Western Tidewater Living - Fall 2013

Western ewa ew wat at Tidewater

Living

A Fiery Passion

‘Mert’ Felts has been hooked on glassblowing since high school

Hometown Histories: Drewryville A new series kicks off with a look back at the history of one of the many small communities that make Western Tidewater great

Catching up with ...

Christopher Reed

FALL 2013 • vol. 4, no. 3

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Western Tidewater

Living

letter from the publisher

One of the things that make our neck of the woods such an interesting place to live is that Western Tidewater, for the most part, is really a collection of smaller, rural communities, each with its own unique character and personality. And whether you live in Carrsville or Capron, Walters, Branchville, Sedley or even Franklin, you likely live in a place that does not take up much space on the map but is overflowing with history, each with a story to tell.

So we decided to start telling them.

In this issue, we are starting a new feature called Home-

town Histories, in which we hope to provide our readers even just a glimpse of what makes some of our local enclaves so special to those that call them home. Our first profile is of Drewryville, a community of less than 800 in western Southampton County whose roots in agriculture and the railroad date back to colonial times.

We hope to be able to profile, over time, all of the “Drewryvilles” that make up Western Tidewater. If you have one you’d like us to get to right away, drop us a line and let us know.

Tony Clark Associate Publisher Tidewater Publications

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contents fall 2013

Cover photograph

by Cain Madden ON THE COVER: ‘Mert’ Felts works on an ornament in his workshop in Southampton County.

Western Tidewater

Living

Tony Clark Associate Publisher

INSIDE THIS EDITION

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36 western tidewater living

where am I?

PARTY PIX

Western Tidewater residents enjoyed several festivals, fairs, pig pickins and a powow over the summer. Who will you spot in the crowd?

photo by Cain Madden

In each edition, our magazine staff provides a challenge of sorts for readers, testing how much of Western Tidewater you really know. We photograph a scene in Western Tidewater that is visible to motorists or pedestrians.

Whoever can identify the location pictured above will be entered for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate to any one of our partner advertisers.

For the summer edition, the photo was taken of the Abbitt Building on Second Ave. The mural is painted on the back of the building, facing Third Avenue and the Chamber of Commerce.

So, if you know where this issue’s photo was taken, let us know. If you’re right, you could be a winner. E-mail your answers to magazine@tidewaternews.com

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Tell us where our photographer took this photo and get a chance to win a gift certificate.

Go out and enjoy Western Tidewater!

Cain Madden Managing Editor Stephen Cowles Contributing Writer Merle Monahan Contributing Writer Rex Alphin Columnist Ryan Outlaw Designer Loretta Lomax Editorial Assistant Mitzi Lusk Advertising Director Kate Archer Marketing Consultant Michaela Chesson Marketing Consultant Michelle Gray Office Manager Western Tidewater Living is published four times a year by Tidewater Publications, LLC P.O. Box 497, Franklin, VA 23851 757-562-3187 Advertising rates and information available upon request to ads@tidewaternews.com. Subscriptions are $20 annually in-state, $24 annually out of state and $30 annually overseas.

THE PHANTOM GLASSBLOWER After witnessing a glassblower repair parts of his science project in high school, ‘Mert’ Felts was hooked on the art.

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western tidewater living 37

Catching up with Christopher Reed

story by Stephen H. Cowles photos submitted

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LITTLE COMMUNITY, BIG HISTORY

B

y this time next year, a Franklin native and longtime Courtland resident expects to find himself immersed in his chosen career as a nurse anesthetist.

Christopher Reed, 31, is meanwhile concentrating on his education at Duke University in Durham, N.C. Reed figures he’s been putting in 80 to 90 hours a week for studying, attending classes and training to reach his goal.

“It’s very intense,” Reed said. “The last two years it’s been my entire life.

“I graduate in May 2014 and will practice on my own after that,” he continued.

Actually, between receiving his degree and wherever he goes to work, there’s a required national certification and a hospital’s credential check to complete, which Reed figures will mean an additional couple of months.

Reed said he’s leaning toward returning to Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, Md.,

where he not only earned degrees in nursing, but also worked as a registered nurse.

“So when I was at Johns Hopkins, I was on the Pediatric Critical Care Transport Team,” he said, adding that helicopters were used to carry children and young adults in medical emergencies to the hospital.

“We’d go to operating room school to get those skills. Nurse anesthetists were with us,” he said by way of explaining the shift in his work focus.

“I was really encouraged by what the nurse anesthetists were doing,” Plus, he added, “I needed a change.”

The education path for an anesthesiologist versus a nurse anesthetist is chiefly the difference between the two, said Reed.

An anesthesiologist does four years of undergraduate work, four years of medical school and three years of residency training in anesthesia. For a certified registered nurse anesthetist, first there’s four

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years for a b a c h e l o r ’s degree.

“I obtained a bachelor’s degree in four years (business/economics and environmental studies at Randolph-Macon College), and then went back for another bachelor’s degree in nursing,” he said.

Next is a minimum of one year of ICU/ Critical Care experience as an RN. “Most people have at least two years. I had six years of critical care experience,” added Reed. “In addition to working in critical care full-time, I also earned two master’s degrees (public health and nursing) while working at Hopkins.”

All graduate programs for nurse anesthesia are transitioning to a three-year doctoral education, he said. CRNA programs across the country are 24 to 39 months in duration. Duke is 28 months and is going to 36 months next year.

“In the end, both [professions] can do

Drewryville marks the first in a series that profiles the history and heritage of small communities in Western Tidewater.

MAKING MOMENTS SPECIAL

Shannon Kokot makes special order pies, cookies, and chocolate-dipped strawberrys at M.A.M.A.S. Creative Sweets

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The Splendor of Age H

ere we are again, nestled between summer and winter. For some, this is the first breath of cooler air; for others, it is the predictable change witnessed year after year. Yet for all, whether newborn or aged, the autumn season signifies an elapse of time – a reminder that the clock, like our lives, is not stagnant, but a pattern of movement and transformation.

Age, with its days, years and subsequent changes, pushes in at every turn. Fall is the time in which we see that vast change all around, and remember its echo in our lifetime.

