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THE LIBRARY OF THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF 
 
 NORTH CAROLINA 
 
 THE COLLECTION OF 
 
 NORTH CAROLINIANA 
 
 PRESENTED BY 
 
 Randleman Rotary Club 
 
 0971.76 
 
 R19r.l 
 
This book must not 
 be taken from the 
 Library building. 
 
 "3S3 
 
 Form No. 471 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 
 in 2012 with funding from 
 
 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/storyofnaomiwiseOOrota 
 
THE STORY 
 
 OF 
 
 NAOMI WISE 
 
 AND 
 
 THE HISTORY 
 
 OF 
 
 RANDLEMAN 
 
FOREWORD 
 
 The Rotary Club of Randleman compiled a History of Randle- 
 raan in 1944. The History, together with a reprint of "The Story 
 of Naomi Wise" and "Reminiscences of Randolph County" was 
 published in the interest of preserving the early life of Randolph 
 County, and as a club project. 
 
 Three years later it became necessary to reprint the book and 
 the second edition was published. 
 
 Numerous requests have been received each year recently from 
 people, locally and from outside North Carolina, for information 
 as to where the book can be purchased. Once again as a club pro- 
 ject, we have revised and published the information we have on our 
 city. 
 
 We are grateful to all those people who contributed to our 1944 
 book and to those who have furnished information for this History. 
 
 The Rotary Club of Randleman, N. C, 1962 
 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR 
 
 The story of Naomi Wise apparently made its first 
 appearance in the Greensboro Patriot in April, 1874, writ- 
 ten by Charles Vernon. It is believed that Dr. Braxton 
 Craven, then President of Trinity College, used the pen 
 name Charlie Vernon and it is the opinion that Dr. Craven 
 wrote the original story of Naomi Wise. 
 
 * 
 ^ 
 
 
«I*IP 
 
 ** 
 
 <p4ltȤ? 
 
 GRAVE LOCATED AT PROVIDENCE FRIENDS MEETING, 
 
 EIGHT MILES NORTHEAST OF 
 
 RANDLEMAN, N. C. 
 
NAOMI WISE 
 CHAPTER I 
 
 About 1800 there lived where New Salem now is, in the northern 
 part of Randolph County, North Carolina, a very open and warm 
 hearted gentleman by the name of William Adams. A few families 
 of nature's noblest quality lived in the vicinity. They were not em- 
 phatically rich, but were what our people called good livers; they 
 were honest, hospitable and kind; they knew neither the luxuries nor 
 the vices of high life. Their farms supplied enough for their own 
 tables, and surplus sufficient for a brisk trade with Fayetteville. The 
 wild forest hills and immense glades in the neighborhood afforded 
 bountiful quantities of game; whilst Deep River abounded with the 
 finest fish. At that time the inhabitants were by no means so thickly 
 settled as at present; trading as a regular business was unknown, ex- 
 cept to a few merchants. The people were somewhat rude, still, 
 however, hospitable and kind. 
 
 At William Adams' lived Naomi Wise. She had early been 
 thrown upon the cold charity of the world, and she had received 
 the frozen crumbs of that charity. Her size was medium; her figure 
 beautifully formed; her face handsome and expressive; her eye keen 
 yet mild; her words soft and winning. She was left without father 
 to protect, mother to counsel, brothers and sisters to love, or friends 
 with whom to associate. Food, clothing and shelter must be earned 
 by the labor of her own hands, not such labor, however, as females 
 at this day perform. There was no place for her but the kitchen with 
 the prospect of occasionally going into the field. This the poor 
 orphan accepted willingly; she was willing to labor, she was ashamed 
 to beg. The thousand comforts that parents can find for their chil- 
 dren are never enjoyed by the fatherless. Fanaticism may rave over 
 the chains of the Africans; the pity of sixteen States can be poured 
 out for the southern Negro; the great meetings are held to move on 
 emancipation; but who pities the orphan? May the Lord pity him, 
 for man will not. 
 
 At the time of which we speak, neighborhoods were nearly dis- 
 tinct; all that lived in the same vicinity, generally bearing the same 
 name. To account for this, we have only to recollect, that most of 
 our settlers migrated from Pennsylvania and Virginia; and that 
 families generally came and settled together. Physical force being 
 frequently necessary for self-defense, such families made a kind of 
 treaty offensive and defensive. Sometimes, however, the most deadly 
 feuds broke out among themselves. Such was the case with the 
 Lewis family, that settled on Sandy Creek. Old David Lewis prob- 
 
The Story of Naomi Wise 
 
 ably came from Pennsylvania; at least, an old gentleman by name 
 of Buchanan told the writer so; Buchanan was personally acquainted 
 with the Lewises. David had a considerable family of boys, all of 
 whom were noted for their great size and strength. This was in every 
 respect a very peculiar family, peculiar in appearance, in character, 
 and in destiny. The Lewises were tall, broad, muscular and very 
 powerful men. In the manner of fighting very common at that 
 time, viz: to lay aside all clothing but pantaloons, and then try for 
 victory by striking with the fist, scratching, gouging and biting, a 
 Lewis was not to be vanquished. The family were the lions of the 
 country. This character was eminently pugnacious. Nearly all of 
 them drank to intoxication; aware of power, they insulted whom 
 they listed; they sought occasions of quarrel as a Yankee does gold 
 dust in California. They rode through plantations; killed their 
 neighbors' cattle; took fish from other men's traps; said what they 
 pleased; all more for contention than gain. Though the oppressed 
 had the power, they were afraid to prosecute them; they knew these 
 human hydras had no mercy; they dreaded their retaliating ven- 
 geance. For these men would follow their children while at work, 
 and whip them from one side of the field to the other. They would 
 compel them to stand in the yard during cold rainy nights, till the 
 little creatures were frozen beyond the power of speech; and some- 
 times their wives shared no better fate. A fine colt belonging to 
 Stephen Lewis, once did some trifling mischief, when the owner, en- 
 raged, shot it dead upon the instant. Anything, man or beast, that 
 dared to cross them, periled its life. They neither sheltered them- 
 selves under the strong arm of law, nor permitted others to do so; 
 they neither gave nor asked mercy. Yet these same men were un- 
 failing friends, when they chose to protect. Their pledge was sure 
 as anything human could be; if they threatened death or torture, 
 those threatened always thought it prudent to retire to the very 
 uttermost part of the earth; if they vowed protection, their protege 
 felt secure. Some of their remote relations are still in this country; 
 they are among our most worthy citizens, but they never tamely 
 submit to insult. Some inquire how such men as the Lewises could 
 ever intermarry with other families; who would unite themselves 
 to such cold hearted creatures? 
 
 While such characters are in some respects to be abhorred, yet 
 there is about them that has in all ages been attractive. Ladies are 
 accused, because they fall in love with fops, of wanting common 
 sense, and of loving vanity rather than substance. The accusation 
 is false. Except the love of a Christian for his Lord, the love of a 
 
The Story of Naomi Wise 
 
 woman is the purest and truest thing on earth; sweet as the incense 
 of heaven, soft as the air of paradise, and confiding as the lamb; it 
 scorns the little, the vile and the treacherous. The tendrils of woman's 
 affection despise the shrubs of odor and beauty to entwine closely 
 and eternally around high forest trees that are exposed to howling 
 storms and the thunders of Jove. The trees may be rough and 
 crooked, but then they are trees. Find a man of great intellectual 
 power, of iron will, of reckless daring, but of unshaken fidelity; in 
 such you find a master magnet around which women's hearts collect 
 by natural attraction. But how can a pure and good woman love a 
 wicked man! Nonsense, thou puritan! She does not love his wicked- 
 ness, but his soul. Did not the Saviour love a wicked world, though 
 he died to destroy its wickedness? Then a woman will love a wicked 
 man better than a good one, will she? No, she will love a good man 
 much better, other things being equal. But you make daring deeds 
 of wickedness the exponents of man's greatness. I do no such thing. 
 I make actions that require power, energy, and firmness, test of great- 
 ness; that such actions should be tainted with evil, is a blot that mars 
 them in no small degree; but still they are great actions, i.e., the 
 products of powerful minds, there are certain philosophers in the 
 world that would make all great actions cease to be great, when 
 they ceased to be good; they would make their greatness directly as 
 their goodness. These are evidently two different qualities, the one 
 measuring the action per se, the other its moral character. Genuine 
 love is as follows: woman loves the power which is able to support 
 and protect, and if that power be good she will love it the more; 
 man loves the gentle, confiding one that leans upon him with con- 
 fidence and trusts him with her destiny; if she be good, he will 
 love her the more. This may be grossly misconstrued; but fools will 
 not see, and the wise can see our meaning, it is therefore plain 
 enough. 
 
 We will hazard an axiom or two while on this point. No woman 
 will or can really love a man who is intellectually her inferior. No 
 man can love a woman that has not confidence in his fidelity and 
 protection. If a powerful man be true to his wife, she being what 
 she should, she will love him though he stains his hands in blood, 
 and be guilty of the foulest deeds known in the catalogue of crime. 
 But this is an unpardonable digression, let us return. 
 
 But few of the Lewises died natural deaths. Stephen Lewis was 
 most unmerciful to his wife. He frequently whipped her with hobble- 
 rods, and otherwise abused her beyond endurance. Finally by aid 
 of Richard, a brother of Stephen's, she escaped from home and 
 
The Story of Naomi Wise 
 
 spent several months at an acquaintance's. Richard at length told 
 Stephen that his wife would return if he would promise never more 
 to abuse her. This he promised upon the word of a Lewis. He there- 
 fore told him to come to his house on a certain day, and he would 
 find her. At the time appointed Stephen went, found his wife, and 
 took her on his horse to convey her home. On the way, he made 
 her tell the means of her escape, and the agents employed. The 
 agent, as we have said, was his brother Richard. Stephen went 
 home; kindly told his wife that he should henceforth treat her very 
 kindly, but that he intended to shoot the scoundrel, Richard. Load- 
 ing his gun, he immediately returned to his brother's. Richard hap- 
 pening to observe his approach and conjecting the object, fled 
 upstairs with his gun. Stephen entered the house and enquired 
 for Richard. Not learning from the family, and supposing him up- 
 stairs, he started up, and as his head came in view, Richard shot 
 him, but did not kill him. Stephen was carried home and for a long 
 time was unable even to sit up, still swearing, however, that when 
 he recovered he would shoot Richard. His brother, knowing the 
 threat would be executed, went to the house one day, and while 
 Stephen was sitting on the bedside having his wounds dressed 
 through a crack of the house Richard shot him through the heart. 
 It is said that the manner of men's deaths frequently resembles their 
 lives. The fate of the Lewises seems to confirm the fact. They were 
 heartless tyrants while they lived, and as tyrants deserve, they died 
 cruel and bloody deaths. 
 
The Story of Naomi Wise 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 . . . Like a love tyro 
 
 She grew to womanhood, and between whiles 
 Rejected several suiters, just to learn 
 How to accept a worse one in his turn. 
 
 — Byron. 
 
 Naomi Wise was a lovely girl, just blooming in all the attractive- 
 ness of nineteen. Though serving as cook and sometimes as out- 
 door hand, she was the light of the family, and was treated better 
 than such persons usually are. She was neatly dressed, rode to church 
 on a fine horse and was the occasion of many youngsters visiting the 
 house of Mr. Adams. Among those who frequently found it con- 
 venient to call at Mr. Adams' was Jonathan Lewis. His father, 
 Richard Lewis, the same that shot Stephen, lived near Centre 
 meeting-house, on Polecat Creek, in Guilford County. Jonathan 
 was clerking for Benjamin Elliott, at Asheboro, in Randolph, and 
 in passing from Centre to Asheboro, it was directly in his way to 
 pass through New Salem. Jonathan, like the others of the same name, 
 was a large, well built, dignified looking man. He was young, dar- 
 ing and impetuous. If he had lived in Scotland he would have been 
 a worthy companion for Sir William Wallace or Robert Bruce; in 
 England he would have vied with the Black Prince in coolness and 
 bravery; in France he might have stood by the side of McDonald, 
 in the central charge at Wagram; in our own revolution his bravery 
 and power would, perhaps, have saved the day at Brandywine. He 
 was composed of the fiercest elements; his wrath was like whirl- 
 winds and scathing lightning; his smile like sunbeams bursting 
 through a cloud, illumined every countenance upon which it fell. 
 He never indulged in tricks or small sport, the ordinary pastimes 
 of youth had no attraction for him. The smallest observation would 
 teach us, that such men are capable of anything; once engaged they 
 are champions in the cause of humanity; but once let loose, like un- 
 chained lions, they tear to pieces friends and foes. The greatest men 
 are capable of being the greatest scourges. Leonidas was a rock upon 
 which Persia broke, but some provocation might have made him a 
 rock by which Greece would have been ground to powder. Dirk 
 Hatteraik was a daring smuggler, that in a low, black lugger, defied 
 the power of England; if the government had treated this man 
 wisely, he might have been an admiral to eclipse Nelson. Our dar- 
 ing, headstrong boys are generally given over as worthless; and 
 
The Story of Naomi Wise 
 
 here is the mistake; the world neither understands the mission nor 
 management of such powerful minds. Bucephalus was pronounced a 
 worthless animal by the whole court of Phillip. Alexander alone per- 
 ceived his value and knew how to manage him; and in fact, Buce- 
 phalus was the greatest horse the world ever saw. 
 
 Jonathan Lewis saw Naomi Wise and loved her. She was the 
 gentle, confiding, unprotected creature that a man like Lewis would 
 iove by instinct. Henceforward he was a frequent visitor at Adams'. 
 The dark clouds that had so long hovered over the orphan were 
 breaking away; the misty, dim vista of the future opened with clear 
 light and boundless prospects of good; the fogs rolled away from 
 the valley of life, and Naomi saw a pretty pathway bordered with 
 flowers, and crossed only by little rills of purest water. Her young 
 and guiltless heart beat with new and higher life; that she was 
 loved by a man so powerful as Lewis, was sufficient recompence for 
 a cheerless childhood. Day and night she labored to procure the 
 indispensables of housekeeping; for in those days it was esteemed 
 disreputable if a girl by the time she was twenty, had not made or 
 earned for herself a bed, some chairs, pots, tubs, etc. And a young 
 lady then modestly displayed her things to her lover, with as much 
 care as modern misses display their paintings, needle-work, and 
 acquirements on the piano. Instead of going to the piano, to the 
 dance and other such latter day inventions, youngsters then went 
 with the ladies to milk the cows, and display their gallantry by 
 holding away the calves while the operation was performed; they 
 then accompanied the damsels to the spring to put away the milk, 
 and brought back a pail of water. 
 
 Time flew on, Lewis still continued as clerk, and had won the 
 good opinion of his employer. Naomi was blooming in all the charms 
 of early womanhood; her love for Lewis was pure and ardent; and 
 the rumor was abroad that a marriage was shortly to take place. 
 But an evil genius crossed the path of Lewis in the shape of his 
 mother. Her ambition and avarice projected for her son a match of 
 different character. She deemed it in the range of possibility that 
 Jonathan might obtain the hand of Hettie Elliott, the sister of 
 Benjamin Elliott, his employer. That mothers are ambitious every- 
 body knows, and that they are the worst of matchmakers is equally 
 well known. But Mrs. Lewis thought Miss Elliott a prize worthy an 
 effort at least. The Elliotts were wealthy, honorable and in high 
 repute. They have always stood high in this county, and citizens 
 have delighted to honor them with public favor and private friend- 
 ship. Mr. B. Elliott, Hettie's brother, evidently prized Lewis highly; 
 
The Story of Naomi Wise 
 
 he regarded him as an honorable, intelligent and industrious young 
 gentleman, and no doubt thought him a respectable match for his 
 sister. Lewis made some advances to Hettie, which were received 
 in such a way as to inspire hope. This was the turning tide in the 
 fortunes of Lewis. The smile of one superior to Naomi Wise in 
 every respect except beauty and goodness; the earnest exhortations 
 of an influential mother; and the prospect of considerable property, 
 bore down all obstacles. The pure love to Miss Wise, the native and 
 genuine passion of his own heart, were not equal to a conflict with 
 pride and avarice. Not but that Lewis, as any other man could and 
 would love Miss Elliott. She was accomplished, beautiful, and of 
 charming manners; an Elliott could not be otherwise. But these 
 were not the attractions that won Lewis. Money, family connection, 
 name and station, were the influences that clouded the fair prospects 
 of innocence, opened the flood gates of evil, and involved all the 
 parties concerned in ruin. 
 
 Tupper has wisely said that nothing in this world is single, all 
 things are in pairs; and the perfection of earthly existence consists 
 in properly pairing all the separate elements. Two elements properly 
 adapted have a natural attraction, and firmly adhere amid all cir- 
 cumstances of prosperity or disaster; but two elements improperly 
 mated repel each other with natural and undying repulsion in spite 
 of circumstances or calculations. The young instinctively and nat- 
 urally love those that would make them happy; but pride, family 
 interference and coldhearted calculations often interpose; sordid 
 considerations tear asunder the holiest chords of affection, and vainly 
 attempt to thwart nature's own promptings. Lewis loved Miss Wise 
 for herself; no selfish motive moved his heart or tongue; this would 
 have been a union of peace and joy; he wished to marry Miss 
 Elliott, not because he loved her, but influenced wholly by other 
 and base considerations. 
 
