by Earl Swift
Nowadays a frozen sound: “Our Heritage: Pungoteague River Lighthouse,” U.S. Lighthouse Society, Chesapeake chapter, http://www.cheslights.org/heritage/pungoteague.htm (retrieved November 13, 2017).
A long roster: The lives and deaths of the Janes Island, Solomons Lump, Sharps Island, and Hooper Strait lighthouses are described by the Chesapeake chapter of the U.S. Lighthouse Society at https://cheslights.org/category/heritage-maryland/(retrieved November 14, 2017).
There was plenty: The balky first electric plant is described in Mariner, God’s Island, and Anne Hughes Jander, Crab’s Hole: A Family Story of Tangier Island (Chestertown, Md.: Literary House Press, 1994).
That same year: My account of the crab pot’s invention relies on James Wharton, “The Pot at the End of the Rainbow,” Baltimore Sun, June 3, 1956; and James Wharton, “Of Time and the Dipnet,” Rappahannock Record (Kilmarnock, Va.), August 11, 1983. Available at https://virginiachronicle.com/cgi-bin/virginia?a=d&d=RR19830811.1.3# (retrieved November 7, 2017).
Lewis received a patent: Larry S. Chowning, Barcat Skipper: Tales of a Tangier Island Waterman (Centreville, Md.: Tidewater Publishers, 1983), 140–42.
Another big change: “FCC Authorizes Radiotelephone to Bay Islands,” Washington Post, October 16, 1940.
Over the next twenty-six years: The phone booths and their 1966 replacement with home phones are described in “Dial Cuts Distance of Island,” Virginian-Pilot, October 13, 1966; “1st Phones for Homes on Tangier,” Virginian-Pilot, October 17, 1966; “Telephones in Tangier,” editorial, Virginian-Pilot, October 18, 1966; and “Changes Coming to Tangier I.,” Washington Post, October 27, 1966.
But then, Tangiermen: Jander, Crab’s Hole, and Mariner, God’s Island.
The wind persists: The Situation Room scene unfolded on July 11, 2016.
So it seems: My car was totaled on July 28, 2016.
Between blows: Paulie McCready made his comment on July 24, 2016.
CHAPTER TWELVE
The first Sunday in July: The New Testament service took place on July 3, 2016.
The yoke of bondage: This and the following passage on observance of the Sabbath are ibid.
The island has never been: Author interview with Jack Thorne, June 26, 2016, and Iris Pruitt, December 12, 2016.
Such an exception: “Boy Who Defies ‘Go to Church’ Blue Law Shot,” Chicago Tribune, April 19, 1920; Mariner, God’s Island; and author interview with Annette Charnock, April 28, 2017.
The boy survived: Mariner, God’s Island, and author interview with Annette Charnock, April 28, 2017.
A great many: Author interview with Annette Charnock, April 28, 2017.
Which brings us to a saga: My description of Richardson’s past and early years on Tangier was informed by Mariner, God’s Island; James C. Richardson, 7 Acres: The Story of the New Testament Church on Tangier Island (Shippensburg, Pa.: Companion Press, 1997); and interviews with Grace Kimpel (October 31, 2016), Iris Pruitt (December 12, 2016), Ginny Marshall (November 10, 2016), and Jack Thorne (July 3, 2016).
So it came to pass: Author interview with Grace Kimpel, October 31, 2016.
Richardson didn’t leave alone: “Trouble in Tangier,” Newsweek, October 13, 1947.
Stella Thomas’s sister: Ibid.
So the lawlessness began: The passage on the post-split mayhem on Tangier was informed by Richardson, 7 Acres; Mariner, God’s Island; Shores, Tangier Island; my interview with Grace Kimpel, October 31, 2016; and ibid.
Richardson met these trials: Richardson, 7 Acres, 80.
Incredibly, the town: Ibid., 81.
Embarrassed by the story: While researching this section in June 2017, I was contacted by former islander Sarah Newton Palmer, whose father served as principal of Tangier’s school during the troubles. Ms. Palmer told me via email that prior to the Newsweek story, her father wrote the governor to warn that if left unaddressed by the state, the split would end in violence. I’ve been unable to verify any role he might have played in the state’s intercession.
Piety and lawlessness: The shirt factory is described in James Marinus, “A Visit to Tangier Island,” Peninsula Enterprise (Accomac, Va.), May 7, 1927. Its destruction was described to me in numerous interviews with islanders and referenced in Harrison Smith, “Tangier Island Is Sinking. Its Population Is Shrinking. And These Guys Want to Make It the Oyster Capital of the East Coast,” Washingtonian, March 6, 2016.
The news reaches: Situation Room session, July 27, 2016.