Often it is the clear, chill sky that brings to memory my first encounter with a falling star. It was the end of September. I was eight years old, surrounded by girlfriends and sleeping bags on our trampoline, enjoying a slumber party. I noticed a quick light stream across the sky above. Although small, it was an exciting moment – one that seemed to remind us of our youth and vigor. It promised exciting things to come in a

life yet to be lived.

With the unpacking of sweaters and coats, I also remember the first time I fell in love. He was a local boy who liked reading books as much as he liked discussing them.

One of our initial dates ended with a long walk. It was dark, like his hair and eyes, and cooler – a few weeks before Thanksgiving.

He offered me his jacket and I was in love.

I notice the surrounding naked trees of this season, and recall the falling out that occurred a year later; a move across country and a commitment that could not keep up was the end. I saw my breath in the air and the bare limbs and believed my heart would remain as empty as their branches.

Yet when the leaves litter the ground like a carpet, I am reminded that not all things remain desolate. My wedding day was an

column and photo

by Rex Alphin

overflow of delight and fulfillment. As my eyes fell on the sunset backdrop of our outdoor ceremony, I noticed the colors on the ground reflected in the glorious scene overhead: yellows and oranges, reds and specks of browns. It was a good October day, spent with a good man. The clouds broke just in time and the rain held off.

Similarly, when the autumn storms come, I remember the day our son came home from the hospital. A September storm raged and rain fell on our car. As we embarked on the journey of parenthood, the seasonal weather matched our emotions: a bit scary and beautifully surreal.

This year, with the advent of fall, I am aware of the changing seasons in our lives – those we have sustained and those yet to be experienced. The cyclical pattern of maturity is all around. It is suitable, timely, and it is good. From greens to golds, seed to harvest, we are reminded of the value of growth and the pricelessness of change.

Age can be a splendid thing.

Columnist Rex Alphin finds the season to inspire reflection on the passage of time.

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party pix

A Diamond and Pearls Affair Top left, Beneta Cofield with her son, Ellis “Trey” Cofield, who was crowned Mr. Beautillion 2013 at “A Diamond and Pearls Affair,” held June 8 in Southampton High School. The event was co-sponsored by the Lambda Psi Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. and the Franklin/Southampton Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. Middle left, Abigail Idisi, left, Imani Duck and Armirah Stephens were among the eight debutantes presented to society. Bottom left, Cherese Parker, left, James Artis, both of Franklin, and Sherry Powell with her children, Jordan and Asia Powell, all of Suffolk. They were guests at the Cotillion-Beautillion. Right, Miss Cotillion 2013 Armirah Stephens and Mr. Beautillion 2013 Ellis “Trey” Cofield.

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party pix

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Isle of Wight County Fair Top left, standing beside antique farm equipment at the fair are Maddison Gaddis and her great-grandfather, Ken Fitzpatrick of Portsmouth. Top right, Kennth Faison of King’s Fork High School, left, with Jessica Atkins of Isle of Wight Academy and Makayla Anderson of Smithfield High School look over pictures for children to color at the 4-H tent. Bottom left, Crystal Fitzwater, left, of Suffolk, with Casey and Cliff Carr of Windsor visit the Field and Garden Tent at the Isle of Wight County Fair, which took place mid-September. In front are Britton Fitwater, left, and Ryland Carr. Bottom right, Paul and LIndsay Scharader came from Virginia Beach to visit the fair. Here they’re pictured at the 4-H goat show.

PHOTOS BY STEPHEN COWLES

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party pix

North Carolina Watermelon Festival Top, coming from Conway, N.C. for the festival is the Harris Family. In front from left are Gabrielle Harris, Hadassah Harris, Evangelyn Harris, Isaih Harris and Gregory Harris Sr.; back, Shannon Harris, Nashia Harris, Anasha Harris, Gregory Harris Jr., Omoni Harris, Noah Harris and Josiah Harris. Bottom left, visiting from the Whaleyville section of Suffolk are Ciera Verschneider, Karen LaChausse, Sheri Terrillion, Sara Terrillion and Russ Terrillion. In front is Shane Terrillion. Bottom right, Robin Stephens, left, with Mandy Bailey and Ryne Bailey, 3, all of Franklin. They usually come for the parade at the annual North Carolina Watermelon Festival in Murfreesboro.

PHOTOS BY STEPHEN COWLES

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Heritage Day Top left, Makenzie Ledbetter (2) gets to meet a clown with her parents Mr. and Mrs. Derrick Leadbetter. Top right, Kayanna Dooley and Jorden Bowden got a chance to pet Helen, the Donkey from Updike farms as Ken Kruse held her.

Bottom left, Cali Rogers (2) gets to sit on a tractor as her grandmother, Linda Rogers gives her a boost up on the seat. Bottom right, Ruth Ann Bachelor and Madison Alderman pick out a couple of t-shirts from the confederate display.

PHOTOS BY DON BRIDGERS

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Heritage Day Top, Rita and Ron McCormick from Ivor attend the 20th Heritage Day at the Southampton Heritage Village and Agriculture & Forestry Museum in Courtland on Sept. 14. Bottom left, Steve and Pat Ferguson.

Bottom right, Anne Bryant and Pat the Clown talk.

PHOTOS BY MERLE MONAHAN

western tidewater living

Heritage Day Top left, attendingw the 20th Heritage Day at the Southampton Heritage Village and Agriculture & Forestry Museum in Courtland on Sept. 14 are in back from left to right, Savannah Britt, George and Holly Giles. In front, Joseph Baker and Luke Giles. Bottom left, Sandy Holloman from Courtland and Bill Tennis from Hampton clown for the camera. Right, Rhiannon McClure, 7 and grandmother, Kathy McClure.

PHOTOS BY MERLE MONAHAN

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party pix

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Enviva Pig Pickin’ Left, Charlie Ashburn awaits with Marie Smith the start of Enviva’s pig pickin’ on Sept.

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Powwow Right, Tiffany Raintree Desnoyers and Tammy Evening Fire tell Jeff Brown the process of grinding corn at the 13th annual Cheroenhaka (Nottoway) Indian Powwow. Below, a family of dancers dressed to participate in the event.

