Find ‘Carteret connection’ at the History Museum

One of the “Great Eight” attractions in Carteret County, N.C., is the History Museum of Carteret County, located on Arendell Street in downtown Morehead City. 

Formerly known as The History Place, the museum is operated by the Carteret County Historical Society. Its library is a treasure trove – full of the memories created by previous generations, stories that were written by courageous men and women who made their living on and beside the sea.

 

For genealogists, the facility’s research library is almost heaven. Chief researcher Dee Lewis is Carteret County born and raised. He thoroughly enjoys helping people connect with kinfolk from yesteryear. 

He commented in a 2018 Carteret County News-Times article: “I have met probably a thousand cousins that I wouldn’t have met otherwise. We might be cousins from 300 years ago, but we are still cousins. It’s amazing what that does. There’s a connection. You have that instant bond even though you’ve never met that person before.”

 

The “Lewis” surname dates back hundreds of years in Carteret County. Certainly, it’s in the top tier of “most common surnames.” Others are: Bell, Chadwick, Davis, Day, Fulcher, Garner, Gaskill, Gillikin, Goodwin, Guthrie, Hancock, Hill, Lawrence, Mason, Nelson, Piner, Pittman, Sabiston, Salter, Styron, Taylor and Wade. 

But the granddaddy of Carteret County surnames has to be Willis. There are a slew of Willises, and there’s even a community named Williston. The Willis family trees took root mainly in the Beaufort and Down East region, but Willises have migrated to all sections of the county. 

All of the above families, as well as others, have given creative first names to generations of offspring who have grown up in Carteret County. 

Some of the fellows who had rather memorable first names were: Absalom, Alpheus, Ambrose, Alyah, Archibald, Arvil, Atlee, Atwel, Bartlett, Belton, Bishop, Bland, Braudie, Bump, Burwell, Cason, Celus, Cicero, Civil, Clell, Clewe, Clossie, Cromwell, Decatur, Delfido, Delmas, Delphine, Denard, Dola, Dula, Durwood, Dyon, Effie, Elodie, Elza, Ennis, Enoch, Ephriam, Ernal and Ethylburt. 

Other chaps were known as: Feraby, Fulford, Graciat, Guion, Habbukkuh, Hazeltine, Hezekiah, Horatio, Ichabod, Jabez, Jechonias, Jehu, Josephus, Kilby, Lathan, Lemuel, Leonidas, Lockhert, Loy, Lycurgus, Macajah, Makely, Marmaduke, Mathias, Milden, Needham, Nimo, Obadiah, Orlandah, Ozias and Ozell. 

Still other gents were: Parmer, Pelham, Philemon, Piram, Pritchard, Rommie, Roney, Rossie, Rupert, Shadrach, Sutton, Tyre, Urly, Valentine, Weinstein, Westel, Willoughby, Wylzame, Wymler, Zebedee, Zemeriah and Zorobabel. 

On the women’s side of ledger, some of the more striking first names were: Allena, Almeda, Althenia, Ammie, Aritta, Arletta, Artilla, Aquila, Aurie, Bertrice, Beyonka, Boadicia, Brooksie, Caledonia, Carthagenia, Cela, Cinderilla, Comfort, Cordella, Dama, Delaney, Drucilla, Elva, Equilla, Erceline, Etorlia and Eulalie. 

Other intriguing female names from the past were: Falisa, Faneta, Fernie, Flaurenda, Florabelle, Genetta, Genora, Hepsabeth, Hettie, Icessia, Idell, Iola, Iova, Ladonna, Lallah, Lavinia, Leizabeth, Letha, Litha, Lossie, Lucetta, Lura, Lutie, Luzena, Mahala, Maycie, Manerva, Maryland, Melvina, Missouri, Monya, Narcissa, Nettie, Nicey and Nola. 

Completing the alphabet, additional interesting women’s names of old were: Obedience, Octavia, Ola, Ollie, Oma, Orpha, Pearlie, Permilla, Prudie, Rosebud, Sabra, Salone, Satara, Sidneth, Sophronia, Sudie, Swanoa, Tataya, Telethia, Treasure, Tremilla, Weltha, Wytulia, Zelphia and Zemabelle. 

So, there you go. Parents-to-be should look no further to find a great Carteret County name for their newborns. Or slide one in as a middle name, just for fun. 

The story’s not over yet. Inquiring minds want to know what are the other seven local attractions within the “Great Eight” grouping? 

Mull that over among family and friends…and watch this space for the “great reveal.”

Photographs shown here are from the museum archives. They bring back fond memories.

Morehead City is known as a “Fisherman’s Paradise.” It’s easy to see why.

 

In July 1953, Morehead City hosted the state's annual Miss North Carolina Pageant. Judges were (from left): Neva Jane Langley of Macon, Ga., the reigning Miss America; Barbara Ann Harris of Salisbury, N.C., who was Miss North Carolina in 1952; and Lu Long Ogburn of Smithfield, N.C., who was Miss North Carolina in 1951.

 

Barbara Ann Crockett of Winston-Salem was crowned Miss North Carolina in 1953 at the state pageant. She is shown here (at left) with other winners from several southeastern states.

Below are contestants in the Miss Morehead City Pageant in 1955.

Here’s the legendary Atlantic Beach lifeguard Raymond "Mickey" Woolard...circa 1955.

 

Strike up the Morehead City High School band with majorettes leading the way. Shown here are (from left) are: Jeane Barnes, Douglass Ann West, Jean Ingram, Mildred Whealton, Kate Willis, Helen Carlton and Terry Lowe. Kneeling is Novella Reid.

 

The 1922 Morehead High football team was known as the “Leather Heads.”