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Entrepreneurship of Hertford County’s Newsom and Hall Family

Portrait of Marvin Tupper Jones organizing recovered materials from the Newsom Store.
Portrait of Marvin Tupper Jones organizing recovered materials from the Newsom Store.

Historically, Hertford County is home to people with Indigenous and African American backgrounds. The community has always been fairly small and like a lot of small farming communities in the South, Hertford County has seen lots of people move out of town and not return. However, there is still a community that is proud to live in Hertford County due to the natural beauty and rich history of the area.

Residents like Marvin Tupper Jones, are passionate about unearthing and preserving the legacies of former members in the surrounding tri-cities area of Hertford County. The North Carolina Digital Heritage Center had the privilege to partner with the Chowan Discovery Group and gain insight about the entrepreneurship of the Newsom and Hall families in Ahoskie. Willian David Newsom (1822-1916) is described as being a born-free North Carolinian who would later become a teacher, farmer and storekeeper. He was also once the largest landowner of the Winton Triangle community (Winton-Cofield-Ahoskie).After the passing of Newsom, his son-in-law, James Hall (1877-1932), took over the family store and also co-founded the Atlantic District Fairgrounds in Ahoskie. Physical remnants of the Newsom and Hall families are seen throughout these materials.

Photograph of the Newsom family store that is now abandoned and in poor shape.
The Newsom family store in Hertford County, NC.

This batch also gives a look inside recordkeeping in the early 1900’s through invoices, checks and ledgers associated with the family general store family store. In spite of the family store’s current condition, at one point in time, people were shopping and congregating here; we have lots of receipts.

Business was handled in the store, but learning also took place as well. There are materials like a biology notebook, a parent-student education guidebook, and copies of the “North Carolina Record: The Official Publication of North Carolina Negro Teachers Association”. Do not fret, the Newsom and Hall families were not all work not play. A fraternal social club pamphlet was recovered, indicting affiliation with the Grand Lodge of Raleigh North Carolina. Altogether, this batch shows the complexities of black thought and life in and around Hertford County.

To learn more about our partners, the Chowan Discovery Group please visit their website.


New Paper, the Hertford County Herald, Now Available

An advertisement for Ahoskie Department Store in the March 9, 1923 issue.

The Hertford County Herald, courtesy of Chowan University, is the newest paper available on DigitalNC, with issues up that span the years 1914-1923. The Hertford County Herald was established in 1910, and was published in the town of Ahoskie, North Carolina. The paper, which came out every Friday, was comprised of 8 dense pages to keep residents of Hertford County informed.

The Hertford County Herald covered news primarily in Ahokie and surrounding towns in Hertford County, such as Winton, Murfreesboro, and Como. Included were stories about the economy, agricultural conditions, politics, social events and meetings, fashion trends, and more. The paper also had a section called “State News in Digest” that covered a wide range of news from across North Carolina, and advertisements from local and regional businesses.

To see more materials from Chowan University, visit their DigitalNC partner page, or take a look at their website.


The Perquimans Weekly, 1934-1977, Devoted to the Upbuilding of Hertford and Perquimans County

We’ve worked with a new partner, Perquimans County Library (part of the Pettigrew Regional Library), to share over 40 years’ worth of The Perquimans Weekly newspaper online. Published out of Hertford, N.C., The Perquimans Weekly includes news from Hertford, Belvidere, New Hope, Winfall and other local towns. Issues from 1934-1977 are now DigitalNC.

Interesting issues that caught our eye include the August 26, 1938 issue, which describes the opening of a bridge spanning Albemarle Sound. There was a huge parade and celebration of “new activity, new life, new contacts” brought by the bridge.

Headline from August 26, 1938 issue of The Perquimans Weekly

Headline from August 26, 1938 issue of The Perquimans Weekly

We also saw a few articles recognizing Perquimans native and Major League baseball player Jim “Catfish” Hunter, like one from October 26, 1972 covering Jimmy Hunter Day.

