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Archiver > NCBERTIE > 2000-04 > 0955760170


From: Crilley <>
Subject: [NCBERTIE] Novel about Bertie County
Date: Fri, 14 Apr 2000 19:56:10 -0500


Although this is a very old novel, and probably hard to obtain, I wanted to
share some information from it as it describes live in Bertie County along
the Chowan River in the 1840's...

George Higby Throop

(1792-March 9, 1896)

George Throop wrote both prose and poetry while devoting himself to
teaching throughout the
Southern States. He was hired as a tutor in late 1840 for the Capehart
children, and especially for William Rhodes Capehart,
the son of George Washington and Susan Bryan (Martin) Capehart living at
Scotch Hall. Returning north after his stay there,
he recorded his experiences in this autobiographical novel published under
the pseudonym Capt. Gregory Seaworthy called
Bertie:Life in the Old Field. Mr. Throop had been hired in late 1840 as a
tutor for the Capehart children at Scotch Hall. In his
novel, Throop gives descriptions of not only the house, but also the
activities of its inhabitant.

"The opening scene is Norfolk, with Seaworthy [Capt] and Matters
[Professor] heading toward Bertie and
Cypress Shore [fictitious name of Scotch Hall]...six miles from Merry
Hill post office. On a small boat they are
towed through the Dismal Swamp Canal (p.39) and pass a hotel not far
from Lake Drummond (p.45). Two
days later they arrive at "the pretty village of Edenton" (pg.52)
Seaworthy proceeds to Plymouth, thus passing
very near Cypress Shore, which 'is not two hundred yards from the head
of the sound, between the mouths of
the Roanoke and the Chowan' (p 52) and within walking distance of 'the
mouth of the Cashie' (p 91). He
continues to Windsor to execute a commission for a New York merchant
to his factor in Bertie (p 55)

On March 29, 1849, after a three hours' ride on horseback through the
pine woods, he arrives at Cypress
Shore."....."Beyond the house lies the beautiful sound, on a calm day
with'not a ripple on its broad surface. To
the right were the mouths of the Roanoke and the Cashie. They were
barely discernible among the low
cypresses that lined the shore.....Steamers and sailing boats are
often gliding past. In the idstance is the familiar
light-boat guarding the entance to the Roanoke.

"The plantation of Colonel Smallwood [fictious name], who had come to
Bertie from Virginia, spreads over ten
thousand ancres. Employing some 250 Negroes, it has an annual yield of
about a hundred bales of cotton and
fifty thousand bushels of corn (pg 76) Among the animals are 'horses,
mules, sheep, and cows'. The slaves are
happy for they are provided with allowances, good quarters and a
hospital (pg 198)

For six to eight weeks every spring the Colonel's interest turns to
his near-by shad and herring fishery, where he
has built twenty fisherman's cabins as well as a guest house in which
he entertains his friends. Most of the fishing
is done at night with torches ablaze.

The families of the eastern Bertie residents lead no dull lives. When
not visiting and dining with one another, they
go fishing in Salmon Creek (p 223) or fox-hunting (p68). There is 'the
excitement of the mail-days', when 'a
score of country gentlemen' lounge about the store, talking and
'awaiting the arrival of the mail' (pg 131)

On court days they go to the county seat to observe a variety of
activity (merchantile and entertainment). "On
another day the gentlemen return to Windsor Muster Day, when the
locatl military 'some fiften men and possibly
50 in the ranks of the infantry parade to the music of 'a shrill,
squeaking, squealing, singing, broken-winded
clarionet' (pg 169. Exciting also are the biq quarterly church
meetings at one of the churches, where everyone
has his fill of preaching and feasting and visiting"

In summer, 'about the middle of July', the Colonel exports all his
household and friends to Nag's Head in a
steamer loaded with funiture, live-stocke and passengers.

"The Mysterious Case of George Higby Throop". The
North Carolina Historical Review. vol 33, 1956 |
Virginia

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