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Vol.  XVI  JULY,  1916  No.  1 

North  Carolina  Booklet 


'mm 


GREAT  EVENTS 

IN 

NORTH  CAROLINA 
HISTORY 


PUBLISHED  QUARTERLY 

BY 

THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  SOCIETY 

DAUGHTERS  OF  THE  REVOLUTION 
RALEIGH,  N.  C. 

CONTENTS 

PAGE. 

William  Alexander  Graham 3 

By  Chief  Justice  Waxtee  Clabk. 

James  Cochran  Dobbin 17 

By  Henry  Elliot  Shepherd,  M.A.,  LL.D. 

Selwyn 32 

By  Violet  G.  Alexander. 

An  Educational  Practice  in  Colonial  North  Carolina 39 

By  Edgar  W.  Knight. 

Biographical  and  Genealogical  Memoranda 52 

Genealogical  Department 59 


SINGLE  NUMBERS  35  CENTS  $1.00  THE  YEAR 


Entered  at  the  Postoffice  at  Raleigh.  N.  C,  July  15.   1905.  under  the  Act  of 
Congress  of  March  3,   1879 


The  North  GaroHna  Booklet 


Great  Events  in  North  Carolina  History 


Volume  XVI  of  The  Booklet  will  be  issued  quarterly  by  the  North 
Carolina  Society,  Daughters  of  the  Revolution,  beginning  July,  1916. 
The  Booklet  will  be  published  in  July,  October,  January,  and  April, 
Price  $1.00  per  year,  35  cents  for  single  copy. 

Editor  : 
Miss  Mary  Hilliard  Hinton. 

Biographical  Editor: 
Mrs.  E.  E.  Moffitt. 

VOLUME  XVI. 

Isaac  Shelby :  Revolutionary  Patriot  and  Border  Hero — Dr.  Archi- 
bald Henderson. 

An  Educational  Practice  in  Colonial  North  Carolina — Edgar  W. 
Knight. 

George  Selwyn — Miss  Violet  G.  Alexander. 

Martha  McFarlane  Bell,  a  Revolutionary  Heroine — Miss  Mary  Hil- 
liard Hinton. 

North  Carolinians  in  the  President's  Cabinet,  Part  III :  William  A. 
Graham — Chief  Justice  Walter  Clark. 

Historic  Homes,  Part  VII :  The  Fountain,  the  Home  of  Colonel 
Davenport — Colonel  Edmund  Jones. 

North  Carolinians  in  the  President's  Cabinet,  Part  IV :  James 
Cochran  Dobbin — Dr.  Henry  Elliot  Shepherd. 

A  History  of  Rowan  County — Dr.  Archibald  Henderson. 

Edgecombe  County  History  and  some  of  her  Distinguished  Sons — 
Mrs.  Jolin  A  Weddell. 

Historical  Book  Reviews  will  be  contributed  by  Mrs.  Nina  Holland 
Covington.  These  will  be  reviews  of  the  latest  historical  works 
written  by  North  Carolinians. 

The  Genealogical  Department  will  be  continued,  with  a  page  de- 
voted to  Genealogical  Queries  and  Answers  as  an  aid  to  genealogical 
rosearch  in  the  St.ite. 

The  North  Carolina  Society  Colonial  Dames  of  America  will  fur- 
nish copies  of  unpublished  records  for  publication  in  The  Booklet. 

Biographical  Sketches  will  be  continued  under  Mrs.  E.  E.  Moffitt. 

Old  letters,  heretofore  unpublished,  bearing  on  the  Social  Life  of 
the  different  periods  of  North  Carolina  History,  will  appear  here- 
after in  The  Booklet. 

This  list  of  subjects  may  be  changed,  as  circumstances  sometimes 
prevent  the  writers  from  keeping  their  engagements. 

The  histories  of  the  separate  counties  will  in  the  future  be  a 
special  feature  of  The  Booklet.  When  necessary,  an  entire  issue 
will  be  devoted  to  a  paper  on  one  county. 

Parties  who  wish  to  renew  their  subscriptions  to  The  Booklet 
for  Vol.  XVI  are  requested  to  give  notice  at  once. 

Many  numbers  of  Volumes  I  to  XV  for  sale. 

For  particulars  address 

Miss  Mary  Hilliard  Hinton, 

Editor  North  Carolina  Booklet, 

"Midway  Plantation,"  Raleigh,  N.  C. 


Vol.  XVI  JULY,  1916  No.  1 


IShe 

NORTH  Carolina  Booklet 


"Carolina  I  Carolina  I  Heaven' s  blessings  attend  her  I 
While  we  live  zve  will  cherish,  protect  and  defend  her' 


Published  by 

THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  SOCIETY 

DAUGHTERS  OF  THE  REVOLUTION 


The  object  of  The  Booklet  is  to  aid  in  developing  and  preserving 
North  Carolina  History.  The  proceeds  arising  from  its  publication 
will  be  devoted  to  patriotic  purposes.  Editob. 


BALEIQH 

commercial  printing  company 
printers  and  binders 


ADVISORY  BOARD  OF  THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  BOOKLET 

Mrs.  Hubebt  Haywood.  De.  Richaed  Dillard. 

Mrs.  E.  E.  Moffitt.  Db.  Kemp  P.  Battle. 

Me.  R.  D.  W.  Connoe.  Me.  James  Speunt. 

Db.  D.  H.  Hill.  Me.  Mabshall  DeLancey  Hay'wood 

De.  William  K.  Boyd.  Chief  Justice  Walteb  Clabk. 

Capt.  S.  a.  Ashe.  Major  W.  A.  Graham. 

Miss  Adelaide  L.  Fries.  Dr.  Charles  Lee  Smith. 

Miss  Martha  Helen  Hay'wood. 

EDITOR  : 

Miss  Mary  Hilliaed  Hinton. 

biogeaphical  editoe  : 
Mbs.  E.  E.  Moffitt. 


OFFICERS  OF  THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  SOCIETY 
DAUGHTERS  OF  THE  REVOLUTION 

1914-1916 

eegent  : 

Miss  MARY  BILLIARD  HINTON. 

vice-regent  : 

Mrs.  MARSHALL  WILLIAMS. 

honorary  regents : 

Mrs.  E.  E.  MOFFITT. 

Mrs.   T.   K.   BRUNER. 

eecoeding  secretaey  : 

Mrs.  L.  E.  COVINGTON. 

corresponding    secretaey  : 

Mbs.    PAUL   H.   LEE. 

treasuber : 

Mrs.  CHAS.  LEE  SMITH. 

begisteae  : 

Miss  SARAH  W.  ASHE. 

custodian  of  belics  : 

Mrs.  JOHN  E.  RAY. 


CHAPTER  REGENTS 

Bloomsbury  Chapter Mrs.  Hubert  Haywood,  Regent. 

Penelope  Barker  Chapter Mrs.  Patrick  Matthew,  Regent, 

Sir  Walter  Raleigh  Chapter Mrs.  I.  M.  Meekins,  Regent. 

General  Francis  Nash  Chapter Miss  Rebecca  Cameron,  Regent. 

Roanoke  Chapter Mrs.  F.  M.  Allen,  Regent. 

Mary   Slocnmb  Chapter Miss   Georgie   Hicks,   Regent. 


Founder  of  the  North  Carolina  Society  and  Regent  1896-1902 ; 

Mrs.  spier  WHITAKER.* 

Regent   1902: 

Mbs.  D.  H.  HILL,  SB.f 

Regent  1902-1906: 

Mes.  THOMAS  K.  BRUNER. 

Regent  1906-1910: 

Mrs.  E.  E.  MOFFITT. 


•Died  November  25,  1911. 
tDied  December  12, 1904. 


Joseph  Ruzickd 


Baltimore,  ITld 

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Qreensboro,  R. 

C. 

LIST  No.    ^1^ CONSISTING  OF 

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TITLE 

AUTHOR 

VOLUME  &  DATE 

CALL  NUMBER 

SPECIAL  INSTRUCTIONS  ,< 


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William   A.   Gkaiia-u. 


The  North  Carolina  Booklet 


Vol.  XVI  JULY,  1916  No.  1 


William  Alexander  Graham 


By  Chief  Justice  Walter  Clark. 


William  Alexander  Graham,  Speaker  of  the  House  of 
Commons,  Governor  of  North  Carolina,  Secretary  of  the 
United  States  ^STavj,  Senator  of  the  United  States  and  also 
of  the  Confederate  States,  nominee  of  the  Whig  Party  for 
the  Vice  Presidency,  was  born  at  Vesuvius  Furnace,  the 
residence  of  his  father.  General  Joseph  Graham,  in  Lincoln 
County,  jSTorth  Carolina,  5  September,  1804.  He  sprung 
from  that  sturdy  Scotch-Irish  race  which  has  furnished  so 
many  prominent  men  to  the  Republic.  His  mother  was 
Isabella,  daughter,  of  Major  John  Davidson,  who  was  one  of 
the  signers  of  the  famous  ^'Mecklenburg  Declaration  of  In- 
dependence" at  Charlotte  on  20  May,  1775,  of  which  John 
Adams  wrote:  ''The  genuine  sense  of  America  at  that 
moment  was  never  so  well  expressed  before  nor  since." 

The  father  of  Governor  Graham,  General  Joseph  Graham, 
merits  more  than  a  passing  notice.  At  18  years  of  age  he 
entered  the  Continental  Army  in  1778,  soon  became  Adjutant 
and  was  promoted  to  Major  of  4  N"orth  Carolina  (Conti- 
nental) Regiment.  He  was  in  many  engagements  and  was 
often  wounded.  At  the  capture  of  Charlotte  by  Cornwallis 
26  September,  1780,  he  received  nine  wounds  (six  of  them 
with  sabre)  and  was  left  on  the  ground  for  dead.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  State  Convention  of  1788  and  also  of  1789, 
served  in  several  legislatures  and  in  the  war  of  1814  com- 
manded a  brigade  from  this  State  and  South  Carolina  sent 
by  President  Madison  to  the  aid  of  General  Jackson  in  thf 
Creek  War.  William  A.  Graham  was  the  youngest  son  in  a 
family  of  seven  sons  and  three  daughters  who  o^ew  to  nia- 


4  THE  NOETH  CAEOLINA  BOOKLET 

tnrity.  One  of  liis  brothers,  James  Graham,  was  a  member 
of  Congress  from  this  State,  continuously  from  1833  to  1847, 
except  one  term.  One  of  his  sisters  married  Rev.  Dr.  R.  H. 
]\Iorrison,  President  of  Davidson  College,  and  was  the  mother 
of  the  wife  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  began  his  academic  education 
under  Rev.  Dr.  Muchat,  at  Statesville,  a  scholar  of  repute. 
Thence  he  was  sent  to  Hillsboro,  where  he  was  prepared  for 
college.  He  entered  the  University  of  North  Carolina  in 
1820.  At  school  and  college  he  envinced  the  characteristics 
which  distinguished  him  in  later  life — studious,  thoughtful, 
courteous,  considerate  of  others,  with  great  natural  dignity 
of  manner,  and  marked  ability.  His  schoolmate.  Judge  Bre- 
vard, said  of  him  at  this  early  age:  "He  was  the  only  boy 
I  ever  knew  who  would  spend  his  Saturdays  in  reviewing  the 
studies  of  the  week."  He  graduated  in  1824  with  the  highest 
honors  of  his  class,  which  he  shared  with  Matthias  E.  Manly, 
afterwards  a  Judge  of  the  Supreme  Court. 

After  a  tour  of  the  Western  States,  made  on  horseback, 
as  was  then  the  most  convenient  and  usual  mode,  he  began 
the  study  of  law  in  the  office  of  Judge  Ruffin,  at  Hillsboro, 
and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1826.  Though  his  family 
connections  were  numerous  and  influential  in  Mecklenburg, 
Cabarrus  and  Lincoln,  he  decided  to  locate  at  Hillsboro, 
among  whose  resident  lawyers  then  were  Thomas  Ruffin, 
Archibald  D.  Murphey,  Willie  P.  Mangum,  Francis  L. 
Hawks,  and  Frederick  Nash;  and  among  the  lawyers  regu- 
larly attending  from  other  courts  were  George  E.  Badger, 
William  H.  Haywood  and  Bartlett  Yancey.  At  this  bar  of 
exceptionally  strong  men,  he  quickly  took  first  rank. 

In  1833  he  was  elected  a  member  of  the  General  Assembly 
from  the  Town  of  Hillsboro,  one  of  the  boroughs  which  up 
to  the  Convention  of  1835  retained  the  English  custom  of 
choosing  a  member  of  the  legislature.  It  is  related  that  he 
was  chosen  by  one  majority,  the  last  vote  polled  being  cast 
by  a  free  man  of  color,  this  class  being  entitled  to  the  fran- 


WILLIAM  ALEXANDER  GRAHAM  O 

chise  till  the  Constitution  of  1835.  Being  asked  why  he  voted 
for  Mr.  Graham,  the  colored  voter,  a  man  of  reputation  and 
some  property,  replied:    "I  always  vote  for  a  gentleman." 

His  first  appearance  on  the  floor  of  the  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives was  on  a  motion  to  send  to  the  Senate  a  notice  that 
the  House  was  ready  to  proceed  to  the  election  of  a  Governor 
for  the  State,  and  to  place  in  nomination  for  that  office, 
David  L.  Swain,  who  had  been  his  college  mate  at  the 
University  of  ^orth  Carolina.  Two  days  later  he  had  the 
satisfaction  to  report  his  election,  and  was  appointed  first  on 
the  committee  to  notify  him  of  his  election.  The  relations 
of  these  two  distinguished  men  remained  singularly  close 
and  cordial  through  life.  In  1834  and  again  in  1835  he 
was  re-elected  for  the  borough  of  Hillsboro,  and  at  both  ses- 
sions he  was  Chairman  of  the  Judiciary  Committee,  then  as 
now,  deemed  the  highest  position,  next  to  the  Speaker.  In 
1838,  as  Chairman  of  the  Judiciary  Committee,  he  submitted 
the  report  of  the  Commissioners  who  had  prepared  the 
''Revised  Statutes." 

