Grantham Family Homes
A Tale of Two Houses
Grantham House - Grantham, NC – The Farm House
Was the primary home of Gideon (Gid) Edward & Elizabeth (Bettie) Virginia Hudson Grantham in the late 1800's and early 1900's.
150 Falling Creek Church Rd, Goldsboro, NC 27530
Grantham House - Goldsboro, NC – The Town House
Was the second home of Gid & Bettie.
106 N. Virginia Street, Goldsboro, NC
The Grantham House -Grantham, located in Grantham Township, Wayne County, N.C. has been lovingly preserved and improved since it was originally built in about 1840 by Hiram & Abby Bizzell Grantham. It later became the home of their son Gid and his family. Nowadays, Reverend Daniel Weeks & wife, Caitlyn, and family have the house as their home, and operate the grounds as a wedding venue.
Meanwhile, the Grantham House - Goldsboro, known as the historical Grantham-Baker Home, and located a few blocks from downtown Goldsboro, has had its interior walls, floors and ceilings stripped, and may be slated for destruction.
We are now (June of 2021) starting a campaign to save and preserve Grantham House - Goldsboro.
The 3,214 sq ft house, four bedrooms, two bathrooms is located on a .29 acre lot on 106 N Virginia St. in the downtown area of Goldsboro, N.C. Before it was gutted, its estimated value was $87,900.
The 3,214 sq ft house, four bedrooms, two bathrooms is located on a .29 acre lot on 106 N Virginia St. in the downtown area of Goldsboro, N.C. Before it was gutted, its estimated value was $87,900.
Grantham House - Goldsboro (2)
Grantham House - Goldsboro (3)
Grantham House - Goldsboro (6)
This photo was taken from a neighbor's back yard, showing the back and side of the Goldsboro Grantham House.
Gideon Edward Grantham - Obituary -1925
Gid's obit states that he had been a resident of Goldsboro for many years. We know that it is referring to the town of Goldsboro, and not the postal address, as it states thtat J. W. Grantham was of Grantham's Store.
Note that the obit also states that "Mr. Gantham was widely known in the county and highly esteemed."
Elizabeth (Bettie) Virginia Hudson Grantham - Obituary 1933
Bettie's funeral "was conducted from the home on North Virginia Street."
Grantham House in Grantham NC 2012 (3)
Grantham House in Grantham NC - 2012
Grantham House in Grantham, North Carolina
“The pink hue is from the way the sun was hitting the roof through the trees.
This is a picture of the Grantham Farmhouse I took in about 2012, when the Littletons, the last Grantham descendant family to own the homestead, still lived there. It brought back many fond memories of the Thanksgiving holidays when we would travel from Pennsylvania to the Goldsboro / Grantham area to spend time with our relatives. Nothing but fond memories from late 1960’s to early 1970’s spending time with Great Aunt Dessie Grantham who lived at the farmhouse, my grandmother Sudie Grantham Jones, Uncle Ralph Grantham, Aunt Edna Francis Gossard, and of course, my cousins Linda West and Vicky Gossard.” by Daniel (Dan) Grantham Jones.
This home, where Gideon (Gid) Edward & Elizabeth (Bettie) Virginia Hudson Grantham lived in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s was built by Hiram Grantham, the father of Gideon as discussed in the following article.
[The below is an excerpt from History of Wayne County, article by Ruth Grantham Parker]
One of Solomon’s sons was Hiram Grantham. He was born Jan 9th 1817 and married Abby Penelope Bizzel born Jan 21, 1823, the daughter of Jessie Bizzel and Abigail Jinette.
Hiram and Abby were married 1839. They had 9 children, Sarah, David, Marshall P, Hettie, Amariah, Silas, Jessie, William and Gideon, Hiram was a member of Masonic Lodge
125 from 1852 to 1872.
