Old Moss School House - Marble NC

Photo from Marble Spring Baptist Church

Marble – written by Wanda Stalcup

Marble is located approximately halfway between Murphy and Andrews. Marble was first called Marble Springs because of a large spring which boiled up between some marble crevices. Later the name was shortened to Marble. It was incorporated in 1914 and remained an incorporated township for about thirty years (1940). The Mayors were Minter Thomasson, Ray Campbell, W J Barton and Jim Bryson. “Litte Joe” Bryson was the first policeman and Bud Cole served in law-enforcement. The High Sheriff was located in Murphy.

Henry Moss was one of the first white settlers. He came to Marble around 1842. Henry owned most of the land around Marble and he had a toll gate across Moss Creek. He lived on State Highway number 10 (Old Dixie Hwy), just above the Southern Railroad. Other settlers in Marble were the Adams, Arrowoods or Earwoods, Almonds, Bartons, Bruces, Coffeys, Colvards, Derreberrys, Huskins, Hyatts, Johnsons, Kings, Leatherwoods, Scotts, Taylors, Wilsons, etc.

Most of the settlers in the Marble area engaged in either farming or logging. Some mined iron ore and others were prospecting for gold.

Most of the farmers read the almanac and followed the signs of the moon to plant their crops. They also hunted and trapped wild animals and sold the hides to earn extra money. The early settlers used the Native American (Indians) remedies to doctor their families when a doctor wasn’t available. They also learned the different types of trees by the bark, leaves and roots that they used for poultices, teas, and dyes.

The mining rights in Marble were bought by an English Company. They had a successful operation from 1861 until 1896. There were three flumes Hyatt’s Creek, Vengeance Creek, and one near the old Parker place on Fairview. In 1900, the Park Dale Mining Company of New York came to Marble and bought up five farms and started gold mining operations. They dug a ditch from Taylor Creek four miles to the Bud Parker farm, one-half mile east of Marble and started a gold operation. Mr. Galushia was the superintendent of all the mines and Lee Coffey was foreman of the Parker mines. The Parker Mines had the yellowest gold ever found in the United States. The laborers received seventy cents per day and worked twelve hours. The ditch walkers, worked twelve hour shifts each, one worked day shift and the other worked at night.

The iron ore that was mined at Marble was transported to Lovingood’s Forge in Hanging Dog. The iron hammer from the Hanging Dog Forge is located on the lawn at the Cherokee County Historical Museum.

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I hope you enjoyed Wanda’s description of Marble NC’s early days. Most every family name she mentioned can still be found in Cherokee County NC.

Wanda is the Director of the Cherokee County Historical Museum. She knows more about the history of this area than anybody I know. A few years back she wrote a book “How I Saw Cherokee County”. The book is full of wonderful stories, customs, traditions, and language. If you’re ever in Murphy you can pick up one of her books at the museum.

Be on the lookout for another post from Wanda about Marble.

Tipper

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16 Comments

  1. I’m not from the area, but love it there. I live in the Charlotte NC area, it’s crazy here. My grandson son and I attend the Christmas Parade in Andrews to get a feel for what the people are like. A great community. My family arrived in York County SC in 1770. I hope to live there part time, I’m working eight extra years to hopefully make it happen

    My apologies if this post is on the wrong site.

  2. Tipper I heard a lot of stories about Marble I still own my home in Marble Mother Uncle Noah Aberthany had the big store in Marble and it still stands today I heard there are high lace top shoes for ladies still in the store Sure would love to look inside The Aberthany home was so pretty when I was growin up in Marble sad not to see it in shambles. Uncle Noah gave Mothet a gold nugget I never knew it worth she was forever showing it. it disappears when she showed it to a certain daughterlaw. I sure the family had the nugget or hope they do Mary Lou Davis Swanson McKillip

