Portsmouth Long-standing families

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See images and captions below for more information about the Babb and Gilgo Families.

Photo 1: Claudia Daly Babb, with her niece Ethel Gilgo in front of the Gilgo house, c. 1910. In the background on the porch are Washington Roberts and Monroe Gilgo.

Photo and caption courtesy Friends of Portsmouth Island Facebook page.

Photo 3: George Wallis Gilgo (b. December 25, 1867 - d. June 21, 1957) with wife Lina Bragg Gilgo (b. November 5, 1865 - d. February 7, 1958). The two were married on July 9, 1908.

Photo courtesy Chester Lynn.

Photos 4-5: From Carteret County News-Times Article “Family’s Kindness Noted”, July 15, 1985. The Babb family (Jesse and Lillian Babb) provided food, water, and shelter to eight soldiers left on Portsmouth on July 5, 1942. The soldiers had been sent on patrol from Morehead City with only a few provisions that soon ran out. Three soldiers (Nick Galantis, Sam Gentile, and Joe Gaydos) walked to Portsmouth village. The Babb family was the only house that invited the soldiers in. The rest of the soldiers soon joined them. When storms prevented the Army boat from reaching Portsmouth for a few days, the soldiers stayed at the Babb house. In recognition of the Babb family’s hospitality, Jesse Lee Babb Dominque (one of the three Babb daughters) received a letter in June of 1985 from U.S. Representative Walter B. Jones, thanking her and her family for their kindness.

Courtesy Chester Lynn.

Photo 1: Photos of Marian Babb are rare. We love this one of her in the church, published in the Charlotte Observer, January 20, 1963.

Photo courtesy Friends of Portsmouth Island Facebook page

Photo 2: Marian Gray Babb. Daughter of Lillian M. Dixon and Jesse Babb. Sister of Edna Earl Babb and Jesse Lee Babb. Granddaughter of George C. Dixon. She and her aunt, Elma Dixon, were the last two women living on Portsmouth until leaving in 1971.

Photo and information from “The Dixons of Portsmouth Island” by James E. White, III. Courtesy Chester Lynn.

See images and captions below for more information about the Dixon and Mayo Families.

george s. dixon and emeline salter dixon Family

Photo 1: Emeline Salter Dixon was born November 20, 1841, to William and Mary Wallace Salter. She married George S. Dixon (whose photo she is holding) on June 19, 1862. They had nine children: Frances (b. 1863), John (b. 1864), Emily (b. 1866), Willis (b. 1868), Mary Hellen, Gabriella (b. 1872), Sarah James (b. 1876), William Grace (b. 1877), and Fanny. She died April 28, 1920.

Photo and information from “The Dixons of Portsmouth Island” by James E. White, III. Courtesy great-great-grandson Chester Lynn.

Photo 2: Emeline Salter Dixon (right) with Sarah James Dixon Gilgo (left) and Will Dixon (middle), two of her nine children. Sarah James “Miss Jim” Dixon was born September 15, 1876 on Portsmouth, and died February 28, 1956 in Oriental. She was married to William Tom Gilgo. William Grace Dixon was born May 28, 1877 on Portsmouth, and died August 6, 1961 in New Bern. He was married to Nina Mann.

Photo and information from “The Dixons of Portsmouth Island” by James E. White, III. Courtesy Chester Lynn.

Photo 3: Sarah James “Miss Jim” Dixon with her husband, William Thomas Gilgo, son of William Gilgo and Emeline Robinson. William Thomas Gilgo was born November 27, 1870 on Portsmouth, and died May 25, 1945, in Oriental. The two were married on August 2, 1893 on Portsmouth. They had five children: Lenwood “Lemmie” Gilgo (b. 1895), Blanch Gilgo (b. 1897), Thomas T. Gilgo, Jr. (b. 1901), James M. Gilgo (b. 1904), and Elmo Murray Gilgo (b. 1909). Both are buried in the Gilgo family cemetery on Cedar Island.

Photo and information from “The Dixons of Portsmouth Island” by James E. White, III. Courtesy Chester Lynn.

Photo 4: William Thomas Gilgo, Jr. and his wife Lucy Beacham Gilgo. Thomas T. Gilgo, Jr. was born November 28, 1901, the third child of Sarah James Dixon and William Thomas Gilgo. He died October 7, 1949. Lucy Mae Beacham, daughter of Paul Bryan Beacham and Elizabeth Hunnings of North River, was born July 2, 1904 and died March 30, 1987.

Photo and information from “The Dixons of Portsmouth Island” by James E. White, III. Courtesy Chester Lynn.

