Charming Remains

By Beth Yarbrough

Sallie Ann Bonner's children were like children everywhere. They couldn't resist writing on things they weren't supposed to write on.

In her case, the children found a way to etch their names in one of the panes of wavy glass that look out across the wide view of Bath Creek, just as it's about to empty into North Carolina's Pamlico River on its way to the sea.

Had there been Crayolas in the late 1830's, then maybe the Bonner siblings would have gone wild with the "box of 64", but decades of whitewash would have covered their tracks. At least this way, we are left with their charming little names as a sweet reminder that the Bonner House, circa 1830, in historic Bath, NC, was actually a home.

As with most all Southern homes, the front porch was built for greeting and entertaining the neighbors, as well as for watching the ships come into port. The Bonners chose this point of land in the village for just that reason. The back porch was for work in the warm months - overlooking the gardens and the scuppernong arbor - and I'm guessing a noisy flock of chickens and roosters as well.

Inside, the house was spacious, and still retains most of the original grain painting and finely carved mantels - not to mention all of those small panes of original wavy glass. Thanks to thoughtful preservation efforts and a bit of good luck through the centuries, it stands as one of the finest remaining examples of early Carolina architecture and today is a beautiful feature of the Bath Historic District.

Meanwhile, back out on the front porch - Sallie Ann Bonner had something else to gaze upon as she looked out to sea. Just down the shore stood the former home of Edward Teach, who predated her by a hundred years or so. It's just as well. She may not have felt entirely safe trying to raise her children next door to the man known by the rest of the world as Blackbeard, the world's most notorious pirate.

Blackbeard's house no longer stands. Even the foundation ruins are a matter of debate. These days, the only view out to sea through the front windows of the Bonner house is one of wide water, green trees, and the etched names of several little children who couldn't resist writing on things they weren't supposed to write on.