Sources |
- [S113] Manes Funeral Home, (http://www.manesfuneralhome.com), 24 Jul 2006.
Verlie Stokely Norton obituary
- [S24] The Newport Plain Talk, (http://www.newportplaintalk.com), 17 Mar 2012.
Dogs, plants, knickknacks and more are all there to see
(c)2012 NPT PHOTO BY DAVID POPIEL
Jesse Parton is a busier man these days. He does construction, specializing in steel roofing, during the week. On weekends he joins his mother, Doloris Dalton, and siblings Marcella Reed and Anthony Norton at the Newport Flea Market located in the former Wood Products plant building off Asheville Highway.
Author: David Popiel
Spring doesn't start until Tuesday, yet the world around our hometown is ignoring this fact, when the temperature got near 80 degrees last week and folks were fishing and packing away coats.
Perhaps you read the bewildering statement in last week's police report on a shotgun theft, the gun used to shoot those folks at the "bridge at Brock's." For some background, store owners Butch and Duane Moore had complained before this when we published a police report about drugs at a house off Filbert near Brock's. That had nothing to do with Brock's market, most noted for its famous Philly steak sandwiches. Unfortunately, the store has become a true landmark in Newport particularly Eastport. The Moores rightly object to referencing the location of every crime and accident in the neighborhood as "near Brock's." Why not, "near Eastport BP." At least we should be noting the good things happening near Brock's such as the great food produced by ConAgra. Butch and Duane bought the store and it has been in their name since March 11, thirty-three years ago. I note it is always clean inside and out and they take pride in its appearance and they don't allow any bad conduct. It's a great place to get a sandwich, beverage or whatever. The Moores employ 16-18 workers for the 24 hours-per-day, everyday operation. Like them, I too am tired of seeing the city allow a trashy neighborhood with some burned out property while the Moores and others work hard to keep their property in good shape. There is no bridge at Brock's but apparently the way people constantly refer to the store, it "is the ninth wonder of the world," said Duane.
If you are in the neighborhood
I have a few more notes on our visit to the Douglas Cherokee Neighborhood Center before moving on to my shopping spry at the Newport Flea Market. DC center coordinator Pat Spurgeon tells me a big demand in Newport is for rent and food. "Cocke County is having a growing number of homeless." Plain Talk reporters Nelson Morais and Katie Pittser will be working on stories related to homeless folks soon. She noted, and you have seen this too, that there are many more people sharing homes. When you drive around, take notice of many vehicles at homes and it is not because people can afford to have more cars and trucks or they have plenty of money for frequent parties. "I've seen as many as three families in a home," she said. The neighborhood center can provide first month's rent and maybe utilities payment.
She also discovered that people uprooted in other states find their way to Newport. "It's amazing and sad." How did Pat end up coordinator? Her husband, Trooper Randy Spurgeon, is a friend of Jerry Brown, a likeable fellow who does a lot of mowing and landscape work. He and Randy are in the English Mountain Bear and Boar Club. Patty Moore used to be DC Neighborhood Center coordinator but retired. You know her as former sheriff Billy Wayne Moore's wife. And I learned she is Jerry's sister. Vella Calfee and Peggy Brown are outreach workers and can help folks with shopping and errands. The center helps citizens find jobs and get aid for school tuition and training or even childcare.
Warming up at the flea market
Early spring weather started bringing more people out to the new weekend flea market off Knoxville Highway just east of Newport and located in what most folks would know as the Wood Products plant. I had heard of the opening last year but did not get a chance to drop by to let you know what has been going on. A couple of the first people I met at a booth with some green plants in pots were Mike Turner and Doris Stanley. Mike runs the daylily nursery located at Black Mountain Road off Big Creek. You may have seen Plain Talk classified ads in years past for this nursery. If I understood Mike correctly, the original owner had sold it but that owner left and the property reverted to Vestal Shipman. He also grows ginseng. There are hundreds of shades of colors and varieties of lilies at the nursery, about 1.5 acres. My point being that a few of these were in the pots selling for $2 each. Mike is originally from Del Rio but lives at the nursery site as caretaker. His father is the late Jerry Turner and Mom, Mary Janette of Irish Cut. Perhaps you have met Mike when he used to work with George Tucker at Bridgeport?
