Casey’s island

Casey’s Island Camp

September 26, 1917—W. M. Webb purchased  a grant for one dollar an acre—Casey’s Point (Caseys Island) from the State of N.C.—situated in Pamlico sound and in Portsmouth Township—consisting of 15 and 3/4 acres.  (deed Bk 26-pg 422)

W. M. Webb sold Casey’s Point to Portsmouth Fisheries Co. on 8-21-20  (deed Bk 32-Pg122)

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“In 1917, the Portsmouth Fisheries company on Casey’s Island, off Portsmouth, was incorporated.  Principal subscribers of this menhaden operation included Charles Wallace, W. M. Webb, and John M. Morehead.  The factory was operational in 1919.  Two years prior, there were two boats built for Portsmouth Fisheries at their Bell-Wallace shipyard in Morehead city, The Captain and The Colonel.  In November 1919, the factory burned down when ther night watchman dropped his lantern or lamp and the place caught fire.”

“Ellen Cloud, of Atlantic, shared with me an interesting story concerning a fisherman named Morris Fulford, who was born on Portsmouth, grew up on Hog Island, and lived his married life in Beaufort.  He helped Tom Salter drive the well for the factory at Casey’s Island.  Before this happened, the water for the factory had to be brought over from Portsmouth.  They found a natural spring, which still flows under the water level.  Morris Fulford Wass one of the eighteen menhaden fishermen who lost their lives as a result of the Parkins sinking on December 17th, 1942.”

(Steve Goodwin—The Researcher- Fall 2010—Pogy Fishing Down East)

September 26, 1917—W. M. Webb purchased  a grant for one dollar and acre—Casey’s Point  (Caseys Island) from the State of N.C.—situated in Pamlico sound and in Portsmouth Township—consisting of 15 and 3/4 acres.  (deed Bk 26-pg 422)

W. M. Webb sold Casey’s Point to Portsmouth Fisheries Co.on 8-21-20  (deed Bk 32-Pg122)

The yellow camp depicted is the camp that preceded the Millers. (photo is from internet)

Robert Miller’s interview excerpts follow:

Robert used the Casey’s Island camp till the Park Service closed the runway in the late 80’s or early 90’s.   His time there coincided with Charlie Vellines often being there.  He remembers Charlie having a “bus” that he would take to the “salt flat” for he and guests to use.  After Charlie’s M.I. and restrictions on his flying, Robert would fly together with him to Portsmouth.

Obtaining the camp in the early 70s from owners in Broad Creek (he does not recall their names), Robert replaced missing doors and windows and re-papered the roof and walls, added a deck and put in gas lights.  The structure was 12×24, comprised of a bedroom and a kitchen-multipurpose room.  It was destroyed by Hurricane Dorian.  Previously, Robert had obtained the Robert Wallace Home lease in Portsmouth from the Wheatleys and others, who had moved their hunting to the Evergreens.   At that time, he was able to obtain the Casey’s Island camp from the Broad Creek crowd.  Robert researched the deeds of ownership of the un-used structure and was able to connect with them to obtain the camp.  After Charlie Vellines died in “77, Sis offered Robert the lease on the /coast Guard Station but he declined.

The Millers started in the Robert Wallace house after the Wheatley’s stopped using it—Rob Wheatley gave o.k. for their use till the lease ran out. It didn’t leak and was structurally sound till there NPS did work on it and left the roof off for a period and the interior became damaged significantly

As the lease ran out, Robert found the owners of the camp on Casey’s Island and got the o.k. to take over use of that abandoned camp—Darlene is unsure if there was ownership of the island or just the camp structure.

Miller kept a john-boat on Doctor’s Creek at a dock and would fly in from Beaufort (or pick up Darlene  on the road in Seagate community, and head for Portsmouth).  The plane made it all convenient.  He then flew a Cessna 170B.  Besides hunting and fishing trips, he and Darlene went there to get away.

