Jesse Crutchfield age: 73, born: 11/09/1890, died: 8/00/1963, Siler City, NC  Chatham Co. 27344  241-50-XXXX 

Jesse Crutchfield was the owner and operator of Crutchfield's general store at Crutchfield Crossroads, an old timey cinderblock country store with a covered wagon on the roof. A big drive through gable roof covered the front store entrance, including two tall round glass window pumps. One for gas and the other for kerosene. Everybody from Chatham Co. and Siler City, knew it was straight up Snow Camp Rd about 6 miles from Siler City at Crutchfield Crossroads, where Silk Hope Road crosses.  This was one of the last great checker playing hangouts.  For years it was the favorite spot for the best players in the state to find the best opponent of the game.  State champs and the best checker talent was always dropping in to catch a game.  This was a busy place before the state tournament, southeastern, and southern playoffs. Elbert Lowder, Junior Moon, George McPherson, Billy Duncan, Harvey Brookbank, Darrel Moser, Harold Terry, and Rob Braxton were a few of the “qualified” regulars, including Jesse who welcome a game between customers.  Jesse died in 1963 leaving his daughter, Mrs. Jessie Ruth Seagroves who run the store, kept it countrified, and welcomed the checker playing for about 2 1/2  more decades. Since then the store has been sold to several different owners, the wagon has been long gone (rotted) from the roof, and no more checkers. (Newspaper Article)   

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