I was recently asked to name some important people from the area for a list of potential “Edgecombe Notables” for a brochure to be designed by some N.C. State students who are working on marketing our area. Coincidently, I have just returned from a national history conference where I presented a paper on using Community Leaders to teach history. For that presentation, I compiled a sample list of what I called Worthy Community Leaders.

I discovered that this county has produced two governors Henry Clark and Elias Carr; one lieutenant governor, Richard T. Fountain; and several congressmen including Thomas Blount, James West Clark, George H. White and L.H. Fountain, the latter who served for 30 years. Numerous state senators and legislators, and at least one state supreme court justice have all called Edgecombe County home. And that was just the political/elected people.

Edgecombe County has also been home to two rear admirals – Wilson Leggett and George Holderness Jr – and three generals in the 20th century- Vernon Deloatch and Joseph Spiers, including the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Army Gen. Hugh Shelton. We also had three generals who served in the Confederate Army – William Dorsey Pender, William Cox and William Gaston Lewis.

In addition we have had at least one winner of the Congressional Medal of Honor – Aldolphus Staton, and we were home to commander of the WACS in World War II Westry Battle Boyce. Over the years we have had hundreds of others serve in various branches of the military, and many are recognized in the Edgecombe County Veterans Museum.

We have also had a number of creative residents in this county – Hobson Pittman the artist, nationally recognized historians like John S. Bassett and Julia Cherry Spruill, and area poet/writers like Helen Quigless, Lucy Cherry Crisp and Lena Pittman Weeks. Musicians like George Higgs and Milton Bullock and the late Kay Kyser also call Edgecombe home.

There are also outstanding athletes such as baseball players Mike Caldwell who played for the Padres, Giants and the Brewers and Burgess “Whitey” Whitehead who played for the Cardinals, Giants and Pirates; golfer Harvie Ward, NBA player Kelvin Trent Tucker who played for the Knicks, Spurs and Bulls; NFL player Yancy Thigpen who played in two Super Bowls once with the Steelers and once with the Titans; and wrestlers Mike Stokes and Lee Carroll. Mike was three time state champion and then competed in national collegiate finals. He lost to Kendall Cross who would win an Olympic medal. Lee was top at Tarboro High and went on to qualify for nationals for N.C. State.

Both business and public service leaders have also been significant in this area. Robert Barnhill and William Long both founded businesses that expanded across the state and into other parts of the country. Other people like Ben Fountain went on to be president of the community college system of North Carolina, and Ruth Cherry who was the first woman elected to our county commissioners are examples of some of our outstanding educators and public service leaders.

Edgecombe County has a rich heritage. When I was at the national history conference, many participants commented on my list of notables and were surprised that such a rural area produced so many outstanding leaders. We have one of the largest historic districts in the state. We have preserved numerous structures that are more than 150-200 years old. We have kept records and stories of the success and achievements of our people. It is time now to recognize more of our worthy citizens.

It is that time of year – no, not taxes! It is time for nominations to be submitted to the Twin County Hall of Fame. The deadline is April 30. Anyone who has lived in Edgecombe or Nash County and “who have made broad and lasting contributions to the betterment of the community or who have brought recognition to the community through their accomplishments.” This can be people who have served in the military, or been elected to a state or national office, or who have achieved something special in the area.

Some of the above people have already been inducted into the Twin County Hall of Fame, but many other outstanding individuals have not been inducted. Why not? You may wonder. The reason is that they have never been nominated.

Nominations do not guarantee a person will get in the Hall of Fame, but it is the necessary first step. A secret committee made up of representatives from both counties will review all the nominations and recommend a list of top candidates to the Twin County Hall of Fame Board. The board then votes to accept the recommendations. The winners are notified along with the nominator and invited to the induction ceremony. Tarboro artist Susan Fecho will then create a series of portraits, one for each inductee and one to be displayed in the Hall of Fame.

This November the Twin County Hall of Fame will induct its fifth group of members and the ceremony has been scheduled at the Mobley Atrium at ECC. In every previous group Edgecombe has had approximately half the inductees, yet there is no shortage of worthy candidates.

It is up to each of you as citizens who care about your community and the people who have made it to nominate potential members. Nomination forms are available at the Twin County Hall of Fame in the Rocky Mount Train Station that is open Fridays and Saturdays 10-2 and Sundays 2-4.

Interested people can also call me and pick up forms from me at the college (823-5166 x 241). Nomination forms can also be downloaded from the website, www.twincountymuseum.com/nominate.html



Monika Fleming, chairwoman of the English/Humanities Department at Edgecombe Community College, is an Edgecombe County historian. Look for her reports each month on the Community page.