Tyro Tavern
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THE STORY OF “ TYRO “
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HISTORIC PLANTATION HOME AND TAVERN OF JOSEPH HIRAM THOMPSON BUILT IN 1840 GLENN SANFORD RESEARCHER AND AUTHOR
INTRODUCTION: North Carolina Hwy. 150 unfolds like a long black ribbon before you as you travel through the Piedmont section of the Old North State. Century old farm houses, old log tobacco barns, tobacco fields, and other signs of years gone by dot the landscape. It is a beautiful drive in the middle of summer and a breathtaking drive in the fall when the hardwood leaves are displaying their annual beauty. Half way between Old Salem ( now Winston-Salem ) and Salisbury stands “Tyro” . When I first saw her she stood like a sleeping giant, ready to be awakened and once again display her grandeur. It is the dominate building of the small laid back community named for her, Tyro.
Chapter I A NEW BEGINNING IN AMERICA
Like thousands of young men, Frederick Thompson in the late 1700 s boarded a ship in England and headed for the New World. No doubt, the excitement in his heart could not be measured. After his ship landed he came to Madison County Virginia and settled there for a short time. While there he met and married a girl by the name of Sarah Smoot. Soon they traveled to Rowan County, North Carolina, settling a short time in the area that is now Mocksville. Frederick purchased a parcel of land from a man by the name of George Danner. The land was part of the Granville grant to Squire Boone, Daniel Boone’s father. The land was on Bear Creek and he paid 400 Pounds for 200 acres. ( see notes). Frederick and Sarah moved to the east side of the Yadkin where records show he was a Physician and Tavern owner. In 1810 the Thompsons had a son , the only child they would have, they named him Joseph Hiram Thompson. In 1814 Frederick purchased 100 acres on the headwaters of Potts Creek. The headwaters of Potts Creek is about 300 yards from “Tyro”. Before long Frederick had bought up 1500 acres reaching all the way to the Yadkin River. The Rowan County tax list in 1815 shows that Frederick Thompson owned and operated a tavern. The Tavern was most likely a hundred yards or some from the present Tyro Tavern. The Salisbury paper carried a story in 1821 that Frederick Thompson was taken to court by a bridge owner on the Yadkin. The bridge owner tried to sue Frederick for telling travelers to use the ferry crossing the Yadkin because the man’s bridge was unsafe. The man lost his suit because another man testified that he spent lots of time in Thompson’s tavern and he had never heard Thompson say anything about the unsafe bridge.
Sometime around the turn of the century Frederick Thompson built and opened Tyro Shops. The location of this business showed the wisdom of Frederick. The Great Wagon Road from Philadelphia to Augusta, Georgia came from Old Salem and on to Salisbury. He located his shops half way between the two towns. Tyro Shops built wagons, buggies, farm equipment, such as plows, corn shellers, ( one of his corn shellers is on display in the Davidson County Historical Museum which is located in the old Davidson County Courthouse in Lexington.). By 1830 he and his son were very successful business men. They owned and operated the Tyro Shops, located where Swicegood Road now enters N.C. Hwy. 150 just below “Tyro”. Records also show they had a country store, ( The Thomsons’ Mercantile Directory for 1851 list Joseph Hiram Thompson as a general dealer in dry goods, groceries, and hardware, a saw mill, a cotton gin, and an underground ice house. In the winter time they took wagons to the frozen Yadkin River and with cross cut saws cut out ice chunks, hauled them back to the underground ice house and packed them in sawdust. This ice would last into late spring. They also had a blacksmith shop near the Tyro Shops. The ice house was directly across from “Tyro” The country store was just down the road near Tyro Shops. The 1500 acre plantation was named “Tyro“. That word means New Beginning. The Salisbury Post ran ads for their products, advertising shipping to any location.
It was a full days journey from Old Salem to Tyro, by wagon or horseback, and another full days journey to Salisbury. So it made good sense for these businesses to be located here. Wagons, buggies, stagecoaches traveling the rough roads many times needed repair. They saw a need and filled it. By the early 1800 s research shows that as many as 50 families a day came down the Great Wagon Road traveling southward in search of a place of their own. Many in covered wagons, some in farm wagons, many even walked with their children and livestock following behind them. All excited about what they would see over the horizon.