PHOTOS BY DON BRIDGERS

party pix

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Powwow Right, Marlina Richardson,17 braids her sister Alayna Richardson’s hair before the grand entrance to the 13th annual Cheroenhaka (Nottoway) Indian Powwow. Bottom left, Julie Sugar Bear Deans, 4 waits for the grand entrance.

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Western Tidewater

Living

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The Phantom Glassblower ‘Mert’ Felts enjoys continuing to live out life-long passion

story and photos by Cain Madden

N

estled in the back of his peanut workstation sits an unusual piece of equipment for peanut production — a torch, which is mounted on a table containing an assortment of glass — christmas ornaments, glass animals and scientific tools.

In his spare time, retired farmer “Mert” Felts is a glassblower. But he is no amateur hobbyist. No, Felts actually started his career as a glassblower and continued throughout the years by working on the side. Today even, Felts is part of a team that operates a company in Richmond, which creates and repairs scientific glass for universities and private science labs around the state.

“I ordered a piece of glass of Miller’s Experiment,” he said, speaking of a piece of glass he had ordered when he was in high school. “It

was a re-creation of what started primordial life on Earth, theoretically. But it came to the house broke, and that was a lot of grass cutting money. I watched a glassblower fix it and got hooked. The glass looked cool,” he said with a laugh.

“We became good friends, and he took me on as an apprentice,” he said of John Bivins, who worked at the time with Phillip Morris in the research division, where Felts would do his apprenticeship with Bivins after college.

It wasn’t totally glass that helped him get on at Phillip Morris, though. That harkens back to the farm.

“My father and I would drove up to Richmond and drop off Watermelons at A&P,” he said. “We’d stop by to drop off watermelons for John. When I’d visit, various suits would make their way down and we became

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friends. I paved my way with watermelons.”

From Southampton High, Felts went to college and majored in chemistry at North Carolina Wesleyan College, where he met his wife of 44 years (in December), Jean, who was from Hampton. He went to school at the Salem Technical Institute in New Jersey to focus on scientific glassblowing.

For a few years, he worked with Bivins as a glassblower in Richmond, until the farm, which has been in his family’s hands since 1893, called him back to Southampton County.

“We liked life a lot in Richmond, but we were not sure of it as a place to raise a family,” Felts said. “So we moved back to the farm, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.”

On the farm, he raised everything you’d typically raise in Southampton County, including peanuts.

“A farmer is a chemist, an environmentalist and a little bit of everything,” Felts said.

“It is what I grew up doing, and I continued to enjoy it.

I like to do things with my hands, so it was a lot of fun.”

But he didn’t give up glassblowing. Felts got a job at Old Dominion University in Norfolk and commuted there on the weekends to work on glass.

“They called me the phantom glassblower,” he said.

“We had this system in the school of science where you’d fill out a form if you had broken glass. So, they’d fill out the form on Friday,

and when they came back into work Monday, the glass would be as new.

“No one ever saw me. I’d slip in during the evening and work by myself. I enjoyed that.”

Today, he has retired from both farming and glassblowing. He has given up farming, though he makes money off the land by leasing it out to other farmers.

Glassblowing, however, that’s a different story. At home, he makes christmas ornaments and other glass knick-knacks as gifts for family and friends, and he also makes glass gifts for order.

“I make a lot of pigs,” Felts said with a laugh. “My kids always get a new ornament, and our tree is full of ornaments. We have a good time decorating it.

“One year, one of my grandchildren decided to put up a second tree,” he said of Ashton Felts, who was visiting from San Diego.

He also continues to work with lifelong friend Bivins and other glass blowers a few times a week in Richmond.

They create and repair glass that you can’t buy off the shelf, primarily working with borosilicate pyrex and some quartz. They still do work for Phillip Morris and other universities, including Norfolk State, where they recently created some glassware for the science lab.

“Somebody comes to us with a problem or a need,” he said. “They explain what they are looking for, and we

translate that into a piece of glass that takes care of that function.

“For example, we are working on a piece of glass that tests oil. It is a demonstrative test that goes for a month or two, so it has to be well made to hold up to the rigors of the test.”

Over the years, and continuing today, Felts said his wife Jean has been a good partner. First, in adapting to country life, but later in allowing him to do a lot of work on the side, including serving in roles such as president of the peanut growers association over the years.

Glassblowing isn’t the only thing he’s doing, though. If you visit Edwards Hardware in Courtland, you can find him one day a week.

“That’s how I know what’s going on, people will just come in and talk to you,” he said. “A lot of my old classmates come through, and it is good to see them.

“It means a lot to me to be in Courtland. It’s a great place to be.”

It all started with one piece of broken glass, and Felts said he was happy with how far that took a Southampton High School student.

“I had a chemistry teacher that would let me tinker with it after hours,” he said.

“It was just an eye-opening experience for a farm boy from Southampton County.

It was very different, the work it required. There was a lot of science and research.

“I’ve just always had a love for it.”

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what to do

saturday, oct. 5

Poker Run The Michael Pittman Poker Run will be at 9 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 5 at the Sedley ball field.

The registration fee is $10 per rider. There will be Brunswick stew for $7 per quart, and a cornhole tournament at 10 a.m. The registration fee for the cornhole tournament is $30 per team. All proceeds help support the Daddy’s Little Girl College Fund and ALS Foundation. For more information, call Kevin Pittman at 653-8466.

Carrollotn Volunteer Fire Dept. BBQ Fundraiser

CALENDAR OF EVENTS thursday, oct. 3

Suffolk Quilters Guild meeting The Suffolk Quilters Guild will meet at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 213 N. Main Street, Suffolk on Thursday, Oct. 3, at 6:30 p.m. The public is invited. For information please call 484-6688.

