Please note that the meeting will be Monday, September 16 at 7:00 P. M. at the Surry County VA. Recreation Center.

Our Speaker will be Marion S. Baird, Jr. He will speak on the development of Claremont, VA. and his years of research which culminated in the publishing of his book, Claremont on the James, Its Beginnings and Early Years Circa 1880-1920. This book chronicles the founding of Claremont by J. Frank Mancha in 1886 and its settlement largely by families from the North and Midwest. Growing rapidly, a railroad, wharves and river traffic were soon in operation. Homes, churches and schools were established.
His book, with soft back cover, contains eighteen chapters [a comprehensive history] and has about 350 pages, with many pictures. He will also sign all books purchased. For mail orders of his book, please order it directly from

Marion S. Baird, Jr.
158 Yeardley Drive, #3
Newport News, VA. 23601-3236.

Cost is $24.95 per copy including mailing and tax. All books ordered will also be signed by the author.

Report on Nominations and Elections:
The following Officers were elected at our May 2002 Meeting. Officers are also board members for their term of office.

Office	Name & Address	Term
President	Gordon W. Bohannan of Surry, VA.	2002-04
Vice President	Eve S. Gregory of Spring Grove, VA.	2002-04
Treasurer	Martha Rollings of Dendron, VA.	2002-04

Note: There were no nominations for Secretary at the May meeting. Barbara Hopper was asked to continue to serve until a new Secretary is elected. Tarika Blizzard of Hampton. VA. has agreed to be nominated, and election for this office will be at this September meeting.

Board Members and their terms of office.

Name	Address	Term
James E. Atkins	Richmond, VA.	2002-05
Margaret S. Berryman	Surry, VA	2001-04
S. Wallace Edwards	Surry, VA	2002-05
Lily Fields	Waverly, VA.	2001-04
Lee Fudge	Surry, VA.	2002-05
Amy Edwards Harte	Surry, VA.	2000-03
Mike Harrison	Claremont, VA.	2000-03
Kenneth Holmes	Disputanta, VA.	2002-05
Barbara Hopper	Claremont, VA.	2002-05
Barbara N. Moore	Surry, VA.	2002-05
Claude W. Reeson	Spring Grove, VA.	2000-03
Bill Richardson	Dendron, VA.	2001-04

I thank the membership of the Surry County Historical Society for bestowing on me the presidency of this fine organization. Although I was reared in Petersburg, my love for Surry County began when I was a boy during the 1940's when my father, Willis W. Bohannan, bought Pleasant Point from his cousin Willis Morrison. I spent my summers there. Pleasant Point Road was a dirt road in those days. I remember playing in the fields, exploring the woods and roaming the beach. It was heaven for an eight-year-old boy! My father sold Pleasant Point around 1950 and bought a cottage near Crouch's Creek a couple of years later, so my fascination with the quiet rural life in Surry County continued. I had other ties to Surry County, as well. My grandfather, A.W. Bohannan, lived in the village of Surry, as did my aunt, Mary Wilson Land. The memories of visiting my grandfather's house remain vivid. The house still stands on the outskirts of Surry, next to Anna's Pizza.

My visits to Surry continued after my wife, the former Hannah Sykes of Louisburg, NC, and I were married in 1966. Both of us were educators and in 1973 we had the opportunity to work in the Surry County Public Schools. My years as principal of the Surry Elementary School were very dear to me. I quickly learned that all our citizens wanted the best possible education for the children, and I saw first hand the positive results of many people working together in a common purpose.

This same common purpose is evident in our Society. Surry County history is unique, as the county served as a major gateway for families who moved west and south in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. We are very fortunate to have almost all of the records of the county's history from the 1600s forward intact. This history must be preserved and shared. I look forward to working with all of you in accomplishing the important preservation and education goals of our Society.
Gordon W. [Bo] Bohannan.

I want to thank all of our members, especially the officers and board members who have served for the last four years, for their wonderful help and cooperation. Starting a new organization, we have made great progress. From the beginning in late 1998, we have attracted over 500 members. We have taken ownership of Rogers' Store, received a grant for its restoration and awarded a contract for this work. We have opened our office and built a good and growing library and archives of Surry County's history.

The Society is financially sound. We have approximately $19.000.00 in the bank, plus $45,000.00+ from the State of Virginia, Department of Historical Resources, to pay for the restoration of Rogers' Store. We own a 2.4 acre lot in Surry for a future office.

I urge you to support your new president, other officers and board. While we have a good base, it's just a base. Now we must move ahead to become a vital part of Surry County. Again, thank you for your support. I expect to continue to work hard for the Society, but with less overall responsibility.
Jim Atkins

The tour is filled, and there is a waiting list. Look for a report on the trip in our December 2002 newsletter.

