

who b . t have been by horse and uggy Pi y the poor travelers , after a

to two— long and tiring train trip , would be subjected at least a hour

buggy ride before arriving at their destination .

Agood example ofthe necessity for a transportation committee may be seen in the following diary account Of the travels of Mary

CANE CREEK

1 1 : . . Saturday Rain , sleet Meeting at Good Crowd good meeting held until Business passed so easily

n . . scarcely k ew it Discipline Close preaching . Many quit

tobacco .

1 1 w e : . . Sunday, Sleet Icicles every her , every limb fringed 2 Sunday School, Glorious meeting sessions in all .

’ The account further states that Mary stayed at # eno Dixon s me next door to Cane Creek Meetinghouse . She reported a

’ ﬂy buggy ride to Nathaniel Woody s at Saxapahaw on ” I day night (9 miles in hours . Quick Time)

One cannot read : of such an endeavor without renewed admi o n and appreciation for the dedication ofthose whose legacywe oy today .

92 S P OKEN MINISTRY

uaker s are well known for their quietness and for the silences in their worship

services . Quakers also believe that the spoken or vocal ministry is equally important and

vital to the meeting . Friends have long recognized that some members were able to minister to others

through the spoken word . Members ofthe meeting who seemed to exercise this particular talent were recognized by the meeting as having a gift of

ministry . This talent would be duly noted in the i M nutes of the meeting . The individual would

“ then be considered a “ recorded minister in the ” t of Socie y Friends . In more recent years it has become necessary to have the quarterly meeting and the yearly meeting give approval to the record ing process CANE CREEK

A bigail Pike , Joseph Cloud , and Hannah Cloudwere among the ﬁrst persons to be recorded

as ministers at Cane Creek . Through the years others al so

a in h ve been recorded . The list

cludes Al Harrison len , Jasper

Thompson , Thomas Dixon , Al Maurice Stuart, Walter len , # Milo Dixon , eno Dixon , Roxie

Dixon White , York Teague ,

Blake Wright , Luther Mc

Pherson , Paula Teague , and

Brian Wilson .

Char it ' W r i ht y g Cook, Eliza ' A i rmstro ng Cox , W lliam

Am Thom son Dixon , y p , and Lindley Moore were also r e A corded ministers . lthough their

ministries were in other states , their roots were in the Cane

Creek Meeting .

York Te4 ue resident 4 stor g , p The Idea Of a PastOf 3 1 mi n d wor 4 n ker .

istry began in the late 1 8 003 .

During this period , Thomas C . Hodgin held a revival at Cane

’ z Creek . He emphasi ed the need for pastoral service , and Friends

to to attitudes began change . Thomas Hodgin continued preach

n to once or twice a month o First day for some time . It began seem prudent for the meeting to consider some type ofpastoral arrange “ ments (Grifﬁn Histo ry Pastoral Committee records indicate that the pastoral ministry began at Cane Creek in 1 909 with Miles and Georgia Reece as

94 THE S POKEN MINISTRY

1 14 . 9 . ministers They served until Rufus Pegg , Thomas Dixon , and Margaret Hackney were the ministers until Oscar and Belle “ ” Cox began their ministry in 1 9 1 8 (Grifﬁn Histo ry

Local members who gave their services to the meeting were

Milo Dixon , Maurice Stuart, and Thomas Dixon . Robert H . — Melvin and Thomas Hendricks were part time workers . Georgia Reece and Virgil Pike taught at Sylvan School and preached at Cane

Creekon Sunday . There was no hired minister

1 At until 19 8 . that time Oscar Cox and Edward Harris were employed to preach once each month for $ 5 0 a year . I n 1 9 2 6 Walter Al len , a former mem ber , returned from Kan sas and served as pastor 1 2 until his death in 9 9 .

Elbert Newlin , then a student at Guilford Col lege , took his place .

The practice ofhav ing a part—time minister 1 94 1 continued until , at which time Elbert

Newlin returned to Cane Lewis 4 nd P e4 r l McF4 r l4 nd 4 stors 4 t , p to b e C4 ne Cr eek 1 93 2 —3 6 su er intendent o Creek Meeting , ; p f

— e v4 n eli s m Ye4 come the ﬁrst full time g i n Nor th C4 r oli n4 . r ly M 7 — 6 6 1 ”g, 1 9 1 5 3 0 pastor . He Was paid $ 100

95 CANE CREEK

f r o . a month , plus a month house rent

— The meeting soon recognized the fact that a full time pas tor

to and his family required a parsonage . Prior this time , the ministers h 1 4 e t . had lived in r nted houses in the communi y In Marc 9 5 , a

to for fund build a home the minister and his family was Started . Plans for construction were given a b oost with the gift of one acre

n of land from Pearl Grifﬁn . The land located o the Snow Camp

’ t e to satisfac Siler Ci y Road , n ar Thompson s Garage , proved be a ﬁ — r . ve to y building Site The modern , room , brick home was com l 1 4 p eted in 9 7 . The ﬁrst ministers to live in the new parsonage were

of J . Waldo and Lutie Woody . The upstairs part the house was

ﬁnished in the early 1 95 03 . This house would be home to all the 1 ministers through 990 .

of 1 990 r In the early summer , a new pa sonage was constructed on an acre ofland which had been donated to the meeting by David

El er t 4 nd Inez Newlin rst ull—time b , ﬁ f 1—4 4 stors 4 t C4 ne Cr eek 19 4 5 . p ,

96 THE S POKEN MINISTRY

L 1 4 — W4 ldo 4 nd utie Wood 4 stors 4 t C4 ne Cr eek 9 49 . y, p , 5

mein or Carter in y of his mother , Kathryn Dixon Carter , wife of

As Norman Carter , a Friends minister . in the past , this building

— an d h is was debt free when the pastor , Dale Matthews , family moved in . The pastoral ministers who have served Cane Creek Meeting ar e ' liste A d in the ppendix .

97 ELIGIOU S INSTRUCTION

r iends believe that In the providence of

God re , man has been entrusted with the sponsibility ofparticipating in his own cre

. t to ation This is [sic#, he has been given the capaci y

grow, to become . He can assist in or thwart this mental andspiritual development (Wh4 tD oFriends ? Beli eve u Therefore , religio s instruction was an f important part of the training o youth . It was considered the responsibility ofthe meeting as well f as o the home .

The ‘ monthly meeting often reminded parents

of their responsibility for their children . Surveys were conducted by the monthly meeting to ascer

tain the number who held devotions in the home .

Those who did not were encouraged to do so .

CANE CREEK

present year on Sunday 1 8 th of October (Sylv4 ni4 n 1 8 69 March , the monthly meeting appointed a commit

’

’ e stablish First Day Schools . Bible classes and other means

al f ) tur instruction were to be used . In October o that same he record indicates that the matter had been given some on , for a school had operated in the Preparative Meetings

h m . , Septe ber

J b ath Schools or First Day Schools have been held with

the of 1 8003 rity Since latter part the . From the Cane Creek es 1 8 80 for March , one reads that the Cane Creek Sabbath

new for opened in the house the ﬁrst time . William Long ” J O medals to be awarded twelve months hence for the best

d boy and girl in the Sabbath School .

) le verses were taught to each class and then repeated to the gation when the classes assembled in the meeting room for sing exercises . One little girl did a little paraphrasing when “

l . d and repeated as her verse , Thou shall not stea a house

many years Ruth M . Hinshaw gave illustrated blackboard She was a talented artist and made her subjects come “ alive ”

lustrated the lesson for the day . have been many dedicated teachers in the First Day

al . ater c led Sunday Schools , at Cane Creek The beginners

taught by three generations of the same family . Lydia

to u gan the tradition , be followed by her da ghter , Clara

A . succeeded by her daughter , nna Lois Dixon

' ’ na Lois s favorite stories about her teaching ex p er i f A very rowdyyoungster and the power o prayer . nna

lot oftrouble manag ing one little fellow . He would not

climbed and jumped about the classroom every Sunday .

e not al all her fforts , she had been very successful in c ming A ne Sunday was particularly bad . nna Lois realized that

100 RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION

’ 1 0 . L di4 Dix on s Sund4 School ci4 ss c4 . 93 y y , unless S he could think ofsomething she was not going to be able to A have her lesson for the other children . lmost in desperation she “ Al l bow we o for said , right , children , your heads ; are g ing to pray

As . she said this , the culprit was underneath the table

saw Peeping through her ﬁngers , as she began the prayer , she him

out crawl from under the table , slip quietly into his chair and bow his head . He did not misbehave for the rest ofthe class . Obviously, she had found the solution to the problem . 1 92 1 In under the leadership of Georgia Reece , a Christian