 An old adage says, "The better anything is in its legitimate 
 sphere, the worse it is when otherwise employed." Lewis no doubt 
 would have been an honorable and useful man if he had married 
 Naomi; he would then have been using the highest and strongest 
 principle of human nature in a proper manner. In an evil hour he 
 listened to the tempter, he turned aside from the ways of honor and 
 truth. His eyes became blinded, conscience, the star of human 
 destiny, lost her polarity, and the fierce storms drove his proud ship 
 into the maelstrom of ruin. Jonathan Lewis was no more the proud, 
 manly gentlemen; he was henceforth a hard hearted, merciless 
 wretch. He was a hyena skulking about the pathway of life, ready 
 
8 The Story of Naomi Wise 
 
 alike to kill the living, and to tear the dead from their graves. He 
 not only resolved to forsake a lovely damsel, but first to ruin her 
 fair name. His resolve was accomplished. He might have foreseen 
 that this would ruin his prospects with the beautiful Miss Elliott; 
 but the "wicked are blind and fall into the pit their own hands have 
 digged." There are many young men now moving in high society, 
 that think violets were created to be crushed by haughty boot heels; 
 that desert flowers should rather be blasted than waste their sweet- 
 ness on the air; that pearls should rather adorn a Cyclops, than 
 sparkle in their native deep. Not so, yet cannibals. If names must be 
 blasted and characters ruined, in the name of heaven, let your vic- 
 tims come from among the affluent and the honorable. Who will 
 pity and protect the poor daughter of shame; who will give her a 
 crumb of bread? The more wealthy victim might, at least have bread 
 to eat, water to drink and wherewithal to be clothed. Ye fair, bloom- 
 ing daughters of poverty, shun the advances of those who avoid you 
 in company, as you would shun the grim monster death. 
 
 Lewis, aware that a period was approaching that would mar all 
 his hopes, unless they should immediately be consummated, urged 
 his suit with all possible haste. Miss Elliott, however, baffled him 
 on every tack, and, though she encouraged him, gave him but little 
 hope of succeeding immediately. In the meanwhile, Naomi urged 
 the fulfilment of his promise, that he would marry her forthwith, 
 seconded by the power of tears and prayers. When these means 
 seemed unavailing, she threatened him with the law. Lewis, alarmed 
 at this, charged her, at peril of life, to remain silent; he told her 
 that their marriage was sure, but that very peculiar circumstances 
 required all to be kept silent. But before he could bring matters 
 to an issue with Miss Elliott, rumor whispered abroad the engage- 
 ment and disgrace of Naomi Wise. This rumor fell like thunder 
 upon Lewis; the depths of a dark but powerful soul were awakened, 
 his hopes were quivering upon a balance which the next breath 
 threatened with ruin. With a coolness and steadiness which in- 
 nocence is wont to wear, Lewis affirmed to Miss Elliott that said 
 rumor was a base, malicious slander, circulated by the enemies of 
 the Lewis family, to ruin his character, and offered that time, a 
 very fair arbiter, should decide upon the report, and if adjudged 
 guilty, he would relinquish all claim to her, Miss Elliott's hand. 
 
 For several days Lewis was apparently uneasy, appeared ab- 
 stracted, neglected his business, and was not a little ill. Mr. Elliott 
 assigned one cause, Miss Elliott another, but the true one was un- 
 known to anyone. The kingdom was in commotion, dark deeds were 
 
The Story of Naomi Wise 
 
 in contemplation, and at length the die was cast. Mrs. Adams had 
 frequently of late told Naomi, that Lewis did not intend to marry her, 
 that he was playing a game of villiany, and that she should place 
 no further confidence in any of his assertions; but the poor girl 
 thought or hoped differently; she could not and would not believe 
 Jonathan Lewis was untrue. Woman's love cannot doubt. Lewis at 
 length came to see Miss Wise, and told her that he wished not to 
 delay the marriage any longer; that he had made all necessary ar- 
 rangements, and that he would come and take her to the house of 
 a magistrate on a certain day. She urged the propriety of the mar- 
 riage taking place at the house of Mr. Adams; but he refused and 
 she without much reluctance consented to his wishes. Time sped on, 
 the last morn rolled up the eastern vault in his chariot, dispensing 
 light and joy to millions; Naomi walked forth with light heart and 
 step, thinking only of her coming nuptials. During the day in the 
 midst of her anticipations, gloomy forebodings would disturb her. 
 Like the light breeze preceding the storm, they seemed to come and 
 go without cause. So true is it; 
 
 "That coming events cast their shadows before." She told nothing 
 of what was about to take place to Mr. Adams; but at the appointed 
 time taking the water pail in her hand, she went to the spring, the 
 place at which she agreed to meet Lewis. He soon appeared and 
 took her behind him. It is said that the stump off which Naomi 
 mounted remains to this day, and may be seen by anyone who will 
 visit New Salem. 
 
 The last lone relic of Naomi's love, 
 
 A speaking monument of a wretch's heart; 
 
 Like love, its grasp time scarce can move, 
 
 Like treachery, corruption lurks in every part. 
 
 The strong steed bore Naomi rapidly from the home of her 
 childhood and youth; from the kind Mrs. Adams that was wont to 
 sooth in every trouble. 
 
10 The Story of Naomi Wise 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 Naomi very soon perceived that they were not approaching the 
 magistrate, by whose mystic knot sorrow was to be killed and joy 
 born; but to her great surprise, Lewis kept the direct road to the 
 river, speaking to her in the meantime with rather a strange voice 
 and an incoherant manner. She tried to imagine his object, but she 
 was convinced that he would not take her to Asheboro, and she knew 
 of no magistrate in that direction; every effort therefore failed to 
 give her troubled mind any peace. Slackening his pace to a slow 
 walk, Lewis and Naomi held the following conversation. 
 
 "Naomi, which do you think is easiest, a slow or sudden death?" 
 
 "I'm sure I don't know, but what makes you ask me that ques- 
 tion?" 
 
 "Why, I was just thinking about it. But which would you pre- 
 fer, if you could have choice?" 
 
 "I would try to be resigned to whatever Providence might ap- 
 point, and since we cannot have a choice, it is useless to have any 
 preferences." 
 
 "Well, Naomi, do you think you would like to know the time 
 when you are to die?" 
 
 "Why, Jonathan, what do you mean by such questions? I have 
 never thought of such matters; and I am sure, I never knew you to 
 be mentioning such things before." 
 
 Lewis rode on for some time without making any reply; seeming 
 in a deep reverie; but in fact in the most intense excitement; at 
 length he remarked: 
 
 "Well, Naomi, I believe I know both the time and manner of 
 your death, and I think it is in my power to give you a choice." 
 
 This ran through the poor girl like a dart of death; it was some 
 minutes before she could make any reply. 
 
 "For the Lord's sake, Jonathan, what do you mean; do you in- 
 tend to kill me, or why do you talk so?" 
 
 "I will never harm you; we shall be married in two hours. As 
 
 you see, I am not going to as I first intended, but 
 
 am going across the river, where we shall have a nice wedding." 
 
 "Jonathan, I'm afraid everything is not right, and I feel so bad 
 this evening, I had rather go home and put it off till another day." 
 
 "No, no, that will not do. I tell you again, you need not fear 
 anything. Just be perfectly contented, and fear no harm from him 
 that loves you better than himself." 
 
 They were now on a high bluff that commanded an extensive 
 
The Story of Naomi Wise 11 
 
 view of the river and the country beyond. The bold, rocky channel 
 of the stream was distinctly visible for a great distance to the south- 
 east; whilst from the northwest came the river, now swollen by 
 recent rains, roaring and rumbling over rocky ledges, and then mov- 
 ing calmly away. A blue crane was flying slowly above the bed of 
 the stream, whilst amid the dwarf pines and cedars that grew upon 
 the crags, many ravens were cawing and screaming. This scenery, 
 heightened by the dusk of evening, strongly impressed Naomi's mind. 
 She remarked to Lewis: 
 
 "I am almost afraid to be in this lonely place; I wish we were 
 away. O! how happy I should be, if we had a quiet home like yon 
 from which that smoke is rising away over the hills. It may be 
 foolishness, Jonathan, but I want you to be careful in going down 
 these banks and crossing the river. I have so often feared some- 
 thing would happen to prevent the happiness we expect; and I am 
 sure I never felt so bad in my life." 
 
 Lewis reined up his horse, stopped for a short time, then started 
 forward, muttering, "I will though; I am a coward." Miss Wise 
 asked him what he was saying; he replied that he only meant that 
 they should be married that night. The river was here tolerably wide 
 and below the ford some little turf-islands covered with alders and 
 willows, made several sluices. Lewis rushed his horse in the water, 
 which came up to his sides, and plunged forward rapidly till he 
 reached the middle of the channel, then stopping his beast and 
 turning himself in the saddle, he said to Naomi in a husky voice: 
 "Naomi I will tell you what I intend to do; I intend to drown 
 you in this river; we can never marry. I found I could never get 
 away from you, and I am determined to drown you." 
 
 "O! Jonathan, Jonathan," screamed the victim, "you do not, 
 cannot mean what you say; do not terrify me so much and make 
 haste out of here." 
 
 "I mean," said Lewis, "just what I say; you will never go from 
 here alive. You cannot move me by words or tears; my mind is 
 fixed; I swear by all that's good or bad, that you have not five 
 minutes to live. You have enticed me to injure my character, you 
 have made me neglect my business. You ought never to have been 
 such a fool as to expect that I would marry such a girl as you are. 
 You did not expect that I was taking you off to marry you, when 
 you got up behind me; you no doubt thought I would take you 
 to Asheboro, and keep you there as a base . Prepare to die." 
 
 "My Lord, what shall I do?" said Naomi, "You know I have 
 loved you with my whole soul; I have trusted you, and when you 
 
12 The Story of Naomi Wise 
 
 betrayed me, I never reviled you. How often did I tell you that 
 you did not intend to marry me! How many times did I beseech 
 you to be honest with me! And after all, you certainly will not 
 drown me. O, Jonathan, for heaven's sake take me out of this 
 river! Do, O do. O, spare my life! I will never ask you to marry 
 me, I will leave the country, 1 will never mention your name again, 
 and"— 
 
 Lewis stopped short her entreaties by grasping her throat with 
 his left hand; her struggles immediately threw them both from the 
 horse. Being a tall, strong man, he held her above the water until 
 he tied her dress above her head, and then held her under beneath 
 his foot until he was alarmed by a glare of torches approaching 
 along the road he had just come. He mounted his horse and dashed 
 out of the river on the south side. 
 
 Mrs. Davis lived at no great distance from the river, and had 
 heard the death screaming of poor Naomi. She had heard the 
 startling cry as the villain caught her by the throat; then she heard 
 the wild wail when she arose from the water, and lastly the stifled 
 sob as she was muffled in her dress. The old lady called her boys 
 and bid them hasten to the ford, that somebody was murdered or 
 drowned; but they were afraid to go; they hesitated and parlied; at 
 last they set out with glaring torches, but it was too late. They 
 arrived only in time to hear the murderer leaving the opposite bank. 
 They neither saw nor heard Naomi. She was already dead, her last 
 scream had died away, her last gasping groan had arisen through 
 the rippling waters, and her body was floating amid the willows of 
 a turf-island. A pure and beautiful damsel, she attracted the ad- 
 miration of a cold-hearted world without gaining its respect; her 
 pathway had been waylaid by those who thought poor, unprotected 
 beauty bloomed only to be blasted. Her pure and ardent affections 
 having never enjoyed the sunshine of love were ready to grasp the 
 first support that offered. She had given her heart to a deceiver; 
 she had trusted her life to a destroyer, and the murmuring waves that 
 now bathed her lifeless form, and rocked her on their cold bosom, 
 were the only agents, perhaps, that had ever acted towards her 
 without selfishness. 
 
 Early on the next morning the people of her home were search- 
 ing in all directions for Naomi. Mrs. Adams had passed a sleepless 
 night; a strange impression had instantly fixed itself upon her mind 
 as soon as Naomi was missed; and in her broken slumbers during 
 the night, she was aroused by sometimes imagining that Naomi 
 called her, at other times by dreaming that she saw her dead, and 
 
The Story of Naomi Wise 13 
 
 again by thinking she heard her screaming. At early dawn she 
 aroused the vicinity, and going to the spring, the tracks of a horse 
 were readily discovered and by the sign it was evident that Naomi 
 had mounted from the stump. The company followed the track 
 until Mrs. Davis and her boys were met coming in haste to tell the 
 circumstances of the preceding evening. The old lady told the crowd 
 of the screaming she had heard; that the boys had gone down 
 with the lights and heard a horseman galloping from the opposite 
 bank. 
 
 "Ah!" said the old lady, "murder's been done, sich unyearthly 
 screams can't come of nothing; they made the hair rise on my head, 
 and the very blood curdle in my heart. No doubt poor Naomi's 
 been drowned. O! ef I had been young as I once was, I would a 
 run down there and killed the rascal afore he could a got away! 
 What is the world a coming to?" 
 
 The company hastened to the river, and in a few moments dis- 
 covered the body still muffled in the clothing. She was quickly borne 
 to the shore and laid upon a rock; upon the fair neck of the dead 
 were still to be seen the marks of the ruffian's fingers. The Coroner 
 was sent for, the jury summoned, and the verdict pronounced, 
 "Drowned by violence." Some one of the vast crowd now assembled, 
 suggested that Lewis should be sought and brought to the corpse 
 ere it was interred. This was assented to by acclamation, but who 
 would do it? Who would dare to apprehend a LEWIS? A firm, 
 brave officer of Randolph accepted the task, and having selected his 
 company from the numerous candidates, for every youth on the 
 ground offered, proceeded to Asheboro. 
 
 So soon as Lewis saw the lights coming while he was at his work 
 of death, as above said, he dashed out of the river, having no 
 doubt that the water would bear the body into the deep pools 
 below the ford, and render discovery impossible. We have seen that 
 in this he was disappointed. Leaving the river, he rode rapidly 
 around to another ford, and hastened to his father's near Centre 
 meeting house. He dashed into the room where his mother was 
 sitting, and asked for a change of clothes. The old lady, alarmed, 
 asked him why he came at that time of week (for he usually came 
 on Sunday), why he was wet, and why he looked so pale and spoke 
 in such a strange voice. He replied that he had started home on 
 some business, and that his horse had fallen with him in the river, 
 and that his wet clothes made him look pale and altered in his 
 voice. His mother had too much sagacity to believe such a tale, but 
 she could obtain from him no other explanation. Having procured 
 
14 The Story of Naomi Wise 
 
 a change of apparel, he departed and arrived at Asheboro early next 
 morning. Riding up to Col. Craven's he called at the door. Mrs. 
 Craven answered the call, and exclaimed in astonishment: 
 
 "What's the matter, Lewis, what have you been doing, have you 
 killed 'Omi Wise?" 
 
 Lewis was stunned; raising his hand and rubbing his eyes, he 
 said: 
 
 "Why what makes you ask me that question?" 
 
 "No particular reason," said Mrs. Craven, "only you look so 
 pale and wild; you don't look at all like yourself this morning." 
 
 Lewis made no reply, but the flushed countenance which he ex- 
 hibited would have afforded no small evidence to a close observer 
 that something was wrong. So true is it "That the wicked flee when 
 no man pursueth." Leaving Asheboro, Lewis went to a sale at a 
 Mr. Hancock's at a place now owned by Thomas Cox. During the 
 day it was remarked by many that Jonathan Lewis had a cast 
 countenance by no means usual. Instead of that bold; daring in- 
 dependence that was usual to him, he seemed reserved, downcast 
 and restless. By indulging freely in drink, which was always to be 
 had on such occasions, he became more like himself toward eve- 
 ning; and even ventured to mingle with the ladies. For it should 
 be observed that in those days, the ladies attended vendues, elections, 
 musters, etc., without derogation to their characters. And in very 
 many places, a young man showed his gallantry by collecting the 
 fair ones whom he would honor and conducting them to some wagon, 
 where his liberalty was displayed by purchasing cakes, cider, etc. 
 Let it not be supposed that this custom was confined to the low or 
 vulgar, for the practice was well nigh universal. Our lady readers 
 must not think it beneath their dignity to read of such characters, 
 for our mothers, and perhaps theirs also, have received such treats. 
 Lewis on the occasion above named, seemed particularly attracted 
 by Martha, the daughter of Stephen Huzza. After waiting upon 
 her according to the manner of the times, Lewis accompanied her 
 home. The manner of courting at that day was very different from 
 what now prevails; the custom then was, for the young people to 
 remain in the room after the old people retired, then seat them- 
 selves beside each other, and there remain until 12 or 1 o'clock. 
 Lewis had taken his seat and drawn Martha into his lap; rather a 
 rude move even at that time, and not a little contrary to Martha's 
 will — when a gentle rap was heard at the door. While the inmates 
 were listening to hear it repeated, the door opened, and Robert 
 Murdock, the brave officer who had pursued Lewis, entered, at- 
 
The Story of Naomi Wise 15 
 
 tended by a retinue that at once overawed the unarmed murderer. 
 He suffered himself to be quietly arrested and taken back to the 
 river bank where his victim still remained. He put his hand upon 
 her face, and smoothed her hair, apparently unmoved. So greatly 
 was the crowd incensed at this hard-hearted audacity, that the au- 
 thority of the officer was scarcely sufficient to prevent the villain's 
 being killed upon the spot. The evidence against Lewis, though 
 circumstantial, was deemed conclusive. The foot-prints from the 
 stump to the river exactly fitted his horse; hairs upon the skirt on 
 which she rode were found to fit in color; a small piece torn from 
 Lewis' accoutrement fitted both rent and texture; his absence from 
 Asheboro, and many other minuter circumstances all conspired to 
 the same point. In proper form he was committed to jail in Asheboro 
 to await his trial. A vast company on the next day attended the 
 remains of Naomi to the grave. The whole community mourned 
 her untimely death; the aged wiped the falling tear from their 
 wrinkled faces; the young men stood there in deep solemnity, and 
 sighed over the fair one now pale in death; many, very many, 
 maidens wept over betrayed and blasted innocence, and all were 
 melted in grief, when the shroud hid the face of Naomi forever. 
 The writer knows not the place of her grave, else would he 
 visit that lonely place; he would place at her head a simple stone 
 to tell her name, her excellence and her ruin; he would plant there 
 appropriate emblem, and drop a tear over the memory of her who 
 sleeps beneath. 
 
