Researched by Drex Bradshaw and Lynn Rose; Written by Drex Bradshaw

Ice plant and grist mill

1600s

The Village of Chuckatuck dates back to the early 1600s, with references to its location and importance in many historical documents.  In 1635, a land grant was made to Richard Bartlett to build the famous and long-running grist mill at the head of Chuckatuck Creek, also known as Crooked Creek among the Indians.  The grist mill was in operation for nearly 300 years before being closed due to economic considerations in 1970.

In 1672, George Fox, founder and leader of the Quaker faith, founded a meeting place in Chuckatuck.  Route 10, an old stagecoach route that runs through Chuckatuck, was reportedly the first highway in Virginia.  It most likely took the same path that the Indians had used for many years, and possibly other people who may have occupied this part of the country.

There is archaeological data to support the notion that mound cities, some as old as 3000 BC, were built in North America and spread across what is now the continental United States.  It can be assumed that North America was populated before the arrival of the American Indians.  For more information, visit the “Mound Cities” online.  However, in recent times, due to the fires that destroyed the Nansemond County courthouse, it is unlikely that we will ever reconstruct exactly what Chuckatuck looked like from the mid-1600s to sometime in the early 1800s.

1800s

An article written by Segar Cofer Dashiell on April 6, 1983, under the title "The Population" tells about Chuckatuck in the 1830s.  The data below comes as a quote from The Virginia Gazetteer, published in 1835, detailing descriptions and financial reports of all 111 counties and every city, town, village, and post office in Virginia.  “Chuckatuck Post Village, 110 miles from Richmond and 214 from Washington, can scarcely be termed a village, but is more properly a thickly populated neighborhood, embracing about one square mile; the central part of which is at the headwaters of a creek bearing the same name, and which makes into James river about 8 miles from this place.  It is situated on the stage road from Smithfield to Suffolk, the county seat, 10 miles distant from both places and about 20 from Norfolk by the nearest land route.  It contains 20 dwelling houses, three mercantile stores, one tavern, and one house of public worship (Methodist).  There are about 125 inhabitants, including the operatives employed in the Smithfield and Chuckatuck Cotton Manufactory, erected by a company.  This establishment runs 1,000 spindles propelled by water power.  It is in successful operation and largely contributes to the business appearance and support of this place.  Within this square mile is an old, venerable Episcopalian farm.  The population is about 300 persons, of whom 1 is a physician.  The neighborhood possesses great advantages, having a level and fertile soil, fish and oysters of the finest kind in abundance, and navigation at the doors of its inhabitants.”

This information would lead one to believe that the Smithfield and Chuckatuck Cotton Manufactory was located adjacent to the grist mill, possibly where the ice plant was built in 1922.  To suggest how Chuckatuck was laid out at earlier times would be a guess, and we will not do that. However, as you read this, you can let your imagination run wild with ideas.  One of the ideas we believe has merit is that the grist mill, in operation in 1675, likely had a miller or operator who lived nearby or was readily available when corn was brought to the mill for milling.  Historical evidence suggests that Chuckatuck Creek was navigable to the grist mill.  A variety of wharves serving the plantations and large farms were present, and some remains are still visible in strategic points along the creek.  (For more information on these facilities, see the chapter on 20th Century under Agriculture and Commerce.)

Large boats would ply this waterway over the years as it was the only means of expeditious travel to Norfolk, Newport News and Portsmouth.  The latter three cities were major shipping ports for destinations both within and outside the country.  The fact that the Chuckatuck Creek and the Nansemond River, along with several of their tributaries, were navigable for roughly 365 days a year bodes well for the timely movement of agricultural and commercial products.  Along the Chuckatuck Creek, from the late 1600s onward, numerous wharves were established for loading goods onto boats for transportation.  The packet wharf on the upper Chuckatuck Creek served those on the northern side of Chuckatuck, like Cherry Grove Road farmers and plantations not adjacent to the water, including the area of Longview and Wills’ Corner.   Powell’s Wharf, adjacent to the Upshur land holding, was used for those farms and plantations on the south and east side of Chuckatuck.  (See land holding map in the 20th Century under the Marl section) In addition to these two wharves, Cotton Plains farm, along with many of the other larger land holdings up and down the creek, had similar wharves for the loading and unloading of products produced or used in the production of farm crops.  This waterway was and remained the primary source of transportation for goods and people until the early 1900s, when the horseless carriage came into being, bridges were built, and roads were paved to accommodate this new form of transportation.  Farms and plantations then became “truck farms” because trucks were faster and more readily available for moving products to and from their distribution points.

