The daily state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 188?-1891, 1890-05-21
EDENTON.
ONE OF THE SOUND AND RIVER
CITIES.

i -
CITIES.
Its Beauties and It's Resources--Some.
thing of It's Industries and Its Great |
Possibilities.
Edenton. the county seat of ChoWan |
county, is situated in the Northeastern
part of the State and is one of the most |
beautifully located little towns we have
ever seen in our travels throughout the
State. The county is bounded on the |
North by Gates county, on the Feast by
Perquimans, on the South by the Albe-
marie Sound and the Edenton bay, one
Of the prettiest little sheets of water
which the eye ever beheld, and in the
West by the Chowan river which separ-
ates it from Gates and Hartford coun-
ties.
A Historic Church.
The first church ever built in North
Carolina was built iu Chowan county.
History has it that it was 1905, but the
old church records which are yet pre-
served, prove that it was 17O6.
Origin OF Names.
of Albemarle county, and de-
rlves its name from the tribe of In
dians, ,Chowanokes, who once owned and
inhabited this territory. Edenton gets
its name in honor and as compliment
to Charles Eden, the Royal Governor of
the Province in 1920 There was a set
tlement here as early as 1716 and it was
called Queen Anne's Creek. Our object,
however, is not to write q recapitulation
of the history Of Edenton and Chowan
county, but to tell something about what
the town is to day, in 1890, and to en-
deavor to let the outside world Gas well
as good many people living on other
sections of this State) know something
of the many vast resources that exist in
this section, and of what a convenient
and pleasant situation this town Of about
$500 good people can boast.
Industries.
The town can boast of two of about
the largest industries in the South, to
wit: It's lumber and fish interests. There
are two large mills here The
Branning manufacturing CO.. pany, con-
sisting of plant which is said
to be the third largest in the United
thousands of dollars in erecting saw
mills, planning mills, dry kjlns and all
kinds Of machinery to prepare timber
fer market 1t is tongued and grooved
and prepared right here for ali kinds
Of building purposes, and shipped
mostly to Northern markets. The tim
Der mostly used is pine and cypress.
The Brown mil is not SO large as Bran
ning's, but they are doing a big busi-
ness, and both of these mills, ship daily
an immense quantity of timber.
, Fishing Interests.
The fishing industries has been for
, years and years back the largest busi-
3 ness carried on here, Except farming, }
3 and we doubt not but that Edenton as q
fish market, and the many fisheries in
its vicinity, are about as widely known
5 throughout this and other States as any
1 other industry from other coun
] tries. There are about fifty
t fisheries, including the Dutch
| nets in the vicinity OF Edenton. Among
e some OF the largest fisheries are those o
: John &. and F. Wood, Benz. Thacker
W H. Page and W. H. Hampton. Be
/ sides these, across the Albemarle Sound
Q are the two large fisheries belonging &
DR.. Capehart These fisheries are situated
on the Albcmarle Sound, the Roanoke
river and other tributaries emptying int,
the Sound. Shad, herring and rock ar
n the principal kinds Of fish caught, ant
# millions OF these fish are shipped from
here during the season. This bushes
gives employment to hundreds of peo
pie The fishing season lasts about sew
It enty-fve days IN the spring Of the year
q beginning about the first Of May. 1t
beautiful and interesting sight to b
+" at one Of these fisheries and Witnes
/. what is called a "haul" The seine
J. sometimes extend out about two miles
= and they are pulled II. You somctim!
n see as many SIS from seventy fiy
.. to one hundred thousand herring an
le shad fiuttering in the seine, and on th
II banks are great piles of all kinds Of th
er fish tribe that inhabit these waters. TIL
cutting and packing operation is ais
another very interesting sight. 1t
wonderful to see with what rapidity me
le and women perform this work. An e,
S. p3rt Will cnt, 50 We ar told, as many 8
+ three thousand in ona hour.
le The Churches.
5: There are four churches in Edento
~ for white people-the Episcopal, Metht
~ dist, Baptist and Catholic
y, St. Paul's Episcopal church is brio
- structure, and is the oldest church
=. town. The erection was begun as ear
~ ~ as 1876, and it is said that the bricl
"a "a were brought from England.
~ Mr.. Edmund Smithmick gave one &C
n of land upon which to build the churc
D. Rev Robert Brent Drane is the we
= known rector of this old church. tt
n W seating capacity is about three hundrt
a. u and fifty.
a; The Baptist church is fran
building, forty by sixty feet. T.
10 present building was erected about t.
~ years ago. It will seat about 400. II
- - membership is about $50. Rev. r.
~ ~ Vann, formerly Of Wake Forest. is t.
u u pastor.
~ The Methodist church IS also frar
D. building. The one now standing W
W. ~ built in 1870 There was a bulldil
L. here, however, as early as 1908. 1t
still standing but it is not used. L
present building will seat about sc
vor Rev. Ernest Stevens, from Petersbul
rth Va, is the pastor Rev. Pleasant Thu
Mo man, the father Of Allen G. Thurma
6 ND