 "Oh! far as the wild flower, close to thee growing, 
 How pure was thy heart till love's witchery came, 
 Like the wind of the South o'er a summer lute blowing 
 It hushed all its music and withered its fame, 
 The young village maid, when with flowers she dresses 
 Her dark flowing hair for some festival day, 
 Will think of thy fate till neglecting her tresses 
 She mournfully turns from the mirror away." 
 
16 The Story of Naomi Wise 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Though Lewis was confined in the strong jail that then towered 
 in Asheboro as a terror to evildoers, his was not the character to 
 yield without an effort; and such was his strength, skill or assistance, 
 that he soon escaped. He broke jail and fled to parts unknown. 
 Time rolled on, bearing upon its ever changing surface new scenes, 
 actions and subjects of thought. Naomi was beginning to fade 
 from memory, and Lewis was scarcely thought of. The whole tragedy 
 would, perhaps, have been nearly in the sea of oblivion, but for 
 the song of "Omi Wise," which was sung in every neighborhood. 
 At length, rumor, the persecutor and avenger, gave tidings that 
 Jonathan Lewis was living at the falls of Ohio, was married, had 
 one child, and considered in prosperous circumstances. The mur- 
 dered girl rose fresh in the minds of the people. Justice cried "Cut 
 the sinner down." Indignation cried shame to the lingering servants 
 of law. Col. Craven, Col. Lane and George Swearengain, properly 
 commissioned, started in quest of the criminal. Many were the sighs 
 and expressions of anxieties that escaped their friends, when these 
 worthy citizens departed. All were aware that the enterprise was 
 perilous. Most of the Lewis family had migrated to the same region, 
 and one Lewis was not trifled with, much less a community of such 
 personages. But brave men, especially of Randolph County, sus- 
 tained by justice, never count the foe, or ask a parley. Having ar- 
 rived in the neighborhood, or rather in the country, for they were 
 yet many miles from Lewis' home, they made inquiry until they 
 found the circumstances and position of the families. Knowing 
 that if they appeared in person their object would be defeated, they 
 hired two sturdy hunters for a fee of seventy-five dollars to take 
 Jonathan, dead or alive, and deliver him at a certain town. "No 
 work, no pay." The three officers went to the town to await the 
 issue, and if it failed, to collect if possible, such force as might be 
 necessary to wage civil war upon the whole offending tribe. 
 
 The hunters, unknown to the Lewises, having arrived in the im- 
 mediate vicinity, learned that a great dance was to take place that 
 night at a house in the neighborhood, and that all the Lewises would 
 be there. They concluded that the occasion would either enable them 
 to execute their object, or at least to make some useful observations; 
 they accordingly rode to the place, in appearance and profession 
 two wandering backwoodsmen. Arriving at the rude fence in front 
 of the house, and seeing a considerable number already collected, 
 one of the hunters cried: 
 
The Story of Naomi Wise 17 
 
 "Hello to the man of the house and all his friends." 
 
 "Hello back to you," said a voice within, "and maybe you'd 
 light and look at your saddle." 
 
 "Apt as not," said the hunter, "if we're allowed to see our 
 saddles on the peg, our horses eatin' fodder, and ourselves merry 
 over hog and hominy." 
 
 "Ef you are what you look like," said the landlord, stepping 
 into the yard, "and not Yankee speculators, nor bamboozled officers, 
 nor Natchez sharpers, you are welcome to sich as we have." 
 
 "And spose we are not what we look like," replied the hunter, 
 "what then?" 
 
 "Why, the sooner you move your washing, the better; we're 
 plain honest folks here, and deal with all scatterlopers arter their 
 deserts." 
 
 "Well, well, we'll light and take some of your pone and a little 
 of your blinkeye, and maybe as how we'll get better acquainted." 
 
 So saying, the strangers alighted, and having seen their horses 
 supplied with a bountiful quantity of provender, they entered the 
 house and mingled with the guests without exciting suspicion, or 
 even much notice. They had previously agreed, that one should do 
 the talking, lest they might commit some incongruities. A glance 
 convinced them that Jonathan Lewis was not there. The guests con- 
 tinued to assemble, women, men, and children; an old wrinkled- 
 faced vagabond commenced tuning his violin, and the parties were 
 arranging themselves for the dance, when a strong powerful man 
 entered. His hair was long, bushy and matted as if it had never 
 known the virtue of a comb; his eyebrows were dark and heavy; 
 his step was decided and firm; he wore a belted hunting shirt in 
 the band of which hung a long, double-edged hunting knife, and 
 under its folds were plainly visible two heavy pistols. His keen eye 
 detected the strangers instantly, and forthwith he sought the land- 
 lord at the other end of the house, and engaged him for a time in 
 whispers. Our hunters knew their man, and watched him with no 
 small anxiety, nor was it long until he approached them and said: 
 
 "I reckon you're strangers in these parts." 
 
 "I reckon we are too, being we know nobody and nobody knows 
 us; and we're perlight enough not to trouble strangers with foolish 
 questions, and so I guess we shall still be strangers." 
 
 This answer to his implied question evidently displeased the 
 interrogator; after eyeing them a moment, he continued, 
 
 "But maybe we all come from the same land, and so might scrape 
 an acquaintance easier than you think." 
 
18 The Story of Naomi Wise 
 
 "As to that, it's no difference, without telling or asking names, 
 we give the right hand to every honest hunter." 
 
 "Then we're hunters, I spose, and as we have a great deer hunt 
 tomorrow, perhaps you'll join." 
 
 "That we will, if it's agreeable." 
 
 The dance passed off without anything remarkable, and early 
 next morning the horns were sounding, the dogs yelping and every- 
 thing alive for the hunt. In arranging the couples to stand at the 
 crosses, it so happened that Jonathan and our talking hunter were 
 stationed together, and the other stranger at no great distance. The 
 drivers had departed, and the marksmen were reclining at ease or 
 examining their firelocks when Jonathan discovered that he had no 
 powder. As it would probably be an hour or two before the game 
 would appear, Lewis proposed to his companion that they should 
 go to the village and supply themselves with powder. They had 
 no sooner started than the other hunter discovered his comrade to 
 give the signal, he accordingly followed at some distance in the 
 rear. Close by the village he met Lewis and his companion on their 
 return. The hunters exchanged signs and agreed to make the effort; 
 they were fully aware of their peril; for though two against one, 
 they knew their antagonist to be much more powerful than either, 
 and to be well armed. The hunter that met them pretended that he 
 had become alarmed when he missed them, not knowing what might 
 happen, and that he had come in search; then asking about the 
 powder, requested to see some. While Lewis was pouring some into 
 his hand, the other seized him from behind in order to hold his 
 hands fast; while the front man grasping him by the legs, en- 
 deavored to throw him. Like a second Sampson, Lewis tore his arms 
 from the grasp of the hunter, and with a back-handed blow sent 
 him near a rod backwards, at the same time kicking down the man 
 that was before him. But before he could level his gun the first 
 hunter gave him such a blow with the barrel of his gun that he 
 reeled and fell; but pointing his gun as the second hunter came, 
 he would have shot him dead, if the other had not struck his arm; 
 the flash of the gun, however, set fire to the powder, that in the 
 melee, had been spilled upon the hunter's clothes and scorched the 
 whole company not a little. Lewis, better capable of enduring such 
 catastrophes than the others, taking advantage of the confusion, 
 would have made his escape, had not the villagers arrived in suf- 
 ficient strength to overpower him by force of numbers. 
 
 Col. Craven and his companions received Lewis bound with 
 strong cords and immediately started for Carolina, nor did they 
 
The Story of Naomi Wise 19 
 
 travel at a moderate rate, well knowing that if the Lewis family 
 with their confederates should overtake them, death would be the 
 fate of the weaker party; nor did the hunters tarry in the vicinity, 
 but hurried themselves far away in the western wilds. After Lewis 
 found that further resistance would be useless, he seemed to sub- 
 mit to his fate and become tractable and social, so much so, that 
 his hands were somewhat slackened and his captivity less strict. 
 He awakened no suspicion by asking them to be less cautious, and 
 seemed so much more social than they had ever known him, that 
 his guards were almost tempted to free him from all restraint. One 
 evening, while indulging their glee around the campfire, Lewis, 
 unobserved, untied his bonds, and springing up, darted off with 
 the agiiity of a youth. Craven and Swearengain pursued, but Craven 
 was ere long left some distance in the rear. They were now in a 
 low bottom and the evening had so far advanced that Swearengain, 
 who was close in pursuit, could only see Lewis by the whiteness of 
 his clothes. So expert was Lewis in dodging that he constantly 
 eluded the grasp of his pursuer and was now within a few paces 
 of a dense thicket, Swearengain making a spring, struck Lewis with 
 a blow so effectual that it felled him to the earth, and before he 
 could regain his feet, he was overpowered by both his pursuers. 
 
 Lewis was finally brought to Randolph, from which county his 
 trial was moved to Guilford, where he was finally tried and ac- 
 quitted. Most of the material witnesses had died or moved away, 
 and much of the minutae was forgotten. After his release he re- 
 turned to Kentucky, and died a few years afterwards. After all 
 hopes of his discovery was given up, and his friends watched around 
 his couch only to perform the last sad offices of life, he still lingered. 
 He seemed to suffer beyond human conception; the contortions of 
 his face were too horrid for human gaze; his groans were appalling 
 to the ear. For two days the death rattle had been in his throat, and 
 yet he retained his reason and speech. Finally he bid every person 
 leave the room but his father, and to him he confessed all the cir- 
 cumstances we have detailed. He declared that while in prison 
 Naomi was ever before him; his sleep was broken by her cries for 
 mercy, and in the dim twilight her shadowy form was ever before 
 him, holding up her imploring hands. Thus ended the career of 
 Jonathan Lewis, for no sooner was his confession completed than 
 his soul seemed to hasten away. 
 
20 The Story of Naomi Wise 
 
 The following is the song so well known in this county as: 
 
 POOR NAOMI 
 
 Come all you good people, I'd have you draw near. 
 A sorrowful story you quickly shall hear; 
 A story I'll tell you about N'omi Wise, 
 How she was deluded by Lewis' lies. 
 
 He promised to marry and use me quite well; 
 But conduct contrary I sadly must tell, 
 He promised to meet me at Adams' Springs, 
 He promised me marriage and many fine things. 
 
 Still nothing he gave but yet flattered the case, 
 He says we'll be married and have no disgrace, 
 Come get up behind me, we'll go up to town, 
 And there we'll be married, in union be bound. 
 
 I got up behind him and straightway did go 
 
 To the banks of Deep River, where the water did flow; 
 
 He says, "Now, Naomi, I'll tell you my mind, 
 
 I intend to drown you, and leave you behind." 
 
 O! pity your infant and spare me my life; 
 Let me go rejected and not be your wife. 
 "No pity, no pity," this monster did cry, 
 "In Deep River's bottom your body shall lie." 
 
 The wretch then did choke her, as we understand, 
 And threw her in the river, below the milldam. 
 But it murder or treason, Oh! what a great crime 
 To murder poor Naomi and leave her behind. 
 
 Naomi was missing, they all did well know, 
 And hunting for her to the river did go; 
 And there found her floating on the water so deep, 
 Which caused all the people to sigh and to weep. 
 
 The neighbors were sent for to see the great sight, 
 While she lay floating all that long night, 
 So early next morning the inquest was held, 
 The jury correctly the murder did tell. 
 
The Story of Naomi Wise 21 
 
 Note: It is said that in the dusk of evening, the following little song 
 may be heard about the river in accents sweet as angels sing: 
 
 Beneath these crystal waters, 
 A maiden once did lie, 
 The fairest of earth's daughters, 
 A gem to deck the sky. 
 In caves of pearled enamel, 
 We weave a maiden's shroud 
 For all the foolish damsels, 
 That dared to stray abroad. 
 
 We live in rolling billows 
 We float upon the mist, 
 We sing on foaming pillows: 
 "Poor Naomi of the past." 
 
 NAOMI WISE— 
 
 In Minute Book — Pleas and Quarter Sessions 1811-1815. 
 February Term 1815 
 
 (Copied.) "Ordered of the Court that the County Trustees pay 
 the cost and charges of attorneys. The prosecution of Jonathan Lewis 
 for felony when trial is removed to the County of Guilford to the 
 said Jonathan Lewis there requested and said discharged from jail 
 under the ensolvent Debtors Act." 
 
 "The Claims for the said cost charges appearing to be in the 
 manner prescribed by the act of Assembly, to wit: — 
 
 Here follows the names of witnesses : 
 Elizabeth Craven Hettie Ramseur Mary Adams 
 
 William Dennis Joseph Dougan Joshua Davis 
 
 William Davis Eli Pennington William Watkins 
 
 Eli Powell Robert Murdock John Craven 
 
 Obed Anthony George Adams Bob Wall 
 
 Wm. Dobson Col. Benjamin Elliott Ann Conoy 
 
 Ann Davis Samuel Elliott Joseph Elliott 
 
 This court procedure was after Lewis had been brought from 
 the West for trial charged with drowning Naomi Wise in 1808. 
 The trial was removed to the County of Guilford and all the evi- 
 dence being circumstantial, Jonathan Lewis was set free and left 
 the state. That he was guilty of the act has never been doubted. 
 
 1808 — The Grand Jury reported that one prisoner was confined 
 in the jail charged with murder. Jonathan Lewis made his escape 
 
22 The Story of Naomi Wise 
 
 supposedly with the aid of sympathetic friends and a shackley frame 
 jail from which his escape could easily be made, however, consider- 
 ing the heavy guard placed by Col. Elliott it is easy to believe that 
 friends of the accused Lewis aided in his escape. 
 
 In the minds of a great many in this present day exists the 
 doubt of the story of Naomi Wise, it is regarded as a fable man- 
 ufactured to add color and pathos to the Ballad of Naomi Wise, 
 therefore, these authentic court records attached are a positive proof 
 that such a stark tragedy did take place in the year 1808 and that 
 in 1815 the court freed Lewis as the evidence was entirely circum- 
 stantial. 
 
 In the August term of court, 1808, Benjamin Elliott came be- 
 fore the subscribing justices and made oath that he was the officer 
 called by the Lt. Col. Commander of said county to guard the gaol 
 of said county for the safe keeping of Jonathan Lewis, a state prison- 
 er, confined therein on the charge of murder and that he attended 
 on that business thirty days and that the under named persons at- 
 tended as soldiers as follows: 
 
 Joshua Craven 22 days John Barton 5 days 
 
 Daniel Davidson 29 days Enoch Davis 3 days 
 
 Henry Craven 7 days William Newby 3 days 
 
 Joel Craven .6 days Ransom Davis . . 3 days 
 
 Edison Wood 18 days Fredreck Dawson 6 days 
 
 Absalom Harvey 4 days 
 
 Sworn to and subscribed to before me November 11, 1808. 
 
 B. Elliott, Captain. 
 

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The History of Randleman, N. C. 23 
 
 The History of Randleman begins with the founding of the 
 Dicks Grist Mill by Peter Dicks in 1800. The settlement was 
 then known as Dicks. Peter Dicks himself was a farmer and op- 
 erated a general store in the village of New Salem. He served in 
 many public affairs, the most important of which was probably his 
 assistance in the founding of the county of Randolph. He served 
 as clerk of the court of equity and also served as commissioner, or 
 justice. He was an ardent Quaker and was one of the founders of 
 the New Garden Boarding School, which is known to us today as 
 Guilford College. He was also a minister of the Society of Friends 
 and overseer of the Center Monthly Meeting. 
 
 Peter Dicks was the head of a large family and a number of his 
 survivors still live in this section of the county. He died in 1843, 
 five years before the first cotton mill was built. It has been said that 
 Peter Dicks laid the cornerstone for the city of Randleman. 
 
 By 1848 more settlers had come and the Union Factory was 
 built, causing the community to change its name to Union. During 
 this formative period two men were outstanding in the develop- 
 ment of the community — John Banner Randleman and John H. 
 Ferree. These men had purchased the Union Factory, changed its 
 name to the Randleman Manufacturing Company, and had been in- 
 strumental in starting the Naomi Mills. 
 
 John Banner Randleman was born in Stokes County, Septem- 
 ber 11, 1827, in the part of Stokes County which is now in Forsyth. 
 He went into cotton mill work when he was 17 years of age and 
 after working at different positions in several mills he became the 
 superintendent of the High Falls Cotton Mill. He moved here in 
 1868 and purchased the Union Factory and achieved an enviable 
 record among the cotton manufacturing interests of that day. A 
 number of important names have been recorded and credited with 
 the growth of Randleman during the last 75 years, and certainly the 
 credit for the early manufacturing enterprises goes to John Banner 
 Randleman. He died in 1879 and is buried in St. Paul's Methodist 
 Church cemetery. 
 
 In 1880 the General Assembly at Raleigh granted papers of 
 incorporation to the City of Randleman, named for John Banner 
 Randleman. The following was copied from an old record in the 
 state capital: 
 
 "Laws of North Carolina begun and heed in the city of Raleigh 
 on Monday the 15th of March, A.D. 1880. Special Session of 
 
24 The History of Randleman, N. C. 
 
 General Assembly. 
 
 "An Act to incorporate the town of Randleman Mills in the 
 county of Randolph is hereby created and incorporated a town and 
 John H. Ferree, James E. Walker, James O. Pickard, Romulus R. 
 Ross, Addison W. Vickory and their successors are hereby created 
 a body politic under the style of "The Commissioners of the Town 
 of Randleman Mills" to have perpetual succession with the usual 
 power of such corporations to sue and be sued, to plead and be 
 impleaded, contract and be contracted with and to make all need- 
 ful rules, regulations, by-laws and ordinances for the government 
 of said town not inconsistant with the Constitution and by-laws of 
 the State and the United States. 
 
 "Ratified this the 29th day of March, A.D., 1880." 
 
