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Local figure

Moody W. Durham

Moody W. Durham, a Chatham County native, came to Chapel Hill as a university student in 1903, returned to live there in 1917 and ran a car service to Durham. By 1947 he had kept the records of the Chapel Hill recorder's court as its clerk for 18 years, opening and closing each weekly session.

Source: DigitalNC: The News of Orange County (Hillsborough), March 20, 1947, p. 1 (Moody Durham completes 18 years as clerk)

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Life and Orange County connections

Storylines this person is part of, in date order. Select a title to open its page or chronology entry.

Street trees of Chapel Hill, 1927–19351927–1935 · Chapel Hill's aldermen decided in 1927 that the business block would keep its trees, though some merchants wanted it bare. On November 7 they refused a petition from five property owners to remove the trees and, with W. C. Coker's advice, voted to keep the existing ones, replace those already cut and plant new ones in the new sidewalk. At a crowded hearing on November 14 Moody Durham spoke for the merchants, but the board reaffirmed the policy. In late 1935 crews set out 200 willow oaks along the village streets, in what the Weekly called the largest tree-planting in the town's history, with saplings from the University and labor from the WPA. Rationing and price control in Chapel Hill and Hillsborough, 1942–19451942–1945 · From 1942 to 1945 local boards and volunteers ran wartime rationing and price control in Chapel Hill and Hillsborough. Early in 1942 the Chapel Hill board could allot only a handful of tires, and a run on sugar led grocers to limit each customer. The board's Community Service Committee, chaired by Guion Griffis Johnson, ran a program the Office of Price Administration called a model for the Southeast, and in October 1943 some 1,225 volunteers issued 9,947 copies of War Ration Book No. 4. The OPA penalized a market for selling above ceiling prices, thieves robbed the Hillsboro ration board office of coupons in 1945, and the Hillsborough board closed its office after November 30, 1945.

Dated events connected with this person, in date order. See these 20 dated events in the chronology →

