-
In Memoriam Vardry Alexander McBee 1818-1904 by A. Nixon
This document can be found at the Lincoln County Historical Association, the Alfred Nixon Collection. IN MEMORIAM VARDRY ALEXANDER MCBEE 1818-1904 In the death of Mr. McBee Lincolnton loses its oldest citizen, and one of its most venerable land marks. At 6 p.m. on Wednesday, February 17th, 1904,
August 29, 2025 by Carole Howell -
Mysterious Miners and the First Battle at Lincolnton, NC
Author's bio: In his first career, F. Andrew Dowdy worked in the oil business as a petroleum engineer, geologist, and corporate officer. In his second, he served as a US diplomat, working on economic, energy and environmental issues, with tours in Washington, Mexico, Kuwait, Portugal, Brazil, and Iraq. Since retiring from
July 5, 2025 by Carole Howell -
The Hauss Family of Lincoln County, N.C. by Alfred Nixon, 1905
An original of this document can be found at the Lincoln County Historical Association, the Alfred Nixon Collection. The HAUSS FAMILY of LINCOLN COUNTY, N.C. By A. NIXON The Lincoln Journal 1905 Reprinted and Presented by Joe R. Nixon at the Huss Reunion home of Charlie Huss on Ancestral
July 21, 2024 by Carole Howell -
A Witness to the George Langford Hanging
While he studied medicine with his uncle, Dr. David Warlick Schenck, in Lincoln County, John M. Richardson kept a diary of the weather, his daily activities, his patients, the topic of Sunday’s sermon, and his observations regarding the execution of George P. Langford. His papers can be found in the
September 14, 2023 by Carole Howell -
My Yoder Lineage: A Case of Entrenched Disinformation by Anita Nail
In 1999, while tracing my grandfather’s family, I learned that I descended from Ephraim A. Yother of Gilmer County, Georgia. (The German surnames, Joder, Yoder, Yeoder, Yother, etc., are used interchangeably, often in the same document. Names spelled as found in records.) While researching this family, I discovered at least
July 23, 2023 by Carole Howell -
Why Was Lincolnton Chosen as the Site for the Battle of Ramsour’s Mill?
Without background, it seems that this area would be an unlikely choice for the scene of a significant Revolutionary War battle. Understanding the dynamics at play, however, explains why the future site of the county seat and Ramsour’s Mill were ideal. Stanley D.M. Carpenter, Ph.D, is a retired US Navy
June 12, 2023 by Carole Howell -
The Great Migration of African Americans from Putnam Co. GA to Lincoln Co. NC (1920-1930)
Compiled and Edited by Herbert W. Stanford III 28 January 2022 By 1920, for African-Americans in the South, the optimism of the Reconstruction era had turned into 30 years of Jim Crow disenfranchisement and race-based violence. To escape this terror and to hopefully find a better life, the “Great Migration”
November 1, 2022 by Carole Howell -
From Bess Chapel to Newbold
School for African Americans in Lincoln Today “separate but equal” may elicit a blank stare from students hearing it for the first time. For Lincoln County, however, it was very much the normal state of education until the late 1960s. In 1859, Bess Chapel Methodist Church was established by local
October 25, 2022 by Carole Howell -
An Empty Tomb: The Story of a Marriage
As recalled by local historian David C. Heavner, 1918-2007 As my granddaughter, Jessica Bailey Kuster, and her father-in-law Jack Kuster were busy trying to make a plot of the graves at St. Luke’s (Episcopal Church), I was walking around observing the headstones. Near the west end of the church I
October 21, 2022 by Carole Howell -
Weave a Family Tapestry Through Oral Histories
Genealogy is much more than names and dates. They say everyone has a story, and it’s true. The precious memories of your parents and grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins and family friends, are all threads of your family’s tapestry. Often you hear, “I wish I had asked that question while
October 21, 2022 by Carole Howell -
The Famous Harp Peddlers of Crouse
From an article that appeared in the Lincoln County News, June 17, 1913; Milton Tiddy, Editor and Proprietor On Monday, May 23, 1913, four famous musicians from the Crouse area boarded the train amid a flow of tears. These boys stood on the rear platform of the car gazing
October 21, 2022 by Carole Howell -
1907: Lincolnton Threatens War!
It is awful but true. Lincolnton’s integrity was called into question in August of 1907, resulting in some tongue-in-cheek sabre rattling between neighboring cities. It began with a story in the August 13 Lincoln County News, when Dr. R.A. Yoder, pastor of Emmanuel Lutheran Church, reported witnessing a comet in
October 21, 2022 by Carole Howell