Harve Wesley Deaton
November 14th 1907 - July 3rd 1997
Harve Wesley Deaton was the youngest son of John Starlin Deaton and Etta Icie Davis. He was born on November 14th of 1907 in Robbinsville, North Carolina. He was only three months old when his father was shot and killed near Hanging Dog, North Carolina. Harve's mother, Etta, packed up everything they owned onto a cart pulled by an ox to take her and her children all the way to Towns County, Georgia. Etta's half brothers, David and Robert Lee Deaton went with them too.
Father: John Starlin Deaton
Mother: Etta Icie Davis
Brothers: John Henry Deaton, Jacob Leander Deaton
Half Brothers: Reuben Deaton, David Deaton, Isaac Deaton, Robert Lee Deaton, Charlie Meeler, Robert Lee Meeler
Half Sisters: Odell Meeler, Elsie Meeler
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Wife: Bertie Mae Deaton
Children: Martha Ann Deaton, Harry Wayne Deaton
Child with Dicey Lawrence: Fred Gibson
L to R: Harve Wesley Deaton, Etta Meeler, John Henry Deaton
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They were welcomed by John Starlin's sister, Martha Ann Wheeler. Harve loved Martha Ann Wheeler; so much so that he eventually named his first daughter after her. She was very outspoken and Harve loved to ask her questions about the past.
Martha Ann Wheeler (Harve's Aunt)
John Starlin Deaton (Harve's father)
Growing up in Banks County
Etta and the children eventually moved to Banks County and Etta remarried to James W. Meeler. He started to become very mean to the Deaton children. John Henry, Jake and Harve frequently huddled up outside the house in the chimney corner to stay warm. Etta would secretly slip them in through the window at night after Meeler had went to sleep. During the day they stayed in the barn and Etta had to slip them bread out of the house in her apron in order to feed them. Things continued to get worse and Etta had to start begging the neighbors to raise the older children. At the age of 9 years old, Harve went to live with Robert "Chub" and Hannah Lawrence, who also took care of the elderly. Harve really liked Hannah Lawrence and helped her take care of the old folks. Harve went to school to the 3rd grade, so he had to teach himself how to read, write, and do math. His teacher was Tom E. Anderson at Grady Academy. He lived with Hannah and Chub until he was 16 years old and then decided to go work in the logging camp of the mountains of North Carolina, where his brothers had worked.
Hannah Elizabeth Watson Lawrence
Harve's first child, Fred Gibson
When he first arrived at the logging camp he was the cook's helper. He had to prepare the meals and clean the mess hall. Later, he graduated to logging with the horses. He sent all the money he could to his mother back home to help her with the Meeler children. Around 1926, Harve must have returned to Banks for a visit. He ended up having a relationship with one of Chub and Hannah Lawrence's daughters, Dicey Jane Lawrence. She was also the sister of his brother's wife, Cora Jane Lawrence (John Henry's wife). Harve and Dicey had a child together named Fred, but Dicey did not tell anyone that the child was Harve's and made people believe that Fred was the son of Owen Gibson, Dicey's soon to be husband. The relationship was later confirmed after Ancestry DNA testing of Fred's son, Eddie Randall Gibson.
Harve at 19 years old (1926) This was the same year Fred was born.
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A group picture of the Logging Camp Harve worked at. (Harve is not pictured here)
In 1929, when Harve learned of his step father's passing, he sent his brother, John Henry, a letter from Tapoco NC, stating how he plans to come back home and take care of his mother while sending all the money he can for now. (I have this letter to this day, attached below). He agreed to stay and help raise the Meeler children like they were his own.
Harve's 1928 letter from Tapoco NC when he was working for the logging camp- addressed to John Henry Deaton in Baldwin Route 1. He talks about the death of his step father, Jim Meeler.
Living during the Prohibition era in the United States, a period marked by the nationwide ban on the production, sale, and distribution of alcoholic beverages. It was a time when speakeasies thrived, and individuals sought inventive ways to skirt the law to quench their thirst for alcohol. Harve was no exception, and he ventured into the world of bootlegging as a means of supporting his family and making ends meet. Harve used his knowledge of corn to make moonshine along with his brothers, John Henry Deaton, Robert Lee Deaton, and Charlie Meeler.
