'Take a seat with him': Orange County honors Jeffries family with bench

Orange County, Spirit Freedom and the Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation held a ceremony last week dedicating a bench near the remodeled Occaneechi Replica Village in Hillsborough's River Park. The bench honors John “Blackfeather” Jeffries, who played a pivotal role in building the village, and his wife Lynette Coles Jeffries.

The Jeffries were well known and beloved in Hillsborough and Orange County for their contributions to several local organizations. 

In 1996, John Jeffries launched a project to build the Occaneechi Replica Village after UNC archaeological teams uncovered remains of the original Occaneechi Village sites along the Eno river. It was dismantled in 2005, but he oversaw its rebuilding in 2014. The replica village has been a site for many cultural events, demonstrations and educational programs.

“[John Jeffries] was born and raised here, and had deep roots in this county, so he was well known by a lot of people. And I think what was really significant was the work that he did to get state recognition for the Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation,” N.C. Rep. Renée Price (D-Caswell, Orange), a co-founder of Spirit Freedom, said. 

Lynette Coles Jeffries was known for her decades of work with the Orange County School system, as well as Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority of North Carolina and South Carolina, Orange Congregations in Mission and Orange County Rescue Ladies Auxiliary. She was also the recipient of multiple local service awards. She was an honored Elder at powwows in multiple states and according to Jamezetta Bedford, chair of the Orange County Board of Commissioners, known for her beautiful dancing. 

“[At village events] we grew to love Lynette's trademark smile and her exceptional welcoming nature for all people, and especially young people,” Rich Shaw, a community member who attended the dedication ceremony, said. 

Price said after John Jeffries' memorial event, a community member suggested creating a physical memorial for the couple. Price said she wanted the memorial to be a bench by the riverwalk where Jeffries often sat. She brought the idea to the county manager, who then brought it to the BOCC.

“Up to the end, John continued to keep watch from his bench, guiding the volunteers with his usual combination of good humor, wisdom and the occasional stern rebuke when they made mistakes,” Bedford said at the dedication. "And he never passed up an opportunity to share his stories with anyone who was passing by on the riverwalk.”

Community members, friends of the Jeffries' and Orange County employees and elected officials like Hillsborough Mayor Mark Bell attended the event. Many people, including the Jeffries' daughter Vivette Jeffries-Logan, gave speeches, performed songs or held dedications. 

Jeffries-Logan said  that while she felt unwelcome growing up in Hillsborough because of her heritage, the Town and County's collaboration with the Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation to make her parents' memorial is a step in the right direction. 

“[John Jeffries] was always willing to talk and remind us and our town, ‘We are here. We have been here a long time. We are important to this place,’” Holly Reid, a community member who attended the dedication ceremony, said. 

Sage burned in the fire pit at the heart of the replica village as the attendees gathered to pay their respects to the couple.

“We will always think of them sitting there at this bench together," Reid said. "We will take a seat with them, thank them for their remarkable contributions to this community, and then we will get up and get to work keeping this village and their memories alive."

@sdanbarry

@DTHCityState | city@dailytarheel.com