TownTalk: Voluntary Ag Districts Benefit Local Farmers

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Statistics back up the anecdotal evidence – rural landscapes, once dotted with crops and livestock pastures, are changing. The seemingly endless rows of corn, cotton or tobacco have been replaced with homes and subdivisions right here in our own back yards.

North Carolina has a program that serves to protect and preserve existing farmland. Of the state’s 100 counties, 90 have established voluntary agricultural districts as a way to preserve farmland and to let prospective neighbors know what it means to live near a working farm.

Granville County is one of the newest participants in the VAD. Kim Woods spoke with John C. Rose on Monday’s Town Talk to share details about the program. Woods said that North Carolina ranks in the top five states in the nation in terms of loss of agricultural land in recent years.

Woods is the livestock agent for N.C. Cooperative Extension in Granville and Person counties. The Granville office is the lead agency for establishing the VAD, she said. The former unit director started the process, and after he retired, Woods said she continued to work with the local advisory board to finish the process.

Many North Carolina counties have a rich history of agriculture and farming, and VADs are a way “for counties in North Carolina to promote and enhance agriculture,” she said. There’s a pride factor involved, too, in promoting the importance of agriculture.

“Agricultural land provides our food and fiber that we need to survive,” Woods said. It also preserves desirable greenspace in the landscape, she noted.

In addition, the VAD offers some protection of farmland, ensuring that it will remain in use as productive farmland. But a VAD also serves to inform people who may be looking to purchase property in the county just where those farms are located.

Woods has lived on a farm her whole life and she and her husband currently live on that farm in nearby Orange County. And she well knows that farming is not an 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. proposition – the drone of irrigation pumps running late into the night to deliver crop-saving water, she said, is just one of the many sounds a farm may produce. The dust from tractors in the summertime, bawling calves at weaning and other sights, sounds and smells that emanate from a working farm are just part of the territory.

“I don’t see a negative to this program,” Woods said, adding that her Orange County farm is in the VAD. “I wouldn’t be promoting something I don’t agree with,” she said.

The enrollment process is simple. Landowners complete a basic application that is submitted to the local VAD advisory board. Upon approval, the application passes through a couple of other county groups – mostly a formality. There is no cost to enroll, but Woods said a VAD sign would be available for $25; additional signs to mark other tracts would cost $50 each.

Although the farmer agrees to keep his land in agricultural use for 10 years when he or she enrolls in the VAD, that decision can be reversed at any time, Woods said, without penalty.

Landowners also sign a conservation agreement that goes along with the application. Farmers enrolled in the VAD can get a higher reimbursement rate on cost-share programs to improve their land, such as fencing livestock out of ponds and creeks.

A VAD can reduce the possibility of new neighbors complaining about living too close to a farm – Woods said the county’s computerized GIS will let prospective buyers know if the land they’re interested in is within one mile of a VAD-enrolled farm.

According to its website, there are 12,000 farms currently enrolled in VADs across the state. Granville and Warren counties have “regular” VAD ordinances; Franklin County established an enhanced VAD, which means that landowners have the choice to upgrade their commitment to the VAD; they may not un-enroll within the 10-year period, but must wait until that time has elapsed.

Vance County does not have a VAD ordinance.

To learn more about the Granville VAD, contact Woods by phone 919.603.1350 or via email at Kim_woods@ncsu.edu. Visit http://www.ncagr.gov/Farmlandpreservation/VAD/ to learn more about the statewide program.

 

 

 

TownTalk: Vance GOP Chair Barrier Planning 9/11 Memorial Event

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So many Americans can remember exactly where they were and what they were doing on that morning almost 20 years ago when the 9/11 attacks occurred.

When Jimmy Barrier realized that there were no local plans to commemorate the 20th anniversary of that fateful day, he wasn’t about to let the day go unnoticed.

Barrier, chairman of the Vance County GOP, has planned a public memorial event on Saturday, Sept. 11 in Henderson to honor those whose lives were lost in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania.

“It was almost like war,” Barrier told John C. Rose on Thursday’s Town Talk, as he recalled the events of that day in 2001. “It was unfathomable to people – people were horrified by it and didn’t know what was going on.”

Anyone old enough to remember may have similar feelings as Barrier, but for those who may be too young to remember, Barrier said he wants to hear about what they think about the events of 9/11.

The public is invited to attend the event, which will begin at 10 a.m. and should run until about noon. It will be held outside the American Legion hut on Garnett Street and will include music and several different speakers, from local youth to state-level politicians.