(Link to excerpt of Report By United States Army Office of the Chief of Engineers 1889, about the Chuckatuck Creek and its wharves)

Many of the land grant plantations/large farms were within several miles of the grist mill. It is possible that a store or trading post was established as early as 1675 or before at the intersection in Chuckatuck to capture some of that traffic and to sell or trade with the locals.  There are several references to “Merchants” of Chuckatuck as early as 1640, but it is not possible to connect them specifically with a store, although it is possible that they were.  In the agricultural and commerce section within the GCH area, reference is made to a merchant of Chuckatuck as a likely buyer of products for shipment back to England.  We believe this to be the most plausible action of a merchant in the 1600s.

Now, let’s move to the time frame when there is more data to support our comments.   It is interesting to note that by the early to mid-1800s, several stores were located in the center of Chuckatuck, as detailed in the 1835 Virginia Gazetteer article listed earlier.  In 1855, the Chuckatuck Male and Female Institute opened its doors in a building next to the still-existing Masonic Hall in Chuckatuck.  In 1857, this institute was converted into a female boarding school, offering instruction in grammar, geography, and composition, as well as providing supplemental instruction in piano, guitar, vocal music, painting, and needlework.  As you can see, Chuckatuck was also becoming an educational hub.  There is evidence of a hotel in Chuckatuck, and from discussions with several older community members, this may have been the Crumpler home, also known as the Spady House.  This may or may not be the same hotel as referenced in the agriculture and commerce section regarding the “Chuckatuck Hotel”.  We currently have no firm data on either hotel.

1900s

In the early to mid-1900s, there were at least five or six “general merchandise” stores operating in the immediate area, and most of them were doing well.  (For more information, see the 20th Century chapter under Stores).  Chuckatuck, being midway between Suffolk and Smithfield, both on the most direct route to Richmond (Route 10) and at the intersection of the only road going to and from the villages of Crittenden, Eclipse, and Hobson (all three surrounded on three sides by water) placed Chuckatuck in a very strategic location.

The years 1924, 1925, and 1927 were significant for Chuckatuck.  Chuckatuck High School was built in 1924 at the location now owned by Saunders Supply Company.  In 1925, Lone Star Cement Corporation acquired the Virginia Portland Cement Corp (see the chapter on the 20th century under Marl for more information), and Chuckatuck assumed a new role as more people moved in to find work.  In 1927/1928, the James River Bridge, Chuckatuck Creek Bridge, Nansemond River Bridge, and “Nick Wright” Bridge (Kings Highway) were completed, which improved the commercial significance of Chuckatuck.  B.W. Godwin had built an ice plant and had a lumber mill that was doing well.  However, the sawmill burned to the ground in 1935.  W.G. Saunders, Jr. reopened it in July of 1936 under a two-year rental agreement.  Mr. Saunders was living in Everets at this time.

With the opening of the new high school, there was a demand for boarding space for the many teachers who would be needed.  The Moore, Chapman, Eley, and Gilliam homes would become their principal residence for the duration of their time in Chuckatuck.  As one might imagine, there were some matches made in heaven with many young eligible teachers and boarders in the area.  One such union was that of Katherine Thomas Beale and Mills E. Godwin, Jr., in 1940.  Mills Godwin would climb the ladder of Virginia politics, serving as governor for two separate terms, once as a Democrat and then as a Republican.  Another was that of Mr. Christopher, the principal, and Miss Ames, a teacher at the high school.  According to Judith Gilliam Cobb, the two boarded at the Ray Gilliam home for a time when she was a senior.  Mrs. Gilliam was not completely comfortable with the situation, but it worked out in the end.

As mentioned earlier, several country stores worked closely together, and each did well until the Depression of 1929.  The Great Depression continued to some extent until the mid-1930s to the early 1940s.  In the years just before and following 1929, some of the stores were Gwaltney’s, C. C. Johnson’s, Moore’s, Owen’s, Spady’s and Byrd’s.

There were three other local stores. Duck Taylor’s was on Route 10, “on the Ridge”. The “ridge” was a name given to the area from Dr. Eley’s home towards the Oakland community. ”Glover’s store in Gloversville (where Crittenden Road meets King’s Highway) and Albert’s at the intersection of Everets Road and Route 10 in the Oakland area began operating circa the 1940s.  These were only open for a few years and then closed their doors.