Walk-a-thon Family camp The Airfield 4-H Center will conduct a “Fall Festival” Family Camp Friday, Oct. 4 through Sunday, Oct. 6 for youth ages 5-13. The registration deadline is Friday, Sept. 20. Space is limited. For more information call 899-4901 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

BBQ fundraiser Carrollton Volunteer Fire Department will host its Fall fundraising BBQ on Saturday, Oct. 5 from noon to 6 p.m. at Fire Station 10, 15020 Carrollton Blvd., Route 17, in Isle of Wight County, Carrollton VA. 23314. Menu will include fried chicken, Brunswick stew, baked beans, cole slaw, iced tea and coffee.

Advance tickets for $8 are now available at many Carrollton and Smithfield businesses. $10 at the door on the day of the BBQ. Takeout meals also available. Your tax-deductable donations for this benefit event support the volunteer fire/rescue service of Carrollton and neighboring response districts in Smithfield and northern Suffolk. Proceeds enable the purchase of needed medical, rescue and fire fighting equipment and supplies. Further information call 613-6183.

Matter of Balance classes A Matter of Balance Class will be offered at The Village at Woods Edge every Wednesday beginning Oct. 3 through Nov. 20 from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. “A Matter of Balance: Managing Concerns About Falls” is a program designed to reduce the fear of falling and increase the activity levels of older adults who have this concern. Classes will be held at The Village. Class sizes are limited. Call Billie Turner at 562-3100 to register.

friday, oct. 4

Franklin Fall Festival The Downtown Franklin Association is hosting its 31st annual Fall Festival Friday, Oct. 4 and Oct. 5 at Barrett’s Landing in downtown Franklin. The event begins with a block party from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. and continues Saturday at 10 a.m. with a street festival that includes games, activities, food, local vendors and musicians. Admission is $5.

Franklin Fall Festival

western tidewater living Wakefield Foundation Family Day The Historic Wakefield Foundation, 100 Wilson Ave., Wakefield, sponsors the annual event, which lasts from 10 a.m.- 3 p.m., beginning with a parade. Throughout the day there will be musical entertainment, Brunswick Stew, information and craft booths, antique cars, Children’s games, the children’s ID program and more. The gallery exhibit, “Remembering Kitty,” features private art from the collection of Kitty Nettles.

For details, call 899-2365 or visit www.facebook.com/wakefieldfoundation. There is no charge for admission or parking.

Walk-a-thon The Genieve Shelter will be hosting its 2nd annual “Walk Away from Violence” walk-athon Oct. 5 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Windsor Castle Park in Smithfield. It will be a family fun event with activities for children and acclaimed author Janine Latus will be speaking at the event.

tuesday, oct. 8

College open house Paul D. Camp Community College’s Alumni Reunion and College Open House will be held on Saturday, Oct. 12 from noon to 3 p.m. on the Franklin campus grounds. There will be food, music, corn hole and carnival games. For more information call 569-6789 or 569-6797.

College Night Paul D. Camp Community College will host College Night on Tuesday, Oct. 8 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Regional Workforce Development Center. More than 50 colleges, universities and trade schools have been invited to participate. For more information call 569-6797.

thursday, oct. 10

Suffolk Shrimp Fest The 35th annual Suffolk Shrimp Fest will be Thursday, 10 from 3 to 7 p.m. at the Suffolk Airport.

saturday, oct. 12

Souper Saturday Christian Outreach Program will host the event from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Trinity United Methodist Church, Cedar Street, Smithfield. A $5 donation provides soup, ham biscuits, dessert and a drink, both eat-in and take-out. All proceeds go to the fuel assistance program to help with winter heating costs for those in need.

Tickets are available at Trinity UMC and other area churches as well as at the door. For more information go to www.iowcop.org.

Financial fitness classes The Franklin Redevelopment and Housing Authority will host this program from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in Room 121 at Paul D. Camp Community College. For details, call 5620384 ext. 303.

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monday, oct. 14

Citizen Association meeting “Safety in Isle of Wight County” will be the subject when the Isle of Wight Citizens Association meets Monday, Oct.14 at 7 p.m. in the conference room of the St. Lukes Sentara Building. For further information call 357-5352.

wednesday, oct. 23

Isle Fest 2013 The Isle of Wight-Smithfield-Windsor Chamber of Commerce has announced that its annual Isle Fest networking event will be Wednesday, Oct. 23 from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Windsor Castle Park in Smithfield. Isle Fest is the chamber’s largest networking and social event of the season. Tickets are $25 and must be purchased in advance. Tickets are available at the Chamber of Commerce, BB&T, Langley Federal Credit Union or by visiting www.theisle.org.

saturday, oct. 26

Craft show The Christmas in our Hometown craft show will be Saturday, Oct. 26 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the PDCCC Workforce Development Center, Franklin. The Department of Social Services will be selling lunches. For vendor spaces call Shirley Billups at (757) 620-5499.

THURSday, oct. 31

Downtown trick-or-treat Area businesses welcome trick-or-treaters from 5:30 p.m to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 31. Volunteers and police officers will be on hand for safety and assistance. For more information, call the Downtown Franklin Association at 562-6900

saturday, nov. 16

Fall fair The Nansemond River Pilot Club will host its 8th annual Fall Fair on Saturday, Nov. 16 from 9 a .m. to 3 p.m. at the Hilton Garden Inn Riverfront (downtown Suffolk).

tuesday, dec. 31

DOWNTOWN TRICK-OR-TREAT

New Year’s Eve celebration The Cover 3 Foundation will host a New Year’s Eve celebration Tuesday, Dec. 31 from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. at the Hilton Garden Inn Suffolk Riverfront at 100 E. Constance Rd., Suffolk.

For tickets or more information visit www. cover3foundation.org.

28 western tidewater living

Hometown Histories Drewryville

story by Sidney Moore photos by Cain Madden

western tidewater living

R

esting near the western edge of Southampton County, the village of Drewryville had its origins with its first documented inhabitants, the Drewry family.

It’s not known what led the Drewrys to the area, but it is reported that the family from England may have come from Jamestown.

The first of those to seek permanent residence was Samuel Drewry Jr., who owned a vast plantation. This was defined by what is believed to be Emporia to the three creeks that have come to be known as Big Water

Tract in the northern edge to Ridley’s branch in the south to Blue Pond Tract, which ran west from the Taylor’s old line of trees. It also included land that reached to the Assamoosic Swamp. Upon his, death he left the land to his sons.