It  was  to  him  that  in  1831  Judge  Gaston,  who  was  a 
Roman  Catholic,  addressed  his  open  letter  in  defence  of  his 
acceptance  of  a  seat  upon  the  Supreme  Court,  notwithstanding 
the  provision  in  the  old  Constitution  (repealed  by  the  Con- 
vention of  1835)  which  declared  incapable  of  holding  office 
all  those  who  ''deny  the  truths  of  the  Protestant  religion." 
With  all  deference  to  the  writer  thereof  whose  name  will 
always  command  the  highest  respect,  that  letter  will  remain 
a  plausible  instance  of  special  pleading  whose  defective  logic 
has  been  pardoned  by  reason  of  the  inherent  opposition  of 
all  generous  minds  to  the  constitutional  provision  which  gave 
rise  to  it,  and  the  eminent  public  services,  ability  and  popu- 
larity of  its  author. 

In  1838  and  again  in  1840,  Mr.  Graham  was  elected  to 
the  General  Assembly  from  Orange  County,  and  was  Speaker 
of  the  House  of  Representatives  in  both.  The  journals,  dur- 
ing his  legislative  career,  attest  his  great  industry  and  his 


6  THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  BOOKLET 

leadership.  He  introduced  the  first  bill  that  was  passed  to 
establish  a  system  of  common  schools,  and  the  bills  introduced 
or  supported,  or  reported  by  him  on  the  subjects  of  banking, 
finance,  education,  and  internal  improvements,  demonstrate 
the  broadness  of  his  views,  and  that  he  was  one  of  the  most 
progressive  men  of  his  time. 

In  1840,  Judge  Strange  and  Hon.  Bedford  Brown,  the 
United  States  Senators  from  this  State,  resigned  their  seats 
rather  than  obey  instructions  which  had  been  passed  by  the 
General  Assembly.  Willie  P.  Mangum,  of  Orange,  was 
chosen  to  succeed  Brown,  and  though  Mr.  Graham  was  from 
the  same  county  and  only  36  years  of  age,  he  was  elected  to 
fill  Mr.  Strange's  unexpired  term.  This  was  a  most  emphatic 
testimonial  to  his  commanding  position  in  the  Whig  Party, 
which  held  so  many  eminent  leaders,  and  in  the  State  at  large. 
He  was  among  the  youngest,  if  not  the  youngest  member,  of 
the  United  States  Senate,  when  he  took  his  seat.  He  com- 
manded the  respect  and  attention  of  that  body  upon  all  occa- 
sions, and  we  are  told  by  a  member  of  that  Congress  that 
"Mr.  Clay  regarded  him  as  a  most  superior  man,  socially 
and  intellectually." 

The  time  of  Mr.  Graham's  service  in  the  Senate  was  a 
stormy  period.  President  Harrison,  who  had  gone  into  office 
upon  a  tidal  wave,  died  just  one  month  after  his  inauguration, 
and  was  succeeded  by  the  Vice-President,  Mr.  Tyler,  who  soon 
placed  the  administration  in  complete  opposition  to  the  poli- 
cies of  the  party  by  which  he  had  been  elected.  Upon  all  the 
most  important  measures  which  came  before  the  Senate,  Mr. 
Graham  impressed  himself  by  arguments  which  received 
general  approbation  and  which  drew  forth  specially  com- 
mendatory letters  from  Clay,  Webster,  Chancellor  Kent,  aiid 
others. 

At  the  expiration  of  his  term  in  March,  1843,  Mr.  Gra- 
ham resumed  the  practice  of  his  profession,  the  Democratic 
Party  having  secured  a  majority  in  the  General  Assembly 
and  chosen  a  member  of  that  party,  William  H.  Haywood, 


WILLIAM  ALEXANDEK  GRAHAM  i 

Jr.,  to  succeed  him  in  the  Senate.  In  1844  he  was  nomi- 
nated by  the  Whig  Party  for  Governor.  He  had  not  sought 
nor  desired  the  nomination.  The  salary  of  the  office  was 
small  and  its  expenses  great.  In  1836  he  had  married  Susan 
Washington,  daughter  of  John  AVashington  of  New  Bern,  a 
lady  of  great  beauty  of  character  and  person,  and  a  young 
and  growing  family  made  demands  upon  his  income,  which 
was  impaired  by  the  inroads  which  public  life  had  made 
upon  his  law  practice.  But  true  as  always  to  the  calls  of 
duty,  he  yielded  to  the  representations  of  gentlemen  of  high 
standing  in  all  parts  of  the  State.  His  Democratic  competi- 
tor was  Hon.  Michael  Hoke,  like  himself,  a  native  of  the 
county  of  Lincoln.  Mr.  Hoke  was  about  the  same  age,  of 
fine  presence,  decided  ability  and  great  popularity.  After 
a  canvass  whose  brilliancy  has  had  no  parallel  in  the  history 
of  the  State,  save  perhaps  that  between  Vance  and  Settle  in 
1876,  Mr.  Graham  was  elected  by  a  large  majority.  His 
competitor  died  a  few  weeks  after  the  election,  his  death 
having  been  caused,  it  was  thought,  by  the  great  ]3hysical 
and  mental  strain  of  the  campaign.  On  1  January,  181:5, 
Governor  Graham  was  sworn  in,  with  imposing  ceremonies, 
which,  for  brilliancy  and  the  size  of  the  audience,  were  till 
then  without  precedent. 

His  inaugural  address  was  especially  noteworthy,  not  alone 
for  its  purity  of  style  and  elevation  of  thought,  but  in  its 
recommendations.  The  Asylum  for  the  Insane,  and  for  the 
Deaf,  Dumb  and  Blind,  and  the  Emmons  Geological  Survey 
all  had  their  genesis  in  this  Inaugural,  the  first  two  being 
established  by  laws  enacted  during  his  administration  and 
the  latter  just  afterwards.  Tie  also  laid  special  emphasis 
upon  the  Common  School  System,  then  lately  inaugurated, 
and  the  first  act  in  favor  of  which  had  been  introduced  by 
himself  when  a  member  of  the  legislature.  Mr.  Webster  in 
a  letter  specially  commended  the  address  for  its  wisdom  and 
progressiveness,  as  did  Prof.  Olmsted  for  its  recommenda- 
tion in  favor  of  the  establishment  of  a  Geological  Survey. 


8  THE  NOKTH  CAROLINA  BOOKLET 

His  aid  to  our  uew  and  struggling  railroads  built  by  State 
aid  was  invaluable. 

In  1849  be  delivered  tlie  address  before  the  Literary  Socie- 
ties at  the  University.  This  address  remains  to  this  day  one 
of  the  very  best  of  the  long  series  delivered  since  the  incipi- 
ency  of  the  custom.  Upon  the  success  of  his  party  in  the 
election  of  President  Taylor,  Senator  Mangum,  one  of  the 
coniidential  advisers  of  the  new  administration,  wrote  Gov- 
ernor Graham  that  he  could  make  his  choice  between  the  Mis- 
sion to  Russia  and  the  Mission  to  Spain.  Subsequently  the 
Mission  to  S|)ain  was  tendered  him  and  declined. 

Upon  the  accession  of  President  Fillmore,  Mr.  Graham  was 
tendered  the  appointment  of  Secretary  of  the  jSTavy  in  a  very 
complimentary  letter  from  the  President,  who  urged  his 
accejDtance.  In  July,  1850,  he  entered  upon  the  duties  of 
the  office.  Such  was  his  diligence  that  his  first  report,  30 
Xiovember,  1850,  embraced  a  review  of  the  whole  naval  estab- 
lishment with  recommendations  for  its  entire  reorganization. 
Even  an  opposition  Senator,  Thomas  H.  Benton,  joined  in 
the  commendation  of  his  report,  and  wrote  with  special 
reference  to  the  Coast  Survey  service :  "T  consider  it  one 
of  the  most  perfect  reports  I  ever  read — a  model  of  a  business 
report  and  one  which  should  carry  conviction  to  every  candid 
inquiring  mind.  I  deem  it  one  of  the  largest  reforms,  both 
in  an  economical  and  administrative  point  of  view,  which  the 
state  of  our  affairs  admits  of." 

His  administration  of  the  iSTavy  Department  was  marked 
by  one  of  the  most  remarkable  enterprises,  whose  success  has 
been  of  world  wide  importance — the  organization  of  the  Perry 
Expedition  to  Japan,  which  opened  up  that  ancient  empire 
to  modern  civilization.  The  success  of  that  expedition  con- 
stitutes one  of  the  principal  claims  of  Mr.  Fillmore's  adminis- 
tration to  the  admiration  of  posterity  and  was,  indeed,  an 
era  in  the  history  of  the  world,  of  which  the  events  of  the 
last  few  years  are  striking  results.  The  expedition  was  con- 
ceived and  inaugurated  by  Mr.  Graham  and  was  executed 


WILLIAM  ALEXANDER  GRAHAM  » 

upon  the  lines  laid  down  bj  him,  and  the  commander,  Com- 
modore Perry,  was  selected  by  him,  though  the  expedition 
did  not  actually  set  sail  till  after  he  had  resigned.  In  1S51 
Mr.  Graliam  also  sent  out  under  the  auspices  of  the  Xavy 
Department,  an  expedition  under  Lieutenant  Herndon  to 
explore  the  valley  and  sources  of  the  Amazon.  The  report 
of  this  expedition  was  published  by  order  of  Congress  in 
February,  1854,  and  was  noticed  by  the  London  "Westmin- 
ster Eoview"  of  that  year,  which  bestowed  high  praise  upon 
the  author  for  his  conception,  and  the  thoroughness  and  wis- 
dom of  his  instructions  to  the  commander. 

The  great  compromise  measures  of  1850,  which  would  have 
saved  the  country  from  the  terrible  civil  war,  if  it  could 
have  been  saved,  received  strong  aid  and  support  from  the 
then  Secretary  of  the  I^avy,  who  was  on  terms  of  intimacy 
and  personal  friendship  with  Clay,  Yv'^ebster  and  other  leaders 
in  that  great  movement  to  stay  destructive  tendencies,  which 
proved,  "alas,  too  strong  for  human  power.''  When  the  Whig 
National  Convention  assembled  in  June,  1852,  it  i^laced  in 
nomination  for  the  presidency,  Winfield  Scott,  and  William 
A.  Graham  for  Vice-President.  With  a  delicacy  which  has 
been  rarely  followed  since,  he  resigned  "to  relieve  the  admin- 
istration of  any  possible  criticism  or  embarrassment  on  his 
account  in  the  approaching  canvass,"  and  the  President 
appreciating  the  high  sense  of  delicacy  and  ]')ropriety  "which 
prompted  the  act,  accepted  his  resignation  with  unfeigned 
regret." 

It  may  well  l)e  doubted  if  any  of  his  predecessors,  or  suc- 
cessors, either  in  the  office  of  Secretary  of  the  ISTavy  or  Gov- 
ernor of  E^orth  Carolina,  has  shown  as  much  progressiveness, 
and  as  large  a  conception  of  the  possibilities  of  his  office,  in 
widening  the  opportunities  for  development  of  the  country. 
Certainly  none  have  surpassed  him  in  the  wisdom  and  breadth 
of  his  views,  and  the  energy  displayed  in  giving  them  suc- 
cessful result.  It  is  his  highest  claim  to  fame  that  he  was 
thoroughly  imbued  with  a  true  conception  of  the  possibilities 


10  THE  NOETIl   CAKOLINA  BOOKLET 

and  needs  of  the  time  and  his  whole  career  marks  him  as 
second  to  none  of  the  sons  whom  North  Carolina  has  given 
to  fame. 

In  1852,  after  his  retirement  from  the  Cabinet,  he  de- 
livered before  the  Historical  Society  of  New  York  his  admir- 
able and  instructive  address  upon  "The  British  Invasion  of 
the  South  in  1780-81."  This  address  jDreserved  and  brought 
into  notice  many  historical  facts,  which  with  our  usual 
magnificent  disregard  of  the  praiseworthy  deeds  of  our  State 
had  been  allowed  to  pass  out  of  the  memory  of  men  and  the 
record  proofs  of  which  were  mouldering  and  in  danger  of 
being  totally  lost. 

Mr.  Graham  was  State  Senator  from  Orange  in  1854-55, 
took,  as  always,  a  leading  part,  and  gave  earnest  sup- 
port to  Internal  Improvements,  especially  advocating  railroad 
construction.  He  and  Governor  ]\Iorehead  headed  the  delega- 
tion to  the  Whig  Convention  in  1856  at  Baltimore,  which 
endorsed  the  nomination  of  Mr.  Fillmore.  He  was  one  of 
that  number  of  distinguished  men  from  all  sections,  who  met 
in  Washington  in  February,  1860,  and  who  in  the  vain  hope 
of  staying  the  drift  of  events  towards  a  disruption  of  the 
Union  and  Civil  War,  placed  before  the  country  the  platform 
and  the  candidates  of  the  "Constitutional  Union"  party. 