Endeavor Society was organized for the teenage group . Meetings

was were held each Sunday evening . There always a good atten dance even though the young people had to walk to the services “ ” most of the time (Grifﬁn Histo ry

1 9403 new In the , Elbert Newlin , the pastor, introduced a

t for was activi y the young people in Christian Endeavor . It called “ ” was journeying and done once a month . The leaders would select

’ for r a member s home to visit the evening se vice . The chosen member was not informed of the approaching Visit and was

10 1 ‘ ' ' “

11 6 1 110 118 6 . 1 [1 6 1 6 18 11 0 I CCOI CI II th e k W CI C C 1 11 crac ers U S G 0 0 12. Later the Friends Youth Fellowship replaced the Christian

. t Endeavor program In recent years , a varie y of programs and incentives for attendance have been used . Members have been able to take part in yearly meeting activities such as camping at

a d Quaker Lake , Junior n Young Friends Yearly Meeting , work camps to mission ﬁelds , and annual trips to the United Nations in New York City . Daily Vacation Bible Schools have been held for many years in

for the summer , not only the children of Cane Creek but for the

The Chr isti4 n Ende4 vor Societ y,

102

CANE CREEK

a library prior to that time . From the Minutes of

“ ‘ th 1 82 9 Plans to , one reads , establish a library were cision was deferred to next meeting .

the decision was to delay establishing a library

' 3 until Febr uar 1 83 0 not y , that a library plan was

At monthlymeeting . that meeting, Joshua Chamness l librarian . His job description was to be in charge of onging to the meeting and to make a report of the

' itles to the monthly meeting . i nutes ofMarch 1 8 3 0 record that a standing library W m illiam Thompson , Willia Weisner , JamesWoody,

:tt , Joseph Hill , and Thomas Pugh was appointed . was appointed to survey members for books to be

:0 propose books to be purchased .

3 3 1 to s ubscr i , a committee was appointed secure p nt the library project Later in that same year; it was 1 e monthly meeting, $ total subscriptions . z was 9 in books , in cash and 5 cents not likely

1. ad learned the value of committee work well , for in “ nittee was appointed to examine the library books ifthey contained sentiments not in accordance with ” maintained by our ancient predecessors and report .

' or t4 hic Evidence on Chr isti 4 nz t y, was found to be

1 to :1 . 6 8 0 excluded On July , 5 , the committee asked o m their responsibility and the monthly meeting

:h their request .

3 from this period are still in existence . It is likely most

1 1 the meeting burned in 879 . Those saved were with cky River or had been checked out to members . On the monthly meeting had approved Rocky River ’s

I se part of the library collection .

104 RELIGIOU s INSTRUCTION

was No library, as such , in the present meetinghouse until

1 a A 1 6 . 9 Beul h llen , a retired librarian , gave many hours oflabor in organizing the library . Some books were purchased and others were u donated . Shelves were b ilt and placed in one ofthe Sunday School A ’ classrooms . The adult bookswere housed there . separate children s

’ library was kept in the assembly room in the church s basement .

’ a was 19603 When the b sement remodeled in the , the children s books were packed away for safe keeping . Unfortunately, theywere too safe; they have not surfaced to this day .

Today, the library is attractively furnished with a conference table and comfortable couches and chairs which create an atmo

h 13 sp ere conducive to reading . The meeting very fortunate to have

r ﬁ had the se vices ofWilma Grif n , a retired public school librarian , to care for the collection .

B4 scomRollins 4 stor 19 46 —195 6 with 4 rou o dedic4 tedwor kers i n the , p , g p f

Le meetin . to r i ht: S4 r4 h P r imm L ndon Stu4 r t Ruth Moon Rollins g ﬁ g , y , , ,

4 nd An 4 Lois Dix n on .

1 05 U CATION

Fear not the Skeptic ’s puny hand While near the school the church will sta

# ’ Nor for the blinded bigots rule While near the church shall stand a scho

o u # wrote the Q aker poet , John Green Whittier; so wrote and spoke the Qual# “ a b themselves . Friends have lways been

to ou on education , coin a phrase from modern y There ar e few records of early schools; hOW €\ journals and diaries testify to the fact that

r pioneers were educated in varying degrees . Lega

O I edu ften ncluded the Stipulation , for the

tion of my children .

CANE CREEK

Lancaster School was started around 1 8 3 8 and served t

f r community o manyyears . The school stood south ofthe entrar to what is now the site of The S word ofP e4 ce near the Charlie S tc

House on Sylva n Road . The original log structure was r eplac

o— with a tw story frame building by the Good Templar Society a .

f r 1 was used as their meeting place as Well as o a school . The building has survived the years but has an interesting travel histOI

was was 400 ai When it replaced , it moved some yards to the east

mo . v used by Ed Thomas for a barn Several years later , it was

one again; this time , to the west , past the original site to become d 1 the buildings for Visitors to the Site of the outdoor rama ,

S word of P e4 ce (Grifﬁn Notes) .

The Baltimore Association was interested in rebuilding t

h e South and helping Friends recover from the Civil War . With t

n the assistance , Cane Creek Monthly Meeti g established Sylvan 1 A 866 . to Was the Grove cademy in Prior that time , there

Old S lv4 n Ac4 dem est4 blished 1 8 66 . y y,

108 EDUCATION

Al monthly meeting school in the meetinghouse . len J . Tomlinson n of High Point was sent to Cane Creek to open the ew school .

Joseph Moore , superintendent of schools for the Baltimore A As . t sociation , assisted with the establishment of the academy

hewas ﬁrst , somewhat doubtful that the effort would be successful ,

to but when he visited the meeting , he found the members be

was determined to go ahead with the project . He quite pleased to

ﬁnd that he was proven wrong and the school was successful . His journal entries provide interesting information about the academy:

’ 1 1 h 1 1 Al l n t 9 866 e . month , , , went to J Tomlinson s school

which opened this morning in the old meeting house , the r school being justly weatherboarded and oofed . School k ma ing an orderly start with seventeen .

12 h 12 1 A ’ t 866 . . month , , , Visit J Tomlinson s school about I n eighty pupils very good order . Regard it quite an achievement to haste such good order where they had

a fo r been accustomed to disorder . . day ofrejoicing me (Syl v4 ni 4 n

3 00 e Five months later , about people attended a lecture wher

of plans were made for an addition to the schoolhouse . Sylvan the A Grove cademy grew to be one of the largest in North Carolina . Each term there would be several boarding students who were

. to do required to pay tuition If the students were unable this , the

for monthly meeting would pay them . Religious instruction con tinued to be part of the curriculum with daily Bible reading . On

Thursday, or Fifth day, all the students were taken to the meeting house where they attended the midweek worship service . Students were also expected to attend the First day worship service as well .

Often the teachers were quite active in the meeting .

One rather unusual event happened soon after the Civil War . The Baltimore As sociation not only helped establish schools but

1 09 Allen oml nson rst r incz 4 l o lv4 n Ac4 dem . T S # i , ﬁ p p f y y

r An A assisted with the cu riculum as well . griculture Club was 1 A added to the course ofstudy at Sylvan about 868 . The ssociation agreed to donate a Jer sey bull to the newly created department ifin return the club members would pay the freight . In due time , the f bull arrived with a freight bill o $ 5 0 . The club members thought this bill was excessive and refused to pay it .

Cal eb Dixon decided to pay the bill and thus he became the

of so owner a Jersey bull named Sherman; appropriately , some

of . thought . Sherman soon became the scourge the neighborhood He would wander over the ﬁelds tearing down the rail fences as he

1 10

CANE CREEK innumerable skinned elbows and knees received from fal

ﬂint rocks .

— The large two sto ry Georgian style building was const

# about a year . It was during this time that the county de

t . consolidate several small communi y schools Thus , the would serve a much larger population than had been c anticipated .

“ School was held in the newlocation at the beginning of 1 “ Th in 1 9 3 . The cornerstone was appropriately engraved ” e n Hammer Memorial . School in appreciation for the d m which made construction possible . Despite efforts to co

e the nam change , this school would forever be known as

In 1 960 Sylvan was consolidated with four other higl in southern Al amance County to form Southern High

Sylvan School is now an elementary school with grades ki i A — l ten through ﬁfth . ﬁre destroyed the original two storied

1 : 9703 . in the The smaller building , which survived the ﬁr the school population very adequately for a number

“ 19 03 ii However, in the 9 , the population of Snow Camp when several mobile home parks were opened in the area

l mak quently, the enrollment of Sylvan School ba looned

t i was 0 classrooms a necessi y, and a new bu lding begun ” Hill .