The ongoing restoration of the Newbold-White House, which dates from 1730 and is one of the oldest historic houses in North Carolina still standing, was a multi-year project that involved fundraising and promotion. In the Weekly, we found articles describing the house’s nomination for the National Register, the local Restoration Association’s successful drive to fund its restoration, and ongoing coverage of the restoration work, including the making of the shingles.

Excerpt from the November 28, 1974 issue of The Perquimans Weekly

Excerpt from the November 28, 1974 issue of The Perquimans Weekly

This is the first community paper nominated from the far northeast corner of the state and we hope to hear from more institutions in that area. You can search The Perquimans Weekly together with many other titles on our Newspapers collection page.


Handbooks, Reports and More from Roanoke – Chowan Community College!

Zoning Map of Roanoke - Chowan Community College

Zoning Map for Roanoke – Chowan Community College in October 1973.

Digital NC is excited to add new materials from our partner Roanoke – Chowan Community College to our collection. Founded in 1967, Roanoke – Chowan Community College is a two-year community college located in Hertford County, North Carolina. The new items added to our collection include status reports from 1969 and 1975, handbooks related to the goals and objectives of the community college from 1978 – 1979, and long-range plans from the 1990s.

Most interesting in the collection are the expansion plans for R-CCC, including the October 1973 Master Plan. The Master Plan details the new projected additions, such as new classrooms and buildings that would benefit the community college and the community of Hertford County as a whole.

Currently, the community college offers associate degrees in numerous fields and transfer options to different colleges across the state of North Carolina. Visit their website here to learn more about Roanoke – Chowan Community College. You can also find other materials in our R-CCC collection on our website.

Special thanks again to Roanoke – Chowan Community College for their partnership!


New Additions of Ahoskie High School Yearbooks and Newspapers Now Available

Inside cover of the 1966 Ahoskie High School yearbook depicting the school grounds and students.

Inside cover of The Chief, 1966.

Nine Ahoskie High School yearbooks and three commemorative issues of Ahoskie based newspapers have been digitized and added to DigitalNC thanks to our partner, Ahoskie Woman’s Club.

Photo of two Ahoskie High School students awarded the senior superlative for "Most Popular".

“Most Popular” senior superlative winners, The Chief, 1963.

The newly added yearbooks from Ahoskie High School, known as The Chief after the school’s mascot, span the years 1952-1969, giving a glimpse of mid-century teen life.

The newspaper additions include:

1939 Hertford County Herald, Historical Edition

1959 The Herald, Milestone Edition

1993 The News-Herald, Ahoskie Centennial

Each commemorative issue gives extensive historical background on Hertford County, North Carolina. The Historical Edition and Ahoskie Centennial focus on the town of Ahoskie, covering the time before it’s incorporation in 1893 and all major local and national events leading to it’s centennial year. The Milestone Edition delves into 200 years of Hertford County history, including cultural, societal, and economic shifts in the towns of eastern North Carolina.

An area to note is Section G of the Hertford County Herald as it describes the history of Hertford County’s Black residents.

 

Photo of Ahoskie High School chorus director and student at a piano.

Chorus director and student, The Chief, 1968.

Photo of three Ahoskie High School students dressed up as "Halloween Queens".

“Halloween Queens”, The Chief, 1956.

Clipping of Hertford County Herald newspaper describing the history of agriculture in Hertford County, N.C.

History of agriculture in Hertford County, Hertford County Herald, August 17, 1939.

Newspaper clipping of a photo of the oldest Black church in Ahoskie, New Ahoskie Baptist.

Renaming of the oldest Black church, The News-Herald, July 2, 1993.

To view more materials from Ahoskie Woman’s Club, visit their partner page here and to learn more about the club itself, visit their Facebook page here. To see other high school yearbooks, visit our North Carolina Yearbooks collection, or to view more newspapers, visit our North Carolina Newspapers collection.


Ahoskie High School Scrapbooks on DigitalNC from our new partner Ahoskie Woman’s Club

students and chaperones in a group photo with the US Capitol in the background

Part of the Ahoskie High School Senior Class of 1958 on a trip to Washington D.C.