Barrier said it’s actually an event for military veterans, firefighters, law enforcement officers and other front-line workers – people in these fields “who right now are the backbone and strength of America.”

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One of the speakers is Will White, a 15-year-old from Henderson. Barrier said it’s important to hear the perspective of someone who wasn’t even alive in 2001.

Although Barrier said he is still working out details of the morning’s agenda, he said local pastor Bruce LeGates will offer an opening prayer, and Stephanie Cole is scheduled to sing the National Anthem. Steve Wilson is set to sing the Lee Greenwood hit “God Bless the U.S.A.” and Ronnie Lassiter, a retired firefighter and Navy veteran also is scheduled to speak.

If his schedule permits, Trey Allen, a UNC law professor and a candidate for the N.C. Supreme Court, will pay a visit to the event, Barrier noted.

And he’s invited Police Chief Marcus Barrow and Vance Sheriff Curtis Brame, as well as members of all the volunteer fire departments to come and have a presence at the event.

WIZS will broadcast the event live.

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TownTalk: Parolees and those on Probation Can Register to Vote in NC

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DEVELOPING…

State and local boards of elections are bound to comply with a court order issued Monday that restores voting privileges to convicted felons who are no longer incarcerated but are still on parole or probation.

Patrick Gannon, public information director for the N.C. Board of Elections told WIZS News Wednesday, “We are required to comply with court orders, so those who are (on) probation, parole, or post-release supervision are able to re-register to vote at this time.”

If the ruling stands, more than 55,000 people in North Carolina would be allowed to re-register to vote, Gannon noted. A three-judge panel of Wake County Superior Court entered a preliminary injunction Monday to restore voting rights to all North Carolinians on felony probation, parole or post-release supervision.

The ruling stems from a lawsuit Community Success Initiative v. Moore, which claimed that convicted felons who were no longer incarcerated but still on parole or probation, were unfairly denied restoration of their right to vote. Previously, convicted felons no longer in jail or prison were not allowed to register to vote if they were still on parole or probation.

Gannon said state elections board attorneys are reviewing the decision.

“If a court were to reverse the preliminary injunction, we would need to work with the department of public safety to update the felon data that we receive,” Gannon said.

It would fall to county boards of elections to perform regular list maintenance to remove ineligible voters.

Boards of elections and the department of public safety have regular voter roll list maintenance and automated checks of new registrants, Gannon said.

He said elections officials do not keep numbers of felon voters by county, so it is unclear just how many potential felon voters reside in the four-county area.

Melody Vaughan, deputy director of the Vance County Board of Elections, told WIZS News Tuesday that, as far as the upcoming municipal elections in Middleburg and Kittrell are concerned, only residents who live inside the towns’ city limits may cast ballots.

Local boards, including Vance, are waiting for guidance from the state board to allow this disenfranchised population to regain voter privileges. If and when that happens, Vaughan said individuals have until Oct. 8 to register. There is no same-day registration for the Nov. 2 elections, Vaughan said.

TOWNTALK AUDIO HERE

Sweet Finesse a Business Sweet Dream Come True

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Opening a new business can be a nerve-wracking experience. Opening a new business during a pandemic is something that Hillary Hipps-Burwell never anticipated, but she and her business partner defied the odds to realize their dream.

Sweet Finesse is a new clothing store in Henderson, and Hipps-Burwell and business partner Brittney Phipps are working hard to offer more clothing choices for the area.

The two women work in day care, and they originally thought about opening a kiddie club house. “But when COVID hit, I got to thinking: thinking what does Henderson need?” Hipps-Burwell told John C. Rose on Tuesday’s Town Talk.

Sweet Finesse carries brand names like Levi’s, Tommy Hilfiger and Ralph Lauren for males and fashion labels like Pink and Off White for females.

She said clothing at an affordable price is the goal – clothing that “people can purchase without breaking their pocket.”

Hipps-Burwell describes herself as a plus-size woman, and her vision is to offer more plus-size choices. Sweet Finesse carries women’s clothing, including casual clothes and summer dresses from size small to 5X. They also carry purses.

“I’m very honest about all the clothing we have,” she said. “I want everything to fit you and be comfortable. I want to serve the plus-size community as much as I can.”

LISTEN TO THIS FULL STORY HERE FROM TOWNTALK

Once she and Phipps get the clothing side organized, Hipps-Burwell said the plan is for her husband, Brian, to bring in a shoe department. She said he knows what buyers are interested in and current “hot” styles.