Just as their forefathers did , members of Cane Creek . support the school and take much interest in their cl education .

1 12 CONCERN FOR MISSIONS

To do missions without serving the needs of those whose spiritual and physical con

t dition must change is to carry an emp y,

hypocritical gospel .

hese words spoken so aptly in the 1 9803 at a session of North Carolina Yearly Meet ing could have been spoken just as appro

r iatel 17003 p y in the late , for they succinctly state what must have been the motivation for missions at Cane Creek Monthly Meeting during the early

for years . Then missions meant a concern the well

for being of others , whether it be an individual or

an entire meeting . This principle is exempliﬁed by

: 178 1 the following Minute First month , David CANE CREEK

Smith was appointed by the monthly meeting to inquire into the

to t sufferings ofFriends and report as to heir needs . One can only assume that steps were taken by the monthly meeting to meet any existing needs that were reported .

Neither was it unusual for persons to ask the monthly meeting “ f r In1 84 A f o al . 7 or assistance in person matters , concern care was expressed by William Courtney, brother of James and Joseph

Courtney, both blind , asking Friends to procure maintenance for ” t them . This was done . Similar incidents and requests were e corded throughout the next century .

Al one 1 873 most hundred years later , in June , Sarah Wilson “ to had a concern to visit some that are afﬂicted , and also visit the ” Poor House in Randolph County . The monthly meeting united in encouraging her to attend as wisdom dictates .

One of the more enterprising projects was the construction in

1 8003 — the late ofa two room house , just north ofthe meetinghouse

for of no near the spring , the use an elderly woman who had means of support . Not only did the meeting build her a house , but it also assumed the responsibility of providing food and other necessities

A af k for her . fter her death , the little house , fectionately nown as the “ ” Abigail House was used for a classroom at Sylvan School (Griffin History”

’ In a similar vein and more recently, the Quaker men s organi z ation P , in collaboration with Mount leasant Methodist Church ,

' built a house for a black family whose home was old and dilapi

’ e so dated . Once , the monthly meeting ven rented a woman s land that she could have an income . It has always been the custom to provide ﬁrewood for those persons in the community who have

n difﬁculty in procuring their ow .

’ Cane Creek s concern for the needs of the people was not

o of im conﬁned t the surrounding areas . Ways communication

1 14

CANE CREEK

Within a few weeks eight local societies had been formed through

out Western Yearly Meeting . When representatives met at the

In sessions of Western Yearly Meeting September of that year , a formal organiz ation was formed and Eliza Armstrong Cox was selected as its head Through correspondence with relatives the women of North

’ Carolina caught the idea of a Woman s Missionary Society . In

’ 1 8 8 or ei n t 5 , at Yearly Meeting , the Woman s F g Missionary Socie y “ was organized With a twofold purpose : to spread the Gospel

among the heathen , and for the elevation ofwomen in the Yearly ” ’ 1 2 of Meeting . In 9 5 the Triennial Conference the Women s

z A Missionary Union met in Greensboro . Eli a rmstrong Cox was “ ” was i there and described as a tiny, lively, sa ntlywoman (Hinshaw and Hockett 2

It was at this time that she paid a Visit to her birthplace in the

Cane Creek community . When she arrived she stood in the yard for e “ a moment , looked at her surroundings , and th n said , Leave me alone and I will show you the spring and the location of the pig

pen . Within minutes she had located the spring and walked to the

spot where the pig pen had stood . She explained that she would

# f r never forget that spot , o one morning , as she watched her father u feed the pigs , she poked a finger thro gh the fence and a pig bit off the end of her finger (Griffin “ History”

’ The Women s Missionary Society of Cane Creek was orga

niz ed about 1 9 10 . Miles Reece came to Sylvan School as a teacher R 1 0 . in 9 9 His wife , Georgia Grifﬁth eece , had been a missionary

o the in Jamaica . She soon generated en ugh interest among women

of the meeting to organize the ﬁrst missionary society . From that

time until the present , the women have continued to meet monthly .

During the late 1 93 03 and 1 9403 there were two missionary

circles . One met in the afternoon and soon became known as the i 1 40: Le to r i ht Ann4 Lois Dix on K4 thlene Whitehe4 d u lters c4 . 9 , Q , ﬁ g , ,

Phoe e P ike Annie Wr i ht Len4 D urh4 m Ger tr ude P ike Inez lV illi4 ms b , g , , , ,

K4 thr n C4 r ter Alice Te4 ue Lor en4 Thom son Ruth Moon . y , g , p ,

’ Old Women s Circle , leaving one to surmise that the night circle “ mid— r 1 03 was for young women . The centu y years of the 95 C became the glory years with four night circles , one afternoon ircle , a junior missionary group for young teens which met on Saturday afternoons , and also a group for older teens and unmarried young

W . At two omen the present time the count is back to , one at night and one in the afternoon . Some excerpts from the circle minute books indicate the interest and the work ofthe various groups . For example , the junior missionary group met with Mattie Thompson , their sponsor and 1 4 . adult advisor , in October 9 5 There were six members present ,

1 8 1 c tw — — Bible hapters read , enty three visits to shut ins and four

1 17 CANE CREEK

A l r in ﬂ owers carried . co o g contest was discussed with

z e cents offered as ﬁrst pri e . Second prize was ﬁfteen

r na Thompson was the secreta y .

ackne y Reece Circle , composed ofolder members , met

n 1 1 . 9 44 oon once a month for many years On July , 9 ,

’ r tw Lucy Kimball s home with elve members present . It — “ — ” ed that f their membership was twenty nine paid up “ A r t lso , their ci cle had been rated a standard socie y “ ” to the attainments set by the yearly meeting union . It

what this entailed .

arlier one Minute from this same circle reads , The best ‘ a family to Christ is by ﬁrstwinning the mother because

3 o t of gnor ant . Hopefully this statement was taken u the recording secretary# the work and inﬂuence of the Women ’s Missionary

T n ti ues to be strong . In many areas tradition is upheld as n society member often makes beautiﬁi l quilts for sale at n for A g activities , sews the merican Friends Service

for al e , provides meats andvegetables the annu Brunswick nd , as the junior circle didyears ago , reads Bible chapters , — 3 . , Visits shut ins , and carries ﬂowers

1 18

CANE CREEK

Early Friends considered themselves a people apart from the world and , as such , did not want things or people of the world to infringe on or interfere with their way oflife . They dressed plainly n and condem ed worldly ideas and pleasures . Marrying out of the fellowship of believers and associating with persons overly con cerned with worldly matters such as politics and war were consid ered serious Violations of the rules of discipline which had been

l as — made for their dai y living as well for their spiritual well being .

Any indiscretion that others saw as an impediment to their faith would be duly reported to the monthly meeting in the form of a “ ” A t complaint . committee of weigh y Friends would be appointed

r to Visit the culprit and t y to convince the person ofhis mistake . If

to the person were notwilling admit his error , a second or third visit might be made . Ifthe matter could not be settled satisfactorily, the committee would advise disownment.

On the other hand , if the individual were willing to prepare a

or paper condemning his her conduct , the monthly meeting would accept it and the matter would be dropped . Should the person refuse to condemn his own actions , the monthly meeting would disown him .

' A typical paper of condemnation was recorded in the 1 8 903

To Cane Creek Monthly Meeting of Friends , I have been overtaken and am guilty ofimmoral conduct ofwhich I am very sorry ask monthly meeting to forgive me and by the Lord ’s help I will endeavorto live a consistent life (Grifﬁn

Notes) . Perhaps a more enlightening paper would be in answer to the “ inevitable question , What happened in a marriage that had been

of one of performed out unity with the meeting , if the partners ? condemned his or her own actions and asked for forgiveness

The Minutes of Cane Creek Monthly Meeting bear mute

12 0 A QUAKER CUSTOM A QUAKER TESTIMONY testimony to the large number of members who were disowned

r . during the nineteenth centu y In fact , a local wag has made the t “ sta ement , Our church [Methodist#would never have grown much if the Quakers had ever stopped disowning people .

The Minutes of the meeting record many various reasons for disownments . Some border on the trivial; some seem almost

to hilarious to the modern reader . It is important realize they were neither trivial nor hilarious to the individual involved or to the meeting .