Major Humphrey Drewry, the son of Samuel Drewry, received this land after several deaths in the family. He built the first house in the area that would later be known as Drewryville. The area and house is now called Cedar Grove.

It received its name because of the abundance of cedar

trees on the property. When his wife, Frances Simmons Drewry, was laid to rest in 1825, she was buried behind the house. This marked the inception of the Drewry family cemetery at Cedar Grove.

Just before Major Humphrey Drewry was laid to rest in 1844, he delegated 336 acres of farmland to his son Samuel Drewry II, the land along the Big Water Tract. This is the land that became the present layout for Drewryville.

Samuel Drewry II named his land Drewrysville out of respect and honor for his father, Major Humphrey Dre-

wry. The “s” was dropped later in 1897 by request of the postmaster. Before his father’s death in 1844, Samuel had built a house for himself, which was completed in 1830. It was referred to by all of the local residents as the “Great House.” It was christened such because it was completely self-sufficient.

The house had its own blacksmiths, seamstresses, farmers and carpenters; everything that was needed to make it independent. The house became so popular that it was utilized as a coach wagon stop for passengers. The “Great

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30 western tidewater living

House” also was the village’s first postal stop during the days of the Pony Express, and the Confederate general, William Mahone, used to deliver the mail on horseback during his younger years.

The “Great House” served as the postal stop until 1838, when an official Post Office was opened. The house was renamed “Thomas Place” in 1875 when Person S. Thomas purchased it from the widowed wife of Joseph Drewry, the son of Samuel. This property sits at the intersection of Belfield and Drewry Road.

It wasn’t until after Mr. Person Thomas’ death that the town was divided into lots to be sold. This was in 1901, which is considered by many to be the real beginning to Drewryville as we know it today. Homes were erected, and in the following year, 1902, a church was built, furnished and donated to the community by Delia Thomas, the widow of Person Thomas. It was named later Thomas Memorial Church, for the man who had the vision to build a Baptist church and cemetery by his home. More of a community now, Drewryville saw schools being built as well as homes, churches and stores.

Things were really on the up and up for Drewryville, and not long after, the A&D (At-

lantic & Danville) railroad and Camp Manufacturing turned the village into a bustling hub of activity.

The Camp family had a lumber operation going in the neighboring Arringdale in the early 1900s. The majority of the people who were living there at the time were employed by the saw mill, and when it closed around 1920, the residents were forced to leave. Many of them, including store merchants and skilled tradesmen along with their families, sought residence in the neighboring Drewryville. This exodus was made in the early 1920s.

When these people first arrived in Drewryville, they quickly established themselves within the community and furthered its development. This is the time when Drewryville had four general stores at the same intersection. The original J.W. Claud store of Drewryville, c.a.

1920, shared the east side of the street with Newsom’s, though they were separated by the rail tracks. Across from them were Johnson’s General Store and Garner & Partridge, whom were separated by the same rail tracks. There were also two cotton gins in quick walking distance from the stores. Only one of these businesses remain to this

western tidewater living

day, which is J.W. Claud’s.

It is now owned by John M. Claud, grandson of the original owner. It sold its grocery and hardware division in 1977 and became a full service Agricultural Supply Center and farming operation.

Early residents recall a time when they would wait by the train depot to see the people exiting the trains during the stops. One long-time resident, Virginia Yount, recalled a time from her youth, “We all used to go the swimming hole at the creek when I was younger and everybody was there; mothers, fathers, and us kids. All having a good time.”

Scott Claud, speaking on the swimming area, said, “It was the place to be. The women would be at the top of the hill in the lawn chairs and us children would be down in the water. Later on they built a tennis court in the mid to late 70s...They even put sand in the bottom, and when the school was torn down they took the slide and put it there, so you could slide into the water.”

Now that popular creek has been fenced off and the road leading to it has been blocked off.

“I remember at one time you couldn’t walk through

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32 western tidewater living this intersection because of so many people out and about,” said Dennis Whitby, the treasurer for the Drewryville Volunteer Fire Department, talking about the area where the four general stores and train depot was located. “I couldn’t even get my bicycle through there.”

Though a lot has changed with Drewryville, there are still notable structures in Drewryville that still stand to this day. The Magnolia house, which was lived in and used

by Dr. Drewry for his private practice, is across U. S. 58, on the left side of Drewry Road.

It is about a mile away from the original Drewry home “Cedar Grove,” where Major Humphrey Drewry lived.

There are still the remains of a school — four white pillars springing from the earth. The train depot is still there, and it’s owned by the Fire Department now and being restored

by Whitby. The old Thomas Place has been restored by Scott Claud, who also helped to restore the Magnolia home.

For anybody interested in learning about history and being able to immerse themselves in it, Drewryville is a gold mine. The village, which remains unincorporated, is one of the few places that this writer has been where every turn is a piece of history waiting to be explained. Any of the 728 residents of Drewryville, according to the last census, are more than willing to help you along the way if you’re willing to take a moment and listen.

You’ll find everything you need this fall in

Downtown Franklin!

ering Now Off ! s Pedicure

31st Annual

FRANKLIN FALL FESTIVAL presented by

October 4th & 5th, 2013

Pecht Distributors

Friday October 4th, 2013 Block Party & F ireworks at Barrett’s Landing In case of inclement weather, the Block Party will be hosted at the Southampton Fairgrounds

Get ready for Franklin’s biggest weekend of the year! Two days of family fun and entertainment are lined up and this year’s Franklin Fall Festival will be bigger and better than ever! Join us at Barrett’s Landing for the Fall Festival Block Party and Fireworks featuring live music from KB and the Shifters Band with The Craig Woolard Band.

$5.00 Admission (Kids under 6 FREE)

Food and Refreshments available for purchase.

Schedule: • Gate Opens at 6:00 p.m.

• Opening Band: KB and the Shifters Band, 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

• Main Attraction: The Craig Woolard Band, 8:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.

• Fireworks at 9:15 p.m.

