Tag Archive for: #thorntonlibrary

TownTalk: History Of Middleburg

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Middleburg may not fit the modern definition of a “planned community,” but following its incorporation in October 1875, it did enjoy some of the same amenities that today’s planned communities have: schools, stores, restaurants and homes.

Mark Pace, local historian and North Carolina Room specialist at Oxford’s Thornton Library, said the Hawkins and Yancey families planned Middleburg, which got its name because it was the midpoint between Raleigh and Gaston, the two terminals for the Raleigh & Gaston Railroad.

“Like so many other communities around here, it didn’t exist until the railroad came through,” Pace said on TownTalk’s tri-weekly history show with Bill Harris.

Patriarch Philemon Hawkins, lived from 1717 to 1801. Numerous descendants figured prominently in North Carolina history.

One son of Philemon Hawkins III was John Davis Hawkins, who lived in Gillburg near the site of the prison camp. He served for 51 years as a trustee for UNC. His brother, William, was the 17th governor of North Carolina.

It was John Davis Hawkins, Pace said, who was “the mover and shaker who got the first railroad to come through.” They put up the money for the railroad, and Pace said any member of the Hawkins family could ride for free.

The Hawkins family lived at Pleasant Hill, which still stands today. And there is a family cemetery located there.

Sarah Hawkins Jordan was a Black woman born at Pleasant Hill. She was a midwife for 75 years, Pace said, and is said to have helped deliver 2,000 babies. Her husband, John Clark Jordan, was a successful farmer in the area, and she was an assistant to physician Joseph Warren Hawkins.

“She was noted for her medicinal abilities,” Pace said. When their son was stricken with blood poisoning, the hospital physicians said he would likely die. Not willing to accept that as an option, “she used her old-timey recipes and came up with a concoction – wild berries and such – and he recovered,” Pace said.

Those familiar surnames – Hawkins, Yancey, Henderson, just to name a few – seem to pop up frequently when delving into area history and genealogy, but do you know the connection between Middleburg and Shearon Harris nuclear power plant?

  1. Shearon Harris was the son of a Baptist preacher from Middleburg. He became president of Carolina Power & Light, and Pace said “he was a big fan of nuclear power.” The power plant was named for Harris when it opened in 1987.

Then there’s Albert A. Anderson, who operated a private academy in Middleburg in the early 1880’s. But he became interested in medicine, became a doctor and in the early 1910’s director of Dix Hospital. He preferred the use of occupational therapy over drugs to treat the mental health issues of the patients there.

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TownTalk: Local Author Michael Elliott To Hold Book Signing

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Oxford native Mike Elliott has fond childhood memories of the Richard Thornton Library – it’s a place he frequented after school and he said it’s where he got to discover all kinds of wonderful music. Oh, yeah, books, too. But also albums. Stacks and stacks of record albums, he said.

Elliott returns to Thornton Library this Saturday, Oct. 8 to talk about his new book called “Have A Little Faith: The John Hiatt Story,” a biography of legendary singer-songwriter John Hiatt.

Elliott, a former staff member here at WIZS, told Bill Harris Tuesday that the library was a place “near and dear to my heart…where I got to discover all kinds of wonderful music.”

And from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, he’ll be reading from his own book, entertaining questions about it and signing books that will be available for sale. Now out in paperback, the hard cover was released in September 2021.

Hiatt may not be a household name to some, but his songs surely are recognizable. Artists from Bonnie Raitt to B.B. King have sung the lyrics he’s penned since he came onto the music scene in the early 1970’s. “He has written so many songs that people will know,” Elliott said. “So many people have done John Hiatt music.”

Interestingly enough, it was a “horrible” song that first caught Elliott’s attention. Although he didn’t like the lyrics he was listening to on one of those college stations in the mid-‘80’s, he was drawn to the voice singing it. Elliott said he remembered thinking “This song’s terrible, but I love that singer” with the bluesy voice.

Fast forward to another Hiatt song called “Slow Turning,” and it hit Elliott that both songs were performed by the same guy. On a subsequent visit to Henderson’s Nits, Nats, Etc. was where Elliott said he found “Bring The Family,” which he called “an amazing album…that made me a fan for life” of Hiatt’s music.

“He’s a brilliant lyricist,” Elliott continued, with an ability to take the mundane and create sweet perspectives on everyday life. Hiatt’s lyrics are quirky, but not maudlin, he said.