 The small town thrived, and by 1890 was the largest town in 
 Randolph County. The coming of the High Point, Randleman, 
 Asheboro and Southern Railroad in 1889 had greatly facilitated this 
 growth, because roads were none too good and the railroad as- 
 sured the town of quicker handling of freight. During this time three 
 more mills came into being — Randleman Hosiery Mills, Plaidville 
 Mills and Marie Antoinette. Randleman Hosiery Mills was the 
 first hosiery mill in Randolph County. 
 
 The Union Factory was burned to the ground in 1885 but was 
 immediately rebuilt and the community was referred to in 1890 in 
 Blair's "Reminiscences" as having "grown into a flourishing town, and 
 ranks among the leading manufacturing centers of the State." 
 
 The High Point, Randleman, Asheboro & Southern Railroad 
 was completed in July, 1889. In its early days the influence of this 
 railroad played an important part in the development of Randle- 
 man and other sections of Randolph County. 
 
 The cotton manufacturing plant of Naomi Falls was built in 
 1879 near the spot where Jonathan Lewis drowned the beautiful 
 Naomi Wise about the year 1808. The mills at Naomi Falls and 
 Randleman were consolidated and the two communities were in- 
 corporated as the City of Randleman on March 15, 1880, in a 
 special session of the General Assembly in Raleigh. 
 
 We quote Blair's "Reminiscences" once again: "These are 
 some of the monuments erected by the noble pioneers of civiliza- 
 tion. Their founders are gone. Their names are forgotten, but their 
 influence is still seen and felt and tongue and pen and utterance in 
 fitting tribute will embalm their memories in song and story, and 
 while freedom has a votary, or truth a friend, their praise will be 
 more enduring than the crown of the Caesars." 
 
The History of Randleman, N. C. 25 
 
 The first church to be built in Randleman was the Mt. Lebanon 
 Methodist Protestant in 1850. In 1855 a Methodist Episcopal 
 church was organized, called St. Paul. In order that the people on 
 the other side of town could be conveniently served in 1883 Naomi 
 Methodist church was organized. These two churches merged in 
 1944 and are now the First Methodist church. A landmark in the 
 history of the town was the Randleman Store Company, the town's 
 first store, which still operates. An interesting item listed in one of 
 the old ledgers in 1848 was the sale of 53 lbs. of beef for $1.32. 
 The Bank of Randleman was organized in 1900 with Stanhope 
 Bryant president and was consolidated with the Peoples Bank in 
 1910. Randleman continued to grow and prosper with the coming 
 of new mills, stores, and businesses in the early part of the century. 
 
 Immediately surrounding the corporate limits of the city of 
 Randleman are a number of small communities which have in- 
 fluenced the growth of the city due to their interest and participation 
 in the school, church, civic and social life. Probably the most im- 
 portant of these communities are Brown's Cross Roads, formerly 
 known as Johnsonville, and Sophia, which are just to the northwest 
 of Randleman; Worth ville to the southeast, Level Cross to the north, 
 and New Salem to the northeast. In spite of the fact that the his- 
 tory of Randleman dates back to about the year 1800, there are 
 certain historical records that point out the fact that the New Salem 
 community and Johnsonville were both in existence at the time what 
 is now Randleman was started when Peter Dicks established his 
 grist mill soon after the turn of the nineteenth century. 
 
 Just a short distance to the northeast of Randleman lies the com- 
 munity of New Salem This community would probably have de- 
 veloped into what is now equal to the city of Randleman had it 
 not been for the great influence which Deep River and its low cost 
 water power played in developing the earliest textile plants. New 
 Salem was noted in its early days as having been the home of many 
 well-to-do families, many of them having been instrumental in 
 starting the textile plants which were later built along Deep River 
 below where Randleman now stands. Apparently there were no 
 productive industries ever started in the town, and the good people 
 of this community took occupations in the textile plants on Deep 
 River. About 1 800 New Salem was second only to Johnsonville, now 
 known as Brown's Cross Roads, in business and population, and the 
 beautiful community stands today, we imagine, very much as it did 
 one hundred and fifty years ago. 
 
 Johnsonville (now known as Brown's Cross Roads) was the first 
 
26 The History of Randleman, N. C. 
 
 county seat of Randolph County and was named for Samuel John- 
 son, who was at that time governor of the State of North Caro- 
 lina. This was the crossing of two public highways, one leading 
 from Old Salem, which is now Winston-Salem, to Fayetteville, the 
 other from Salisbury to Hillsboro. Streets were opened in John- 
 sonville, building sites were improved and sold, and among the 
 public buildings were stores, hotels, bar rooms, smith shops, wood 
 shops and hatter shops, and Johnsonville became the center of busi- 
 ness activity. 
 
 Randolph County was established by the Legislature of 1779, 
 which was then in session at Halifax. The county came from a por- 
 tion of Guilford and Rowan, and soon thereafter Justices were nom- 
 inated for the purpose of holding court in Randolph County. 
 
 J. Addison Blair, in his "Reminiscences of Randolph County," 
 referred to Johnsonville as "The Mecca of the desert, the center of 
 rank and fashion." He also referred to the many attractions which 
 the town offered, among them being the annual county fair which 
 featured horse racing events each year. 
 
 It was at Johnsonville on December 11, 1787, when a tall young 
 man about twenty years of age entered the court house and pro- 
 duced his license authorizing him to practice as an attorney. This 
 man was Andrew Jackson, who defeated John Quincy Adams in 
 1828 for the presidency of the United States. Little is known of 
 Jackson's reason for coming to Johnsonville, neither is it known how 
 long he remained in Randolph County. 
 
 In 1793, fourteen years after the county was established, the 
 court house was moved to Asheboro and the little town of Johnson- 
 ville apparently took on less importance. None of the original build- 
 ings are standing today, and even the name of this town has been 
 lost during the passing years. 
 
 The town of Worthville is located to the southeast of Randle- 
 man on Deep River. This town was formerly known as Hopper's 
 Ford, having received its name from Charles Hopper, who settled 
 near the ford about the year 1790. J. M. and T. C. Worth built 
 the first cotton manufacturing plant and the town was named in 
 honor of these two men. At one time the mill was consolidated with 
 the mill at Central Falls and they were operated under the same 
 management as Worthville Manufacturing Company. The mill as 
 we know it today is Leward Cotton Mill, and the town still remains 
 as a thriving community, with a number of her citizens filling im- 
 portant positions in Randleman and others taking an active interest 
 in Randleman's civic affairs. 
 
The History of Randleman, N. C. 27 
 
 Items of interest regarding other outlying sections of Randleman 
 include the fact that the Old Union Methodist Church, which is 
 located about two miles north from the city limits of Randleman, 
 was the site of the first camp meeting ever held in the state of North 
 Carolina. The church was built about the year 1786, and the famous 
 camp meeting was held in 1802. 
 
 An historical old site which has been mentioned several times 
 in connection with the Revolutionary War is the Walker Mill site, 
 located above Randleman on Deep River. Samuel Walker owned 
 the original Mill on Sandy Creek, and in 1773 this mill was devised 
 to his son, William Walker. It is believed that this mill was burned 
 during the Revolutionary War, and William Bell built the mill that 
 is now known as Walker's Mill about 1782. 
 
 When Bloomfield school was built is not recorded. It was 
 located where the Pilgrim Holiness Church now stands. The build- 
 ing consisted of a vestibule and one classroom. In 1885 E. S. Coble 
 was its faculty. During this period the Negro citizens of the com- 
 munity held monthly religious services in the building. 
 
 Bloomfield was a special charter school, supported by funds 
 provided by a special tax rate on the district. As its enrollment in- 
 creased, a primary department was created which occupied the 
 vestibule. Around 1900 three more rooms were added. The records 
 show that in 1902 this school had the largest enrollment in the 
 county. 
 
 Among the outstanding teachers of Bloomfield were Mr. W. C. 
 Hammond, Mrs. Laura Worth, Miss Martha Redding, Miss Florence 
 Redding, Mrs. Alii Marsh Copeland, Miss Babel Dancy, Mr. D. C. 
 Johnson, Miss Nannie Battle and Mr. J. C. Weatherly. 
 
 Randleman's present modern school system had its origin in 
 1904 when Mr. John H. Ferree donated the land which was then 
 a clover field. Brick for the new school was made at a brick yard at 
 Hinshaw's Forks, south of Whitehall. A Mr. Henley made the brick 
 and contracted to furnish and lay the brick for the eight rooms and 
 auditorium for $10,000. This was the first brick constructed, graded 
 school in Randolph County, built by public funds. Mr. John L. 
 Harris was its first principal. 
 
 Later the Ferree house and land was purchased by Dr. C. E. Wil- 
 kerson and converted into a hospital. After a few years this property 
 was bought by the Town of Randleman and was given to the school. 
 The hospital was used for several years as a school and later was 
 converted into a principal's home and teacherage. 
 
 Sam Newlin, Arch Bulla, Stanhope Bryant, C. C. Randleman 
 
28 The History of Randleman, N. C. 
 
 and Wylie Talley were members of the local board when the new 
 school was constructed. 
 
 In the earlier part of the twentieth century Randleman had the 
 largest population of any town in Randloph County. At that time 
 it was a thriving textile community, all of the mills being owned and 
 controlled by one parent corporation. Following the Depression in 
 1929 the Deep River Mills were forced into bankruptcy and the 
 mills were operated by the Hunter Manufacturing & Commission 
 Company of New York City. When the Hunter company went into 
 bankruptcy the Deep River Mills were closed, and for approximately 
 two years there were no payrolls in the entire city. 
 
 This condition did not last long, for industrial plants found the 
 city of Randleman well-located for their businesses, and with build- 
 ings available and labor plentiful the new industries expanded until 
 there are today 4 full-fashioned hosiery mills, 7 seamless hosiery 
 mills, one lingerie plant, one spinning mill, one spinning and weav- 
 ing mill, one brass valve manufacturing plant, in or close to, the 
 city of Randleman. Recent estimates are that there are approx- 
 imately 1800 men and women who earn over 5 million dollars an- 
 nually from industrial employment. It is estimated that shipments 
 of finished merchandise going from Randleman exceed 30 million 
 dollars annually. 
 
 Randleman has built on additions to their buildings in order to 
 take care of expanding operations. Others have added new and 
 modern equipment which has expanded their production. It is con- 
 sidered by those who are familiar with the city and its industrial 
 operations that Randleman industry is well diversified and modern 
 to the point that year-round employment will continue. 
 
 Some of this information comes from the BUSINESS DIREC- 
 TORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY published in 1894 by Levi 
 Branson, however, the greater part of it comes from an interview 
 with Mrs. Laura Worth of Asheboro. 
 
 Mrs. Worth, the former Laura Stimson, was born in Lexington, 
 N. C, and moved to Randleman at the age of sixteen. She related 
 the fact that when she came to Randleman the largest business, not 
 considering the cotton mills, was the Randleman Store Co. This 
 store was established in 1881 and was the first store of any con- 
 sequence in Randleman. It handled groceries, dry goods, furniture 
 and undertaking supplies and was under the management of N. N. 
 Newlin. 
 
 There was a newspaper organized by Tom Millikan and it is 
 believed this was started during one of the political campaigns and 
 
The History of Randleman, N. C. 29 
 
 it is not known how long the newspaper was in existence. 
 
 There was one sidewalk in Randleman which consisted of two 
 wide planks which ran on the west side of Main Street from the 
 Dicks home to the Town Hall. The Town Hall and Post Office 
 were located in the three-story building which was used prior to 
 the war by the Randleman Paper Box Co. 
 
 The first telephone installations were set up between the mill 
 offices and the depot, however, the first public exchange was set 
 up by Mr. Wiles, who at that time was depot agent for the 
 H.P.R.A.&S.R R. F. N. Ingold operated a hotel on the property 
 where the P. C. Story home now stands. Mr. Ingold was a magistrate 
 in addition to his hotel business. This home was later sold and Mr. 
 Ingold purchased the J. E. Walker home, where the new First 
 Methodist Church now stands, and operated that as the Ingold 
 Hotel. Mrs. A. L. Mendenhall ran a Boarding House near the 
 depot. There was also another hotel near the depot known as the 
 Walker House which was operated by Mrs. J. O. Walker, whose 
 husband was a physician. 
 
 At that time W. H. Winningham was the town marshall. Dr. 
 W. A. Woolen was a practicing physician and also served the town as 
 druggist, selling drugs from his office. Dr. W. A. Fox and Dr. L. L. 
 Sapp were also practicing medicine here at that time. 
 
 Talley & Co. served the community with Groceries and Notions. 
 The Naomi Store Co., managed by W. J. Glass, served the Naomi 
 Falls community as general merchants. J. M. Millikan operated a 
 general store and in connection with this business ran a Livery 
 Stable and Feed Store. Mrs. E. N. Wall was a Milliner and Dress- 
 maker. 
 
 Quoting from BRANSON'S DIRECTORY— "The cotton fac- 
 tories not only beautify and enrich, but they render musical the 
 very air of the county." 
 
 Mrs. Worth relates that most of the entertainment provided the 
 citizens, took place in the three-story Town Hall building, which was 
 more recently used as a manufacturing plant by the Randleman 
 Paper Box Co. A great number of these entertainments were spon- 
 sored or arranged by Mrs. S. G. Newlin, the former Mattie Ferree, 
 sister of John H. Ferree. Mrs. Newlin was quite talented and very 
 capable of putting on entertainments which were held almost every 
 week and in some cases more often. 
 
 The famous Randleman Band was organized by Charlie Randle- 
 man and was made up in part of the following people: Charlie 
 Randleman, Cicero Lineberry, Bob Martin, Rome Dobson, John 
 
30 The History of Randleman, N. C. 
 
 Brown, Grover McCollum, Pearlie Hayes, Den Hughes, Jim Hall, 
 Edd Brown, Zack Jarrell, John Richardson, Charlie Weaver, John 
 Lineberry, Lum Kiser, Clark Hinshaw and a Mr. Henderson. The 
 band was completely uniformed with red coats trimmed in black 
 braid with white duck or flannel trousers. It is understood that for 
 a number of years on the Fourth of July the band took part in a 
 parade followed by a concert. 
 
 Lawn Parties, Strawberry Festivals and Ice Cream Parties are 
 accredited for most of the social entertainment with the Randleman 
 Band furnishing music for the most important of these events. 
 
 Excursions were quite popular during the early days and two 
 of the most famous excursions were made to Fayetteville and Mor- 
 ganton. The Fayetteville trip was made between 1885 and 1887. 
 The factories closed and there were four hundred and four people 
 who arose at three o'clock in the morning in order to catch the 6:30 
 train. The first stop was at Julian and after that the train stopped at 
 Woodstock and Staley. Following these stops Siler City and Rich- 
 mond Depot were visited, then Oaks and Gulf. The next stop was 
 Egypt and then Sanford, Jonesboro, Swan Station and Spouting 
 Springs. The train arrived in Fayetteville amid the cheers of the 
 crowd and the playing of the band. The other excursion was made 
 several years later to Morganton. This was a special train attached 
 to the main line and left from the Randleman Depot on Saturday 
 morning. This was a visit to the home of Mr. John H. Ferree. It 
 is also told that on this trip a number of young Mimosa trees were 
 brought back, apparently the Mimosa was an unusual tree to this 
 section before the time of the excursion. A large number of 
 citizens went on this excursion. They returned to Randleman at 3 
 o'clock Sunday morning. 
 
 Information from BRANSON'S BUSINESS DIRECTORY OF 
 RANDOLPH COUNTY 1894 lists the First Baptist Church, Mr. 
 Carrick of Lexington pastor, Mt. Lebanon Methodist Protestant 
 Church, Mr. C. C. Cecil, pastor, Naomi Falls Methodist Episcopal 
 Church South and St. Paul's Episcopal Church South, Mr. N. R. 
 Richardson, pastor. 
 
 An interesting fact related to Mrs. Worth by Walter Gregson, 
 son of Amos Gregson, in 1943, is that the original frame church 
 which was used by St. Paul and was built in 1852 was moved East 
 of the original site and was used while the brick building was being 
 erected. The new brick church was built at an approximate cost of 
 $4,000, and was decorated by Reuben Rink, trade name of Korner 
 of Kernersville who was the builder of "Korner's Folly." Mr. Rink 
 
The History of Randleman, n. C. 31 
 
 also decorated the home of John B. Randleman and others while 
 he was in Randleman. The decoration of the church was greatly 
 admired and remains practically unchanged today. Upon comple- 
 tion of the new church, the old frame structure was torn down and 
 rebuilt in Naomi as the Naomi Falls Church in 1883. When the 
 present Naomi Church was built the old building was again torn 
 down and was used to build the present Pilgrim Holiness Church 
 just outside of Randleman on the Worthville Road. 
 
 According to the Branson Directory there were nine ministers 
 residing in Randleman. A number of these had pulpits out of town 
 and it is not known just why so many of these selected Randleman 
 as their home. 
 
 Probably the best known of these ministers was Mr. Amos 
 Gregson, who was superintendent of the Naomi Falls Manufacturing 
 Co., in addition to carrying on his activities as minister of the Meth- 
 odist Episcopal Church South. 
 
 We quote from the editorial notes in Branson's Directory re- 
 ferring to Randolph County. "This is undoubtedly one of the most 
 beautiful sections of the state, and a grand future is in store for 
 the land of our birth if we still remain true to her destiny." 
 
 It seems that everyone who wrote about the mills or about 
 Deep River was impressed by the music of the waters and the cotton 
 mills' machinery. The following was written by a "Warper Tender" 
 and appeared in a "Mill News." 
 
 "In the northern part of Randolph County flows the beautiful 
 stream known as the Deep River. For thousands of years this river 
 has sported along the same time-worn channel, over the same rocks 
 and made the same sad music it sings today. As we walk by its 
 side and stand upon its mossy banks our thoughts steal away on its 
 dancing ripples and are lost amid its splashing waters. 
 
 "Up and down this river whose idle waters were the sport and 
 companion of the Indian, whose camp ground and huts but typified 
 the rising villages of busy industry, are heard the banging loom, the 
 buzzing spindles and the eternal thunder of machinery proclaiming 
 each day the praises of those who have founded the villages and 
 built the mills." 
 
