Historian David Powell, Gates County Historical Society President Edith Seiling (right), Marvin T. Jones and others traipse through the forests bordering the Chowan River swamp land to document graves. The Harrell Taylor family grave is of particular interest because it is said to be near if not above a Chowanoke burial ground. Seiling is a member of the Chowan Discovery Group’s Advisory Committee. Photograph by Marvin T. Jones
I sought out Donna when I was shopping around for advice about the research I was collecting on the Winton Triangle. Her reputation as a respected archivist at Howard University’s Moorland- Springarn Research Center was long known to me. It was Donna who planted the idea of creating a non-profit organization. All along the way she encouraged me, was always interested in the work and continued to advise me. I’ll always be thankful for her friendship and help. – Marvin T. Jones
Photograph by Jeffrey Fearing
Cofield native Eric Mountain, now living in Raleigh, and his daughter Erin Madelyn, retrieves and brings back a relic from Hertford County’s past. The North Carolina Museum of History has donated a booth bench from Chowan Beach to the Chowan Discovery Group whose mission is to research, document, preserve and present the history of the Winton Triangle. Museum Curator Earl Ijames arranged the transfer. The bench was in the restaurant of the Chowan Beach resort which entertained people from the region for over fifty years. It appears in a 1963 photograph that is part of our digital image collection. The Chowan Discovery Group’s recent acquisition of non-profit and tax-exempt status helped make the transfer possible. Photograph by Marvin T. Jones
June 26-27, 2009: A lecture on the Winton Triangle by Marvin T. Jones was among the presentations at the 13th Reunion of The Melungeon Heritage Association held in Logan, West Virginia. K. Paul Johnson, author of Pell Mellers: Race and Memory in a Carolina Poquosin and a consultant to the Melungeon Heritage Association, invited Jones and Bertie County’s Dr. Arwin D. Smallwood, Associate Professor, The University of Memphis Department of History and a native of Bertie County’s Indian Woods community.
Dr. Smallwood presented an extensive and exciting history of the Tuscarora people who are among the ancestors of the Winton Triangle community. Both Jones and Smallwood have been invited to speak at next year’s MHA conference in Tennessee.
The Chowan Discovery Group, whose mission is to research, document, preserve and present the history of the Winton Triangle area, was recently granted tax-exempt status by the Internal Revenue Service. The law firm Morgan, Lewis and Bockius donated the services and expenses incurred in the filing of the non-profit and tax-exempt applications for the Chowan Discovery Group(CDG). Shown here, on the 39th floor of the Manhattan offices of Morgan, Lewis and Bockius are E. Laverne Jones (center), the CDG board member holding the tax-exempt application; and attorneys Robert Dickey (left) and Stephen Nesspoor of the law firm. Board Member Jones undertook this successful effort. Photograph by Marvin T. Jones
March 28, 2009: A well-received lecture of the community’s role in the founding and growth of C.S. Brown School was given by Marvin T. Jones at the C.S. Brown School Alumni Association’s annual Founder’s Day.
