Road trip moves into Perquimans County for a look around

Coming out of Virginia into North Carolina, U.S. Route 17 passes through Elizabeth City in Pasquotank County on its way into Perquimans and Chowan counties along the northern shoreline of the Albemarle Sound. All three of these counties are included in North Carolina Senate District 1.

Travel writer Jennifer Smart of Durham, N.C., said: “Perquimans sparks tiny flickers of mystery, like it could be anything from an exotic fruit to one of those color strips on a paint store sample card.” 

“Of course, it’s neither,” she said. “Perquimans translates to ‘the land of beautiful women.’ It’s from the language of the Yeopim, one of the original Native American tribes” who once lived in the area.

 

Perquimans County is the homeplace of John Harvey of Harvey’s Neck, who fueled the flames of “civil disobedience” in the colonial legislature and earned the reputation as the “Father of the Revolution in North Carolina,” according to Robert Digges Wimberly Connor of Wilson, who was North Carolina’s first state archivist.

Robert Connor

 

“The decade from 1765-75 witnessed the revolt against the authority of Parliament, the inauguration of the Revolution and the overthrow of the royal government in North Carolina,” Connor said. 

“The dominant figure was John Harvey, who routinely clashed with colonial governors,” Connor wrote. 

On May 3, 1775, “under the clouds of a rapidly approaching revolution,” John Harvey, 50. “died after a very short illness, occasioned, it is said, by a fall from his horse.” 

Connor wrote: “Though (Harvey’s) strong hand was snatched from the helm at the most critical moment, nevertheless the Revolution moved on apace without a jar, without swerving an instant from its destined end.”

 

A Hertford landmark, to so speak, is Turtle Log.

About two centuries later, another Perquimans County native emerged on the national scene…having a revolutionary effect on American professional sports. He was James Augustus Hunter, who became professional baseball’s first “modern era free agent” in 1974. 

You may know him as Hall of Famer Jim “Catfish” Hunter. Hunter signed a pro contract after graduating from Perquimans County High School in 1964. He was “discovered” by North Carolinian Clyde Kluttz, a scout for the Kansas City Athletics. 

The Athletics’ team owner was Charlie Finley, who thought his 18-year-old pitcher needed a nickname. Finley dubbed him Jim “Catfish” Hunter.

 

Finley fabricated a story: “You left home when you were 6. When your momma and daddy finally found you, you had landed two catfish, and you had a third one on the line. They’ve been calling you ‘Catfish’ ever since.” 

Hunter balked, but Finley said: “I just gave you $75,000,” (a reference to Hunter’s signing bonus). “Yes, sir. My name is ‘Catfish,’” Hunter conceded. 

Hunter caught fire after the “A’s” moved to Oakland, Calif., for the 1968 season. He helped his team win three consecutive World Series championships from 1972-74. Hunter was the American League’s Cy Young Award winner in 1974 – the best pitcher of the year. 

Hunter made history off the field as well. He was baseball’s first “free agent,” offering his services to the highest bidder…and inking a five-year deal worth about $4.2 million to join the New York Yankees for the 1975 season.

 

Hunter helped the Yankees win back-to-back World Series titles in 1977-78. He retired in 1979. His five World Series rings, earned over the course of a 15-year career, is quite impressive. 

Hunter returned to his roots in Perquimans County. In 1998, Hunter was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. 

He died at home in Hertford about a year later on Sept. 9, 1999, at age 53.