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- © 2012 - 2014 "Confessions Of An Oral Historian" by Clifford B. Davids. All rights reserved.
Category Archives: Inside Eliada Orphanage
“The Splendid Eliada Family Portrait” – by Clifford B. Davids
The group portrait below was one of the very first photographs I found in the Eliada archives, and it ignited the fire that fueled my need to tell their story. To this day I don’t fully understand why it had that effect on … Continue reading
“A Full And True Eliada Orphan” – by Clifford B. Davids
Janie Carlysle Hargrave, widely known in Lumberton, N.C. as “the first lady of religious work,” sat down at her desk one evening in December of 1939, burdened by the series of tragic and unfortunate events that had over taken young … Continue reading
“To Protect and Defend” – The Legal Maneuverings of James G. Merrimon – by Clifford B. Davids
James Gibbon Merrimon was born into judicial royalty. He was the son of renowned Judge James H. Merrimon, and the nephew of Augustus S. Merrimon, chief justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court. A stalwart member of the Asheville legal community for over … Continue reading
“The Art of Comptonology and the War of Northern Aggression” – by Clifford B. Davids
I learned a great deal about the tumultuous life of Lucius Bunyan Compton during my three years at Eliada Homes. In his youth he was a rascal and ne’er-do-well, spending his days smoking tobacco and drinking bootleg whiskey. After he was saved … Continue reading
“Brother Lost, Brother Found” – by Tracy Rose
(This cover story appeared in the Mountain Xpress, Vol. 8, No. 15: Nov. 14 to Nov. 20, 2001.) The last time Carmable Revels saw her little brother, he was a red-haired, freckle-faced 6-year old. That was not long after their … Continue reading
“From the Bricks of Ben Lippen to the Friday Night Drums” – The Evolution of Pritchard Park in Asheville, North Carolina – by Clifford B. Davids
On any given Friday night in downtown Asheville, N.C. you can hear the rolling sounds of congas, tom toms, and bongos echoing through the streets. Long-time residents or frequent visitors to the city know the sound to be the Friday … Continue reading
“A Strange and Subversive Time” – Eliada Orphanage during World War II – by Clifford Davids
I was lucky enough to get a private glimpse into the heart and mind of Lucius Bunyan Compton, the founder of Eliada Orphanage – but only with a little help from one of his orphanage daughters. She had been among … Continue reading
“Concerning The Fiery Trial” – The State of North Carolina vs. Lucius Bunyan Compton
(This posting was edited from a series of four articles which appeared in The Asheville Times from Oct. 20-23, 1943.) Asheville, N.C.—A Buncombe County jury on Thursday afternoon cleared the Reverend Lucius Bunyan Compton, former head of Eliada Orphanage, of … Continue reading
“Things as They Were at Eliada Orphanage” – as written by Reverend Lucius Bunyan Compton
“My mind is directed today to look back upon the earlier days of my life. I was born in Haywood County, North Carolina, on April 21, 1875, in a one room log cabin, with a clap-board roof and a slab … Continue reading
“Another Glorious Eliada Camp!” – by Lucius Bunyan Compton
“Another glorious Camp Meeting has come and gone. We convened on the evening of August 11th with a grand opening Rally and a record-breaking audience, and closed Sunday night, August 20th, with another wondrous victory. At no time in our … Continue reading
“Ruby Cogburn Fullbright: An Eliada Orphanage Tragedy” – by Clifford B. Davids
I only spoke with Gladys Murray a handful of times, mostly at the Eliada Orphanage reunions. I knew that she supported my oral history project, but I never convinced her to sit down for an interview. Her orphanage sisters told … Continue reading
“The Prodigal Son of Eliada Orphanage” – the interview with John David Carter
I was fortunate to know John David Carter for well over a decade before he passed away in 2013. His friendship was fully entertaining, and the many stories he told me about his life made for a fascinating tale of … Continue reading
“They Call Me Lillie Peaches” – a Conversation with Maye Westmoreland Wiggins about Eliada Orphanage
My name is Maye Wiggins, and I was born in July 8, 1945. My Mom had me at a place called Faith Cottage in Asheville, North Carolina. I found out later it was a home for unwed mothers. I didn’t … Continue reading
“A Clean, Beautiful Life” – the June Saylor interview
June Edith Saylor passed away in April of 2009 at the Hillcrest Nursing Home, Knoxville, TN. Her enthusiasm for life’s small victories, eternal optimism, and daily devotions are sorely missed by her church family at Sevier Heights Baptist Church, her … Continue reading
“The Homecoming of Beth Garrett Fisher” – by George Sieburg
In 1923 Beth Garrett was living with her aunt in the wake of a family tragedy. On a chilly January day, only a month after the death of her mother and the incarceration of her father, Beth was removed from … Continue reading
CONFESSIONS OF AN ORAL HISTORIAN 