Anyone who looks at the early census records from Ocracoke Island would be struck by the paucity of surnames. The 1790 census includes only nine surnames: Bragg, Garrish, Gaskins, Howard, Jackson, Neale (later recorded as O’Neal), Salter, Scarborough, and Williams. Succeeding enumerations added only a few more, including Wahab, Styron, Tolson, Ballance, and Spencer. These are the “founding families” of Ocracoke.

Careful examination of census records through the end of the nineteenth century, as well as other documents, yields about two dozen additional early island surnames. Some individuals and families arrived unexpectedly, may have remained for several decades, and then disappeared. They may or may not have left a legacy. Others appear in only one census or other document before vanishing without a trace. Below are brief sketches of a few early islanders with uncommon Ocracoke Island last names.

• Capt. James Best is listed in the census records of 1820 and 1830. Capt. Best (1791-1846) appears to have been born at Parris Island, South Carolina. In about 1820 Capt. Best married Ocracoke native Nancy Howard (1801-1857). Presumably the couple met when Capt. Best was sailing to the port of Ocracoke. They settled on Ocracoke and made their home in the vicinity of Pamlico Sound, at Northern Pond.Capt. Best remained connected to the sea. When he was 28 years old Capt. Best purchased a 54-ton schooner, “Louisa.” In 1844 he and his father-in-law, William Howard, purchased a schooner named “Little John.”Although the Bests never had any heirs, all indications indicate that Nancy Best longed for children. The Bests, however, were sufficiently well-to-do to have a housekeeper, a young woman who did the laundry, scrubbed the floors, and polished the silverware. Her name was Ann Scarborough, and she was fourteen years younger than Capt. Best. As sometimes happens, the man of the family and the hired help found themselves attracted to each other. In 1838 Ann Scarborough gave birth to a son, Capt. Best’s only child.  Ann named him Thaddeus Constantine Scarborough.Five years later, in 1843, Ann Scarborough, who never married, died. In her will she designated James Best guardian of their son. James and Nancy Best willingly accepted care of young Thaddeus. Capt. Best died three years later. Nancy Best continued in her role as mother to eleven-year-old Thaddeus. Nancy Howard Best’s tombstone reads, “She was, but words are wanting to say what. Think what a wife should be: She was that.” Nancy Best, the wife of Capt. James Best, is listed in the census of 1850. Descendants of Constantine Thaddeus Scarborough (and, thus, of Capt. Best) continue to live on Ocracoke today.

• Elisha Chase is listed in the census of 1830. He was born March 13, 1790 in Swansea, Massachusetts, the descendant of a long line of New England sea captains and businessmen. During his sailing career Elisha Chase occasionally anchored his vessel at Ocracoke. There he met Thurza Howard (1803-1849), daughter of William and Agnes Mason Howard. Elisha and Thurza married in 1821. In 1828 Elisha Chase purchased an Ocracoke parcel of “3 acres more or less” with a commanding view of Pamlico Sound. Shortly thereafter he and Thurza had a large frame house built on their property.

  

  In 1834 Elisha and Thurza left Ocracoke with their children and joined a wagon train heading west. Thurza died and was buried along the trail. Elisha eventually settled in Missouri. You can read more about Elisha Chase here: https://www.villagecraftsmen.com/the-soundfront-inn/

• John Pike. The first mention of John Pike is in the 1830 census. He is also listed in 1840 and 1850. He soon gained prominence in the village. In 1837 John Pike was the Notary at the Port of Ocracoke, Justice of the Peace, and Wreck Master. On December 31, 1846 John Pike was appointed Postmaster at Ocracoke. He served until August 16, 1848. Pike was a man of considerable means, and one of the island’s largest slave owners, holding fifteen individuals in bondage. Not until the 1850 census are all residents of a house named, with occupations listed. In that year John Pike, who was born in Connecticut, age 64, is listed with Emma W. Pike (50 years old, and presumably his wife), George W. Pike (28 years old, probably a son), and Hester K. Pike (21 years old, probably either John & Emma’s daughter or George’s wife). John is identified as a merchant; and George, a clerk. We know that John Pike owned and operated a general store that was located somewhere along the soundside shore in the vicinity of the present-day National Park Service Visitors Center and parking lot. Nearby was his home and garden. The last mention of John Pike is in 1850. In fact, no Pikes are listed in any local records after that date, and there is no record of any Pikes that are buried on Ocracoke Island. In 1850 the following youths were listed in the household of John Pike: James Blount, 14-year-old white male; Robert Eanel, 10-year-old white male;Ephraim Quidley, 15-year-old white male.

• Euphemia Curtis is listed in the census records of 1860, 1870, and 1880. Euphemia Curtis, (1819-1882), was the daughter of Simon Henry Garrish and Jane Simpson Harvey. Euphemia Garrish married a Curtis (Christian name not known), and had one son, Francis Curtis (b. 1842). She purchased or inherited the property on Howard Street where Village Craftsmen craft gallery is now located. She is buried behind the gallery. Euphemia’s father, Simon Henry Garrish, appears to never have married Euphemia’s mother, Jane Simpson Harvey, although they lived together as man and wife for many years. Simon was the son of Henry Garrish and Elizabeth Howard. Elizabeth was the granddaughter of William Howard, Sr., one-time owner of Ocracoke Island. Jane Simpson had previously married William Harvey, and they had one son, William, Jr., born about 1812. In 1880 Euphemia and her half-brother, William, were living together. Euphemia operated a boarding house. Euphemia’s epitaph reads:

“Religion filled her soul with peace
Upon a dying bed.
Let faith look up,
Let striving cease,
She lives with Christ our head.”

