Glimpse of past: River baptism
Joseph Stokely Wilde, a Transylvania County logging crew supervisor, also worked as a professional photographer in the 1920s, '30s and '40s. His photos of logging operations have become classics. Known locally, he was invited to memorialize all kinds of subjects, including this baptism, which may have followed a camp meeting, and may have been connected with a logging community. The full immersion baptism took place in a river and imitated Jesus' baptism by John in the Jordan River. Wilde got his training as an Army photographer in World War I, where he served after graduating from Mars Hill College. He walked to remote locations with a tripod, until he got a car, and then went around with his wife, Ethel, a teacher and nurse. Their daughter, author Exie Henson, recalls being stopped by bootleggers, who blindfolded her father, took him to their hideaway and had him photograph their father, who had grown very old. "Send the photos to this P.O. Box," they said, "and then we'll meet you later for payment."