A hydroelectric plant associated with the grist mill, started by B.W. Godwin, supplied power to the mill and several local community members’ homes.  This plant was ultimately sold to Virginia Power in the early 1970s.

Times were tough, and several of the stores were in and out of business or under different management during the ensuing years.  As economic conditions improved, many of these same stores remained open for business, having weathered the toughest of times.   It should be noted that several of these stores were built in the very early 1800s, and today, one of the oldest, Gwaltney’s Store, is still standing.

In the early 1900s, Z.H. Powell was one of the more prominent landowners, with six farms in the GCH area and one sawmill in South Carolina.  The sawmill burned in a lightning storm, and his attempt to rebuild resulted in a catastrophic loss of all his holdings in the Chuckatuck area.  One might say he was land-poor.  The W. G. Saunders family bought Meadow Brook, and Dabney Linthicum bought Meadow Lot in 1945.  The latter was also known as the “Meador Lot” for the family who once lived there.  (See the chapter on Agriculture for more farm information.) It should be noted that many of the farms in this area were bought for unpaid taxes following the Depression.

Before the turn of the 19th century, the number of individual homes in Chuckatuck was fairly sparse, and it would be a guess to say exactly when those homes were built and how many.  We do know that in 1825, there were 20 homes, many of which were clustered around the intersection of Route 10 and the numerous stores, ultimately expanding down Route 125.  We are sure that some homes on large farms were included in this number.

In a newspaper article from the Suffolk News-Herald, dated January 28, 1962, by Mary H. Stott, the following names emerged as some of the early inhabitants of the Village of Chuckatuck.  Some of these names predate 1900, and others continued into the 1950s.  The family names she mentioned were “Webb, Pitt, Pinner, Gilliam, Godwin, Moore, Ramsey, Saunders, Butts, Upshur, Eley and Powell”.  In the paragraph below and other sections of the Chapter on the 20th Century, you may find references to these names, but many others contributed to the Village.  More families will be addressed in the section on “People of Chuckatuck”.

In an interview with Judith Gilliam Cobb who was born in the newer Gilliam home in 1918, she remembers “the open land from Powell’s (Harvey Saunders) home to the end of Chuckatuck, except for a barn” on the right-hand side of the road and two tenant homes just before the railroad tracks.  On the same side as the Gilliam home was Jasper Cotten’s home and Wesley Chapel Methodist Church, built in 1850.  In the mid-to-late 1920s, when Lone Star Cement Corp bought the marl company, housing on both sides of Route 125 started to fill in much of the vacant space (most of the homes listed above).  B.W. Godwin built a home next to Wesley Chapel as well as several smaller homes.  Lone Star built several homes toward Gloversville to house employees, including Edward N. Woodward, the first Superintendent of Lone Star, and Willie Staylor, the last superintendent.  These houses will be discussed in the text below for continuity.

At this point, this writer will provide a brief overview of the homes within the Chuckatuck area during the 1940s, most of which had been constructed between 1800 and 1930.  (For more information, see the chapter on 20th Century under Old Homes.) A rough sketch of the Chuckatuck area is attached for your use in locating these homes.   For example, around the intersection, we have the Godwin/Crumpler/Spady home, built in the early 1800s, which was in very poor condition in 2011 and was torn down in 2013. Additionally, there are the C.C. Johnson and Gwaltney homes, which are relatively new.  Next door to the Gwaltney home is the Eley home, rebuilt in 1900 after the old home place burned.  Coming back to the intersection and heading toward Suffolk beyond Dr. Eley’s, we find the Howells, the J.J. Johnsons, and then houses built by Dr. Eley along the “Ridge” (toward N.H. Byrd’s), which housed African Americans, including Thomas “Son” Turner and the Allens.  Next was N.H. Byrd and then Mr. White, the tent show man.

Adjacent to the new high school, several homes built by W.G. Saunders initially housed the Woolfords, Howells, Bounds, and Doughtys.  The Bupperts lived on the farm at the very end of this lane, now known as Crumpler Lane.  The African American population lived along both sides of Route 10, headed out of Chuckatuck towards Suffolk, forming the Oakland community.