The Aug. 9 ribbon cutting was the culmination of a long process of establishing the business, Hipps-Burwell said. The first challenge was finding a suitable location, and once that happened, then the worry about opening and being able to make it when the rent kicked in. And then, once open, the worry would be possibly having to shut down again quickly because of COVID, she said.

With all those worries churning, however, they located a site – “then we had a building and couldn’t do anything with it,” she recalled, because “that’s when the world shut down.”

Finally, in true entrepreneur fashion, she said they “kind of shook it off and decided to go ahead and fill it up with clothes.”

The store has been in operation a couple of weeks now and Hipps-Burwell hopes to get the word out that they’re open for business.

The store is open from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday. The location is 1700 Parham St., which is the former Nits, Nats building.

Hipps-Burwell laughed and said she’s had people wander in expecting to find the record store, only to browse her inventory and even make some purchases.

Gill Set To Retire Oct. 29 After Two Decades As Vance Elections Director

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Vance County Elections Director Faye Gill has overseen many elections in her more than 20 years on the job. She’ll be passing the baton to a new director come the end of October, as she plans to retire and enjoy a little rest and relaxation.

As with most folks contemplating a well-deserved retirement, Gill said she’d been thinking about it for a couple of years, but in a more serious way since the beginning of 2021.

John C. Rose shared an appreciation for Gill, her professionalism and service to the county on Monday’s Town Talk and noted that deputy director Melody Vaughan will become the new director, effective Nov. 1.

Vaughan will waste no time getting used to her new role – Kittrell and Middleburg hold municipal elections the very next day – Nov. 2.

Henderson elections have been pushed back to early 2022, thanks to the recent release of Census data that may result in redrawing of district lines.

Rose spoke by phone with Gill and Vaughan about the job, their close relationship and how things have changed through the years.

Gill has seen the change from punch cards to electronic ballots, among other improvements. But Rose said he has always been impressed with, and appreciative of, the professionalism that she shows in doing her job.

Having access to information about candidate filings, and any changes regarding elections that need to be shared with the public is essential for media outlets, Rose said. Preparation and reporting on election night coverage does not just “happen – if you don’t have a plan, and cooperation and a good relationship” with elections officials, the job is an uphill battle.

Fortunately, there have been no uphill battles with local elections officials. Just a little good-natured “pickin’ at each other,” Rose said. After that first minute or so of exchanging little digs or jokes, there is always professionalism from both Gill and Vaughan. “When it was business time, it was business time,” he added.

Vaughan has been with the board of elections since 2013, and Rose said that the women are good friends.

They must have a close working relationship as well – literally and figuratively – they share the same office space in the Henry A. Dennis Building on Garnett Street. No doubt, Gill has modeled for Vaughan over the years how to deal with the public and how to manage a team of volunteers, which is so crucial to having a smooth elections process.

“We are one big family. We can’t do our job on election day without volunteers,” Gill told Rose.

When Rose spoke to Gill and Vaughan via telephone earlier Monday, Vaughan told him that Gill “is a really good friend and a great boss.”

As for her new role, Vaughan told Rose, “I have the confidence to do what is asked of me and I will do it to the best of my abilities.”

The last 21 years spent with the board of elections comes on top of a 27-year career working with one of the vice presidents of Rose’s Stores. Almost a half century of work, Gill told Rose she is looking forward to spending time with her family and the arrival of her first great-grandchild.

Well-wishes for a job well done, Faye Gill, from the WIZS family.

Please enjoy here this special edition TownTalk audio.

TownTalk: Henderson Fire Dept. Holds Its Own Despite Challenges

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Firefighters, just like everyone else, have been affected by COVID-19 and the restrictions that have been in place for the last year and a half. But unlike so many other workers, firefighters can’t work from home or respond to fire calls virtually.

Henderson Fire Chief Steve Cordell said his department has faced challenges during the pandemic but he praised his team of firefighters for their loyalty and dedication to their jobs.

“We’ve seen a lot of turnover here recently,” Cordell told John C. Rose on Thursday’s Town Talk. Some staff have moved to jobs in related fields and others have decided to take a completely different line of work.

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After a dip in the number of calls at the onset of the pandemic, he said the department is again responding to an average of 250 calls each month – about 60 percent are medical-related and about 40 percent are fire and rescue calls.

Cordell said his firefighters get good information from the dispatchers, who know the right questions to ask to learn if anyone is COVID-positive that firefighters may come into contact with when they go out on a call.