A few hours later: I attended the Swain Memorial service of July 27, 2016.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Asbury Pruitt was that: My portrait of Asbury Pruitt was informed by interviews with Jack Chandler (July 17, 2016), John W. Charnock (January 12, 2017), Grace Kimpel (October 31, 2016), Danny Mc-Cready (October 10, 2016), Connie Parks (September 26, 2016), Kim “Socks” Parks (November 7, 2016), Inez Pruitt (September 24, 2016), and Jerry Frank Pruitt (June 27, 2016).
In 1958, Asbury had: The target ships and the spotting operation are described in “Bombs to Drop Off Tangier Isle,” Washington Post, June 2, 1957; “6 Operate Navy Bomb Range,” Virginian-Pilot, November 3, 1967; and John Stevenson, “Business Is Explosive at Navy’s Island Range,” Virginian-Pilot, April 6, 1970. I also relied on my interviews with Jack Chandler, July 17, 2016, and Ed “Short Ed” Parks, October 11, 2016.
At some early point: Asbury’s quote is from Jack Dorsey, “Eastern Shore Islands Yield to Sea as Men Argue Peril,” Our Vanishing Shoreline, Norfolk Ledger-Star, October 1979.
On January 8, 1964: Author interview with Jerry Frank Pruitt, June 27, 2016.
Asbury repeated: Asbury’s methodology is described in Dorsey, “Eastern Shore Islands Yield to Sea,” and Donald P. Baker, “Tangier Island: 17 Feet Lost to Bay in Last 3 Months,” Washington Post, April 20, 1979. Jerry Frank’s quote is from our June 27, 2016, interview.
Rightly so, because: Morris Rowe, “Erosion Threatens Tangier,” Virginian-Pilot, February 15, 1973; and John Pruitt, “Tangier Islanders See Land Washing to Sea,” Virginian-Pilot, January 14, 1974.
By January 1975: Asbury’s measurements were reported in “Tiny Tangier Island Losing Erosion Fight,” Virginian-Pilot, January 9, 1975. Asbury’s quote is from Pruitt, “Tangier Islanders See Land Washing to Sea.”
Its most immediate: The channel’s construction is described in Report of the Chief of Engineers, U.S. Army, 1965 (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1965); and Report of the Chief of Engineers, U.S. Army, 1966 (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1966).
The project was bundled: My passage on the airport’s development was informed by “Tangier’s Isolation Due to End Soon,” Norfolk Ledger-Star, January 28, 1966; “Airport for Tangier: Accessibility to Grow,” Virginian-Pilot, February 22, 1966; John Pruitt, “Tangier Airport Tentatively Granted $102,000,” Virginian-Pilot, April 30, 1968; Don Hunt, “A Link to Tangier Takes Shape,” Virginian-Pilot, February 24, 1969; “First Airfield Is Opened on Island off Virginia,” New York Times, August 10, 1969; John C. Stevenson, “Control Tower Begun for Tangier Airport,” Virginian-Pilot, March 17, 1970; and “Tangier Airport Upgrade Sought,” Virginian-Pilot, August 3, 1973.
Five years later: “2nd Barge for Tangier Project,” Virginian-Pilot, December 2, 1975; and Morris Rowe, “Island Gets 13,000 Tons of Riprap to Fight Erosion,” Virginian-Pilot, February 22, 1976.
Meanwhile, the state: Robert J. Byrne, Shore Erosion at Tangier Island, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William and Mary, 1976. See also Paul G. Edwards, “Bay Waters Rapidly Erode Tangier Island,” Washington Post, July 4, 1976.
Whatever remedy: Byrne, Shore Erosion at Tangier Island, 23.
It so happened: The land loss statistics are from “Saving Tangier,” editorial, Virginian-Pilot, April 12, 1979; and Baker, “Tangier Island: 17 Feet Lost.”
Down below Hog Ridge: Author interview with Jack Chandler, July 17, 2016.
Little more than two years: Baker, “Tangier Isla
nd: 17 Feet Lost.” I quoted the report in “The Tangierman’s Lament,” a two-part story resulting from my 2000 stay on the island and published in the Virginian-Pilot of June 11–12, 2000.
That grim forecast: Claudia Turner Bagwell, “Seawall for Tangier Draws Official Eyes,” Virginian-Pilot, April 20, 1979. The telephone lines are mentioned in Baker, “Tangier Island: 17 Feet Lost.”
His visit seemed: The agreement was described in Claudia Turner Bagwell, “Tangier Island Seawall Given Officials’ Accord,” Virginian-Pilot, July 13, 1979. The rescue’s early fate in Congress was reported in “Panel to Discuss Tangier Seawall,” Virginian-Pilot, July 24, 1979; Felicity Barringer, “$3.5 Million for Seawall at Tangier Backed on Hill,” Washington Post, July 27, 1979; “House Panel Okays Tangier Seawall Bill,” Virginian-Pilot, July 31, 1979; Claudia Turner Bagwell, “2 Attempts to Block Seawall Project Fail,” Virginian-Pilot, January 29, 1980.
