Nita & Adell Brumley as little girls--love those
finger curls!!
EDGAR WRIGHT BRUMLEY
September 16, 2011. From Sue Fentress Austin as published in the Heritage of Currituck County 1670-1985
My maternal grandparents were Edgar Wright Brumley (b. 10/12/1888 d. 10/27/6)and Minnie Hall Ballance (b. 2/23/1893) but were known to their grandchildren as "Papa Ed" an "Mimmie." Both were raised on Knotts Island. They met and married when Papa Ed was 22 and Mimmie was 18.
There were six babies, five survived. Their children were Nita Lee (b. 4/1/13) who married Ulysses James Dixon and had two children: Ulysses James, Jr. (U.J.) and Linda Faye; Lydia Adell (b. 10/6/14) who married William Rosser Fentress and had three children; Carolyn Sue, Judy Alice and William Rosser, Jr. (Billy); Ruth Hall (b. 4/1/18 d. 7/30/67) who married William Scott Etheridge and had two children: Larry O'Neal and Alice Jay; Edgar Wright, Jr. (b. 10/17/22) who married Bessanna Spence and had three daughters: Dina, Rebecca (Becky) and Pamela (Pam); and Paul Cromwell (b. 12/18/28) who married Judith Spence and had three children: Jill, Patrick and David Paul.
Papa Ed was a farmer and a fisherman who raised a few hogs and chickens for food and always had a garden. Times were hard for most everyone on Knotts Island. Christmas meant fruits, nuts and candy and maybe a simple toy or a doll. Even in the worse of times there was always enough to eat- vegetables from the garden, smoked meat from the hogs, plentiful fish and waterfowl and delicious fruits during the summer.
During the latter part of the 30‘s, my mother, Adell, and her eldest sister, Nita, both enrolled in ECTC (East Carolina Teachers College) in Greenville, North Carolina. Both asked for and received financial assistance from Mr. Joseph P. Knapp and every penny was paid back when they both became certified teachers.
Around 1938 to 42 my grandparents begin taking in sportsmen. Mimmie still fondly recalls getting up before dawn to start cooking breakfast for the fishermen and duck hunters - cooking was a job she really enjoyed. Mimmie, almost 91 years old, still enjoys cooking up a big meal for her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
My grandfather strongly believed in taking an active part in one's community. He was a member of the Currituck County School Board for several years beginning around 1936/38. In 1948 when a School Board member, he was responsible for the Knotts Island School obtaining its very first full-time music teacher, Mrs. Margaret Mathews, who is presently retired. (Before Mrs. Mathews was hired, the music teachers were hired and paid by Mr. Joseph P. Knapp.)
Papa Ed was also a member of local chapter of the Redmen’s Lodge and was, during the 1930’s, a Justice of the Peace. Interestingly enough, trials during that period were held in the home of the Justice of the Peace. This could prove very disruptive to the families but exciting, too. During the early 30‘s, Papa Ed also served as a County Game Warden.
My grandfather had very little formal schooling. At eight years of age he stopped attending school and went to work at the Currituck Hunting Club. Some of his jobs were shining shoes and carrying water, and all earned money went to his mother to help the family out. All his life my grandfather absolutely loved books and had an excellent ability to recall facts/details. He always entertained the grandchildren with stories — Betsy Dowdy’s Famous Ride and Anne Bonney the Pirate Lady being my favorites that he told over and over again.
Each Sunday, my grandparents and their children usually attended both the Baptist Church in the morning and the Methodist Church in the afternoon.
May 31, 2010. Comment - Pictures from Jayne Fentress. Comments by Sue Austin
June 24, 2010. Nita B. Dixon Obituary. Provided by Jack Dudley
VIRGINIA BEACH - Nita Brumley Dixon, 89, died March 14, 2003. Born in Knotts Island, N.C., she was the daughter of the late Edgar W. and Minnie Ballance Brumley. She was predeceased by her husband, Ulysses James Dixon and two sisters, Adell Fentress and Ruth Etheridge. She was retired after 39 years as a public school teacher.
Mrs. Dixon is survived by two children, Linda Jarman and husband, Wayne of Chesapeake and U.J. Dixon of Chesapeake; and two brothers, Edgar W. Brumley Jr. and Paul C. Brumley, both of Virginia Beach.
A graveside service will be conducted at 2 p.m. Sunday in Knotts Island Cemetery, Knotts Island, with the Rev. Frank Jennings officiating. The viewing will begin today with the family receiving friends from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Oman Funeral Home, Chesapeake. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Hope Haven Children's Home, 3000 N. Landing Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23456.