Tiny Island, Big History

By Tiffany Amber Stockton

So, as if my life didn't have enough happening, I decided it was a good idea to sign on with a monthly challenge with a few other authors who are part of my local writer's chapter. Although I've remained consistent with article writing, copywriting and copyediting, it has been a few years since I last had a fiction novel release. This challenge is helping me flex those story muscles and form a daily habit that will lead to me finishing this book that has been sitting on my computer for far too long.

Although the research is already done, today I'm sharing a little background of unique facts about this little island called Chincoteague, just off the Eastern Shore of Virginia and to the east of the Delmarva Peninsula.

CHINCOTEAGUE ISLAND

The history of human activity in Chincoteague, on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, begins with the Native Americans. Settlers from Europe swooped in and overtook the land in the late 17th century, but until then, the Chincoteague Indians used it as a place to gather shellfish. They aren't known to have lived there, though, as the island lacked suitable soil for their agriculture. Marshland doesn't typically grow much of anything except reeds.

Picturesque view of Chincoteague away from the populated
portion of the island (looking toward Assateague)

Once the European settlers inhabited the island, a series of disputes over who would own the island ensued. That led to patents being issued and a final resolution of an even split between two gentleman. With ownership of the island settled, it mostly existed as a place to house livestock, since they could feed off the marsh grasses. No need for fences or other enclosures to prevent the animals from straying either. How far could the animals go when they're on an island surrounded by water? (grins)

This led to the origin of the ponies on Assateague, though legends reported a Spanish shipwreck which left the ponies as cargo to swim to the nearest island. Historians believe the legend of the shipwreck simply became entwined with the history of the ponies until it was accepted as "truth." Funny how history does that from time to time. Makes me wonder just how much of unrecorded history is truly fact or merely embellished truths spoken from generation to generation until the truth and the embellishment can no longer be separated. Have you ever come across details like this?

Anyway, back to Chincoteague.

Stanley Jester (a distant cousin) harvests oysters by hand at low
tide in his oyster bed in the shallows of Chincoteague Bay

For the next hundred years or so, the island remained a place to house livestock for owners living on the mainland of Virginia. Following the Revolutionary War, residents realized the potential of business and industry through the abundance of shellfish in the area. This industry became so big, shipments went as far north as New England to the cities steadily growing there, and as I mentioned last month, my grandfather's family lived here. It was shellfish being provided to the White House under President Woodrow Wilson which led to my great-grandfather's cousin marrying the president while he was in office, leaving me with a family connection to "American royalty."

Throughout these years of shellfish and seafood industry, Chincoteague thrived. In 1876, a rail line completed a stop just 5 miles from the island with a steamship completing the distance. This gave oystermen an efficient means of getting their shellfish to market and began the wave of tourists escaping the city heat in the summer. Tourism hasn't slowed since.

NOW IT'S YOUR TURN:

* If you had an island similar to Chincoteague just a short distance across a narrow channel from where you lived, what would you do with it?

* Are you a fan of shellfish or seafood? What's your favorite?

* What recounting of an event do you know where the real truth has been fused with legend or unrecorded history? How much is true and what is legend?

Leave answers to these questions or any comments on the post below.

** This note is for our email readers. Please do not reply via email with any comments. View the blog online and scroll down to the comments section.

Come back on the 9th of each month for my next foray into historical tidbits to share.

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BIO

Tiffany Amber Stockton has embellished stories since childhood, thanks to a very active imagination and notations of talking entirely too much. Honing those skills led her to careers as an award-winning and best-selling author and speaker, while also working as a professional copywriter/copyeditor. She loves to share life-changing products and ideas with others to help improve their lives in a variety of ways, but especially from the inside out.

Currently, she lives with her husband and fellow author, Stuart Vaughn Stockton, along with their two children, three dogs, and three cats in southeastern Kentucky. In her 20+ years as a professional writer, she has sold twenty-six (26) books so far and has agent representation with Tamela Murray of the Steve Laube Agency. You can find her on Facebook and GoodReads.

The Beebe Legacy

 By Tiffany Amber Stockton

Last month, the famous horse, Misty of Chincoteague, received spotlight treatment right here. I shared about her birth, how she came to be beloved by children all around the world, and how her name lives on in books penned by Marguerite Henry, as well as in the movie that was made based on the book and the museum established on the island.

If you missed last month's post, you can view it here: https://www.hhhistory.com/2021/04/a-world-famous-horse-misty.html.

THE BEEBE FAMILY

Clarence Beebe

Ida Beebe

To showcase the Beebe's connection to Misty of Chincoteague, you really need to begin with Clarence Beebe, the grandfather from the books. He was born on Chincoteague Island in 1884, four years before the woman who would become his wife in 1906 (Ida Virginia Whealton). Ida also was born on the island, and they both are buried there as well. They had ten children together, but only six of them survived beyond infancy.

As the owner of a horse ranch on the little island, Clarence became known as the "Chincoteague Pony Man." He developed a solid reputation for breeding and gentling ponies from Assateague which he purchased during the annual Pony Penning Day events. Although the book and movie portray Paul and Maureen Beebe as living with their grandparents, that part is fictionalized. The children lived with their parents, but spent a lot of time at the Beebe Ranch.

Paul & Maureen Beebe

When Marguerite Henry visited the island and met the children, she asked them what they wanted most. They told her they wanted to own a real pony. Grandpa Clarence owned many, but he purchased them to sell. He never kept them long. Paul and Maureen wanted a horse of their own.

Misty ended up being that horse.