Now, let’s come back to downtown Chuckatuck.  Next to the C.C. Johnson store and close to where the 7-Eleven is today was the C.H. Pitt home and store.  Adjacent to the old C.H. Pitt home was the Willoughby home, which has since been torn down.  Then we had the Owens store and the old Pinner home just before the grist mill.  Across the road from the grist mill was the home of Mr. Doyle, miller at the grist mill, and Matt Crumpler’s meat house.  In discussions with Frank Spady, he mentioned that a small building located across from the Pinner house might have been the first post office, but we cannot confirm this.  There were several large homes built on the left side of Route 10 going out of Chuckatuck towards Smithfield, including the Mathews home, built in 1916 and still lived in by Marjorie Mathews Creekmore.  Next was the home of Josiah Chapman, built in the late 1800s. It was still standing, but in poor condition.  Then we have Mount Ararat, a Stallings home place since torn down, and a new home built on the lot by Howard and Judith Cobb.  The last house on this side was the home of Percy Pitt, now owned by Ed and Carolyn Bickham and recently remodeled.

On the right-hand side, as you leave Chuckatuck heading toward Smithfield, is the Dailey farm and house.  The last home on that side of the road was the Hodsden plantation home known as “Concord,” which will be addressed in the Cherry Grove Road section of the book.

Coming back to downtown, we head down Route 125 (King’s Highway).  On the right-hand side, after passing Gwaltney’s store, we find a small house that may have initially been the telephone exchange but has since been home to the Howells and Richardsons, ultimately being torn down circa 1955.  Next to the new post office, we have the Moore store and the Moore home, built in 1900, which is still standing but in poor condition. The Powell home, built between 1780 and 1820, underwent remodeling circa 1920 and remains standing.  The Harvey Saunders family sold it.  Next is the home of Billy Kessinger, built by J. R. Kirk in 1925 for the new school principal, Mr. Christopher, soon to arrive.  Next is the home of Grady and Nelle Norfleet, and then the home of Mills E. Godwin, Jr., a former two-term Governor of Virginia, built circa 1930.  The next home was that of Alex Moore, then Al Saunders, Miss Daisy Jordan, and Charlie Hatch, who later sold to Bobby Jones,  Abner Griffin, and then Al Glasscock.  We believe most of these houses were there in the 1940s.  There were two tenant houses just before the bridge over the railroad tracks.

Coming back to the C.C. Johnson store and back down Route 125 on the left-hand side we find:  the Meadow lot home (next door to Kitty’s Beauty Salon) built in 1820’s also known as the Cannon House, the Chapman home still being lived in and built in 1810-1830 also known then as the Howell House, the C.B Godwin home (with the large copulas) built in 1780 and lived in by Ray and Mildred Knight, sister of Mills E. Godwin, Jr.,  then the older Gilliam home built about the same time by Richard Claiborne Gilliam and the newer Gilliam home built in 1916 by the elder Mr. Gilliam for his son Raymond (known as Ray), then the Bradshaw home, the Jasper Cotten/Johnson home, the Livesay home, the Saunders home/Oakland parsonage all built between 1900-1925.   These last four homes were built on a lot once occupied by the home of Colonel James Jasper Phillips, who operated a school there.  This home burned in the early 1920s after Colonel Phillips had moved. Next was the Wesley Chapel Methodist Church, the B.W. Godwin home, and four houses built by B.W. Godwin.  The first of the four houses was that of Mr. Rippey, the agriculture teacher at Chuckatuck. The next one belonged to ”Blackie” Umphlette. The third one was unknown. Then, there was Ray Chapman’s house.  The next houses were those of the Woodwards, Willie Staylor, Archie Fronfelter and Christensen families.  These were all Lone Star employees.

There was a dirt road passing down the right side of Wesley Chapel church that went all the way to the Cox farm, where the Holland family lived and farmed.  There were three homes built very close to the church, which employees of Lone Star Cement occupied.  One of these houses burned in the early 1950s. (For more information, see the 20th Century chapter under Chuckatuck Volunteer Fire Department).

Gloversville, located at the intersection of Route 125 and Crittenden Road, was founded in 1920.  It consisted of four homes and a store in the early 1930s to 1940s.  Only two houses remain today, one old and one new.  One of those houses, the Dvorak place, was lived in by the Harvey Saunders, Sr. family, and one son, Jerry Saunders, was born in that house.  Not many members of the current village of Chuckatuck had any idea that the area was called Gloversville, especially this writer, until later years.  The African American ball diamond was a hub of activity every Sunday during the summer as baseball teams from all over the area came to “Play Ball”.   Several community members, including Marvin Winslow, Paul Saunders, and Rev. Mark Burns, consider themselves residents of Gloversville.  Please note that when you log on to Lone Star Lakes, Suffolk, Virginia, via the internet, you will still see the name Gloversville on the map.  That is why we almost named this book “Chuckatuck – Fact or Fiction.”

