Mayor Wooding Recalls

From The Bee, Saturday, June 16, 1923:
Mayor Wooding Recalls Some Early Chapters Of City History In Address

At the last meeting of the Rotary club Mayor Harry Wooding was called on to relate some of his reminiscences about the city of Danville of which he has been the executive head for so long.  Being previously notified, Captain Wooding who is absent from the city just now on a fishing trip, prepared a paper on the subject which read to the Rotarians and which was considered by all who heard it as a valuable contribution to the city’s historical records.  Mayor Wooding’s paper is produced hereunder:

I was born, I don’t say when [1844 ed.], just beyond Green Hill cemetery in a small house then called Kerrs Cottage, but now owned by Mrs. Morris Flinn, and have lived my entire life, except for the four years I served in the Confederate army, either in or in sight of Danville.

Of my school mates, only three now live in our city, and of my Confederate comrades, although Danville sent to the defense of states rights and the independence of the south, the Danville Blues, commanded by Capt. W. P. Graves; the Danville Grays, commanded by Capt. Thomas D. Claiborne; the Danville artillery, commanded by Capt. L. M. Shumaker, and the Danville cavalry, commanded by Capt. W. K. Mebane, only two of the of the six or seven hundred men and boys who enlisted in these companies are now living in Danville – Dr. C. E. Dougherty and myself.

My first recollection of Danville was a scattering village of perhaps 2,500 or 3,000 inhabitants, one half, or at least one third, were colored people.

Only one bridge spanned Dan river, it was located where stands our iron bridge.  It was an open wooden structure, the pillars were wooden pens, filled with rocks, and the road bed was too narrow for vehicles to pass each other, and if going in opposite directions one would have to wait at the mouth of the bridge until the way was clear in order to pass over it.  I was standing on an end of this bridge watching the fast rising water, saw the bridge break near the center and float down the river, and for months crossing the river was done in ferryboats, canoes, or by fording.  This was a toll bridge and citizens from the village and the vicinity paid yearly rent for their families, servants, and vehicles to pass to and out of the village.  Of course, transients paid toll at the time of crossing.  Only one house, McCoys mill, was on the north bank of the river and the present stone bridge.

There were only three dwelling houses of any size in what are known as the 5th and 6th wards, or North Danville.  One belonged to Col. Leonard Claiborne, a brick colonial residence, where the Bellevue public school is now located, and his farm included almost all of the 5th and 6th wards.  Another dwelling, owned by Mr. Matthew Hodnett, stood where Dr. Lawless’ Cancer hospital is now located.  The third house, situated at the corner of Henry and Keen streets, was owned by Mr. George Price.  Main, Wilson, Craghead, Patton, Lynn, Bridge, and Union streets, or roads, were all the highways then in the village of Danville, nor was there a rock in the street or road, or a brick on sidewalk, that was not put there by nature or some property owner, in front of his house for personal comfort or convenience.

There were only two private male schools (we had no public schools then), one was taught by an old gentleman by the name of Robert White.  He taught spelling, reading, writing, and arithmetic, and said he would have taught geography and grammar but the truth was he had never studied either.  This school was situated at the corner of Union and Spring streets, where now the Planters warehouse is located.  A slanting plank extending the whole length of the small school room was the writing desk for all the scholars.  A tall bench on each side and the length of the room served as seats, and the boy who got the seat where the rough wooden pegs protruded through the slab five or six inches was most uncomfortably seated.  Mr. White’s school rules were like the laws of the Medes and Persians, unchangeable, and the little boy or big boy who violated a rule was invariably (as the old man called it) flogged; and a boy who was flogged at school was afraid to tell at home for fear of another flogging from his father.

The other male school stood about fifty yards in from of the gate of our Holbrook cemetery.  It was a two-story brick building, about 20 feet square, one room downstairs and one room upstairs, and was named the Danville academy, and had an extensive reputation, for boys and young men came from many miles distant, boarded in private families and attended this academy.  This academy was taught by Mr. Levi Holbrook, a northern gentleman, who at the expense of $1,000.00, presented to the Presbyterian church the first organ ever seen in this part of the world.  He was a great friend of Major W. T. Sutherlin, and no doubt took part if the selection of the beautiful grounds where now stands the Confederate Memorial Mansion, and overlooked the building of the mansion, which without addition or alteration, looks as well today as it did when it was erected more than a half century ago.

There were only two private female schools, a brick house on Wilson street, opposite Tazwell Alley, taught by a northern lady, Miss Ann Benedict.  Dr. George W. Dame’s academy, corner of Jefferson and Loyal streets, which has been enlarged and is now known as the General hospital.  This academy was presided over by the sainted Dr. Dame, who for 50 years was the rector of the Episcopal church in Danville, and whose influence on the morals and spirituality of our citizens, has borne fruit a hundred fold to his honor and glory and the uplift of many of our citizens.

