Monday, November 12, 2018

Rev. Fitts

Rev. Robert Nicholson Fitts (1881-1971) served as preacher at the Ocracoke Methodist Church, South, from 1929 to 1932.


















His granddaughter shared this story of Rev. Fitts' time on Ocracoke:

"It was on Ocracoke that my grandfather got his sailing lesson. He was on his way home, wearing his only suit, when Wahab Howard convinced him to go sailing. Robert was reluctant, but gave in. They were out in Silver Lake and over went the boat. The story changed, depending on who told it. Wahab swore he didn't tip it on purpose but knows the preacher tried to climb up the mast as they were going over. Robert, however, was positive Wahab had dumped them on purpose. At age 91, Mr. Tommy Howard (Wahab's father) would still split his side laughing as he described the preacher walking up the road dripping wet."

The Ladies Aid Society organized a fund-raiser. They showed a movie one night and collected enough money to buy Preacher Fitts a second suit!

This month's Ocracoke Newsletter is Lachlan Howard's essay about the Fresnel Lens and its use in theater, solar ovens, cameras, and industry, as well as lighthouse illumination. You can read it here: https://www.villagecraftsmen.com/the-fresnel-lens/.

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