Around 1830 Joseph Hiram Thompson married Cynthia Suretha Ratts ( Ratz) the daughter of Godfrey Ratz, a wealthy land owner in this area. In 1835 Joseph began building his own tavern and plantation home. It took 5 years to build “Tyro”. the huge heart pine timbers were cut from the woods on the plantation. The brick were also made on the property. It took slave labor five years to build the magnificent structure. The quality of their skilled workmanship is testified by the beauty and strength that remains today. On tours of the home we carefully point out the remarkable quality of their work. More about this in the chapter on Architectural interest. The family moved into “Tyro” in 1840. Cynthia had already fallen in love with Joseph, a wealthy land owner and business man, she must have loved the grand structure they called their home. It was the grandest house between Old Salem and Salisbury. It is the oldest house in Davidson County that serves as a private dwelling. It is not known how long Frederick operated his tavern. We do know that he died in 1840, the year “Tyro” was finished. We are not sure how long he had been in bad health or if he got to live in it at all. His wife, Sarah died in 1841. Both are buried at Sandy Creek cemetery on what is now Giles Road. 10
CHAPTER II THE PLANTATION
Joseph and Cynthia worked hard, running the plantation, the tavern and the other businesses they had. Plantation life demanded their time and energy. Main crops were, cotton, tobacco, all kinds of grains, for home use and feeding livestock, potatoes, a large variety of vegetables , which were needed when serving meals to the hundreds of people who stopped at the tavern to eat. Meats raised on the plantation would have included, chicken, pork, and beef. It is possible that fish were caught in the Yadkin and brought in for an occasional fish fry. Fried rabbit and squirrel was a favorite in the winter months. No doubt, delicious jams , jellies and pies were made from the wild berries that grew on the plantation. Homemade biscuits with fresh butter and jam had to be a favorite of all, not to mention the cornbread baked in the wood stove.
Most plantation owners usually had lots of children. Joseph and Cynthia were no exception. They had eight children of their own. Cynthia died a pre-mature death at the age of 39. Joseph then married her younger sister, Ellen Elizabeth and they had five children. Of course they had slaves that helped them operate the plantation. Unfortunately, they were not and have not been fairly recognized for their great part in the agricultural development of the South. Many lived in plantation shacks on the plantation. On the third floor of “Tyro” lived the house servants and their children. The floor is of tongue and groove flooring with a partician separating the adults and the children. The original door between the rooms is still there, leather hinges and all. The house servants would include the cook, the man who kept the fireplaces going in the winter and took care of other household chores. Running a plantation was a great task. Joseph, no doubt had many talented slaves to make it a success.
CHAPTER III THE TAVERN
Like his father, Joseph seized the opportunity to meet the needs of migrating people. Thousands were coming down the Great Wagon Road yearly. His land was a perfect palace to have a Tavern. “Tyro” was not only built as a plantation home but also as a tavern. They already had what we would call a truck stop/garage down the road. Many travelers needed their transportation, what ever it was, serviced and repaired. I am sure many hobbled into this area with wagon wheels broken or damaged. They probably had a sign up that read, WE FIX WAGONS. Joseph’s father, Frederick. as we mentioned earlier had a tavern of some kind on his original 100 acre purchase. Many believe it was in the forks of the road where the old Swicegood Road joined the Great Wagon Road. That would have placed it in the right area, and the Salisbury Post when covering the law suit in 1821 referred to it as the tavern in the forks of the road. That would have been about where the Tyro Fire Department is now. So it would have made good sense for Joseph to build his tavern near that location. Tavern life was an exciting and prosperous life. A tavern in those days had many purposes. They served as a place for weary travelers to stop and rest, to eat a meal, to get warm in the winter, to bed their horses down for the night, which included water and feed. See the page on tavern fares.
