This house, listed in the tax office of Bertie County (NC) as THE BETTY VEALE HOME PLACE, is believed to be one of the oldest houses standing at the present time in the Lewiston community, having been built during slavery time.

I’ve been told by family members that there are census records showing that members of the Veale family were slaves on this farm. One slave, named Africa, was thought to be the monarch of the band of slaves. The Veale slaves, last name given by their owners, were recognized in the census as early as the 1880’s. 

After the slaves were freed, they bought the land from their former owners. The farm was divided into sections and passed down to heirs – generation after generation. Over a period of time, some of the land was sold to outside interests.

My late husband James A. Veale, Sr., adored the “OPENING,” a section of the land that was cleared with no trees, vowing, when his family moved to Baltimore when he was a child, to return upon his retirement. He never forgot his dream, always keeping it in his plans as an adult. He realized his dream, was blessed by God to return to his land, work his soil, watch his many trees, plants and huge garden grow, and watch the magnificent views afforded by nature, through the changing seasons.

This home has witnessed many, many births and deaths, and was the site of the first Veale Family Reunion. The winding road running through the farm carries the honored name “VEALE FIELD ROAD.” The legacy of this community has so much history, letting present as well as future generations know that goals can be accomplished when people are united as a family, community and kindred souls.

Knowing that the original Veale owners (who were former slaves with very little formal education) realized that they had the formula for success: a gift of common sense, a strong desire to achieve, coupled with strong moral values, a total belief in God, along with much hard work, lets us know what can still be done today and that the Veale descendants are obligated to pass it on.