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Powellsville

POWELLSVILLE - Located in ne Bertie County on NC Highway 42 near US 13 North, one mile se of the Hertford County line and six miles se of Ahoskie. Latitude 36.22N - Longitude 76.93W. As early as 28 April 1860, the town was known as Powells Cross Roads and was listed as same on the 1861 Gilmer Civil War Survey Map. Some thought the town was named specifically for William Wright Powell who fought in the Civil War; however, more than likely it was named for his family who lived in the vicinity as he was only about 16 when the area was first known as Powells Cross Roads.

The first Postmaster was John C. Britton, who was appointed 12 September 1879. Powellsville was incorporated as a town on 06 March 1919. The "Powellsville Bank Branch of Ahoskie" opened circa 1917-1918 and closed in the early 1930's. Two early doctors served the town, doctors Joseph Blount Ruffin, Jr. and W. H. Wynns. The Powellsville Methodist Church was the first church in town. Land was deeded to the trustees in 1880 and the church was built ca. 1881-1882. The second oldest church was the Powellsville Baptist Church which was organized in 1909. By 1910, the structure had been built.

The Powellsville Methodist Church is credited with the establishment of a one-room un graded schoolhouse in the 1880's. (Some have said children attended school in the Powellsville Grange Hall but no data has been found to substantiate this.) A second school for caucasians, a two-story building, was built circa 1910-1912. This graded school served students, grades one through seven. Before that, however, in 1904 a private school opened for blacks. This school later became the Bertie County Training School. In 1938 it was named the C. G. White High School and once was the largest school for African-American students in the county. The Powellsville School which opened in the 1925-1926 era had 11 grades. It closed in 1955.

The population hovers around 200-250. Many former long-deceased residents of the area said the original pronunciation of Powell was "Poll".

Submitted by Lynn McCarthy

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