Robert remembers the 4 inch artesian well there, alongside the remnants of a building.  It ran continuously.  The water had the odor of sulfur gas but if left to sit, the gases would escape and the water would be “as good as you’d want to drink” after sitting in 5 gallon Jerry cans to release the gas.  A large area around the pipe was deeper than surrounding waters and flounder were prevalent there, as well as other variety of fish.  The pipe then stuck 2-3 feet out of the water with the 25 foot  deep hole around it.  Excellent for Sheephead and Black Drum.  The pipe has since been broken off—supposedly after someone tied their boat onto it.

There was (is)an artesian well at one end constantly flowing clear but sulfur -tasting water–thru a 3 or 4 inch pipe.  Robert rigged a cork plug and pipe insert to divert and make a shower on demand when plug was inserted briefly.

The area around the camp was mostly marsh.  A friend was allowed to stack his crab pots on the island when working the area and given a key to the camp.

Robert remembers the Sugar Shack that accompanied the Station and Charlie’s tractor that carried fishermen and gear to the beach, well over a mile away.

At one time, an island built up inside the inlet and they would land their planes on the sand island and fish.  

Robert recalled Earl Noe and Graham Mitchell being at Portsmouth a lot.  If it was getting dark, he or they would buzz the runway a couple times and those at the village brought out the 3 wheelers and lanterns to light the runway.  Later, Robert obtained several of the highway department smudge pots” to line the runway when needs arose.

The camp was green—with rolled tar paper around it and on the roof.  There was a 55 gallon plastic chemical drum catching water from the gutters and a second drum underneath to take the overflow.  This water was used for washing, etc.

Heat was provided by a ceramic propane stove and an old apartment oven.  The kitchen and main room combo was 12×12 and the bedroom held two double bunk beds and 2 single beds.  The camp was “tight”—“not that cold”.  They had a VHF radio powered by a car battery that allowed a call to the Coast Guard Station if needed and relay messages to family on the mainland.  At first ,Ocracoke  Robert feined breakdowns, etc. to explain the need for the message relays.  Bobby Hill. was the Station Superintendent—he told Robert that he knew what he was doing and he needn’t bother with the stories—they were happy to relay messages.  Hill related it was “ Much better an option than worrying about them having real problems.” Bobby Hill  also had a camp, looking after the Ross Salter camp, on Fred’s Creek at the end of the Battle Boys runway.  He remembers two grave markers in the marsh at the head of the creek (Martha Day remembers them also and ?had pictures).

No outhouse existed—there was a 5 gallon bucket for use.  They had tried to establish  to attackh a tank filled with shells at the edge of the water but the marsh environment did not allow success.

Robert had a dock on each side of he cabin, built from dunnage, mahogany pilings that washed up off ships.  Depending on the wind, he chose the favorable spot to tie up.  Clams in summer, fish and oysters mid -October to November—always something to feast upon.

Robert is a cousin of Clifton Noe.

—“no good feelings about the Park Service since all the buildings are’ falling to hell’”—his renewal of his lease on Portsmouth was going to have ongoing cost of $25,000 per year and would need approval from Atlanta for every nail driven—-

Remembering Vellines, Robert remembers his bus/trailer—didn’t keep it long—and that Charlie kept an album of photos from trips to Portsmouth when the hurricanes came thru—He and friends went there for he storms—once, the plane was flipped upside down on the runway.

Bob Burroughs and Jack Savage helped build the runway and flew into Portsmouth.—Robert could never understand the moratorium on the runway and planes.

Robert used the Casey’s Island camp till the Park Service closed the runway in the late 80’s or early 90’s.   His time there coincided with Charlie Vellines often being there.  He remembers Charlie having a “bus” that he would take to the “salt flat” for he and guests to use.  After Charlie’s M.I. and restrictions on his flying, Robert would fly together with him to Portsmouth.

Obtaining the camp in the early 70s from owners in Broad Creek (he does not recall their names), Robert replaced missing doors and windows and re-papered the roof and walls, added a deck and put in gas lights.  The structure was 12×24, comprised of a bedroom and a kitchen-multipurpose room.  It was destroyed by Hurricane Dorian.  Previously, Robert had obtained the Robert Wallace Home lease in Portsmouth from the Wheatleys and others, who had moved their hunting to the Evergreens.   At that time, he was able to obtain the Casey’s Island camp from the Broad Creek crowd.  Robert researched the deeds of ownership of the un-used structure and was able to connect with them to obtain the camp.  After Charlie Vellines died in “77, Sis offered Robert the lease on the /coast Guard Station but he declined.

