Ghosl Town
in the Woods
Dyniond City once was a
thriving railway «•enter.
tty WENDELL PEELE
Dyniond C'iiy, Marlin County's
ghosl town, buzzed with human ac¬
tivity for barely a quarter century, but
there were times when it showed prom¬
ise of becoming the county's leading
community. Established in the early
I870*s to provide hontesites for per¬
sonnel of an English stock company
that organized the Jamcsville and
Washington Railroad and Lumber
Company, it was, according to con¬
temporary reports, "a veritable city in
the woods.”
Originally called “Waring" in honor
of Richard Waring, the president of
the J and W Company, the village was
later named Dyniond City in memory
of a deceased bondholder.
The town was never incorporated,
but had a population at one time of
better than 100; and it boasted among
material structures, a hotel of 32
rooms, and a railroad shop that would
house a locomotive and two or three
cars. It also had a company store build¬
ing of three floors, the second of which
was used as living quarters for one of
the families, and the top of which was
set aside as a place of worship for the
white people of the community.
Pioneers from England. Ireland and
Pennsylvania formed the heart of the
settlement as the names Fisher. His-
<■11. Ryan and Nolan suggest. Of all
ihcsc, one of the most sturdy in body
ind spirit was Abraham Fisher, an
(iprighteous and God-fearing Irishman,
[vho served as manager of the com¬
pany for a number of years, and com¬
peted the construction of the railroad
vhich was the first in the county.
Not easily daunted, Fisher, on one
ccasion. walked the approximately 14
piles from Dyniond City to William-
iton to deliver a legal paper to James
idwin Moore, a prominent attorney,
teaching into his coat pocket and
HE STATE. MARCH 2. 1963
Thu locomotive, used on the ) 0 W Roiliood, wot
о
wood burner Second don povtengers sometimes
bod to gel of# the troin ond chop wood to refuel Ihe tender Photo from "Williomtton Enterprise"
realizing that he had forgotten the in¬
strument. the old gentleman was
quoted as saying, "I'll step right back
home and fetch it.”
One of the major enterprises oper¬
ated at Dyniond City was a sawmill
that was said to have been the largest
ever to locate in the county, certainly
until very recent years. The output of
this mill was shipped principally to
Jamesville and loaded on steamers for
distribution in far removed centers.
Another industry, one of the na¬
tion's giants, is also said to be indebted
to Dyniond City for its start. Older
residents of Griffins Township, who
remember the "city in the woods." say
that it was there that the formula for
Oetogan Soap was first developed.
This, the Colgate-Palmolive Company
neither confirms nor denies.
Most of the settlers of Dyniond City
belonged to the Society of Friends, and
the influence of those pioneers is still
evident in Griffins Township. “Most
of the older citizens in that com¬
munity." according to a story in a 1939
issue of the Williamston Enterprise,
"recall the sermons of the devout man
(Abraham Fisher), and refer to them
as having possessed a guiding influence
that has come down with the years."
Despite the respect which the faith
commanded among the natives of the
section, it never gained a foothold in
the county. Accordingly, when the set¬
tlement began to break up. some of
the settlers were drawn by religious
ties to Northampton County and others
migrated to Pennsylvania for possibly
the same reason.
At least one family chose to re¬
main in the section. The death of Matt
Bisscll. several years ago. ended for¬
ever the story of Dyniond City for
those who had lived there. Bisscll was
the son of the conductor of the J and
W Railroad which helped to develop
the town.
The 21 -mile route of Ihe railroad
was surveyed by Francis Lightfoot, an
(Continued on page 39)
AT LAST!
The rare Volume II of A NEW
GEOGRAPHY OF NORTH CARO¬
LINA has been republished in a fac¬
simile edition and is available now by
sending S6.I8 to
THE STATE
Boa 2169. Raleigh. N. C.
Tax and postage included in price.
LENNOX
|1аЦ)
D.al SW 2-4166
White’s
HEATING b SHEET METAL WORKS
WILIIAMSTON. NORTH CAROLINA
P
О
Bo. 604