“We treat everyone as if they are a positive case,” he said, and his firefighters will wear a mask when they are off duty and in public, just to make sure that everyone is staying safe.

As the fire department works to recruit and retain firefighters in the short-term, Cordell said he is hopeful that plans for construction of a third station in west Henderson also will come to fruition.

“We’re still on the table,” he said of the plans for the new station. He and others have been taking with developers and looking at different spots to purchase.

He also said plans to reorganize and reclassify some departments and positions within the department should be brought to City Council for consideration next month.

Battalion Chief Joel Bartholomew is leaving after 15 years of service to become director of emergency services in his native Warren County, a move Cordell called “bittersweet.” He called Bartholomew a loyal and dedicated employee, and added “watching him develop and grow has been a blessing and an honor.”

One step toward “normal” for the department involves Capt. Lee Edmonds, who works with fire prevention education. The pandemic put the brakes on firefighters getting into schools to talk with children about fire prevention. With the start of school just around the corner, Cordell said everyone’s looking forward to restart the “Read A Book With A Firefighter” program. Firefighters read with kindergartners, help them with homework and just enjoy time with young learners.

Cordell said he has a great team who is working hard every day “to keep our feet grounded and trucks staffed and moving to help the people of Henderson.”

TownTalk: Vance County Fireworks and Classic Cars

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Fall is just more than a month away, and its arrival ushers in several events sure to interest locals and tourists alike.

Pam Hester and Norman Dickerson shared details about the upcoming Labor Day fireworks and the 19th annual downtown classic car show and the two tourism development authority representatives said plans are shaping up for a couple of great shows for the whole family.

The Labor Day fireworks show is set for Saturday, Sept. 4 at Satterwhite Point on Kerr Lake.

There will be a DJ providing music during the afternoon and several food vendors will be on hand, including Jerry’s Hotdogs, Peyton’s Place and Frostbites, Hester told John C. Rose on Wednesday’s Town Talk. Vendors should be ready for customers by the middle of the afternoon, and “as soon as they’re set up, they’ll be ready for business,” Hester said.

Dickerson said the fireworks display probably will begin around 8:15 p.m. or 8:30 p.m.

The July 4 fireworks show was pushed to Labor Day this year because of the uncertainty of when COVID-19 restrictions may be lifted and Dickerson said it’s been almost 20 years since there’s been a fireworks show for Labor Day. State park weekend gate fees are $7 per vehicle.

Hopefully, the recent heavy rains brought by tropical storms won’t create too much of a problem with the lake level. Dickerson said the lake is at 301 feet, just a little above normal.

If water levels are a problem, “we have a backup shoot site, so we’ll be ok,” he said.

Hester said she is trying to look at the rescheduled date in a positive light: “We gave the people of Vance County three different events to go to, because we weren’t doing it on the same night,” she said. “We’re going to make the best of it and have a great celebration” on Sept. 4, she added.

Then in mid-October, a different type of celebration returns to downtown Henderson with the 19th annual Show, Shag, Shine and Dine event. Hundreds of classic cars line the streets for folks to admire on Saturday, Oct. 16.

Hester said there has been a lot of interest in the event, which will kick off on Friday, Oct. 15 with a cruise-in at Kerr Lake from noon to 4 p.m., and then it’s on to Southern Classic Cars on Horner Street in Henderson from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

“We’re having lots and lots of phone calls,” Hester said. “People are ready to come out and go to a car show.”

Registration for the car show, which is for any make and model 1988 and older, is $20. For owners who want their vehicles included in the judging, the fee is $25. Registration is Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. “We had a huge turnout in 2019,” Hester said. “I think the judges were worn out by the end of the day.”

Listen Here for Full Audio about the Vance County Tourism fireworks and Show Shine Shag and Dine.

TownTalk: Brett Cotter And Relieving Stress

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People react to and cope with stress and anxiety in many different ways – incorporating productive techniques into daily routines is one path that Brett Cotter takes to manage his own stress. The New York-based life coach and author says his strategies expand and complement other forms of care.

Back in 2013, Cotter was inspired to create a workbook to help military veterans. “I was watching the news, seeing a lot of stories about veterans not getting the care that they deserved,” he told John C. Rose and guest host Phyllis Maynard on Tuesday’s Town Talk. He had at the time 15 years of experience in the field of stress relief and trauma recovery and he said he wanted to help veterans while they were waiting for care.

