[Reprinted from the January 17, 1902, issue of the New Berne Weekly Journal, page 4.]
ZORAH. Death of Mrs. Toler. A Large Land Sale With Important Results
January 15. Our community has been saddened by the death of Mrs. Betsey Toler, who was reported in the last article, as being sick. She was taken ill on Christmas Eve and continued to grow worse until the 9th inst. when she was relieved of her sufferings here below by the summons from on high.
She was 76 years of age, and had been a consistent member of the Baptist church during the most of her life. Two sons and three daughters are left to mourn the loss of a kind an loving mother.
Mr. David B. Caton and wife moved fro[m] Zorah, last week, to Blount’s Creek Beaufort Co.
Mr. Jas. A. Harrington has returned to New Bern where he has been at work for some months.
Mr. O.C. O’Neal will begin timbering about 5 miles below New Bern on the road to Wilmington next week.
Mr. G.A. Whitford was in your city last night.
Mr. O.D. Jackson, of Norfolk who owns considerable real estate in this community, has just sold 10,000 acres to a company in Ohio. He still has several thousand acres of choice swamp land which we trust he will sell to someone who will develop it. We understand the above mentioned company will begin work upon their purchase, soon.
Notes on the above Zorah News by Victor T. Jones, Jr.
The Mrs. Betsey Toler mentioned in the article as having died was Elizabeth Lewis Toler, the widow of Amariah Toler (son of James Toler). Her surviving children were Daniel and Emmett Toler (sons) and Martha Toler, Annis Toler Harrington, and Julia Amanda Toler Cayton.
Mr. David B. Caton is the man for whom the community of Caton is named. He is buried in the High Bridge Cemetery.
Jas. A. Harrington was the son of John B. Harrington and Annis Toler Harrington.
O.C. O’Neal was Owen Cudworth O’Neal, son of James B. and Martha Whitford O’Neal. He is buried in the O’Neal Family Cemetery.
G.A. Whitford is Gilbert Arthur Whitford.
O.D. Jackson purchased several thousand acres of land in the Great Pocosin. In 1902, he sold much of it to the Buckeye Company [Craven County Deed Book 142, page 147 and Book 143, page 102], which in turn leased much of it to the Pamlico & Neuse River Timber Company [Craven County Deed Book 148, page 153]. These two companies sold the land in 1908 to Mills Campbell Lumber Company [Craven County Deed Book 171, page 25]. Financial troubles caused Mills Campbell to sell their holdings in 1912[Craven County Deed Book 191, page 34]. It appears the holdings were purchased by the East Carolina Lumber Company [The Daily Journal, November 5, 1912, page 1].
Thank you very much for all of the hard work that you do on this ancient news . I use to hear my Grandmother speak of her Mother and her Grandmother Betsy . I am sure that was a sad Christmas for her family . I really enjoyed this
Article .Thanks again .