Some ofthe more serious reasons for disownment were marry

r ing out of unity, mar ying contrary to discipline , going into a

for society of different persuasion ( example , Methodist) , retailing

’ spiritous liquors , keeping unlawful company with another man s

not wife , attending meeting, departing from plain living , having

of carnal knowledge his wife before marriage , holding and selling

o f slaves , refusing to pay a note indebtedness , having a child in an m un arried state , attending a mustering , paying a military fee , ’ f accusing women s meeting o falsifying Minutes . Other reasons which appear to be more trivial to the reader today are tale bearing , dancing or trying to dance , wearing hair disagreeable to Friends , showing a dislike to a friend in a time of a pr yer , enclosing and claiming sheep belonging to a neighbor , helping a brother steal a young woman to marry, throwing rocks ,

the and using profanity . When last reason was given as a complaint “ the meeting changed the charge to using unseemly language .

’ One instance of condemning one s own conduct that was not beneﬁcial is told of a Friend who had made a name for himself as

e a teller of very tall tales . The usual procedures wer taken after someone complained about him to the monthly meeting . In due

time , the committee which had been appointed to talk with him arrived at his home and spent several hours with him pointing out

12 1 CANE CREEK

the error ofhis ways . Finally, he was asked ifhe were sorry for his

. a e of actions He replied , Oh , yes , I have lr ady shed a barrel tears . The monthly meeting never acted hastily in the matter of disownments . Some times months would elapse before the matter could be settled . The Herman Husband affair , for example , took

ﬁft een months to settle .

Disownments rarely occur any more . Originally, perhaps , there may have been merit in such action . Early Friends certainly believed that the practice was necessary; in reality it proved to be

A AHisto F w . r o r i ends i n Amer i c4 other ise llen Thomas , in y f , seems to say it best, That the denomination should have lived at all through such restrictions is a striking evidence ofthe power that was in the body [of believers#

The Cane Creek Meeting had a great concern about the use of r spiritous liquor and the p oblems resulting from its use and sale . Numerous members were disowned for using spiritous liquor to

for excess , retailing the same , and also for the distillation of it . In other words , they were greatly disturbed about those persons who

or made , sold , used alcohol . Committees were appointed by the monthly meeting each year to take a survey every three months to ﬁnd who used intoxicating h A fA 1 44 w o . o u ust 8 liquors and did not ccording to the Minutes g , it was reported that the results ofa surveyrevealed 1 1 5 people who did not use alcoholic beverages and ten who did use them . The report also listed those who used alcohol for medicinal purposes .

low Perhaps the number ofpersons who used alcohol could , in

of part , be attributed to the organization the Pleasant Hill Temper

’ 1 to ance Society in 83 3 . This organization s goal was inform and f ” Al out o . ultimatelywipe the use spiritous liquors William bright ,

al i . a loc med cal doctor , was the founder and guide for many years Cane Creek joined the society along with Several other churches in

122

E CREEK COMMUNITY

he Cane Creek community has not been conducive t o commercial enterprise

hr h A oug the years . ttempts have been made to establish some kind of industry in the

t to communi y from time time , but none of them has been successful enough to withstand the test of

time . It is almost as if fate has decided that Snow Camp should forever remain a small village in a

pastoral setting .

In the beginning each pioneer family was fairly “ — ffi i n to a do self su c e t . They learned m ke with ” “ For what they had or do without . the first fifty years the people of Snow Camp were primarily All interested in survival . of their efforts were

expended toward the establishment oftheir homes , CANE CREEK COMMUNITY

ad their meeting . They were busy sending roots deep into

Ilina soil . re were times when the pioneers found it expedient to share

ofone another . One ofthe earliest traditions among them “ ” r of banding together to raise a cabin o a barn . When a

on of se , there was no hesitancy the part the frontier men k an to r . share their s ills or provide a se vice For example , dl n e was . a doctor She had a knowledge ofvarious herbs , nts , and homemade remedies which she would prescribe “ r ee aches and pains . It is said that she kept her medicine

t for tle room at the rear of their cabin . People came o her ” she would make housecalls (Al4 m4 nce n o indication that she charged for her assistance; perhaps patients would have given her some token ofappreciation .

one was y large stretch of the imagination , might say this

’ amp s ﬁrst pharmacy . tendency to work together and share their corporate skills direct proportion to the increasing number of people into the Snow Camp area . The ﬁrst businesses were

7 was in begun when one skill traded for another . For man with the tools and skill of a blacksmith might shoe a r his neighbor . In return , the neighbor might repair the harnesses . This kind ofexchange could have been parlayed aall business by an enterprising pioneer . e settlers came to the community with the intention of

for ing a business , perhaps as a sideline the primary of farming . They carried with them any tools they would this secondary purpose . Simon Dixon with his millstones

I d example . Others came equally prepared for similar

rs .

r ﬁrst indust y in the Snow Camp area was grist mills . The

12 5 CANE CREEK

economic premise of supply and demand made this an attractive

‘ continue d into tw r business opportunity which the entieth centu y . An interview with Wilma Grifﬁn provided the information about

the ﬁrst industries and stores in the Snow Camp community .

South of Snow Camp approximately two and one - half miles 1 004 on state road , commonly known as the Snow Camp Road ,

one can turn right onto the Old Dam Road . The road built over the old dam is all that remains of a grist mill built by Jones Cantor

1 fo r around 875 . The small dam provided enough power a saw mill

for as well as the grist mill . The mill had various owners , some only a : Short time Franklin Hinshaw, Tyree Hinshaw, Maurice Stuart,

and , the last one , Wesley Routh . This mill became inoperable about 1 93 0 . In 1 8 8 5 the Little Ward Mill was built about two miles west of

the Cane Creek Meetinghouse on a tributary ofCane Creek . This

n h mill building stands o t e property ofJuanita Euliss .

126

CANE CREEK

A A r t . t indust y into lamance Coun y about the same time that E . M . Holt was beginning his textile empire some ten miles northwest of Al Snow Camp on the Little amance Creek, the Snow Camp 1 Cotton Factory began operation in 83 5 . The company was h composed of one thousand stock olders . In just a few years , they had bought four acres ofland from Peter Stout , made bricks by the

‘ — to house thousands , and constructed a three story brick building

n r their ew endeavo . This building stood about a mile downstream from the Snow Camp Foundry .

At on that point the river , Peter Stout had previously built a

rv small dam . This dam was very unusual , for it cu ed across the river

r rather than being straight . He built it to fu nish power for his saw

was to mill . It not high enough provide the force needed to run cotton mill machinery so the darn had to be raised several feet . The large stones were quarried about one—half mile upstream and

ﬂoated down to the dam sit e .

12 8 CANE CREEK COMMUNITY

Workers were housed in small log cabins behind the mill . This A may have been the ﬁrst mill village in Al amance County . number of wells and at least one remaining house bear testimony to the

’ village s location .

Massach In 1 8 8 5 the facto ry was sold to a Mr . Willard from u t t setts . Later he willed the mill and proper y to two Holman bro hers , and it has remained in their family through the years . The mill stood idle for a few years but reopened in 1 893 and continued with

1 al various types ofmanufacturing until 93 7 . The big met waterwheel was sold for scrap metal during World War 11.

A one of r on bout mile west the cotton facto y, also the banks of

Cane Creek, was another textile industry, the Snow Camp Woolen

r . Mill . It was located on the site ofthe Snow Camp Found y It was started in 1 8 86 by Hugh and Thomas C . Dixon . The woolen mill produced blankets , ﬂannel material , and knitting yarn . It em ployed a dozen people who were paid about a day . Meager

of r by comparison with the wages the present time , itwas ave ygood

r sal a y then . Similar jobs in other textile factories in Burlington paid

to only a bout $ 5 0 a day . The Dixons tried provide good working

to conditions for their employees . Two small houses were built accommodate those workers who did not live within walking h distance of t e mill .

The tin covered building would have been ver y hot in summer and cold in winter . There were tall windows across the front and

for sides light and ventilation . Much care had to be taken with the heating arrangements in the Winter because ofthe volatile nature of the materials used .

— The two Dixons hoped to leave a stable and well established

’

to . to for son business their heirs This was not be the case Hugh s ,

oe . not J , had other ideas He did want to run the mill , preferring to

o oe of g West and seek his fortune there . J prevailed on a friend his

12 9 CANE CREEK

to come into the family business in his place. This incident set the stage for TomMcV ey to assume a prominent role in the life of the community.

McV e 1 8 Tom y was born in the Snow Camp community in 5 9 . He was educated at Sylvan Academy and New Garden Boarding

He School (later Guilford College) . was a ﬁrm supporter of l A education for al persons . fter his graduation he became a teacher

t e in Moore Coun y,where he m t and married Fanny Tyson . When he became a rather reluctant half—owner of the Snow Camp 1 893 Woolen Mill in , the direction ofhis life changed , but he never lost his dedication to education (Hughes) .