His own dad was a Marine veteran who served in Vietnam. He was helping his son test a new app, and when he finally admitted that it wasn’t really working for him, Cotter got him to agree to try one-on-one coaching sessions to help manage stress.

Those sessions never began, Cotter said. The next day his father suffered a stroke and just more than a week later, he died. Since then, as a tribute to his dad, Cotter said he developed a workbook. “I decided to do something in his name to help guys like him,” he explained. “Whenever I hand a book to somebody, it’s kind of like me and him are working together. I feel really connected to him on a different level.”

There are a variety of ways to tap into Cotter’s expertise, from books and workbooks, individual coaching sessions, mini courses and recorded guided meditation. Learn more at www.brettcotter.com.

First responders and medical personnel have been in the spotlight lately for the additional stress placed upon them during the COVID-19 pandemic, but veterans who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and many others experience stress and anxiety as well, Cotter noted.

“Everyone’s different. We meet each person where they’re at,” he said. Some are really app savvy, some want regular meditation exercises and others want a more individualized one-on-one coaching experience.

Maynard, a Navy veteran and local veterans affairs liaison, said she had a positive experience with Cotter’s approach. “He guided me through (painful) memories and he guided me through relaxation,” she said, so when those memories resurfaced, she didn’t have the same painful reaction to them. “He can reach through the emotional and mental layers of obstruction” to help relieve stress, she said.

Trauma and painful memories cover up our true, natural self, Cotter said. As sufferers work to release and relieve the stress within, they release layers of pain, hurt, trauma and much more, he said.

Meditation is a practice that can reinforce the “realignment in our brain and a cleansing of our mind,” Cotter said. When a root memory is uncovered and recognized, other memories “fall like dominoes.”

He is excited about an upcoming event in Rhinebeck, NY called Omega Institute, a weeklong retreat that came about after an online session last spring through The Open Center in New York City. It will be held Aug. 29-Sept. 3.

“It’s kind of like a dream come true,” Cotter said. He remembered attending a retreat in 1999 that, for him, was transformational.

He said he wants others to know they are not alone. “So many of us are feeling the same way,” he said, referring to feeling stressful and anxious. My work is definitely for self-enrichment and self-improvement.”

He described the upcoming retreat as five days of learning how to unlock and release tension, removing layers and layers of old emotions and finding healthy ways to deal with past traumatic events.

“It’s going to change how you perceive reality – like we’re going into the closet and cleaning it all out.”

He explained one method to help relieve anxiety that involves nothing more than completing four statements.

We get anxious when feelings get bottled up inside and then come out sideways,” Cotter said. By filling in the blanks of the statements, those feelings are effectively released and the result is reduced anxiety.

  1. I feel totally overwhelmed by …
  2. The most upsetting part of all of this is …
  3. The worst-case scenario is …
  4. My biggest fear actually is …

Saying the statements aloud and completing them with the immediate worries help to dislodge the tension we feel inside, he explained, which helps to bring us back to feelings of being calm and grounded. “When you express it out loud, you feel the layers release inside you.”

Some people fight anxiety with physical exertion – gym workouts, martial arts, mowing grass. But Cotter says that physical activity is probably a temporary fix. His techniques “melt it from the inside out.”

(This is not a paid ad. The text and audio is informational and not meant to replace or serve as medical advise.)

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TownTalk: The Benefits Of Breastfeeding

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August is Breastfeeding Awareness Month and staff from the Granville-Vance Health Department were on Monday’s Town Talk to discuss the services available to new mothers and mothers-to-be through the federally funded program Women, Infants and Children (WIC).

“Breastfeeding is an integral part of our program,” said Lauren Faulkner, WIC director and who is also a certified lactation counselor.

WIC, a federal program administered through the health department, supports at-risk women and children by providing them with resources, nutritional guidance and more.

Faulkner and Savannah Presley, GVPH lactation coordinator and a board-certified lactation consultant, spoke with John C. Rose about the importance of breastfeeding for the health and well-being of mothers and babies.

“We have lots of work to do in Granville and Vance counties,” Faulkner said, referring to the numbers of mothers who continue to breastfeed their babies. About 70 percent of pregnant moms start out breastfeeding, but that number drops to just over 40 percent by the time the baby is six weeks old. It drops to 21 percent for those moms who continue to breastfeed their children at six months of age

There are many reasons for this drop, Presley said. Some moms have to go back to work or school and some moms may not have a strong social or family network, she added. .