  1. Moody W. Durham comes home to Chapel Hill from Portland, Oregon Moody W. Durham, with his wife and small child, arrived in Chapel Hill from Portland, Oregon, where they had lived for several years, and the News reported that he had come back to live. Thirty years later he recalled that he returned in 1917 and started a car service between Chapel Hill and Durham, before there were buses.Search the index · DigitalNC: The News (Chapel Hill), May 3, 1917, p. 1 (Returned to Chapel Hill to Reside)
  2. Chapel Hill aldermen vote to protect Franklin Street's trees and plant new ones Refusing a petition from five property owners to remove trees along the business block, the aldermen voted on November 7, on R. D. W. Connor's motion and with W. C. Coker's advice, to keep the existing trees, replace those already cut and plant new ones in openings left in the new sidewalk. After about fifty citizens crowded a public hearing on November 14, where Moody Durham spoke for merchants who wanted the block bare, the board reaffirmed the policy and Coker recommended sweetgums and mimosas. People: R. D. W. Connor, William Chambers Coker, Zeb P. Council, Moody W. DurhamSearch the index · The Chapel Hill Weekly, November 11, 1927, p. 1
  3. Receivers auction the property of the Chapel Hill Insurance and Realty Company The receivers of the bankrupt Chapel Hill Insurance and Realty Company auctioned its Chapel Hill and Carrboro properties in front of the post office. Lots on the old Guthrie place went to T. C. Atwood and Moody Durham, the Daniel house to Arthur London and James Griffin of Pittsboro, the Coop to Miles Andrews of Carrboro, and the Peoples Bank building to Lueco Lloyd for $23,000. People: W. S. Roberson, Lueco Lloyd, Isaac W. Pritchard, Moody W. Durham, Milton E. HoganSearch the index · The Chapel Hill Weekly, April 6, 1928, p. 1
  4. Orange County Democrats choose Umstead for state senate in the June primary In a Democratic primary that the Weekly said was the first in North Carolina under the secret Australian ballot, Orange County voters chose John W. Umstead Jr. of Chapel Hill over J. Clyde Ray of Hillsboro for state senator, 1,415 to 939, S. M. Gattis Jr. over L. J. Phipps for the house, 1,456 to 843, and S. W. Andrews over Cicero Jones for register of deeds, 1,387 to 951. The county also favored Josiah W. Bailey over Senator F. M. Simmons and gave Frank Hancock 1,593 votes to 695 for A. F. Sams for Congress. People: Luther James Phipps, Samuel Weldon Andrews, John W. Umstead Jr., Moody W. DurhamSearch the index · The Chapel Hill Weekly, June 13, 1930, p. 1
  5. University Lake is stocked with bass and bream A state hatchery truck from Fayetteville brought 1,200 black bass and bream to the University's new lake west of the village in late September, and in October about 15,000 more fish were hauled in two truckloads from Lake Mattamuskeet, which the state was draining. Water superintendent J. S. Bennett expected fishing, from boats only to protect the water supply, to begin in about a year and a half. People: John S. Bennett, Moody W. DurhamThe Chapel Hill Weekly, October 7, 1932, p. 1
  6. The National Re-Employment Service opens Orange County offices in Hillsborough and Chapel Hill The Orange County branch of the National Re-Employment Service was organized, with U. M. Rackley in charge of the main office in Hillsborough and Evelyn Page keeping a Chapel Hill office at Strowd's garage. Jobless men and women were asked to register so that contractors on the coming federal public works, who had to hire local labor where they could, would have a full list to draw on. People: Gilbert W. Ray, Bonner D. Sawyer, Moody W. DurhamSearch the index · The Chapel Hill Weekly, August 18, 1933, p. 1
  7. Chapel Hill builds 15 new houses and four business buildings in 1935 H. D. Carter counted 15 new dwellings, four new business buildings and a dozen major alterations in Chapel Hill in 1935, at a total cost of $120,315. The work included T. R. Harwood's dairy building on the Durham road, Moody Durham's Franklin Street store, the conversion of the Archer House into the Co-ed Graduate Club, and repairs to the Black Methodist church on Rosemary Lane. People: H. D. Carter, Moody W. DurhamSearch the index · The Chapel Hill Weekly, January 3, 1936, p. 1
  8. Rose's 5-10-25 cent store opens on East Franklin Street When John P. Crowder closed his variety store and left town, Rose's took his space and shared the building with the A&P. The Chapel Hill Weekly announced the store's opening for Saturday morning, August 29, 1936, in Moody Durham's building on Franklin Street near Columbia, as store No. 98 of the Rose's chain, with a preview for the public the evening before. People: Moody W. DurhamSearch the index · Bernard Lee Bryant Jr., Occupants and Structures of Franklin Street, Chapel Hill (1998; Chapel Hill Historical Society, 1999), scan p. 257 · Also: Chapel Hill Weekly, August 28, 1936, p. 1; Chapel Hill Weekly, August 28, 1936, p. 5
  9. Chapel Hill police and a state patrolman make 69 traffic arrests in two months With state highway patrolman T. H. Griffis assigned to the town, Chapel Hill police arrested 69 drivers in March and April, 31 of them for speeding and 6 for driving drunk, and collected $1,177.11 in fines and costs in the recorder's court. The prosecuting attorney said arrests were three or four times those of the same months of 1937. People: Moody W. DurhamSearch the index · The Chapel Hill Weekly, May 20, 1938, p. 1
  10. The recorder's court acquits liquor defendants because officers had not sworn to the warrants on the Bible Judge Andrew McIntosh threw out the evidence against three filling-station operators near Chapel Hill, from whose places officers had taken about 72 pints of liquor, after defense lawyers C. P. Hinshaw and L. J. Phipps showed the search warrants had not been sworn on the Bible as a statute of about 1776 still required. Court clerk Moody Durham then bought Bibles for the court, the police stations and the justice of the peace, and witnesses kissed the book in court on July 11. People: Luther James Phipps, Moody W. Durham, Clarence P. HinshawSearch the index · The Chapel Hill Weekly, July 7, 1939, p. 1
