Mecklenburg Historical Association September 2016 Dinner Meeting Monday, September 19, 2016 Dinner at 6:30pm, Program at 7:15pm Fellowship Hall, Trinity Presbyterian Church 3115 Providence Road Charlotte, NC 28211 Upcoming Dinner Program The Uncommon Bond of Julia and Rose Trinity Presbyterian Church. Dinner is at 6:30 Julia detests slavery and adores Rose. followed by the program at 7:15. Those not Rose returns her affection with reservations. having dinner are welcome to enjoy the program She deplores being property, but knows that at no charge. To make a reservation for dinner her life has been easier than most. use the order form in this Newsletter or contact Barbara Taylor, 1016 Goshen Place, Charlotte, Ann Williams has researched and written NC 28211, [email protected], 980-335-0326. about antebellum plantations for many years, and has been an interpreter at most The Uncommon Bond of Julia and Rose by Ann of Mecklenburg’s historic plantation sites. Williams is a history-based novel about an unu- She will talk about how the book came to be, sually close relationship between a slave named do a bit of myth busting, and cite historic Rose and Julia who is her owner. It is told in sources for some of the story’s events. their two voices by way of “memory journals” Then she will open the floor for discussion. written in the spring and summer of 1860, a time She will have books available for purchase. of fears and rumors of impending war. Their interwoven journals recount their fifty years of life together; each woman interprets those shared events from her own point of view. Inside this issue: Remarks from the President 2 Elizabeth Alexander Sample’s 2 Book Hart Square Tickets 2 North Branch MHA Meetings 2 MHA Docent Programs 3 This Year’s Meck Dec Celebration 3 Meeting Reservation Form 3 The MHA meets in the Fellowship Hall at: Voices From the Past: A New 4 Event Trinity Presbyterian Church 3115 Providence Road Site News / The History Calendar 5-8 Charlotte, NC 28211 PAGE 2 MHA NEWS | MECKLENBURG HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION 14th dinner meeting when we will hear about article on the significance of this book and has Remarks from the President one of my personal favorite subjects – North excerpted that article for our MHA Newsletter. I As you will see from the History Calendar, our Carolina pottery. Paula Lester will speak to am particularly excited about this information region’s historic sites have a large number of us on the famous R. F. Outen Pottery, a well- because Elizabeth Alexander Sample is my wonderful fall events planned. Please take preserved example of a complete mid-20th 5-great grandmother! advantage of this varied educational program- century folk pottery works located in Mat- ming, investigate a few that you don’t normally thews, NC, and listed on the National Register Let me know if you have any visit, and support our sites. of Historic Places in 2015. suggestions for MHA. You are in for a special treat with our Septem- Be sure to read in this newsletter about the Linda Dalton ber dinner speaker, Ann Williams. Her novel, amazing book belonging to Elizabeth Alexan- MHA President The Uncommon Bond of Julia and Rose, is der Sample that was recently donated by a [email protected] truly fascinating. If you have not read it, you Sample descendant to UNC Charlotte’s (704) 661-8470 may purchase a copy at the meeting. library. Robin Brabham has written a detailed Mark your calendars now for our November Elizabeth Alexander Sample’s Book probably Elizabeth’s marriage to William Mrs. Betty Sample, widow of the late William Sample. From that time to the present, the Franklin Sample, Jr., recently donated to the book had been continuously owned by six UNC Charlotte Library a book that is one of the generations of the Sample family. Although most significant surviving artifacts of the the author is little known today, the ownership pre-Revolutionary War history of Mecklenburg of the book demonstrates the familiarity of County. The 1200-page volume, published in some early Mecklenburgers with sophisticated 1656-57, contains sermons and treatises by theology and James’ belief that his children, William Fenner (ca. 1600-ca. 1640), an Angli- even his daughters, should be educated to a can minister with Puritan sympathies. The high standard. Shown here is a portion of the connection to Mecklenburg County goes back book page with Elizabeth Sample’s inscription. at least to 1763 when James Alexander (1695- 1779) gave the book to his daughter, Elizabeth Robin Brabham (1746-1822). The occasion for the gift was Professor Emeritus Atkins Library, UNC Charlotte Hart Square Tickets Jim and Ann Williams Tuesday, October 11 For more than thirty years, Dr. Robert Hart of 1601 South Wendover Road Projects of Interest in Cornelius Hickory has rescued and restored 19th century Charlotte, NC 