Hiram operated a country store at the crossroads in Grantham, known thru the years as Grantham Store. He built a fine home for the times across the road from the store which
still stands today. It was been recently purchased by David and Ann Littleton. David is great- great grandson of Hiram. The home still retains much of it original beauty. [More of this except is on the history post]
Daniel (Dan) Grantham Jones, son of Samuel (Sammie) B. Jones, grandson of Sudie Belle Grantham Jones, great grandson of Bettie (Elizabeth Virginia Hudson Grantham), great-great grandson of Coleman Jarred (Jart) Hudson.
“The pink hue is from the way the sun was hitting the roof through the trees.
This is a picture of the Grantham Farmhouse I took in about 2012, when the Littletons, the last Grantham descendant family to own the homestead, still lived there. It brought back many fond memories of the Thanksgiving holidays when we would travel from Pennsylvania to the Goldsboro / Grantham area to spend time with our relatives. Nothing but fond memories from late 1960’s to early 1970’s spending time with Great Aunt Dessie Grantham who lived at the farmhouse, my grandmother Sudie Grantham Jones, Uncle Ralph Grantham, Aunt Edna Francis Gossard, and of course, my cousins Linda West and Vicky Gossard.” by Daniel (Dan) Grantham Jones.
This home, where Gideon (Gid) Edward & Elizabeth (Bettie) Virginia Hudson Grantham lived in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s was built by Hiram Grantham, the father of Gideon as discussed in the following article.
[The below is an excerpt from History of Wayne County, article by Ruth Grantham Parker]
One of Solomon’s sons was Hiram Grantham. He was born Jan 9th 1817 and married Abby Penelope Bizzel born Jan 21, 1823, the daughter of Jessie Bizzel and Abigail Jinette.
Hiram and Abby were married 1839. They had 9 children, Sarah, David, Marshall P, Hettie, Amariah, Silas, Jessie, William and Gideon, Hiram was a member of Masonic Lodge
125 from 1852 to 1872.
Hiram operated a country store at the crossroads in Grantham, known thru the years as Grantham Store. He built a fine home for the times across the road from the store which
still stands today. It was been recently purchased by David and Ann Littleton. David is great- great grandson of Hiram. The home still retains much of it original beauty. [More of this except is on the history post]
Daniel (Dan) Grantham Jones, son of Samuel (Sammie) B. Jones, grandson of Sudie Belle Grantham Jones, great grandson of Bettie (Elizabeth Virginia Hudson Grantham), great-great grandson of Coleman Jarred (Jart) Hudson.
Grantham House in Grantham, NC - Built Circa 1840
The Grantham farm house was built by Hiram & Abby Bizzell Grantham in about 1840.
This photo has been reported to have been taken in 1875. The participants are probably the family of an older sibling of Gid's.
After Hiram's death, Abby continued to live in the farm house unitl her death, and their youngest son, Gideon Edward Grantham inherited it along with hundreds of acres of farmland and numerous tenant dwellings and other buildings and enterprises. During some of these years, and certainly in their latter years when Gideon was serving as the Wayne County Register of Deeds, he and his wife, Bettie Hudson Grantham, also had a second home in the county seat, Goldsboro, a few blocks from downtown.
Grantham House - Grantham NC - History Article
History of the Grantham Family in Grantham. North Carolina
[The below is an excerpt from History of Wayne County, article by Ruth Grantham Parker.]
One of Solomon’s sons was Hiram Grantham. He was born Jan 9th 1817 and married Abby Penelope Bizzel born Jan 21, 1823, the daughter of Jessie Bizzel and Abigail Jinette. Hiram and Abby were married in 1839. They had 9 children, Sarah, David, Marshall P., Hettie, Amariah, Silas, Jessie, William and Gideon. Hiram was a member of Masonic Lodge #125 from 1852 to 1872.
Hiram operated a country store at the crossroads in Grantham, known thru the years as “Grantham Store.” He built a fine home for the times across the road from the store which still stands today. It was been recently purchased by David and Ann Littleton. David is great-great grandson of Hiram. The home still retains much of it original beauty.