32 The History of Randleman, N. C. 
 
 THE CITY OF RANDLEMAN, N. C. 
 
 The City of Randleman is located on the banks of Deep River 
 and the rolling land extending beyond. A search for the best 
 and cheapest means of obtaining operating power has from its earliest 
 days played a predominating part in influencing the location and 
 growth of this town, or city as the charter reads. Peter Dicks found 
 just that when he harnessed the rippling waters of Deep River to 
 power his grist and oil mill, the town's first industry. The early 
 settlers came from miles around to bring their corn and wheat to be 
 ground into meal and flour, their cotton ginned and its seeds ground 
 and pressed into oil by the Dicks' Mill. From this little mill Randle- 
 man grew to attain the position in 1890 of being the largest town in 
 Randolph County. 
 
 DICK'S MILL 
 
 Peter Dicks built a grist and oil mill, just below the present 
 concrete bridge over Deep River on Highway 220 in 1800. Grad- 
 ually as a few people began to settle near the mill the section began 
 to grow and was called Dicks until 1848 when the Union Factory 
 was built. 
 
 PETER DICKS 
 
 Peter Dicks, in the dim and distant past, put a little grist and oil 
 mill on the banks of Deep River and the place became known as 
 Dicks' Mill. Peter Dicks was a man of affairs as counted in his day. 
 He was a farmer and owned large tracts of land; he was a merchant, 
 operating a store in the then thriving village of New Salem. He 
 served in many public affairs from the founding of the County of 
 Randolph, having been Clerk of the Court of Equity and Commis- 
 sioner, or Justice. He was one of the founders of New Garden Board- 
 ing School, now Guilford College, and throughout his life remained 
 trustee of the school. In addition he was a minister of the Society 
 of Friends and overseer of Center Monthly Meeting. 
 
 He was a man of sound sense, good judgment and sterling in- 
 tegrity. He died in February 1843, and is buried in Center Meet- 
 ing House graveyard. He was the progenitor of a large family, con- 
 nections of which are now living in this and other states. 
 
 JAMES DICKS 
 
 James Dicks, son of Peter Dicks, was born at Center, Guilford 
 
 County, May 18, 1804, and died in Randleman, October 14, 1883. 
 
 He was one of the original builders and stockholders of the 
 
The History of Randleman, N. C. 33 
 
 Union Factory at Randleman. He was also an extensive planter and 
 successfully tilled the soil. He was a gentleman of acknowledged 
 intelluctual abilities and possessed considerable wealth and at the 
 beginning of the war in 1861 he was appointed commissioner to 
 collect supplies for the Confederate Army. He and his parents before 
 him were members of the religious Society of Friends and to this faith 
 he remained a member while contributing generously to the build- 
 ing of churches of other denominations. He was highly esteemed 
 by all for the rectitude of his life and his many deeds of kindness. 
 (Copied from Biographical Sketches of Men of Randolph 
 County, 1890). 
 
 WILLIAM CLARK 
 
 William Clark was born October 22, 1808. He married Louisa 
 Worth January 23, 1834, and settled in New Salem and engaged 
 in the mercantile business and in addition became a stockholder 
 in the Union Cotton Mill. He removed his house to Union (Randle- 
 man) and lived where the present Woolen place is. He was agent 
 for the Mill. In 1860 he moved to Indiana and continued his mer- 
 cantile business. 
 
 He was a descendant of Col. William Clark who fought in the 
 Revolutionary War. The family were members of the Society of 
 Friends, belonging to Center Monthly Meeting. Later they were 
 members of Marlboro Monthly Meeting, being transferred April 4, 
 1818. 
 
 William Clark and wife had a large family, seven sons and five 
 daughters and their descendants are active business and professional 
 men and women throughout the west. 
 
 JOHN B. RANDLEMAN 
 
 John B. Randleman was born September 11, 1827, in the part 
 of Stokes County which is now Forsythe. While a rather young man 
 he received good experience in several cotton mills. 
 
 He purchased the Union Factory in Randleman July 7, 1868. 
 While working at Newlin's Factory Mr. Randleman was married to 
 Miss Julia E. Duke. To this union were born three children, Alice, 
 Ida Josephine and C. C. Randleman. 
 
 Mr. Randleman died in 1879 and was buried in St. Paul's Meth- 
 odist Church cemetery. 
 
 JOHN H. FERREE 
 
 Secretary and Treasurer of Randleman Manufacturing Co. — Born 
 
34 The History of Randleman, N. C. 
 
 June, 1839, at Morganton, Burke County — son of Rev. Joseph D. 
 and Mary E. Morrow Ferree. His father was a local minister of the 
 Methodist Episcopal Church South and for twelve years Clerk of 
 Superior Court of Burke County being elected to the first in 1844 
 and again in 1848. 
 
 In 1868 he located in Randleman and engaged in the manufacture 
 of cotton fabric in co-partnership with John B. Randleman and or- 
 ganized the now well known Randleman Manufacturing Co. He was 
 elected Secretary and Treasurer after the death of Mr. Randleman 
 in 1879 and had entire control of the business. This company and 
 others built in 1879-80 the Naomi Falls Cotton Mill in Randleman 
 and Mr. Ferree was President and large stockholder. Also Secre- 
 tary and Treasurer of Plaidville Manufacturing Co. and Secretary 
 and Treasurer of the Southern Plaid Manufacturing Association. 
 
 Notwithstanding his many interests he found time to devote to 
 the civil interests of his county, in the capacity of County Commis- 
 sioner in 1866 (error in date). He was Director of Greensboro 
 Female College and Trustee of Trinity College. 
 
 He was married April 10, 1873, to Miss Alice, daughter of John 
 Banner and Julia E. Duke Randleman of Randleman, Randolph 
 County. Three children, Julia Antoinette, John and Mary A. 
 
 He was for many years an active and official member of the 
 Methodist Episcopal Church South and for several years Sup- 
 erintendent of the Sunday School of St. Paul's. 
 
 Mr. Ferree died in March 1898 and is buried in the family plot 
 at St. Paul's Church. 
 
 (Copied in 1941 from Historical and Biographical Sketches, 
 1890.) 
 
 JAMES E. WALKER 
 
 Secretary and Treasurer of the Naomi Falls Manufacturing Co., 
 was born in February, 1844, in Randolph County, North Carolina, 
 and was a son of Jesse and Anna M. Dicks Walker. He was of 
 German and Scottish descent. 
 
 He was educated in the schools of Guilford and Forsythe 
 Counties and entered Trinity College in 1862. 
 
 In partnership with his brother, Samuel Walker, he engaged 
 in a general merchandise business in Asheboro, North Carolina, for 
 three years. He then sold out his interest and located in Randleman 
 and purchased an interest in the Naomi Falls Cotton Manufacturing 
 Co. 
 
 In 1886 he built the Powhatan Cotton Factory, located in Rand- 
 
The History of Randleman, N. C. 35 
 
 leman, with a capacity for the manufacture of one million yards of 
 plaid per annum. 
 
 He was twice elected Mayor of Randleman and was a Justice 
 of the Peace for many years. He was for twelve years Superinten- 
 dent of the Randleman Sunday School and was President of the 
 District Conference Sunday School and a Steward and Trustee of 
 the Church. 
 
 He was united in marriage in September, 1865, to Miss Fannie 
 (Frances) M., the accomplished niece of Rev. L. S. Burkhead. To 
 this union were born seven children viz: Jesse O., a graduate of 
 Vanderbilt University and a successful physician at Randleman, 
 Cornelius, Thomas C, Bartlett B., Allie, Pattie and Samuel. 
 
 THE REV. AMOS GREGSON 
 
 Superintendent of Naomi Falls Cotton Mills of Randleman and 
 President of the same company, was born March, 1839, in Ran- 
 dolph County, son of Julius C. and Holland Gregson. His parents 
 were of Irish and German extraction. His father was a farmer and 
 for many years a local minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church 
 South. Mr. Gregson attended the county schools and was prepared 
 for college when the war began, which prevented him from securing 
 a collegiate course. Nevertheless he succeeded by close application 
 to study in storing his mind with a vast amount of useful informa- 
 tion which enabled him to be of great service to the Master's cause. 
 At the age of eleven he began to work in the cotton mill and mastered 
 every part of the work. In 1859 he joined the Methodist Episcopal 
 Church South and in 1865 was ordained a Deacon by Bishop Early. 
 He discharged his sacred duties with ability and was called a step 
 higher and was ordained an Elder by Bishop Pierce. In 1866-67, he 
 was Pastor of Main Street Methodist Episcopal Church South in 
 Durham and largely through his influence and hard work the present 
 Main Street Methodist Episcopal Church was erected, also the 
 Carr M. E. Church. He did a good work in that thriving city and 
 will long be remembered by its citizens. 
 
 (Copied from Historical and Biographical Sketches of 1890.) 
 
 * * * 
 Mr. Gregson married in 1865 Miss Martitia Dicks, daughter of 
 James and Nancy Dicks. To this union four children, Claudia, E. 
 Walter, J. Clarence and Nancy Beatrice were born. All lived in 
 Randleman on Main Street. Mr. Gregson built the house on St. 
 Paul Hill in which the J. O. Pickard family live. Both Mr. and 
 Mrs. Gregson were buried in St. Paul's cemetery. 
 
 By Mrs. Laura Worth 
 
36 The History of Randleman, N. C. 
 
 JAMES OLIVER PICKARD 
 
 James Oliver Pickard was born October 15, 1844, in Orange 
 County, North Carolina. 
 
 Before coming to Randleman, Mr. Pickard was connected with 
 the Holt Cotton Mills in Alamance, coming from that mill to work 
 for the Randleman Manufacturing Co. In 1879, he, along with J. E. 
 Walker, Amos Gregson and John H. Ferree built the Naomi Falls 
 Manufacturing Co. Mr. Pickard was a Director in the Plaidville 
 Manufacturing Co. and was Superintendent of the Randleman Man- 
 ufacturing Co. 
 
 In 1868 he was married to Margaret Elizabeth Baker of Haw 
 River. To this union were born three children, Annie, James O. 
 and William H. Pickard. James O. married the former Clara Wall 
 and was employed by Reynolds Tobacco Co. for many years. He 
 lived at the home place until his death November 25, 1961. His father 
 died January 31, 1900, and is buried in St. Paul's cemetery. 
 
 ROBERT PEELE DICKS 
 
 Was Secretary and Treasurer of Naomi Falls Manufacturing 
 Co., President of the High Point and Southern Railroad Co., and 
 President of the Southern Association of Plaid Manufacturers. He 
 was born January 22, 1847, at Randleman and was a son of James 
 and Nancy Coltrane Dicks. R. P. Dicks enjoyed exceptionally good 
 educational advantages, having attended Hillsboro Military College 
 and completed his collegiate course at Trinity College. 
 
 At the age of eighteen he began the mercantile business at 
 Walkertown and Lexington, N. C. Three years later he moved to 
 Texas and accepted the position as Traveling Agent for a wholesale 
 druggist of St. Louis, Mo. He traveled extensively over the West 
 for six years. In the meantime he established a wholesale and re- 
 tail drug business for himself at Sherman, Texas. He also leased 
 and operated two hotels and engaged extensively in the cattle and 
 land traffic. During his business life of about ten years in the West 
 he accumulated quite a handsome fortune. In 1882 he returned to 
 his native County of Randolph and assumed control of the Naomi 
 Falls Manufacturing Co. and was appointed Secretary and Treasurer 
 of this company, a position which he held at the time of his death. 
 He owned controlling stock of this company and was also engaged 
 in general merchandise business. 
 
 He was a man of superb business sagacity and was easily a lead- 
 er in every progressive move in his County and State. 
 
 In November, 1871, he married Miss Mary Cornelia, accom- 
 
The History of Randleman, N. C. 37 
 
 plished daughter of Major James P. and Elizabeth Stimson of Lex- 
 ington, N. C. To this union were born five children. Mr. Dicks was 
 a great lover of home and had erected and tastefully furnished a 
 handsome home in Randleman, where he dispersed a delightful hos- 
 pitality. Mr. Dicks died at the early age of forty-one years. 
 
 (A very much reduced sketch from Historical and Biographical 
 Sketches published in 1890). 
 
 STANHOPE BRYANT 
 
 Stanhope Bryant was a native of Richmond, Virginia, a son of 
 Dr. James S. and Harriet Tinsley Bryant, and came to Randleman 
 in 1890. He was before connected with a wholesale drug company 
 in Richmond. After coming to Randleman he established the first 
 drug store in the town, located near the old Randleman home. 
 
 Shortly after his arrival he became connected with the Naomi 
 Falls Manufacturing Co., and was made Secretary and Treasurer 
 of the company. He married Miss Lillian Dicks, daughter of Mr. 
 and Mrs. R. P. Dicks and built the beautiful home on Naomi Street 
 now owned by the P. C. Story family. 
 
 J. C. WATKINS 
 
 J. Clarence Watkins was a native of Montgomery County, having 
 been born at Troy. He was the son of W. H. Watkins, who was at 
 that time manager of the Columbia Manufacturing Co. of Ramseur. 
 
 R. P. DEAL 
 
 R. P. Deal was born in Catawba County, North Carolina, in 
 1872. He began his mill work at Illchester, Maryland, near Balti- 
 more. He later became General Manager of the Siluria Cotton 
 Mills Co., of Siluria, Alabama, where he was located until 1911, 
 leaving that position to become connected with the Deep River 
 Mills, Inc., and Pomona Mills. Mr. Deal remained at the head of 
 the Deep River Mills until it closed in 1930. He died in 1943. 
 
 S. G. NEWLIN 
 
 S. G. Newlin was born in Randolph County in 1856. His first 
 business experience was as a merchant at New Market, where he 
 carried on an extensive business for five years. In 1879 he moved 
 to Randleman where he later served as President of Randleman 
 Manufacturing Co., and Naomi Falls Manufacturing Co. just prior 
 to the organization of the Deep River Mills, Inc. 
 
38 The History of Randleman, N. C. ^^^^ 
 
 A. B. BEASLEY 
 
 Alfred Brinkley Beasley was born five miles west of Asheboro, 
 August 31, 1881. While a small boy, his family moved to Randle- 
 man where he attended school and worked in ipare time in the 
 Powhatan Mill, the Randleman Hosiery Mill operated by A. N. 
 Bulla and the Bargain House which was operated at the time by 
 Mr. Council. 
 
 He worked his way through Trinity, now Duke University, in a 
 dry cleaning plant, later becoming secretary to the faculty. After 
 college he worked for the American Exchange Bank in Greensboro. 
 When The Peoples Building and Loan Association and The Bank 
 of Randleman merged forming the Peoples Bank in 1910, he became 
 the cashier and remained with the bank until his death, at which time 
 he was President. 
 
 "Alf" Beasley, as he was known best, married Miss Ollie Mae 
 Fentress in 1928. He was proud that his bank weathered the de- 
 pression days of the early thirties and when Randleman had no in- 
 dustries, they had a bank; while Greensboro had industries, but 
 every bank was closed. At that time many Greensboro citizens did 
 their banking in Randleman and continued to do so during his 
 lifetime. 
 
 A. B. Beasley worked tirelessly to build Randleman. He served 
 as mayor and worked to get highway 220 through the city. He also 
 worked to get industry in operation and was more active than any 
 other one person in getting a city owned and operated water plant 
 and sewage disposal for Randleman. He died January, 1951. 
 
 P. C. STORY 
 
 Phillip Custer Story was born September 2, 1876 in Ludlow, 
 Massachusetts. He graduated from Palmer High School at the age 
 of 15, after which he worked as office boy, bookkeeper, accountant, 
 overseer, superintendent and general manager of one of the Old 
 New England Textile Manufacturing plants, Palmer Mill at Three 
 Rivers, Massachusetts. He married Ethel Louise Merrell of Collins- 
 ville, Connecticut on June 6, 1900. 
 
 In 1916 P. C. Story moved his family to Randleman where he 
 was superintendent of the Deep River Mills until 1923, after which 
 he went back to Palmer Mill as superintendent until 1926. At this 
 time in his life he moved to New Orleans as General Manager of 
 the Maginnis Cotton Mills. He returned to Randleman in 1930 as 
 General Manager of the Deep River Mills which at the time was 
 
The History of Randleman, N. C. 39 
 
 being operated by the Hunter Manufacturing and Commission Com- 
 pany. 
 
 After the Hunter Company closed their operations, he was man- 
 ager of Randtex and Faytex Mills, Pee Dee Mills and Rhodes 
 Mills. He died March 13, 1957. 
 
 ARCH NIXON BULLA 
 
 Arch Bulla was born in Back Creek township in Randolph 
 County, March 24, 1869, the son of Joseph Chapman Bulla and 
 Lydia Henly Bulla. He attended Guilford College and in 1892 
 married Dora Ellen Julian. 
 
 He organized the first hosiery mill in Randolph County and one 
 of the first in the south, The Randleman Hosiery Mills. He served 
 several terms as mayor of Randleman and during his administrations 
 the first streets were improved and sidewalks laid down. He was in- 
 fluential in getting the first power producing plant in the city. 
 
 Arch Bulla was a Quaker, later joining the Methodist Church; he 
 was also a Mason and served as chairman of the County Commis- 
 sioners at the time the present court house was built. He died Oc- 
 tober 27, 1951. 
 
 UNION FACTORY 
 
 In the year 1848 the following men formed a company and built 
 a cotton mill naming it The Union Factory: Jesse Walker, James 
 Dicks, William Clark, Joseph Newlin, Charles W. Woolen, Samuel 
 Hill, David Coltrane, S. D. Bumpass, Jonathan P. Winslow, Jabez 
 Hodgin, Dougan Clark, Elihue E. Mendenhall, William Hinshaw 
 and Nathan B. Hill. Joseph Newlin was secretary and William 
 Clark was Agent. 
 