Tom McV e Despite his reluctance , y proved to be a good

as of business man and undoubtedly w proud his business acuity. He was also keenly interested in politics and was an ardent

Republican . He served the constituency of Snow Camp for three

of terms as county commissioner . One the highlights ofhis life was meeting President Taft in Washington . This meeting could well

oe who have been arranged by his friend , J Dixon , had been very successful in Montana . Dixon was governor of that state and later was appointed United States Assistant Secretary of the Interior .

Tom McV ey was secretary and treasurer of the woolen mill . The president was also an unusual person who would play an important role in the Snow Camp community . Her name was Eula

' a Dixon . While Torn may h ve come to the mill by default , Eula inherited her share from her father , Thomas Dixon . Eula Dixon was born during the period ofreconstruction ofthe

”

South following the Civil . War . She was a great granddaughter of

k deter mi Simon Dixon and exhibited the same ind ofdedication , nation , and tenacity to do a task well , as Simon had exhibited as he helped to settle a new home and community (Hobbs) .

’ Eula Dixon was a pioneer in women s rights , although it is

13 0

CANE CREEK

I ductivity.

) m McV e al y and Eula Dixon were ike in many ways . They ad a great love for Cane Creek Meeting assuming active roles i ous capacities . They were both keenly interested in good

:ion r n for all persons , and both se ved terms as the chairperso local school board .

Ila relinquished her role in the woolen mill soon after Tom 1 1 1 0 1 12 9 . The mill burned in 9 . The owners were reluctant r . r in st in repai s Thus , the textile indust y came to an end

Camp . contributing factor to the failure of the factories and the ties of was a lack good transportation . The raw material foi Iad to be brought by wagon over many miles of sometimes

for r impassable roads . The market their products was many

As of an in away . the productivity both factories d farms

m of e :l . , the proble poor roads became greater It becam ary for the farmer and the factory owner to seek a solution to l m ob e .

A of d I e idea ofa plank roadwas born . road made planks woul le a stable surface over which wagons loaded with produce li A m pp es could travel easily . company known as the Graha ) the lank Road Company was formed . John Stafford was

n ent . . and H W. Dixon was vice president Construction bega

. 3 (Grifﬁn Notes) .

Ie a o l road was to have begun in Gr ham , g southward to Gul it would intersect with the Salem plank road and continue

For S in Fayetteville . ome unknown reason , the road began h Camp rather than Graham . Perhaps it was because Hug

set up a saw mill to cut the planks near Snow Camp .

one w Iere Were toll stations every seven miles . The at Sno stood on the north side of Cane Creek just before the road

1 3 2 CANE CREEK COMMUNITY

A crossed the bridge . teamster would purchase tickets for his trip at d tw the ﬁrst toll station he came to . He would have pai be een two

one— to and half cents ﬁve cents a mile , depending on the number

of horses he had and how heavily his wagon was loaded . The

’ teamster s destination was noted on each ticket . He was expected to turn in all the tickets when he arrived at his destination and

to do . failure so resulted in a ﬁne Each toll station bore a reminder , “ A Pay toll , give up tickets or pay ﬁne . generally understood rule

for drivers on the plank road was that ifgoing downhill , the driver

l . al . could use the plank Other times , he could only use half After the Civil War there was no money for maintenance ofthe

so . road , it fell into disrepair and eventual disuse Gradually, it

rotted away or was covered with dirt . Even in recent years , portions of the plank road have been found as new excavations have been

f r made o modern roads .

When the initial grading for the Snow Camp—Siler City road

of was done , not only parts the plank road were found but a human

W not skeleton as ell . It was identiﬁable but some older residents A thought it might have solved a mystery of many years . Mr .

Vincent had disappeared without a trace several years before . Foul

no playwas suspected , but bodywas ever found . The skeleton could f o . to be that Mr Vincent . How clever his murderer stuffthe body under the planks ofthe road#The only question still unanswered is

the identiﬁcation of the murderer . Snow Camp residents continued to try to improve their 1 82 8 transportation problem . In an effort was made to bring a line

ofthe railroad near or through Snow Camp . Two hundred people Of Al met at the home William bright to discuss the matter . The f railroad was strange and unknown to many o them . The meeting

not did achieve the desired results , as the railroad was built several

to miles the north ofSnow Camp . There is a stor y that has been told

e ne for manyy ars concerning o ofthe attenders at the meeting . This

1 3 3 CANE CREEK particular man rose to voice his opposition to the railroad coming “ to Snow Camp . He posed this question : We will be safe as long as the train comes through as it is supposed to longways but what will we do if it ever comes through sideways ?”

Another type of industry did rather well in Snow Camp for a

number ofyears . Tom and Tim Boggs ran a successful pottery shop on t h proper y w ich is owned today by Bill Roach ofLiberty . Most of the potter y was made for utilitarian purposes such as crocks for T milk or cream . here were also small mouthed jugs which could “ ” hold cider , vinegar , or any other liquid which might be made locally . Their wares were taken into nearby cities for sale . Today their products demand a substantial price ifa piece can be found for sale . The mercantile business has been only slightly more successful than industry in Snow Camp . Through the years there have been

was several stores in and around the Village . There a company store

’ r operated by the cotton facto y . It became Holman s Store when the

As was ownership of the factory changed . the policy of most company stores , the workers could charge their purchases and the amount would be deducted from their paychecks The ﬁrst store

was stood northeast ofthe mill near the river . Later it moved to the other side of the mill where it was more accessible to other

r customers . The store emained in business for many years after the cotton factory closed and was a favorite gathering place in the A community . trip to the store was enjoyed not only to buy but to socialize as well . The storekeepers were exceedingly careful in keeping the accounts . The store ledgers often reveal much more r than the cost of the pu chases . One such Storekeeper recorded the sale Of a bottle of whiskey for the mother of the purchaser . He carefully noted that it was her medicine .

The Snow Camp Market is located on the site of at least two earlier stores . Hayes Thompson had a small general store there long

13 4

CANE CREEK

SNOW CAMP COMMU NITY 1 994 CANE CREEK COMMUNITY

Th m . o changed ownership several times Finally, Hayes p ded to continue his career as a merchant and he bought it . bly was at that time that the building was moved across the

’

son . its present location . Hayes s , F Paul Thompson , and f ran the store for a number o years . The store building

but it has been converted to an apartment building .

’ Fogleman ran Snow Camp s smallest store . It was in front

’ ) use on the road that led from Griffin s store to the Cane l h t Ieeting ouse . It was only about twelve feet by ﬁf een feet

n . o leman all roofextension at the front . Mr F g stocked a few p rimarily as a service to his neighbors . He ran a much larger

”

ar . Little Ward Mill Since this was some miles away, it was Iore convenient for some of his customers to come to the

for re . However , itwas not more convenient Mr . Fogleman , l ave ed between the stores each day . l a . no . y, Snow Camp is a quiet little Village There is industry

I two one grocery store , garages , a restaurant , and a post here are still several farms in the area , but , for the most part , omm te u to nearby towns to work . It is only a sleepy little

Iot too far removed from its beginnings .

1 3 7 OF P EACE

he S' now Camp Historical Drama Society

The S word o P e4 ce and ultimately f , an

out outdoor drama, grew of a chance remark made by a visitor in the home of Ed and 1 60 Lorraine Grifﬁn in the late 9 3 . The visitor was a young man , Bobby Wilson , from Morganton ,

North Carolina, who had recently moved to the ’ He al Gr if ﬁns area . was enthr led by the stories about the settlement of the Snow Camp area . His interest prompted him to exclaim , This is good ”

An o . enough for an outdoor drama . d s it was

The idea grew and spread . People began to consider seriously thepossibility ofa drama which

’ for many would be the story of their ancestors . ’ r Bobby s brothe , James Wilson , joined the effort and promoted it at every opportunity in his local cafe . Soon the Snow Camp Historical Drama Soci

CANE CREEK

’ and the society met their ﬁrst year s funding goal of

for Ironically, the initial grading the amphitheater which would be used for a drama dealing with peace was done by a

of volunteer group soldiers from Fort Bragg . They removed trees

th e ur of al anks of from nat al slope land ong the b Cane Creek. Jim Euliss volunteered his time and the use of his equipment to build

the ﬁrst access road into the Site . The entire seating area was graded

McPherson t by Coy and his trus y bulldozer . Other volunteers

t al w helped with the u ilitarian projects such as bathrooms , w k ays ,

. : and parking facilities However, the aesthetics were not neglected the

was as u l and site t tef l y landscaped with ﬂowers , shrubs , native trees .

