December 29, 1934
THE STATE
The
Rhyne Cupboard
One of tlw finest examples of Coloninl
eahiiioliunkiii'' to be found in Norlli
Carolina today. It is in tlio lioine of
llielinrd W. Illiyne. Oastou County.
flu STEWART ATKINS
Perhaps the finest -certainly
one of I lie finest — <*xsmi]»l»-s of
roloiiinl craftsmanship existing
in Xorth Carol inn loilny is tin- im¬
mense bill very gracefully dcsigii'-d
cupboard shown here. 1 1 is in the
country house of Richard M. Hhvne,
near Stanley, Gaston County.
Richard’- great-great cramlfnllRT.
Thomas Rhyne, built the house in 17'!*
shortly after emigrating to America
from Germany. lie liveil the rest of
his life ami died in it. And. ever
since, the house Inis Ims-ii owned ami
iHVUpicd by direct descendants of
Thoinns Rhyne a rather remarkable
record. In l his "vagabond era" as one
well known novelist recently termed
our modern civilization, one is rather
startled to discover a family that has
liveil in one house for five generations
(Six counting Richard's children, all
girls). Indeed, it is a roeord rarely,
if ever, equalled.
The Work of Peter Eddlcman
The ruphoard, an antique of great
value, for which large sums have
been often offered, and just as
often t drill'd down I icon use of its fam¬
ily attachment, was made in 1799 by
Peter Kddleman. Peter Eddlcman
was a iiioiiiInt of an ancient craft that
lias vanished almost without trace in
these days of innchino-made furniture.
He is said to have been one of the most
skilled craftsmen in the intricate art.
of production of tine, inlaid hand-
carved cabinets ever to live in Amer¬
ica. Hi“ lineage is directly traceable
to the late l*r. II. M. Eddlcman. of
Gastonia, pioneer physician of this
sts-lion, oldest member of the Gaston
County Medical Society until his re¬
cent death. Dr. Kddlcinnn was a
former State Senator. He was the
first physician ever to administer a
narcotic in this part of the State. The
patient, a negro with a ruptured ap¬
pendix. pulled through, much. Dr.
Eddlcman often said, to his great sur¬
prise.
After the custom of
colonial days, Peter Ed
dleiiiun lived in Thomas
Rhyne's house until he
completed the cupboard
and all the other furnish¬
ings in the house. Had
the complete original
outlay of furniture made
by the hand of Peter
Eddlemaii been preserved
intact, it would Is- worth
a fortune today.
The cupboard is over
It» feet high. It is solid
walnut, with inlays of
satimvood. The only
metal about the cupboard is found in
the brass hinges. which Peter Eddie-
man hammered out himself. Xo nails
of any kind went into its construction.
Woollen pegs were used instead. The
present owner recently refused an offer
of $1,500 for it.
When Daniel Rhyne, one of Thomas
Rhyne's six sous, married, and brought
his bride home to his father's house
to live. Thomas gave her the rupUiard
and everything in it. She opened the
small-paneled doors to discover within
a complete set of willow-ware. The
cupboard has been in daily use ever
since.
A handsome, massive grand piano in
the house is ti.'» years old, hut seems
«
mere youngster when compared with
WOODLAND NIGHT
The trees like ancient druids
Are humming a sober hymn.
The wind is a royal jester
Who tenses life and limb.
Silver .-trip» of moonlight
Are patched along the ground.
While insects through the thicket.
Make a crnxyquilt of sound.
Sti.via
Нил..
In A'. C. Poetry Review.
The owner of this beautiful piece of furniture re¬
cently refused Si, 500 for it. The house in which it
stands was built in 1789.
the ancient cupboard.
Fire aliout 187*0 destroyed a part of
the woodwork of the Rhyne house, hut
the brick walls remained undamaged
and care was taken in restoration of
the woodwork to make it just as it
had been, so that the house is virtually
the same.
During The War Between the States
Sherman's soldiers visited the home,
and Union troop* slept under its roof.
A child was lowered through a trap
door to conceal silver, jewelry and
other articles of value in a small dug-
out under the house, when word was
received at last that the soldiers were
coming. Rut the soldiers, when they
arrived, proved less given to depreda¬
tion than they’ were reported to have
been in Georgia and South Carolina,
on their famous inarch to the sea; ami
they gave little trouble, except to dis¬
turb livestock and to demand that
Southern delicacies he cooked for them.
Later, in the reconstruction era, the
Ku
К
lux
К
Ian of t lint section had a
regular meeting place at an old mill
a short distance front the Rhyne house.
So far among dir* , i •!. - . ndants of
Thomas Rhyne there is only one boy
in this generation, the son of Fred
Rhyne, of Stanley, to carry on lb*' tra¬
dition that Thomas Rhyne's house
must be owned ami occupied by a
Rhyne.