DigitalNC is proud to welcome our new partner, the Ahoskie Woman’s Club. Located in Hertford County, having them as a contributor adds to our growing list of those who represent the Inner Banks region of the state. Their first contribution is a new batch of scrapbooks and materials, mostly containing newspaper clippings about Ahoskie High School, primarily dating from 1953 to 1961. This marks their first contribution to the collections on DigitalNC outside of yearbooks.

headline Ahoskie Teams Win with two photos of the team members

Newspaper clipping celebrating the championship victories of the Ahoskie sports teams

Most of these scrapbooks are arranged chronologically, including information about Ahoskie High School in the 1950s. Most articles are about the school football team, the Ahoskie Indians, and how they did those years. A few of the articles also relate to school clubs, other school sports teams, or school events themselves. On one page, newspaper clippings mention faculty positions being filled at Ahoskie High School, a speaker from East Carolina University coming to speak to Hertford County teachers, and the Ahoskia PTA holding film viewings.

These scrapbooks give us a glimpse of what the high school experience was like for Ahoskie High School students at the time. To see more from the Ahoskie Woman’s Club, please visit their partner page or check out their website.


Newspapers Selected for Digitization, 2017-2018

The following microfilmed newspapers were selected for digitization in 2017-2018. Thanks to supplemental funding from the State Library of North Carolina, we were able to complete more reels than in previous years. Reels were chosen from nominations according to our Criteria for Selecting Newspapers to Digitize from Microfilm.

Title Years Nominating Institution
Alamance Gleaner (Graham, N.C.) 1927-1947 Alamance County Public Libraries
Carolina Indian Voice (Pembroke, N.C.) 1977-1995 UNC Chapel Hill
Carteret County News-Times (Morehead City, N.C.) 1948-1960 Carteret County Public Library
Charlotte Post 1971-1987 Johnson C. Smith University
The Cherokee Scout (Murphy, N.C.) 1944-1988 Murphy Public Library
Duplin Times (Warsaw, N.C.) 1962-1985 Duplin County Library
Enterprise (Williamston, N.C.) 1934-1942 Martin Memorial Library
Farmville Enterprise 1942-1947 Farmville Public Library
Franklin Press and the Highlands Maconian (Franklin, N.C.) 1943-1960 Fontana Regional Library
The Franklin Times (Louisburg, N.C.) 1925-1944; 1963-1969 Louisburg College
Hertford County Herald (Ahoskie, N.C.) 1914-1923 Chowan University
Journal-Patriot (North Wilkesboro, N.C.) 1947-1950 Wilkes County Public Library
Mount Airy News 1917-1929 Surry Community College
News-Record (Marshall, N.C.) 1976-1988 Madison County Public Library
Perquimans Weekly (Hertford, N.C.) 1944-1989 Perquimans County Library
Pilot (Southern Pines, N.C.) 1948-1965 Southern Pines Public Library
The Roxboro Courier (Roxboro, N.C.) 1927-1935 Person County Public Library
Smithfield Herald 1901-1911 Johnston County Heritage Center
Transylvania Times (Brevard, N.C.) 1933-1940 Transylvania County Library
Watauga Democrat (Boone, N.C.) 1950-1963 Watauga County Public Library
Waynesville Mountaineer 1952-1956 Haywood County Public Library
Winston-Salem Chronicle 1997-2016 Forsyth County Public Library

More than 60 high school yearbooks added to DigitalNC

Faculty portraits in the 1963 Longhorn by Woodington High School.

More than 60 high school yearbooks provided by Eastern Carolina University are now up on DigitalNC. The schools represented are located across central and eastern North Carolina and include schools from Pitt County, Franklin County, Stokes County, Washington County, Hertford County, Lenoir County, Martin County, Halifax County, Wilson County, and Johnston County. The dates of these yearbooks range from 1927-1970. Together, they give an overview of secondary education across the state, with many of the editions covering the time surrounding desegregation efforts. These yearbooks include individual and class portraits as well photographs documenting activities, clubs, sports, and academics.