The Millers started in the Robert Wallace house after the Wheatley’s stopped using it—Rob Wheatley gave o.k. for their use till the lease ran out. It didn’t leak and was structurally sound till there NPS did work on it and left the roof off for a period and the interior became damaged significantly

As the lease ran out, Robert found the owners of the camp on Casey’s Island and got the o.k. to take over use of that abandoned camp—Darlene is unsure if there was ownership of the island or just the camp structure.

Miller kept a john-boat on Doctor’s Creek at a dock and would fly in from Beaufort (or pick up Darlene  on the road in Seagate community, and head for Portsmouth).  The plane made it all convenient.  He then flew a Cessna 170B.  Besides hunting and fishing trips, he and Darlene went there to get away.

Robert remembers the 4 inch artesian well there, alongside the remnants of a building.  It ran continuously.  The water had the odor of sulfur gas but if left to sit, the gases would escape and the water would be “as good as you’d want to drink” after sitting in 5 gallon Jerry cans to release the gas.  A large area around the pipe was deeper than surrounding waters and flounder were prevalent there, as well as other variety of fish.  The pipe then stuck 2-3 feet out of the water with the 25 foot  deep hole around it.  Excellent for Sheephead and Black Drum.  The pipe has since been broken off—supposedly after someone tied their boat onto it.

The area around the camp was mostly marsh.  A friend was allowed to stack his crab pots on the island when working the area and given a key to the camp.

Robert remembers the Sugar Shack that accompanied the Station and Charlie’s tractor that carried fishermen and gear to the beach, well over a mile away.

At one time, an island built up inside the inlet and they would land their planes on the sand island and fish.  

Robert recalled Earl Noe and Graham Mitchell being at Portsmouth a lot.  If it was getting dark, he or they would buzz the runway a couple times and those at the village brought out the 3 wheelers and lanterns to light the runway.  Later, Robert obtained several of the highway department smudge pots” to line the runway when needs arose.

The camp was green—with rolled tar paper around it and on the roof.  There was a 55 gallon plastic chemical drum catching water from the gutters and a second drum underneath to take the overflow.  This water was used for washing, etc.

Heat was provided by a ceramic propane stove and an old apartment oven.  The kitchen and main room combo was 12×12 and the bedroom held two double bunk beds and 2 single beds.  The camp was “tight”—“not that cold”.  They had a VHF radio powered by a car battery that allowed a call to the Coast Guard Station if needed and relay messages to family on the mainland.  At first ,Ocracoke  Robert feined breakdowns, etc. to explain the need for the message relays.  Bobby Hill. was the Station Superintendent—he told Robert that he knew what he was doing and he needn’t bother with the stories—they were happy to relay messages.  Hill related it was “ Much better an option than worrying about them having real problems.” Bobby Hill  also had a camp, looking after the Ross Salter camp, on Fred’s Creek at the end of the Battle Boys runway.  He remembers two grave markers in the marsh at the head of the creek (Martha Day remembers them also and ?had pictures).

No outhouse existed—there was a 5 gallon bucket for use.  They had tried to establish  to attackh a tank filled with shells at the edge of the water but the marsh environment did not allow success.

Robert had a dock on each side of he cabin, built from dunnage, mahogany pilings that washed up off ships.  Depending on the wind, he chose the favorable spot to tie up.  Clams in summer, fish and oysters mid -October to November—always something to feast upon.

Robert is a cousin of Clifton Noe.

—“no good feelings about the Park Service since all the buildings are’ falling to hell’”—his renewal of his lease on Portsmouth was going to have ongoing cost of $25,000 per year and would need approval from Atlanta for every nail driven—-

Remembering Vellines, Robert remembers his bus/trailer—didn’t keep it long—and that Charlie kept an album of photos from trips to Portsmouth when the hurricanes came thru—He and friends went there for he storms—once, the plane was flipped upside down on the runway.

Bob Burroughs and Jack Savage helped build the runway and flew into Portsmouth.—Robert could never understand the moratorium on the runway and planes.