 The Union Factory was located just north of Dicks' Mill on the 
 banks of Deep River. , 
 
 RANDLEMAN MANUFACTURING CO. 
 
 In 1868 John B. Randleman and John H. Ferree purchased the 
 Union Factory from George W. Swepson and the name was changed 
 to Randleman Manufacturing Co. Several new buildings were added 
 to the original Union Factory by Mr. Randleman and Mr. Ferree. 
 
 NAOMI FALLS MANUFACTURING CO. 
 
 In 1878 Mr. Randleman suggested to Mr. Ferree that they 
 build another mill on the shoals just below the Randleman Man- 
 
40 The History of Randleman, N. C. 
 
 ufacturing Co., and that they get J. O. Pickard, Logan Weaver and 
 Amos Gregson to form a company with them, however, Mr. 
 Randleman died before the company was formed. In 1879 John 
 H. Ferree, J. E. Walker, J. O. Pickard and Amos Gregson formed 
 the Naomi Falls Manufacturing Co., and the Naomi Mill was 
 built. The mill was completed and on February 24th, 1880, it was 
 dedicated to the service of God by Dr. Braxton Craven and is 
 believed to be the only case in history where such a dedication has 
 taken place. 
 
 POWHATAN MILL 
 
 The Powhatan Mill was established in Randleman in 1886, and 
 was located on the corner of Depot and Main Streets with O. R. 
 Cox, President; J. E. Walker, Secretary and Treasurer. It was 
 established for the purpose of manufacturing colored fabrics. 
 
 The mill was bought in 1894 by Hal M. Worth and James A. 
 McAllister and the name was changed to Engleworth Cotton Mills, 
 being named for both Mr. and Mrs. Worth. It operated seventy 
 plaid looms operating with electric power and had its own mill 
 village. 
 
 COMING OF THE RAILROAD 
 
 In 1887 the High Point, Randleman, Asheboro and Southern 
 Railroad was built through Randleman. The coming of the rail- 
 road was heralded as a great event in the community. It was a 
 great improvement, providing speedy transportation and communi- 
 cation throughout the territory. The roads were none too good at 
 best and quite often impassable in rough weather. The railroad 
 assured the town of quicker handling of freight both in and out. 
 
 On the day of the first train everything in Randleman closed 
 down and the people of the town turned out for a big celebration 
 and saw the first engine come puffiing into Randleman from High 
 Point amid the wild noise of bugles and drums. The town was 
 decorated with banners, and loud cheers met the first train upon 
 its arrival. 
 
 RANDLEMAN HOSIERY MILLS 
 
 In 1893 L. A. Spencer, A. N. Bulla and S. G. Newlin organized 
 the Randleman Hosiery Mills. The hosiery mill was located in the 
 old Spencer Building, on the Northeast corner of South Main and 
 East Brown Streets, but was soon moved to a new building in the 
 
The History of Randleman, N. C. 41 
 
 center of town. The concern manufactured ladies' and children's rib- 
 bed hose and according to the Randolph County Business Directory 
 published in 1894, produced approximately 30,000 dozen pairs an- 
 nually and employed forty people. It was the first hosiery mill in 
 Randolph County. 
 
 PLAIDVILLE MILLS 
 
 The Plaidville Mills were erected in 1887 and were located 
 southwest of the Randleman Manufacturing Co., between St. 
 Paul's Church and the railroad station. 
 
 It was organized by the same interests as the Randleman Man- 
 ufacturing Co., with John H. Ferree owning controlling stock. Mr. 
 Ferree was President; S. G. Newlin, Secretary and Treasurer, and 
 J. O. Pickard, Superintendent. Plaidville operated 175 looms and 
 was engaged in the manufacture of plaids and cottonades. 
 
 MARIE ANTOINETTE 
 
 The Marie Antionette was completed in 1895 and was built by 
 the same interests and controlled by the Randleman Manufacturing 
 Co. This mill was located about half way between the Plaidville 
 Mill and the Randleman Manufacturing Co., and was named for 
 Mr. Ferree's two daughters. 
 
 THE RANDLEMAN STORE CO. 
 
 The Randleman Store Co. was the first store in the town of 
 Randleman and continued as such for a great many years. Being a 
 general store a variety of articles were handled. Almost anything 
 that could be purchased could be had at the Randleman Store Co. 
 After having run the store for a number of years the Randleman 
 Manufacturing Co. sold the store to N. N. and J. N. Newlin in 1881. 
 The two brothers remained active in the business until N. N. New- 
 lin's death in 1935. His death came about in the same year in which 
 his son, Jack Newlin, became an active partner in the store. J. J. 
 Newlin passed away in the early part of 1944, remaining active 
 almost until the time of his death. 
 
 The Randleman Store Co. was located since its inception just 
 above the Randleman Manufacturing Co. in a long three-story 
 frame building. The store moved in 1931 to its present location in 
 the center of town. The building which the store formerly occupied 
 burned to the ground in January, 1940. Grier G. Newlin now 
 operates this 81 -year-old business. 
 
42 The History of Randleman, N. C. 
 
 THE BANK OF RANDLEMAN 
 
 The Bank of Randleman was organized in 1900 with Stanhope 
 Bryant, President, and J. H. Cole, Cashier. Mr. Bryant was suc- 
 ceeded by N. N. Newlin as President and in 1910 the Bank of 
 Randleman was consolidated with the Peoples Bank. 
 
 RANDLEMAN CHAIR COMPANY 
 
 The Randleman Chair Company was organized by John R. 
 Ferree, son of John H. Ferree, about 1905. It operated successfully 
 for a few years and in 1912 was sold to Newton Farlow, then Super- 
 intendent of Schools, Tom Farlow and L. A. Spencer. These men 
 operated the company until about the time of the outbreak of the 
 First World War at which time it was sold to Bob Lambeth of 
 Thomasville. It continued its operation under the new management 
 until about the time the war ended when the machinery and equip- 
 ment were moved to Denton. 
 
 THE PEOPLES BANK 
 
 The Peoples Savings Loan and Trust Company was organized 
 in 1907 with John L. Newlin as President. One or two years later 
 Dr. W. I. Sumner was elected President. 
 
 After three years of operations the Peoples Savings Loan and 
 Trust Company took over the Bank of Randleman and the name was 
 changed to the Peoples Bank. William H. Pickard was later suc- 
 ceeded as President by T. F. Wrenn of High Point. Mr. Wrenn was 
 succeeded by R. P. Deal who served as President of the bank until 
 his death in 1943. A. B. Beasley was then elected President of the 
 bank, he himself being succeeded as cashier by E. S. Bailey. 
 
 RANDOLPH GROCERY CO. 
 
 This company was organized October 12, 1914, by taking over 
 the Smitherman Co., which was a branch of the concern in Greens- 
 boro by the same name. The original incorporators were W. G. 
 Brown, A. B. Beasley, W. R. Roberts, G. H. Ivey, Frank Talley and 
 H. A. Moffitt of High Point. The officers were A. B. Beasley, Pres- 
 ident; Frank Talley, Secretary and Treasurer and General Manager. 
 
 The corporation was dissolved in 1932 and became a partnership 
 between Frank Talley and his brother Ernest Talley who had joined 
 the organization in 1920. 
 
 This is the oldest wholesale grocer in the Piedmont under con- 
 tinuous management, and today covers Randolph, Moore and Mont- 
 gomery counties and part of Davidson, Guilford and Chatham 
 counties. 
 
The History of Randleman, N. C. 43 
 
 DEEP RIVER MILLS, INC. 
 
 In June, 1911, the interests of the Randleman Manufacturing 
 Co., Naomi Falls Manufacturing Co., Plaidville Mill and Marie 
 Antoinette Mill were taken over by the Deep River Mills, Inc., with 
 the following men making up the officials of the company; J. C. 
 Watkins, President and Treasurer; T. A. Hunter, Secretary, and 
 R. P. Deal, Manager. 
 
 The company owned about 300 acres of land, two dams, mill 
 buildings and dwellings. The new company installed an extensive 
 and modern power plant which was used to operate all of this 
 machinery. About 600 people were employed by the Deep River 
 Mills, Inc. 
 
 SALE OF THE DEEP RIVER MILLS, INC. 
 
 On September 25, 1933, the property and machinery of the 
 Deep River Mills, Inc., was sold at public auction. The sale was 
 held in the Mill No. 1 yard and all the properties which were then 
 owned by the Deep River Mills, Inc., were sold. This included the 
 No. 1 group which was formerly known as the Randleman Man- 
 ufacturing Co., and which contained the buildings now used by the 
 Commonwealth Hosiery Mills, Inc., the Quinn Mill, Plaidville and 
 Marie Antoinette Mills. The two latter buildings being used today 
 by the Randolph Underwear Co. The No. 1 group was sold to A. B. 
 Beasley of Randleman and E. W. Freeze, Sr., of High Point. 
 
 The No. 2 mill consisted of the former Naomi Falls Manufactur- 
 ing Co. and included in addition to this the Naomi Roller Mill. The 
 property was sold to R. L. Huffine of Fayetteville, who later trans- 
 ferred the property to the Randtex Mills. 
 
 In addition to the No. 1 and 2 units the Deep River Mills, Inc., 
 had owned and sold on that day property adjoining the No. 1 group 
 which was known as the Company Farm, consisting of approximately 
 200 acres, the Walker Mill property, the Cox Power Plant and several 
 other pieces of property throughout the town. 
 
 In May, 1934, the Commonwealth Hosiery Mills, Inc., of High 
 Point received a shipment of three carloads of knitting machinery 
 which was unloaded and set up in its present location. This was the 
 first payroll which the town of Randleman had had since 1930. 
 
 COMMONWEALTH HOSIERY MILLS, INC. 
 
 Commonwealth Hosiery Mills was incorporated in High Point 
 in October 1916, with J. Elwood Cox as President; A. N. Briggs, 
 Vice-President, and H. A. White, Secretary and Treasurer. Opera- 
 
44 The History of Randleman, N. C. 
 
 tions were begun in a building belonging to the High Point Buggy 
 Factory, which it later purchased and where it operated until 1934. 
 E. W. Freeze, Sr., was elected Secretary and Treasurer in 1919 and 
 took over the active management of the business. The equipment 
 was moved to Randleman in 1934 and E. W. Freeze, Sr., continued 
 as active head of the business until his death on March 3, 1943. 
 Mrs. E. W. Freeze, Sr., of High Point, is President, W. D. Freeze 
 and Baxter Freeze are Vice-Presidents and A. J. Ballinger is super- 
 intendent. 
 
 MACE MANUFACTURING CO. 
 
 The Mace Manufacturing Co. of Brooklyn, N. Y., rented the 
 building directly behind the boiler room of the Commonwealth 
 Hosiery Mills in 1934. The mill was under the supervision of a Mr. 
 Ingstrom and they operated a number of looms making fancy cloth. 
 
 After two years' operation the Mace Manufacturing Co. pur- 
 chased the building formerly known as Plaidville Mill and the 
 equipment was moved, additional machinery being installed in 1936. 
 Mr. Ingstrom was succeeded by a Mr. Thompson. The following 
 year the equipment was moved to Brooklyn, N. Y., and in 1938 the 
 property was sold to Randolph Underwear Co. 
 
 RANDTEX MILLS, INC. 
 
 The Randtex Mills was established in 1934 in the property 
 formerly used as the Deep River Mills No. 2 mill. R. L. Huffine of 
 Fayetteville was President of this corporation and P. C. Story of 
 Randleman was made Manager of the business. The mill manufac- 
 tured fancy colored cotton fabric. 
 
 RANDOLPH LINGERIE 
 
 This company was formerly known as Pinehurst Frocks. It 
 was incorporated May 5, 1936, with W. A. Armfield, President; 
 W. J. Armfield, Jr., Vice-President; and W. J. Armfield, III, Secre- 
 tary and Treasurer. Operations which were begun in Asheboro con- 
 sisted of the manufacture of dresses and house robes. The business 
 was moved to Randleman early in 1938 and changed to the man- 
 ufacture of ladies slips. At the same time the company was moved 
 the name was changed to Randolph Underwear Co., Inc., and the 
 officers were W. J. Armfield, III, President; Howard Sprague, Vice- 
 President, and J. D. Croom, Secretary and Treasurer. 
 
 In January, 1944, I. Schneierson & Sons, Inc., of New York City, 
 purchased the building and machinery. 
 
The History of Randleman, N. C. 45 
 
 On February 1, 1957 the name was changed to A. J. Schneierson 
 & Son, Inc., and continues under the direction of J. F. Parish, Vice- 
 President and General Manager. 
 
 LAUGHL1N FULL FASHIONED HOSIERY MILLS, 
 
 INC. 
 
 The Laughlin Full Fashioned Hosiery Mills was incorporated in 
 1938 with T. L. Laughlin, President and Treasurer; W. J. Armfield, 
 Jr., Vice-President, and A. B. Beasley, Secretary. The company 
 manufactures ladies full fashioned and seamless nylon hosiery. Pres- 
 ident is T. L. Laughlin with N. C. Lowe and W. J. Armfield, Jr., vice- 
 Presidents and E. W. Welborn, Jr., Secretary and Treasurer. 
 
 BURLINGTON MILLS 
 
 Burlington Mills started operating this plant in 1939 as a part of 
 their large expansion into the hosiery field, it became one of the 
 best equipped hosiery plants in the country. Operation was discon- 
 tinued in 1957 and machinery was moved to Burlington's other 
 hosiery plants. The buildings were sold to a group organized to 
 take it over for the operation of United Brass Works, Inc. 
 
 RANDLEMAN PAPER BOX MANUFACTURING CO. 
 
 The Randleman Paper Box Manufacturing Co. was organized 
 January 4, 1939, by Commonwealth Hosiery Mills and W. D. 
 Freeze, who was its active manager. The latest equipment for 
 manufacturing set-up boxes was installed and operated until July, 
 1942, when its employees totaled approximately 40. The business 
 was liquidated in that month due to W. D. Freeze entering the 
 armed services. 
 
 ADORABLE HOSIERY MILLS 
 
 W. G. Oliver started operation of the Adorable Hosiery Mills in 
 August 1951. They are manufacturers of ladies full fashioned nylon 
 hosiery. It started and has continued since with W. G. Oliver being 
 sole owner. 
 
 RANDLEMAN MILLS, INC. 
 
 The Randleman Mills were incorporated in 1941 as a subsidiary 
 of the Susquehanna Silk Mills of Sunburry, Pa., of which Frederick 
 Kloeckener is President. This mill occupied the building originally 
 built by the Naomi Falls Manufacturing Co. and produced cotton 
 
46 The History of Randleman, N. C. 
 
 yams from 30's and 60's in rayon and wool. Since its organization 
 it had been almost entirely in production on materials used by the 
 armed forces. Approximately 15,000 spindles were in operation em- 
 ploying about 200 people. This mill was sold to Cone Mills in 
 1949. 
 
 WEE-SOX HOSIERY MILLS 
 
 Wee-Sox Hosiery Mill was founded in May, 1944, and incor- 
 porated in 1946. It is operated by the same interests that operate 
 Commonwealth Hosiery Mills, manufacturing infants' and children's 
 hosiery. W. D. Freeze is President, Baxter P. Freeze is Vice- 
 President, E. W. Freeze, Jr., is Secretary and Treasurer, and A. J. 
 Ballinger is Superintendent. 
 
 CONE MILLS 
 
 The Cone Mills purchased the Naomi Mill from Randleman 
 Mills, Inc. in 1949 and operated it as a yarn spinning mill until it 
 was leased to J. P. Stevens in late 1956. 
 
 J. P. STEVENS CO. 
 
 This organization grew out of a company organized in 1813 in 
 Andover, Mass., which was started by Nathaniel Stevens. The J. P. 
 Stevens Co. was organized in 1899 by John P. Stevens, grandson 
 of the founder, as a textile selling agent. 
 
 Today the J. P. Stevens Co. operates 54 plants employing more 
 than 35,000 persons. The Randleman plant was obtained from 
 Cone Mills in 1956 and operates an up-to-date synthetic spinning 
 operation. J. D. Huffstetler is plant manager and Bob Wishon is 
 office manager. 
 
 MT. LEBANON 
 
 The ground on which Mt. Lebanon Church stands was deeded to 
 Joseph Causey, a minister. This deed was made on the 28th day of 
 September, 1849. Deeded by James Cooper, G. P. Lineberry and 
 Howgil Julian as Trustees of the Union Society of Methodist Pro- 
 testant, which later became known as Mt. Lebanon Methodist 
 Protestant Church. 
 
 The church was built in the year 1850 by John Gibson. It was 
 the first church to be built in Randleman, then called Union Factory. 
 Among the foremost ones interested in the building of the church 
 were Rev. Z. C. Lineberry, Rastus Lewis, Howgil Julian and Davis 
 Harriey. In the year 1877, under the management of Wilburn 
 
The History of Randleman, N. C. 47 
 
 Wood the church had a membership of 150, many of them relatives 
 of those most active in building the church. 
 
 Mt. Lebanon was a part of Randolph Circuit for several years, 
 being changed to Randleman Circuit in 1920. 
 
 ST. PAUL 
 
 The first place where the Methodists held religious services was 
 at an old house near where the old lngold Hotel stands. A little 
 later they moved to the Bloomfield school house and held class 
 meetings, prayer meetings and preaching. The St. Paul Sunday 
 School was organized at this place by David R. Caudle. 
 
 About the year 1855, the Methodists decided to have a church. 
 A preacher whose name was Tinnin, along with David Caudle and 
 others, organized a Methodist Episcopal Church and called it St. 
 Paul. 
 
 James Dicks donated the ground where St. Paul now stands. 
 Jesse Walker gave $100 and others gave liberally. It was a wood 
 structure and cost about $500. The charter members were Nancy 
 Dicks, David R. Caudle and wife, Rev. C. J. Gregson and wife, 
 and others. 
 
 In 1879 the present building was finished. Peter Clark and 
 Allen Redding did the brick work and Robin Rink, whose real 
 name was Korner, did the painting inside. 
 