• Michael Lawrence Piland (1861-1920) was a Gates County (NC) native and itinerant salesman who married Ocracoke islander Lucretia Wahab Farrow. M. L Piland quickly established himself as a prominent member of the community. He owned and operated a general store and ice cream parlor, served as choir master in the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, founded Ocracoke’s Odd Fellow’s Lodge, and was appointed postmaster in 1888.
  You can read more about Michael Lawrenc Piland here:  https://www.villagecraftsmen.com/island-inn-lodge-no-194-independent-order-odd-fellows/.)
• Charles Crump Angle (1879-1964) was the son of James B. Angle (1849-1929), a retired doctor who moved to Ocracoke to provide medical care to the members of the United States Lifesaving Service. Dr. Angle established a pharmaceutical and grocery store on the north side of Silver Lake harbor, between present-day NC12 and Howard Street. Charlie married islander Aletha Pearl Howard, and continued to operate the store after his father died. Charlie Angle’s merchandise was limited primarily to patent medicines, candy, and soft drinks.
• George P. Hassel (b. ca. 1861) was the local agent for the Norfolk and Southern Railroad, which operated steamships that visited Ocracoke. He was also a member of the Odd Fellows Lodge. He was married to island native, Ida Ballance. See https://villagecraftsmen.blogspot.com/2017/11/george-p-hassell.html
• John Harker is listed in the census of 1850. He was the second Ocracoke lighthouse keeper, serving from 1847 to 1853. He was likely the son of Anson Harker, first keeper from 1824 to 1846. Anson Harker accepted the position of first keeper of the new Ocracoke Lighthouse after resigning his position as Commissioner of Wrecks in Carteret County.
• Thomas Dayley (Dailey) is listed in the census of 1870. He was the illegitimate son of Jordan Dailey of Swan Quarter, and Sally Ballance, also of Swan Quarter. Sally later married Stanford Jackson of Ocracoke, and raised Thomas on the island. Sally and Stanford never had children. Other Daileys (or Dayleys, or Dailys) include Edmund Dayley listed in the census of 1810. He was married to Clarissa Gaskins Plowman; their daughter, Clarissa Edmund Daily (b. ca. 1820, d. >1880) married George W. Jackson (1822-1900).
• S. Blackwell operated a store near the present-day OPS museum.
• Lockhart Ringold is listed in the census of 1820 and 1830. He married islander Barbara Williams, daughter of John Williams, Jr. and Bersheba Bailey, in 1812. They had two children, Elizabeth (b 1816) and Lockhart, Jr. (b. 1820). Barbara’s first cousin, William Williams, Jr., and his wife, Mary “Polly” Gaskins, named their son Lockhart Ringold Williams (181-1860). Barbara Ringold, Lockhart Ringold’s widow, is listed in the census of 1840 and 1850.In 1835 Elizabeth Ringold (daughter of Lockhart Ringold and Barbara Williams) married Solomon Broughton. Edward Broughton, perhaps Solomon’s brother, is listed in the census of 1840.
• Sameul (Samuel?) Bailey is listed in the census of 1860 as a 20-year-old mariner in the household of Francis Williams. He may be a relative of John Williams, Jr. and Bersheba Bailey, Lockhart Ringold’s mother-in-law.
• Lemuel Salter is listed in the census of 1810 and 1850. He is identified as a pilot in 1850.
• Richard Winslow is listed in the census of 1820. No further information is available.
• Calvin Shackleford is listed in the census of 1830. A Calvin Shackleford was a private in the nineteenth-century company of the Carteret Militia (Ocracoke was part of Carteret County until 1845). In 1814 a voucher was issued in lieu of cash by the governor, probably for his military service in defense of the coast in 1813. He may have acted as a temporary lighthouse keeper.
• James C. Jarret is listed in the census of 1830. He may be the father of Ann Jarret, who married William Gaskill (b. before 1737 – d. 1768) who was an Ocracoke whaler and fisherman, and Justice of the Peace in Carteret County in 1749/1750. William and Ann had ten children.
• Martha T. Gibbs is listed in the census of 1850. She is listed as a 25-year-old white female in the household of William B. Howard, merchant. She is probably a domestic servant.
• Comfort Toler is listed in the census of 1850. She is listed as a 45-year-old white female head of house, and living with William Toler, presumably her son, a 19-year-old white male. The Tolers of Craven, Beaufort, and Pamlico Counties are prominent in North Carolina. No Tolers have lived on Ocracoke for many years.
• Louisa Morgan is listed in the census of 1860. She is listed as a 42-year-old female with two young males (Joseph and Thomas) and two young females (Malissa and Sarah), presumably her children. No other information is available about her or her family.At the turn of the twentieth century a well-educated and refined Dr. Morgan found his way to Ocracoke. Local oral history claims he was part of the J. P. Morgan family. For more information about Dr. Morgan, click here: https://villagecraftsmen.blogspot.com/2014/12/dr-morgan.html and https://villagecraftsmen.blogspot.com/2014/12/dr-morganagain.html.
• Grayum (Graham?) Moore is listed in the census of 1860. He is listed as 30 years old, with Harriett (age 29), presumably his wife, and Mary (age 9), probably their daughter. He appears to be listed in the same household with Abner Howard (1798-ca. 1865). No further information is available about him or his family.