Tavern life also included: a social center where people gathered to hear local news and news from afar when travelers would stop in and share what they learned on the way down the Great Wagon Road. Everything from politics to individual views and ideas were shared. As the old saying goes, “if walls could talk”, who knows what public and secret information these old walls would share with us. Also dances were held here, the five folding doors attest to this, funerals were held here, the massive four foot door was so built to carry in caskets. The early gatherings of the Masonic Lodge also met here. Their emblem is carefully carved on one of the huge stones that lay in front of the front porch. Not their emblem only, but a cupids heart and arrow, along with names and initials carved in the stone by some of the children who grew up here. Most of them were carved before the Civil War.
CHAPTER IV THE CIVIL WAR
The Civil War left it’s mark here. Hundreds of young men left their families to go fight for the what they believed in. Four of the Thompson boys fought in the war. Charles Thompson, who later became known as “Captain Charlie” was in college at Mt. Pleasant, North Carolina. He left college to join his friends on the battle field. He was wounded at the Battle of Spotsylvania and his arm had to be amputated. Later he served on County Road Commission in Davidson County, and as a North Carolina State Senator.
John F. Thompson volunteered for service on March 3, 1862. He served as 3rd Lieutenant .Sadly, he died of typhoid in Petersburg, Virginia on October 6th, 1862 An article in the Spirit of the Ages states he was a warm and generous friend, a good officer and a honorable gentleman.
William Lewis Thompson was a student at Yadkin College prior to volunteering for service on May 14, 1861. He was promoted to Corporal on November 1st, 1862. After the war, William returned home and in 1866 he married Mary Penry. They settled in the Yadkin College area. It is said that the students of the college loved the cherries William grew in back yard. They often visited the Thompsons. Their house still stands today, in front of the Yadkin Methodist Church.
Joseph Hiram Junior also served in the Civil War. Evidently, he had the nature of his adventurous father. The story is told that when he was seventeen he was sent to the grain mill to have some grain ground. Instead of returning home, he went to the nearest place to sign up. He left the horses, wagon, and grain at the mill. Record reveals that although he was young he fought bravely and with distinction. He delighted in taking part in the reunions of his comrades and rarely missed the statewide meeting. He too settled in the Yadkin College area where he became a farmer. His house was near his brothers, but was torn down I believe in the 1960 s.
Although no battles were fought here there are some very interesting stories related to me by some of the old timers. It was told that during the war some Yankee soldiers came down the Great Wagon Road on the way South. They stopped in many houses to pilfer what ever they could take for their advantage. In one house they discovered a sewing machine. Not many people had those. They decided they needed it to mend their uniforms. They told the couple that when the left in the morning they were going to take the sewing machine. The lady of the house began to weep. This upset her husband. The next morning the sewing machine was still in the house and there were three new graves at the edge of the woods.
Mrs. Boone Wilson, whom we will discuss later told the following story about “Tyro.” On the way South, Yankee soldiers brought a wounded soldier to the door. They asked the Thompsons if they would care for the injured soldier until they came back this way on the way home. The soldier unfortunately died. The Thompsons escaped any harsh treatment for what happened, The soldiers who left the man never returned. He is supposed to be buried somewhere on “Tyro” property.
Just 20 miles south west of “Tyro” in Salisbury lies the remains of a Confederate prison. It is a very interesting place to visit and to read about. During the war over 10,000 union soldiers were imprisoned there. Some were POW’ from the famous Battle of Bull Run. Records show at least 46 soldiers were brought there. Thousands were placed there from Sherman’s Raid. We know Sherman’s trail came through Winston Salem and on to Salisbury. It is likely that many of his men came by “Tyro.” Perhaps they were among those of the preceding stories. At any rate, we do know that many Union soldiers came down the Great Wagon Road.
The Confederates knew they were badly beaten early in 1865, but had not yet surrendered.
As mentioned earlier, farms, factories, and homes had suffered looting by the Union forces. Near the end of March 1865, a General in the Union Forces by the name of General George Stoneman received orders to “dismantle the South, but do no battle.” The Confederate soldiers and civilians were weary and demoralized. General Stoneman came out of Tenn. headed toward North Carolina with 6,000 troops, They crossed the Blue Ridge Mountains at Boone and headed toward the Piedmont. They moved along their route with very little resistance. In April they set their sights on the twin cities of Winston and Salem. At this point General Stoneman sent some of his troops down the Great Wagon Road through Tyro toward Salisbury, while He and his other soldiers moved on to High Point. Their plans were to join forces again where the Great Wagon Road met the Trading Path at the Yadkin River Bridge just east of Salisbury. That probably explains the looting that took place. The stories came from these areas that the Union soldiers took mostly horses, burned factories and bridges. However, when the troops rejoined at the Yadkin River to burn the bridge there they met some still resistant Confederates.
