The Wilmington morning star., 1940-05-26
BY BOB MATTHEW'S
Staff Writer
is no more

ScuffletoWn" is no more.
The name "Scuffletown" used to
be applied to that section of central
robson county, near the town of
Pembroke, occupied chiefly by the
Indians.
The new North Carolina g%uidebook
says that Pembroke itself was form
erly known by that name. But to
most Robson citizens the "Seuffle.
town area was much less clearly
defined.
If a stranger passed through and
inquired for 'Scuffletown', he was
always told it was a few miles down
the road. If the traveller kept on he
would soon find himself in r e d
Springs, Rowland, MaXton, or Lum.
berton, depending on the direction
he was travelling. and he was never
exactly sure when he had entered
or passed the limits of "Scuffletown."
Old English?
The term "Scuffletown'' is thought
by some to be a corruption of old
English Scoville Town. This thought,
together with the fact that some of
the Indians have the same family
names as members of Whites Lost
Colony, has been advanced by these
who believe the blood of the survi.
vors of that lost colony still flows
in the veins of the Robson county
Indians.
Wherever the name "Scuffletown''
came from, the average Robson
county citizen, not being given tc
tracing names to their historical orr
Sin, usually connected the name with
the thought that he might have to
Scuffle to get out of those sWaanps
and back woods once he got in. AS a
matter of fact, citizens who knew
the Indians we'll had no such fear.
If they tended to their own bust.
ness harm seldom befell sober, well
meaning White citizens who passed
through. White women and chill
dren were never harmed, we are told.
even during the days of the noted
Indian outlaw gang which threw ter
ror into the lives of eastern CAROLYN
ians, soon after the War between the
states, Henry Berry Lowry, leader OF
the gang, has been additionally re,
ferred to by citizens of the county as
the Robin Hood Of Robson.
Whatever misgiVinSS there were
about the Indian section a few years
ago, no such feeling exists today. AS
someone said the other day, "Ol6
Man Pembroke has washed his face
and combed his hair
One who has not passed through
that section in five or six years
would hardly know the place. Not
only in the thriving little town Of
Pembroke itself but all along the
country side, noticeable improve
ments have been made.
Neatly Painted
Log cabins and implanted shacks
are giving way to neatly painted
farm houses. The little implanted
churches are giving, way to NOR
substantial places of worship, ant
one room schools have become stur-
dy brick structures of which any
community might we'll be proud.
The Indians themselves have
built the churches, the county anc
state have provided the schools
and the Farm Security admins.
tration has been instrumental II
the Improvement of farms anc
homes.
If Henry Berry Lowry is still
alive in some neighboring state
as some people thing he is-he is
a very old man. At any rate, per
haps Henry Berry's ghost passes
through the community sometimes
on an occasional visit. If he should
come padding up the Lumbee
some bright moonlight night III
would of necessity have tt
bring a guide or he wouldn't know
when his former haunts had beer
reached.
One of the states main high
WAYS crosses the river on a con.
crete bridge at old Harper's Ferry
and along the road near the rivers
banks where small stumpy field!
used to be are we'll drained, oper
fields. Where here and there a col
lard patch fenced with split boards
there are now we'll arranged gar