 NAOMI METHODIST CHURCH 
 
 In 1883 under the direction of Rev. Amos Gregson for the 
 convenience of the residents of Naomi a series of prayer meetings 
 were held in cottages of the various residents of that community. 
 Soon after this a site was given to the group for the erection of a 
 church and a white frame building put up. This location was about 
 two or three hundred yards south of the present Naomi Church, 
 where the family of W. C. Robbins now lives. 
 
 in 1903 the church which is now used was erected and dedicated 
 the following year. 
 
 Rev. S. M. Bumpass was the first station pastor serving from 
 1883 to 1887. Naomi and St. Paul were served by the same pastor 
 and Rev. Bumpass served both congregations. Some of Naomi's 
 early members active in its organization and its development were 
 the J. E. Walker family, the W. W. Redding family, Mrs. J. T. 
 Bostic and Miss Mary Bostic, the A. W. Vickory family, Rev. Amos 
 Gregson, Samuel E. Bostic, Mr. and Mrs. R. P. Dicks, T. O. Bow- 
 den, J. H. Cole and Stanhope Bryant. 
 
48 The History of Randleman, N. C. 
 
 THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH 
 
 The Christian Church was organized in 1890. The first church 
 was built in the southern part of Randleman. The first pastor was 
 Rev. Bolivar Richardson who served from the time of its organiz- 
 ation until 1892. The church moved to its present location in West 
 Randleman where it now stands in the year 1892 and Rev. Rich- 
 ardson was followed by Rev. E. H. Jarrell. The Sunday School 
 was organized in the year 1895. 
 
 THE PILGRIM HOLINESS CHURCH 
 
 In April, 1901, in a prayer meeting in the home of Mr. and 
 Mrs. Henry Vuncannon, The Apostolic Holiness Church was or- 
 ganized with nineteen charter members. It was part of an inter- 
 national church and missionary organization known as The Apostolic 
 Holiness Union with headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio. After using a 
 brush arbor for about two years, the church purchased the old Naomi 
 Methodist Church building in 1903 for $100. It was torn down and 
 rebuilt at the site of the Country Holiness Church and Cemetery 
 on the Worth ville Road. This building remained until 1960. 
 
 After a number of years and while Rev. Samuel S. Nelson was 
 pastor, the Apostolic Holiness Church purchased the old Bloomfield 
 School property in Randleman, converted the building into a church 
 and parsonage and moved into Randleman. In April 1916, after 
 Rev. W. A. Way became pastor, a tabernacle was built by the side 
 of the church. For 45 years annual camp meetings were held in the 
 tabernacle. The tabernacle was torn down in 1961. 
 
 In March 1961, Rev. James Denny became pastor, a brick ed- 
 ucational building was begun, and plans were made for a new sanc- 
 tuary in the future. 
 
 FIRST METHODIST CHURCH 
 
 The First Methodist Church came into existence January 12, 
 1944, as the result of a ballot cast January 2, 1944, at Naomi 
 Church and at St. Paul on January 9, 1944. The conference merging 
 the two churches was held on January 12, 1944, and a building 
 committee was appointed to carry out the plans for a new church 
 building to serve the consolidated congregations of Naomi and St. 
 Paul Churches. 
 
 THE BAPTIST CHURCH 
 
 The First Baptist Church was organized in 1879 and the building 
 built was donated by the Randleman Manufacturing Co. 
 
The History of Randleman, N. C. 49 
 
 The first pastor serving the church was Rev. J. B. Richardson 
 There were eleven charter members, four of whom were: J. T. Bostic, 
 C. M. Stout, E. C. Burgess and a Mrs. Stevenson. 
 
 In 1945 construction of a new church building was started under 
 the pastorate of Rev. J. I. Memory. A new parsonage was erected 
 on Forest Drive in 1961. The present membership (1962) is over 
 400, and Rev. Fred W. Reece is pastor. 
 
 RANDLEMAN FRIENDS MEETING 
 
 A small group of dedicated Christians organized the Randleman 
 Friends Meeting in 1943. The first meetings were held in Lacy 
 Ferguson's garage on Holder Road. A tract of land where the 
 present Church now stands, on High Point Street, was purchased 
 and Randleman Friends Meeting took on permanent importance in 
 the Christian Life of the community. 
 
 Twenty charter members were received at Plainfield Friends 
 Meeting in 1945 just one week before services were to be started in 
 the new Church. The building, originally a block structure, has 
 been brick veneered and stands today as a monument to those who 
 made sacrifices that it should grow and serve the people in the com- 
 munity. 
 
 THE PLEASANT HILL BAPTIST CHURCH 
 
 The Independent Missionary Baptist Church was organized 
 November 4, 1956 from a mission which had been started August 
 10 of that same year. The Reverend Guerney LeRoy Harrelson 
 was the organizer of this Church which is located on Worthville 
 Street and has about 60 members. 
 
 THE RANDLEMAN LIONS CLUB 
 
 In April 1938 the Randleman Lions Club was sponsored by the 
 Greensboro Lions Club. This twenty-two year old civic club was 
 the first organization of a civic nature in Randleman. 
 
 The Lions Club has sponsored many projects of civic improve- 
 ment and has aided many citizens in sight conservation and sight 
 improvement which is an active program in Lions International. 
 
 THE ROTARY CLUB OF RANDLEMAN 
 
 The Rotary Club of Asheboro sponsored the organization of this 
 civic club in Randleman and the charter was issued in June 1942. 
 The Rotary Club of Randleman is one of 11,000 clubs making up 
 Rotary Intrnational with clubs in (130) countries throughout the 
 world. 
 
50 The History of Randleman, N. C. 
 
 Rotary is a world fellowship of business and professional 
 executives who accept the ideal of services as the basis for happy busi- 
 ness and community life. 
 
 THE RANDLEMAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 
 
 In August 1947, a group of Randleman business men applied 
 for affiliation with the U. S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington, 
 D. C, which was granted to the 65 charter members. The group was 
 incorporated as a non-profit organization in January of 1948. 
 
 This group is non-partisan, non-sectional and non-sectarian and 
 the by-laws state the organization is for the purpose of advancing 
 the commercial, industrial and civic interests in Randleman and its 
 trade area. 
 
 THE WOMAN'S CLUB OF RANDLEMAN 
 
 In December 1947, the Woman's Club of Greensboro sponsored 
 the Woman's Club of Randleman. The object of the organization 
 is to stimulate intellectual development, to promote unity and good 
 fellowship among the women of Randleman, and to strengthen, by 
 organization, individual efforts to further the social, civic and spirit- 
 ual well being of the community. 
 
 The Woman's Club is a member of The North Carolina Federa- 
 tion of Woman's Clubs and the General Federation of Woman's 
 Clubs. 
 
 RANDLEMAN BUSINESS & PROFESSIONAL 
 WOMEN'S CLUB 
 
 This organization was charatered October 1, 1948 and is a mem- 
 ber of the State and National Federation. The purpose of the Busi- 
 ness and Professional Women's Club is to aid in all civic projects, 
 cooperating with all civic groups in worthwhile projects of com- 
 munity betterment. 
 
 This group has shown particular interest and has contributed 
 liberally toward the operation of the Randleman Library. The drapes 
 were donated, books have been provided and assistance in a financial 
 way helped provide the Librarian's salary. 
 
 SUNSET MILLS 
 
 The Sunset Mills was started as a full fashioned operation in 
 1 949. Leland Smith is general manager in charge of the mill. 
 
The History of Randleman, N. C. 51 
 
 THE SCOTTISH BANK 
 
 The Scottish Bank was started March 14, 1939 as a consolidation 
 of the Bank of Red Springs, the Bank of St. Pauls, and the Bank of 
 Lumberton. 
 
 The stock of the Peoples Bank was purchased and merged into 
 the Scottish Bank in December, 1954. John P. Stedman of Lum- 
 berton is the president. The Randleman branch is under the direc- 
 tion of Charles D. Lewis, cashier. 
 
 UNITED BRASS WORKS, INC. 
 
 This was a family organization started in New York City in 
 1910 by the Berkelhammer family. It has been operated for fifty 
 years by the same family, now in the third generation. 
 
 This corporation moved to Randleman in 1958 and has ex- 
 panded its operation, manufacturing brass valves and machine parts 
 to the point of employing about fifty people. The operation is in the 
 plant formerly occupied by Burlington Mills Hosiery Company. 
 
 RANDLEMAN, 1962 
 
 Randleman has an average year-round temperature of about 63° 
 and relative humidity of 74% which would indicate that the city 
 is favored with ideal weather conditions. The average rainfall is 
 about 3.6 inches per month, and town is 735 feet above sea level. 
 The City of Randleman owns and operates a State approved water 
 and sewer system and serves its citizens with water at rates com- 
 parable to other cities in the Piedmont section. Electrical service 
 is rendered direct to the consumer by the Duke Power Company, 
 having an office and display room in Randleman. The North State 
 Telephone Company operates the telephone system, all of which is 
 automatic, including the dial system. The increase in the number of 
 telephones in the Randleman area is typical of the growth of the 
 city in recent years. Since 1941 the number of phones has in- 
 creased over 2000%, from 70 to 1,500, and additional equipment 
 installations will considerably increase the number of phones in the 
 next twelve months. The business houses of Randleman are served 
 by the Carolina and Northwestern Railroad. There are approx- 
 imately eleven trucking lines serving Randleman for both intrastate 
 and interstate hauling. The city is also served by the Queen City 
 Bus Lines, which interchanges with all other major bus lines. 
 
52 The History of Randleman, N. C. 
 
 THE OLD BELL 
 
 The Union Factory was built in 1848. 
 
 In 1868 John B. Randleman (1827-1879) and John H. Ferree 
 (1839-1898) bought the Union Factory and changed the name to 
 Randleman Manufacturing Company. 
 
 It had been a policy of the mill to have a bell rung on the hour 
 all night long. This indicated that the watchman was on the job 
 and not asleep. At three o'clock, the bell rang three times and so on 
 all night long from eight at night until four in the morning, when it 
 rang for several minutes to wake up the employees who went to 
 work at six o'clock. 
 
 The bell tower was located just east of where the present bell is 
 located at the Commonwealth entrance, in a wooden structure. It 
 is believed that the original bell was given to the Holiness Church 
 by Mr. E. W. Freeze, Sr. and Mr. A. B. Beasley about 1935. 
 
 The inscription on the present bell reads as follows: 
 
 IN MEMORY OF 
 
 JOHN B. RANDLEMAN & JOHN H. FERREE 
 
 THE FOUNDERS OF THE 
 
 RANDLEMAN M'F'G. CO., RANDOLPH CO., N. C. 
 
 On the back of the bell it reads: 
 
 McSHANE BELL FOUNDRY 
 
 HENRY McSHANE & CO. 
 
 BALTIMORE, MD. 
 
 TRADE MARK 
 
 1887 
 
 It is the opinion that the old mill burned about 1885 and was 
 immediately rebuilt and that the present bell was purchased by John 
 H. Ferree in 1887. 
 
 In later years (about 1913) the present boiler room and engine 
 room was built and the bell was placed on the roof of that building 
 where it stayed until about 1956. The only time the bell has been 
 used in recent years was at the end of World War II, when the bell 
 was rung for about an hour. 
 
The History of Randleman, N. C. 53 
 
 RANDLEMAN PUBLIC LIBRARY 
 
 The Randleman Public Library was organized in 1941. Miss 
 Claudia Fox served as Librarian until her retirement, Dec., 1956. 
 Mrs. James Sink is now Librarian. The library owns 3,246 books, 
 and carries another 2,500 on loan from the County Library and is a 
 member of the State Inter-Library Loan System. It had a circulation 
 during the years 1960-61 of over 20,000 books. The building and 
 lot it occupies on the corner of W. Academy and Hillary Streets are 
 owned by the library. 
 
McCOLLUM'S GROCERY 
 
 HIGHWAY 220 SOUTH 
 JOE & JACK McCOLLUM, Owners 
 
 Phone 2-1652 RANDLEMAN, N. C. 
 
 McCOLLUM OIL CO. 
 
 FUEL OIL & KEROSENE 
 FUEL TANKS 
 
 Phone OFFICE 2-1652 HOME 5962 
 
 OWNED and OPERATED BY JACK McCOLLUM 
 
 711 S. MAIN ST RANDLEMAN, N. C. 
 
 HILL'S ROLLER RINK 
 
 HIGHWAY 220 3Vz MILES NORTH 
 
 ASHEBORO, N. C. 
 GUY HILL OPERATOR 
 
 ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS 
 
 of 
 ASHEBORO, INC. 
 
 WIRING OF ALL KINDS 
 
 1505 S. Fayetteville St. 
 
 ASHEBORO, N. C. 
 
 Owned & Operated by Night Phone 
 
 Day Phone Lester West, R. K. Hammond MA 9-8778 
 MA 5-2474 MA 5-6700 
 
 L. V. DORSETT SUPERETTE 
 
 GROCERIES— FEEDS— GAS and OIL 
 
 "We Appreciate Your Business" 
 
 Phone 7105 New Salem, N. C. 
 
 54 
 
SHAW'S FURNITURE 
 COMPANY 
 
 Commonwealth St. Phone 3412 
 
 Randleman, N. C. 
 
 SHAW GAS CO. 
 
 LP GAS— THE MODERN FUEL 
 
 Phone— Day 3412 Night 5972 
 
 RANDLEMAN, N. C. 
 
 COMPLIMENTS OF 
 
 SOUTHERN MOTORS AND 
 EQUIPMENT CO. 
 
 The Trademark of Quality Made Famous 
 By Good Implements 
 
 JOHN DEERE SALES & SERVICE 
 
 Phone MA 5-2212 Box 790 
 
 ASHEBORO, N. C. 
 
 55 
 
COMPLIMENTS 
 
 of 
 
 DR. V. F. CHAMBERLAIN 
 
 RANDLEMAN, N. C. 
 
 BORDEN'S 
 
 SERVING QUALITY DAIRY PRODUCTS 
 FOR OVER 100 YEARS 
 
 'IF IT'S BORDENS, ITS GOT TO BE GOOD" 
 
 COMPLIMENTS 
 OF 
 
 PERRY'S 
 DANCELAND 
 
 "THE CAROLINAS FINEST DANCE ARENA" 
 
 THE SCOTTISH BANK 
 
 Member Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation 
 
 FOR BETTER BANKING 
 NOT JUST A SLOGAN, IT'S OUR BUSINESS 
 
 Telephone 7472 Randleman, N. C. 
 
 ROUTH SODA SHOP 
 
 121 N. Main St. 
 
 Randleman, N. C. 
 56 
 
HACKETT BARBER SHOP 
 
 AND 
 
 AIRPORT 
 
 Climax, Route 1 Phone Randleman 2-1955 
 
 BROOKSHIRE BROTHERS 
 
 Phone 7292 
 
 GENERAL AUTO REPAIRING GAS & OIL 
 
 South 220 Randleman, N. C. 
 
 WORTHVILLE STORE Co. 
 
 QUALITY MEATS— POULTRY— FISH 
 GENERAL GROCERIES 
 
 Phone 3022 Worthville, N. C. 
 
 COMPLIMENTS 
 OF 
 
 Claudia & Leon Brammer 
 
 PROPRIETORS OF SOPHIA SANDWICH SHOP 
 
 COMPLIMENTS OF 
 
 LAMARR WELDING & REPAIR 
 
 Established 1945 
 
 Sophia, N. C. Phone 4727 
 
 PUGH FUNERAL HOME 
 
 600 South Main St. 
 
 Randleman, N. C. Asheboro, N. C. 
 
 Phone 7592 Phone MA 5-2171 
 
 57 
 
Mary Joyce s Beauty Salon 
 
 (MARY JOYCE HARRIS, Owner) 
 Phone 5025 Randleman, N. C. 
 
 COMPLIMENTS OF 
 
 HARDIN'S FURNITURE 
 
 Route 2 Randleman, N. C. 
 
 ROUTH OIL COMPANY 
 
 KEROSENE & FUEL OIL 
 
 Climax, N. C. 
 
 4 MILES SOUTH ON HIGHWAY 22 
 
 Phone Julian MU 5-4563 Route 1 
 
 LEWARD COTTON MILLS. 
 
 INC. 
 
 WORTHVILLE, N. C. 
 
 58 
 
Enterprise Oil Co. 
 american oil products asheboro, n. c. 
 
 CENTRAL BAKERY, INC. 
 
 Decorated cakes for all occasions 
 
 CAKES OF ALL KINDS 
 
 Rolls, Cookies, Donuts, Pies, Pastries, Specialty Breads 
 
 122 N. Church St. Telephone 
 
 Asheboro, N. C. Main 5-3239 
 
 Pine Lodge Beauty Salon 
 
 PHONE 8535 RANDLEMAN, N. C. 
 
 D. W. HOLT & COMPANY 
 
 ASHEBORO, N. C. Phone 
 
 MA 5-2067 
 INTERNA TIONA L HAR V ESTER 
 
 NANCE CHEVROLET COMPANY, INC, 
 
 "Since 1923" 
 Phone MA 5-2107 Asheboro, N. C. 
 
 WILLIAMS BEAUTY SALON 
 
 (Mary Williams, Owner) 
 Phone 3603 Randleman, N. C. 
 
 COMPLIMENTS OF 
 
 P. H. (Pat) Martin 
 
 Agent C & W Railway and REA Express 
 
 Randleman, N. C. 
 
 59 
 
Asheboro Plumbing <% Heating Co, 
 
 FURNACES AND OIL BURNERS— HOT WATER SYSTEMS 
 
 BENDIX WASHERS 
 
 Telephone MA 5-6141 1 103 Sunset Ext. Asheboro, N. C. 
 
 SUNSET MILLS 
 
 Randleman, N. C. 
 
 BROOKSHIRE FLORIST 
 
 We wire flowers anywhere 
 F.T.D. Member 
 
 Phone 7422 or 2-1511 
 
 Randleman, N. C. 
 
