Kirk/Martin Store

Kirk / Martin StoreThe next Everets’ store known to us was located down the hill and across the road from the J. J. Kirk home and in front of the Kirk Company sawmill. The store was in a large two story building with living quarters upstairs.  The December 1874 application by J.J. Kirk for a post office indicated it was “30’ from the Western Branch of the Nansemond River on the east side”.  The number of inhabitants of the village listed on the application was 75 and the population to be supplied by the proposed office was listed as 300.  Mail as well as store provisions, ice, beef, flour and clothing came in by boat.  Earl Martin has an early ledger for this store from when it was run by John W. E. Martin, his grandfather.  The ledger has over 100 named entries for people who charged purchases or sold items to Mr. Martin from 1888 to 1893.  (insert pic. of this store)

Z. Turner later ran this store, but was not postmaster.  His daughter, Anna Goode Turner, was born there.  She fell off the counter as a baby, breaking her hip which did not heal properly causing her to have a severe limp.  Rufus E. Martin clerked for Mr. Turner at one time.  In 1924 Alex Moore’s uncle, Samuel G. Moore, was running the store.  Everets was a bustling community during this time.  The store owned by the Kirk’s at least part of the time was torn down in the early 1930s by Russell Kirk.

The Virginia State Gazetteer and Business Directory for 1897-’98 published by the J. L. Hill Printing Company lists three “General Merchants” for Everets.  They were Mrs. V. L. Pope, M. L. Underwood, and T. J. Saunders (agt.).   It is not known which stores Mrs. Pope and Mr. Underwood were affiliated with, but it is assumed the T. J. Saunders was connected with the store located below his home on the west side of the bridge.