THIS 1893 PHOTO WAS TAKEN WHEN MY PATERNAL GRANDPARENTS, WILLIAM AND LAURA FARTHING, LIVED IN THE UPPER LAUREL CREEK SECTION OF WATAUGA COUNTY, N.C.
AT LEFT IS BENJAMIN, BORN DEC 17, 1889. NEXT IS STELLA, BORN 1891 AND SITTING ON GRANDMA LAURA'S LAP IS AUBYN, BORN 1893. ( BENJAMIN BECAME MY FATHER ).
THEY LIVED IN THIS AREA 1889 UNTIL 1897. THEY HAD PURCHASED 200 ACRES OF LAND FROM WILLIAM'S UNCLE, WHITFIELD FARTHING. SOME OF THIS LAND WAS CLEARED AND THIS PERMITTED WILLIAM TO ENGAGE IN A SMALL FARMING OPERATION.
GRANDFATHER WILLIAM CONSTRUCTED A SMALL DAM ON LAUREL CREEK, WHICH RAN THROUGH THE PROPERTY. HE INSTALLED A WATER POWERED GRIST MILL IN ORDER TO GRIND CORN FOR PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. WILLIAM ALSO TAUGHT SCHOOL FOR A PERIOD WHEN LIVING IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD. SCHOOL TERMS WERE USUALLY 3 MONTHS DURING THIS EARLY ERA. THE PROPERTY HAD A 2 ROOM LOG HOUSE ( OR CABIN ) AND THIS IS WHERE THE FIRST 4 CHILDREN WERE BORN. ( Benjamin, Stella, Aubyn and Delia )PREVIOUS PAGE......NEXT PAGE