The House passed the bill: “House Approves Tangier Seawall,” Virginian-Pilot, February 6, 1980. Warner’s letter was included in Claudia Turner Bagwell, “Warner Seeks to Jar Loose Tangier Funds,” Virginian-Pilot, June 3, 1980.
The bill failed: “Warner’s Bill Seeks Seawall,” Virginian-Pilot, February 8, 1983; Linda Cicoira, “Seawall Is Urged for Tangier Island,” Virginian-Pilot, September 28, 1983; and Linda Cicoira, “Panel Recommends Erosion Bill,” Virginian-Pilot, May 25, 1984.
In the early 1980s: Dewey Crockett made the comment in Linda Cicoira, “Residents of Tangier Push Road Development,” Norfolk Ledger-Star, September 17, 1987.
The centerpiece: Linda Cicoira, “Erosion Worsens on Tangier Island,” Virginian-Pilot, January 11, 1984. Asbury’s quote is from Cicoira, “Panel Recommends Erosion Bill.”
Congress wrote and passed: Linda Cicoira, “New Tangier Island Seawall Likely,” Virginian-Pilot, June 28, 1984; “Funding OK’d for Seawall off Tangier Island,” Virginian-Pilot, September 19, 1984; and Linda Cicoira, “Bay Nearing Landing Strip at Tangier,” Norfolk Ledger-Star, January 9, 1985. “Save Tangier Island,” editorial, Virginian-Pilot, October 26, 1985.
Tangier had been: Author interview with Duane Crockett, July 14, 2016.
The island had reached: Junior Moore was quoted in Jean McNair, “Tangier Fights to Keep Head Above Water,” Virginian-Pilot, October 22, 1985. Asbury’s measurements were included in Linda Cicoira, “Tangier Loses 42 feet to Erosion,” Virginian-Pilot, January 14, 1986.
Whatever the case: Linda Cicoira, “Senate OKs $5.4 Million for Tangier Seawall,” Virginian-Pilot, March 28, 1986; “House OKs Tangier Seawall,” Norfolk Ledger-Star, June 25, 1987; Linda Cicoira, “Accomack Pledges Its Share of Tangier Seawall,” Virginian-Pilot, April 22, 1988; and Patrick K. Lackey, “Keeping Bay at Bay: Tangier Building Wall to Save Island,” Virginian-Pilot, June 27, 1988.
Just as vexing: Leon’s “good harbor” comment came on May 26, 2016. His “crab floats” quote is from the Situation Room session of August 18, 2016.
The channel’s unhappy: Author interview with Ed “Short Ed” Parks, October 11, 2016.
The Corps of Engineers: 153 Cong. Rec. 12,039 (2007). The jetty’s glacial progress is reflected in Tangier Town Council minutes of June 5, 2001; July 23, 2002; November 19, 2002; February 10, 2004; September 28, 2004; August 17, 2009; February 2, 2010; and July 23, 2012.
That might explain: Susan Svrluga, “Harboring Hope on Tangier Island,” Washington Post, November 21, 2012.
Islanders were convinced: Author interview with James “Ooker” Eskridge, May 30, 2016, and Denny Crockett, February 11, 2016.
Those in attendance: Author interview with Denny Crockett, February 11, 2016.
The stormy meeting: Ooker made this comment during our crabbing foray of May 30, 2016.
“They do studies”: Ooker’s quote is from September 13, 2016.
One late afternoon: This venture to Uppards and Carol Moore’s comments are from undated notes I recorded in summer 2016.
The gut’s expansion: Gibbons and Nicholls, “Island Abandonment and Sea-Level Rise,” 42.
But back to this breach: William B. Mills, Chih-Fang Chung, and Katherine Hancock, “Predictions of Relative Sea-Level Change and Shoreline Erosion over the 21st Century on Tangier Island, Virginia,” Journal of Coastal Research 21, no. 2 (March 2005): 36–51.
The Tangier Town Council: Council minutes of September 12, 2011.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
His skiff’s outboard: My outing with Cameron Evans took place on October 8, 2016.
Though older Tangiermen: Cindy Parks’s quote is taken from my undated interview notes from the winter of 2016–17.
Principal Nina Pruitt: Author interview with Nina Pruitt, July 13, 2016.
In the spring of 1914: J. W. Church, “Tangier Island,” Harper’s Magazine, May 1914.
But not because: Author interview with Jean Crockett, October 29, 2016.
The first such outfit: My passage on the grocery store is based on personal observation and interviews with JoAnne Daley, September 22, 2016, and Terry and Lance Daley, October 10, 2016.