Hiatt turned 70 in August, Elliott said, and he had a chance to sit and chat in person after a recent performance at Carolina Theater in Durham. The initial interviews for the book had to be done over the phone because of COVID, but Elliott said he caught a show in Ft. Lauderdale and then “was thrilled to finally be able to meet in person.”

What’s next for Elliott?

In addition to the regular contributions to numerous online and print publications, Elliott said he’s narrowing down topics for his next book.

“I’ve got some irons in the fire,” he said, adding that the next book will more than likely be a biography, again with a music theme.

Learn more at https://michael-elliott.com/

 

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Granville County Library System

Granville Library Patrons Have New Self-Checkout Kiosk Option

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Visitors to a couple of libraries in the Granville County Library System (GCLS) surely have noticed the newly installed self-check kiosks that provide contactless checkout of books and other materials.

Patrons of the Thornton Library in Oxford and the South Branch in Creedmoor have bibliotheca’s selfCheck 500s to assist them in checking out materials, thanks to a $17,775 grant from the State Library of North Carolina and the Library Services Technology Act (LSTA

Whether patrons want to avoid the line at the circulation desk or simply want to maintain privacy about the materials they are checking out, a simple scan of their library card is all that’s needed to check out books and other items, according to information from the library. Of course, library staff will be available to assist if patrons need help navigating the self-checkout process.

“In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Granville County Library System has looked for ways to modernize and make library operations safer through technology,” Library Director Will Robinson said in a press statement.

The self-checkout system improves library operations and minimizes contact between staff and patrons, Robinson said. And using federal COVID relief funds instead of local tax dollars was a great way to make operations more efficient while giving patrons additional choices on how they access our  materials and services, he added.

The State Library of North Carolina received funding as part of the federal government’s investment in museums and libraries through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), which provided additional funds to the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to support vital library programs and services in local communities. LSTA grants are awarded in response to specific needs of public, academic, and community college libraries. These federal funds are investments that help libraries deliver relevant and up-to-date services to their communities.

The grants are made possible by funding from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) as administered by the State Library of North Carolina, a division of the NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (IMLS grant number LS-250229- OLS-21).

Thornton Library Welcomes New Adult Services Librarian

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100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL

 -Press Release, Granville County Government

The Granville County Library System welcomes Melanie Baldwin to the Richard H. Thornton branch in Oxford.

As Adult Services Librarian, Baldwin will be responsible for developing, promoting, presenting and evaluating programs and displays for adult patrons, as well as assisting in the development of the materials for the collection of books/resources and other duties.

Baldwin began work in her new role on April 1.

The Granville County Library System welcomes Melanie Baldwin to the Richard H. Thornton branch in Oxford. Baldwin began work in her new role on April 1, 2020. (Photo courtesy Granville Co. Govt)

A native of Vance County, Baldwin lived in Ann Arbor, Michigan for seven years before returning to the area. She is a graduate of the North Carolina School of Science and Math and attended the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and North Carolina State University, where she earned her undergraduate degree. While working at the college library at UNC Wilmington, she decided to pursue a career as a librarian, later earning her Masters degree in Library Science from North Carolina Central University.

“I wish I had been able to meet our patrons in person,” Baldwin said, “but, unfortunately, we are all doing our best to slow the spread of COVID-19. I hope everyone is taking care at this time, and I hope to be able to bring some library services to you over the internet.”

A fan of young adult fiction and fantasy books, Baldwin is married and resides in Henderson. She can be reached online through “Ask a Librarian” on the Granville County Library System website (https://granville.lib.nc.us) and at melanie.baldwin@granvillecounty.org. A new “chat” option is also available at https://granville.lib.nc.us/chat/.

While the four branches of the Granville County Library System continue to be closed to the public, Baldwin offers a reminder that curbside pickup service has again been made available from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. at the Thornton Library in Oxford and at the South Branch library in Creedmoor.

Those wishing to reserve materials can simply call in or message either library branch with a list of requested materials, park at a curbside library space and give the library a call. Your materials will be placed on an outside table to be conveniently retrieved. (Limit five books, five DVDs and five audiobooks.) Contact the Thornton Library at 919-693-1121 and the South Branch at 919-528-1752 to make your materials requests.

Mark Pace

Thornton Library Showcases Artifacts for Native American Indian Heritage Month

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100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

-Press Release, Granville County Government

The month of November marks an observance of Native American Indian Heritage Month, and the Richard H. Thornton Library is helping showcase this observance with a display of arrowheads and other artifacts from the private collection of North Carolina Room Specialist and historian Mark Pace.