The Craig Woolard Band

KB and the Shifters Band

Downtown Franklin Association • 757-562-6900 • 120 S. Main Street • Franklin, VA 23851 • downtownfranklinva.org

Official Sponsors

Saturday, October 5th, 2013 Street Festival The fun continues on Saturday, October 5th with the street scene in downtown Franklin! Family-friendly entertainment, talent contest, exciting events, street vendors, and food and refreshments are available throughout the day.

Schedule: • Street Festival: 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

• The official custom chopper of the NASCAR Nationwide Series and Racing Simulator: 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. on North Main St. • The Albemarle-Chowan Watershed Roundtable will hold its Annual Rivers Day Exhibits at the Farmers’ Market on South Main St. • Mustang Car Show on South Main St. • Children’s Games and Entertainment, including inflatables from 3A’s Inflatables • Open Amateur Stage hosted by Coast 2 Coast Entertainment: 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

• Talent Contest: 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

• Franklin Farmer’s Market will be open during the Fall Festival!

Downtown Franklin Association Pecht Distributors

Gold Sponsors

Burgess & Co. PC., CPAs Insercorp LTD Real Country 101.7 WLQM FM

Silver

Birdsong Peanuts Blair Bros., Inc. Dairy Queen Pam’s Tea Room Tidewater Physical Therapy The Tidewater News

Bronze

Ashland/Eastman/Arkema Bronco Federal Credit Union Fast Ice Cream Co. Fred’s Restaurant GYG Mental Health Agency Highground Services, Inc. Hunter March Nationwide Insurance Jack Jr.’s Towing & Auto Repair Liberty Coins of Franklin Lowe’s Manry Rawls Insurance Parker Darden HT & AC P. Daniel Crumpler, III, Attoney at Law Southern Tent Company, Inc. The City of Franklin Vic’s Signs & Graphics Walgreens

Pewter

EVB Duck Thru Food Stores Floor to Ceiling Franklin Southampton Economic Development Jerry D. Rose, Inc. Mary Frances Abbitt Moodys/A.V.E.S. Moore Emergency Solutions Parker Battery Pino’s Pizza Rawlings Mechanical Southampton Antiques Star Investigations Security, Inc. DCJS License #11-6446 SunTrust Bank Three Guys Italian Restaurant Todd Rose Allstate Insurance Co.

Friends

City Paint & Supply, Inc. Councill Financial Concepts G. Elliott Cobb, Jr., P.C. Richwood Graphics

36 western tidewater living

where am I?

photo by Cain Madden

In each edition, our magazine staff provides a challenge of sorts for readers, testing how much of Western Tidewater you really know. We photograph a scene in Western Tidewater that is visible to motorists or pedestrians.

Whoever can identify the location pictured above will be entered for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate to any one of our partner advertisers.

For the summer edition, the photo was taken of the Abbitt Building on Second Ave. The mural is painted on the back of the building, facing Third Avenue and the Chamber of Commerce.

So, if you know where this issue’s photo was taken, let us know. If you’re right, you could be a winner. E-mail your answers to magazine@tidewaternews.com Go out and enjoy Western Tidewater!

western tidewater living

story by Stephen H. Cowles photos submitted

B

y this time next year, a Franklin native and longtime Courtland resident expects to find himself immersed in his chosen career as a nurse anesthetist.

Christopher Reed, 31, is meanwhile concentrating on his education at Duke University in Durham, N.C. Reed figures he’s been putting in 80 to 90 hours a week for studying, attending classes and training to reach his goal.

“It’s very intense,” Reed said. “The last two years it’s been my entire life.

“I graduate in May 2014 and will practice on my own after that,” he continued.

Actually, between receiving his degree and wherever he goes to work, there’s a required national certification and a hospital’s credential check to complete, which Reed figures will mean an additional couple of months.

Reed said he’s leaning toward returning to Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, Md.,

where he not only earned degrees in nursing, but also worked as a registered nurse.

“So when I was at Johns Hopkins, I was on the Pediatric Critical Care Transport Team,” he said, adding that helicopters were used to carry children and young adults in medical emergencies to the hospital.

“We’d go to operating room school to get those skills. Nurse anesthetists were with us,” he said by way of explaining the shift in his work focus.

“I was really encouraged by what the nurse anesthetists were doing,” Plus, he added, “I needed a change.”

The education path for an anesthesiologist versus a nurse anesthetist is chiefly the difference between the two, said Reed.

An anesthesiologist does four years of undergraduate work, four years of medical school and three years of residency training in anesthesia. For a certified registered nurse anesthetist, first there’s four

years for a b a c h e l o r ’s degree.

“I obtained a bachelor’s degree in four years (business/economics and environmental studies at Randolph-Macon College), and then went back for another bachelor’s degree in nursing,” he said.

Next is a minimum of one year of ICU/ Critical Care experience as an RN. “Most people have at least two years. I had six years of critical care experience,” added Reed. “In addition to working in critical care full-time, I also earned two master’s degrees (public health and nursing) while working at Hopkins.”

All graduate programs for nurse anesthesia are transitioning to a three-year doctoral education, he said. CRNA programs across the country are 24 to 39 months in duration. Duke is 28 months and is going to 36 months next year.

“In the end, both [professions] can do

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38 western tidewater living the exact same job,” said Reed.

A scholarship is what drew him to Duke. For this year, he obtained the AANA Foundation Sara and Jeremy Stanley Scholarship and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Nurse Anesthesia Traineeship Award.

In August, Reed was one of only four people in the country to receive the Sheridan National Allied Health Scholarship. Sheridan Healthcare Inc. is self-described as a hospital-based, multi-specialty physician services company and one of the anesthesia services providers in the country.

The $5,000 was presented at the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists meeting in Las Vegas, Nev. “I greatly appreciate the amount of time and resources that Sheridan allocates to advancing nursing anesthesia education,” Reed stated in a press release pertaining to the company’s recognition.

Scholarship isn’t the only factor that drew him south. It’s at Duke that he believes to be getting the best training possible in its highly ranked program.

“I just finished my term on the Board of Directors for the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Programs,” he said of other professionrelated activities. “I was recently elected to a twoyear term on the Board of Trustees for the AANA Foundation.”