There is a little known battle that took place there called “The Battle of York Hill.” on April 12, 1885. Stoneman’s troops were defeated and their attempt to burn the bridge failed. York Hill is some eight miles south west of Tyro. It is still there today and some of the old bunkers are still there. You have to take old Hwy. 29 from Hwy. 150 into Spencer to see the battle place.
General Stoneman and his men moved on into Salisbury, another six or eight miles to Free the Union Soldiers that were imprisoned there. To their surprise the soldiers had been moved . His men set fire to the filthy prison and millions of dollars worth of supplies. It is said that the fire could be seen 15 miles away. That certainly could have been viewed from “Tyro”.
CHAPTER V THE END OF AN ERA
The stage coaches also stopped here. Stage coaches had become a popular way to travel for those who could afford the luxury. They were usually pulled by four or six horses. They could usually seat eight or nine passengers inside and one seat beside the driver. Most of the roads were dusty in the summer and muddy in the winter. Their passengers included, gamblers, lumbermen. land investors, traveling salesmen, bankers, lawyers, and pretty ladies all fixed up. Few children rode the stage coaches. In the front yard of “Tyro” still lies the stage coach step used by travelers, especially women to dismount the stage. The tavern also served as a post office. It is listed in North Carolina history that a post office was here. One of Joseph’s sons, Robert Fulton, after the civil war helped Ellen Elizabeth run the tavern and plantation. By the end of the century this type of business was rapidly fading to the more prominent town hotels and restaurants and smaller farms served what the plantation had once done.
Joseph had died in 1872. His first wife, Cynthia had died in 1849. For his and Cynthia’s children he divided up 500 acres of the plantation. To his widow, Ellen and their children he left 500 acres and the home. The Tyro Shops and other businesses were divided up among the boys. The decedents of Frederick Thompson began to move about in Davidson County and start their own businesses. Several of them went into Lexington and started a lumber business. The Thompsons were very influential people in this area and we owe a lot to them for their helping develop Davidson County. Robert Fulton Thompson and his wife Minnie were the last Thompsons to own “Tyro”
CHAPTER VI NEW OWNERS FOR “TYRO”
A young man by the name of Boone Wilson, a direct descendent of Squire Boone’s family was growing up in the Linwood community, south of Tyro. He met and fell in love with a young lady by the name of Mary Turner. Evidently he had saved his money with a dream in mind. On September the 11th, 1906 ( I have the original deed) he and his wife purchased “Tyro” and 200 acres for $3500.00. Thus the Thompson place became the Wilson place. Boone and his wife farmed their new land. Again, tobacco, grains, vegetables, and livestock was their trade. It has been said that Mrs. Wilson did not approve of raising tobacco on the farm, nonetheless Boone was a very successful tobacco farmer. They also rented out some of the rooms since they did not need all of them. An early school, Davidson Academy was just up the road. Some of the teachers rented rooms. A young man, Roy Lingle Swicegood and his young bride rented part of “Tyro”. He was the Principal of the Academy and his wife, Edna Williams Swicegood was a teacher. We had the opportunity to meet Mrs. Swicegood. She was in her 90 s and shared with us some of her memories of “Tyro”.