The Snow Camp Historical Drama Societyhas enjoyed contin ued support from the community throughout its more than twenty f f o . o years existence Today, a number volunteers and patrons form

a nucleus from which the drama society draws its support . The volunteers traditionally man the various buildings that are open to A “ ” the public prior to each evening performance . meet the cast picnic is held each year to strengthen the ties between the cast and

the community. f The Sword o P e4 ce 4 1 974 o t . f opened July , , with a cast twen y 1 77 The cast doubled the next year , and by 9 a repertory schedule

l on 4 1 6 was . a 97 begun There was a speci celebration Sunday, July , ,

to mark the 2 00th birthday of the United States . The celebration

began with a special televised Sunday morning service program .

al for h Origin ly planned the amp itheater , the program was moved to the nearby Cane Creek Meetinghouse when the weather proved f to . o be unpleasant Seth Hinshaw, then executive secretary North

a . Carolina Yearly Meeting, was the spe ker for the occasion He “ chose the topic One Nation Under God .

The S word o e4 ce The drama, fP , tells the story ofSimon Dixon ,

z a the miller , and his wife , Eli beth . Their quiet Quaker lives are

to of Al disrupted by the events leading the Battle amance , a

140 THE SW ORD OF PEACE confrontation between the Regulators and the militia ofGovernor

for Tryon . Simon is the father figure Thomas Hadley, a young Quaker lad who grows to young manhood as he resolves the conflict ofjoining others to fight for their country or remaining out ofthe conflict as his Quaker faith dictates . The drama culminates with Lord Cornwal lis bringing his troops to Snow Camp following the

‘ Battle of Guilfor d Court House .

The S word ofP e4 ce continues to enthrall audiences in a setting f ’ o . which , appropriately, lies a few paces east the site ofDixon s Mill The years have brought changes to the drama site with the addition

two of several buildings . Visitors can enjoy touring early Quaker

New meetinghouses . The Hope Meetinghouse was moved to the drama grounds from Randolph County near Sophia and is typical f of a Quaker meeting o the 1 8003 . The Chatham Meetinghouse was moved from the Eli Whitney area and dates from the early part

of tw . the entieth century In addition there are log buildings , replicas of other buildings which would have been found in a f typical smal l village o that era .

One of the goals of the Snow Camp Historical Drama Society was to preserve the memory of pioneers of the Cane Creek valley .

The Sword o P e4 ce With f , it has succeeded ,

1 994 P 4 thw4 to Beginning in the summer of , another drama , y

Fr eedom , has been presented three nights each week . This is the story of the Quakers who participated in the Underground Rail

to fo r road , a true pathway freedom many slaves in the South as

' th e t r ied o f y to escape from their owners . The work the Quakers throughout North Carolina and other states to the north is emphasized .

two With these outdoor dramas about Quakers , the Snow Camp Historical Drama Society has been able to educate the people who come to the amphitheater about two ofthe important k f o t of . Qua er beliefs , the evils war and the equali y all people

14 1 FUTURE

Meetin ho oday, Cane Creek g serenelypast the intersection oft Hill and Sylvan School Roads

a ﬁelds that Simon Dixon tilled , down p

str l stone wall , southward to the small which it gets its name .

Time has weathered the gravestone s .

has replaced logs as a building material . — able pews take the place o f axe scarred Modern cars park where horses with wa

once hitched .

not Fortunately, some things have Men and women still gather on Firs f worship . Children are loved and cared

AP PENDICES

PASTORAL MINISTERS Cora Lee Norman

Lewis and Pearl McFar land York and Al ice Teague Benjamin and Pearl Millikan

Elbert and Inez Newlin

J . Waldo and Lutie Woody Bascom and Doy l e Rollins Willie and Agnes Frye Robert and Lola Crow Kenneth and Hope Wood

John and Sarah Kennerly

Bob and Pam Medford Mark and Olivia Hodgin Hadley and Anne Robertson John and Sharon Sides

D on and Virginia Osborne

Don and Ann Tickle Dale and Marilyn Matthews AP PENDICES

S TATISTICAL REP ORT 18 8 1

r of for 2 Numbe meetings worship , First and Members 3 5 0 Average age at death 1 5 9 Female 1 9 1 Month Additions Days By request Number recorded ministers Birth Meetings with no Total ministers Subtractions Use of Scriptures Disownments Daily By certiﬁcate Occasionally Neglect Death Tobacco :

al N who Tot o . use it

who No . cultivate

6 N who Under o . sell it Children 6—2 1 Spirits Families Number using spirits Whole as a drink Parts

145 S TATISTICAL REP ORT 1 9

Number of members last year Additions Losses

now No . members N o . households Meeting for worship Sunday School

Monthly Meeting

Members contributions Special donations Investment o r interest income Fund raising projects

Al l other . Total Fun ds

To employed personnel Christian education program Maintenance Capital ex p enditur Investments made Paid on indebtedness All other Total ex pen di tur es

CANE CREEK

MEETING FOR S UFFERINGS

of t ersecu In the early days the Socie y ofFriends in England , p A tion was severe . Meeting for Sufferings was instituted to assist

who f members were undergoing hardship and acute su fering . In

of the course time , after persecutions had ceased , the name of this

f ‘ group was retained or a long time . In Carolina its function was to

for act the yearly meeting when it was not in session . Later the

fo r Meeting Sufferings became the Permanent Board . Now it is called Representative Body . THE CHARLESTON FUND

In The Quaker meeting Charleston , South Carolina, was laid 1 8 3 7 . t down in The proper y that was left , a house and lot , provided an annual income to the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting who held the 1 8 . 7 title In 5 , the income was Of that, was reserved to build a meetin ghouse in Charleston whenever there 1 . 876 would be sufﬁcient interest In , the South Carolina Legisla ture authorized F riends to spend part or all of the in building or in repairing meetinghouses elsewhere . Several North Carolina meetings were helped by this fund (Weeks THE BALTIMORE AS S OCIATION OF FRIENDS

Northern and Southern Friends were not divided or separated All by the Civil War , as were most other religious denominations .

A e s merican yearly me ting and others , including London and

Dublin , formed an organization through which their sympathy for

was the suffering of Southern Friends could be expressed . This “ cal led The Baltimore Association to Advise and As sist Friends in ” Southern States .

i of . Under the leadership Francis T K ng , a wealthy Quaker

of businessman Baltimore , this organization rendered enormous as sistance to Southern Friends . The sum of was raised

148 AP PENDICES

l fo r and spent , most y in North Carolina , truly a great achievement

. Af that day . The ﬁrst assistance to arrive was food and clothing ter

to immediate needs were met , attention was turned the rebuilding

of meetinghouses . Then came the reestablishment of schools and

the building of schoolhouses .

wo As . t leader , Francis T King made trips to England and forty

to . trips North Carolina Many other workers came , such as Joseph A f Moore and llen Jay . These men recognized the importance o al getting children back into school , many ofwhom had ready lost

A for four or ﬁve years . pattern was set the reestablishment of the public school system in the South . In briefit might be said that , in a time when the continued existence of North Carolina Yearly

of A Meeting was uncertain , the assistance the Baltimore ssociation enabled Southern Quakerism to sur vive . Its workwas discontinued 1 in 1 8 9 .

149 W ORK S CITED

Al4 m4 nce B4 ttle r ound Coloni4 l Li vi n M4 ter i4 ls or Cl4 s g g f sr ooms .

# A N C: Al al lamance , amance Battleground Historic Society, 1 99 1

2 . r . r 9 1 . Coble , Finley Personal Inte view Janua y , 993

Immi r4 ti on o the I r ish u k Al . 4 ers i nto P enns lv4 ni4 Cook, bert g f Q y

1 6 2 — 1 0 lV ith E4 r l Hist r i I n 8 75 y o y n r el4 nd. Baltimore : Ge ea 1 t 969 . logical Socie y,

“ of Crow, Robert . History Cane Creek Meeting . Unpublished

1 2 . 96 r . Manuscript , Cane Creek Meeting Libra y “ f ’ . o t . Dixon , Eula One State s Historical Spo s Unpublished

n d . . Manuscript , . Cane Creek Meeting Library P f F4 ith 4 nd r4 ctice o . . Book Discipline North Carolina Yearly 1 98 . Meeting of Friends , 5 B Y M F A Histo o 4 ltimore e4 r eetin o r iends. . r l Forbish , Bliss y f y g f

: 1972 . Sandy Springs , MD Baltimore Yearly Meeting,

“

r . Grifﬁn , Wilma . Histo y of Cane Creek Meeting Unpublished

198 9 . . Manuscript , Cane Creek Meeting Library

n a . d . Personal Notes , . C ne Creek Meeting Library

Mi c4 4 h McP herson A L4 m4 n with Convi ctions. Haines , Lee . j , y

: #3 1977 . Marion Wesleyan Church Heritage Brochure , E P ioneers i n u4 ker duc4 tion. Hinshaw, Mary Edith . Q Greensboro 2 t 199 . North Carolina Friends Historical Socie y,

wth U nlimited: r and . Gro Hinshaw, Ma y Edith , Ruth Hockett, eds

The Story of the U ni ted S oci ety of Fr i ends Women. Centennial 1 1— 1 1 8 8 98 . Edition ,

CANE CREEK i l. : . 1 . our n4 775 . n Woolman , John j London J Phill ps , (Everyma

r : . . Libra y, London J M Dent and Sons ,

Minute s

1 1—1 0 . Cane Creek Monthly Meeting Minutes , 75 9 9 M — 1 940 1 948 . Cane Creek Pastoral Committee inutes , 1 1 90 . Cane Creek Sunday School Records , — 1 94( Cane Creek Hackney Reece Missionary Society Minutes ,

195 0 .