28211 On October 11, in our capacity as the Historical life in the Carolinas, recreating an entire village, Society for Cornelius, we will have an update on Hart Square – the largest collection of original We must receive your check by September 9 items of interest in Cornelius. Sarah Sue will historic log buildings in the United States. to get these tickets. There is a limit of 15 report on progress to change the date on the Each year on the fourth Saturday in October, tickets per participant, so get your order in elementary school seal and a representative of (October 22nd this year), Dr. and Mrs. Hart early. We will receive the tickets by mid- the Town of Cornelius will bring us up to date on open this restoration project to the public. Da- October and mail them on to you. the impact to historic structure of various projects ting from 1782 to 1873, the 100 log struc- in Old Cornelius. tures—chapels, barns, houses, shops, and more—are all furnished, and over 300 volun- Tuesday, November 15 teers man the structures and demonstrate peri- The Catawba River during the North Branch MHA Meetings od artisan techniques such as flax breaking American Revolution. Meetings are at 7:00 PM at Mt. Zion United and hackling, spinning, weaving, open-hearth The November meeting will move to the 15th to Methodist Church at 19600 Zion Ave, Cor- cooking, broom and shoe making, bookbinding, avoid election day. Emilee Syrewicze, Executive nelius, NC 28031 (off Old Statesville Road) in shingle riving, wheel wrighting, tin smithing and Director of Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation, will Cornelius in Room 204 (enter by the cemetery moonshining. A portion of the proceeds goes discuss the history of our river with special em- – south side ramp). to the Historical Association of Catawba County phasis on its role in the American Revolution. and the balance goes into a fund to carry on Wednesday, September 13 this event and care for Hart Square after the As always, we will not meet in December or African-American History Documentation Harts can no longer do so themselves. January. We have our house tour for May set, Using funds from a National Endowment for but we will let the location be a surprise for the the Humanities grant, the Davidson College Advanced tickets are required and sell out fast. next newsletter. Archives is reaching out to local African- You can get tickets by calling the History Muse- American communities to document their his- um of Catawba County in Newton (828-465- Sarah Sue Hardinger tory. The grant supports oral histories and 0383) at 9 am on Monday, October 3, or by [email protected] scanning of photographs, documents and standing in line at that time, but as participants, (704) 906-6656 publications. The North Branch of the MHA is we can order tickets for you. Make your check sponsoring a community meeting to learn out to Jim Williams for $40.00 per ticket and more about the project and ways to participate mail it, along with a self-addressed stamped on September 13. envelope to: Visit Us Online @ www.meckdec.org PAGE 3 MHA NEWS | MECKLENBURG HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION Award-winning author and storyteller Randell Dr. Burke is a sport psychology professor at MHA Docent Programs Jones will share stories from the life of Daniel Queens University of Charlotte. He has given Both meetings will be held in the Fellowship Hall and Rebecca Boone and read passages from this entertaining presentation at the Abraham of Sugaw Creek Presbyterian Church. Refresh- My Blessed, Wretched Life by Sue Kelly Bal- Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, ments at 9:30, business meeting at 10, and lard. (He will have autographed copies of Bal- Charlotte Museum of History, Belmont Abbey program at 11. Visitors are always welcome. lard’s book available.) Randell is a member College, and other locations. Dr. Burke has since 2007 of the Road Scholars Speakers volunteered at both the Abraham Lincoln Tuesday, September 6 Bureau of the North Carolina Humanities Presidential Library & Museum, and the Rebecca Boone, Backcountry Woman Council, which sponsors this presentation. Abraham Lincoln Tomb in Springfield, Illinois. Behind every successful man stands a woman. Daniel Boone, Ameri- Tuesday, October 4 ca’s pioneer hero, was The Attempted Theft of Abraham no different. And he had Lincoln’s Body in 1876 a good one —Rebecca Dr. Kevin L. Burke will present the true story of Bryan Boone. Her story a bizarre and surprisingly comedic caper that has fallen in the shad- took place more than a decade after the death ows of her famous of one of America’s most beloved Presidents. A husband, but is now bumbling gang of Chicago counterfeiters at- told with great care and tempted to steal Abraham Lincoln’s body and to most appropriately by ransom the government for its return.