 Phone 7322 
 
 RANDOLPH GROCERY CO. 
 
 Wholesale only Since 1914 
 
 Randleman, N. C. 
 
 GUILFORD 
 
 YOUR FARMER OWNED HOME TOWN DAIRY 
 
 60 
 
COMMONWEALTH 
 HOSIERY MILLS, INC. 
 
 Ladies' Seamless Hosiery 
 Since 1916 
 
 ♦ 
 
 WEE-SOX 
 HOSIERY MILLS, INC. 
 
 Infants' Hosiery 
 Since 1944 
 
 61 
 
Compliments of 
 
 RUBY'S BEAUTY SHOP 
 
 117 S. Main St. 
 Phone 4262 Randleman, N. C. 
 
 CENTRAL STORE 
 
 RANDLEMAN, N. C. 
 
 Ralph B. Talley 
 
 Insurance of all kinds 
 
 Randleman, N. C. 
 Phone 4211 154 S. Main St. 
 
 Compliments of 
 
 ROADSIDE GARDENS 
 
 Randleman, N. C. 152 River Drive 
 
 Lad & Lassie 
 
 118 Academy St. 
 Phone 5635 Randleman, N. C. 
 
 RANDLEMAN STORE CO. 
 
 Established 1881 
 Grier Newlin, Owner 
 
 Randleman, N. C. 
 Phone 3173 101 N. Main St. 
 
 62 
 
W. F. FANCOURT CO 
 
 QUALITY PRODUCTS 
 
 For 
 TEXTILE PROCESSING 
 
 Since 1904 
 
 63 
 
RANDLEMAN SAVINGS & LOAN 
 ASSOCIATION 
 
 Current Dividend Rate 4% 
 
 Savings Insured Up To $10,000.00 
 
 Randleman, N. C. 
 
 Phone 4211 154 S. Main St. 
 
 Sophia Beauty Shop 
 
 Myrtle D. Hollingsworth, Owner & Operator 
 
 22 Years Experience — Newly Equipped Shop at Home 
 
 Phone 2-1373 Randleman, N. C. Rt. #2 
 
 HINSHAW GROCERY <% HARDWARE 
 
 GAS FEED FERTILIZER 
 
 Phone 5362 RANDLEMAN, N. C. 
 
 PICKARD FUEL CO. 
 
 ICE— COAL 
 ESSO KEROSENE AND FUEL OIL 
 
 PHONE 7432 
 118 DEPOT ST. RANDLEMAN, N. C. 
 
 64 
 
Hilliard Brothers Lumber & Cabinet Shop 
 
 See us for Lumber & Building Materials 
 
 of All Kinds— We Build for You, 
 
 Or Furnish All Materials 
 
 OUR POLICY IS 
 TRY TO PLEASE WITH MATERIALS 
 COURTEOUS SERVICE 
 THANKS FOR YOUR PATRONAGE 
 
 Phone 4141 Randleman, N. C. 
 
 RANDLEMAN GULF SERVICE 
 
 D. R. HAYES PHONE 3155 
 
 COMPLIMENTS 
 
 of 
 
 E. P. CLODFELTER 
 
 Randleman, N. C. 
 
 NORTH STATE MILLING CO., INC. 
 
 MANUFACTURERS OF 
 
 DAILY BREAD FLOUR 
 
 JOY BRAND CORN MEAL 
 
 DISTRIBUTORS OF NUTRENA & CHATHAM FEEDS 
 SECURITY & JOY DOG FOODS 
 
 Phone BR 5-1355 111 W. Bragg St., Greensboro, N. C. 
 
 Compliments 
 
 of 
 
 Dr. H.O. Burnett e 
 
 RANDLEMAN, N. C. 
 
 65 
 
ANDREWS HOME <£ AUTO SUPPLY 
 
 FIRESTONE DEALER 
 
 ONE DAY RECAPPING SERVICE 
 DIAL 5755 RANDLEMAN, N. C. 
 
 Howard's Jewelry 
 
 120 South Main 
 RANDLEMAN, N. C. 
 
 A. J. Parsons Insurance Agency 
 
 INSURANCE OF ALL KIND 
 
 Office Phone Residence Phone 
 
 Randleman 5303 Greensboro OR 4-5586 
 
 ASHEBORO ELECTRIC CO. 
 
 CONTRACTING & REPAIRING— REFRIGERATION SERVICE 
 
 512 S. FAYETTEVILLE ST. 
 Phone MA 5-2266 ASHEBORO, N. C. BOX 716 
 
 Compliments 
 of 
 
 John W .Atwater, Jr., D.D.S. 
 
 138 Scarboro St. Asheboro, N. C 
 
 FOR ALL TYPES OF 
 
 INSURANCE 
 
 LIFE— HOSPITAL— AUTOMOBILE— WORKMAN'S 
 
 COMPENSATION— GENERAL LIABILITIES 
 
 FIRE INSURANCE 
 
 CARL L. KING 
 
 Representative of 
 
 NATIONWIDE INSURANCE COMPANIES 
 
 Office 1 14 Academy St. Randleman, N. C. 
 
 IN SERVICE WITH PEOPLE 
 
 66 
 
J. L. Coble Realty Co. Realtor 
 
 COMPLETE REAL ESTATE SERVICE 
 
 SALES 
 
 MANAGEMENT 
 
 HOME BUILDING 
 
 MORTGAGE LOANS 
 
 APPRAISALS 
 
 I 14 Academy Si. Phone 5302 
 
 JAMES W. PARSONS 
 
 BOOKKEEPING AND TAX SERVICE 
 
 Box 175 Randleman, N. C. 
 
 Auman Brothers Feed & Seed Store 
 
 Feeds Fertilizers 
 
 Diamond Armour 
 
 Statesville Royster 
 
 Robertson 
 ASHEBORO, N. C. 
 
 TEXACO PRODUCTS 
 
 Skychief Gasoline 
 
 Firechief Gasoline 
 Havoline Motor Oil 
 
 Texaco Motor Oil 
 
 P-T Anti Freeze 
 
 Crystallite Kerosene 
 
 Distributed By Allenfield Oil Co. 
 
 ASHEBORO, N. C. 
 
 ROYAL CROWN FAMILY FLOUR 
 
 DAVIS' CORN MEAL 
 
 DAVIS' FEEDS 
 
 W. A. Davis Milling Co. 
 
 HIGH POINT, N. C. 
 
 67 
 
COMPLIMENTS 
 OF 
 
 H. G. Wright Service & Grocery 
 
 COMPLIMENTS 
 OF 
 
 RANDLEMAN 66 SERVICE 
 MILLIKAN FURNITURE CO. 
 
 RANDLEMAN, N. C. 
 NORTH ASHEBORO OFFICE 
 
 THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK 
 
 1541 North Fayetteville Street 
 ASHEBORO, N. C. 
 
 Randleman Laundry Center 
 
 "COMPLETE COIN LAUNDRY & DRY CLEANING" 
 MAIN STREET RANDLEMAN, N. C. 
 
 BELK YATES COMPANY 
 
 HOME OF BETTER VALUES 
 
 Phone 7202 Randleman, N. C. 
 
 PICKETT'S MEN'S SHOP 
 
 ARROW SHIRTS . . . BOTONY 500 . . . DOBBS HATS 
 
 I 15 N. Main St. Randleman, N. C. 
 
 68 
 
ECONOMY DRY CLEANING CO. 
 AND LAUNDRY SERVICE 
 
 Phone 4122 Randleman, N. C. 
 
 COMPLIMENTS 
 OF 
 
 ECONOMY DRUG CO. 
 HAYES CASH GROCERY 
 
 FEED— FERTILIZER—NOTIONS— GAS & OIL 
 
 801 S. Main St. Randieman, N. C. Phone 2482 
 
 LAUGHLIN F. F. HOSIERY 
 MILLS, INC. 
 
 MANUFACTURERS OF 
 
 LADIES 1 FULL FASHIONED 
 
 AND 
 
 SEAMLESS HOSIERY 
 
 RANDLEMAN, N. C. 
 69 
 
Lineberry's Superette 
 t. w. wood's garden seeds 
 
 Phone 5485 Randleman, N. C. 
 
 JO ANNA'S DRESS SHOPPE 
 
 Miss Jo Anna Van Werry, Owner 
 LADIES READY TO WEAR— NOTIONS— GIFTS 
 
 Telephone 7363 Randleman, N. C. 
 
 Memory's Dress Shop 
 Memory 's Beauty Salon 
 
 • SPORTSWEAR • FORMALS 
 
 • CASUALS • COATS & SUITS 
 
 o COORDINATES • LINGERIE 
 
 209 Commonwealth St. Randleman, N. C. Phone 4391 
 
 RANCO WELDING 
 
 W. C. Tilley Highway 220 N. 
 
 Fabrications — Pick-up Beds Replaced 
 
 Textile — Wheel Carts and Trucks 
 
 Mail Box Posts — Sign Posts — Wrought Irons 
 
 Pipe 
 
 Melviris Variety Store 
 
 110 S. Main St. 
 Randleman, N. C. 
 
 Newlin & Swaim Insurance Agency 
 
 Grier Newlin Elizabeth Swaim 
 
 101 N. Main St. 
 Phone 3173 
 
 70 
 
COMPLIMENTS OF 
 
 ODELL HARDWARE CO. 
 
 Established 1872 
 
 GREENSBORO, N. C. 
 
 'EXCLUSIVE WHOLESALE 
 DISTRIBUTORS" 
 
 71 
 
TO OUR MANY FRIENDS 
 
 IN RANDOLPH COUNTY 
 
 THANK YOU 
 
 Serving this area for over 40 years 
 CLINARD MILLING CO. HIGH POINT, N. C. 
 
 MEMORIALS 
 
 High quality memorials distinguished by 
 
 select quality and lasting beauty. 
 
 All types of Granite and Marble Memorials cut to order. 
 
 Cemetery Lettering & Cleaning 
 
 Box 483 RANDOLPH MEMORIAL CO. Phone 7781 
 
 Compliments of 
 
 Gamble's Service & Grocery 
 
 Highway 220 N. 
 
 COMPLIMENTS 
 OF 
 
 JACK WEAVERS GRILL 
 
 COMPLIMENTS OF 
 
 PUGH OIL COMPANY 
 
 Petroleum Products 
 
 Phones: Day— MA 5-3476— MA 5-4090 
 Night— MA 5-4090 
 ASHEBORO, N. C. 
 
 SCOTT BOOK STORE, INC. 
 
 140-42 S. Fayette ville St. 
 ASHEBORO, N. C. 
 
 Books, Bibles, Cards, Stationery, Games, Gifts 
 
 Toys, Magazines, Papers, Portable Typewriters 
 
 Office, School Supplies 
 
 Telephone Main 5-5101 
 
 "WHEN IN TOWN, STOP BY SCOTTS" 
 
 72 
 
THE AG RICO 
 
 179 field comparisons take the guesswork 
 out of fertilizer results on corn 
 
 rr 179 practical, authentic field comparisons with other fertiliz- 
 ers over a two year period, Agrico averaged 6 extra bushels 
 of corn and made $7.03 extra profit per acre. In each comparison, 
 the fertilizers were applied at the same time, in the same way, on 
 the same field. 
 
 What made this difference in extra bushels and profits? Unlike 
 general-purpose fertilizers, each of Agrico's local formulations 
 meets the particular needs of a specific crop, soil and area. And 
 these are based on over 750,000 studies of the plant food require- 
 ments of soils on thousands of farms. 
 
 Contact your nearby Agrico agent today and 
 get a higher return on your fertilizer dollar 
 
 AGRICO 
 
 Made only by The American Agricultural Chemical Co. 
 
 73 
 
COMPLIMENTS 
 OF 
 
 RITCHIE'S MOTEL 
 
 Highway #220 
 
 Randleman, N. C. 
 
 Asheboro Concrete Products Co. 
 
 Manufacturers Distributors 
 
 Solite Masonry Blocks Building Materials 
 
 Phone MA 5-5161 
 
 Asheboro, N. C. 
 
 HOUGHS SHOE STORES 
 
 Shoes for the Entire Family 
 Randleman, N. C. Asheboro, N. C. 
 
 Polly -Ann Beauty Shop 
 
 201 E. Naomi St. 
 Phone 4842 Randleman, N. C. 
 
 A & F VENDING k 
 MUSIC SERVICE 
 
 Randleman, N. C. 
 
 122 S. Main St. 
 
 74 
 
 Phone 5822 
 
•••• •••• •••• 
 
 * M Stevens.m * 
 
 • ^^ Fabrics M • 
 
 ••*••••••••• 
 
 Stevens® 
 
 Fine Fabrics 
 
 Since 
 
 RANDLEMAN PLANT 
 RANDLEMAN, N. C. 
 
 *••• •••• •*•• 
 
 • m Stevens^ * 
 
 • ■ * 
 
 • '•L Fabrics m * 
 
 • ^L. S * 
 
 • ^ — -^ • 
 •*••*••*•••• 
 
 J. P. STEVENS k CO., INC. 
 
 SYNTHETICS DIVISION 
 
 SYNTHETICS DIVISION EXECUTIVE OFFICES 
 GREENSBORO, N. C. 
 
 75 
 
FOOD LINE 
 SUPER MARKETS 
 
 RANDLEMAN— ASHEBORO— RAMSEUR 
 LOW CASH PRICE— PLUS FAMILY STAMPS 
 
 NORTH STATE TELEPHONE CO. 
 
 Supplying 
 RANDLEMAN AND ADJACENT AREAS 
 
 With 
 LOCAL AND LONG DISTANCE TELEPHONE SERVICE 
 
 76 
 
Compliments of 
 
 KLOPMAN MILLS, INC. 
 
 Asheboro Plant 
 
 Compliments of 
 
 UNITED BRASS WORKS, INC. 
 
 Randleman, N. C. 
 
 Greeson's Amoco Service Station 
 
 Recapping and Tire Service 
 
 Wrecker Service 
 
 Phone 3272 RANDLEMAN, N. C. Night 4912 
 
 G. P. UPTON GROCERY 
 
 Prompt Delivery Service 
 
 Phone 3493 RANDLEMAN, N. C. 
 
 M & M MOTOR CO. 
 New & Used Cars 
 
 Phone 4182 R.F.D. 3 
 
 Highway 220 North Randleman, N. C. 
 
 DAINTY BISCUIT 
 
 FLOUR 
 
 The Flour With Lightness Milled In 
 
 11 
 
A. J. SCHNEIERSON & SON 
 
 INC. 
 
 Manufacturers of the Famous 
 
 BEAUTY-LOOM 
 
 SLIPS 
 
 Factories 
 
 RANDLEMAN, N. C. SILER CITY, N. C. 
 
 SANFORD, N. C. DENTON, N. C. 
 
 BALFOUR, N. C. 
 
 Compliments of 
 
 Lee Petty Engineering 
 
 Co. 
 
 Randleman, N. C. 
 
 78 
 
Phone 7513 
 
 CIRCLE INN 
 
 Home of Home Cooked Meals 
 
 Specialty — Country Ham 
 
 Owners 
 Neal & Tom Routh 
 
 Intersection — 220 & 311 
 
 South of Randleman, N. C. 
 
 CITY OF RANDLEMAN 
 
 NORTH CAROLINA 
 GRIER G. NEWLIN, Mayor 
 
 Aldermen: 
 JAMES STEED 
 NEAL ROUTH 
 
 ARTHUR R. RUSSELL, JR. 
 
 DR. J. D. GROSECLOSE 
 
 W. I. GIBSON 
 
 79 
 
"Service Above Self" 
 
 ROTARY CLUB 
 
 OF 
 
 RANDLEMAN, N. C. 
 
 Organized June, 1942 
 
 Richard E. Johnson Retiring President 
 
 Jim Coble Retiring Secretary 
 
 James Hanner President Elect 
 
 Jim Coble Secretary Elect 
 
 Harvey Adams General Contracting 
 
 Clyde Allred Hardware Retailing 
 
 Albert Ballinger Hosiery Manufacturing, Seamless 
 
 Ed Brown Printing 
 
 R. E. Brown Past Service (Railroad Transportation) 
 
 T. E. Brown Electric Lights & Power 
 
 Gene Bulla Groceries, Retailing 
 
 Fletcher Causey Education, High Schools 
 
 Parris Clodfelter Tobacco Farming 
 
 Jim Coble Public Accountant 
 
 W. K. Cromartie Public Schools Superintendent 
 
 Arlie Culp Soil Conservation 
 
 Tremaine Fields Hairdressing Supplies 
 
 E. W. Freeze Senior Active (Ladies Seamless Hosiery) 
 
 W. I. Gibson Education, Colleges 
 
 James Hanner F. F. Hosiery Manufacturing, Office 
 
 Bob Hayes Senior Active 
 
 C. W. Henley Radio Equipment Retailing 
 
 Steve Holland Insurance General 
 
 Dock Johnson F. F. Hosiery & Finishing 
 
 Richard Earl Johnson Dairy Farming 
 
 Jim King Drugs Retailing 
 
 Jim Lineberry Mercantile 
 
 Watson Millikan Household Furnishings Retail 
 
 Vernon Morrison Education Elementary 
 
 Grier Newlin Real Estate 
 
 Joe Parrish Lingerie Manufacturing 
 
 Gene Petty Cotton Industry Weaving 
 
 James Pickard Fuel Oil Retailing 
 
 Bill Pugh Building Construction 
 
 John Pugh Funeral Directing 
 
 Dave Reynolds Vocational Agriculture 
 
 Charles Sanford Industrial Supplies 
 
 Clifford Tilley Metal Working Industry 
 
 A. A. Wall Student Guidance Counselor 
 
 Gathier Wright General Merchandise Retailing 
 
 HONORARY MEMBERS 
 
 Cletus Brookshire Malpheus Hinshaw 
 
 John Fox Earl Johnson 
 
 "He Profits Most Who Serves Best" 
 80