Rogers Store: Restoration has begun.
Approximately a month ago, after requesting bids from five contractors, and receiving two, a contract was signed with Roger Atkins to restore Rogers Store. He has many years experience in restoring old historic structures, many in Surry County. The contract includes rewiring the store, painting and repairing the exterior and porches and some limited interior work. It also includes important work on Gwaltney's Store. Rotten framing and missing weatherboard will be replaced. A new metal roof will be installed. Flooring will be repaired and wiring will be replaced.
Overall, these repairs will allow us to open Rogers' Store, hopefully during the 350th Celebration of the founding of Surry County.

Some Wonderful Gifts

The Society has received a wonderful gift from Mrs. Betty Goodrich Lowrance of Clinton, North Carolina. She has given the Society a collection of books and Civil War items of her great grandfather, Alphius A. Goodrich of Surry County, Virginia, and his family. Her ancestors left Surry County in 1920, taking a trunk filled with mementoes from their past. Betty inherited this trunk, and found these items.
It is noteworthy that Betty discovered the Society through our Web Page on the Internet. This modern method of communication thus led to her gift of early communications, one 236 years old, the most recent 119 years old.

Included in this valuable collection are:

1.  A. A. Goodrich's parole paper allowing him to come home from Appomattox, VA. A. A. Goodrich was in Co. D, 10th Virginia Artillery. His parole paper is signed by Jas E. Gray, 2nd LT, Comdr, Co. D,. 10th VA. Batt. Artillery. The date, April 19, 1865, is however part of the printed form, and may not be the date signed. This is a Confederate document and is signed by a Confederate officer.
2.  A. A. Goodrich's oath, #121, stating that he pledges to henceforth faithfully support and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Union of the States. This form was signed at Surry C. H. on July 17,1865. It is attested by B. F. Winger, Lt. Col., 2nd Pa. Vol Arly, Provost Marshal. It is a preprinted form, obviously Union, signed soon after the surrender at Appomattox. Does the #121 signify him to be the 121st from Surry County to take the oath? Both are rare examples of the war.
3.  A collection of six books, one dating back to 1766. They are:
   • A.The oldest is a Bible, published in 1766, by Alexander Kincaid, His Majestys Printer in Edinburgh, Scotland. A handwritten note in the back states "Langley Crafford Wills, this Bible bought of Robt. McIntosh LC, Price 6/0". Robert McIntosh is the man who gave the land and built the first Courthouse at Surry Courthouse in 1797. McIntosh also owned the Tavern in Surry. Also noted is that Langley C. Wills gave this book to Silia Wilson on May 3, 1806.
     The earliest birth noted in the Bible is Nancy Thompson, March 15,1789. Others are Thomas M. Thompson, dated Sept. 10, 1792, Silia Wilson dated June 6,1803, John Thompson dated July 1, 1813, Lyn Thompson dated May 11, 1815 and Sarough Eliz'a Thompson dated May 4,1819.
   • B."Scripture Views of the Heavenly World" by J. Edmonson, A. M., copyrighted in 1854. It was owned by Indianna Collier in 1856. It was written for the Methodist Episcopal Church, South..
   • C. "Gospel Hymns consolidated", as used by D. L. Moody, printed by Biglow and Main and John Church and Company, Copyright 1883. It was owned by William E. Goodrich, Piney Grove School, May 8,1884.
   • D. "History of Virginia" for the use of Schools, by Mary Tucker Magill, published in 1888. It is noted as William E. Goodrich's Book.
   • E. "Intermediate Arithmetic", by Charles S. Venable, LLD, published in 1887. It was owned by Minnie Price.
   • F. "Holmes Third Reader", by George F. Holmes LLD, Copyrighted 1870. Of interest are a number of seals, hardly discernible, stamped in the book.

Also, Anne Worrell and Gray Rowell Henry have given the Society a collection of photos, letters, and documents from their mother, Ethel Roach Rowell's, files. This collection has many mementoes from Surry County.

Barbara Moore has given the Society a mail sorting table and file. This was used to sort the mail at the Savedge, VA. Post office before delivering it on the RFD. It will be used at Rogers' Store Museum, which also served as the Carsley Post Office.

Alice Epps Deans has given the Society three slide projectors. These are very welcome. Often speakers need a projector, and the Society will need one to display slides from our huge collection of rural scenes by Lorena Wilcox Leath.

Our genealogical files are growing at a rapid rate. We are filing the information alphabetically, with collateral families noted. We expect to soon computerize the list, including information on collateral families. We ask all visitors who come to our office for help to share their information with the Society. It is working well, and our visitors are contributing a tremendous amount of information for our archives.
We appeal to all of our members to send us copies of their genealogical information. So much of the work of tracing our ancestors is repeating work others have already done. Bringing together this information makes our Society increasingly valuable. This file will become one of our most valuable assets, and a most important part of the Society's archives
When you add this information to that in published books on our shelves, we can often give help to members and visitors in a matter of minutes.
Most of the Society's research, newsletters and speakers involve the history of Surry County. We try to print information in our newsletters that has the broadest appeal. Yet, many if not most, of our visitors come to trace their roots. Every bit of information you can share with us attracts new members and makes your Society more valuable.

