General Notes

Note:
(The following information was provided at the family reuni
on in Williamston, NC on 31 May 1998)
The Bailey Road, now State Road #1399 off Highway 64 approx
imately one-half mile east of Everetts, bears this name bec
ause of numerous members of the Warner ("Warren") Gordon Ba
iley, Jr. family who settled there. Your great, great grand
father, John Lawrence Bailey (called John and sometimes Go
d Dast It, for that seemed to be his byword), was born Nove
mber 22, 1856, which made him a Civil War lad. This rough
, tough character was truly and independant, who learned th
e ways of the wild forest, its creatures, and the soil. Fro
m early boyhood he learned to live on, near, and for the ea
rth. Many times hes daily sustenance was made up of a pocke
t full of quickly gathered grains or nuts, fish freshly cau
ght, or forest animals caught and cooked.
His family home was in a rural area in the Cross Roads-Bea
r Grass area of Martin County, which placed it perhaps 15 o
r more miles from Washington in Beaufort County, NC. In th
e family were 4 brothers and 3 sisters. Many times, John re
counted a childhood war adventure that told how he was sen
t to Washington on the Pamlico River to obtain salt, whic
h was used as a preservative for meat that was slaughtere
d on the farm. It is most probable that John was less tha
n ten years of age when he was entrusted with this dangerou
s but vitally crucial errand. To avoid Yankee troops, and p
erhaps Rebel bands, John did not travel the existing ox o
r horse paths, but stayed within view of the way to avoid b
ecoming disoriented. His short, stocky status was a definit
e advantage and enabled him to travel undetected through br
ush and undergrowth; yet his very lack of physical size an
d strength would limit the quantity of salt that he would b
e able to acquire. These odds were probably weighed careful
ly before parental demands and permission were given.
It was during the long, tedious, and dangerous return tri
p that John realized that he had been overtakedn by a grou
p of maurauding soldiers who were intent on theiry survival
. His salt would be desirable booty. This young, tired, an
d badly frightened tow-headed boy did the most natural thin
g. He hid in the low shrubs and bushes under a bridge whil
e his enemy marched over and away. He was safe if his fortu
ne continued for the remaining distance. His valuable packa
ge of salt was most appreciated at home and his safe retur
n a cause for great wecome and thanksgiving.
As age and maturation occurred, John became a lover and fri
end to his fellowman. Perceptive and understanding of the h
uman body, he was able to help many who were ill or injured
. By ways and means known only to him, for he shared none o
f his knowledge, he was able to stop excessive bleeding, re
move warts, and perform a ritual kown at that time as "talk
ing out fire." The latter was a procedure, involving no fur
ther pain, that he did for those who were badly burned. H
e was able to provide rapid healing with no resulting scar
. He was credited with miracles.
News such as this, when there were few physicians and littl
e medical training, traveled. With poor, slow, and inaccura
te communication, news of John Bailey's ability to help spr
ead. Men, women, and children came from near and far to rec
eive of his medicinal favors. Often they brought animals fo
r John's attention. All were served. He became a colorful a
nd beloved friend to all.
After the railroad tracks were laid from Rocky Mount to Ply
mouth, John walked from his home to Everetts to see what th
is new-fangled idea was all about. After all, most of his t
ravel had been by foot for seldom was a farm animal - mul
e - used for transportation or pleasure. Imagine his antici
pation? Picture his wide-eyed curiosity? Believe his intere
st and anxiety! Yet he waited for the arrival of what he kn
ew not. When the engine came puffing its belching sm