Many years ago John McWilliams came to Ocracoke to teach school. McWilliams was a Scotsman who had been living in Washington, North Carolina. His speech was distinctive. In particular, he pronounced his "Vs" as if they were "Ws." Island children soon took to imitating him.
A half century ago it was not unusual to still hear teenagers talking about "willages in Wirginia." You might even hear remnants of this permutation occasionally today.
Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is an account of the recent skirmishes
islanders have had with North Carolina legislatures over the issue of
ferry tolls...and a 1955 newspaper editorial advocating free,
state-operated ferries across Hatteras Inlet. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news082113.htm.
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Were the McWilliams distant kin to the Williams of OI?
ReplyDeleteI don't think so. I believe they were originally two separate families, although there has been intermariage over the years.
DeleteThanks for the response.
ReplyDeleteAs always enjoying the journal.