Photo 5: Elmo Murray Gilgo was born March 18, 1909 on Portsmouth, the fifth child of Sarah James Dixon and William Thomas Gilgo. His wife Eunice Lewis was born October 10, 1916. The two were married October 16, 1937. Elmo died July 30, 1969, and Eunice died December 4, 1995.

Photo and information from “The Dixons of Portsmouth Island” by James E. White, III. Courtesy Chester Lynn.

Photo 6: James M. Gilgo was born August 22, 1904, the fourth child of Sarah James Dixon and William Thomas Gilgo. He married Lucy Oglesby. James died March 1, 1993.

Photo and information from “The Dixons of Portsmouth Island” by James E. White, III. Courtesy Chester Lynn.

Photo 7: Lenwood “Lemmie” Gilgo was born November 25, 1895, the first child of Sarah James Dixon and William Thomas Gilgo. His wife, Louise Grant Spencer of Ocracoke, was born May 1, 1903. The two were married January 30, 1918. Louise died February 14, 1937. Lenwood died August 6, 1972.

Photo and information from “The Dixons of Portsmouth Island” by James E. White, III. Courtesy Chester Lynn.

Photo 8: Will Dixon and Nina Mann on their 50th Wedding Anniversary. William G. Dixon, the eighth child of George S. Dixon and Emeline Salter Dixon, was born May 28, 1877 at Portsmouth. He married Nina Mann, daughter of Asa Mann and Matilda Ireland. She was born November 1, 1879 at Portsmouth. They had one son, Roy L. Dixon, born April 12, 1905. Will died August 6, 1961 in New Bern. Nina died November 23, 1980 in New Bern. They are buried at Cedar Grove Cemetery.

Photo and information from “The Dixons of Portsmouth Island” by James E. White, III. Courtesy Chester Lynn.

Benjamin robinson diXon and mary j. davis

The photo is Ben with his 3rd wife Minnie, probably c. 1912. Benjamin Robinson Dixon was a lifelong Portsmouth resident. We don’t know his exact date of birth, but we do know that he was born on Portsmouth sometime in January, 1840, the son of Abner N. Dixon (who was the 4th Portsmouth postmaster, serving from 1842 until shortly before his death in 1848) and his wife, Winifred Gaskill (Dixon). Ben married Mary J. Davis on February 7, 1863, and they had two children –Ernestine and Mary. His wife Mary died sometime after 1880 but before 1895. On May 4, 1895 Ben married Georgia Ann (“Georgie”) Mayo, who was 30 years his junior. Her young age didn’t guarantee longevity, though. He and Georgie had 3 children – Carlett, Adelaide & Edith, but Georgie died in 1902. On December 4, 1905, Ben married Georgie’s younger sister (not too uncommon in those days), Minnie Mayo, and they also had 3 children –Benjamin Russell, Estelle and Viola. Ben worked as a mariner/fisherman for most of his life, but we know that he was serving as a “revenue boatman” in the Customs Service at Ocracoke in 1887. He died on Portsmouth June 5, 1924 and is buried in the Community Cemetery. A while back, a couple of members of the Keel family briefly shared with us a couple of stories about Ben. One involved him hiding in a haystack to avoid being drafted during the Civil War and the other involved the purchase of a car that was being shipped to the island by boat. Apparently it got stuck on the beach, and the tide floated it out to sea!

Photo courtesy Jean Webber’s collection.

Mary Mayo & Cousins Edith and Estelle Dixon

The photo on the right is of Mary Mayo (adult) visiting with her cousins Edith (left) and Estelle Dixon (right) on Portsmouth, c. 1912. Mary was the daughter of John Dixon Mayo and Mary Frances Roberts Mayo and the niece of Washington Roberts. Edith and Estelle were the daughters of Ben Dixon and John Mayo's younger sisters Georgia and Minnie, respectively. Georgia had died in 1902, leaving 3 young children, the youngest of whom was Edith. In 1905, Ben married Georgia's younger sister Minnie and they had 3 more children, the middle one being Estelle. This sounds a little strange to us today, but it wasn't at all uncommon in those days - especially in closed communities such as Portsmouth.

Photo courtesy Jean Webber's collection

Photo of Winford Lee Robertson & his bride, Mildred (Dixon) Robertson, taken in front of the Babb House on their wedding day, July 22, 1942. They were married at the Methodist parsonage at Ocracoke among many friends and family members, and made their home at Portsmouth where Mr. Robertson was stationed at the lifesaving station. Mildred’s parents were Harry and Lida Dixon of Portsmouth.

Photo courtesy their daughter, Linda Robertson Hudson.