One day, the law caught up with the gang and the local sheriff, armed with information about bootlegging activities, embarked on a mission to apprehend him and put an end to the moonshining operation. Fueled by adrenaline and the fear of losing his freedom, Harve's actions took an unexpected turn. With a burst of strength, he managed to pull the sheriff's arm out of place trying to get away. Harve and Charlie would go on to serve six months in jail for trying to outrun the law. Robert Lee and John Henry Deaton managed to stay out of jail.
A story told by Roy Gibson, son of Dicey and Owen Gibson: In 1929, Harve Deaton, John Henry Deaton, Owen Gibson, and Ralph Waters were all together. There was a dispute and Owen allegedly hit Ralph in the head with a 2x4 which fractured his skull and killed him. Owen went to prison for manslaughter. He tried to pin the murder on the Deaton's, in particular, John Henry. It is unsure if Owen was the real killer but he had no evidence that it wasn't him so he served several years for it and worked on the chain gang.
Dicey (Left) and husband Owen Gibson (Right)
The Death Certificate of Ralph Waters
Harve (left) and his brother, John Henry (Right)
1932 Title Note where Harve and brother John Henry cosigned to pay for a mule.
Harve (Right) and his Logging Buddy (Left)
I believe the years of 1932-1942 were very hard for Harve. He lost three of his brothers within that ten year span. Reuben Deaton died in 1932, Robert Lee Deaton died in 1941, and his full brother, Jake Deaton, died in 1942.
Harve (Left) and John Henry (Right) at brother Jacob Deaton's funeral
Harve (standing in the back) with his mother and siblings
Harve Deaton at a Smoke House at Isaac Deaton's home.
First Marriage
Harve married Bertie Mae Ausburn on February 21st, 1935 in Banks County, Georgia by Rev. Freeman Rice. He always said he picked her out for his wife when she was five years old and she cussed him out for it.
Bertie's mother, Mittie, was very sickly. She had two other children and she wasn't really able to care for them. Harve and Bertie would pick Mittie's children up on Sunday afternoon and keep them at their house until Friday afternoon so they could go to school.
Bertie got pregnant and they welcomed their first child, Martha Ann Deaton on July 5th 1941. Bertie's mother, Mittie, died the next day on July 6th 1941. Before she passed, she pulled Harve aside and asked him to take care of the children. Harve promised that he would take care of them as long as they would stay with him.
With WW2 approaching, Harve was 35 years old so he didn't have to go to war but he did go to work for R.J. Letourneau building military equipment. It took him several hours to get to work and he worked long hours to defend the country's freedom.
Other people worked the farm to keep it going while Harve was busy building military equipment. It was a sharecropper's farm. There was always someone staying with them that worked for a room. Everyday there was someone at the door asking Harve and Bertie for food; they were always fed leftovers and given water while sitting on Harve's backdoor step.
Bertie got pregnant once more but they had to bury their baby boy, Kenneth Wesley Deaton on March 13th 1943. He arrived too early and wasn't strong enough to make it.
Harry Wayne Deaton was born on July 29, 1946 and the war had ended.
First Home in Georiga
Harve and Bertie Mae Deaton lived in two homes in Georgia together, both in Baldwin and only a few miles apart.
The first home was right on the creek where Daniel Deaton, Harve's nephew, showed me where he, Boyd Jackson, Lucille Jackson, and Earl Deaton used to come play and try to "drown ducks". I pictured these areas in 2024. This was the location where Martha Ann Deaton was born.
Coordinates to the creek: 34.42748° N, 83.45566° W
Coordinates to possible house location: 34.42635° N, 83.45549° W
Second Home in Georiga
The second home was on Taylor Road a half mile from Damascus Church Cemetery. The images below were taken in 2010 by my grandmother, Martha Ann Deaton. I am unsure when the picture to left was taken, likely around the early 2000s.
Coordinates to the home: 34.43498° N, 83.44093° W
In 2023, I revisited the home place and retook some more images.
Fireplace still standing in 2023.