The Wilsons had six children, Fro, Ed, Robert, Joe, Allen, and Essie. Ed married Maude Snider. They had a son named Hubert. Hubert was the last baby born in “Tyro.” in 1922. I had the great joy of knowing Hubert. He grew up on this farm and he shared with me many facts about the history of this house. I could not include all of his memories but if you have time on a pretty day, come by, we’ll sit on the front porch and drink tea and I’ll tell you some of his tales. He visited with me daily as I restored “Tyro”. On one occasion while I was restoring “Tyro” and he had paid his daily visit as he left I said, “Come back Hubert” He replied, “ I’ll be back in about two weeks.” I asked why so long? He said, “It will take me two weeks to think up all the answers to the questions you are going to ask me.” He loved it though. It brought great joy to him to see his grandfather’s house restored. Sadly, Hubert fell off his garage roof a week or two before we moved in, so he never got to see the house finished. He died in the spring of 2003. His sweet wife, Lucille still lives just a few doors up the road from us. Hubert and Lucille had two children, Jeffery and Beverly. Their son, Jeff lives near us. His son, Adam helps me maintain “Tyro”. I think it unique that Boone Wilson’s great, great, grandson helps me take care of this property, a place he loved dearly. The house had for years been lighted by kerosene lamps and a few gas lights. The foundation for the old gas house is still in the backyard. When I was running electrical wires during restoration I found some of the old gas lines that Boone Wilson had put in to run the lights in the first floor hall and the second floor hall. Electricity came in 1929 and the road was paved in 1938.
CHAPTER VII A NEW FAMILY OWNS “TYRO”
In the 1940 s Archie Davis, his wife Annie, and their young daughter Peggy rented part of “Tyro”. Peggy shares many stories told her by Mrs. Boone Wilson when she was a child. She remembers her as an elegant southern lady always dressed well. In 1948 after the death of Mrs. Boone Wilson, the Davis’ bought “Tyro” and five acres. The other 195 acres were sold off in one acre lots. The Davis’ made some improvements in the house. A bathroom was put in, new kitchen cabinets, a hardwood floor in the living room, the old original two story front porch was torn down because of decay and a smaller concrete porch was put on instead.
The Davis’ lived here for many years enjoying the history of “Tyro”. When Mrs. Annie passed away in 1997 the Tyro Methodist Church bought the house and five acres.
CHAPTER VIII THE FOURTH OWNERS MOVE IN
In September 2001 Glenn and Frances Sanford purchased “Tyro” and one acre. In September 2002 they moved in and “Tyro” became their home. In the first year over 80 people have toured this beautiful ante-bellum home. Nearly 40 have already spent the night there. All are invited to come and sit a spell on any of the three porches, weather permitting.
CHAPTER IX ARCHITECTURAL INTEREST
Beginning on the outside in front of the house you can see the old stage coach step, a large flat rock showing the wear of hundreds of riders stepping from buggies and stage coaches. In front of the massive front porch there are stones placed in a area covering eight feet by fifty two feet. On these stones the names and initials of the Thompson children have been carved.
The exterior brick walls are laid in a style called Flemish bond. The upper soffit is made of curved brick. All the exterior and interior walls are over twelve inches thick, some fifteen inches thick. The exterior walls and the hall walls go all the way to the cellar floor. From the cellar floor to the peak of the gable is fifty feet.
The joist for all three floors are hand hewn six x twelve, thirty two feet long and on sixteen inch centers for all three floors.
Entering the house from the front you pass through a massive four foot door. Most likely this door was designed this wide to accommodate caskets, as many bodies lay in wake here. As you enter the grand hall that is eight feet wide and thirty two feet long you walk on the original heart pine tongue and groove flooring and view the winding staircase that leads to the second floor. Overhead is a beautiful reproduction chandelier. It is where one of the old gas lights hung.
The first room on the right is the first floor parlor. The floor in this room was replaced in 1950 with narrow oak flooring. As you enter the room you view a large fireplace on the east wall. The house has eight fireplaces. Under the four windows are large hand carved wooden aprons. All windows, doors, and the hand made woodwork is held together by wood pegs. The glass panes in most of the windows are original, with their bubbles and imperfections. Period wallpaper was used.
Going into what is now the kitchen there are five large folding doors. History tells us that these doors would be opened up for dances, weddings, speeches, and other occasions when more than one room was needed.
The kitchen also has a large fireplace , with a hanging pot ready for cooking a stew. The room now used for the dinning room used to be the kitchen. It was located some forty feet out in the yard when it served as the plantation kitchen, as many kitchens were placed in those days. When Boone Wilson bought the property in 1906 he had the kitchen moved against the house.
Moving back to the grand hall you enter the downstairs bedroom, the Sanford room. It has the original floor and fireplace. On display there is a civil war era handmade quilt donated to “Tyro“ by the ladies of Tyro Methodist Church. It was found in the house when the church bought it.