Carl Dixon polling out to meet the mail boat. Carl held this job before Henry Pigott.

Photo courtesy Ellen Cloud via Friends of Portsmouth Island Facebook page.

George C. Dixon and Martha “Patsy” Williams Family

Photo 1: Elma Dixon (left) pictured with sister Nora Dixon (right). Daughters of George C. Dixon (cousin to George S. Dixon) and Martha “Patsy” Williams. Nora was born on March 5, 1892, the third child and eldest daughter, and died September 12, 1956. Elma was born in July 1903, the youngest of five. She and her niece, Marion Babb, the daughter of her sister, Lillian M. Dixon Babb, were the last two women on Portsmouth until they left in 1971 after Henry Pigott’s death. The two sisters lived with their brother, Arthur Edward “Ed” Dixon, the oldest of the siblings, who was born in 1888 and died in 1945.

Photo and information from “The Dixons of Portsmouth Island” by James E. White, III. Courtesy Chester Lynn.

Photo 2: Harry N. Dixon, the second son of George C. Dixon and Martha “Patsy” Williams, was born September 10, 1889 in Portsmouth. He married Lida Wollard, who was born September 19, 1888. They had two daughters: Mary Dixon (b. 1918) and Mildred Ray Dixon (b. 1919). Harry died September 27, 1931 in Beaufort. Lida died July 26, 1961.

Photo and information from “The Dixons of Portsmouth Island” by James E. White, III. Courtesy Chester Lynn.

Photo 3: Lillian M. Dixon, the fourth child and second daughter of George C. Dixon and Martha “Patsy” Williams, was born July 30, 1896 in Portsmouth. She married Jesse Babb, son of William Babb and Mary Newton. They had three daughters: Edna Earl Babb, Marion Gray Babb, and Jesse Lee Babb. Jesse and Lillian Babb moved from Portsmouth in 1946. Lillian returned to the island in 1948 and lived there until she died on January 8, 1969.

Photo and information from “The Dixons of Portsmouth Island” by James E. White, III and Carteret County News-Times Article “Family’s Kindness Noted”, July 15, 1985. Courtesy Chester Lynn.

See images and captions below for more information about the Fulford Family.

Alexander Roberts Fulford Sr, son of John William Fulford and Sabra Roberts, was born on Portsmouth Island three days before the 1850 U.S. census was taken. The family lived with Sabra’s parents John and Delilah Roberts, and would have had many other Roberts family members nearby on Portsmouth. By the time Alex was ten, the family had moved to New Bern where his Fulford grandparents resided. The Civil war impacted his life in many ways, both emotional and economic. Alex’s memories of Union soldiers playing cards and gambling near his home when he was a child, as well as preparing deceased soldiers for burial or shipment home made quite an impression on at least one of his grandchildren. Like many Portsmouth Islanders, Alex made his living as a sailor. These pictures were made about the time of his marriage to his cousin, Mary Eason Davis. Mary was the granddaughter of Alex’s uncle, John “Jack” Gaskill Roberts (Sabra’s older brother) and his first wife, Bettie Lewis. Jack Roberts left Portsmouth sometime in the 1850s to move to Straits where he gave up his life as a mariner to become a farmer. His only child, Theresa Jane Roberts, married Samuel Eason Davis of Smyrna and the families stayed in those down-east communities. Alex Fulford’s life as a sailor kept him away much of the time, but family tradition says Alex courted Mary Eason long distance, despite some concern about her age and his suitability as a beau. There still exists a handwritten note from Jack Roberts giving permission for his underage granddaughter to marry her cousin. The wedding took place in February 1874 at the Roberts home in Straits. The young couple lived in New Bern with the Fulfords. Alex worked on various ships and is recorded as captain in several shipping records. However, the need to support a growing family (they had 12 children) caused Alex and Mary Eason to be the first family members to leave Carteret in many generations. They moved to Savannah around 1886 and spent the rest of their lives there. Alex’s story reflects the economic changes on Portsmouth. As with many other Portsmouth residents, his family left when the population began to drop. The economic damage of the war followed them to New Bern, most likely affecting his education, and forced that move to Savannah. It’s quite likely that Alex would never have been an acceptable suitor for Mary Eason before the war changed everything. Her dad was a wealthy merchant, who traveled to other ports, including Portsmouth. He died unexpectedly in Jan. 1866 and Jack Roberts ended up with his widowed daughter and her five children moving into his tiny house in Straits.

Photos and information courtesy Alex Fulford’s great granddaughter, Judy Kosik.

See images and captions below for more information about Henry Pigott and his family.

