State

$40 & Mule Bought Town Tobacco plays an important role in Lee County's agriculture, and much local leaf is sold on the Sanford Market. One slender street holds the twin cities together. By MONROE MUIVGKR Greater Sanford today is like a dumbbell, bulging at each end with a complete business and residential sec¬ tion. These two communities now arc joined by the slender development which has grown up on each side of the connecting highway (U.S. 421). Jonesboro, the eastern bulge, had a long and eventful life of its own before becoming the "Jonesboro Heights" sec¬ tion of Sanford in 1947. It was settled in the '60’s, named for Col. L. C. Jones, builder of the railway from Wil¬ mington. which dead-ended here in 1857. It was incorporated in 1873. Legend says that the site of the rail¬ way station was purchased for $40 and a blind mule. For a long time it stood on the edge of the great longlcaf pine forest, and turpentine distilleries re¬ fined the forest’s products. Later it de¬ veloped into a sizable cotton market. In 18S5 there was a tobacco warehouse in Jonesboro, but it was not successful. In its early days it was a rough and tumble place on week ends, the turpen- tiners repairing there for boisterous fun. Still later its "academy" was so well conducted and well known that it attracted students from a wide area. Modern Jonesboro is still a complete and self-sufficient community, except for merging of its municipal facilities with those of Sanford. It has a school, churches, well-rounded retail center, and it claims Lee’s largest new industry — the Cornell-Dubilier plant. It also has a lumber yard, insecticide com¬ pany. a feed mill, cotton gin. foundry and tobacco warehouse. The Central Bank and Trust Company operates here and at Broadway. Old family names in the area include Bryan, Mclvcr. Watson. Thomas. Kelly. A lot of the old families arc still prominent. About a mile from Jonesboro is the old Shallow Well Christian Church, where a part of Sherman's army camped in 1865. The church was founded by a group of dissenters called OKellyitcs. James O'Kelly objected to the pow¬ ers of Bishops Coke and Asbury and in 1792 led a group of dissenting min¬ isters from the Methodist Episcopal Church. This group first was called Republican Methodists, later, the Christian Church, and now the Con- grcgational-Christian Church. Well, the O'Kellyitcs worshipped in a brush arbor near the site of Jones¬ boro. and about 1820 built a wooden church across the road in a pine grove, and dug a shallow well for the con¬ gregation. A modern church now oc¬ cupies the site. Other Towns in Lee As the traveler goes east from San¬ ford, the heavy rolling country gives way to gentle land swells. In such a country, and almost on the Harnett County line, is Broadway, a town ol a hundred or so homes, a large school and small business section. There is a lumber mill, roller mill, cotton gin and the Central Bank and I rust Com¬ pany. Large, broad farm fields come up to the edge of the settlement. Southeast of Broadway, the land is criss-crossed by steep ridges, many of them wooded. Swan Station is in this area, a very small community named for the Swan family. Due west, in a nice flat farming area is Lemon Springs, another farming community. It was named for a Lem¬ ons family. The spring on their farm was noted for its tonic virtues. On U.S. I. north of Lemon Springs is Tramway, a collection of residences outdoor theatre, stores and filling sta tions. Once it was the head of a tram way used to haul lumber out of the woods. White Hill is a tiny community — store, church and scattered farm houses. It is located on the Moore County line, which here marks the route of the old plank road from Car¬ thage to Gulf. Colon Colon, is about 3 or 4 miles off of U.S. I . cast of the highway, and is a railroad station and post office. (The Coastline and Norfolk Southern, cross near here.) This probably accounted for the presence of the village, but the coming 34 years ago of The Sanford Brick and I ile Company made this a brick center. FOR A TAR HEEL The ideal any-occasion gift is a subscription to THE STATE $5 per year THE STATE. MARCH 13. 1954 9