The collection includes pottery shards, spear points, arrowheads and primitive tools that Pace has collected for more than 50 years.

North Carolina Room Specialist and historian Mark Pace is pictured with his collection of pottery shards, spear points, arrowheads and primitive tools. The Thornton Library in Oxford, NC is showcasing Pace’s collection in observance of Native American Indian Heritage Month. (Granville Co. Govt photo)

Pace says he found his first arrowhead when he was eight years old on his grandfather’s farm in Johnston County. That find – with a fluted point – got him hooked, and led him to continue his quest to uncover more. In all, he has more than 25,000 pieces in his collection, some of which have been verified as being thousands of years old.

“Looking for artifacts is therapeutic to me,” Pace says of this passion he has followed for most of his life. “I’m not a golfer, but I compare this to making a hole in one. When I find one, it’s a great win.”

Pace’s collection includes artifacts from many areas of the state. The most he has found in one day, he recollects, were 60 pieces uncovered near Williamsboro. Those finds, as well as many others, he keeps in boxes in his home, with a few choice pieces displayed in a handcrafted case in his living room.

“I often wonder about the people who made and used these,” he says. “If whole civilizations were here so many years before us, how permanent are we?”

Ironically, the first piece Pace found in Johnston County, back when he was an eight-year-old, has since been dated to be 10,000 years old. This fluted point arrowhead, one of the oldest in his collection, is a rare find that has since been documented in archeology journals and is part of the display at the Thornton Library through the end of this month.

“Everyone knows how much I love history and genealogy,” Pace adds. “We all have to remember that history goes back way before 1746, when Granville County was formed. Years from now, there will be those who will be learning about us. I wonder what they will find?”

(A display for Native American Indian Heritage Month is also featured at the South Branch Library in Creedmoor, as well as books available for checkout at the Stovall and Berea branches.)

Grammy Award Winner Dom Flemons To Perform at Thornton Library

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100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

-Press Release, Granville County Government

On June 29, the Richard H. Thornton Library in Oxford will host a musical concert as Grammy award winner Dom Flemons performs a selection of American folk tunes, ballads and bluegrass music.

Known as “The American Songster,” Flemons has traveled all over the world, performing on banjo guitar, harmonica and percussion instruments. This Saturday at 2 p.m., Flemons will bring his talents to Oxford for a free show that is open to the public.

On June 29, the Richard H. Thornton Library in Oxford will host a musical concert as Grammy award winner Dom Flemons performs a selection of American folk tunes, ballads and bluegrass music. (Photo courtesy Granville Co. Govt)

Now embarking on a solo career, Flemons has performed with leading musicians such as the Old Crow Medicine Show, Taj Mahal, Guy Davis, Mike Steeger, Joe Thompson, Martin Simpson and Boo Hanks.

In 2005, the musician co-founded the “The Carolina Chocolate Drops,” a group which has been inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame. In 2010, “The Carolina Chocolate Drops” was singled out for a Grammy award in the category of “Best Traditional Folk Music.”

Over the past ten years, Flemons’ tours have included stops at Carnegie Hall, the Grand Ole Opry and other popular venues, as well as the Opening Ceremony for the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African-American history and Culture.

His most recent solo album, “Dom Flemons Presents Black Cowboys,” pays tribute to the music, culture and history of the Wild West, following the footsteps of the thousands of African-American pioneers who helped build the country’s trails and rails. The recording, part of Folkways 70th Anniversary and the African-American Legacy Recording series, spent 31 consecutive weeks on the Billboard Bluegrass chart.

The Richard H. Thornton Library is located at 210 Main Street in Oxford and is one of four branches of the Granville County Library System. Others are located in Creedmoor (South Branch), Stovall and Berea.

To learn more about Flemons and his musical work, visit TheAmericanSongster.com website, which has been selected by the Library of Congress for inclusion in the American Music Creators Web Archive.

For more details about other upcoming programs and events hosted by a library branch near you, visit https://granville.lib.nc.us.

Story of ‘Two Races, One Family’ to Come ‘Home’ to Granville County

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-Press Release, Granville County Government 

What started as two separate genealogical research projects – one by a woman of primarily African ancestry and one by a man of European descent – eventually intersected when a DNA match connected the two, leading them back to Granville County.