Jack Peyton
In August of 2023, a seemingly routine decision led to a profound discovery that would reshape the understanding of one family's history. It all began when my mother decided to take a DNA test through Ancestry.com. Little did we know that the results of this test would unravel a hidden chapter in our family's past.
As the test results arrived, we were met with a shock that left us bewildered. Contrary to our expectations, the DNA analysis revealed that we did not share any DNA connection with the "Deaton" family, despite our longstanding belief that we were firmly rooted in this ancestral line. Even more bewildering was the fact that we shared 0% DNA with many of my grandmother Martha Ann Deaton's first cousins, individuals who were assumed to be close relatives. We were at a loss for what to make of this unexpected turn of events. However, as we delved deeper into the test results, another name emerged as a prominent clue. We noticed a significant number of first cousin matches with individuals bearing the surname "Peyton." The name struck a chord for my mom and I because we have a photograph from 1941 depicting a man named Jack Peyton holding a baby Martha Ann.
Jack Peyton holding Martha Ann Deaton
With newfound determination, we embarked on a quest to uncover the truth behind the connection between the Deaton and Peyton families. Our journey led us to uncover a crucial piece of evidence in the form of Jack Peyton's World War II registration card. It revealed that Jack Peyton had been the farmhand for Harve Deaton, Martha Ann's father, back in 1940. The card listed Bertie Mae Deaton, Martha Ann's mother, as someone who would always know Jack Peyton's address. With this newfound information in hand, our quest led us to the last living link in the chain, Jack Peyton's only son, Ronald Peyton. At the age of 77, Ronald was surprised to receive our call, as he had always known about the existence of a half-sister living in North Carolina. However, he had never known her name or her identity. Our call offered him the long-awaited answers he had sought for many years. To confirm the connection, we convinced Ronald Peyton to take a DNA test. The results of the test confirmed our suspicions, as it revealed that he shared 9% DNA (634 centimorgans) with my mother, which is consistent with the genetic relationship of a half-uncle. It became increasingly clear that Jack Peyton was likely the biological father of Martha Ann Deaton. The revelation of this hidden family secret left us with a profound sense of empathy for Martha Ann and Harve Deaton, who possibly lived their entire lives without ever discovering the truth. The circumstances of how Bertie Mae Deaton became pregnant by Jack Peyton remain unknown, buried in the annals of time, and lost to history.
Meeting Molly Runningwolf
Harve's brother Reuben died in 1932 after getting hit in the head. It was speculated that the son of Molly Runningwolf was the one who did it; however, Molly Runningwolf took the blame and served 21 months in prison for it.
In 1947, Harve came to get answers to find out who really killed his half brother. Molly Runningwolf had thought he had come to kill her. In reality, he just wanted the truth. Molly begged him to believe her that it was not her or her son, but that it was a member of the Swayney family who did it.
The meeting ended cordially. Harve brough along his wife Bertie Mae, children Fred, Martha Ann, Wayne, and his wife's half brother Boyd Jackson.
In the interview below, there is a audio recording mentioning her time in prison.
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The family eventually decided to move to Cramerton, North Carolina on March 10th, 1950. Harve, had already been working in the Mill there because farming was not productive enough to support a family of four. While working in the mill, he was living with his friend, Garnett Smith. Working in the mill was simply not for him, he enjoyed being outside and not cooped up inside a mill all day long. He was eventually offered a job to be the caretaker for the Cramer farm and a house came with the job; therefore, Bertie and the children made the full time move to Cramerton. Their house address was 583 Mountain Road, Cramerton NC. This was the first house Harve had with a bathroom, running water, and electricity. Harve was working directly for Rebecca Cramer, Stewart Cramer's third wife. Stewart Cramer was the founder of Cramerton and lived in the famous Maymont Mansion on the top of Cramer mountain. Harve took care of Rebecca's land, surrounding the mansion. He often reported the farm's morning news while she was sitting on the toilet.
Working for the Cramers
The Maymont House in August 2023. The home of Rebecca Cramer, where Harve Deaton oversaw the land.