Another must-have: My passage on the mailboat is based on my October 8, 2016, interview with Beth Thomas, and on Thomas Ferraro, “Neither rain, nor snow, nor broken rudder stops the mail,” a UPI report carried in the Galesburg (Il.) Register-Mail, April 13, 1977.
And there are no painless: Rudy Thomas Jr.’s comments are from Voices of the Chesapeake, 2010-2013, a podcast of interviews conducted by Michael Buckley of WRNR-FM in Grasonville, Md., and available free on iTunes.
Then there’s the big one: Author interview with Cindy Parks, winter of 2016–17. My subsequent passage on the health of Tangier Combined School is based on my interview with Nina Pruitt, July 13, 2016, and telephone interview with Rhonda Hall, September 2017.
Islanders have watched: Nina Pruitt supplied me with the projections during our July 13, 2016, interview.
Even if enrollment: Author interview with Denny Crockett, February 11, 2016.
But islanders do have: Nina made the “older than dirt” comment to a contingent of visiting mainland principals on July 14, 2016. Her comment about teacher replacement is from our July 13, 2016, interview.
On a Friday in mid-August: The session took place on August 19, 2016.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
But nowhere: John Charnock’s quotes are from the Situation Room session of September 12, 2016.
Patricia Stover was a native: The pastor’s biography prior to her arrival on Tangier is from our telephone interview of May 3, 2017.
So Pastor Stover: The pastor’s comments regarding her tenure on Tangier are from our telephone interview of May 4, 2017.
The parsonage: Pastor Stover’s feeling that something wasn’t right at Swain was backed up by the Reverend Robbie Parks, an island native who was serving the UMC Virginia Conference on the mainland. He told me in an August 29, 2016, interview that he detected unrest in the congregation years before Stover’s arrival.
Some of the faithful: Author interview with Cook Cannon, September 27, 2016.
Duane Crockett, who: Author interview with Duane Crockett, January 14, 2017.
Pastor Stover agreed: Author interview with Nancy Creedle, January 12, 2017.
“When you’re elected”: Author interview with Eugenia Pruitt, October 11, 2016.
Titled “Effective and Constructive”: The 2011 Book of Reports is available online at http://www.vaumc.org/ncfilerepository/AC2011/2011BOR.pdf (retrieved November 14, 2017). Resolution 13 appears on pages 59–60.
“Well, when I read”: The votes on the resolutions are available at “Results of 2011 Annual Conference Resolutions,” http://www.vaumc.org/ncfilerepository/ac2011/2011ResultsofResolutions.pdf (retrieved November 14, 2017).
“I don’t think anybody”: Author interview with Jean Crockett, October 29, 2016.
No matter that: Author interview with Duane Crockett, January 14, 2017.
One might argue: Author interview with Cook Cannon, September 27, 2016.
Duane, who knew: Author interview with Duane Crockett, January 14, 2017. At least one congregant, John I. Pruitt, declined to stand. I’ve spoken with others who said they were confused by Duane’s entreaty but stood anyway.
The subject came up: This and subsequent quotes from Duane Crockett on the split are from our interview of January 14, 2017.
The letters appeared: The letter is preserved at http://www.progress-index.com/progress-index/news/1.1178887/archive (retrieved November 14, 2017).
Building or no: Author interview with Jean Crockett, October 29, 2016.
“I was hurt”: Author interview with Eugenia Pruitt, October 11, 2016.
Like the earlier: Author interview with Nancy Creedle, January 12, 2017.
In 2013, the time: Author interview with Robbie Parks, August 29, 2016.
John Flood remembers: The pastor’s comments are from undated notes of our interview in early June 2016.
One evening I sat: The session with Alex Joyner took place on September 26, 2017.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
And then comes: Situation Room session, July 14, 2016.
Eleven days later: Situation Room session, July 25, 2016.
The carnage is still: I joined Ooker on his boat on July 30, 2016.
The barges are a sore spot: The barge project was described in Scott Harper, “Rigell: Use old barges to stem Tangier Island erosion,” Virginian-Pilot, June 28, 2011. A video produced by Rigell’s office captures a meeting between the congressman, islanders, and a salvage company official; it is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqYR92YO0_Q.
At Tangier, the three men: Rigell’s quote is from a press briefing released by his office, and available at https://votesmart.org/public-statement/620760/delmarvanowcom-rigell-proposes-sinking-barges-off-tangier#.Wk6OQEtG3BI. Ooker’s made his comment on July 30, 2016.
One morning I drive: I visited Dave Schulte on June 22, 2016.
Schulte stayed alert: Kearney and Stevenson, “Island Land Loss and Marsh Vertical Accretion Rate Evidence.”