In  February,  1861,  he  canvassed  parts  of  the  State  with 
Governor  Morehead,  Judge  Badger,  Z.  B.  Vance,  and  others, 
in  opposition  to  the  call  of  a  State  Convention  to  take  the 
State  out  of  the  Union,  which  was  defeated  by  a  narrow 
margin  and  doubtless  by  their  efforts.  But  the  tide  of  events 
was  too  strong.  The  fall  of  Fort  Sumter  13  April,  1861, 
and  the  call  by  Mr.  Lincoln  upon  North  Carolina  for  her 
quota  of  75,000  men — a  call  made  without  authority — 
changed  the  face  of  affairs.  The  State  Convention  met  20 
May,  1861,  and  on  the  same  day  unanimously  pronounced 
the  repeal  by  this  State  of  the  Ordinance  of  1789  by  which 
North  Carolina  had  acceded  to  the  Federal  Union  under  the 
Constitution   of   the   United    States.      Mr.    Graham,    Judge 


WILLIAM  ALEXANDER  GRAHAIM  11 

Badger,  and  others  concurred  in  the  result,  after  first  offer- 
ing a  resolution  (which  was  voted  down)  basing  the  with- 
drawal of  the  State,  not  upon  the  alleged  inherent  right  of 
the  State  to  withdraw  from  the  Union  at  its  will,  but  upon 
the  right  of  revolution  justified  by  the  action  of  the  Federal 
authorities. 

One  of  Mr.  Graham's  most  eloquent  and  convincing 
speeches  was  that  made  before  the  Convention  in  December, 
1861,  in  opposition  to  an  ordinance  requiring  a  universal 
test  oath,  which  was  defeated.  While  giving  to  the  Confeder- 
ate Government  his  full  support,  he  earnestly  opposed  arbi- 
trary measures  which  indicated  any  forgetfulness  of  the 
rights  of  the  citizen,  and  in  March,  1861,  he  procured  action 
by  the  Convention  which  caused  the  return  to  his  home  of  a 
minister  of  the  Gospel  in  Orange  County,  who  had  been  ille- 
gally arrested  by  military  order  and  confined  in  prison  at 
Richmond.  His  speech  against  the  test  oath  was  used  by 
Reverdy  Johnson  in  arguing  ex  parte  Garicmd,  in  the  United 
States  Supreme  Court. 

In  December,  1863,  Mr.  Graham  was  elected  to  the  Senate 
of  the  Confederate  States  by  a  vote  of  more  than  two-thirds 
in  the  General  Assembly,  and  took  his  seat  in  May,  1861. 
It  was  at  a  troublous  time  and  his  counsel  was,  as  usual, 
earnestly  sought.  In  January,  1865,  after  consultation  with 
General  Lee,  and  with  his  full  approval.  Senator  Graham 
introduced  the  resolution  to  create  the  Peace  Commission, 
whose  adoption  caused  the  Hampton  Roads  Conference, 
8  February,  1865,  and  might  have  saved  the  brave  lives  so 
uselessly  sacrificed  after  that  date,  but  that  President  Davis 
declared  himself  without  power  to  come  to  any  terms  that 
would  put  an  end  to  the  Confederacy.  Thereupon  Senator 
Graham  gave  notice  that  to  save  further  useless  eft'usion  of 
blood  he  would  introduce  a  resolution  for  negotiations  looking 
to  a  return  to  the  Union,  but  the  notice  was  unfavorably  re- 
ceived, and  he  decided  that  the  introduction  of  the  resolution 
would  be  unavailing.    Had  it  passed,  we  miaht  not  onlv  have 


12  THE  iSTOETlI   CAROLIKA  BOOKLET 

saved  iinu'li  useless  bloodshed,  but  have  avoided  the  unspeak- 
able horrors  of  liecoustructioii.  But  blindness  ruled  those 
in  power.  His  course  has  been  thought  like  that  of  North 
Carolina — reluctant  to  leave  the  Union,  opposed  to  unsurpa- 
tions  by  the  new  govermnent,  willing  to  negotiate  for  honor- 
able lu-ace  when  hope  was  gone,  but  that  being  denied,  hold- 
ino'  out  to  the  end.  Five  of  his  sons,  all  of  them  who  were 
old  enough,  were  in  the  Confederate  Army  to  the  end,  and 
each  of  them  was  wounded  in  battle. 

The  Confederate  Senate  adjourned  16  March,  and  on  the 
20th  he  visited  Ealeigh  at  request  of  Governor  Vance,  and 
in  the  conference  told  him  that  he  left  Richmond  satisfied 
that  all  hope  for  the  success  of  the  Confederacy  had  passed ; 
that  Mr.  Davis  had  declared  that  he  was  without  power  to 
negotiate  for  a  return  to  the  Union;  and  that  each  State 
could  only  do  that  for  itself ;  but  he  advised  Governor  Vance 
that  should  he  call  a  meeting'  of  the  Legislature  to  consider 
such  action,  Mr.  Davis  should  be  apprised.  To  this  Governor 
Vance  assented.  But  before  further  action  could  be  taken 
the  approach  of  General  Sherman  made  it  useless.  On  12 
April,  lS(i5,  Governor  Vance  sent  ex-Governors  Graham  and 
Swain  as  Commissioners  to  General  Sherman,  then  approach- 
ing Raleigh,  with  a  letter  asking  a  suspension  of  arms  with 
a  '^'iew  to  a  return  to  the  Union.  The  letter  is  set  out  in 
"Xorth  Carolina  Regimental  Histories"  Vol.  I,  page  58. 
General  Sherman  courteously  received  the  Commissioners 
but  declined  the  requested  truce.  Of  course  Governor  Gra- 
ham's course  in  this  trying  time  expressed  the  views  of  all 
those  who  saw  the  hopelessness  of  the  situation,  and  who  felt 
that  the  lives  of  the  gallant  men  who  had  served  their  coun- 
try faithfully  should  now  be  preserved  for  its  future  service 
in  days  of  jDeace.  He  was  not  wanting  in  this  supreme  hour 
in  the  highest  fidelity  to  the  people  that  had  honored  and 
trusted  him. 

Of  especial  interest,  showing  his  wisdom  and  foresight  are 
his  letters  to  Governor  Swain,  of  this  period,  published  in 


WILLIAM   ALEXANDEE   GRAHAM.  13 

Mrs.  Spencer's  '^Last  Ninety  Days  of  the  War."  He  was 
the  trusted  adviser  of  Governor  Vance,  who  in  his  life  of 
Swain  says :  "In  those  troublous  years  of  war,  I  consulted 
him  more  frequently  perhaps  than  any  other  man  in  the 
State  except  Governor  Graham,"  adding,  that  ^'in  him  there 
was  a  rounded  fullness  of  the  qualities,  intellectual  and  moral, 
which  constitute  the  excellence  of  manhood  in  a  degree  never 
excelled  by  any  citizen  of  ISTorth  Carolina  whom  I  have  per- 
sonally known,  except  by  William  A.  Graham."  Governor 
Graham  was  also  the  sure  reliance  of  Governor  Worth,  whose 
most  important  State  papers  are  from  his  pen. 

In  1866  Mr.  Graham  was  elected  to  the  United  States 
Senate  with  his  former  classmate  and  competitor  at  college, 
Hon.  Matthias  E.  Manly  as  colleague,  but  the  Republican 
majority  in  Congress  was  contemplating  Reconstruction  and 
they  were  refused  their  seats.  When  such  legislation  was 
enacted,  a  universal  gloom  fell  upon  the  entire  South.  In 
its  midst  a  Convention  was  called  of  all  conservative  citizens, 
irrespective  of  former  party  affiliations  to  meet  in  Raleigh, 
5  February,  1868,  over  which  Mr.  Graham  was  called  by 
common  consent  to  preside,  as  our  wisest  citizen.  His  earn- 
est, able  and  statesmanlike  speech  had  a  powerful  effect,  it 
aroused  the  people  from  despondency  and  infused  into  them 
that  spirit  of  determination  which  continued  to  grow  in 
strength  till  the  State  returned  to  the  control  of  its  native 
white  population.  In  this  speech,  he  was  the  first,  in  view 
of  the  recent  Act  of  Congress,  conferring  suffrage  upon  the 
colored  race,  to  lay  down  the  necessity  for  the  Whites  to 
stand  together,  and  he  enunciated  the  dectrine  of  "White 
Supremacy"  as  indispensable  for  the  preservation  of  civiliza- 
tion in  the  South.  While  others  favored  efforts  to  obtain 
control  or  guidance  of  the  ISTegro,  he,  with  a  better  knowl- 
edge of  that  race,  insisted  upon  the  solidarity  of  the  Whites 
as  our  only  hope.  The  event  has  proved  the  accuracy  of  his 
foresight.  This  speech  while  the  Convention  was  in  session 
was  as  brave  as  any  act  of  the  war. 


14  THE  NORTH   CAROLINA  BOOKLET 

lie  was  prominent  in  asserting  the  right  of  the  citizens  to 
the  writ  of  habeas  corpus  in  1870,  when  Judge  Pearson 
declared  the  "judiciary  exhausted'' ;  and  when  Governor 
Holden  was  impeached  in  December  of  that  year,  his  was 
the  first  named  selected  among  the  eminent  counsel,  who  w^ere 
retained  to  assist  the  managers  appointed  by  the  House  of 
Representatives  in  the  prosecution.  His  speech  was  one  of 
great  ability,  but  singularly  free  from  personal  denunciation 
of  those  who  had  trodden  under  foot  the  Constitution  and 
the  laws. 

He  was  selected  by  the  great  philanthropist,  George  Pea- 
body,  as  one  of  the  board  of  eminent  men  whom  he  requested 
to  act  as  trustees  in  administering  the  fund  donated  by  him 
to  the  cause  of  education  in  the  South,  which  had  been  so 
sorely  impoverished  by  the  war,  and  attended  its  sessions 
with  great  regularity. 

He  was  also  selected  by  Virginia  to  represent  her  upon 
the  Board  of  Arbitration  appointed  by  that  State  and  Mary- 
land to  settle  the  disputed  boundary  between  the  two  States. 

On  20  May,  1875,  he  delivered  an  address  at  Charlotte 
upon  the  celebration  of  the  Centennial  Anniversary  of  the 
Mecklenburg  Declaration  of  Independence  and  arrayed  in  a 
masterly  mamier  the  historic  evidence  of  its  authenticity. 

Among  his  many  valuable  addresses  is  that  delivered  at 
Greensboro  in  1860  upon  the  services  of  General  ISTathanael 
Greene,  and  memorial  addresses  upon  the  life  and  character 
of  Judges  A.  D.  Murphey  and  George  E.  Badger  and  Chief 
Justice  Thomas  Puffin.  His  address  at  the  State  University 
and  that  upon  the  British  Invasion  of  iSTorth  Carolina  in 
1780-81  have  already  been  mentioned.  Xotwithstanding  his 
frequent  public  services,  in  the  intervals  he  readily  returned 
to  his  professional  duties  and  to  the  last  was  in  full  practice 
at  the  bar.  His  argument  before  Judge  Brooks  in  1870  at 
Salisbury  on  the  habeas  corpus  for  release  of  Josiah  Turner 
and  others  was  a  masterpiece. 


WILLIAM  ALEXANDER  GRAHAM  15 

He  was  nominated  by  acclamation  in  Orange  County  to 
the  State  Constitutional  Convention  of  1S75.  His  declin- 
ing health  prevented  his  taking  part  in  the  canvass.  He 
issued  a  strong  address  to  his  constituents  which  was  widely 
circulated  throughout  the  State,  with  great  effect.  His  elec- 
tion was  a  matter  of  course,  but  before  he  could  take  his 
seat,  he  had  passed  beyond  earthly  honors.  He  was  at  Sara- 
toga, X.  Y.,  attending  the  session  of  the  Virginia  and  Mary- 
land Boundary  Commission  when  renewed  and  alarming 
symptoms  of  heart  trouble  appeared.  The  best  efforts  of 
medical  science  j^roved  unavailing,  and  he  passed  away  early 
in  the  morning  of  11  August,  1875,  being  nearly  71  years 
of  age. 

Numerous  meetings  of  the  Bar  and  public  bodies,  not 
only  in  North  Carolina,  but  elsewhere,  expressed  their  sense 
of  the  public  loss,  and  the  great  journals  of  the  country  re- 
sponded in  articles  expressive  of  the  national  bereavement. 
The  States  of  Maryland  and  Virginia  took  care  that  his 
remains  should  be  received  with  due  honor  and  escorted 
across  their  borders.  At  the  borders  of  North  Carolina  they 
were  received  by  a  committee  appointed  by  the  Mayor  and 
Common  Council  of  Raleigh,  a  committee  appointed 
by  the  bar  of  Raleigh,  and  another  by  the  authori- 
ties of  the  town  of  Hillsboro,  by  officials  and  many  promi- 
nent citizens  of  the  State  and  conveyed  by  special  train  to 
Raleigh  where  they  were  escorted  by  a  military  and  civic 
procession  to  the  Capitol,  in  whose  rotunda,  draped  for  the 
occasion,  they  lay  in  state.  Late  in  the  afternoon  of  the 
same  day,  attended  by  the  Raleigh  military  companies  and 
by  special  guards  of  honor,  appointed  by  cities  and  towns 
of  the  State,  and  by  the  family  of  the  deceased,  his  remains 
were  carried  by  sj^ecial  train  to  Hillsboro,  where  they  were 
received  by  the  whole  population  of  the  toAvn  and  escorted 
to  the  family  residence,  where  they  lay  in  state  till  noon  on 
Sunday,  August  15th.  At  that  hour  they  were  conveyed  to 
the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  after  appropriate  funeral  serv- 


16  THE  XORTH  CAROLINA  BOOKLET 

iees  were  interred  with  solemn  ceremony,  amid  an  im- 
mense concourse  gathered  from  many  counties,  in  its  historic 
graveyard,  where  rest  the  ashes  of  William  Hooper,  A.  D. 
Murphey,  Chief  Justice  Xash,  Judge  ISTorwood,  and  many 
others,  worthily  prominent  in  the  annals  of  the  State. 