Maureen & the Phantom

Clarence and Ida had already purchased the Pied Piper and Phantom, and from them came Misty. They operated their busy ranch and were well-known on the island, but their claim to fame came when author Marguerite Henry arrived and witnessed the Pony Penning events, then decided to write about the wild ponies.

Home of Clarence & Ida Beebe

Through an agreement with Clarence Beebe, Ms. Henry purchased Misty for $150 and had her sent to Illinois for a few years before returning her to Chincoteague when Misty was only 11 years old. Misty went on to foal several horses, and her domesticated status allowed her to remain at the BeeBe Ranch where the Beebe family cared for her and her foals. Since Clarence died not long after Misty was bred, Ida asked their son Ralph to take over Misty's care.

Beebe Ranch business card

Ralph and his wife Jeanette took over Beebe Ranch and continued Clarence's legacy. Their son, Billy King Beebe, turned the ranch into a museum and opened it to the public in 1999, and it's been open every summer since. The barn with Misty's and one of her foal's (Stormy) stalls is also on the premises. Memorabilia of the family and the horses they raised is on display at the ranch.

What began as a simple island man with a dream turned into a legacy that's enchanted hundreds of thousands and spanned several generations.

Beebe Ranch museum

NOW IT'S YOUR TURN:

* What legacies exist in your own family that have been passed down through the generations?

* Have you ever read a book that was a fictionalized account of real life in some way only to later discover the "facts" presented in the book were a result of the author's creativity and didn't really happen that way? What was the book and what did the author change?

Leave answers to these questions or any comments on the post below. Next month, I'll be sharing about my grandfather and his direct ties to the island of Chincoteague. Come back on the 9th of June to find out more.

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BIO

Tiffany Amber Stockton has been crafting and embellishing stories since childhood, when she was accused of having a very active imagination and cited with talking entirely too much. Today, she has honed those skills to become an award-winning and best-selling author and speaker who is also an advocate for literacy as an educational consultant with Usborne Books. She loves to share life-changing products and ideas with others to help better their lives.

She lives with her husband and fellow author, Stuart Vaughn Stockton, along with their two children, two dogs, and two cats in Colorado. She has sold twenty (24) books so far and is represented by Tamela Murray of the Steve Laube Agency. You can find her on Facebook and GoodReads.

Chincoteague - Enchanted Island

 By Tiffany Amber Stockton

This month, it's time for a little background of unique facts about this little island called Chincoteague, just off the Eastern Shore of Virginia and to the east of the Delmarva Peninsula.

CHINCOTEAGUE ISLAND

The history of human activity in Chincoteague, on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, begins with the Native Americans. Settlers from Europe swooped in and overtook the land in the late 17th century, but until then, the Chincoteague Indians used it as a place to gather shellfish. They aren't known to have lived there, though, as the island lacked suitable soil for their agriculture. Marshland isn't usually great for growing much of anything except reeds.

Picturesque view of Chincoteague away from the populated
portion of the island (looking toward Assateague)

Once the European settlers inhabited the island, there was a series of disputes over who would own the island which led to patents being issued and a final resolution of an even split between two gentleman. Once ownership of the island was settled, it was used mostly as a place to house livestock, since they could feed off the marsh grasses and there was no need for fences or other enclosures to prevent the animals from straying. How far could the animals go when they're on an island surrounded by water? (grins)

This was what led to the origin of the ponies on Assateague, though there are legends reported of a Spanish shipwreck which left the ponies as cargo to swim to the nearest island. Historians believe the legend of the shipwreck simply became entwined with the history of the ponies until it was accepted as "truth." Funny how history does that from time to time. Makes me wonder just how much of unrecorded history is truly fact or merely embellished truths spoken from generation to generation until the truth and the embellishment can no longer be separated. Have you ever come across details like this?

Anyway, back to Chincoteague.

Stanley Jester (a distant cousin) harvests oysters by hand at low
tide in his oyster bed in the shallows of Chincoteague Bay

For the next hundred years or so, the island remained a place to house livestock for owners living on the mainland of Virginia. Then, following the Revolutionary War, residents realized the potential of business and industry through the abundance of shellfish in the area. This industry became so big, shipments went as far north as New England to the cities steadily growing there, and as I mentioned last month, my grandfather's family lived here. It was shellfish being provided to the White House under President Woodrow Wilson which led to my great-grandfather's cousin marrying the president while he was in office, leaving me with a family connection to "American royalty."

Throughout these years of shellfish and seafood industry, Chincoteague thrived. In 1876, a rail line completed a stop just 5 miles from the island with a steamship completing the distance. This gave oystermen an efficient means of getting their shellfish to market and began the wave of tourists escaping the city heat in the summer. Tourism hasn't slowed since.

NOW IT'S YOUR TURN:

* If you had an island similar to Chincoteague just a short swim across a narrow channel from where you lived, what would you do with it?

* Are you a fan of shellfish or seafood? What's your favorite?

* What recounting of an event do you know where the real truth has been fused with legend or unrecorded history? How much is true and what is legend?

Leave answers to these questions or any comments on the post below. Don't forget to come back on the 9th of March to find out more about this tiny little island.

---

BIO

Tiffany Amber Stockton has been crafting and embellishing stories since childhood, when she was accused of having a very active imagination and cited with talking entirely too much. Today, she has honed those childhood skills to become an award-winning and best-selling author and speaker who is also an advocate for literacy as an educational consultant with Usborne Books. She loves to share life-changing products and ideas with others to help better their lives.

She lives with her husband and fellow author, Stuart Vaughn Stockton, along with their two children, two dogs, and two cats in Colorado. She has sold twenty (24) books so far and is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency. You can find her on Facebook and GoodReads.