There’s also the misconception that formula is an equivalent to breast milk, and Presley said the general lack of knowledge about the benefits of breastfeeding contribute to a lower-than-desired breastfeeding rate.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that new mothers give their babies breastmilk exclusively – no supplementation – for the first six months, and then continue tp breastfeed until the child is one year old.

“Breastfeeding offers many benefits for both the nursing parent and the baby,” Presley said, including a reduction in risk of various chronic diseases like hypertension and diabetes and can burn those extra calories to help women return to their pre-pregnancy weight quicker.

The baby receives antibodies that are critical to ward off health problems from allergies to a range of digestive issues, she said.

“Breast-fed babies tend to be less sick than formula-fed babies,” she said.

It certainly is more economical to breastfeed than it is to buy formula, Presley noted.  There’s no need to buy pricey powdered formula, bottles or other paraphernalia.

She said the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends “exclusive breastfeeding – no other supplementation – for the first six months of life, and (to) continue breastfeeding for a year or longer.”

Continuing to breastfeed until a child is two years or older provides additional benefits, she said, including receiving additional protein and immunoglobulin – the stuff that boosts the immune system. The milk composition actually changes over time to provide appropriate nutrients for the growing child.

But moms aren’t the only ones who can feed a baby breast milk. Mothers can pump milk, which allows others to give the baby a bottle. In addition, “skin to skin” contact is critical for a newborn, Presley said. It helps an infant regulate body temperature and heart rate, as well as  establishing a bond between mother and child to stimulate milk production.

The colostrum that an infant receives after birth is vital and Presley said that, although it’s in small doses, this “liquid gold” is key to getting a baby off to a healthy start.

All appointments are by phone at this time, because of COVID-19 restrictions.

For more information, contact the WIC department in Vance County at 252.492.

3147, and for Granville County, 919.693.1333.

 

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TownTalk: The Story Of The Epsom Community

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The way the story goes, Mr. Simon W. Duke wanted to establish a post office in the store he opened in the area where he lived, referred to by some as Duke’s Corner or Duke’s Crossroad. He had already sent several suggestions to the federal government, but each one was rejected. Seems there already were post offices with the names he proposed.

He shared his failed attempts to Dr. Bennett Perry Alston one day while the two men were in the store. Looking around, Alston suggested the name that ultimately would be approved by the federal government – Epsom.

Mark Pace, area historian and North Carolina Room specialist at Richard H. Thornton Library in Oxford, shared this story and more about the area on the Vance-Franklin border during the tri-weekly Town Talk history segment Thursday.

Alston supposedly saw a box of Epsom Salts and perhaps somewhat on a whim said, ‘Why don’t you just apply and call it Epsom?’ Pace told co-host Bill Harris. The year was 1887.

There were already many post offices scattered across the area at the time – Bobbitt, Gillburg, Kearney, Pugh’s Hill (in the general area where Corinth-Trinity Church now stands along Highway 401), to name a few, Pace said. But Duke’s post office put Epsom on the map, as it were, thanks to Dr. Alston’s suggestion.

Alston was from the Alston family from Warren County, and Pace said he was probably the most prominent farmer in the area at the time. A veteran of the American Civil War, Alston’s daughter, Margaret, was the last living descendant of a Civil War soldier in this vicinity. She died about 20 years ago.

The area around the Epsom crossroads included about 500 acres that belonged to Simon Duke’s father. It was basically a farming, agricultural community, Pace said, and the families that lived in the area were working-class, middle-class people who went to church on Sundays and raised their families. There were few large plantations, and, consequently, there was not a huge African American presence there, Pace noted.

There are several prominent African American churches in the area – Dickies Grove, Mitchells Baptist and Rowlands Chapel, which Pace said dates back to the late 1800’s.

The Dukes and Alstons were instrumental in establishing a private academy that was in Epsom in late 1800s. Some references to the school includes names Punga Academy and Epsom High School, and the Duke and Alston families brought Elon College alumnus J.T. Cobb to run it.

Other families have with long ties to the community, including the Ayscue family. Pace said he’s seen seven different spellings of that surname in documents he has reviewed. Benjamin Franklin Ayscue, born in 1847, fought in the Civil War and was one of only three soldiers left in his company when they surrendered in Appomattox.

The story goes that Ayscue “made a deal with the Lord” when he was a soldier. If he got back home safely, he would “devote himself to living right for the rest of his life,” Pace recalled.

It seems that family back home presumed he had not survived the war, so he surprised them upon his return. As for that deal he’d made on the battlefield?

He became a deacon at Liberty Christian Church, right there in Epsom.

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