There were four churches in Danville – the Methodist, Rev. Nelson, head pastor, corner of Wilson and Lynn streets; the Presbyterian (Rev. Mr. Fitzpatrick, pastor) where the Christian church on Jefferson street now stands; the Episcopal church, Dr. G. W. Dame, rector, corner of Main and Jefferson streets, where the Episcopal church now stands; and the Baptist church, Rev. C. C. Chaplin, pastor, the only brick church, and the largest church at that time, and the only church that has retained any part of its originality, and this church situated near the corner of Patton and Ridge streets, and has been converted into an apartment house.  All of these churches had two doors; one for the males to enter and the other for the females to enter, the girls going in and sitting with their mothers, or older female relatives, and the boys going in with their fathers or older male relatives; for in those days men and women did not occupy the same side of the church, but separated when going into the church and coming together when the service was over.

We had but one policeman at that time, few laws and fewer ordinances, and many of the misdemeanors then committed for which persons are now hailed to court, were overlooked or unnoticed and soon forgotten,  The jail stood at the corner of Craghead an Patton streets, but the mayor had few cases to deal with.  We had no game laws then, and no one objected to their neighbors hunting or fishing on their lands or ponds.  Dan river was well stocked with Red Horse, King Williams, suckers, Red Eye, Perch, Jack Fish, Cats, and Eels, and fishing was great sport, as the fish bit freely.  Our forests and fields were well stocked with o’possums, foxes, squirrels, wild turkeys, partridges, wild pigeons and other game.  Long Shoals, six or seven miles above Danville, was a roosting place for wild geese, and wild ducks were plentiful on the river, so hunting was always fine sport in those days.

We had one weekly newspaper, four pages, size about 12 by 15 inches.  We got news from other states one to two weeks old, and news from foreign counties five to six months old.

I well remember when the first railroad train whistle reverberated through our forests, and we were connected by rail with Richmond. Up to that time the stage coach had brought all travelers and mail into and through our village.  The stage came from Richmond, Lynchburg and Greensboro.  I do not suppose there were more than 15 or 20 letters came to Danville in a week, and when we heard the horn announcing the approach of the stage coach, many assembled at the post office and it was not an infrequent remark to hear someone say that “Mr. A or Mr. B got a letter today, but we have not heard who it was from.”

When Peruvian guano was first brought to this section, it was regarded as a dangerous article, our farmers and gardeners preferring to continue the use of lot and stable manure rather than expose their farms and gardens to such a radical innovation, and many waited to see someone else demonstrate its value before using.

When kerosene oil first came to Danville, it was handled with more care and solicitude than dynamite now is, many of our people holding tenaciously to tallow and adamantine candles rather than risk an explosion.

In my early days matches were very scarce and most stintingly used, may preferring to go to a neighbor’s house some distance away and beg a chunk of fire, rather than to use a highly prized match.

In those days, envelopes had not made their appearance here, and steel pens were almost as scarce as hen’s teeth, and quill pens were almost altogether use; an black sand, taken from the river bank and put in boxes with holes in the top like pepper boxes, was used to dry up ink, for blotting paper had not been seen or even heard of here.  Letters were sealed with sealing wax and folded in such a way as to leave a blank space for directions.

There were a few dry goods stores and grocery stores, all on Main street between the Masonic Temple and Bridge street.  No drummers [traveling salesmen] came to Danville nor were any orders given or received between seasons.  The merchants went to market twice a year and when their stock was low or sold out, they waited for the next season to buy again.  Most of the tobacco was bought at the barn and delivered to the factories; but such as was sold at auction, was sold on Main street, about in front of L. C. Clarke and Company.  When tobacco was manufactured, it was put in wagons and carried to the Southern or other states and sold, or delivered, if previously ordered.

There is a legend that one, Bill Reagon, was employed by one of our tobacco manufacturers to take a load of manufactured tobacco south and sell it.  Of course, he was furnished with a wagon and a negro driver.  When they reached Georgia, Reagon sold the tobacco and the negro driver too, and then wrote back to the owner that the negro had died an wanted to know whether he must bring his body home or bury him in Georgia, and the owner promptly decided to leave the body in Georgia.  I cannot vouch for this legend, but I heard Reagon chided about it and he did not look pleased.