Photo 1: Throwback to 1963! This is a photo of Henry Pigott and young Elaine Clark taken in July 1963. Elaine donated a collage of photos that was hanging in Henry's kitchen when Hurricane Dorian struck. Only this photo remains from the damage. The Clark family -Wilson, Gerry, Wilson Jr. and Elaine were regular Portsmouth visitors from Kinston, NC.

Photo 2: Photo (c.1953) of Henry Pigott meeting the mail boat "Aleta", captained by Elmo Fulcher, with a glimpse of Casey's Island in the background. "(Henry) fished for a living, but in later years he picked up the mail, from the "Mail Boat" when she went by on her way to Ocracoke. He would pole out in a small skiff, get the mail, any passengers and give the Captain a list for groceries for the people on the island. The Merchant at Ocracoke would fill the orders and send them back by someone coming over or on the "Mail Boat" next day." ("Portsmouth Island: Short Stories and History" by Ben Salter, copyright 1972).

Photo and caption courtesy Joff Coe and Friends of Portsmouth Island Facebook page.

From "Precious Memories of Ocracoke" by Dolores Cullifer Snead, copyright 1991. Dolores' recollections of Portsmouth from trips from little Washington to Ocracoke when she was a child:“The mail boat carried, in addition to the daily mail, fresh milk, bread, certain other supplies, and sometimes up to as many as 25 passengers. The boat always stopped at Portsmouth Island, south of Ocracoke, where a few natives still lived at that time. Nana would tell stories about the fact when she was a child, Portsmouth was the booming village, but the sound had filled in with drifting shoals and boats couldn’t get in to land anymore, so only a few old families were left behind. One of those families was a black brother and sister. Henry, the brother, would pole out twice a day to meet the mail boat in his skiff to pick up the mail and a few supplies. From the village on Portsmouth Island we had another 30 minute ride to Ocracoke.”

Photo 3: Photo of Henry Pigott on his skiff (color).

Photo courtesy Joff Coe and Friends of Portsmouth Island Facebook page.

Photo 4: This photo of Henry pushing the mail down the brick road was published in the September 27, 1953 Raleigh "News and Observer"

Photo 5: Lum Gaskill and Henry Pigott.

Photo courtesy Friends of Portsmouth Island Facebook page.

Photo 6: Henry Pigott, with the Salter House (Salter Gun Club at that time, now the Visitors' Center) in the background. Vintage '50s or '60s.

Photo courtesy Joff Coe and Friends of Portsmouth Island Facebook page.

Photo 7: Grace House Photo. This photo of a gathering on the porch of the Grace House is from 1950. That's Joff Coe with his mother on the steps. We think that that's Elma Dixon seated on the rail in the white dress, Annie Salter, holding Joff's brother, Henry Pigott seated in the corner by the cistern.

Photo courtesy Joff Coe and Friends of Portsmouth Island Facebook page.

Photo 8: Henry’s sister Rachel Pigott.

Photo courtesy Friends of Portsmouth Island Facebook page.

Photo 9: Henry in the front yard.

Photo courtesy Chester Lynn.

Photo 10: Photo of Henry (1896-1971) from Harry Osmans Slides

Photo courtesy Chester Lynn.

Photo 11: Photo of Henry around age 14 (c. 1911). From February 1984 Coast Watch Article, “Portsmouth: A Town Without People”

Courtesy Chester Lynn.

See images and captions below for more information about Junius Austin and his family.

Here's a great picture of Junius Austin of Ocracoke, taken in 1970. Junius' ties to Portsmouth are legendary, and his sons Rudy and Donald, and grandson Wade, carry on the tradition of taking people to Portsmouth from Ocracoke. Junius was very close to the remaining folks on Portsmouth, and when Henry Pigott became ill it was Junius' house on Ocracoke where he stayed until his death.

Photo credits to Joff Coe; Photo and caption courtesy Friends of Portsmouth Island Facebook page.

See images and captions below for more information about the McWilliams Family.

Clarence Weaver McWilliams and Robert McWilliams. These brothers were both born on Portsmouth and were the last children of Charles Small McWilliams, Keeper of the Life Saving Service station.

See images and captions below for more information about the Roberts Family.

Jane Davis Roberts and George washington Roberts

Jane Davis Roberts married George Washington Roberts at age 17 and had 9 children, 7 of whom lived to adulthood. Pictured with her are Charlotte "Jonesie" Roberts, Washington Roberts (for whom the Roberts House is now named) and Angeline "Angie" Roberts. The photo was taken c. 1911/1912 in the yard of the Roberts House.

