Peninsula In Passage

John H. Sheally II

John H. Sheally II

Frank and Joan Nelms. The Nelms family have been prominent landowners in the Driver/Bennett’s Creek area for generations. Frank Brinkley Nelms, son of Johnnie and Lois Nelms, was the founder of Driver Contractors, Inc. and also Teach’s Lair Marina, Inc. in Hatteras, North Carolina. He was Assistant Chief of the Driver Volunteer Fire Department and held a host of other civic offices. He died in 2007. His brother, J. W. Nelms, served as mayor of Suffolk. His son, Robert E. Nelms, served as a delegate to the Virginia General Assembly, representing the 76th District, from 1992 – 1997.

Driver native and retired judge William Wellington Jones worries that although the newcomers enjoy the village, they might not become actively involved in community service organizations such as the failing Driver Ruritan Club that he helped found in 1953. “We are a bedroom community now - a postcard,” Craig Parker agrees. His brother Greg, owner of Arthur’s General Store, adds This crossroads always had an island feeling – but two or three years into the economy it feels like a deserted island today – because of the Kings Highway Bridge closing (2005) and the economy. Time is running out for all of us. At the first announcement of the bridge closing I wasn’t worried about the corner store, now I am worried because of the lessening of traffic. Back when the bridge was open, this was a neat place. Now Nansemond Parkway has become a by-pass. Ronnie Gould, who opened The Rio Grande Traders in 1992, picked Driver because rent on the building was only $50 a month and because he says, “Before the bridge closed this was a nice little Mayberry atmosphere place, business was good and everyone was making money.” Gould, who specializes in ceramics, steel sculptures and other Mexican imports, says, “When we first introduced the lighted reindeer that soon populated the whole Bennett’s Creek area, I’d be up to 1:30 a.m. stringing lights on metal reindeer. Now business is down 40%.”

Part of the Nelms’ family farm is now the Schooner Cove neighborhood.

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