1.  Register of Albemarle Parish, Surry and Sussex Counties, 1739-1778 transcribed by Gertrude R. B. Richards PhD
2.  Colonial Surry by John Bennett Boddie
3.  Southside Virginia Families, Vol. One and Two by John Bennett Boddie
4.  Historic Southern Families, by John Bennett Boddie
5.  Births, Deaths and Sponsors of Albemarle Parish 1739-1778 by John Bennett Boddie
6.  Virginia Wills and Administrations 1632-1800 compiled by Clayton Torrence
7.  Adventurers of Purse and Person, Virginia, 1607-1624-25.

Dr. Edgar Toppin of Virginia State University will be our keynote speaker. Dr. Toppin has been on the faculty of Virginia State for over 30 years. He has served as Dean of the Graduate School. Dr. Toppin has authored five books and co-authored five more. He has served on the board of the Virginia Historical Society and the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities. His topic will be "Family History, what it teaches us, the past, present and future."
The Society will have extensive files and experienced genealogists available to assist participants in research. Copy machines to make copies of information we found will be available. All with Surry County roots are welcome. It is likely we can help you learn more of your ancestors and past.

Possible Office move.
The Society is likely to have to move its office in the near future. Plans are underway to vastly expand the Courthouse. If this takes place, the buildings behind the Courthouse, the Old Jail- our office, the Academy and the Commissioner of Revenue building will have to be moved or demolished. The Society is actively following events and are asking the County to move these historic buildings to our lot, across Church Street, if the Courthouse expansion takes place.
The expansion is contentious, and until final plans are approved and contracts let, all we can do is plan and look at alternatives. Our Board of Directors are following this closely, and will keep you informed.

Rare Surry County Newspaper copy for sale!
The Society has copies of a rare example of a newspaper published in Claremont, VA. It was published by the Temperance, Industrial and Collegiate Institute, Rev. John J. Smallwood, President, on June, 13,1896. It was Vol. 1, Issue #2, the only one known to survive.

It consists of four 11" X 17" pages, full size, 95 % easily readable. There are articles by Rev. Smallwood, a list of gifts for the year, his speech commemorating the fifty first birthday of Lincoln and letters they received. Twenty acres of land was offered for sale for $700.00.

The Virginia Historical Society has declared this as a rare example of a newspaper published by a black college in the 1800s. It is a snapshot into this little known part of Surry County's history. Price is $4.00 per copy including mailing and tax. See the order form on the last page. It will also be available for sale at our September meeting.

More information about Dr. Smallwood and his Institute at Claremont.

Order a copy of this very rare and fascinating newspaper.

Extra - Extra! Old Surry by A. W. Bohannan for sale!
Perhaps no book of Surry County history has been as popular as this book written by A. W. Bohannan and first published in 1927. Mr. Bohannan was treasurer of Surry County for nearly fifty years and a great lover of Surry County and its history. He wrote of old homes, places, churches and events. As he roamed around Surry County he talked with the "old folks" and made notes of our oral history. Many had first hand recollections of the Civil War. From these conversations and his extensive research, this book was written. There was a second printing in 1957. For years it has been nearly impossible to secure a copy. The few that came to market were very expensive.

The Society is pleased to announce that Gordon W. [Bo] Bohannan and his family have just received the third printing of this book. It is hard bound, and unlike earlier editions, is indexed. Everyone who has Surry County roots, or a love of its history should have a copy. The Society is very pleased to offer it for sale. While they are available, get one for every member of your family. They make great presents. They will also be available for sale at our Sept. 2002 meeting for $21.00.

Order a copy of Old Surry.

Also- It Took a Village by Gray Rowell Henry is for sale. These remembrances of growing up in Surry Village 1926 - 1944 tell of life in a slower time when doors were left unlocked and keys left in cars. It will be available for sale at our September 2002 meeting.

Order a copy of It Took a Village.

This picture came from the Manuscript Print Collection, Special Collections Dept., University Of Virginia Library. Written on the back of the original print is Payton A. Cocke, Newport News, Virginia.

The picture shows Corbell and Cocke on a bulletin board, and faintly painted on the building front beside the right window. "Post Office" is written over the door. The second, third and maybe seventh persons from the left appear to be wearing Confederate uniforms.

Is this The Surry Courthouse, or is it a picture taken at Surry Courthouse? The Society welcomes any verification or information.

Join the Society! Keep your membership up to date!
Check the renewal date on your Newsletter mailing label. For example, 6/02 means you are paid up through June 2002.

Membership Information and Application Form