Governor  Graham  left  surviving  him  his  widow,  who  sub- 
sequently died  1  May,  ISDO;  seven  sons,  to  wit:  Dr.  Joseph 
Graham,  of  Charlotte  (died  August  12,  1907)  ;  Major  John 
W.  Graham,  of  Hillsboro;  Major  W.  A.  Graham,  of  Lincoln; 
Captain  James  A.  Graham  (died  in  March,  1909),  and 
Captain  Robert  D.  Graham  (died  Jnly,  1904),  both  resident 
in  late  years  in  Washington  City;  Dr.  George  W.  Graham, 
of  Charlotte;  Judge  Augustus  W.  Graham,  of  Oxford;  and 
an  only  daughter,  3nsan  Washington,  \vho  married  the 
author  of  this  very  imperfect  sketch  of  his  life  and  services. 
She  died  in  Raleigh  10  December,  1909. 

Fortunate  in  his  lineage  and  the  sturdy  race  from  which 
he  sprung,  strikingly  handsome  in  person,  of  commanding 
appearance  and  stature,  courteous  in  his  bearing  toward  all, 
high  or  low,  of  high  mental  endowments,  of  a  personal  char- 
acter without  spot  or  blemish,  true  to  all  men,  and  therefore 
true  to  himself,  possessed  of  undaunted  courage,  moral  and 
physical,  with  remarkable  soundness  of  judgment,  conserva- 
tive in  his  views,  l)ut  progressive  in  his  public  action,  abun- 
dant in  services  to  his  State  and  to  his  country,  holding  the 
entire  respect  of  all  and  the  hatred  of  no  one,  I^orth  Caro- 
lina has  laid  to  rest  in  her  bosom  no  son  greater  or  more 
worthy  than  William  A.  Graham.  His  fame  will  grow 
brighter  as  the  records  are  examined  and  weighed  in  the  cold, 
clear,  impartial  light  of  the  future. 

To  ISTorth  Carolinians,  the  name  of  William  A.  Graham 
is  the  synonym  of  high  character  and  true  service,  and  in 
rendering  to  him  and  his  memory  high  honor,  the  people  of 
the  State  have  indicated  those  traits  of  character  w^hich  most 
strongly  command  their  approbation. 

Stat  nominis  umhra. 


James  C.   Dohiux. 


JAMES  COCHKAIir  DOBBIX  IT 

James  Cochran  Dobbin,  Secretary  of  the  Navy 
in  the  Cabinet  of  President  Pierce 

1853-1857 


By  Henry  Elliot  Shepherd,  M.A.,  LL.D. 
Autbor  "History  of  the  English  Language,"  "Study  of  Edgar  Allan 
Poe."  "Life  of  Robert  E.  Lee,"  "Commentary  Upon  Tennyson's  'In 
Memoriam,'  "  "Representative  Authors  of  Maryland,"  Contributions 
To  "The  Oxford  Dictionary,"  "The  American  Journal  of  Philology," 
etc. 


The  Dobbin  family,  a  branch  of  which  was  founded  in 
l^orth  Carolina,  not  far  from  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth 
century,  seems  to  have  descended  from  a  French  Huguenot 
ancestry,  the  name,  it  is  said,  being  a  phonetic  corruption 
of  its  original  form,  Daubigiie,  into  Daubin  or  Dobbin. 
The  family  to  this  day,  has  representatives  in  other  States, 
sprung  from  the  same  source,  but  these  lie  beyond  the  scope 
of  the  researches  contemplated  in  the  present  biography. 
During  the  relentless  persecutions  and  proscriptions,  which 
both  preceded  and  succeeded  the  revocation  of  the  Edict 
of  Xantes,  October,  1865,  a  large  Huguenot  element  found 
refuge  in  England  and  in  Ireland,  in  the  latter  country 
many  being  established  in  the  region  which  includes 
Carrickfergus  and  Belfast.  The  Huguenot  influences  in 
America,  above  all  in  the  South,  forms  part  of  our  national 
record,  and  in  relation  to  our  present  theme,  demands  neither 
elaboration  nor  enlargement  at  the  hands  of  the  historian  or 
chronicler  of  the  house  of  Dobbin.  The  first  of  whom  we 
have  definite  knowledge  as  associated  with  ISTorth  Carolina, 
was  my  great-grandfather  in  the  maternal  line,  Hugh  Dob- 
bin. The  name  is  not  unknown  in  our  mountain  region,  and 
it  was  borne  in  a  period  not  distant  from  the  American 
Revolution  by  at  least  one  of  the  evangelists  who  preached 
the  gospel  in  a  country  then  hardly  rescued  from  the  sway 


IS  THE  XOETII   CAEOLINA  BOOKLET 

of  the  primeval  forests  in  which  "the  groves  were  God's  first 
teni])les."  These,  however,  have  assumed  ahnost  the  shadowy 
form  of  tradition.  The  family  acquires  a  clearly  defined 
attitude  in  Xorth  Carolina,  with  Hugh  Dobbin,  paternal 
grandfather  of  James  C.  Dobbin,  Hugh  Dobbin  was  en- 
gaged in  commercial  pursuits  in  both  Carolinas.  In  addition, 
he  was  interested  in  the  maritime  trade  of  that  age,  and  in 
vessels  that  frequented  the  port  of  Baltimore.  The  exact 
date  of  his  settlement  in  the  South  I  have  not  been  able  to 
ascertain,  1760  would  constitute  an  approximation  at  least. 
The  time  of  his  death,  was  not  distant  from  1790  or  1795. 
About  1780  or  1782,  he  married  Margaret  Moore,  of  Ben- 
nettsville,  S.  C,  who  was  a  daughter  of  Gully  Moore,  a  patriot 
of  the  Revolutionary  era  and  a  man  marked  by  force  of  char- 
acter, as  well  as  vigor  of  intellect.  From  this  marriage 
sprang  John  Moore  Dobbin  (father  of  James  C  Dobbin), 
who  died  in  1837.  His  early  years  were  passed  in  Person 
County;  and  not  far  from  1813  he  married  as  his  first  wife, 
Miss  Anness  Cochran,  mother  of  James  Cochran  Dobbin, 
whose  middle  name  perpetuates  the  memory  of  his  maternal 
ancestry.  Miss  Cochran's  father  had  been  a  conspicuous 
figure  in  the  political  life  of  his  time,  having  served  in 
Congress  during  the  critical  era  which  embraced  the  second 
war  with  England.  When  in  the  years  of  dawning  man- 
hood, John  Moore  Dobbin,  born  in  1784,  established  himself 
in  Fayetteville,  then  an  expanding  commercial  centre,  its 
development  not  yet .  arrested,  nor  its  growth  paralyzed  by 
adverse  and  hostile  combinations  in  the  sphere  of  railway 
creation  and  extension.  He  became  a  leading  factor,  a  potent 
element  in  the  material  growth  of  both  Carolinas.  In  Fay- 
etteville, James  C.  Dobbin  was  born,  January  17,  1814; 
when  hardly  beyond  the  age  of  six,  his  mother  died,  in  the 
white  flower  of  early  womanhood;  some  three  years  later  his 
father  married  a  second  time,  Margaret  MacQueen,  of  Chat- 


JAMES   COCIIKAN  DOBBIN  19 

ham  County.*  The  natal  day  of  Mr.  Dobbin  is  coincident 
with  that  of  Benjamin  Franklin,  and  two  days  removed  from 
that  of  Edgar  Allan  Poe  and  Eobert  E.  Lee.  The  world, 
then  as  now,  was  enveloped  in  war,  the  combined  hosts  were 
pressing  out  the  heart  of  France,  and  the  overthrow  of  the 
first  iSIapoleon  was  almost  a  foregone  result. 

Of  Mr.  Dobbin's  childhood  years,  no  definite  or  continu- 
ous account  has  been  preserved ;  only  a  fragmentary  reminis- 
cence, or  a  tradition  of  some  boyish  prank,  rescued  from 
oblivion  by  the  loving  memory  of  those  that  came  after  him 
in  his  own  household,  or  recalled  from  forgetfulness  when 
his  co-mates  of  this  dawning  period  contemplated  with  manly 
pride,  unmarred  by  touch  of  envy,  his  rapid  ascent  from 
local  celebrity  to  the  lofty  dignity  of  a  national  figure,  ab- 
sorbed in  the  complex  diplomatic  negotiations  with  Japan 
(1854),  the  efi"ect  of  which  has  proved  a  potent  agency  in 
shaping  the  development  of  all  subsequent  history.  His  in- 
tellect ever  normal  in  its  attitude,  was  unmarked  by  the 
spectacular  episodes  and  moving  incidents  that  are  the  charm 
of  the  sensational  biographer.  If  his  genius  "was  nursed  in 
solitude,"  its  perfect  accord  and  equilibrium  were  maintained 
to  the  last,  as  he  lay  on  his  deathbed  on  a  serene  August 
morning  in  1857.  The  routine  of  his  early  life  found  variety 
and  diversion  by  visits  during  the  prolonged  summer  season, 
to  the  ancestral  home  in  Person  County.  His  scholastic 
career  seems  to  have  assumed  a  definite  character  in  an 
academy  at  Fayetteville,  conducted  by  the  Rev.  Colin  Mclver 


*The  reader  will  not  fail  to  note  that  in  the  earlier  phases  of  my 
narrative,  I  have  been  compelled  to  depend  in  a  measvire  upon  family 
traditions  and  transmitted  memories.  Many  invaluable  records  and 
letters  were  destroyed  during  the  sacking  of  our  home  at  Fayette- 
ville, March,  1865,  by  Sherman.  Yet  with  these  disadvantages  to 
overcome,  I  do  not  think  that  I  have  fallen  into  any  serious  error, 
or  marked  variation  from  truth,  either  in  reference  to  statements 
of  fact,  or  in  cases  which  involve  questions  of  chronoiogy.  In  regard 
to  the  essential  features  of  Mr.  Dobbin's  own  life,  there  exists  no 
shadow  of  doubt. 


20  THE  NOETH  CAROLINA  BOOKLET 

(a  notable  ligure  in  the  ecclesiastical  aunals  of  his  day)  in 
strict  conformity  to  the  ancient  classical  standards  prevailing 
in  England  and  in  Scotland ;  the  fame  of  its  instruction 
had  passed  beyond  the  bounds  of  the  State:  among  his  asso- 
ciates was  Judah  P.  Benjamin,  of  Charleston,  S.  C,  a  name 
linked  with  brilliant  achievement  in  both  Great  Britain  and 
America.  We  find  young  Dobbin  at  a  time  not  much  later 
than  that  which  we  now  contemplate,  a  pupil  of  the  Bingham 
School,  then  having  its  home  at  Hillsboro,  a  point  distin- 
guished from  an  early  period,  as  a  centre  of  social  and  intel- 
lectual culture.  In  June,  1828,  a  lad  of  fourteen,  he  passes 
from  the  guardianship  of  Mr.  Bingham  and  is  admitted  to 
the  University  of  l^orth  Carolina.  Among  his  classmates 
was  Thomas  H.  Haughton,  whom  in  1845,  he  defeated  for 
Congress,  and  Thomas  L.  Clingman — memorable  in  peace 
as  in  war,  for  it  was  Clingman's  jSTorth  Carolina  Brigade 
which  was  in  large  measure  the  agency  that  in  June, 
1864,  turned  back  the  tide,  and  rescued  Petersburg  from 
the  premature  grasp  of  the  invader  and  spoiler.  Mr. 
Dobbin  graduated  in  1832,  attaining  scholastic  distinction 
of  the  highest  order.  His  ideal  grace  was  resistless ;  faculty 
and  students  alike,  yielded  to  the  magnetic  influence ;  to  the 
lover  of  romance  he  might  have  been  regarded  as  some  Per- 
cival  or  Galahad,  diverted  from  the  quest  of  the  grail  and 
brought  from  dreamland  into  our  grim  world  of  austere 
realities.  Dr.  Caldwell  cherished  for  him  a  genuine  affec- 
tion, despite  the  college  j^rank  to  which  young  Dobbin  was 
a  party,  several  lads  taking  possession  of  the  Doctor's  coach, 
conveying  it  under  cover  of  night  to  a  distance  from  his 
residence  and  leaving  it  concealed  in  a  dense  wood.  As  they 
were  on  the  point  of  returning  to  their  quarters,  the  coach, 
as  they  supposed,  being  securely  disposed  of,  to  their  un- 
speakable amazement,  the  Doctor  appeared  at  the  window 
of  the  vehicle,  and  in  his  peculiar  tone  quietly  observed: 
"Well,  young  gentlemen,  you  have  brought  me  down  here; 
now,  you  can  carry  me  back."     Carry  him  back  they  did, 


JAMES  COCIIEAN  DOBBIN  21 

but  the  story  had  no  sequel,  as  the  Doctor  seems  to  have 
entered  heartily  into  the  humorous  phase  of  the  incident. 
During  Mr.  Dobbin's  college  career,  his  tastes,  sympathies, 
and  aspirations  were  moulded  and  fashioned  by  his  affection- 
ate devotion  to  the  sovereign  masters  of  literary  and  classical 
culture,  not  as  illustrated  in  our  native  speech  alone,  but  in 
the  supreme  lords  of  the  antique  world  as  well.  His  ''mental 
armor"  as  he  himself  described  it,  in  his  address  to  the  liter- 
ary societies  of  the  University  (delivered  when  I  was  emerg- 
ing from  childhood  to  boyhood)  was  bright  and  brilliant, 
even  when  he  was  fading  from  us,  the  victim  of  immitigable 
disease.  With  unabating  zeal  and  diligence,  he  directed  the 
education  of  his  sons  and  nephews;  whenever  he  visited  his 
home  during  his  official  life  in  Washing-ton,  a  rigid  inquiry 
into  their  progress  was  a  marked  feature  of  his  coming.  The 
academic  record  was  thoroughly  scrutinized,  and  the  work 
accomplished  in  Csesar,  Virgil,  Cicero,  during  the  term,  was 
subjected  to  rigid,  minute  review.  Among  the  treasures  of 
my  library,  I  reckon,  with  a  consciousness  of  increasing 
pleasure,  the  Bible  presented  to  him  at  the  LTniversity  in 
1831,  the  year  preceding  his  graduation;  his  edition  of 
Macaulay's  "Miscellanies,"  and  the  account  of  Commodore 
Perry's  Expedition  to  Japan,  edited  by  Eev.  Francis  L. 
Hawks,  D.  D.,  the  historian  of  North  Carolina.  Each  of 
these  contains  the  autograph  of  Mr.  Dobbin;  and  the  last 
I  received  as  his  special  gift,  September  10,  1856.  N^ot  long 
after  the  completion  of  his  university  course,  he  applied  him- 
self to  the  study  of  the  law,  under  the  direction  of  Hon. 
Eobert  Strange,  a  judge  of  the  Superior  Court,  and  one  of 
the  lights  of  the  bar  and  the  bench  in  the  period  of  which 
he  formed  a  part.  In  1835,  he  was  admitted  to  the  practice 
of  his  profession. 

