1906 Industrial Issue - Sand Hill Township  

This Industrial Issue of the Kinston Free Press was published in 1906 although there was an earlier Industrial Issue published in 1899. The issue is composed of both text and numerous pictures of places and people. This will be a slow project so please be patient.

We are grateful to the Free Press for permission to post anything of historical or genealogical in nature published prior to 1939.

SAND HILL TOWNSHIP

One of the smaller townships of the county is Sand Hill. There are almost as many Negro polls in the township as there are white, the former numbering sixty-two and the latter sixty-six. The township has 12,319 acres of land listed for taxation. Of this area the whites own 11,471 acres and 848 acres are owned by Negroes. The aggregate of its real estate and personal property values as listed is $70,032. There is considerable swamp and much good timberland in the township.

There are two good public roads in the township, both practically parallel with the Neuse River, extending along either side of the township. The churches are three in number. The Bethany Methodist Episcopal, of which Rev. W. A. FORBES is pastor; British Chapel, served by Elder CUNNINGHAM; and South West Disciples Church, of which Rev. W. J. GIBBLE is pastor.

The two white schools in the township have an enrollment of about seventy-five pupils.

School No.1 is taught by Miss NEAL BRAXTON and has about forty pupils. Miss CORA JONES teaches school number 2, which has thirty-five pupils. The school committeeman are E. R. WEST, JOHN H. SUTTON and JOHN A. TILGHMAN.

The township has a considerable amount of swamp land which is capable of producing fine grain. As implied by the name, there is much sandy land to be found here, but productive nevertheless.

W. C. WEST is one of progressive young men of Sand Hill township. He and his newly wedded wife are hospitality itself and they each place their shoulders to the wheel to make for themselves a prosperous home as it is a happy one. Mr. WEST was born on the W. H. WEST farm, which he now owns and where he resides. He is the son of WILLIAM HENRY and SUDIE D. WEST, both deceased. He was born May 1, 1882. His mother was the daughter of JAMES H. FOY, of Richlands, Onslow county.

Mr. WEST'S father was a member of the board of county commissioners that ordered the county iron bridge to be built. He was a large land owner, owning several plantations.

One thing CLOSS WEST takes pride in and that is that his mother was so active in abolishing the manufacture and sale of liquor in the township.

In his boyhood days CLOSS attended the neighborhood schools; but he was compelled to give too close attention to duties of the farm to obtain a very extended education. He is one of the leading members of the Bethany Methodist Episcopal Church. He has now under cultivation about 120 acres of land and owns and operates a cotton gin.

Recently Mr. WEST married Miss MATTIE, daughter of Mr. And Mrs. JOHN IVEY, of Seven Springs, Wayne county.

Mr. H. P. LOFTIN, has what is said to be the prettiest home in Sand Hill township. It is an up-to-date and ideal country home. The yard, lot and out houses are nicely designed and is a model, as to size convenience and general arrangement. On every hand are evidences of thrift, culture and refinement.

Mr. LOFTIN is a native of South West township. His parents are ELIJAH P. and SALLIE CATHERINE LOFTIN. He attended the neighborhood schools and also Dr. LEWIS' private school in Kinston. After he left school he farmed for a time and later clerked for his uncle, S. H. LOFTIN, in Kinston. He is a member of the Christian Church.

This enterprising young man owns about 800 acres of land under cultivation. It is probably as good as any other tract of land in the county.

In 1904 Mr. LOFTIN married Miss SUSIE PITTMAN of Grifton, N. C.

GEORGE WEST was born in Sand Hill township July 3, 1862. He is a recognized leader in his community and one whom all look up to and respect. His parents were JACOB and JULIA ANN WEST and his grandfather was named JESSIE WEST.

The subject of this sketch attended the local schools of Sand Hill and also Dr. R. H. LEWIS' private school in Kinston. He is now one of the substantial men of the county. He has 1500 acres of land, all of which has an underlying strata of Marl from three to six feet below the surface. He produces corn, cotton and tobacco principally. He owns a good plantation and knows how to cultivate it intelligently. Besides his farming interests, Mr. WEST conducts a sawmill and cotton ginnery and has a general merchandise store, where a nice county business is transacted.

Mr. WEST has been a member of the board of county commissioners, a school committeeman and a magistrate. His home is located on what is perhaps the highest knoll in the township and he is a true and willing friend to all his neighbors. He married Miss LOTTIE A., daughter of LOT and KITTIE CROOM. There are ten children, JACOB, LOT, NORMAN, CHRISTINA, JULIAN, GEORGE, JULIA, JASPER, LAURA and MINNIE.