The story of the ancestral search of Pamela Williams of Virginia and James Wilson of South Carolina has been presented in educational programs at the N.C. Museum of History in Raleigh and twice at the DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum for the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation of Williamsburg, VA.

On Saturday, February 23, the story will come “home” to Granville County during a program in celebration of Black History Month.

Pamela Bagley Williams and James Wilson pose in front of the 1760’s Wilson home in Granville County. Photo courtesy Granville County Government.

“Two Races, One Family” will be presented at 1:30 p.m. at the Richard H. Thornton Library as Ms. Williams describes the journey that led to finding her ancestor “Henry,” a Granville County slave prior to the Civil War. What she had not counted on, however, was finding a modern-day relative, James Wilson, who had also been researching his own family tree.

Through online genealogical research, as well as through centuries-old documents and court records, both Williams and Wilson followed leads to an 1842 court case involving the intestate estate of Robert Burton Wilson (James’ 4th great-grandfather) which listed 28 slaves. One of these slaves was Williams’ second great-grandfather “Henry,” along with his mother “Hanah,” who would have been Williams’ third great-grandmother.

Through DNA testing in 2016, it was determined that Williams and Wilson had a common paternal ancestor, which made them distant cousins.

The February 23 presentation at the Thornton Library will include the story of Williams’ and Wilson’s personal ancestral journeys, focusing on Williams’ traditional and online genealogy research, Wilson’s ancestry research and family tree development, and the DNA testing that brought the two researchers together.

The presentation will also bring to light the cultural norms of the period and an insight into the slave/master relationships of tobacco plantations during the Colonial/Antebellum era.

The 1760’s Wilson home in Granville County. Photo courtesy Granville County Government.

A retired Probate Specialist from the Spotsylvania Circuit Court (VA), Pamela Williams – a native of Granville County and a 1977 graduate of J.F. Webb High School – is a paralegal employed with Herndon Law, P.C.  in Glen Allen, VA. She has 20 years experience in ancestry research and preservation and has spoken at numerous conferences on genealogy and the importance of court records and historical documents in researching ancestral heritage.

James Wilson, who began his genealogical research as a hobby, is Chief Performance Officer for a North Carolina 100 company. He grew up on a plot of land that was once owned by his 5th great-grandfather John Wilson, who was one of the early European settlers in Granville County in the 1760s. Today, James lives in Greenville, SC.

Wilson’s daughter, Dr. Jamie Wilson, provided the cultural context of the research conducted by both Williams and her father. Dr. Wilson holds a Ph.D. in U.S. History and is an adjunct professor of history at the University of South Carolina. She is considered an expert on antebellum slavery.

“Every journey in life leaves a trail,” Williams said of her experience. “Follow the trails and they will lead to the paths of your ancestors.”

The “Two Races, One Family” presentation is open to the public and all interested in learning more about genealogy, the use of historical archives, Colonial plantations, slavery laws in Granville County and how the lives of these two researchers eventually intersected are invited to attend.

For further information about this program, contact the Richard H. Thornton Library at (919) 693-1121.

Granville County Library System

Join Thornton Library for ‘Game Night’ Every Other Thursday

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-Information courtesy the Granville County Government Facebook Page

Come participate in “Game Night” every other Thursday night at the Thornton Library in Oxford. Beginning Thursday, December 27, enjoy board games, cards and fellowship from 6 until 8 p.m.

The Richard H. Thornton Library is located at 210 Main Street in Oxford and is one of four branches of the Granville County Library System. Call 919-693-1121 for more details or visit the library system’s new website at https://granville.lib.nc.us/.

Granville County Logo

Granville Co. Library System Announces Summer Programming

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-Information courtesy Angela Allen, Director, Granville County Tourism Development Authority

The Granville County Library System will sponsor several programs this summer, including:

“Master of Mayberry” the Miraculous Life of Andy Griffith at the Thornton Library in Oxford

Tuesday, June 5 from 6 to 7 p.m.

The library will host Dr. Elliott Engel to speak on Andy Griffith and his life as an actor as well as little known facts about Griffith. Using anecdotes, analysis and a large dose of humor, Engel will share the story of the immortal Hollywood actor.

GSK “Science in the Summer” at the South Branch Library in Butner/Creedmoor

June 18 – 22 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

GSK “Science in the Summer” at the Thornton Library in Oxford

July 30 – August 3 (Level I & II offered July 30 – August 3; Level III offered August 1 – 3)

For more information and registration CLICK HERE for South Branch and CLICK HERE for Thornton Library.