The stage coach from Fayetteville to Goldsboro stopped at Hiram’s store to feed and water the horses, and he also served meals to the passengers. Hiram was tax collector, ran the farm, a liquor still (which was legal) and a turpentine still. The upper story of the store was used as a [Masonic] Lodge Hall and also as a Church. In 1877 Abby & Hiram donated land on which to establish Falling Creek Methodist Church. The store also served as Falling Creek Post Office.
Although the old store has been burned down and replaced there remains even today a store at the crossroads still run by descendants of Solomon, Mr. & Mrs. ? Grantham. He is the son of Clarence Grantham.
Hiram died without a will and his estate was divided by 3 men appointed by the court, D. H. Bridges, Richard Manly and W.H. Hood. His sons and daughters were given farms, and custom of the day his wife Abby got “One Years Provision”: 12 head of fat pigs, 50 barrels of corn, 500LBs of lint cotton, 2500lbs of fodder for a total value of $300. Abby lived at the family house until she died. Hiram died June 18, 1877 and Abby died May 18, 1898. Both are buried on the family farm now owned by David Littleton
Gideon Grantham the youngest son of Hiram married Elizabeth Virginia Hudson. He was the register of deeds from 1916 until his death in 1925. His daughter Dessie than filled that position until December 1932. Dessie also taught school at Falling Creek Academy. Gideon gave land at the crossroads at Grantham for the school which up until that time was Falling Creek Academy, but it was renamed Grantham School in his honor for the donation. The new school opened in 1924. It was of brick construction and remained in service until 1978 when it was replaced by a new building. Gideon had 10 children 4 of whom died in infancy. His only living son was a medical doctor and practiced in Oakland Ca, where his wife Marion and 3 children still live. Gideon’s girls were named Dessie, Gertie, Sudie, Alice and Edna Bryner
[The above is from History of Wayne County, by Ruth Grantham Parker.]
This article was provided by Daniel (Dan) Grantham Jones, son of Samuel (Sammie) B. Jones, grandson of Sudie Belle Grantham Jones, great-grandson of Bettie (Elizabeth Virginia Hudson Grantham), great-great grandson of Coleman Jarred (Jart) Hudson.
Children of Gideon & Bettie Hudson Grantham (2)
Gid & Bettie Hudson Grantham's children at their farm house in Grantham Township, Wayne County, NC.
Grantham House - Grantham, NC - Before or during renovation.
Grantham House in Grantham NC - 2012 (side view)
Pictured is the side of the Grantham House - Grantham opposite to the gardens and outbuildings.
David Dwight Hudson Sr. - Birthday Tour in Grantham (16)
Outbuildings on the grounds of Grantham House in Grantham, NC, in May of 2021
David Dwight Hudson Sr. - Birthday Tour in Grantham (17)
Outbuildings on the grounds of Grantham House in Grantham, NC, in May of 2021.
David Dwight Hudson Sr. - Birthday Tour in Grantham (19)
Outbuildings on the grounds of Grantham House in Grantham, NC, in May of 2021.
Grantham House Outbuilding (By Daniel Grantham Jones (3)
Outbuilding on the grounds of Grantham House in Grantham, NC, in May of 2012.
Grantham House Outbuilding (By Daniel Grantham Jones (1)
Outbuilding on the grounds of Grantham House in Grantham, NC, in May of 2012.
Grantham House Outbuilding (By Daniel Grantham Jones (2)
Outbuildings on the grounds of Grantham House in Grantham, NC, in May of 2012.
David Dwight Hudson Sr. - Birthday Tour in Grantham (22)
May 2021
David Dwight Hudson, Sr., nephew of Bettie Hudson Grantham with his nephew, Gary Alan Hudson, visits the Grantham farm house grounds that which is now used as an outdoor wedding venue.
G. E. Grantham 1924 Farm - Subdivision Map (original) (WM)