1 4 — 1 r t 9 0 95 0 . Cane Creek Junior Missiona y Socie y Minutes , 1 — t 93 0 19 3 . Pleasant Hill Temperance Socie y Minutes , 5

1 5 2 Index

r o e 66 B ans n , L vi r o o s 5 8 B ans n , Th ma

r o 62 B ight , Captain Sim n B r itish F r iends 2 1 r o er e or to o o 3 7 B itish s ldi s , m m ial , ph t r oo oe 3 3 B ks , J l r o o 14 B wn , Th mas ro ah 14 B wn , William and Hann

r o oo 14 B wn , William and Hannah M n Br ush Creek 27 Burlington 3 1 Bush River 70 C Cane Cr eek 70 e r ee e e er o o 3 3 Can C k C m t y, ph t Cane Cr eek Meetinghouse 2

o o 0 o o (ph t ) , 5 (ph t ) 19 (photo) Cane Cr eek member s 86 (PhOtO) Cane Creek Val ley 1 3

or o e 126 Cant , J n s Cape F ear 2 8 Carbonton 2 8 chool 1 12 Carolina Pr opr ietors 1 0 Carter 8 1 r er 96 Ca t , David

r er e 14 Ca t , Jam s

r er o 26 42 Ca t , J hn , r er r o 97 1 17 o o Ca t , Kath yn Dix n , (ph t ) r er or 97 Ca t , N man ’ Carver s Creek Meeting 5 6 e o 5 8 C ll , J nathan Ce nter ing down 83 Ce nterville 1 5 Centr e 24 Centr e Meeting 1 5

e A o 14 Chamn ss , nth ny e A o r o e Chamn ss , nth ny and Sa ah C l

14 , 1 5 , 3 8

’ Chamness Creek 127 e o 13 Chamn ss , J hn

e o 104 Chamn ss , J shua CANE CREEK

Char leston Fund 47 D elaware 1 1 r e o o e 10 8 # r 42 Cha li St ut H us Dicks , acha iah o 1 3 22 2 5 2 8 2 9 o e 1 1 9 12 1 Chatham C unty , , , , Dis wnm nts , Chatham Meetinghouse 14 1 Dixon 8 2 or 5 5 o A o 100 105 o o Childs and C bin Dix n , nna L is , (ph t ) , r e or o et 10 1 102 1 17 o o Ch istian End av S ci y , (ph t ) o o o e 99 1 10 (ph t ) Dix n , Cal b , r re 1 5 o ero 1 1 1 Ch istiana Hund d Dix n , Cic

r of 46 . 8 o . 3 Chu ch England Dix n , E P r A e er Ann o o 1 1 5 o e 1 5 140 Cla k, l xand and J hns n Dix n , Elizab th , r o 1 1 5 o e A e 3 5 Cla k, D ugan Dix n , Elizab th ll n r 1 1 5 o 1 23 13 0 13 1 o o Cla k, Eliza Dix n , Eula , , (ph t ) , o a 94 13 2 Cl ud , Hann h o o e 2 6 4 1 94 o ore e 87 Cl ud , J s ph , , Dix n , Eula and Fl nc 1 2 o e e 48 o . . 3 C bl , Claud Dix n , H W o e e eor 74 o 47 75 13 2 C bl , Finl y and G gia Dix n , Hugh , ,

12 . 12 o e . o 3 o o 9 C bl , J Rand lph Dix n , Hugh and Th mas C o e oe 13 9 o e e 3 4 o o 127 C bl , J Dix n , J ss (ph t ) , M r 0 1 o o o 0 o e a . 9 9 5 C bl , y J , (ph t ) Dix n , Jim o e 5 3 o oe 13 0 C bl , William Dix n , J o o 78 o o 99 C mpany Sh ps Dix n , J hn

I oo r r 94 o 100 C k , Cha ity W ight Dix n , Lydia or al or 3 2 66 14 1 o oo of C nw lis , L d , , Dix n , Lydia, Sunday Sch l class o eor e 75 10 1 o o C uncilman , G g (ph t ) o Ar 14 o o 1 03 C unty magh Dix n , Mahl n o r e e o e 1 14 o o 94 95 C u tn y, Jam s and J s ph Dix n , Mil , o r e 1 14 o o 1 5 19 3 5 5 4 5 8 C u tn y, William Dix n , Sim n , , , , ,

Cox 8 1 5 9, 60 , 62 , 67, 75 , 125 , 140 ,

Cox Al fr e 99 o o e o of r e , d Dix n , Sim n , d dicati n g av Cox r Ar ro r er 3 5 o o , Eliza Cla k mst ng ma k (ph t ) 94 l 1 5 1 16 o o o o 47 , , Dix n , S l m n Cox o e 1 1 5 o o 8 5 94 95 13 0 , J s ph Dix n , Th mas , , , Cox O r 95 o 14 94 , sca Dix n , William ,

Cox O r e e 95 o # e o 92 94 1 1 1 , sca and B ll Dix n , n , , — Cox oe e A e 5 8 o r re o 3 7 , Ph b ll n Dix n Ma shall uni n ’ Cox 2 7 60 o ee 29 , William , Dix n s M ting ’ ’ o e e e 27 o 67 68 o o C x s S ttl m nt Dix n s Mill , (ph t )

r R v A o 8 1 oo e . 75 C ks , dam D an r o al e r e 4 1 o o e 19 C sd , G ac D an , J s ph r o o er Lo 144 o o 3 3 C w, R b t and la D an , Ruth Dix n ’ Dunn s Creek 2 8 D r ere 13 5 Du ham , Ev tt Da ly Vacat on ble chools 102 i i Bi S r e 1 17 o o Du ham , L na (ph t ) ee er 24 2 2 8 3 6 D p v , 5 , , Ri r re 1 17 o o Du ham , Mild d (ph t ) D eep River M onthly Meeting 2 5

CANE CREEK

ree 126 Hinshaw, Ty K

, 107 e r 14 Hinshaw William K mp, Richa d

or l o et of o er Al e e er o r 144 Hist ica S ci y S uth n amanc K nn ly, J hn and Sa ah 4 County 3 Kennett Squar e 1 5 H obson 8 1 Ker ner sville 3 6 '

o o , e 99 c 1 18 H bs n Mil s Kimball , Lu y

o , r O 144 4 i r . 1 8 H dgin Ma k and livia K ng, F ancis T

o , o . 94 r r 4 1 H dgin Th mas C Ki by, Ma y

o r 24 , 27 r m 74 H lly Sp ing Ki kman , Willia H olly Sp r ing Meeting 2 9 H olman br other s 12 9 L ’ ancaster 107 H olman s Stor e 13 4 , L er o t o r o 2 6 12 Lancast C un y, S uth Ca lina o t . . 8 H l , E M ancaster chool 108 H opewell F r iends Meeting 12 L S r 14 Ho e e ee 16 1 16 Land g ants p w ll M ting , e oo 1 07 or e r 1 Langl y Sch l H naday, H n y 3 5 r 14 or o 47 Laughlin , Hugh and Ma y H naday, L uis o o 1 0 Huffe r 64 Laws n , J hn y, Ch is D r e er er . o 9 er e 60 L d , J hn Hunt , Jam s ber ty 2 8 Hunting B r anch 107 Li e o 60 Am A e 8 Lindl y, Th mas Husband , y ll n 5 Litler er 42 er , Minch Husband , H man Little Pee Dee River 2 6 2 8 , 5 6 , 5 7 , 5 8 , 5 9 , 60 , 6 1 , 122 e er 17 1 8 r o 9 Littl Riv , Husbands , Ha m n 5 e r 126 13 7 8 Littl Wa d Mill , o . . 3 Hutchis n , R H o 100 L ng, William , I o e r 5 2 L ng st , Lu and Ca l ’ I r o 1 1 mmig ati n Long s Mill M eeting 2 9 I n 1 ndia a 8 Lost Creek 70 I e ee i 2 ndulg d m t ng 5 Lower Deep River 27 I f O oor r a 1 nstitute o utd D am 3 9 Luther an 1 1 J M 1 16 8 o os . Jamaica Madd ck, J 5