The school’s location also makes it a little easier for him to visit his father, Thomas Reed of Courtland, and other relatives and friends.

Speaking of which, his initial choice to enter the medical field stems from family and education in this area.

“My mom (Dianne Reed), was a nurse at Southampton Memorial Hospital,” but he quickly added that she had died when he was 1-1/2 years old; too young to have been an influence. “It just worked out that way.”

Helping to raise him after that loss was his grandmother, Kathleen Reed, who was also a nurse working in Portsmouth.

But who really steered him were teachers at Franklin High School, where he graduated in 2000. Reed credits the following: Carole Dixon who taught a health profession class, and was also a nurse; Linda Soucek for English; and Sandy Atkinson for marketing.

“They were amazing teachers,” he said.

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40 western tidewater living

A Story’d Century story by Merle Monahan photos by Cain Madden

H

ow does it feel to turn 100 years old?

“About the same as it does to turn 98 or 99,” Louise Story says with a quick smile.

Story became a centenarian on Sept.

20 and says she doesn’t feel any different than she did the day before. She does thank God every morning when she wakes up for giving her another day, however.

Spry and alert, Story talked about her life recently from her home near Newsoms.

“I’m very fortunate to have been so healthy all my life,” she said, adding that she’s had very few illnesses, having been in the hospital only twice aside from the births of her two daughters. In 1945, she lost a kidney due to kidney stones and in 2011, she had a pacemaker implanted.

She wears glasses only for reading and uses a cane only when she has to walk longer distances outside.

“She’s amazing,” said her daughter Virginia Lee Story, who lives with her. “We gave her a party Saturday and she stood for two hours greeting her guests.

“We tried to make her sit down, but she wouldn’t hear of it. She told us that she couldn’t greet her guests, and there were 175 of them, properly while sitting in a chair.”

The devoted grandmother was born on a farm near Sunbeam, the only daughter in a family of four children. She said her parents moved to Franklin when she was three, where she lived until her marriage.

She attended Franklin schools and after graduation from high school, earned her teaching degree at East Carolina State Teacher’s College.

“My first job was as a teacher in the first and second grades at Boykins for half the school year, then Sedley for the other half. I stayed at Sedley for two years, after which I finished up my career, yes finished, with one year at Newsoms.

“This was in 1938,” she recalled, “and I got married.

“I loved teaching,” she said. “The students were so well behaved and eager to learn.

“I would have continued, but teachers were not allowed to be married and still teach during those years, so I couldn’t go back.”

Story said she and her new husband moved to the Story homestead, the same house where her husband was born. After they were married, she has lived there ever since. Called the P. D. Story Farm, it has since been designated a Century Farm.

“Oh, it was bad at first,” she said. “The house needed so much work and there were no conveniences whatsoever—no electricity and no running water.

“We heated first with wood, then oil and eventually with the furnace.

“But the worst part was, I knew nothing about farming.”

western tidewater living

She laughed as she remembered one thing she said to her husband when they moved in.

“I told him that I would learn everything except how to milk a cow,” she said.

“He never asked me to, but little did I know, that was nothing compared to our first hog killing.

“I was lost. A couple of the neighbor ladies who lived close by came over to help me in the kitchen, while the men took care of the outside work.”

Story said she learned quickly. Hog killings became routine, as did planting and harvest time.

She pointed to her kitchen and remarked, “And I’ve cooked many a meal in that kitchen.”

During the years, Story and her husband remodeled the farmhouse, while raising their two daughters, Constance Roberson and Virginia Lee. She said they had a good life, although there were some difficult times.

“One time,” she explained, “was when I had my kidney operation in 1945. It happened to be my birthday, and we got word that one of my brothers, who was in service, had been killed when his plane crashed. My mother passed away at the same time.

“Because my brother died so young, I’ve always thought that my mother died of a broken heart,” Story added.

“He and both my other brothers used to call me ‘Sus,’ for sister,” Story remembered with a smile. “As a matter of fact, my husband had a nickname too, but he got his in high school from his classmates.

Story said her husband was called “Crack” because when he was in a play in high school, he had to get down on one knee to sing to a girl and his knee began to crack.

“The boys in his class named him that and it stuck.”

Sadly, Story’s husband, James, was ill for several years before his death and she cared for him at home, she said. “I couldn’t bear to take him out of the home

he loved.”

Today, Story and her daughter, Virginia Lee, live quietly at the home place. They never miss a service at Franklin Baptist Church and visit friends and neighbors often. Although she stopped driving when she was 87, her daughter is there to take over.

An extremely close family, she loves to have her daughter, Constance Roberson, and son-in-law, two grandchildren and one great grandchild visit. She added, “They live in Durham, North Carolina, and don’t get here as often as I’d like.”

She stays busy “picking up” around the house, and for entertainment, she plays bridge.

“I love to play,” she admitted. “It goes back to when my husband was alive— we belonged to a couple of clubs, and he loved it too.”

Her daughter, Virginia Lee, who also plays bridge, said of her mother, “My sister and I feel fortunate to have had our mother all this time.

“She is a wonderful role model and an inspiration to all who know her.”

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42 western tidewater living

M.A.M.A.S. Sweetens the Moment story by Merle Monahan photos by Cain Madden

E

ver taste watermelon pie? How about cantaloupe, grape or carmel apple with nuts?

These unique pies and dozens of other unusual fresh fruit flavors, as well as individual fruit sweets can be found at a small sweets shop, “M.A.M.A.S. (Making A Moment Always Special) Creative Sweets,” on Windsor Boulevard in Windsor.

Such things as chocolate-dipped strawberries, chocolate-dipped bananas, carmel apples, mini fruit pies, chocolate covered Twinkies, pretzels, marshmallows and cookies, all handdecorated by owner Shannon Kokot can be ready within an hour or so, she said.

“It all depends on how big the order is,” she said. “I usually have several dozen of the smaller items and a few pies ready, but if a customer wants something larger, then it takes a little more time.”

Kokot said much of her business is special order. “Someone will want a personalized pie, or a couple dozen Twinkies for a party—things like that.”