When I was a small boy I do not believe there were more than five or six pianos in Danville and the vicinity, and only one organ.  No brass bands ever came our way.  Fiddles and banjos were by no means numerous.  Music boxes, phonographs or other musical instruments had not made their appearance here.  No sewing machines, copying machine, adding machines, telegraph, telephone or wireless telegraphy had been dreamed of by the people.

There were only two benevolent societies – the Masons and the Odd Fellows, and the members of these societies were looked upon as men of mystery who knew enough to revolutionize society.  There were no Rotarians, Kiwanians, Lions, Elks, Pythians, Red Men or other kindred organizations.

In former days, whiskey, brandy and wine were sold in stores like molasses or vinegar.  There were no prohibition laws then and no United States tax was collected, and good pure whiskey and brandy could be bought for fifty cents a gallon.  Almost as a rule, gentlemen kept a decanter of whiskey and brandy in their sideboard and visitors were invited to have a julip or toddy, but gentlemen seldom took more than one drink a day and many did not take a drink in a week or month, and I can recall only two habitual drunkards I knew in my early boyhood days and, of course, these two were not welcome in good society.

There is not a residence or business house on Main street between the Iron Bridge and Jackson’s Branch on the Yanceyville road that now stands in its original state, and only two could be recognized.  These two are the present residence of Mr. W. W. Williamson and Mr. John N. Wylie.  At that time, Wilson street was the principle residence street.  All west of Main, all south of Wilson and Five Forks, all southwest of the Memorial Mansion, except the residence of Judge Price Withers, all of the 5th and 6th wards, except the houses mentioned, have been laid out, on both sides of the river, in my remembrance. 

The merchants I first remember were – Patton and Doe, W. S. Patton was the grandfather of Mr. Albert Patton.  He afterwards went into the banking business, and during his long life he commanded the esteem and admiration of all our citizens.  Other dry goods and general stock merchants were:

Simon Simon, George Price, Greenwald Brothers, A. G. Taylor and Oberchain.

Druggists – Dr. High Holcomb, Mr. Archer.

Dentists – Dr. Lapham, Dr. O. N. Allen.

Tavern Keepers – Capt. J. M. Williams, where Lee-Lewis is now located, William Simmons, Tunstal house, where now Acree’s Warehouse is located.

Doctors – George Craghead, William Craghead, F. D. Stokes, Nathaniel Green, Sr., Nathaniel Green, Jr.

Bankers – George W. Welsh, George W. Johnston, Charles Taliaferro, W. S. Patton.

Tobacconists – C. G. Holland, John W. Holland, Smith Holland, William Ayres, J. H. Pemberton, W. T. Sutherlin, Charles Cosby.

In later years Mr. C. G. Holland and Mr. W. T. Sutherlin took a very active part in the advancement of Danville.  Other prominent citizens of my early days were:

Dr. T. H. C. Grasty, Mayor; Dr. Thomas P. Adkinson, Mr. W. E. Shepherd, Col. Wylie, W. H. Wooding, W. M. Mosely, Capt. James Lanier, P. Watkins, Porter Flagg, Pink Bethel, Reuben Hopkins, William Rison, James Garland, W. C. Grasty, William Robinson, W. W. Worsham, and others whom I cannot at present recall.

There was not a preacher, teacher, doctor, lawyer, banker, merchant, druggist, hotel keeper, dentist or other person I have mentioned except Dr. C. E. Daugherty, that are now living.  All are sleeping in the Holbrook, Green Hill, Leemont Cemeteries or elsewhere, and when I go to Leemont and Green Hill Cemeteries, where I hunted in childhood, I recognize more names than in any other places.

Prior to the rumbling of discontent and threatened controversy which resulted in the war between the states, the citizens of Danville were a happy people, as near contented as people ever get.  They had in profusion everything good to eat, and clothes of good quality, if there were mostly cut and made at home.  They had fine horses, and some had buggies, (and a few had carriages) and satisfied with a fortune of ten or fifteen thousand dollars, taking things easy, no rushing, no hurrying, they were as near satisfied as people ever get to be,

But the Civil War left the people of Danville desolate and, like the whole South, they were destitute of every essential to advance the prosperity of Danville, no stocks of goods, no money to buy stocks, no credit, no seeds or farming implements, no currency that was worth the paper it was printed on.  I have often wondered how our people lived under such oppressive and depressing conditions.

My friends, if your predecessors, under such conditions, laid the foundation for the present influence and commercial importance of our beloved city of Danville, I feel sure the patriotism, the business tact, good fellowship and sociability of you native-born and adopted citizens, with the advantages you now have, will carry Danville forward in population, in commercial and social influence, in educational and spiritual advancement, until she reaches that high imminence, both local, state and national, which the efforts of her past, present and future business men and good citizens so richly deserve.