Updates by Visitors


Hi,

I am Bebe Johns Fox in Winston-Salem. I was just enjoying the site as all of my Mother's family from her back to her great grandparents are buried there. Bruce Stowd was my grandfather, he built a "car" in 1907 at age 14 and then became the area pioneer automobile dealer (Ford), Strowd Motor Company, in Chapel Hill in 1914. He retired in the 1950's. There are several interesting stories about Bruce in Prince's Southern Part of Heaven as well as a drawing of Bruce in his "Strowdmobile" just inside the front cover. His father was R. L. Strowd on the cem. list but R. L.'s father, William Franklin "Buck" Strowd, is listed only as running a mill on Bolin Creek.

He did own a mill on Bolin but he was a US Congressman representing Chatham Co. but b. in Orange Co., son of Bryant Strowd and his second wf., Martha "Patsy" Cynthia Wilson, whose father, along with the well known "Col." Mathew McCauley, were founders of Damascus Church out Jones Ferry Rd.

W. F. Strowd signed up for the Civil war in C. H. 6 Apr., bef. shot fired at Sumpter. Married Louianna Harriet Atwater (Lou Strowd in the cemetery), whose brother, John Wilbur Atwater was also a US Congressman, rep. Chatham. W. F. Strowd and Lou lived in Chatham after the war and he was in Washington as a Populist Congressman several times. In later years they lived with their son on Strowd Hill, house still standing, Davie Circle, and taught UNC students in Sunday School at the University Methodist Church. I was christened there as was our family church.

Sorry this is so LONG but the cemetery marker for W. F. Strowd is fairly large and does contain the facts re his political career and would appreciate this addition. He never, that I ever heard of, ran his mill. He was well educated and dignified. When he was not in Washington he did, however, enjoying running his Chatham Co. farm. Lefler also includes a bit about him in his Orange County History.

Thanks,

Bebe Fox