Fifteen  years  later  (November,  1850)  teacher  and  pupil 
were  arrayed  against  each  other  in  the  trial  of  one  of  the 
most  notable  criminal  cases  associated  with  the  history  of 
the  South:  that  of  Mrs.  Simpson,  at  Fayetteville,  charged 


22  THE  NOKTll   CAROLlISrA  BOOKLET 

with  having  caused  the  death  of  her  hiisbaud  hy  means  of 
poison.     Jndge  Strange  appeared  for  the  defense,  and  Mr, 
Dobbin  assisted  the  State,  in  the  conduct  of  the  prosecution. 
Two  years  after  his  admission  to  the  bar,  or  in   1837,   his 
father  died,  his  ilhiess  being  brief,  as  well  as  sudden.     His 
second  Avife,  as  well  as  six  children  survived  him,  of  whom 
James   C.   Dobbin  was  the   eldest.      In   1838,   Mr.    Dobbin 
married  Miss  Louisa  Holmes,  of  Sampson,  who  died  in  1848, 
leaving  three  children,  of  whom  one  only  is  still  living.     He 
nexeY  again  assumed  the  matrimonial  relation.     During  the 
earlier   stages   of   his   professional   career,   Mr.    Dobbin   was 
guided  by  a  wise  and  judicious  conservation  of  mental  and 
physical  resources.     There  was  no  gratuitous  expenditure  of 
force,  no  dissipation  of  energy.     His  circuit  was  restricted  to 
the    counties    adjoining    his    home,    Cumberland,    Kobeson, 
Sampson.      The  blare  of  trumpets,  the  quest  of  notoriety, 
entered  not  into  his  life,  and  to  him,  in  its  intensest  signifi- 
ance,  "fame  was  no  plant  that  grows  on  mortal  soil."     With 
the  increasing  years,  he  attained  unchallenged  rank  among 
the  foremost  advocates  of  an  age,  which  numbered  among  its 
representatives  such  "men  of  light  and  leading"  as  Toomer, 
Eccles,   Strange  and  Henry.     His  summary  or  synopsis  of 
the  evidence  in  the  case  of  Mrs.  Simjjson  was  a  masterful 
illustration  of  ideal  eloquence,  "logic  on  fire,"  relentless  in 
its    vigor,    remorseless    in    its    conclusions,    resistless    in    its 
I^ower.     The  coming  of  1845,  heralds  the  first  period  of  Mr. 
Dobbin's  development  in  the  sphere  of  politics.     During  the 
campaign  of  this  eventful  season,  he  was  nominated  by  the 
Democratic  party  as  one  of  its  candidates  for  congressional 
honors.     He  had  just  passed  his  thirtieth  year,  and  the  honor 
was  not  only  unlooked  for,  but  absolutely  unsolicited.     Yet 
he   defeated  his  classmate,  Mr.   John   H.   Haughton,   by   a 
majority  of  2,000  votes,  a  marked  advance  upon  the  numeri- 
cal results  that  had  been  attained  by  his  successful  predeces- 
sors in  his  own  party,  and  one  which  implied  an  emphatic 
tribute  to  his  personal  charm,  and  his  magnetism  of  charac- 


JAMES  COCHRAISr  DOBBIA'"  23 

ter.  Despite  both  youth  and  want  of  parliamentary  experi- 
ence Mr.  Dobbin  speedily  became  a  name  to  conjure  with  in 
the  Twenty-ninth  Congress.  A  place  was  assigned  him  upon 
some  of  the  committees  which  involved  delicate  and  critical 
functions,  as  that  upon  Contested  Elections,  and  in  some  of 
their  most  complex  procedures,  he  maintained  a  part  as 
vigorous  and  elective  as  it  was  manly  and.  honorable.  In 
the  discussion  of  the  Public  Land  Bill,  in  the  debates  upon 
the  Oregon  Question,  which  had  engaged  us  in  serious  com- 
plications with  Great  Britain,  we  see  him  in  the  forefront 
of  the  battle.  Above  all,  he  was  the  inflexible  and  dauntless 
champion  of  the  South,  and  whenever  her  claims  were  as- 
sailed, or  her  prerogative  invaded,  the  very  gaudium  cer- 
taminis  seemed  to  lighten  his  pale  and  classic  features  as  if 
a  radiance  from  an  undreamed  sphere  had  descended  upon 
them.  ,  His  speech  upon  the  repeal  of  the  tariff  of  1842, 
illustrates  his  eloquence  in  its  purest  and  noblest  form.  Mere 
extracts  or  detached  fragments,  would  tend  rather  to  mar 
its  unity,  artistic  and  dialectic,  than  to  convey  an  adequate 
impression  of  its  power.  Upon  the  expiration  of  his  term, 
Mr.  Dobbin  declined  a  re-election,  which  he  might  have  se- 
cured without  doubt,  or  even  without  effort,  and  resumed 
the  congenial  pursuit  of  the  law  at  Fayetteville.  Yet  the 
'^jealous  mistress"  was  not  suffered  to  absorb  all  his  energies, 
or  to  assume  an  unchallenged  monopoly  of  his  versatile 
faculties.  We  find  him  in  the  Legislature  of  1848-9,  the 
most  responsible  positions  of  trust  being  assigned  to  his  guid- 
ance. It  was  during  this  Legislature  that  a  notable  incident 
in  the  life  of  Mr.  Dobbin,  and  in  the  history  of  jSTorth  Caro- 
lina becomes  the  subject  of  an  especial  record.  I  refer  to 
the  creation  of  the  Asylum  for  the  Insane  (State  Hospital), 
at  Raleigh,  the  abiding  memorial  of  his  genius,  destined  "to 
live  with  the  eternity  of  his  fame."  It  was  during  this  ses- 
sion that  Miss  Dix,  whose  heroic  labors  in  the  sphere  of 
philanthropy,  are  familiar  to  two  continents,  memorialized 
the   Legislature   to  erect   an  asylum  for  the   insane.      The 


24  THE  NOKTII   CAROLINA  BOOKLET 

memorial  being  referred  to  a  special  committee,  a  bill  was 
reported  in  favor  of  granting  the  prayer  of  the  memorialist. 
At  this  stage,  however,  the  chairman  of  this  committee, 
whom  at  a  later  period  we  encounter  as  Governor  Ellis,  had 
retired  from  the  Legislature  in  order  to  accept  a  judicial 
position,  and  the  bill  introduced  by  him,  providing  that 
$100,000  be  appropriated  for  the  erection  of  the  institution, 
though  advocated  by  Mr.  Kenneth  Rayner  in  an  appeal 
marked  by  rare  fervor  and  earnestness,  was  defeated  by  a 
vote  of  44  ayes,  66  noes.  Two  days  preceding,  Mrs.  Dobbin 
had  been  consigned  to  the  grave,  and  Mr.  Dobbin  was  absent 
from  the  sessions  of  the  House.  Miss  Dix  was  naturally 
alarmed  in  reference  to  the  fate  of  the  bill,  and  having  abso- 
lute faith  in  Mr.  Dobbin's  influence,  and  the  power  of  his 
oratory,  recalled  to  his  memory  the  urgent  request  of  his  wife 
that  he  would  advocate  and  champion  the  measure.  The 
appeal  was  one  that  he  could  not  disregard,  and  on  the  next 
day  he  was  present  in  his  place.  The  bill  had  been  reconsid- 
ered, upon  a  motion  to  appropriate  $25,000,  but  Mr.  Dobbin 
introduced  a  substitute  by  which,  in  four  years  $85,000 
could  be  provided  by  the  State  for  the  institution.  The  j)ro- 
posed  substitute  he  advocated  with  even  more  than  his 
wonted  grace  and  appealing  power,  the  result  being  that  it 
was  adopted  by  an  almost  unanimous  vote.  In  1852,  we 
find  him  in  the  Legislature  for  the  last  time,  l^ominated 
in  caucus  for  the  Senate  of  the  LTnited  States,  he  failed  of 
election,  it  was  currently  reported,  through  the  perfidy  of 
one  of  his  own  allies,  a  name  long  since  effaced  from  the 
political  heavens,  but  associated  with  a  family  by  no  means 
extinct  in  !North  Carolina.  It  was  in  March,  1853,  that  Mr. 
Dobbin  became  Secretary  of  the  ISTavy,  succeeding  in  that 
capacity,  John  P.  Kennedy,  of  Baltimore,  who  was  chosen 
to  fill  the  vacancy  created  by  the  retirement  of  William 
A.  Graham,  as  soon  as  nominated  for  the  Vice-Presidency 
upon  the  same  ticket  with  General  Scott,  June,  1852.  The 
nomination  of  Mr.  Pierce  bv  the  Baltimore  Convention  was 


JAMES  COCIIKAN  DOBBIN  25 

in  large  measure  the  outcome  of  Mr.  Dobbin's  brilliant 
appeals  in  his  behalf,  and  as  an  acknowledgment  of  his  in- 
valuable services,  the  Naval  Bureau  was  tendered  to  him  by 
the  incoming  president  upon  his  election  in  November,  1852. 
The  Cabinet  of  Mr.  Pierce  was  especially  distinguished  by 
its  combination  of  varied  and  marked  intellectual  abilities — 
William  L.  Marcy,  Jefferson  Davis,  Caleb  Cushing,  James 
C.  Dobbin.  It  may  be  declared  with  no  trace  of  hyperbole, 
that  in  this  elect  company  which  blended  "all  the  talents," 
the  modest  and  gracious  gentleman  from  North  Carolina,  if 
not  the  most  richly  endowed  with  gifts  of  intellect  or  genius 
for  administration,  was  the  most  attractive  and  fascinating 
figure.  As  a  delegate  from  his  native  State,  he  had  accom- 
plished the  nomination  of  Mr.  Pierce  by  the  Democratic 
Convention,  and  that  he  possessed  the  special  regard  and 
admiration  of  his  chief,  I  have  ample  reason  to  know,  such 
as  has  never  been  brought  into  the  fierce  light  of  popular 
knowledge,  or  jjassed  beyond  the  bounds  of  his  domestic 
circle.  His  administration  of  the  Naval  Department  was  not 
merely  marked  by  efficiency  and  excellence  in  detail ;  it  was 
crowned  by  episodes  and  incidents  whose  logical  influence 
has  tended  in  certain  spheres  of  development,  to  direct  and 
control  the  evolution  of  contemporary  history.  Foremost 
among  these,  stands  the  treaty  with  Japan,  March,  1854; 
the  construction  of  the  steam  frigates,  of  which  one  was  the 
Merrimac,  1856,  transformed  at  a  later  period,  1861-2,  into 
the  Confederate  Virginia.  In  view  of  the  maritime  compli- 
cations which  now  prevail,  the  Martin  Koszta  incident,  1853, 
acquires  a  renascent  interest.  The  student  of  North  Carolina 
history,  cannot  fail  to  note  that  the  Perry  Expedition  origi- 
nated in  the  creative  brain  of  Governor  Graham;  that  the 
fleet  was  dispatched  by  Mr.  Kennedy,  November,  1852,  dur- 
ing his  brief  official  term,  June,  1852,  to  March,  1853;  and 
that  the  treaty  which  represents  the  climax  of  this  epoch- 
making  movement,  assumed  definite  form  imder  the  au- 
spicious guidance  of  Mr.  Dobbin.     Four  ''crowded  vears  of 


26  THE  Koirni  cakolina  booklet 

glorious  life"  in  AVasbiiigtou,  the  eli'ects  of  which  are  grow- 
ing from  more  to  more  with  the  increasing  ages ;  and  for  him 
the  end  is  nigh  at  hand.  To  those  who  stood  in  intimate  re- 
lation to  Mr.  Dobbin,  it  was  evident  that  death  had  set  his 
roval  seal  upon  him  not  long  after  he  had  entered  the  Cabinet 
of  Mr.  Pierce;  the  malady  had  probably  asserted  its  power 
in  germinal  form,  ere  he  attained  that  stage.  Five  months 
after  the  close  of  his  administrative  period,  he  died  at  his 
home  near  Fayetteville,  August  4,  1857,  aged  44;  his  col- 
league, Mr.  Marcy,  preceding  him  to  the  grave  by  a  single 
mouth.  Of  his  three  children,  his  daughter,  Mary  Louisa 
Dobbin  (who  married  the  late  Colonel  John  H.  Anderson), 
alone  remains;  for  a  series  of  jesivs  Brooklyn,  IST.  Y.,  has 
been  her  home.  James  C.  Dobbin,  Jr.,  the  elder  son,  died 
in  August,  1869.  Some  of  his  father's  richest  gifts  and 
graces  descended  upon  him  like  golden  showers,  above  all, 
that  of  eloquence,  in  whose  mastery,  his  rank  was  in  the  fore- 
most files.  The  younger  son,  John  Holmes  Dobbin,  died  in 
18(35,  a  youth  whose  genial,  lovable  nature  clung  to  him  in 
sunshine  and  in  shadow,  in  war  as  in  peace,  and  failed  him 
not  even  when  he  stood  face  to  face  wdth  the  last  enemy  that 
shall  be  destroyed.  Mr.  Dobbin  was  laid  to  rest  in  the 
Dobbin-Shepherd  grounds,  Cross  Creek  Cemetery,  on  the 
6th  of  August.  The  services  were  held  at  the  Presbyterian 
Church,  a  eulogy,  based  upon  the  37th  Psalm,  37th  verse, 
being  delivered  by  the  pastor.  Rev.  Adam  Gilchrist.  The 
tribute  to  the  dead,  was  characterized  by  the  urbanity  and 
lucidity  of  expression  wdiich  formed  the  native  vesture  of  his 
unstudied  and  habitual  utterances.  A  happy  accord  in  ideals 
both  of  life  and  language,  linked  into  harmony,  the  eulogist 
and  the  subject  of  his  eulogy. 