A l e 149 r 14 Jay, l n Ma is , William e ra 4 1 2 J nny, Sa h Mar shall 8 1 o o , 9 ( o o) r o 5 8 J hns n Eliza ph t Ma shall , J hn and William

o e A r o 19 r e e o J n s , a n Ma shall , William and R b cca Dix n o e o 14 4 46 J n s , J hn 3 6 , 5 ,

o e , r 4 1 r r O e 99 J n s Ma y Ma shbu n , b d

o e o 14 r e 14 J n s , Th mas Ma tin , B njamin or Yo r e Ye r Mar tin osiah 63 Juni and ung F i nds a ly , J l ee 102 r # r h 14 M ting Ma tin , acha ia ior Cir e 1 1 8 Jun cl Maryland 1 1 INDEx

New Hope 70 New H ope Meetinghouse 14 1 New Jer sey 1 1 N ewber ry 70 Newlin 82 e er 48 49 95 10 1 N wlin , Elb t , , , e er I e 96 o o N wlin , Elb t and n z (ph t ) ,

or or Lee 144 N man , C a

O o 70 8 1 hi , Old Dam Road 126 Or ange County 13

O or e Don V r i 144 sb n , and i g nia O er e r 3 7 v man , H n y

Par ish of S egoe 14 Pasquotank 1 1 Pasquotank Co unty 1 6 P 4 thw4y to Fr eedom 14 1

Pee Dee 2 6

Pee Dee Meeting 26 e f 95 P gg, Ru us

e e r 40 P isl y, Ma y P ennsylvania 1 1 Perquimans 1 1 Perquimans County 17 Philadelphia Meeting 99 Philadelphia M eeting for Suffer ings 47 er e 40 Phillips , Cath in e 1 04 Pick tt , Nathan e r h 90 Pick tt , Sa a

e . . 99 Pick tt , W T 12 e . or 3 Pick tt , W Tayl Piedmont 1 07 Pi at e 5 9 gg (Pick tt) , William o e 46 Pigg t , B njamin

o er e a 64 Pigg t , J mi h o 46 66 Pigg t , William , Pike 82 e A O er 17 1 8 4 1 42 Pik , bigail v man , , , , 94

e r 100 Pik , Cla a e er r e 1 17 o o Pik , G t ud (ph t ) CANE CREEK

e o 14 o o r oe 79 Pik , J hn R ach , M n e o A O er o or r 49 Pik , J hn and bigail v man R ach , M is

14 1 6 3 5 o er o e A e 144 , , R b ts n , Hadl y and nn P e 14 o er 22 24 ik , Nathan R cky Riv , e oe e 1 17 o o o o 1 05 o o Pik , Ph b (ph t ) R llins , Basc m (ph t ) e V r 95 o o o e 144 Pik , i gil R llins , Basc m and D vi r o 13 2 o e e 12 6 Plank ad R uth , W sl y Ple asant Hill Temper ance S cciety 122 S P ottery shop 13 4 abbath chool 100 o e o 1 S S P w ll , J hn 9 r ee ee 27 o e 65 Sandy C k M ting P w ll , William ah Bo o r oo 46 3 6 Saxap aw y Sc uts , T p P repar at ve meet ng 2 1 i i — cotch I r sh Pr esbyte r ans 1 0 r r 105 o o S i i P imm , Sa ah (ph t ) o o er or o er 140 Sc tt , G v n R b t P r osper ity 2 9 o er r 5 3 Sc tt , K P r osper ity M o nthly Meeting 2 9 e o ro 144 1 1 5 Sid s , J hn and Sha n Pugh , Lydia Singing schools 86 r 6 8 Pugh , Ma y 5 , 5 Sissi ahaw 9 o 4 1 104 p Pugh , Th mas , 1 14 Smith , David e 1 07 Q Smith , Jam s Quaker Lake 1 02 Snow Camp 1 0 Quaker Peace Testimony 78 Snow Camp Cotton Factory 12 8 o o r 12 7 12 8 12 9 Sn w Camp F und y , , R now amp H stor cal D r ama oc ety “ S C i i S i Rachel Wr ight Affair 5 7 13 8 , 13 9 , 140 , 14 1 Ral eigh 3 1 now amp Manuf ctur ng ompany ’ S C a i C e 67 Rams y s Mill 127 o o t 1 2 2 8 14 1 and lph un y 3 , 7 , , R C o r e 1 3 4 1 3 5 Sn w Camp Ma k t , e e r 4 av s , Ma k 5 R o oo e 12 9 13 0 Sn w Camp W l n Mill , Reckett 2 3 2 6 2 8 , William , , Sons of Temper ance 12 3 Recor ded minister in the S ocie ty of S ophia 14 1 F r iends 93 S outh Car olina 2 6 Re cor ded minister s 84 S outher n Al amance High School 5 3 ee e eor r ffi 95 10 1 1 16 R c , G gia G i th , , S outher n High School 1 12 ee e e 1 16 c , M l s R i r 24 3 0 Sp ing , ee e e eor 4 c , M l s and g a 9 R i G i r ee 2 5 3 0 Sp ing M ting , Refor med 1 1 Sp r ingfield Meeting 8 0 egulator Movement 5 6 R ffor o 13 2 Sta d , J hn egulator s 14 1 R ffor 127 Sta d , Nathan el g ous nstr uct on 98 R i i i i ffor 1 1 5 Sta d , Ruth evolut onary W ar 65 R i fie e o 3 8 Stan ld , Hannah Hadl y Dix n e o 1 yn lds , W ll am 9 R i i fie o 14 45 Stan ld , J hn , dge 27 Ri fie o 45 Stan ld , Th mas River Monthly Meeting 23 State Agricultur e and Mechanical Ar ts o 13 4 R ach , Bill College 1 3 1

1 5 8

o e 13 8 Wils n , Jam s e r ee 70 o e 4 1 Wat Wils n , Rach l

ee e o r h 1 14 e . 3 0 W ks , St ph n B Wils n , Sa a e r e 3 5 120 o r 13 9 W ighty F i nds , Winsl w, Cla a ’ e er 104 o ore o r o et W isn , William W man s F ign Missi na y S ci y 1 16

’ e o e And r 14 o o r o et 1 16 W lls , J s ph Cha ity W man s Missi na y S ci y ’ e e a r o e r o fax W o e o r o et of e W sl y n Campg und n a C l , m n s Missi na y S ci y Can 77 Creek 1 16 ’ 3 Wesleyan Methodist Connection of Women s Missionary Union 1 1 5 , 1 1 6 A er 75 oo e e o e 144 m ica W d , K nn th and H p

e o 107 oo . o 99 W st P int W dy, J Milt n oo l . o e W dy, J Wa d and Luti e o r e ee 1 1 96 97 103 144 W st Uni n F i nds M ting 5 , , ,

e er r er ee 0 oo e 104 W st n Qua t ly M ting 3 W dy, Jam s e Y r oo r er e ee 1 16 . 90 W st n a ly M ting W dy, Ma y C

W ee er 8 2 oo o 8 1 h l W dy, Milt n e o e o 94 oo e 92 Whit , R xi Dix n W dy, Nathani l

e e a e e 1 17 o o oo , o 72 Whit h ad , K thl n (ph t ) W lman J hn

r Mr r A e 1 1 . 12 9 7 Willa d , W ight , nni

eor e 14 Williams , G g

’ I r er e ah an e 1 17 o o , d ohn 4 1 Williams , n z (ph t ) W ight J mi J

e 14 r o 14 Williams , Jam s W ight , J hn

r r e 75 r , o e e 14 Williams , Ma ga t W ight J hn and Rach l W lls

r 12 7 r , e 17 1 8 5 8 Williams , Mu phy W ight Rach l , ,

o 1 17 o o r arah 14 Williams , N na (ph t ) W ight , S o o 13 8 13 9 W r i htsbor ou h 70 Wils n , B bby , g g o r 94 Wils n , B ian