  3. Tipper I had lost track of your web page I am on smart phone in Enloe Texas I am from Marble and I know Wanda we had a book out about the same time Wanda was so gracious to let me put my books to sell in the museum Wanda had a great informative about Marble o was sohome sick tell Wanda it was a thrill to read her interested info Marble had iron minds as well Grandfather Mintz ran against a Anderson man and lost for Mayor it was about 1920 I grew up in Grandfather home where the Dollar Store those iron mines are on Old Piney where I played Mary Lou Davis Swanson McKillip

  4. “True History” – I like that phrase. Even though stories shared through the generations will vary as each storyteller emphasizes a different point or adapts the story to make it more interesting for the present listeners, more than likely, the heart of the story is most true.
    A History teacher friend of mine recently said that he greatly disliked teaching middle school history because it was overly “sanitized” for so-called “tender minds”. High school wasn’t much better, especially in a state like ours with the kind of sanctimonious school board members we’ve had lately! He said Junior College used to give in an opportunity to discuss with his students the history behind the so-called history in their books but even there, political pressure is interfering with teaching the real history. 4 year college is a little better but it isn’t until persons get into post grad and post doc work that they might start seeing what was really going on. Makes you wonder if anyone knows the “true history”.
    Guess that’s why so many invaders and despots destroy the cultural artifacts, libraries, educators, and storytellers who might remind people of their true history.
    By the way, this friend is also our preacher so he lays out the cultural, social, linguistic, political, and geographical history surrounding each scripture and sermon. – – talk about getting the “true story” – – unwrapping millenia of often self-serving interpretations can be eye-opening!

  5. There is still much gold and many precious stones to be found in “them thar hills.” Some can still be dug from hillsides or panned from the numerous streams but much more can be found in the hearts and souls of its inhabitants! That’s where the purest gold can be found!

  6. Tipper,
    I’ve been watching The Pressley Girls YouTube Channel, and one of the most touching sounds are when the whole singing Family sings with Pap at Hiawassee Community Building. After the girls did their silliness at the beginning, they all got down to some serious singing. Rock of Ages is still one of my Favorites and they did well. It was half-through, when I saw you hid behind Paul but I could hear your Base. Thanks for putting this on YouTube. …Ken

  7. Tipper,
    I love reading about anything Wanda Stalcup writes about, and especially our Valleys. I did not know much about Marble. …Ken

  8. Tipper, really love these history stories, about WNC esp. I’ve been to Andrews and Murphy so must have been to Marble, read about it all my life. Granny’s mother was a Coffee from out that way and Rabun Co.
    For sure I would have never made it in these ‘simpler times’. I love my electricity; drip coffee, heat and air, blow dryer, lights and TV. I carried stove wood for the cook stove when I was little girl and it felt good in winter but basically, I didn’t like it. Granny had hard work in home AND fields that men took for granted a lot back then. Grandfather made good living on RR but they all still grew their food.
    Thanks for Marble, NC lesson.

  9. So enjoyed reading that history , … especially as we have Wilson’s in our family tree, on my Husbands side, and were told by my husbands Mama that her Mama was part Cherokee…. so much to learn from our elders..from their ways of living 🙂

  10. Tipper,
    I enjoyed today’s post so much…Do you reckon one could still find a gold nugget around there anywhere?…To tell the truth I would rather have a “Fairy Cross”! Maybe or a iron paperweight or piece of pure marble..LOL Mom looked for crosses for years she would tell me…and found something that looks similar, but slightly damaged. I wonder if any Indian marbles were made from that area…When I read or think back about our history my pondering gets out of control…I am just so thankful that we don’t have any “molten lava fissures” opening up in and about our mountain homes…
    Thanks Tipper,
    By the way….do you know of anyone that needs hot weather…we have some here in ET…we are never happy!

  11. I did not know about the gold or the iron mining. I thought Marble was all about blue marble. But if I am not mistaken it is in an earthquake fault zone that has a wide variety of minerals in close proximity to each other, much like the Brevard Fault where Gainesville, GA is located.

  12. I enjoy reading about days ago, it’s very interesting to me. That’s why I think “true” history is so important, you can learn so much about one’s accomplishments, and or their failures, our greatest lessons is learning from our mistakes and there are many.

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