Mr.  Dobbin's  affability  and  magnetic  charm  were  unabated, 
even  when  the  long  gra])ple  with  a  relentless  malady  had  re- 
duced him  to  a  mere  vestige  of  his  former  self.  His  habitual 
loveliness  of  expression  remained  with  him,  ]u-eluding,  as  it 
were,  ''that  sweet  other-world  smile,  which  will  be  reflected  in 


JAMES  COCHKAN  DOBBIN  27 

the  spiritual  body  among  the  angels."  Just  as  the  transition 
from  death  unto  life,  was  reaching  its  final  stage,  a  friend 
and  kinsman  watching  at  his  bedside,  asked,  "Is  Jesus  pre- 
cious to  you,"  to  w^hich  he  replied  in  a  tone  not  merely 
audible,  but  distinct  and  emphatic,  ''O  yes."  Consciousness, 
as  well  as  an  unclouded  intellect,  remained  with  him  as  he 
was  passing  into  "the  twilight  of  eternal  day."  When  a  lad 
in  my  teens,  I  was  wounded  almost  unto  death  at  Gettysburg, 
July  3,  1863.  I  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy  and  for  a 
series  of  dreary  months  lay  helpless  in  their  hospitals,  re- 
mote from  home,  in  ceaseless  contact  with  the  djdng  and  the 
dead.  Remembering  Mr.  Pierce's  regard  for  Mr.  Dobbin  I 
wrote  to  the  former  president,  fully  aware  that  my  letter 
had  its  origin  in  despair,  and  was  not  an  inspiration  drawn 
from  hope.  To  my  astonishment  there  came  back  a  prompt, 
gracious,  and  cordial  reply,  containing  a  generous  and  en- 
thusiastic tribute  to  my  uncle,  as  well  as  an  assurance  of 
sympathy  for  myself  in  the  desolate  situation  which  con- 
fronted me;  closing  with  these  notable  words:  "You  could 
not  commit  a  greater  mistake  than  to  suppose  that  I  have 
any  power  for  good  with  this  government."  To  me  it  seemed 
incomprehensible,  that  this  manly  and  defiant  communication 
from  such  a  source  was  suffered  to  pass  into  my  hands,  but 
it  came  unmarred  by  the  shears  of  the  censor,  and  I  brought 
the  letter  with  me  when  I  returned  to  the  South,  a  prisoner 
on  parole.  By  a  melancholy  irony  of  fate,  this  historic  me- 
morial was  lost  or  disappeared  from  our  home  at  Fayetteville, 
along  with  other  precious  household  treasures  associated  with 
the  name  and  achievements  of  our  peerless  kinsman.  The 
havoc  wrought  by  Sherman  in  March,  1865,  accounts  for 
much,  as  his  spoiling  of  our  goods  was  remorseless,  but  it 
does  not  resolve  the  mystery  linked  with  the  fate  of  Mr. 
Pierce's  letter.  A  gold-headed  cane,  marked  by  rare  beauty 
of  workmanship,  and  presented  to  Mr.  Dobbin  during  his 
official  residence  in  Washington,  was  one  of  the  trophies  of 
Sherman's  occupation  of  his  native  town.    My  personal  recol- 


28  THE   ^'ORTII   CAKOLIIN'A   BOOKLET 

lections  oi  iiiv  uncle  are  clear  and  distinct  from  the  earliest 
period.  When  just  five  years  of  age,  I  was  carried  by  an 
aunt  to  the  ]\Iethodist  Church  at  Fayetteville  to  hear  his 
eulogy  upon  James  K.  Polk,  who  died  in  June,  1849.  A 
child  of  eight,  I  listened  to  his  speeches  during  the  presiden- 
tial campaign  of  1852,  he  being  a  candidate  for  elector. 
Among  the  master  lights  of  modern  oratory,  his  proper  rela- 
tion and  analogy  must  be  sought  in  Fox,  Hayne,  Legare, 
Preston,  by  comparison  with  whom,  even  in  their  moments 
of  supreme  inspiration,  his  glory  does  not  fade  and  his  gar- 
lands do  not  wither.  His  voice  was  like  the  note  of  a  clarion, 
''trumpet  tongued,"  as  was  that  of  Shakespeare's  appealing 
angels.  A  strange  and  all-prevading  faculty  of  assimilation 
entered  into  his  language;  those  who  listened  were  drawn 
toward  him  by  a  magnetic  power  w^hich  took  possession  of  in- 
tellect, sensibility,  will,  and  guided  them  without  violence 
or  passion  to  the  assured  result,  by  the  exercise  of  a  mysteri- 
ous and  resistless  charm.  His  diction  was  characterized  by 
an  almost  ethereal  chasteness  and  purity ;  his  invective  or  his 
appeals  were  bodied  in  words  "headed  and  winged  with 
flame."  The  grace  and  ideal  form  of  an  Augustan  age,  were 
fused  into  harmony  with  the  fervor  and  passion  of  the  South 
which  died  at  Appomattox  in  the  broadening  spring-tide  of 
1865. 

"Who,  but  linns  to  hear 

The  rapt  oration  flowing  free 

From  point  to  point,  with  power  and  grace 

And  music  in  the  bounds  of  law, 

To  those  conclusions  when  we  saw 

The  God  within  him  light  his  face." 

The  sovereign  elegy  of  our  literature,  has  glorified  the 
memory  and  idealized  the  character  of  Arthur  Henry  Hallam, 
until  the  world  adores  the  creation  wrought  by  art  and  by 
poetic  fantasy.  Where  is  the  biographer  or  eulogist  of  James 
C.  Dobbin,  in  whose  life  and  achievement  were  illustrated 
and  revealed  the  fadeless  figure  and  vesture  of  Lancelot,  while 
within  the  mortal  frame  there  breathed  the  soul  of  Arthur? 


JAMES  COCHEAX  DOBBIN  29 

"Wbatever  record  leap  to  light 
He  never  shall  be  shamed." 

Of  the  several  portraits  of  Mr.  Dolibiii,  that  in  the  i^avy 
Department,  AYashington,  seems  to  me  most  accurately  to  re- 
produce his  features.  There  is  a  touch  of  flashiness  and 
gaitv  in  the  portrait  in  the  hall  of  the  Philanthropic  Society 
at  Chapel  Hill,  which  was  not  characteristic  of  the  man. 
The  Washington  portrait  reveals  the  placid  dignity  and 
serenity  that  never  failed  to  reflect  themselves  in  his  ex- 
pression. Apart  from  his  speeches  during  his  single  term 
in  Congress  (1846-48),  very  few  illustrations  of  his  oratorical 
power  remain  in  complete  or  available  form.  I  am  the  fortu- 
nate possessor  of  a  copy  of  the  report  of  the  celebrated  Simp- 
son trial  (JSTovember,  1850),  but  only  fragments  survive  of 
Mr.  Dobbin's  numerous  eulogies,  orations  and  addresses,  somie 
of  which  have  never  been  excelled  during  any  period  in  the 
history  of  modern  eloquence.  The  extract  that  follows,  is 
from  his  speech  in  Congress,  advocating  the  repeal  of  the 
tariff  of  1842.  It  presents  a  suggestive  contrast  to  the  type 
of  parliamentary  oratory  prevailing  in  our  own  day.  The 
diligent  reader  will  not  fail  to  note  that  an  economical  issue, 
associated  with  Carlyle's  "dismal  science,"  is  presented  with 
a  charming  lucidity  of  statement,  and  a  range  of  historical 
acquirement  illuminating  complex  details,  which  remind  us 
of  Macaulay,  and  bring  back  the  memory  of  his  brilliant 
feats  in  this  sphere  during  his  career  in  the  British  parlia- 
ment.    I  quote  from  the  speech  referred  to : 

"Mr.  Chairman. — It  has  fallen  to  our  lot  to  become  actors  on  the 
theatre  of  public  life  at  a  most  remarkable  era  in  the  history  of  the 
world.  The  human  mind  evincing  its  mighty  and  mysterious  capa- 
bilities is  achieving  triumphs  at  once  wonderful  and  sublime.  The 
elements  of  nature  are  playthings  for  it  to  sport  with.  Earth,  ocean, 
air,  lightning,  yield  subservient  in  the  hands  of  genius  to  minister 
to  the  wants,  the  purposes,  the  pleasures  of  man.  Science  is  fast 
developing  to  the  meanest  capacity  tlie  hidden  secrets  of  nature, 
hitherto  unexplored  in  the  researches  of  philosophy.  Education  is 
exerting  its  mild  and  refining  influence  to  elevate  and  bless  the 
people.  The  control  of  electricity  is  astonishing  the  world.  The 
power  of  steam  is  annihilating  distance,  and  making  remote  cities 


30  THE   XORTK   CAROLINA  BOOKLET 

and  tdwiis  and  stran.icei's  at  oiu-e  lu'i.iihhors  and  friends.  Amid  these 
mi,irbt.v  movements  in  the  fields  of  science,  literature  and  pliilosophy. 
the  liberal  spirit  of  a  free  government,  in  its  steady  and  onward 
progress,  is  heginnint;  to  accomplish  much  for  the  amelioration  of 
the  condition  of  the  human  family,  so  long  the  hoi>e  of  the  statesman 
and  philantliro])ist.  The  illiberal  maxims  of  bad  government,  too 
long  supported  by  false  reverence  for  their  antiquity,  are  beginning 
to  give  place  to  enlightened  suggestions  of  experience.  England, 
the  birth-place,  is  proposing  to  become  the  grave  of  commercial  re- 
striction. In  that  land,  whose  political  doctrines  are  so  often  the 
theme  of  <_!ur  denunciation  and  satire,  with  all  the  artillery  of  landed 
aristocracy,  associated  wealth,  and  party  vindictiveuess  levelled  at 
him.  there  has  appeared  a  learned,  a  leading  Premier,  Sir  Robert 
Peel,  who,  blending  in  his  character  much  of  the  philauthropy  of 
Burke,  the  bold  and  matchless  eloquence  of  Chatham,  and  the  patriot- 
Ism  of  Hampden,  has  had  the  moral  courage  and  magnanimity  to 
proclaim  that  he  can  no  longer  resist  the  convictions  of  experience 
and  observation,  and  that  the  system  of  commercial  restriction  and 
high  protection  is  wrong,  oppressive  and  should  be  abandoned. 
Already,  sir,  has  much  been  done — already  has  the  British  tariff, 
so  long  pleaded  as  the  excuse  for  ours,  been  radically  reformed 
and  in  obedience  to  the  persevering  demand  of  an  outraged  i>eople, 
we  hope  that  the  next  gale  that  crosses  the  Atlantic  wall  come  laden 
with  the  tidings  of  a  still  greater  triumph  in  the  repeal  of  the  corn 
laws,  so  oppressive  to  Englishmen,  and  injurious  to  Americans. 

"And  shall  we  not  reciprocate  this  liberal  spirit?  Shall  republican 
America,  so  boastful  of  her  greatness  and  freedom,  be  outstripped 
in  her  career  in  this  cause  of  human  rights  by  monarchial  England? 
No  sir,  I  do  not,  cannot,  and  mil  not  believe  it.  I  have  an  abiding, 
unshaken  faith  in  the  ultimate  triumph  of  so  righteous  a  cause. 

"Mr.  Chairman,  we  may  suri>ass  the  nations  of  the  earth  in 
science,  in  arms  and  in  arts ;  the  genius  of  our  people  may  attract 
the  admiration  of  mankind  — may  cause  'beauty  and  symmetry  to 
live  on  canvas' — may  almost  make  the  marble  from  the  quarry  to 
'breathe  and  si>eak' — may  charm  the  world  with  elegant  attainments 
in  poetry  and  learning,  but  much,  very  much,  will  be  unaccomplished  ; 
the  beauty  of  our  political  escutcheon  will  still  be  marred,  while 
commerce  is  trammeled,  and  agriculture  and  trade  depressed  by  bad 
legislation." 

The  extract  which  follows  is  taken  from  Mr,  Dobbin's 
speech  to  the  jury  during  the  trial  of  Mrs.  Simpson,  at 
Fayetteville,  jSTovember,  1850.  I  cannot  forbear  once  more 
to  express  my  regret  that  his  numerous  and  brilliant  oratori- 
cal creations,  eulogies,  tributes,  literary  addresses,  exist  only 
in  fragmentary  form,  or  by  the  desolation  of  war,  have  been 


JAMES  COCHEAN  DOBBIN  ol 

lost  beyond  recovery.  Mr.  Dobbin  introduces  his  speech  with 
a  graphic  portrayal  of  the  conditions,  and  the  individuals 
associated  with  this  notable  tragedy,  unsurpassed  in  celebrity 
in  the  annals  of  North  Carolina. 

