The Charlotte Democrat., 1889-11-01
Uncle Harry Dead.


We publish the following with a pain
fuI kind of satisfaction. We feel the truth
OF the portrayal of the character OF the
good old negro. We have known, re.
spected aud loved some like him. All
have doUe so, who had the experience of
plantation life. All of us remember some
good old daddy or uncle who told US
African folk lore like Uncle Remus, en-
tered iuto all our sports and pleasures,
awed as sometimes BY their rebukes, as
tonishing Us by their wisdom, but won
and held our hearts by their warm, 90
selfish affection. They have nearly all
passed away they will have no success
sors We sadly cast our wreath oil the
grave of good Cd Uncle Harry. We
take the following from the Elizabeth
City Economist. t.-Ashevills Citizen.
AvocA, N c., October 15 1889
On Sunday morning. September 80, 1889, at
$50, Uncle Harry Hogg CaEehart departed this
to belong TO. live With. and caress the 9TH gener-
alton of our family He was of pure African
blood, his father, uncle Guinra George and his
wife being imported Africans, becoming on arri-
val the property of my G.. G. G. father He was
man of great physical and mental power Fhe
late DR.. Armstead often said, "had old Harry
been educated, he would have been U. 8. 81
His memory as TO all incidents that came under
his observation was more reteLtive than any one
ever knew, and particularly retentive to every
thing of practical value. He could give you the
age of every person that had been born in his
vicinity in the past seventy five years, describe
accurately all the guests at important weddings,
knew by name those considered the most dis
tinguished upon such occasions, how Mars
Elisha Rhodes danced in his drab knee-pants
and top boots at his old masters wedding, the
impression Mr. Gavin Hogg made on him, etc,
and every other great man he ever saw
He related wit great accuracy and in the
most entertaining manner the history of our
great Albemarle Sound fishing interest, begin
ming with how he dove once after summer time
to clear the great cypress stumps from the bot
tom and established the first seine fishery how
he with others felled the huge expresses, hoisted
and pitted the immense stocks and then sawed
out the long, heavy cypress planks to build the
first batteau, and with powder and wedge split
out the crooked knees for the timbers; how he
pulled the stroke-oar in these same boats for
many years how he stood in the cold water of
March while the toggler held the boats in heavy
winds for years, until his master, the late Cullen
Capehart had made for him and all his asso
ciates the first rubber pants and boots ever used
in the business, which were made by Goodyear
about 1888. How often have listened at him
he related the history of his old masters early
fishing operations, of the great hauls of those
days. and how fears of failure often taxed the
energy and economy of all, and how. many did
fail in those years With what pride he would
speak of "OId Boston," las he would sometimes
call his old master when he meant to compare
him to the great winner in all distances) as al
ways coming out ahead at the end of the season.
How well do I remember his stories of bis
old master first cotton crop, which they ginned
and baled, he being the baler; how they iatted
the bales to Plymouth and sold them to the
elder Gordon, father of the well known Norfolk
cotton merchant, James Gordon.
He remembered the introduction of every i'm :
portant piece of machinery ever introduced, and
by whom, and lived to see improvement after
improvement made-many of which he denied
to be improvements As boy, night after
night he entertained me around our fires, when
'possum and coon hunting, telling stories of his
work in the gold mines of Burke county, N. c.,
| how they danced on the joggle board-the pow er
that ran the cradles-tO wash the earth contain
| ing the golden ore, then the mode of collecting
and panniDg it out, and putting ii in goose quills
| and how they had for themselves all they want
| ed, under certain circumstances My grandfather
and father worked the Potts mines in Burke in
| 1921 to 1929
1t was my great pleasure after returning after
| breakfast from one of our nightly hunts to GO
| out and help him to pick cotton all day to make
! up for lost time.
have his portrait taken with my little boy,
the 9th generation he had been with, my nieces
| infant daughter being the 7th, which now occu-
| pies prominent position in my parlor, resting
on handsome brass easel which Mrs. Capehari
| bought for it this summer.
saw your article some time since relating to
negro migration, and l agree altogether with
you. Give me the old negro friends with whom
l went coon hunting when a boy, and theil
children and children's children in preference TO
any other laborers.