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| Oldest Farm at Freeman has Been Greatly
Improved Transcribed and Submitted by Natasha Miles Columbus County, NC  |
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State Port Pilot 31 July 1935 Oldest Farm at Freeman Has Been Greatly Improved Freeman, July 19 Perhaps the oldest farm in this whole community, that of the late Bartley Deans Applewhite has been greatly improved. Mr Applewhite came to Freeman from Wayne County with a bride who previous to marriage was Miss Mary Ann Dale of Wayne County. Mr Applewhite purchased the farm before the Civil War, cleared the field, put up a store, and installed a turpentine still. From miles around pioneer farmers and turpentine workers beat paths to his door. He was blessed with three sons, R C, B D and Elisha and with two daughters, Etta Woolard(?) and Mrs B G Price. After death claimed him, the property was handed down both through inheritance and through purchase to the late R C Applewhite who carried on the business for a while and then it was ? and the farm was allowed to grow up with weeds. Blake D Applewhite, however, who is now a prominent business man of Wilmington, came into possession of the place and employed Van Kelley to take charge of it. Mr Kelley went to work upon the place with a vim, so that now it is not even a shell of its old resemblance. The turpentine still has been replaced by a grist mill. The old store is no more. A new building has been erected in its stead. The old home, which long since smoldered in ruins, has been replaced by a beautiful, modern bungalow. And the field, enlarged, is flourishing with green, growing crops. The foot paths which used to support weak feet trekking along for miles and miles in brogan shoes have become beautiful state kept roads upon which grandchildren of those old pioneers now skim along in comfortable automobiles. Early Cotton Plants Mistaken for Okra Freeman, July 20 The first bale of cotton ever grown in Ransom township was grown on the old farm of the late Bartly D Applewhite, by the late Alexandra Lewis. When Mr Lewis first came to this township to farm he planted a patch of cotton. Then it was that other farmers of the township passing observed the young cotton plants and wanted to know of Mr Lewis what he meant by planting so many okra. The cotton was ginned by the late David Stone Cowan here by horse power. |
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