"You  have  been  told,  he  said  (iu  replying  to  Hon.  Duncan  K. 
McRae,  one  of  the  counsel  for  the  defense)  of  her  beauty  too,  and 
my  distinguished  friend  has  held  up  before  you  the  picture  of  her 
girlhood  days — when  her  life  glided  on  sweetly  amid  sunshine  and 
flowers,  and  gay  admirers  and  doting  parents — now  darkened  and 
beclouded,  a  prisoner  in  the  damp  vaults  of  the  dungeon  with  the 
light  of  heaven  only  reaching  her  througli  iron  grates — with  the 
officers  of  the  law  now  inviting  you  cruelly  to  consign  her  to  an 
ignominious  grave,  and  to  hurry  her  into  eternity  !  The  pictur-e  was 
sketched  with  rare  skill  and  beauty,  and  presented  to  you  ^^tli  the 
finished  art  of  one  who  knew  that  your  hearts  could  not  fail  to  be 
touched  by  such  an  appeal.  Gentlemen.  I  complain  not  of  the  coun- 
sel, but  when  lie  spoke  of  'hurrying  one  into  eternity'  witliout  warn- 
ing, neitlier  I,  nor  you,  nor  any  one  of  this  vast  concourse,  could 
avoid  the  contemplation  of  another,  and  if  possible,  a  sadder,  more 
touching  iticture.  A  youthful  stranger  came  among  us,  to  seek  our 
generous,  Southern  hospitality.  Troops  of  friends  cheered  him  on. 
'None  knew  him  but  to  love  him.'  Perhaps  the  sun  never  shone  on 
a  kindlier  youth.  Captivated  by  the  charms  of  one  who  seemed  the 
lovely  woman,  he  blended  liis  destiny  witli  hers.  Ann  K.  Simpson 
became  his  bride.  For  a  season,  his  pathway  was  checkered  over 
with  sunshine  and  clovid ;  and  then  there  was  seated  on  his  brow, 
care  and  gloom  and  anxiety ;  and  in  a  moment,  umvarned,  the  grim 
tyrant  lays  his  ley  liands  upon  him.  Poor  Alexander  C.  Simpson 
is  in  his  gra^'e.  and  his  widow  is  the  prisoner  at  the  bar.  And 
while  I,  too,  warn  you,  not  rashly  and  impetuously,  to  consign  her 
to  an  untimely  end,  but  to  acquit  her,  if.  in  the  language  of  the  law, 
you  have  'a  reasonable  doubt,'  I  also  warn  you,  that  if  the  testi- 
mony has  convinced  your  minds,  and  points  you  to  the  hapless  pris- 
oner, as  the  one  wlio  did  the  dreadful  deed,  in  a  moment  when  poor 
human  nature  yielded  to  the  tempter,  then — in  the  face  of  your 
countrymen — in  the  siglit  of  liigh  heaven,  you  cannot,  will  not,  dare 
not  shrink  from  pronouncing  the  odvful  doom.  God  forbid  that  / 
should,  in  a  moment  of  ardor.  api>eal  to  your  passions.  God  forbid 
that  you,  in  a  moment  of  feeling,  should  forget  your  duty !  Let  us, 
then,  gentlemen  of  the  jury,  proceed  in  this  investigation  calmly  and 
dispassionately,  in  tlie  fear  of  God — not  man." 


32  THE  ^■OETII   CAEOLIA'A  BOOKLET 


Selwyn 


By  Violet  G.  Alexander. 


The  English  name  of  Sehri/}i  holds  an  interest  today  for 
the  students  of  North  Carolina's  Colonial  history,  because  as 
early  as  1737,  the  British  Crown  granted  to  Colonel  John 
Selwyn  large  tracts  of  land  in  Piedmont  Carolina,  and  upon 
the  death  of  Colonel  J  oh))  Selwyn  and  his  oldest  son  in  the 
year  1751,  his  younger  son,  George  Augustus  Selwyn  in- 
herited the  vast  estates  in  America. 

In  the  Colonial  Records  of  Xorth  Carolina,  Vol.  V,  page 
32,  we  read  the  following  regarding  the  early  land  transac- 
tions in  Carolina:  '']\rcCulloh  obtained  enormous  grants  for 
land  in  North  Carolina."  .  .  .  Dobb  was  one  of  the  part- 
ners or  associates  of  ]\rcCulloh  in  the  venture.  .  .  .  On  May 
9,  1737,  the  Cro^vn  granted  to  Murray  Cr^anble  and  James 
Huey,  two  merchants  of  London,  warrants  for  1,200,000 
acres  of  land  in  North  Carolina,  upon  condition  that  they 
settled  thereupon  (3,000  Protestants  and  paid  as  Quit  Rents 
four  shillings  (about  $1)  per  100  acres.  These  parties,  how- 
ever, as  they  subsequently  formally  declared,  were  ^'trustees" 
for  one  Henry  McCulloh,  another  London  merchant,  and  his 
"'associates."  The  Surveyor-General  of  North  Carolina  in 
1744,  in  pursuance  of  an  order  in  Council,  surveyed  and 
located  the  warrants  on  the  head-waters  of  the  Pee  Dee,  Cape 
Fear  and  Neuse  rivei's ;  the  "associates"  being  allowed  to 
take  out  separate  grants,  provided  no  grant  should  contain 
less  than  12,000  acres.  These  lands  it  seems  were  laid  out 
into  tracts  of  100,000  acres  each,  as  follows:  Tracts  num- 
bered 1,  2,  3  and  5  on  the  waters  of  the  Yadkin  and  Catawba. 
These  tracts  were  subdivided  into  smaller  parcels, 
containing  12,500  acres  each.  Tracts  No.  1  and  No.  3  were 
assigned  to  John  Selwyn."  .  .  .  Vol.  V,  page  22.  "The 
grants  for  these  lands  are  recorded  in  Rook  10  of  the  Records 


SELWYN 


33 


of  Grants  in  the  office  of  the  Secretary  of  State."  .  .  . 
''Colonel  Nathaniel  Alexander,  of  Mecklenburg  County,  and 
John  Frohock,  Esq.,  of  Eowan  County,  were  appointed  com- 
missioners to  ascertain  the  number  of  white  persons,  male  and 
female,  young  and  old,  who  were,  without  fraud,  resident  upon 
each  grant  on  the  25th  of  March,  1760,  and  make  return  of 
the  same  under  oath  to  the  Governor  and  Council,  (iilso 
see  Records  of  Rowan  County.)  It  was  further  agreed  that 
upon  such  returns  being  made,  McCulloh  and  his  'associates' 
should  formally  surrender  the  unsettled  lands  to  the  Crown 
and  be  released  from  payment  of  back  rents  due  thereon." 
Hunter  in  his  sketches  of  Western  jSTorth  Carolina,  pages 

19,  20,  tells  us  that:  "In  1766,  George  Augustus  Selwyn, 
having  obtained  by  some  means,  large  grants  of  land  from 
the  British  Crown,  2)roceeded  to  have  them  surveyed  through 
his  agent,  Henry  Eustace  McChilloli  and  located.  On  some  of 
these  grants,  the  first  settlers,  by  their  own  stalwart  arms  and 
persevering  industry  had  made  considerable  improvements. 
For  this  reason,  not  putting  much  faith  in  the  validity  of 
Selwyn's  claims,  they  seized  John  Frohock,  the  surveyor,  and 
compelled  him  to  desist  from  his  work  or  fare  worse." 
.  .  .  "The  original  conveyance  of  the  tract  of  land,  upon 
which  the  city  of  Charlotte  now  stands,  contained  360  acres 
and  was  made  on  the  15th  day  of  January,  1767,  by  Henry 
E.  McCulloh,  agent  for  George  Augustus  Selwyn,  to  Abra- 
ham Alexander  (Chairman  of  the  Convention  and  Signer  of 
the  Mecklenburg  Declaration  of  Independence,  May  20, 
1775),  Thomas  Polk,  (Colonel  of  Mecklenburg  Militia  and 
Signer  of  the  Mecklenburg  Declaration  of  Independence,  May 

20,  1775),  and  John  Frohock,  as  Trustees  and  Directors 
and  their  successors.  The  consideration  was  'ninety  pounds' 
lawful  money.  The  conveyance  was  witnessed  by  Matthew 
McLure  (Signer  of  Mecklenburg  Declaration  of  Independ- 
ence, May  20,  1775)  and  John  Sample." 


34:  THE  NOKTII  CAROLINA  BOOKLET 

The  historian,  Wheeler,  in  his  History  of  North  Carolina, 
})a<iv  .jO,  states:  ''That  soon  after  his  (Governor  Tryon) 
accession  to  ottice,  the  people  of  Mecklenburg  County  op- 
posed Ileiirv  E.  McCulloh,  who  was  the  agent  of  George  A. 
Selwyn.  Selwyn  had  obtained,  b}^  some  means,  large  grants 
from  the  English  Crown.  John  Frohock  was  employed  to 
locate  these  grants  and  survey  them.  The  people  in  arms, 
seized  the  surveyor  and  compelled  him  to  desist.'' 

We  lind  this  statement  in  D.  A.  Tompkin's  History  of 
Mecklenburg  County,  page  16.  "In  1757,  the  Selwyn  tracts 
of  land,  one  of  which  (No.  3)  is  now  partly  occupied  by 
the  city  of  Charlotte,  contained  something  less  than  400 
souls"  (page  32).  ''In  the  latter  part  of  1765,  Henry  E. 
McCulloh  donated  a  tract  of  360  acres  of  land  to  John  Fro- 
hock, Abraham  Alexander  and  Thomas  Polk,  as  Commission- 
ers, to  hold  in  trust  for  the  County  of  Mecklenburg,  on  which 
to  erect  a  Court  House,  prison  and  stocks.  McCtilloh  was 
the  agent  for  George  Augustus  Selwyn  who  owned  several 
immense  tracts  of  land  on  a  grant  from  the  king;  making  it 
obligatoi'v  upon  him  to  settle  one  person  to  every  200  acres 
of  land.  He  foresaw  that  the  interests  of  his  employer  would 
be  advanced  l)y  the  locating  of  the  county  seat  on  his  lands." 
The  city  of  Charlotte  was  thus  located  on  a  portion  of  tract 
Xo.  3,  of  the  "Selwyn  Grant."  ]\lecklenburg  County,  of  which 
Charlotte  is  the  capital,  is  located  in  tract  No.  3,  of  the 
"Selwyn  grant,"  and  was  created  by  act  of  the  Colonial  Legis- 
lature of  1762 ;  it  then  included  what  are  now  the  counties 
of  ]\Ieckl('iilnirg  and  Caliarrus,  and  ]>arts  of  Union  and  Ire- 
dell counties.  Henry  Eustace  McCulloh,  so  frequently  men- 
tioned, w^as  of  Rowan  County,  a  son  of  Henry  McCulloh, 
the  London  merchant,  and  the  agent  and  "attorney-in-fact" 
for  George  A.  Selwyn  in  Carolina. 

Xcithoi-  Colonel  John  Selwyn  nor  his  son,  George  Augus- 
tus, ('\-er  visited  their  vast  possessions  in  the  New  World, 
but  they  evidenced  some  interest  in  them  as  is  shown  in 
their  crirresp(»u(lence  and  through  the  activity  of  their  agents. 


SELWYN  35 

In  George  A.  Selwyn's  letters,  there  is  frequent  mention  of 
Lord  Cornwallis  (whom  he  knew  personally)  and  his  move- 
ments in  Carolina  and,  it  is  certain,  he  watched  the  military 
events  of  the  Revolution  as  closely  as  was  possible,  considering 
the  times  and  great  distance. 

The  home  of  the  Selwyn  family  was  a  charming  country 
estate  near  Matson,  a  small  village  on  the  spur  of  the  Cots- 
wold  hills  overlooking  the  Severn  Valley.  Colonel  John 
Selwyn  was  a  man  of  education  and  ability,  of  large  influence, 
ample  means,  and  well  known  in  the  courts  of  the  Georges. 
He  was  aide-de-camp  to  the  Duke  of  Marlborough  at  the 
Battle  of  Blenheim  and  served  his  country  in  other  official 
capacities.  Sir  Robert  Walpole  was  one  of  his  intimate 
friends,  as  well  as  other  men  of  note,  and  yoimg  Horace 
Walpole  was  a  frequent  visitor  in  his  home.  Colonel  Selwyn 
married  Mary,  a  daughter  of  General  FarTington,  of  Kent; 
she  was  a  woman  of  unusual  beauty,  vivacity  and  wit,  and 
as  a  ''Woman  of  the  Bed  Chamber  of  Queen  Caroline"  was 
well  known  and  much  admired  in  court  circles.  Horace 
Walpole  wrote  of  her  as  "Mrs.  Selwyn,  mother  of  the  famous 
George,  and  herself  of  much  vivacity  and  very  pretty."  It 
is  said  that  George  inherited  his  wit,  for  which  he  was 
famous,  from  his  clever  mother.  Colonel  Selwyn  and  his 
oldest  son,  died  the  same  year,  1751,  and  through  this  double 
bereavement  George  Augustus,  the  younger  son,  inherited 
the  large  landed  interests  in  Carolina,  as  well  as  the  family 
estate  in  England.  George  Augustus  was  born  at  his  father's 
country  home,  August  11,  1719.  His  early  school  days  were 
spent  at  Eton,  where  among  his  classmates  were  Gray,  the 
poet,  and  Horace  Walpole.  He  went  from  Eton  to  Hart 
College,  Oxford,  but  made  no  record  as  a  student  at  either 
place.  In  1745,  he  was  forced  to  withdraw  from  Oxford 
without  taking  his  degree,  to  escape  expulsion  for  desecrating 
a  chalice,  using  it  for  a  drinking  cup  at  a  students'  party. 