Dalton gang runs the show
After asking where the "boss" was, folks directed me to Doloris Dalton, whose entire family must be involved in the new flea market. They lease the building from Patsy Williams. Doloris attributes the idea and energy that started the flea market to her son, Jesse Parton, and Jesse calls it the Newport Flea Market & Crafts. While I quickly saw a few handcrafted items, it would be worth your time to visit and spend more time on these. The market opened last October and has done well. There were ads in the Plain Talk. While talking with Doloris, she reminded me that her occupation is making cabinets such as for kitchens and bathrooms. You saw her featured in April 2011 in our popular homebuilders edition.
We began walking around to the various booths, each of which had a large space and there were more than a dozen packed with handcrafts or commercially produced items and artwork. Anthony Norton is also Doloris's son and he operates a unique scented candle-making booth. He calls them Jell Candles and they are squishy and most unlike wax candles. He has his chemistry kitchen on site to cook up colors and shapes on demand with aromas you choose. Holding up one small flickering Jell Candle, he said it had been burning for five days. Blue, green, Strawberry, whatever color or flavor he will cook them up at Spicewood Candles & Crafts. I also met her daughter, Marcelle Reed, who was popping corn for a visitor and said hello to Marlene Hoch, a talented crochet lady.
We finally walked around the floor and bumped into Jesse Parton who had been cutting wood. I asked why he decided on opening a flea market. "With so many people out of work" It just seemed the natural and right thing to do. Jesse knows what it is like not having work to do as a builder and remodeler, an area hard-hit by the recession and late to recover. But, his work replacing roofing with steel has kept some money coming in. The family also had a small shop operated by Marcelle that moved to the flea market. She sells clothes, American-made sox, and knick knacks along with popcorn.
On my second trip to the flea market, it was mid-70s and people were out like bees on blossoms. Doloris told me her parents are the late Jess and Verlie (Fox) Stokely of Del Rio. They had 12 children of whom eight are living and include Jodi Norwood, Teresa Ann Reed, Pamela Henson, Sue McCaule, Lou Jenkins, Deborah Sutton, and Patricia Thornton. You old timers may recall that Verlie ran Ball's dinner where The Shack is located. And, yes, The Shack was closed by Hollis Stinson earlier this year. Jess Stokely was a logger and farmer, and his father is the more famous Royal Stokely, a sawmill operator. Like most folks of that generation Doloris worked at Heywood Wakefield, Blueridge Shoe plant at Hot Springs, and Bennington Pine where she learned woodworking. This moved her closer to being a cabinet builder, especially when Tim and Stella Lunsford asked if she could make cabinets. Jodi also needed a hutch. Doloris also credits her brother-in-law Don Norwood with encouraging her to build cabinets and giving her construction tips.
At my March 11 visit to see more and photograph Jesse Parton, who again was working cutting wood and running out of gasoline, I finally did get his photo. They also told me of the Music Barn venture in what used to be the Texaco distribution center. It opened April 2010 where Anthony cooks, Doloris hosts, and Jesse helps too. I liked the rough-hewn look and old-style atmosphere where local musicians play. The audience just chips in cash for the players.
Her former husbands include Lawrence Parton and Glenn Norton but she is currently mried to Craig Dalton. David Parton is another one of her sons.
Call 423-608-7667 Doloris for more info/ music and music barn?
- [S58] Marriage Certificate.
Name: Jesse Stokely
Titles & Terms:
Event: Marriage
Event Date: 29 Nov 1940
Event Place: Cocke, Tennessee
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Spouse: Verlie Fox
Spouse's Titles & Terms:
Spouse's Age:
Spouse's Estimated Birth Year:
Spouse's Father:
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Reference Number:
Film Number: 1669918
Digital Folder Number: 4485979
Image Number: 00320
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