Photo courtesy of Jean Webber's collection

Angelina Roberts

Angeline (“Angie”) Roberts. Angie was born on Portsmouth on February 6, 1864 and lived there for her entire life. In fact, she may have lived in what is now known as the Washington Roberts House for her entire life. If not, the family moved in when she was a very young child. She was the 7th of 9 children born to George Washington Roberts and his wife, Jane Thomas Davis (Roberts); Wash Roberts was her youngest sibling. She never married, living with her parents (until their deaths) and then just with Wash and their sister Charlotte “Jonesie.” Her niece, Mary Frances Mayo, passed down this story... She had been engaged to a seafarer, also from Portsmouth, who worked on a coastal cargo schooner. His vessel was carrying a large load of on-deck lumber from somewhere in the north to somewhere in the south when it encountered a major storm. He was lashed to the mast or wheel when a huge wave broke the lumber loose, carried him overboard, and he was lost. Angie grieved for years, and Mary Frances felt that she never recovered and eventually died of a broken heart. We’d love to know who that seafarer was, if anyone has any information on that incident! Despite, or maybe because of that, Mary Frances said that Angie was her favorite of her Roberts aunts and uncles; that she had the best disposition and was the sweetest and most understanding of all of George Washington Roberts' children. Angie died August 1, 1919 on Portsmouth but is buried on Cedar Island next to her parents. Most likely, the water was too high on Portsmouth at the time of her father's death.

Steve, Verona, and alec Roberts

Steve Roberts (age 6) with Verona Roberts (age 4).

Susan Jane Gilgo and Steve Roberts (age 10).

Verona Roberts (age 8), Steve Roberts (age 11), and Alec Roberts (age 6)

Steve Roberts age 19.

David Ireland Roberts

Photo of David Ireland Roberts.

James Watson Roberts and James Watson Roberts Jr.

Photo of James Watson Roberts and James Watson Roberts Jr.

Roberts Morris Styron Family Members

Photo courtesy Mary J. Willis.

Jodie Styron

Jodie Styron. Joseph Allen (“Jodie”) Styron was born on Portsmouth April 12, 1873, the 2nd child born to Ambrose Styron and his wife, Jennie Roberts (Styron). Their firstborn child, Eugene, died while still a child, leaving Jodie as the oldest of 3 surviving children. He married Annie “Hub” Bragg on Portsmouth November 23, 1899, with B.R. Dixon officiating. (Possibly Benjamin R Dixon) Soon thereafter, Annie’s brother, Tom Bragg, moved into the house with them and they opened the house as a hunting/fishing lodge and gun club. Jodie and Tom both worked as guides while Annie took care of the cooking, cleaning and such. This continued for more than 50 years. Jodie and Annie never had any children. Not long after Annie’s death in 1956, Jodie moved to Atlantic. He died at the Neuse Forrest Rest Home in New Bern, where he had lived for the last 18 months of his life, on December 11, 1966 and is buried on Cedar Island. His name “Jodie” is spelled this way or as “Jody” in various places. But both his death certificate and his gravestone spell it as “Jodie” so we’re going with that – despite the fact that he’s spelled “Jody” in his sister’s will. All previous official documents list him by his more formal name of Joseph.

Record of Roberts Family Deaths

Family deaths 1907 to 1914. William Roberts (1907), Mary Esther Roberts (1908), Elsie Thomas Roberts (1914). Courtesy Chester Lynn.

Record of Roberts Family Births

Family births 1858 to 1911. Elsie Thomas Roberts (1858), Sarah Roberts (1901), William Roberts (1907), Ruth Roberts (1911). Courtesy Chester Lynn.

Record of Roberts Family Marriages

Marriages in early 1900s. E. J. Roberts & B. S. Gaskins (1909), Elsie Thomas Roberts & Mary Esther Daly (undated). Courtesy Chester Lynn.

See images and captions below for more information about the Salter Family.

Photo of John and Sidney Salter. John Wallace Salter who was born August 15, 1873, the 7th of nine children born to Christopher Thomas Salter and his wife, Matilda Styron (Salter). John married Sidney Styron on December 24, 1895 on Portsmouth, and they also had 9 children –5 boys and 4 girls. He worked as a fisherman for all of his life. John died in Hunting Quarters, now Atlantic, on July 20, 1950 and is buried in Atlantic Cemetery.

Photo courtesy great granddaughter Gaye McKeithan.

This wonderful photo of Ben Salter and his wife Thelma was given to Rosanne Penley several years ago by the Salters' daughters, Dot Willis and Mary Mason. Rosanne believes that it was taken in Atlantic, NC after they moved from Portsmouth.

Photo and caption courtesy Friends of Portsmouth Island Facebook page.