Otter creek

Photo Courtesy of Shirley Owenby Postell — Otter Creek School Gymnasium. Built about 1936 by the "CCC's". (Civilian Conservation Corps)

Mr. Opossum on Limb with
Cliff Morgan's house in background — Mr. Opossum on Limb
Cliff Morgan's house in background. He lived on Otter Creek at the entrance of Chimney Ridge , the chimney of his house is still standing .

Thanks to Barbara Wilkie Tedford (Jessie's daughter) for pictures and information below

Here are photos that my mother, Jessie Higdon Wilkie, had in her

album from the year she was principal and teacher at the Otter Creek School.

As well as being principal, she taught all subjects in grades 8-10. She had graduated that spring (1934) from Western Carolina Teachers College with high honors.

She and Ruth Byrd, a fellow teacher, boarded on Otter Mountain at

the Mays’ home and at the Wilsons’ home and walked to school.

(Ruth’s brother Clinton married Mary Strain, Jessie’s first cousin.)

Vaughan Neal (with the dog in the photo) was the brother of two of Mother’s students in the photos–Kenneth and Burt.

The photos at the Wesser Bald Fire Tower were taken when she, Ruth, and their students went up there for an outing in 1934-35.

Jessie spent only that one year at Otter Creek. In the summer of

1935, she married William Howard Wilkie, from Franklin, who graduated from Western Carolina in 1935 and took a job teaching and coaching at Marshall High School in Madison County, NC. Mother grew up in Higdonville, Macon County, the daughter of James Leonard and Lavada Strain Higdon. She attended Higdonville School and Sylva Collegiate Institute, and graduated from Franklin High School.

(Her dates: September 10, 1912-December 17,2004)

Sincerely,

Barbara Wilkie Tedford

Kenneth Neal and Ruth Byrd, Wesser Bald Fire Tower 1934-35

Kenneth Neal, Wesser Bald Fire Tower 1934-35

Burt Neal and Nora Wikle Chastain at Wesser Bald Fire Tower 1934-35

Mildred Hoyle, Wesser Bald Fire Tower 1934-35

Quentin Roper, Wesser Bald Fire Tower 1934-35

Van Buren Owenby, Wesser Bald Fire Tower 1934-35

* Rodney Chastain recognized the girl in picture # 7 as his Mother (Nora Wikle Chastain)

* Larry Owenby recognized the man in picture 11

as VAN BUREN OWENBY

1 Jessie Hidgon and Howard Wilkie, summer 1935

2 Jessie Higdon, Neal’s dog 1934-35

3 Ruth Byrd, teacher 1934-35

4 Kenneth Neal and Ruth Byrd, Wesser Bald Fire Tower 1934-35

5 Kenneth Neal Wesser Bald Fire Tower 1934-1935

6 Vaughan Neal 1934-35

7 Burt Neal and Nora Wikle Chastain*, Wesser Bald Fire Tower 1934-35

8 Mildred Hoyle, Wesser Bald Fire Tower 1934-35

9 Mildred Hoyle 1934-35

10 Quentin Roper, Wesser Bald Fire Tower 193435 11* Van Buren Owenby, Wesser Bald Fire Tower 1934-35

12 Wesser Bald Fire Warden 1934-35

Otter Creek School – 1921

Back row; Dan Boone, Creed May ,(? ?), Vestel Morgan Cochran,

Belle Wilson, Grace Jones, Frank

May, Glen Shields,(? ?),

2nd.row; Cleo Douthet, (? Day),

Hazel Cochran, Vonnie Mason,,

Amanda Deweese, Clint Dalrymple, Oscar Cross, OlsenGrant, Wade Grant, Monroe Boone, Clyde Morgan…

Front row; Ernest Cross, Hellen Dalrymple Grant, Eulene Grant,

Howard Cross, Bernice Deweese

Cochran, Blanch Cochran,Nelle Boone, Anna Boone, Ora Jones

Otter Creek High School Class of 1941-42

Front row:L-R.

Sue Wood

Arnold Wilson

Julie Owenby

Back row:L-R

Ralph Cochram

Reno Wilson

Lucille Owenby

DL Owenby

Newel Owenby

Otter Creek High School Class of 1943 – 44

Front Row:L-R

Eliose Morgan

Bill Wood

Ruth Roper

Back row:L-R

Ethel Bateman

Frank Hembree

Irene Roper

Otter Creek School

3rd. Grade

1946 – 47

1st row: Joan Jones, Juanita Passmore, Sheiva Jean Cochran, Margaret Sue May, Carlene Passmore, Beth Morgan, Beulah Grant, J D Owenby, Croff Denny, (Teacher) Miss Ester Seay.

2nd. row: Delmar Cope, Gerald Grant, Barbara Boone, Pauline Morgan, Mary Lackey, (Mary Beth Mac——?) Jimmy Cochran, James McMahan, Elmer May, Peggy Jean Morgan.

3rd.row: Carl Smith, Ray Morgan, Bonnie Douthit, Nancy Cable, Wanda Sue Gregory, Geraldine Haney, Dale Roper, Harold Morgan, Sanford Grant, Allen Grant

Otter Creek School – First Grade – 1946

Back row: Willard Shields, Junior Frady, Neil Grant, Mary May, Sidney May, Mickey Roper, Connie Roper, Doyce Waters, Opal Passmore, Jerry Owenby

Front Row: Reva Morgan, Max Wishon, Emma Lou Boone, Susie Denny, J.D. Queen, Cloe Shields, Rosa Ellen Grant, Shirley Owenby and Paerley Owenby (twins)

Teacher: Grace Wilson