  11. James S. Compton is nominated without opposition for the county board of education With three places to fill on the Orange County board of education and only three Democratic candidates, M. W. Durham, James Compton and C. W. Stanford, there was no contest and their names stayed off the primary ballot. Compton went on to serve ten years on the board. People: Moody W. Durham, Charles W. StanfordSearch the index · The Chapel Hill Weekly, April 19, 1940, p. 1
  12. County school board calls for bids on a two-room addition to the Hillsboro Black school The Orange County Board of Education, M. W. Durham chairman, advertised for sealed bids, to be opened July 27, for a general and a heating contract on a two-room addition to the northeast wing of the Hillsboro school for Black pupils. The award was to depend on funds being made available and on the commissioners' approval. People: R. H. Claytor, Moody W. DurhamThe Chapel Hill Weekly, July 12, 1940, p. 5
Show all 20 dated events
  1. Tire rationing board for southern Orange County receives its first quota Moody Durham came back from the state tire-rationing meeting in Raleigh on January 5 with the county's January quota of 21 passenger and 34 truck tires, of which his board for Chapel Hill and Bingham townships, with D. M. Fambrough and Carrboro town manager Winslow Williams, could allot 11 and 17. Inspectors at Strowd's garage, Obie Davis's Esso station and Neville's station in Carrboro checked applicants' tires, and by January 22 it had allowed only one of its eleven passenger tires. People: Moody W. DurhamThe Chapel Hill Weekly, January 9, 1942, p. 1
  2. Chapel Hill and Bingham townships register for sugar ration books Teachers and other volunteers issued sugar ration books at the schools, white residents at the Chapel Hill, Carrboro, White Cross and Orange Grove schools and Black residents at the Orange County Training School and six rural Black schools. W. J. Boger directed the work at the elementary school, H. M. Holmes at the Training School and Mrs. L. R. Sturdivant at Carrboro, and the crowds were so steady that registration was extended through May 8. People: Moody W. Durham, Harold M. Holmes, Allison W. HoneycuttThe Chapel Hill Weekly, May 8, 1942, p. 1
  3. Chapel Hill teachers issue gasoline ration cards A week after issuing sugar books, school teachers led by W. J. Boger registered car owners for gasoline ration cards under the classes set by the government, and rationing board chairman Moody Durham spent the following days answering puzzled owners. In July the township's owners registered again at the Chapel Hill and Carrboro schools for coupon books under a new national plan. People: Moody W. DurhamThe Chapel Hill Weekly, May 15, 1942, p. 1
  4. A fuel oil rationing committee is named for Chapel Hill and Carrboro Collier Cobb Jr. as chairman, J. S. Bennett and Brodie S. Thompson were appointed to ration fuel oil and kerosene for Chapel Hill and Carrboro under an OPA plan allowing enough oil to keep a house at 65 degrees, working alongside Moody Durham's rationing board. The committee urged householders with oil furnaces to change to coal where they could. People: Collier Cobb Jr., Brodie Thompson, John S. Bennett, Moody W. DurhamThe Chapel Hill Weekly, October 16, 1942, p. 1
  5. Dwight Ray of Carrboro joins the Chapel Hill ration board Dwight Ray of Carrboro, the county draft board's registrar there and a Carrboro school board member, was appointed to the War Price and Ration Board in place of Winslow E. Williams of Carrboro, who had resigned. He was nominated by Civilian Defense coordinator Guy B. Phillips, Clerk of Court Edwin Lynch, county commissioners' chairman Collier Cobb, Jr., and board chairman M. W. Durham. People: Dwight Ray, Collier Cobb Jr., Edwin M. Lynch, Moody W. DurhamThe Chapel Hill Weekly, January 22, 1943, p. 1
  6. Volunteers issue War Ration Book No. 2 at the schools of Chapel Hill and Bingham townships About 250 volunteers, most of them women, gave some 3,000 hours to registering residents of Chapel Hill and Bingham townships for War Ration Book No. 2. Registration ran at the Chapel Hill elementary school and at Carrboro, White Cross and Orange Grove schools, and Black residents of Chapel Hill registered at the Orange County Training School. People: Moody W. Durham, Harold M. HolmesThe Chapel Hill Weekly, March 5, 1943, p. 1
  7. Volunteers issue 9,947 copies of War Ration Book No. 4 in Chapel Hill and Bingham townships Some 1,225 volunteers gave about 1,512 hours to issue 9,947 War Ration Books No. 4 at the five school buildings of Chapel Hill and Bingham townships: the Chapel Hill school, the Orange County Training School, and the Carrboro, White Cross and Orange Grove schools. About 2,000 people missed the registration, and a second one was held November 19 at the Town Hall. People: Guion Griffis Johnson, Moody W. DurhamThe Chapel Hill Weekly, November 5, 1943, p. 1
  8. The Chapel Hill recorder's court gets its first full-time clerk, succeeding Moody W. Durham Mrs. Musella W. Wagner, who had worked in the Durham County recorder's court, became the first full-time clerk of the Chapel Hill recorder's court in June 1950. She succeeded Moody W. Durham, who had held the post part time for 19 years.Search the index · The News of Orange County (Hillsborough), October 11, 1951, p. 1

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Map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Site locations from the N.C. State Historic Preservation Office survey, Open Orange, Orange County GIS, OpenStreetMap and a few other published sources named on each site’s page; town and community pins show approximate locations.

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