March 24, 1949 was a special day for the city of Brevard: “Sadie North Day.” The front page of the Transylvania Times was emblazoned with the announcement that a coast-to-coast broadcast would honor the local lady for her diligent efforts for the local chapter of the American Red Cross. Sadie did indeed devote much time to volunteer first-aid training in the community, and she was also an interesting person in her own right.

Sarah Chapney North was born on May 21, 1875 in Brunswick, Georgia to parents Linus North (1836-1914) and Sophia Russell North (1835-1912), neither of whom was from the area: Linus was born in Pennsylvania, and Sophia was born in Maine.

Both Sadie’s parents had work histories that took them all over the United States, and their paths crossed in Brunswick where Linus was the postmaster and Sophia was a schoolteacher. The couple married in December 1870, and five years later their only child Sarah, known thereafter as Sadie, was born.

According to an interview with Sadie published in the Transylvania Times in 1939, her family left Georgia due to a yellow fever epidemic. This may be what she was told as a child, but documentation shows that the reason for the move was her father being imprisoned for embezzlement of post office funds. Though the case was later “nol prosed”, perhaps this is why father Linus never appears on any property deeds in Transylvania County – mother Sophia is the sole North landowner until Sadie reaches adulthood.

A clean start for the North family in Brevard began with Sophia’s purchase of adjoining plots of land beginning in 1886. The North home was built in 1888 on West Probart Street and remained there for almost 100 years until its demolition in 1970. Sadie lived there on her own from the time her parents passed away until her own death in 1966.

Sadie attended the local schools and found work in a retail shop once she completed her course of study. Some years later in 1912 she completed a correspondence course and earned her nursing certificate. She began to work for private families, doctors and hospitals in the area. She also opened her large multi-story home to boarders and made secondary income this way for decades.

The same year that her father died in 1914, Sadie adopted a young boy who she named Linus North after her father. There is very little known about the boy because the only record found about him is a news clip from the June 27, 1919 Transylvania Times stating the adopted son of Sadie North had died at the age of five and was buried next to her parents in Oak Grove cemetery. His life fell between Federal Census years, and there is not a story about how the adoption came to be, or how formally it was conducted with the expected paper trail.

During the Depression era, Sadie’s nursing training earned her a position as home educator for the WPA. Starting in March 1934 she taught courses on home nursing and personal home defense. She also conducted a home laundry business to make ends meet.

Sadie worked with the American Red Cross as well. As part of her duties, she learned to swim and ride a bicycle in 1935 at age sixty. With a friend’s encouragement, she enrolled in the Red Cross Aquatic School at Camp Carolina, eventually being crowned with the title Queen of Red Cross Aquatic School in 1947.

She wasn’t able to teach first aid as part of her role as WPA educator, and so she taught courses for free because of her belief in what she was teaching: night classes in first aid at community centers and even homes. After seeing its success, the Red Cross rules changed to allow this kind of education as part of the home educator’s job.

She bicycled everywhere, including to the homes of those who wished to learn, toting clothing, books, and medical supplies to homebound and rural residents. Articles state that she biked upwards of 10,000 miles across Transylvania County in the name of nursing education.

Sadie North’s volunteerism did not go unnoticed. She received an American Red Cross service award plaque for sixteen years of meritorious service to isolated families in the mountains. Ted Malone, contemporary radio personality, awarded her with the “Good American Award” on his show aired on ABC on March 24, 1949.

Later that day, “Sadie North Day” festivities in Brevard broadcast the local award ceremony on the radio as well. The celebration was held on the Courthouse lawn and featured the Ecusta marching band, an address by the mayor S.E. Varner, and the award was presented by Transylvania chapter Red Cross president Lewis Hamlin.

Sadie continued her active lifestyle throughout her remaining days. She passed away on October 12, 1966 and was buried next to her family in Oak Grove cemetery. Her legacy of service lives beyond her time in Transylvania County.

Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library. This article was written by Local History Librarian Laura Sperry. Sources available upon request.