Judson, NC Text  
 
 

A VISIT TO THE JUDSON OF 1943
 

 

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JUDSON, NORTH CAROLINA

Traveling from Bryson City west on Old Hwy. #10. crossing Grassy Branch, through Patterson Springs, just beyond Pearl Elliot's to the mouth of Alarka Creek, turn right at Jenkins' mill, then turn down the Tennessee River for about a mile, you are now in Judson, North Carolina.

Judson was a small community of approximately 600 people.  As you enter town on the left are three stores, I.B. Jenkins', Dolozier's, and Holmes Patterson's.  Across the street was E.B. Jenkins' store.  There was a sawmill between the store and the river, run by Caro Jenkins.  The Tennessee River ran through the middle of Judson.
Across the bridge on the right was Crisp's Garage and underneath the garage was a cornmill.  On the left was a barber shop, run by N.C. Ashe.  The Post Office was between the Barber Shop and,the Railroad. P. L. Crisp had a store across from the Post office.

The Southern Depot was across the Railroad tracks on the right.  Harvey Greene was the Post Master up until they were forced to move for the flooding of Fontana Lake. Prior to that time he had worked in one of the stores for $2.00 per month.  The train ran through Judson 4 times a day; twice to Murphy and twice to Bryson City.  Ace Enloe's Farm was on the right at the lower end of town.

The Judson Elementary School sat on a hill above the Depot.  At one time it had been a hotel, when Whiting Lumber Company was in operation in Judson.  In 1930, my father-in-law, Vance W  Greene, Sr. was a teacher there.  He taught grades 3 and 4. He also taught grades 1-7 at Forney Creek.  The High School age children attended Almond High School which was located where the Almond Boat Dock is now.
There were two churches in Judson; one Baptist and one Methodist.  I've been told that these churches were about a hundred feet apart and that you could sit in one and hear the preacher in the other.  At different times the Baptist's preachers were Rev. Henry Hogue, and Rev. John Stansberry. The Methodists preachers were Rev. Hipps and Rev. West.

There were two doctors at different times in Judson.  The first was Dr. Brock and then Dr. Orr.  After they left, Dr. Bennett from Bryson City would come to Judson.  Some people rode the train to Bryson City or to Sylva to see a doctor.

My father-in-law has told me many wonderful stories of Judson; of how close families were and how they helped each other through hard times.  He, Vance, said, "I remember playing with Mrs. Maybelle Crisp's sons, Glenn and Paul, and how she made me come in and eat dinner before I went home."

Many of the families that lived in Judson had generations of kin folk there.  Our family alone had as many as four generations living there at one time.  Judson was a small thriving community and home to many.  It may no longer physically exist because of the lake, but it will forever live in the hearts of those who lived there and in the stories passed on to generations now and to come.

BY:KATHY-GREENE

Received from Clay Clark Feb. 2001


 
 
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