Harve with his children at their home
L to R: Martha Ann, Harve, Wayne, Bertie Mae at the Cramer Mansion
A postcard from Rebecca Cramer addresed to Mr. and Mrs. Harve Deaton of Cramer Farms
L to R: Boyd Jackson and Harve Deaton at the Cramer chicken house
L to R: Wayne, Harve, Martha Ann at the Cramer Mansion
L to R: Wayne Deaton, Boyd Jackson, Harve Deaton, Big John working in the Cramer hay fields
L to R: Boyd Jackson and Harve Deaton at the Cramer Mansion
L to R: Harve Deaton and Fred Gibson fishing in Cramerton
L to R: Boyd Jackson and Harve Deaton in Cramerton
Tragedies
Sensitive Content
When attending a church dinner at Friendship Baptist Church in Belmont, the family got red measles (also known as rubeola). Everyone had gotten better except for Bertie Mae. Her measles had turned into spinal meningitis. She laid in the hospital and went into a coma for 42 days. When she awoke, she was never quite right again and suffered physically and mentally. Albert Pressley Millen, the preacher at Friendship Baptist Church, was very helpful during these times. He and his wife, Nellie, came to visit on numerous occasions to help anyway they could.
Things simply did not get better for Bertie Mae. She had attempted suicide by attempting to drown herself in the lake but Harve was close enough to pull her out. Harve had to have her committed to Broughton Mental Hospital on May 3rd 1954. She was discharged on June 30th 1955. Two years later, on Sunday, June 16th 1957, she had gotten a .32 pistol and shot herself in the right temple. This is something Harve never got over for the rest of his life. He took Bertie's death very hard and never remarried again after that.
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Bertie and Harve on their porch Preacher Millen and Wife Nellie
Killing of John Robert Kendrick
Tragedy continued to loom. On February 13th, 1960, a man by the name of John Robert Kendrick was attempting to break into the screen door of the Cramerton home of Harve, Wayne, and Martha Ann Deaton. At about 1:30 am, Martha Ann altered her father that she heard a noise outside. Harve quickly got his .32 pistol and shot John Robert Kendrick in the head. Kendrick fell on the steps, the police were called and he was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital in Charlotte, where he was pronounced dead. Kendrick lived on 553 Baltimore Street, Cramerton. He had previously been sentenced to state prison on October 1953 for two counts of burglary, he was then transferred to Cherry Hospital in Goldsboro, North Carolina in April 1956 until being released. Harve was acquitted for the killing as it was an act of self defense.
John Robert Kendrick's Death Certificate
Later in Life
In 1962, Harve moved to Midland to work at Jonas Pharr's farm for a short time until shortly later moving to Concord, North Carolina to work on Carl Propst's farm.
After suffering a stroke in the 1970s, Harve moved in with his daughter, Martha Ann, in Harrisburg. He also lived with his nephew, Earl Deaton for some time. In the 1980s, he lived with his son, Wayne.
Harve was evenutally moved to a nursing home and lived to 89 years old. He passed away on July 3rd 1997.
Extra Stories about Harve
Harve had always been known to be the jokester. His nephew, Lee Looney, told me the story that when he was young he had a date with this girl and on the way back home he had to travel through a graveyard. Harve felt something touch his back and he was sacred to death, he thought a ghost had came to visit him and was following him on the way back home. When Harve finally reached the house, he looked and found that it was an acorn that had fallen on top of him.
Harve's nephew, Eddie Daniel Deaton, said "Harve and Bertie Mae were something else". They would go on squirrel hunting trips together and Bertie would always come back with more squirrels killed. It would seem that Bertie Mae was the better shot.
Libby Gunter, a 1963 graduate of Cramerton High School, told me the story of how when she was little, she used to sneak up to the Cramer mansion with friends and Harve would find her and catch her every time. She said that he was always super nice and never got them in trouble with the police, even though they deserved it; instead, he brought them by the house and Bertie Mae brought them some punch to drink.
Roy Gibson, the son of Dicey Jane Lawrence and Owen Gibson, told me the story that when he was a kid, on Christmas, Harve gave him a toy shotgun. Harve put peanuts in it and shot Roy in the eye with it. He never forgot that. He told me that story 70+ years later.
Harve's WW2 Draft Registration Card
In 1940, he was 6'2 193 pounds
Every picture I have seen of Harve Wesley Deaton
