Milton
If you’re interested in boxwoods, you’ll be delighted at the profusion
of them to he found at the old Irvin home, located near the eastern end
of Milton. The stone wall is well over 150 years old. and the house itself
is in good condition.
Located in Caswell Coun¬
ty. it was once the center
of social activities in that
part of the state. It is now
a quiet, peaceful com¬
munity, comprising aliout
400 people.
COMPARATIVELY few folks
in North Carolina know any¬
thing about the town of Mil-
ton, but according to our way of
thinking it is one of the most inter¬
esting places in the state.
It is located up in Caswell
County, about twelve miles north¬
east of Yanceyville and it was
founded long before the Revolu¬
tionary War — in 1728. to be exact.
Some time after that it was laid
out by the same surveyor who laid
out the city of Baltimore, Mary¬
land. Both jobs were done in the
same year and both towns — Balti¬
more and Milton — were exactly
the same size: one mile square.
At the present time there are
around 400 people living in Milton.
It's a quiet, peaceful place and
there are a number of homes that
arc well over a hundred years old.
Some date back even farther than
that. A few of the stores still have
roofs over the sidewalk, and you’ll
also see several hitching posts for
horses and buggies as you pass
along the principal street. Near the
eastern outskirts of the town stands
the home of Romuls M. Saunders,
who was minister to Spain in
1845-49: he was also a congress¬
man, judge, legislator and political
leader. It is still occupied by mem¬
bers of the same family. First the
Saunders, then the Garlands and
now the Donahues. There are three
sisters living there, members of
the Donahue family — Misses Grace,
Ellen and Bella. Also Mr. and Mrs.
Sandy Donahue. With the excep¬
tion of Mrs. Sandy, who admits to
being a Yankee, the Donahues are
among the older residents of the
Milton area.
Quite an Industrial Town
Milton at one time had as many
as 1,500 people. There were to¬
bacco factories and three ware¬
houses. There also was a fine
race-track, and the town was the
center of social activities. People
used to come from Roxboro to do
their shopping at Milton. There
THE STATE. Junk 29. 1946
was a cotton mill, a chair factory
and five saloons. General Corn¬
wallis camped for several days at
Milton. The old hotel building
dates back to the Revolutionary
War period. The bank was made
out of bricks that were brought
over from England. Merchandise
used to be brought up the Dan
River in large and unwieldy
bateaus. The town also was on a
stage-coach route.
Mrs. F. B. Jones — Miss Ellen, as
she is known to her friends — also
told us a lot of interesting things
about the town. She came there
as a bride in 1885 and has been
living in the same house ever since.
And Mr. Lipscomb, one of the
prominent merchants of Milton,
made mention of the fact that for
years the town has had the repu¬
tation of having more pretty
women than any community of
anywhere near its size in the state.
We saw several mighty good look¬
ing ones during the brief period
that we were up there last week.
Tom Day's Furniture
In the Presbyterian Church are
pews that were made by Tom Day.
a Negro who was widely known
in his day and time for his fine
hand-made mahogany furniture.
He came to Milton from the West
Indies and it worried him because
he was not allowed to sit in the
main auditorium of the church.
One day he told the Presbyterians
that he would make a new set of
mahogany pews for the church if
they would let him have one of
the pews for himself. They agreed.
The pews were made, and Tom sat
in the front one as long as he lived.
There’s a peaceful air about Mil-
ton that is most pleasing to visitors
in the old town. They’ve got a
Rotary Club up there now and
some of the leaders are determined
that Milton shall step out and be¬
come more progressive than it has
been in the past. However, there
are a number of citizens who are
satisfied with the town just as it
is. It suits them, and that’s what
they want.
If you like old homes, luxuriant
boxwoods and friendly people, we
believe you’ll enjoy your visit to
Milton. If you’re traveling from
the west, you hit Yanceyville first.
If you’re traveling from the east,
you pass through Roxboro.
DESERTED
The woods are dim and still, my
love.
No sound the silence waking .
Except the throbbing of my heart
That beats while it is breaking.
How could you wound if so, my
love,
Give pain past human bearing.
By rendering bonds that only death
Absolves from mutual wearing?
Night breezes pause in flight, my
love.
Where withered age is lying,
To kiss the pallid cheek of one
They know is dying — dying.
Goodbye, my love! Goodbye, my
love!
My soul from earth is going;
How dark and lonely is the way —
How chill the xvind is blowing!
Sarah H. Heinzerling.
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