Chapter Thirty Four

June 15, 1939

Leaving Washburn’s Cross Roads the Lincolnton road ran by “Uncle” Addis Philbeck’s residence and thence by Salem Methodist church and on by Oaks Springs post office and “Uncle Rhodes Glover’s residence. It then crossed Jack Moose Mountain and out by what was then known as the Johnson place into Cleveland county and by where Polkville is now located. It crossed First Broad River at Lucas’ ford and then through Belwood and on into Lincoln county.

If I am not mistaken this was also known as the old stage road, and I believe they ran a stage coach from Asheville to Lincolnton. If this is not correct, I hope someone will correct me on it.

It was not my intention to drift off into Cleveland county to relate any incidents but I have gotten down to Belwood and this is one place that has often come into my mind since 1894, so I want to say a few things about the people that I knew there, and a few things that happened while I was there.

First of all I went to Belwood on Feb. 26, 1894 to help Mr. Barney A. Baber build a storehouse for Capt. L. J. Hoyle and two dormitories for the Belwood school, which was known as Belwood Institute. I believe this school was a branch of Trinity College, which is now Duke University.

Capt. L. J. Hoyle lived here just about the center of the little village of Belwood. He had a general store and I believe the post office was in his store building. Mr. Hoyle was a very fine man and had a nice family. His wife was the music teacher in the school. Mr. Hoyle some years later moved to Shelby and was clerk of the superior court of Cleveland county for a number of years. He was elected as a Democrat.

Mr. Barney Baber was a Rutherford county man and moved to Belwood about the first of the year of 1894. He had the contract to build the dormitories for the Belwood school. He bought a lot and built a home there and resided there a few years and then moved to Shelby and was later appointed postmaster at Shelby and served for some years. Mr. Baber was a Republican, a member of the Methodist church and very active in the work of the church.