Kokot opened her shop next door to the Windsor Fire Department in July.

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Since then, business has been “really good,” she said. “The word is getting around.”

The talented young businesswoman says her family and friends had urged her to open a business such as this for some time.

“They all know that I like to create unusual things, especially desserts. “But I was a little hesitant,” she said. “I knew that I was capable of doing a lot of things, but were they different enough to be special?”

Kokot made up her mind quickly when her husband, Keith, lost his job.

“We were sitting on the porch talking about what we needed to do and he said, ‘Honey, you’re so talented, why don’t you open your own business?’”

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Pecan Pie Ingredients: important) 2 eggs (beat with mixer—very 1 ½ Tbls melted butter ½ cup sugar 1 cup light Karo syrup 1 cup pecans ¼ tsp salt ½ tsp vanilla Directions: pour into uncooked pie Mix all ingredients together and 50 minutes. shell. Bake at 350 degrees for

Ingredients: 1 can cherry pie filling 1 cup sugar 1 cup self-rising flour 1 cup milk ½ cup melted butter

Cherry Cobbler

Directions: Mix sugar and flour in a bowl. Add milk and stir. Put melted butter in deep pie dish. Pour flour mixture on top of butter. (Do not stir or mix) Drop cher ry pie filling by spoonful on top. (Do not stir or mix.)

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes or until center is done.

“That was the beginning,” the Windsor resident said. “With his help, everything rolled into place—we secured the shop, obtained all the permits and were in business in no time.”

Kokot says her husband, with whom she has four children, still assists her when he is needed. But for the most part, she does everything, from making the pies and other treats, to selling them.

“I absolutely love it,” she added with a smile. “I actually look forward to coming to work every day.”

Kokot is very secretive about the way she prepares her sweets, she went on.

“The techniques I’ve perfected, the way I blend everything together, is my own. This is a specialty shop and I do not reveal this information to anyone.”

“The recipes I’ve submitted here are ones that I collected from my family and use at home. I do not make these dishes here at the shop.”

Kokot says the only baking she does at her place of business are the pie shells for her fruit pies.

“The pie fillings are all fresh fruit that I purchase daily. I decorate them with chocolate, either white or dark, and they must be refrigerated.

She added that when she first started with the pies, she said to herself, “This pie needs a lattice. So she made it with

white chocolate.

“It looked so pretty, even I was impressed,” she added with a grin.

The specialty cook says her shop is a one-of-a-kind, where the customer can not only get a delicious pie, or other edible treat, but a unique gift, (the pie, of course) as well. She adds that her prices are comparable to, if not lower than most other places.

The business is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.

The small shop, which she intends to enlarge as business increases, has an area for customers to sit and enjoy a slice of pie and a cup of coffee. With a slice of pie at $3, coffee is free. Otherwise, a cup of coffee is .50, a real bargain.

western tidewater living

CHRISTMAS LAYAWAYS

NOW AVAILABLE! We have tons of new and used boats and spare parts for rigging and repairs!

Call us at 757.653.9223 today!

22225 Main St., Courtland, VA 23837 blackwateroutfittersva.com blackwateroutfitters@verizon.net

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46 western tidewater living

The Splendor of Age H

ere we are again, nestled between summer and winter. For some, this is the first breath of cooler air; for others, it is the predictable change witnessed year after year. Yet for all, whether newborn or aged, the autumn season signifies an elapse of time – a reminder that the clock, like our lives, is not stagnant, but a pattern of movement and transformation.

Age, with its days, years and subsequent changes, pushes in at every turn. Fall is the time in which we see that vast change all around, and remember its echo in our lifetime.

Often it is the clear, chill sky that brings to memory my first encounter with a falling star. It was the end of September. I was eight years old, surrounded by girlfriends and sleeping bags on our trampoline, enjoying a slumber party. I noticed a quick light stream across the sky above. Although small, it was an exciting moment – one that seemed to remind us of our youth and vigor. It promised exciting things to come in a

life yet to be lived.

With the unpacking of sweaters and coats, I also remember the first time I fell in love. He was a local boy who liked reading books as much as he liked discussing them.

One of our initial dates ended with a long walk. It was dark, like his hair and eyes, and cooler – a few weeks before Thanksgiving.

He offered me his jacket and I was in love.

I notice the surrounding naked trees of this season, and recall the falling out that occurred a year later; a move across country and a commitment that could not keep up was the end. I saw my breath in the air and the bare limbs and believed my heart would remain as empty as their branches.

Yet when the leaves litter the ground like a carpet, I am reminded that not all things remain desolate. My wedding day was an

column and photo

by Rex Alphin

overflow of delight and fulfillment. As my eyes fell on the sunset backdrop of our outdoor ceremony, I noticed the colors on the ground reflected in the glorious scene overhead: yellows and oranges, reds and specks of browns. It was a good October day, spent with a good man. The clouds broke just in time and the rain held off.

Similarly, when the autumn storms come, I remember the day our son came home from the hospital. A September storm raged and rain fell on our car. As we embarked on the journey of parenthood, the seasonal weather matched our emotions: a bit scary and beautifully surreal.

This year, with the advent of fall, I am aware of the changing seasons in our lives – those we have sustained and those yet to be experienced. The cyclical pattern of maturity is all around. It is suitable, timely, and it is good. From greens to golds, seed to harvest, we are reminded of the value of growth and the pricelessness of change.

Age can be a splendid thing.

©2011 Anheuser-Busch, Budweiser® Beer, St. Louis, MO

‘TIS THE SEASON TO

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF YOUR HEALTH BENEFITS.

It’s easy to get caught up in the holiday season and forget to take advantage of your insurance benefits. However, the holidays are a good time to schedule doctor’s visits and elective surgeries. It’s also a good time to recover before you return to work in January. Whether you have already met your deductible or are using a Flexible Spending Account (FSA), you have until the end of December to make sure you get the most out of your benefits. To find a physician, go to smhfranklin.com or, for a list of local physicians accepting new patients, call 757-569-6166.

Suggestions for end-of-year savings: • Annual Screening Mammogram • Annual Physical

• Colonoscopy • Joint Repair/Replacement