Rebecca Horton Hinton at October 1 Annual Meeting
Rebecca Horton Hinton – Zebulon Matriarch
Still hearty at age 96, Rebecca Horton Hinton reflected on her life in Zebulon and on the house and area where she was born in Preservation Zebulon’s film featuring her life as part of its Zebulon Memory Project series. The film was presented on October 1 at our Annual Meeeting.
Rebecca was born in 1924 in a Victorian home on Arendell Avenue, a home that her father built in 1915. Her father, Samuel Allison Horton, inherited land from his father, and selected choice pieces of timber from a sawmill he owned to build a grand and charming home. He occupied the new house with his wife Vernona Jeffries after their marriage in October 1915.
“My grandfather, (Robert Blacknall Horton 1857-1925) owned all the land on Wakefield Street and part of Arendell, and made a road between it. He gave each of his children some land. So Dad inherited land and farmed tobacco, cotton and corn,” Rebecca explains. She grew up experiencing a rich tapestry of activities from the extended family of Hortons in the area.
While Rebecca grew up, there were only three houses in the neighborhood. “Arendell was just a dirt street, really just a path, and cotton and corn was grown on each side of the street,” she recalls. “Dad was a terrific farmer, and we’d rotate the corn crop,” she recalls. Her mother, who family and friends called “Nona” could be seen churning butter with an old fashioned stick on the porch.
Until she was 15, the family had no indoor plumbing. “We had a little outhouse, and one kitchen and four bedrooms in that house. We drew water from the well on the back porch. We just had a tub, lavatory sink and a commode. Then we got a sink on the back porch and it was just heaven to turn on the spigot and not have to draw water from the well,” she recalls.
Her family were devout Baptists, and attended Wakefield Baptist Church. When it burned in 1924, her father provided timber for the new church.
She recalls walking to the Movie Theater on Saturdays to see a movie for 15 cents and paid five cents for a Coca Cola. Through the years she shopped at Antones, Popes, and City Market Grocery Store. She walked through snow and rain to attend Wakelon School which she dubbed “the best school in the world.”
She was very young when the Great Depression arrived, and says it was hard on people in town, but her parents weathered it well. Since they were farmers, they always had food during this time. A large garden provided cabbage, tomatoes, peas, corn, okra, butter beans, and blackberries.
When Rebecca was 11, her father died unexpectedly. He was embalmed by undertaker Norman Screws on the second floor of Zebulon Supply Company, which is now Whitley Furniture. He was buried in the Horton Family Cemetery on Wakefield Road in Zebulon.
In her late teenage years in the 1940s, Rebecca saw 75 percent of her male classmates in high school enter the military to serve in World War 2. “Three of my classmates were killed in the war,” she notes.
To continue reading, and for the full excerpt of Rebecca’s Memory Project story, see our Memory Project Section of our website or click the link below.
Sold Out 2020 Annual Meeting Was A Hit!
Eva Frady Liles and Rebecca Horton Hinton were featured in 20 minute films as our second installment of the Zebulon Memory Project at Preservation Zebulon’s Annual Meeting on October 1.
The sold out event held nearly 100 people with social distancing provided on the outdoor pavilion, formerly a kitchen building, on the 360 acre farm formerly owned by Avon Privette and bought, run and restored by David and Jill Hicks. This pristine, large and beautiful Zebulon farm offered plenty of wide open space for social distancing by members and guests who attended.
The Annual Meeting included a tour of a private, restored antebellum house, the James Bunn home, which was opened to the public for the first time. It also included a BBQ Chicken dinner at the outdoor pavilion presented by sponsor Tommy Massey; and a Preservation Zebulon Year recap and plans for 2021, and election of the slate of officers.
Thanks to all of our members and guests who attended tis successful event.
We thank our event sponsors: David and Jill Hicks; Tommy Massey and Wakefield Landscaping Inc., Moss Enterprises; MaryBeth and Scott Carpenter, Whitley Galleries, Debnam ACE Hardware, Patricia Roberson, Tatum and Atkinson PLLC; Parrish Realty Property Management; Mystery Lake Scuba Park, Muter Construction; Olde Raleigh Distillery; Lovallo’s Florist Interiors; and the North Carolina Humanities Council.
Both Rebecca Hinton’s and Eva Liles stories can be found in our Zebulon Memory Project section of our website. Check out this section to see stories of other Zebulon people and places as well.
Rebecca Horton in 1944.
Patricia Roberson
Meet our Board
Patricia Roberson
Patricia Brantley Griswold Roberson was born in Zebulon in 1940 and has lived here all of her life. Her father, Paul Brantley, founded and ran Paul V. Brantley Oil Co. and operated two businesses through the 1950s. Patricia taught first grade in Zebulon for many years and is now retired. She serves as an at-large member on Preservation Zebulon’s board. She has volunteered for many other local civic groups and non-profits and received Zebulon’s Citizen of the Year Award in 2015, the Heritage Award from LRHS in 2016, and several other accolades for her community work.
Patricia is the widow of WG Griswold and Elton Roberson who were sports activists and coaches in our community. She is the mother of Chuck and Ken Griswold and stepsons Art and Blake Roberson and has eight grandchildren.
“It has been a real joy to be a part of Preservation Zebulon. In our efforts to protect, promote and preserve the rich history of Zebulon and its surrounding community, we have made a difference in Zebulon. Under our leadership, our group has advocated for the preservation of building, sharing of photos and historical articles and presenting the oral history from some of our oldest, most outstanding citizens,” she states.
“The Scan-athon and Zebulon Memory Project held at Town Hall on Feb. 8 was one of my most memorable PZ events. Another memorable event was our Murder Mystery Dinner Fundraiser. For two years our organization provided dinner and entertainment for those who purchased tickets and dressed in theme costume. The support was great and PZ was applauded for providing something “new” to Zebulon while we try to preserve the “old,” she reports.
EVA LILES
Preservation Zebulon is sad to report that Eva Liles passed away on October 4. She was a remarkable community leader and will be missed by all. Our condolences to the Liles family. Read her life story from her Zebulon Memory Project interview on our website.
OUR WEBSITE HAS BEEN RE-DONE
Check out our new website with new content! We have expanded sections on the Zebulon Memory Project, including People and Places and an archive of our past newsletters. Please let us know if you have any pre-1980 photos of buildings or people who helped shape our Town.
MEMBERSHIPS
Preservation Zebulon is a member-based organization fully operated by volunteers. Please renew your membership today. Cost is $40 for individuals, $50 for a family, and $250 for a corporate partner membership, which includes a sponsorship to our Annual Meeting. Please donate or renew your membership today at www.preservationzebulon.org or by mailing a check to the address below. Thank you for your support and participation!