Even back in 1980, I liked exploring my home. Who else in Cofield would climb the silos of the Jones Milling Company (no relation) to make pictures of "downtown" Cofield? A remote was used to operate the clamped camera and Percy Whitfield was on ground yelling at me not to "break my damn fool neck."

I'm a professional photographer in Washington, D.C. My business, Marvin T. Jones and Associates, is now 26 years old. My business has allowed me to document many interesting people, events and places. It also allows me to visit Cofield, North Carolina regularly.

I've missed living in the Roanoke-Chowan area ever since I left for college in 1970 and, subconsciously, I've been trying to come back during all of that time.

Like many of you, I have an interest in researching my family's history. In the case of my family, the farthest our roots extend from the Roanoke-Chowan counties are Perquimans and Martin counties. Recently, I've accumulated hundreds of scans of my home. Many of the prints that I scanned were loaned to me by hometown family and friends. Visitors to my D.C. home and office are frequently shown and told stories about Roanoke-Chowan.

Because I grew up with a shy nature (may be a surprise to some), I've missed a lot of the Roanoke-Chowan experience: I hadn't gone hunting, didn't take a girl to Nags Head until I was over thirty (Carol married me later on), nor have I pulled tobacco formore than one hour or spent money on a girl at the fair. I didn't even hang out in town on a Saturday afternoon (I always worked in T.W. Jones General Merchandise). Well, you might get the idea that, on the teenage level, my life in NC was dry. But that's not true!!

It was interesting working with my father in his store. I met all manner of folks, who came to the store to pick up groceries, make deliveries or just to chat and have a coke (with peanuts in it). I witnessed and learned about things that the seasoned adults in our community did to sustain our values and community. The salesmen and deliverymen from the wholesale warehouses, housewives, loggers, farmers, teachers, carpenters, shipyard workers, county extension agents and former residents from up north all had a positive influence on me. Some were cousins, and from those days to this minute, I rarely meet a cousin that I don't enjoy. Relatives and friends are among my greatest treasures.

My city friends and immediate family constantly have to hear my recollections, and I still want more stories and information to pass on. I want to get to know you better, to hear your stories of now and the past and how you do things in Roanoke-Chowan. This website is my way of expanding my involvement with Roanoke-Chowan and sharing my rich heritage. It is Hertford County that I know best and, at first, most of the stories and "Tidbits" will reflect that. But, with time and your input, I will catch up on the remaining areas. Please send me reminders of what I'm missing in your county. Eventually, you and I will have an "Encyclopedia Roanoke-Chowanica" online to share with the world.

I've always felt that there are more enjoyable activities in Roanoke-Chowan than many folks realize, and I look forward to establishing links to all of our institutions and businesses that help make the Roanoke-Chowan area so wonderful. I hope to meet each one of you in my wanderings throughout the four counties of our two main rivers.

- Marvin T. Jones

My great-aunt Annie James Pierce lived in Woodland and operated a funeral home with her husband. Her brother, Collin James lived down the road from us outside of Cofield.

Another great-aunt, Rosa Smith Copeland lived in Gates county. She is shown in the early 1950's with her niece, my aunt Ruth Jones Henderson.

Born in Gates County, my great-grandfather Andrew Jackson Robbins, bought a farm in the 1880's that my family still owns. His father, Noah, was from Gates County and his mother, Susan, from Hertford. The twice-widowed Andrew is shown here with his third wife, Susan, and their first son Charlie who loved every niece and nephew well.