In researching websites about the Roanoke-Chowan area for this site, among the most pleasant discoveries was Jim Pearce's The Poor Town News at poortown.com. Much of what I had in mind for roanoke-chowan.com was already accomplished by Jim and his fervent circle of readers and contributors. To read The Poor Town News is to stand around the wood stove in the country store, to lean against a fence with neighbors, to stretch out at the feet of cherished elders and to reflect on a collection of poetry.

Many of our lives and local history are depicted in the words and pictures of Jim, his sister Gwen’s Sidelights column in News-Herald from the 1940's, and Jim's many readers who contributed their stories, photographs, histories and poems.

By the time I finished the initial design for roanoke-chowan.com, I was notified of Jim’s passing by my cousin, Eric Mountain, who works at the News & Observer like Jim did. (In much of my life, there is always a cousin who comes along - almost always to my benefit.) Eric forwarded Jim Pearce's obituary to me.

Mrs. Pearce has no plans to continue the Poor Town News' growth, but the 127 editions will remain on the Web. I am still reading the back issues and I hope to finish in a few months. I hope you, too, will read each issue.

Now that Jim is gone, his site is a great part of the Roanoke-Chowan historical record. May The Poor Town News always be accessible, and may we forever appreciate James David Pearce’s gift to us.

-Marvin T. Jones

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