Continuing down Route 125 toward the King’s Highway Bridge, we find three major farmhouses.  The first is that of Meadow Brook, home of W.G. and Edna Saunders.  The next home just past St. John’s Episcopal Church on the right is that of Cedar Brook, home to the Winslow family.  This was home to Mr. and Mrs. Winslow, plus Jessie, Preston, Stella Mae, Lewis, Polly, Millard, Marvin, Aleck, Emily, and Betty.  Certainly, no external farmhands were needed with this family.  This farm was owned in the mid-1950s by Mrs. Ruth Smith of the Smith-Douglass Company of Norfolk and was sometimes called the “Smith and Douglass” farm.  Just before the bridge, we find Holiday Point farm, home of the Mills Godwin family.  The original inhabitants of this farm spelled their name Holladay.

By the mid-to-late 1930s, after the depression, things were getting back on track, and Chuckatuck was a hustle-and-bustle village doing very well.  Many members of the community were working for the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company or the Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth, Virginia.  Mass transit began in the early 1940s, as buses from Chuckatuck, Reid’s Ferry, Crittenden, and Whaleyville would depart daily with a whole load of men en route to these shipyards.  Not only was parking a problem, but the bus was a much easier mode of transportation and significantly less expensive, even with gas at $0.20 per gallon.  In 1941, when World War II began, there was considerable speculation about the capabilities of the Germans, which led to air raid warnings and blackouts.  There were people designated as Civil Patrol personnel, such as W. N. Rippey, the agricultural teacher, who, during an air raid warning, would ensure that all lights visible from the streets were off or blinds were down.  Drex Bradshaw remembers riding on Route 10 at a very young age, and when he would spot a convoy of Army vehicles, he immediately started to cry and tell his mother Dorothy that it was” war, momma, war”.   At the northern end of the King’s Highway bridge, there was an anti-aircraft gun site set up with large spotlights to protect the bridge in case of an attack.   Monogram Airfield was located just across the bridge, with fighter planes taking off and landing daily.   They could be heard flying over the area and were always doing acrobatics.  There was a major accident in the Oakland area off Audubon Road when an aircraft plowed through the treetops, killing the pilot.  For years, the path of that airplane could be seen in the pine thicket behind Oakland Church, as those trees were much shorter than the others.

Thank goodness there were no German attacks. With all of the Army men stationed at the gun site and Monogram field, Mrs. J.R. Chapman’s home in Chuckatuck became the local USO.  Dances were held on Saturday nights, and single ladies from the Home Telephone Company in Smithfield were invited to attend.  There were often several married ladies in attendance, possibly more as chaperones than anything else, and they loved to dance.  Herman Scott, a relative of Mrs. Chapman, never used a sheet of music and could really “tickle those ivories”.  (Ivories are the white surface of piano keys for the non-musical types.)  Teachers boarding at the homes of the Gilliams, Moores, Chapmans, and Eleys were welcomed guests at these events.  Although this writer was only seven years old at the time, he was always on-site with the understanding that he would dance, and dance he did.  What a great learning experience for one young fellow!  Mr. and Mrs. Chapman had visitors from all over the country for many years after the war, who returned to Chuckatuck to thank them for their hospitality while they were away from their families.  Gwaltney’s Store was also a source of dancing on many nights in a room set aside just for that purpose.  Lucy Upshur would host grand dance events at her home, complete with ample beverages for everyone.  In later years, Gwaltney’s Store obtained a beer and wine license, a first for the community. However, the store was required to install at least four bar stools, which are still well-worn and in use.

During research for this project, I came across a particular newspaper article that discussed the “Sports from Norfolk,” who would come by boat to Chuckatuck to partake in the clear liquid produced from corn mash.  The making of “moonshine,” as it was called, was prevalent throughout the area, and it was not unusual to see smoke coming from the woods in the surrounding areas even as late as the early 1950s.  Certainly, there was at least one “moonshine still” behind Al Glasscock’s farm, as witnessed by several local young men in the community.  You did not dare destroy or mess with these money-making machines, as the penalty for doing so was much worse than a dog’s bite.

