100 Years Ago: Newsy Notes from the Zorah Section, April 4, 1917

ZORAH, N.C., April 4–We are sorry to say that Mr. Lester Arthur is still on the sick list. We hope he will recover.

Mr. Addie Stilley made a flying trip to Mr. Conway’s Monday night to pay Miss Rosa Price a visit.

Mr. Jimmy Conway and Miss Gladys Toler [a play on their names, it should be Mr. Jimmy Toler and Miss Gladys Conway] were out driving Sunday.

Mr. M.C. Booth and Miss Emily Adams were out walking Sunday.

Miss Rosa Price, of Truitt, is visiting at Zorah.

Messrs. C.H. Booth, J.W. Gaskins, and W.H. Toler made a flying trip to Truitt Sunday afternoon.

Miss Rosa Price was the guest of Miss Essie Knox Sunday night.

The farmers of Zorah are very busy planting corn and other crops.

Oh! listen, the wedding bells are ringing, down at Mr. Conway’s.

Mr. Joe Stilley and family were the guests of Mr. and Mrs. C.B. Knox, Sunday.

Mr. Addie Stilley was the guest of Miss Joe Edwards Sunday night.

Mr. Tim Toler and Mr. Howard Toler were the guests of Miss Essie Knox Sunday night.

Mr. Mack Norman was the guest of Miss Annie Toler Sunday night.

Mr. J.L. Toler and family made a flying trip to Blount’s Creek Sunday.

We are hoping to have a jolly good time at Mr. C.B. Knox’s Easter egg hunt Sunday. Everybody is invited.

THREE BLUE-EYED DAISIES.

[The Sun (New Bern, N.C.), April 5, 1917]


Just a few notes on the above. A “flying trip” was a quick trip, not actually flying.

Lester Arthur was the son of William R. and Nancy O’Neal Arthur. He evidently recovered from this illness, as he died in 1974.

Addie Stilley, mentioned several times in the article, was the son of Jesse W. Stilley and Elizabeth Rice Stilley. He eventually married Minnie Ethel Toler in 1925.

Jimmy Toler and Elizabeth Conway would marry in February 1919, but divorce in November 1919. Jimmy was the son of Lewis L. and Sarah Cayton Toler, and brother of Harvey Toler [possibly the W.H. Toler mentioned above]. Although, W.H. Toler could also be Harvey Toler, son of Willis C. Toler.

M.C. Booth was Merritt Columbus Booth, brother of Julia Booth Toler [married Fred Willis Toler]. I’m not sure who Emily Adams is at the moment as there have not been many Adamses in the Caton community. He was also brother to Claud H. Booth [C.H. Booth above].

Rosa Price, mentioned throughout, was the daughter of Duffy Price and sister of Myrtie and Angie Price. Myrtie would later marry Zeffie Toler, and Angie Price would marry Jesse Gaskins [J.W. Gaskins in the article above]

Joe Stilley married Mary Jane Toler and were visiting his in-laws, as Charles B. Knox married Armetta Toler, sister of Mary Jane.

James Lawrence Toler was the J.L. Toler mentioned going to Blount’s Creek, probably to visit family, as his second wife [Barbara Jones Edwards] was from that area.

[Edited to include updated information on possible identity of W.H. Toler.]