For Valentines Day, the story of a couple separated by circumstance:

In the 1860 census, 23 year-old, William “Billy” Maines was listed as a “laborer” who lived with the Allen Toliver family at Gap Civil in Alleghany County. 22 year-old, Mary Ann, called “Polly,” was the second of four daughters at the Toliver home, along with Tobitha (25), Paulina (20) and Charity (18).

By 1864, Billy Maines had been made a corporal in Company “I” of the 61st NC Infantry Regiment. He wrote this letter home, to his sweetheart, Polly, from a camp on the Blackwater River, near Ivor Station, in Southampton County, Va. (It’s about 50 miles northeast of Roanoke Rapids, NC.) The 61st was on the way to Petersburg, Virginia, from Morris Island in Charleston Harbor, where Billy had been wounded in August of 1863.

Camp on Blackwater, Virginia
March the 17th 1864

My Dear beloved Miss,
It is with pleasur that I agane take my pen in hand to write to you as a lover. I can, in the first place, inform you that I am well truly hoping these lines may come to your dear hand and find you in the verry best of health. I received a letter from you the l4th inst. [this month] which I perused with grate pleasure & satisfaction.

I was verry sorry to learn that you was not well nor had not bin well in some time. Polly, I always like to here of you being well and on foot. Polly, I had not herd from you in over a month ontell [until] I received this and I was begining to think that you had forgotten me. I write you as many as four letters per month and some times more.

Polly, I am hapy to tell you that I am blest with as good health here as I ever was any where else and I beleave that my health is better here then it was at home. You stated in your letter that you wanted to see me. Polly, I want to see you the worst I ever had in [my] life and I am sorry that I cannot tell you when I can come home.

I will just say to you that I am going to try for a furlough just as soon as those men comes back that is gone home on furlough. You said for me to tell my captain that I wanted to go home and marry. Polly, I will do so if I cannot get to come no other way but I think it will not be long till I will get to come & see you my loving friend. I love you as I do my self. Polly, many times do I think of you and the pleasent hours I have saw at home.

Polly, everything is still along the lines and no prospect of any fight here at present and our rations is about as usual. Polly, I wrote you a letter the 15th of this month & sent it with mother’s letters as you said you thought it would be best. I will send your letters all that way if you say so. Polly, I must close. You must write soon. Direct to Ivar Station,­ Southhampton Co., Va.

Polly, you must excuse this bad wrote letter as it is a verry cold morning. God Bless you my dear girl. I shall never forget the[e] my love love love love. This is words from my heart to you.

This from Corporal Wm. Maines
To Miss Polly Toliver

Billy survived the war, and on February 2, 1868, Billy and Polly were married.

Mary Ann “Polly” Toliver passed away August 11, 1898. William M. “Billy” Maines died in May of 1902.

Charlie Monroe Crouse of Cherry Lane in Alleghany County, North Carolina, enlisted in the Army, October 22, 1942, and was assigned to I-Company in the 377th Infantry, 95th Division.

On July 25, 1944, the Regiment boarded a train for Camp Myles Standish, Mass. where they prepared to embark. Final movement orders arrived and on August 9, 1944, the Regiment boarded a Boston-bound express train and were soon aboard the troopship, USS West Point, and on their way to England.

Nine days later they arrived at Liverpool. They traveled by train to Camp Barton Stacey in southern England.

September 6, 1944, the Regiment was again readied for a move to France. Three days later the entire unit moved by train and truck to Southampton, where men and vehicles were loaded to cross the channel on Liberty cargo ships.

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Isaac Landreth’s personal narrative was transcribed from a letter, donated to the Historical Museum by Faye Reeves, just before she passed away this month. Punctuation has been added.

“Isaac W. Landreth was borned Feb. 6th, 1838, of Elk Creek, then Ashe, but now Alleghany County. He is son of Dr. Stephen Landreth and Lucy Landreth. He received a common edecation & was engaged teaching school when the rebellion broke out in 1861 and not being posted as to the main cause of this national qurell [quarrel] and by exciting and false speech’s of the leading Democratic leaders of the day, he volunteered in a company of Infantry headed by Capt. A. B. Cox, a Methodist ministery, all of Ashe County NC.

“Left Jefferson with said Company and camped in lovly [roses?] grove, Raleigh, NC untill removed to Camp Crab Tree Creek and was their organized into the 26th NC Regiment and was denomatad [denominated] as Company A. He was with the Regiment at Bogue Island for time of their stay; was in the Battle of New Bern and in the retreat, came near being drowned by swimming [the] Nuse River. Remained all the time with the command & was taken sick near Richmond, Va., 1862 and was sent to Camp Winder Hospital & had chronic diarehea & was treated by seven different physicians.

“Obtained a furlough and for the kindness of James Billings, one of my county men, I was hauled home and was under treatment of Dr. F. S. Thomas and others for ‘bout eliven months. In 1863, times were so squally, that he returned to his Command, the 26th Regiment at Gainea Station [Guinea Station], North of Richmond, Va. Was near Stonewall Jackson when he [took it? took ill?] My gard duty then, was moved to the Potomac River- waded it and marched through Maryland to Gettysburg, Pa. and in that tremendous human slaughter. On the 3 day of July, 1863, was taken prisnor of war. Taken the train at Fredric City to Baltimore- camped all night at Fort McHenry- then placed on board of a steamboat. Was landed at Fort Delaware and their remained untill Febuary 24, 1865. Took the oath of allyconce [allegiance] and has ever bin a true and tried Republican, ever sence.