At this point, it would be appropriate to have a few comments from those with long memories of Chuckatuck. This is a nice way of referring to the “older members” of the community.

In conversation with Millard Winslow, he mentioned that there were several “nip joints” in the area as well.  Being a “novice” at such terminology, we asked just what he meant by this term.  He responded that in the early days, not only were there some bars and speakeasies in some of the stores, but that “clear liquid” that had no taxes paid on it was consumed by the sip or nip, and the place was the joint, thus the name “nip joint”.  Now, the reason for taking only a sip was that the healthy alcohol content of this liquid would take your breath away momentarily.

Behind the old Gilliam home was a small bungalow where Miss Patty, an African American, lived.  She was the housekeeper for the older Gilliams and, ultimately, the younger Mr. and Mrs. Ray Gilliam. Miss Patty was a very nice lady and loved cats.  She had numerous at any one time, and neutering was not in her vocabulary.  Miss Patty would get very upset when, under the cover of darkness, one of the Byrd boys, a student at Elon College who drove a Crosley truck with a cage in the bed, would come and remove some of her cats.  It appears that the college was paying a premium for test animals, which provided a substantial supply for them and a source of income for the deliverer.  Miss Patty passed away in the late 1950s and was remembered by many in the village as a very kind and gentle woman.

(Link to early homes in Chuckatuck)

Marjorie Creekmore Mathews was born in 1918 in Suffolk.  She came home to the new Mathews house, built in 1916 on Route 10, just beyond the grist mill, and still lived there in 2011.  Marjorie recalls the old gravel road before it was improved.  There was no bridge over the Chuckatuck Creek below the Mill Pond then.  People forded the creek on foot, on horseback, by horse or mule-drawn buggy, cart, wagon, and later on automobiles.  Someone in the community had a horse that would wallow in the creek before he would cross it.  This was amusing to people in the village.  Marjorie also said that the families in and around Chuckatuck always seemed to care for one another.  If someone were in need, the people of the village would come together to help out.  Those were most definitely the good old days.

Matsie Moore Savage had some interesting comments concerning the village sounds in the 1920s.  “Rooster’s crowing in the early morning hours.  The ringing of the bell at Wesley Chapel Methodist Church on Sundays.   Mrs. Lee Gilliam, Judith Cobb’s grandmother, was the bell ringer, with assistance from Miss Patty.  At noon, the whistle at B.W. Godwin’s sawmill would blow, signifying “time for dinner (Lunch)”.  The loudspeaker in the Spady garage was the first radio in the area.  Last but not least was Moore’s dinner bell.  This was a handbell which reminded all the children of meal time.”

As you read these narratives, you may find reference to Miss Daisy Jordan, also known as “Shotgun Daisy,” especially in the Halloween section of Entertainment and Recreation.  She had some good traits, but many of us only remember those that were interesting.  So goes a discussion when Al Glasscock was doing some cleaning of ditches adjacent to his farm field and her land.  It appears that a tree on her land was overhanging the field, causing issues with trash and downed limbs.  Al took his saw and removed that portion hanging over the line, whereupon Miss Daisy got hot and told him that that was her tree and he had no right to cut it down.  Al looked her straight in the eye and said, “I own this land from heaven above to hell below and will do with it what I want”.  Miss Daisy went back into her house to mull this statement over, I guess, but in the end, she and Al remained good friends throughout the time she was a member of the neighborhood.

Frank Spady spoke to us about how he and his brother, Wilson, would sit in their front yard at the intersection of Routes 10 and 125, counting the cars as they passed by.  There were not very many in the early days.  Frank is the oldest member of Wesley Chapel, having joined the church in 1922 when he was four and Mattie Godwin was his Sunday school teacher.  Their classroom was the left entrance to the church, a relatively small 8-foot by 8-foot space called a Narthex.

Judith Gilliam Cobb mentioned that her grandfather, Richard Claiborne Gilliam, owned two boats that plied the Chuckatuck Creek. One was the Edvina, and the other was the Guilford.  Trips to the state of Maine were not uncommon in those days for the Edvina.

