The Moore County Genealogical Society met Saturday, March 21, at 10:30 a.m. at the Moore County Agricultural Building in Carthage. Joan Campbell and Karen Hall Jones were welcomed as new members.

The meeting was called to order by President Norma Jones. Minutes were presented by Dorothy Thomas, and Tom Stewart gave the treasurer's report.

Future meeting places and a new Web master were discussed. Members were reminded of the National Genealogical Society meeting in Raleigh this year. Tom, Norma, Norma's husband, Joe, Beth Maness and Joan Campbell will man the MCGS booth at the Buggy Festival Saturday, May 9.

The next meeting will be Saturday, May 16, at the Moore County Agricultural Building in Carthage. The speaker has not yet been confirmed.

Vice President Wade Copeland, introduced the speaker, Jane Owen Barbot, who told the audience of the history of her family and the pottery industry in upper Moore County. Her grandfather was Ben Owen, who made pottery on the Old Plank Road over 50 years ago. The Plank Road went from Winston-Salem to Fayetteville and was the major trade route of the state.

Northern Moore County was known as the "dark corner" because it bordered Moore, Randolph, and Chatham counties, and people moved back and forth frequently. Most of these people were Quakers and a lot of records have been obtained through them.

The Owen, Cole, and Craven families were among the first pottery making families who found clay and pine wood for the kilns plentiful in that area. Many potters made liquor jugs and ring jugs because of the demand for them, as well as practical dishes for cooking. Prohibition and the manufacturing of Pyrex and Corning Ware products hurt the industry, and many potters left to work at furniture making. When the Busbees from the North discovered pottery making and built Jugtown, pottery making revived. Today there are over 100 potteries in the area that has become known as the Seagrove area although it began in Moore County. Although Robbins was only five miles away, the post office was first in Steeds, then Seagrove which is in Randolph County.

Most of the families of upper Moore County are eligible for DAR and SAR membership because their families go back to pre-Revolutionary War times. Not many volunteered for the Civil War because of the Quaker influences.

The slate of new officers proposed by the nominating committee was accepted. The new officers beginning in April are Norma Jones, president; Kathy Lawrence, vice president; Blanch Reeder, corresponding secretary; Dorothy Thomas, recording secretary; and Tom Stewart, treasurer. The board members are Wade Copeland, Paula Caddell, Beth Maness, and Mackie Paschal.