Note: A version of this story first appeared in the November 10th issue of the State Port Pilot.

One of the most fun events at Southport Historical Society is our annual Living Voices of the Past program at the Old Smithville Burying Ground.  This year’s event, coordinated by Dawn Drabble, was a huge success with ten historic character portrayals. In addition to the fun, the event raised over $600 for the Southport Historical Society.

History came to life recently at the Old Smithville Burying Ground. Ten Southport Historical Society members portrayed figures from Southport’s past. Society members spend a lot of time researching, writing, and rehearsing their presentations in order to provide fun and educational insights into local history. Anyone interested in participating in next year’s event, should contact the Society at info@southporthistoricalsociety.org.

Several of the historical portrayals were of local women.  Rebecca Long (McAllie Givens) was the widow of North Carolina’s first lighthouse keeper, Henry Long. She took over for Henry after his untimely death. Despite recommendations from local citizens, President Jefferson refused to make her a permanent lighthouse keeper because “the country was not prepared” for a woman in that role. Kate Stuart (Pat Kirkman) proprietor of the Stuart Inn was known as the Heroine of Southport after she saved a child from drowning. When Kate passed away at the age of 84 she was mourned across the state as the Grand Old Lady of North Carolina. Jessie Stevens Taylor (Liz Fuller) was an award-winning weather observer and flag displayer who volunteered with the National Weather Service for 55 years. Her timely weather warnings were credited with saving more than 300 lives throughout her career, including during Hurricane Hazel, the only Cat 4 hurricane to hit North Carolina in the twentieth century.

Several thrilling nautical stories were told. Charles Christianson portrayed a reporter, and told the story of an 1853 storm that took the lives of Smithville’s Eveline Everitt and her husband Major George Taylor, U.S. Army, when they were swept from the deck of the steamer SAN FRANCISCO.  Thomas W. Brinkman (Joe Loughlin) who was portrayed by his great-grandson, was a blockade runner. He piloted a ship that was carrying Confederate spy Rose Greenhow to Wilmington. The ship ran aground and Greenhow drowned while trying to flee the Union forces. Capt. James Henry “Sonny” Dosher (Travis Gilbert) fought for the Confederacy and then became the lighthouse keeper for Bald Head Island, a position he held for more than thirty years.  And Tim Terman told the story of Catalino Tingzon who died in 1942 when the oil tanker SS John D Gill was torpedoed off shore of Southport by a Nazi uboat. 

Two of Southport’s mayors were represented. Sarah Twinnings Curtis (Claire McNaught) was the second wife to Southport Mayor and Quarantine Doctor, W.G. Curtis. Leonard T. Yaskell (Bob Surridge) was a transplant from Pennsylvania who became  Southport’s Mayor and Postmaster.

The most personal presentation was by Juli Newton who talked about her father Art Newton, Southport’s first commercial artist. He was known for his photography and for his paintings, especially his watercolor landscapes. He passed away in 1954.

You can watch the portrayals on our youtube channel.