A HISTORY OF FALKLAND The history of the Falkland area has its beginnings way before Pitt County was formed in 1760. As early as 1727, Robert Williams, a Welshman, bought all the land between Tyson and Otter Creeks in Pitt County. Mr. Williams was a prominent man in county affairs, and the Williams Family decidedly became the most important family in the Falkland area. As early as 1779, George Faulkner (Falconer) was granted an ordinary (tavern) license in what is now Falkland. Faulkner’s Tavern was supposed to have been located between what was the Hugh Smith house and Louis Smith’s Store. Very little is known about Falkland after the Revolution other than there were many prominent families in the area such as Foreman, Ellis, Vines, Dupree, Harris, King, Cobb, and Deberry. When and why Falkland was so named has never been learned. Some believe it was named for Falkland in Scotland, the home of Scottish Kings, while others believe it was a derivation of the name Faulkner. Be the origin of its name as it may, on March 13, 1838, James Lang Cobb became the first postmaster of Falkland, serving until 1858. Other postmasters were Amos W. Corbitt (1858-1859), William B. F. Newton (1859-1866), Joseph H. Mayo (1866), Peyton H. Mayo (1866-1889), and Elias S. Harris (1889). The post office is said to have been in the Mayo family for nearly 40 years. During the Civil War the post office was kept in Dr. Peyton H. Mayo’s home. The postmastership passed through Joseph Mayo, his brother Dr. Peyton H. Mayo, and then to Peyton’s son and daughters over the years. By 1848 an Episcopal Church, known as Gethsemane Parish, was started in Falkland. The church lasted until about 1852. In 1850, it is known there were three stores in the Falkland area run by James Lang Cobb, Redding Gay, and Edward Hoell. There were several water gristmills run by Benjamin F. Wooten, Spencer S. Harris, and R. F. J. H. Williams, and R. Williams near Falkland. Samuel Vines, Jr. also ran a turpentine distillery. Falkland is located one mile from the Tar River and the landing for the village was known as Pillsboro. The landing was first known as Williams Landing, also as Tobacco Patch, and the Upper Bluff. According to tradition, someone opened a store there before the Civil War and the place was found to be so unhealthy the name Pillsboro was stuck to it. Since the 1850s, fishing became important around Pillsboro and the local fishermen built and overhauled their boats and nets there while waiting for the spring fishing season. On September 30, 1859, the steam sawmill near Falkland, belonging to Mr. Bibb, of the late firm of Harris and Bibb, was destroyed by fire, together with a considerable quantity of lumber. According to an 1867 business directory, Atkinson and Johnson had a store at Pillsboro, Mayo and Brothers had a store at Falkland, and Richard W. Singletary was a lawyer living in Falkland. On June 2, 1868, Capt. Bryan Smith of Falkland patented a new and improved cotton seed planter, which he sold in all the local counties for $25. In 1869, Falkland had two stores, Mayo and Williams and M. R. Jones. There were also two doctors, Dr. P. H. Mayo and Dr. J. W. Bynum. By 1872 Falkland still had only two stores, but May and Belcher had erected a steam saw and grist mill near town. By 1877 the stores had increased to five, being operated by Cotten and Warren, L. B. Dupree, W. T. Harris, William Jones, and Dr. P. H. Mayo. May and Belcher were also still operating their mill. In 1883, the businesses of Falkland included four general merchandise stores, two schools, two gristmills, one lawyer, one doctor, two magistrates, two fertilizer agents, one cattle dealer, two carpenters, and one blacksmith and wheelright. Falkland was incorporated on Mar. 7, 1887, with James A. Cobb as mayor and P. H. Mayo, Wiley Pierce and C. A. Vines as commissioners. The constable was J. F. Fountain. The town charter was amended on Mar. 4, 1893 and the new town officers were J. H. Smith, mayor and J. L. Fountain, J. C. Cobb and J. A. Cobb as commissioners. Wiley Pierce was the town constable. In 1887, J. L. Fountain formed a partnership with C. C. Vines and built a store in Falkland. In 1892, Fountain bought out Mr. Vines, and in January 1902 he took in S. M. Crisp as a partner. J. L. Fountain and Co. owned a large steam gin, saw, and grist mill at Falkland. They had the first telephone in town in 1898 and they also had a small steamboat, the Lillian, which was named for Fountain’s daughter. In May 1888, Falkland boasted as having as many different societies as any place of its size in the state. They had a Grange, an Alliance, a Temperance Reform Club, a Democratic Club, a Sunday School and monthly religious services. The Sunday School was organized in May 1888 by James H. Tucker, superintendent of the Greenville Baptist Sunday School. The Sunday School had over 50 names enrolled and Capt. John King was made superintendent, with Hon. Willis R. Williams as assistant and C. C. Vines as secretary. In 1897, two stores began in Falkland. Eaton C. King went into business with Dr. Jennis Morrill and had a large business under the name King and Morrill. King’s wife, Daisy (daughter of Dr. P. H. Mayo), ran a millinery shop in their store for many years. Also J. E. Parker, son of R. B. Parker, was appointed postmaster in 1897. He operated the post office out of his small grocery store in Falkland. By 1902, Falkland had a population of 139 souls. The town officers were John H. Smith, mayor; A. O. Hight, clerk and tax collector; E. C. King, treasurer; and Robert Newton, chief of police. There were three stores: J. L. Fountain and Co., King and Morrill, and J. F. Parker; three saloons: G. W. Smith and Co., W. T. Pierce, and R. N. Nichols; a newspaper called the Falkland Courier (which lasted only a year); and S. M. Crisp rented the Mayo home and ran a boarding house known as the Crisp House. —Roger Kammerer