I must put this story in this writing. One Saturday, during the restoration process I was working inside. A knock came at the back door. A lady introduced herself as Mary Irvin Thompson Reavis. She stated that her ancestors built this house and she would like to see what we were doing. In the downstairs bedroom the Davis’ had removed the original mantle and bricked up the fireplace. I had torn the brick away, intending to build a new mantle myself. When she stepped into the room she saw my demolition, The old fireplace was but a brick hole in the wall. She said, “Glenn, in 1950 when they tore the mantle away, I asked for it and they gave it to me, It is in my garage in Winston Salem, you may have it if you like.” A chance in a million that the mantle was not being used, but had been stored in a dry building for over 50 years. You may enjoy it’s beauty on your tour, and thank you Mary Irvin Thompson Reavis..
From that room you enter the plantation office, now used as the Sanford’s office. It also has the original pine flooring and fireplace. The ceiling of this room is made of fifteen to eighteen inch wide pine boards. Beside the fireplace is a small cabinet built into the wall. These cabinets were usually used to keep the plantation records, seed and feed bills, planting records and harvesting records.
From the plantation office you go through the modern first floor bathroom. It is beautifully decorated with rich cherry cabinetry and old world wallpaper. Once again back into the hallway it is time to go up the winding stairway to the second floor. The steps show the wear of the 163 years they have been used. They are beautiful heart pine. The handrail is mahogany.
The first thing you see at the top of the stairwell is a closed in closet under the stairway leading to the third floor. It still has the original paint, the boards are up to fifteen inches wide and show the marks of the hand plane that planed them.
The first room you enter on the second floor is the Thompson room. It is a large bedroom with a fireplace. It is decorated with period antiques.
The next room you visit is the Wilson room, in memory of Hubert Wilson , the last person to be born in this house.. It now serves as the upstairs parlor. Originally it was the Master bedroom of the plantation. It has a gun closet beside the fireplace where Joseph H. Thompson kept his guns. The walls in this room are painted the original color, teal. Some of the original paint was still in tact. We had it matched at a local paint store.
Back into the hall you may go out on the balcony. This is an upstairs porch with some of the original porch post still being used. There is always a pleasant breeze blowing across this eight by fifty foot porch. Also a good view of downtown Tyro.
Coming into the hall again you enter the lesser hall leading to the rooms that were used as bedrooms for the tavern. There are four such rooms. Two of them have fireplaces. One is “Nanna’s room” so named because this is where the grandchildren sleep when they visit. It is furnished with period furniture including a beautiful spool bed donated by Mr. And Mrs. Carson Swicegood of Tyro. The fireplace has the original paint and the walls are painted Federal blue.
The room to the left at the end of the hall is the hall is the Daniels room. Mrs. Sanford’s maiden name. It also has a fireplace and is painted in a period color.
Coming back to the main hall on the left is the upstairs bathroom. It served as another bedroom in years gone by. It has blue wash cabinetry and a claw foot tub.
Across the hall is a walk in closet. It too served as a bedroom in days gone by.
The stairway leading from this floor goes to the third floor. As mentioned earlier this is where the house servants lived. The rafters are visible and each are marked with roman numerals, as the were mortised on the ground before being lifted up. This made sure the right rafter fit the right joist.
Back downstairs and out the back door. The threshold shows the wear of 163 years. The back stone steps also have carvings on them approaching 100 years old by date. Five of the post are original and two are replacements.
Sitting on the back porch is peaceful and relaxing. There are many other very interesting facts About “Tyro”. One day when you have time, come by, I’ll share some of them with you.
- Period antiques are being added as funds permit. If you have something small that you would like to donate to enhance the antiquity of “Tyro” we would be happy to use it in the house.
- We are also planning to turn the old woodshed/corncrib into a small museum for visitors to enjoy.
CHAPTER X. THINGS TO LOOK FOR
1. A picture of Joseph Hiram Thompson, builder of “Tyro” donated by Joseph Wallace of Lexington, a descendant of the builder.