Senior portraits from the Kay Aitch Ess 1927 yearbook by Grainger High School

Follow the links below to browse yearbooks from the schools included in this batch:

To see more materials from our partner who provided these yearbooks, visit East Carolina University’s partner page, or take a look at their website.


Over 10 Years of Perquimans Weekly Issues Added to DigitalNC!

Newspaper title header that reads: The Perquimans Weekly.

Thanks to our partners, Perquimans County Library and Pettigrew Regional Library, as well as funding from the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA), a massive batch of The Perquimans Weekly adds 10+ years worth of issues to DigitalNC! This batch expands our current holdings to include the years: 1989 to 1992 and 2010 to 2020.

Individual wearing a wicker hat, white outfit with a red rose on their left shoulder, and American flag on the right side of their chest, and red gloves, riding a horse.

Below the photo the caption reads: Linda McRae of Elizabeth City rides in style.
Linda McRae of Elizabeth City rides in style [The Perquimans Weekly, March 23, 2011]

Commemorating the migration of Quakers from Perquimans County to the Northwest Territories during the late 18th and early 19th centuries, individuals donned their best Quaker costumes and hopped on their horses or into their horse-drawn buggies and wagons to participate in the Friends to Freedom Wagon Train that traveled through Perquimans County from March 17th to 20th in 2011.

The first two days of the event were set aside for riding the planned 25 mile trail. They started their journey at the Newbold-White House campsite, making stops in Beech Springs, Belvidere, Bagley Swamp, and Winfall. In Belvidere, around 400 people came out to celebrate the train with vendors, live entertainment, wagon rides, food, and promotion of the area’s historical homes and buildings.

On the last leg of the journey, the Train took the Causeway and historic S bridge to parade through Hertford before finally coming back to the Newbold-White House. The final day of the event ended with breakfast, a church service, and a driving course competition at the Newbold-White House site.

Photograph of individuals in a parade formation. At the very front of the parade is an individual riding a motorized scooter in a Quaker outfit. Behind that person some people are in buggies and wagons being pulled by horses and others riding on horses. Some people are waiving American flags. People are on the sidewalks taking pictures with their phones or waving to the people in the parade.

Below the photograph the caption reads: The Friends to Freedom Wagon Train rolls into historic downtown Hertford Saturday, greeted by a large, appreciative crowd.
The Friends to Freedom Wagon Train rolls into Historic downtown Hertford […] [The Perquimans Weekly, March 23, 2011]

To view more issues of The Perquimans Weekly, please click here.

To learn more about the Perquimans Public Library, visit their website here.

To view more newspapers from across North Carolina, please click here.


New Perquimans Weekly Papers Published Presently

Thanks to our partners at Perquimans County Library and our staff at our Elizabeth City State University location, a brand new batch of the Perquimans Weekly issues have now been uploaded! The Perquimans Weekly has served Hertford and the surrounding area since 1934, posting every Wednesday for almost a hundred years. This batch spans from 2004 to 2009, and is the newest in a series of uploads that stretches back to the paper’s first year.

The title block of The Perquimans Weekly, including highlights of articles contained in this issue.

As a weekly local paper, Perquimans Weekly contained a strong focus on local events, people, and stories. These papers are full of reports on local school sports, editorials and opinion pieces on county politics, and advertisements for annual festivals. There’s also a focus on stories occurring on a state and even national level: reporters pay special mind to the 2008 election cycle, and the effects of the 2008 financial crisis can be felt throughout the period.

Still, these issues of Perquimans Weekly reflect the joy of life in Hertford. Reporters describe children going on ghost tours during Halloween, the Lady Tigers’ vollyball victories, and the meetings of the Chrome Pony Mustang Club. These articles reflect the many facets of life in the area, providing context for how Hertford has changed (yet stayed the same) throughout the decades.

A photo of two men dressed in 18th century outfits lit by candlelight with an accompanying news blurb.

This upload brings NC Digital one step closer to having a comprehensive database of the Perquimans Weekly’s entire record. You can read through NC Digital’s collection here, get up to date issues at the Perquimans Weekly website here, or visit the Perquimans Public Library website here.


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