Sonny Chapman was given A Tribute to a “Worker” for his work with the young folks of the area.  Every Saturday, J.R. “Sonny” Chapman Jr. made their dreams come true by working with them from ten in the morning until late afternoon at the High School gymnasium.  He organized the little boys and girls in the first through the fourth grades into enthusiastic and promising basketball teams.  The Chuckatuck Ruritan Club and Mr. Billy Whitley were scheduled to take over the next year, with “Sonny” assisting.  “Our hats are off to 'Sonny’, who is one of many who make life a little more fun for our children.” The author of this article is unknown.

In 1960, the Chuckatuck Library Station began as a bookmobile.  In late 1982, a meeting was held to establish a station with at least 2,000 books on a rotating basis from the Morgan Memorial Library in downtown Suffolk. The community would cover expenses for building, insurance, and other related costs, and provide volunteers, while Saunders Supply offered the community the use of a room in their building for the library. Money was donated to purchase shelving, locks, folding tables, and a small table for book checkout.  Contributors were the Richard Bennett Trust, Junto Book Club, Chuckatuck Ruritan Club, and the Village Garden Club.  Instrumental in organizing and training the volunteers were Georgia Saunders, Katherine Spady, and members of the Village Garden Club.  On April 23, 1983, the doors were opened, and 31 patrons attended, with 14 books being checked out.

On Feb. 1, 1989, the City of Suffolk leased the former CHS lunchroom adjacent to Saunders Supply, and on May 9, 1989, the library reopened for business.  This facility was run entirely by volunteers until this time.  A part-time supervisor from Morgan was on site, and this arrangement continued until 1996, when a full-time supervisor, Chinell Sanders, was assigned to the Chuckatuck Station.  Volunteers once again began providing additional part-time help a few years ago.

Chuckatuck now has a full-service library featuring the following:

  • Story Hour Volunteer since 1991, who does not receive compensation

  • Summer events every 5 to 6 weeks with special programs

  • Summer Reading Program

  • Increased children’s inventory by over 1000% in the past couple of years

  • Books on cassette, CD, and MP3 for children, young adults, and adults

  • Inventory is significantly up to date with bestsellers

  • Katherine Spady and the many volunteers within the GCH area are to be commended for a superb job in getting this valuable asset up and running in the community.

The village has undergone significant changes over the years, particularly with the growth of the African American community in the Oakland area.  New homes and apartments have been built on both sides of Route 10, roads have been paved, and the population continues to grow at a rate significantly higher than it was in the 1940s.  Several areas, such as Gloversville, have taken on new life with large homes situated on several acres of land.  Holiday Point Estates, formerly Governor Godwin’s home farm, also known as Bridge Point Farms, has evolved over the years into a community of numerous large homes.  The closure of the King’s Highway Bridge in March 2005 has somewhat isolated this community, and some say this is for the betterment of the neighborhood, while others moved away due to the inconvenience of the longer distance they had to drive to get to Norfolk or Portsmouth.

We believe it is safe to say that although integration was at the forefront in the 1950s and later Chuckatuck never had any problems between the whites and the negroes.  We played together, worked together, and never really thought anything about the difference in the color of our skin.  There is a possibility that some older people may have harbored different ideas, but not among the younger members of the community.   In all of the interviews we have done with members of both communities, there has never been any indication from either group about any racial divide or problems. 

Although Chuckatuck continues to evolve, it remains a nice, quiet, and restful place to raise your children and let them experience a taste of country living before joining the whirlwind of activities associated with college and adulthood.  As so many have said, it was a pleasure growing up in Chuckatuck, and there is no other place like it.

It can be said that buildings make a village, but in reality, it’s the people who make a village.  When you have people like Aleck Winslow, who said the most memorable thing about Chuckatuck is “helping people”, and, yes, he has done that with the Volunteer Fire Department, Meals on Wheels, and driving locals to doctor’s appointments, to name a few of his civic activities.  Jerry Saunders has over 300 years of active civic service, spanning the Volunteer Fire Department, Boy Scouts, Ruritan Club, Police Auxiliary, and support for the Nansemond Indians.  Dr. Thomas has made house calls for years and, at the ripe old age of 90, is still in practice.  W.G. Saunders offered a helping hand to many members of the community.  There is a list of individuals who have been in the community that made it what we all remember as “The best place to grow up.”  This was aptly put into words by Paul Saunders at his father’s memorial service on February 28, 2011.  Paul said, “Anyone who thinks small-town living is for the birds needs to come to Chuckatuck”.

Chuckatuck is truly a historical site, the first village in Nansemond County, and it has continued to prosper and grow for over 400 years while maintaining its quaint, quiet atmosphere that we all love