“When released from prison, went from Fort Delaware, Philadelphia to Harrisburg, the capitol of Pencillvany to [unintelligible] Pitsburg, then left the state of Pa.- to Steubins, Ohio- to the capitol Columburs- then to Cincenatte on the Ohio river- then down the river to Louisvillle, Ky. Then crossed the river into Indiana- took train at Mitchell, Lawrence County, to St. Louis, Mo. Then up Missippie river to Jersy Landing, Jersy County, Ill., ‘bout 5 miles from this place. I worked for a [man] by name of James T. Moss a [unintelligible] class leader and a noble gentleman. Staid with him 6 months and then concluded to return to NC. Came by steamboat to Sant Lous, Mo, then by Rail Road to Cincenatie, Ohio- stayed 3 days in city with an old comrade, Peter Warman, then took a ticket on the T.J. Picket Steamboat and got off at Cattestsburg [Catlettsburg], the mouth of the big Sandy river, Ky. Then footed it home through mt. rigen [mountain region?], meeting Mother and Rebeca Phipps above the Mouth of Wilson, who had started to hunt up J. C. Landreth, learning by me that he was their in Organ [Oregon] with John Swindle. We all got back home that night, making a great surprise to the family. “

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Here are two images brought to Alleghany Historical Museum by Norma Smith Cox. Unfortunately, neither is identified, but they’re among photos that came from Ruthe Norman, Granddaughter of Alice (Harris) Smith. Mrs. Smith’s house stood in the area of the Roaring Gap Golf Course in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Drag the slider to see the original scans versus our restorations. We always try to save high resolution versions of the original scan, to enable future restorers who might have better techniques to revive the images.

This is a familiar scene of a baptizing- possibly by the congregation at Antioch Presbyterian Church. Sometimes more than one church would gather to witness. The gray morning must have been a little cool and damp as the mist is visible, in the background hills. Some of the ladies are wrapped in their shawls- but it isn’t evident in the actions of the pastor as he stands in the chilly water and prays before the event.
The light-struck negative wouldn’t allow restoration in the left side of the image.

Here’s an interesting photo from the same collection, depicting a family camping. They are quite possibly migrating, as so many Alleghany natives traveled to the great plains and beyond- many returning home after they had made their fortunes (a lot like today!)
Grandma and Grandpa are in front of the tent with the daughter, holding her hat, while Mother rests in the shade. The son is holding the horses and Father has returned with rabbits? squirrels? for supper.

Both of these images looked to be almost too far gone, but each still holds enough data for us to restore interesting and informative scenes. In the camping photo, individuals’ faces are recognizable and might be matched to known family members.

The 572 pages of the 1976 Environmental Impact Statement for the New River to be named a National Wild and Scenic River contain a lot of interesting information on the river and the region.

They also include 33 pages of comments from the Appalachian Power Company that outline their opinion on the first draft of the document. Comments that, understandably, outline the company’s objections to the action, and comments that maybe aren’t so understandable.

Certainly not to anyone who has ever stood on the banks of the New River; or waded out into its clean, cool water; or who has floated along through the serene mountain scenery.

Here are some of the comments of an unfortunate lawyer whose job required him to deny the attributes of paradise:

Page 428:
“Only a small handful of our nation’s rivers have been selected by the Congress or by the Secretary of the Interior for inclusion into the National Wild and Scenic River system… The 26.5 mile stretch of the New River and of its South Fork were not even among the 650 rivers originally reviewed.

“Accordingly one would expect some slight indication in the Draft EIS as to what, if any, special attractions of this stretch of the New River have been discovered at this late date which now warrant its meteoric elevation to the select handful of our nation’s rivers deserving of the Wild and Scenic River classification.

“Surely this past ‘oversight’ of the scenic features of the river segment and the particular circumstances surrounding the proposal by North Carolina to have it included in the system clearly suggest that more than the usual scrutiny is required in this case in order for the Secretary to make the judgment that this stretch of river, in the words of the Act, ‘possess[es] outstandingly remarkable scenic, recreational, geologic, fish and wildlife, historic, cultural, or other similar values,’ (Section l(b) of the Wild and Scenic River Act)…”

Page 431:
“What are the scenic qualities which support its inclusion? The Draft EIS briefly mentions… ‘many rapids in the riverway and approximately 10 outstanding rock crops…’ No further description or clue is provided as to the nature or relative beauty of these rapids and rock outcrops. In fact it would appear from the emphasis on history and geology later on in the Draft EIS that its authors may not even be resting the case for inclusion in the System on the scenic qualities of the New River in North Carolina…

“…there would appear to be serious doubt as to whether the portion of the river proposed for inclusion possesses the kind of ‘outstandingly remarkable scenic’ features contemplated by the Act.”

There would appear to be serious doubt as to what was weaker, the man’s vision or his argument.