2. A picture of “Tyro” taken by a photographer sent South to take pictures of plantations not destroyed by the Union forces. It was obtained from the Library of Congress in Washington, DC.
3. A picture of Glenn Sanford’s Grandparents, Eli and Cora Sanford with some of his uncles.
4. The five folding doors between the downstairs parlor and the kitchen.
5. The period antiques placed throughout the house.
6. The original front door key. Very large. Ask to see it.
7. The display cabinets on the second floor showing some “Tyro“ artifacts and other interesting pieces collected by the Sanfords..
8. Period tools like those used in the building of “Tyro.”
9. Dirt dobber ( wasp ) nest on the ceilings on the second floor.
10 The remote lighting system that had to be used since the wall are solid brick over a foot thick.
11. Six of the original post on the second floor porch.
12. Wooden pegs throughout the house used in windows, doors, and moldings.
13. The antique oak roll tops desk, a gift to the Sanfords from his father, Clarence Sanford of Mt. Pleasant, N.C.
14. The antique spool bed donated to the Sanfords by Mr. And Mrs. Carson Swicegood.
15. The handmade covered wagon model made by Mr. Rummage and donated to “Tyro” by Mr. and Mrs. Carl Swicegood.
16. Old radios by Mr. And Mrs. Darrell Taylor of Lexington, N.C. and Mr. And Mrs. Ray Hicks of Tyro.
17. The wide board ceilings in the plantation office and Master Bath.
18. A quilt dated by fabric from the civil war days, donated to “Tyro” by the ladies of Tyro United Methodist Church. It was found in the house when the church bought it.
19. The old stage coach step in the front yard.
20. The old original window glasses that have the bubbles and imperfections in them.
21. In the Davidson County Library here in Tyro there is a stained glass window of “Tyro”. It is worth your visit to see it.
22. The cracked exterior wall on the South East corner of the house. This damage was caused by an earthquake that took place in Charleston, S.C. in 1886. It took place around 9:50 p.m. on August 31,1886. The tremors were felt as far away as Kentucky. Several brick buildings that were standing in Salisbury received the same damage and can be seen today. The old grist mill in Sloan park is such a building. It is also a good place to tour.
23. The stone bench in the yard was donated by Doug Parnell who lives in Tyro. The stones are about the same age as “Tyro “
24.The family Bibles of the Thompsons and the Wilsons. Both donated to “Tyro” by Mary Irvin Thompson Reavis.
25. The crotched bed spread crocheted by Mrs. Boone Wilson in the early 1900 s. Donated by Mary Irvin Thompson Reavis.
26. The antique cherry secretary donated by Mr. And Mrs. Wayne Howell of Tyro.
CHAPTER XI CREDITS Lexington Kitchen and Bath Inc. 625 West Center Street Lexington, N.C. 27292 1-336-249-9676 All paint and paper work. Kitchen and bath cabinetry. kitchen and bath countertops. all plumbing, refinishing of all floors, ceramic and laminate floors. Kevin Sanford replaced the original porches and hung all the wallpaper. Larry Thompson built the mantle in the downstairs Parlor using the original mantle in the bedroom across the hall as a pattern. Frances Sanford chose all colors and placing of all decor including furniture. Jerry Koontz Heating and Air 390 Old Pasture Rd. Lexington, N.C. 27295 1-336-752-2501 Triple J Roofing 1-336-287-3041 or 1-336-650-0163 Too numerous to mention: Local people who shared their memories with the Sanfords, especially the Wilsons, Thompsons, Swicegoods, and Peggy Davis. Various articles, including: Builders of the Back Country, Homespun, Davidson County Heritage, news paper articles from various newspapers, Genealogy Room, Lexington City Library, Hundreds of hours on the inter-net. I cannot close without telling everyone how grateful we are to God for giving us the opportunity to live out our dream. Without Him we could not have done it. He gave us the opportunity, the know how, the energy, and the means to accomplish what we did.
There were days when it was well below freezing as well as 95 degree days. Not one time, no matter how weary we became did we even think “we wish we had not started.” We love our home, and we are thankful for it. He gets the praise for it all. Did George Washington ever sleep here? Sorry, but the answer is NO. His trip through this area was about 40 years before “Tyro”.
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