The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1934-03-28
HENDERSON co
WILL SOON Be
100 YEARS old
Early History Shrouded in
Mystery, Says Mrs.
Barnwell
By LILA RIPLEY BARNWELL
Henderson County Historian


A careful search of the count.
records and a diligent examina
ton of the brains of the oldest IN
habitants has resulted in obtain
ing only the most meagre factS'
Had our pioneers realized thai
this information would have some
day been desired, they would, nc
doubt, have kept the records more
carefully.
You will pardon me. I am sure
for various personal references,
as many of the facts stated are as
I recollect them from my father
Colonel Ripley.
Henderson county was taken
from Buncombe in 1887, Bun
combe at that time being much
larger than the state of Rhode Is
land. Much discussion followed
over the selection of county
seat, Blue Ridge, Rugby, Horse
Shoe and the present site being
the most popular in the contest.
This was finally chosen because 1t
was on the main highway between
Asheville and Greenville, S. c., a
very important consideration IN
those days.
The first courthouse was log
building Just opposite our public
square. Here our first court was
held, the clerk of the court being
John A. Miller, who was transfer
red from that position in Bun
combe TO Henderson county. The
descendants Of Mr.. Miller are still
living at Rugby where they have
been for more than a century, an
unusually long time of residence
in, one place for one family IN our
country.
The town was named for Judge
Leonard Henderson, a dlstln-
guished jurist of the supreme
court of our state. If you care 70
see how ne looked you may see
mis- picture in our courthouse
which was obtained by q special
court order through the influence
Of Judge Michael Schenck and by
him presented to our county.
Our old courthouse, which some
of us well remember, was built on
the present location, a handsome
dignified structure of brick and
stucco. The lower floor compris-
cd a large hall and the offices for
the clerk of the court, tax collec-
tor and others. The upper story
was reached by two flights of
stone steps leading to a piazza,
where during court, the crier
stood to call the names of those
wanted.
The auditorium was a large
room with wooden benches, eX-
cept in a part partitioned off by
a, railing for the judges stand,
the lawyers and those having di-
rect connection with the cases.
Split bottom chairs accommodate
ed those who sat there. The
floor was covered by a thick lay
er of tan bark, occasionally re-
newed, this to prevent noise. The
tan bark received liberal sprink-
ling of tobacco juice and was the
abiding place of a host of fleas
In my childhood a big billy goat
delighted TO occupy the front en-
trance and was a terror to the
children who passed that way
This building was erected U
about 1874, My old nurse tolC
me that the square was then JUS
a chinquapin thicket. l can myself
remember when we used to gather
chinquapins where the Jail nov
stands.
The oldest buildings in the towr
are my old home, the present Eos
ter house on Main street, which
my father bought from a Mr.
King more than eighty years ago
The timbers in the house are in {
wonderful state of preservation
and Mr.. Foster told me that wher
he was having some changes made
the workmen were amazed at the
excellence and exactneSS of the
work. Much of it is dovetailed
] think they call it, and fits per,
fectly. An apple tree on this prop.
erty at my present home wa
bearing fruit when my father
bought the place. 1t is still bear
ing and has never been known tt
miss a year. 1t has been giving
us fine russets for over eight!
years.
The brick house formerly occu
pied by the late NJ. NJ. ShepherC
is another of our oldest building
and formerly belonged to a Mr.
AcMinR-,~
The rock store on Main stree
was hiaAt by my father sevent,
years ago, the rock coming iron
his own auarries and the worl
done by his own slaves.
The Dixon Health Resort is an
other of our oldest buildings. Thi
was originally intended for
gus SNuOOl anu was CdllSu 81 W
SON college in compliment to En-
lily Judson, wife of the famou
missionary, Adoniram Judsor
who labored so long in India. TIL
rock for this building came frol
my fathers quarries, the remain
of which may be seen as yo
pass by Duncraggan Inn on tn
drive to the reservoir. This was
have been very handsome builC
ing, all of the window facing
doors and other woodwork to
of solid walnut. These were
place when the War Between IL
States occurred, and toward IL
close, when the Northern trool
came through our town. they o
;cupied this building, cutting I