36  THE  ^'OKTlI   CAROLINA  BOOKLET 

He  entered  ]>arliaiiieiit  in  1747,  where  be  remained  nntil 
1780,  a  silent  and  inactive  member,  never  giving  himself 
seriously  to  affairs  of  State.  He  had  fallen  heir  to  the  family 
es^tates  in  17.")!,  and  bad  sufficient  income  to  support  him 
handsomely,  so  never  exerted  himself  over  his  business  or 
landed  interests,  delegating  this  irksome  work  to  agents. 

Selwyn  obtained  several  sinecures,  one  of  which  was  Regis- 
ter of  the  Court  of  Chancery  at  Barbadoes,  and  Surveyor- 
General  of  the  works.  He  early  became  a  member  of  the 
leading  London  clubs,  where  he  was  familiarly  known  as 
''Bosky."  George  Selwyn's  fame  seems  to  rest  on  his  un- 
usual wit  and  humor,  for  which  he  was  widely  known  and 
frequently  quoted ;  he  filled  a  conspicuous  place  in  the  fash- 
ionable life  of  his  day  and  was  intimate  with  statesmen, 
politicians  and  literary  men,  as  well  as  the  court  circle,  and 
his  wit  and  ho)i  mots  were  enjoyed  in  the  most  exclusive  and 
fashionable  drawing-rooms  of  London,  He  frequently  visited 
Paris  and  spent  much  time  there.  When  the  Duke  of  Bed- 
ford, with  his  large  suite,  spent  some  months  in  Paris  while 
the  Duke  negotiated  the  treaty  kno^vn  as  the  "Peace  of 
Paris,"  Selw^Ti  was  of  the  party  and  was  such  a  close  friend 
that  the  Duke  presented  him  with  the  pen  with  which  the 
treaty  was  signed. 

Horace  Walpole,  from  their  Eton  school  days,  was  a  de- 
voted friend,  their  intimacy  being  life-long  and  to  him  we 
are  much  indebted  for  our  knowledge  of  Selwyn. 

In  his  later  years,  Selwyn  almost  abandoned  his  country 
estate  and  spent  much  time  in  London,  at  Castle  Howard, 
or  visited  some  of  the  great  houses  which  were  always  o]:»en 
to  him,  and  where  he  met  many  of  England's  most  brilliant 
men  and  women. 

Selwyn's  life  was  in  a  sense  lonely,  for  he  never  married 
and  in  his  last  years  he  had  no  near  relatives.  Some  biogra- 
phers tell  of  a  romance  and  of  an  unnamed  child  who  filled 
his  thoughts  and  life  in  his  last  years,  but  that  peculiar  story 
has  no  place  in  this  Ijrief  sketch  of  his  life. 


SELWYN 


37 


One  unusual  trait  of  Selwjn  was  his  strange  passion  for 
attending  the  executions  of  criminals,  all  of  which  were 
public  in  England  at  that  time.  He  seldom  missed  an  execu- 
tion, but  in  this  gruesome  pastime  he  was  not  alone,  for  Bos- 
w^ell,  Walpole  and  other  great  men  kept  him  company. 

Selwyn  was  a  prolific  letter  writer,  his  most  famous  corre- 
spondence being  preserved  in  what  is  known  as  the  ''Castle 
Howard  Collection."  His  spelling  is  not  always  above  re- 
proach, nor  is  his  mode  of  expression  elegant,  but  he  gives 
an  interesting  glimpse  of  that  period  of  English  life.  Two 
interesting  books  have  been  published  about  George  Selwyn ; 
one  in  four  volumes  is  entitled,  "George  Selwyn  and  His  Con- 
temporaries;" the  other  is  entitled  "George  Selwyn,  His 
Life  and  Letters." 

Selwyn  has  been  called  "the  first  wit  and  humorist  of  his 
day" ;  many  witticisms  have  been  credited  to  him,  but  many 
of  them  appear  flat  and  stale  at  this  distant  date,  as  the  man, 
circumstances  and  time,  gave  them  buoyancy  and  pith.  One 
is  quoted  here  as  an  example  of  his  wit,  and  it  will  still  bring 
a  laugh.  When  Lord  Farley  crossed  over  the  Channel  to 
escape  his  many  creditors,  Selwyn  remarked  that  "it  was  a 
passover  not  much  relished  by  the  Jews !" 

There  are  several  portraits  of  Selwyn  still  to  be  seen  in 
England,  probably  the  most  famous  one  is  at  Castle  Howard. 
It  was  painted  about  1770  by  his  friend,  Sir  Joshua  Rey- 
nolds, and  includes  another  friend  of  theirs,  Frederic,  Fifth 
Earl  of  Carlisle,  and,  also,  Selwyn's  much  beloved  dog,  Raton. 
Once  when  it  was  rumored  that  Sir  Joshua  was  a  candidate 
for  a  political  ofiice,  Selwyn  remarked:  "He  might  very 
well  succeed,  for  he  is  the  ablest  man  I  know  o)i  canvass!" 
The  Reynold's  portrait  shows  Selwyn  a  handsome  man,  with 
periwig,  and  dressed  in  the  elegant  and  expensive  style  of 
that  day,  with  velvet  suit,  silk  hose,  real  lace  frills  and  fine 
stock  buckle. 

Several  years  before  his  death,  Selwyn's  health  became 
impaired  and  he  spent  much  time  "taking  cures"  and  con- 


38  THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  BOOKLET 

suiting  medical  men.  lie  gradually  grew  worse  and  re- 
turned to  London  for  the  last  time  shortly  before  Christmas 
in  ITUO,  where  he  died  at  his  home,  Cleveland  Row,  St. 
James,  on  January  25,  1791.  He  was  sincerely  mourned 
h\  many  warm  friends,  one  of  whom  (Storr)  wrote  to  Lord 
Aukland,  "The  loss  is  not  only  a  private  one  to  his  friends, 
but  really  a  public  one  to  Society  in  general." 

The  name  of  the  large  landowner,  Selwyn,  has  disappeared 
from  his  former  possessions  in  Carolina,  except  in  Charlotte, 
where  one  of  her  finest  hostelries  and  one  of  her  most  beauti- 
ful boulevards  bears  the  name  of  ''Selwyn"  in  memory  of 
the  first  recognized  landowner  in  Charlotte  and  Mecklenburg 
County. 


AN   EDUCATIONAL   PRACTICE  39 

An  Educational  Practice  in  Colonial 
North  Carolina 


By  Edgar  W.  Knight. 


Although  ]!*^ovth  Carolina  developed  before  i860  the  most 
creditable  system  of  public  education  to  be  found  in  any  of 
the  states  which  seceded  from  the  I^nion,  her  intellectual  and 
educational  growth  was  very  slow  during  the  colonial  period. 
This  tardy  development  was  due  to  conditions  under  which 
the  colony  was  settled  and  to  others  which  lent  themselves 
very  sparingly  to  the  encouragement  of  educational  enter- 
prises. Especially  was  this  true  of  the  period  from  1663, 
when  settlements  first  began  to  be  made  in  the  region  around 
Albemarle  Sound,  to  1728,  when  the  transfer  from  proprie- 
tary to  royal  control  of  the  colony  was  made. 

One  of  the  conditions  which  retarded  educational  develop- 
ment was  the  slow  growth  of  population.  The  earliest  set- 
tlers in  ^orth  Carolina  migrated  from  the  northern  colony 
of  Virginia  between  1650  and  1675,  not  as  religious  refugees, 
as  has  been  supposed,  but  for  economic  advantage.  After 
1663,  however,  when  the  intolerant  and  illegal  government 
of  Berkeley  in  Virginia  was  resisted,  others  came  for  politi- 
cal reasons,  and  the  colony  soon  found  itself  accommodating 
"rogues,  runaways  and  rebels"  who  refused  to  tolerate  Ber- 
keley and  his  tyranny.  In  1670  immigrants  were  encour- 
aged by  the  promise  of  the  assembly  of  exemption  from 
taxation  for  one  year  and  protection  for  five  years  from 
suits  for  debts  made  before  coming  into  the  colony.  But 
these  attractions  induced  but  few.  When  Drummond  was 
appointed  the  first  governor  of  Albemarle  in  1663  his  com- 
mission extended  over  1600  square  miles  of  territory  which 
contained  perhaps  not  more  than  fifteen  hundred  people. 
In  1675  there  were  probably  4,000  people  in  the  colony,  less 


40  THE  A'OKTIl    CAKOLIKA  BOOKLET 

than  three  to  the  square  mile,  and  in  1728  the  entire  white 
popuhitiou  probably  numbered  less  than  13,000 

Fntm  the  beginning  of  the  settlement  the  tendency  was 
towards  rural  rather  than  urban  communities,  the  mild  cli- 
mate and  the  fertile  soil  both  contributing  to  a  stimulation 
of  rural  life.  The  earliest  settlers  took  up  large  tracts  of 
land  on  the  watercourses,  which  furnished  practically  the 
only  means  of  communication,  and  agriculture  soon  became 
the  most  promising  pursuit  of  the  colonists.  The  dangerous 
coasts  and  poor  harbors  made  the  colony  ditficult  of  access 
and  the  commercial  interests  of  the  people  were  thus  retarded. 
Moreover,  there  were  frequent  complaints  against  the  unsatis- 
factory government  and  conflicts  between  the  inhabitants  and 
the  proprietors  or  their  representatives  "who  reckoned  the 
lives  of  the  colonists  only  in  quit  rents  and  taxes."  Occa- 
sional religious  dissensions  were  also  unfavorable  to  educa- 
tional and  intellectual  activities,  and  the  need  for  schools 
was  not  keenly  felt  by  those  in  authority.  The  educational 
philosophy  of  Seventeenth  century  England,  "that  the  great 
body  of  the  people  were  to  obey  and  not  to  govern,  and 
that  the  social  status  of  unborn  generations  was  already 
fixed,"  was  now  and  later  widespread  and  persistent.  Be- 
sides, the  re-enactment  for  the  colony  of  the  English  Schism 
Act  of  1714,  after  it  had  been  repealed  in  England,  was 
unduly  exasperating  and  added  to  other  ecclesiastical  evils 
which  followed  the  establishment  of  the  English  Church  in 
Xorth  Carolina. 

In  spite  of  these  unfavorable  conditions,  however,  there  is 
occasional  evidence  of  local  effort  to  foster  education,  though 
there  were  but  few  early  attempts  to  ]:»romote  formal  intel- 
lectual and  literary  training.  The  poor  law  and  apprentice- 
ship system,  which  was  so  popular  in  Virginia  where  it  was 
directly  inherited  from  England,  was  in  use  in  ISTorth  Caro- 
lina also.  In  the  latter  colony,  however,  this  system  seems 
not  to  have  been  so  extensive  as  in  Virginia  which  was  more 
nearly  like  the  mother  country.    In  Virginia  it  was  so  widely 


AN    EDUCATIONAL    PRACTICE  41 

extended  and  such  a  popular  practice  that  the  ante  hellimi 
educational  system  of  that  state  seems  a  gradual  evolution 
from  it.  This  poor  law  practice  and  apprenticeship  system 
form  a  unique  educational  scheme ;  but  in  order  to  understand 
the  popular  mental  attitude  to  the  class  of  dependents  en- 
trusted to  its  care — an  attitude  which  the  system  itself  re- 
flects-— it  is  necessary  to  consider  that  education  is  a  term 
of  varying  meaning.  The  term  now  generally  means  an 
expansion  of  the  mental  faculties  through  a  specific  organ- 
ized course  of  a  more  or  less  literary  nature.  For  the  more 
prosperous  part  of  society  a  "certain  tincture  of  letters"  has, 
in  the  popular  mind,  always  been  regarded  as  essential,  but 
this  particular  form  of  training  has  not  been  held  in  high 
esteem  for  the  poorer  classes.  The  popular  view  has  been 
that  formal  literary  training  was  not  requisite  to  the  poor 
youth  of  the  community,  and  parents  or  guardians  of  such 
youth  appeared  more  concerned  about  a  practical  training 
iof  their  children  or  wards  in  those  occupations  and  crafts 
through  which  they  were  later  to  maintain  themselves  than 
they  were  interested  in  "book  learning." 

It  is  through  the  apprenticeship  system  that  one  form  of 
local  educational  effort  may  be  seen  in  N^orth  Carolina  in 
colonial  times.  That  the  system  was  in  operation  very  early 
may  be  seen  from  the  following  records  of  February,  1695, 
and  of  April,  1698  : 

"Upon  ye  Peticon  of  Honell  Thomas  Harvey  esqr  Ordered 
yt  Wm  ye  son  of  Timothy  Pead  late  of  the  County  of  Albe- 
marle Deed  being  left  destitute  be  bound  unto  ye  sd  Thomas 
Harvey  esqr  and  Sarah  his  wife  untill  he  be  at  ye  age  of 
twenty  one  years  and  the  said  Thomas  Harvey  to  teach  him 
to  read."  Three  years  later  the  records  of  Perquimans  pre- 
cinct court  show  that  Elizabeth  Gardner,  "ye  Rellock  Wil- 
liam Gardner  desesed  presented  his  selfe  before  ye  Court  to 
bind  hir  Son  William  Gardner  to  ye  Honbl  Govener  Thomas 
Harvi  or  his  Heires  Thay  Ingagen  to  Learn  him  to  Reed 
Which  In  or  to  Was  doon  till  he  conies  to  ye  Age  of  Twentv 


42  THE  A'OKTII   CAEOLINA  BOOKLET 

on  yeares  he  being  live  years  oukl  now  a  fortnite  before 
Cristmas/*^ 

Four  years  later,  at  the  January,  1G5)1>,  term  of  the  same 
court,  we  tind  the  following  orders: 

"Jonathan  Taylor  And  William  Taylor  Orfens  Being  Left 
destressed  ordered  that  they  be  Bound  to  William  Long  And 
Sarah  His  Wife  Till  they  Ck)me  of  Age." 

"Thomas  Tailer  Orfen  being  Left  destresed  ordered  that 
He  be  bound  to  John  Lawrence  And  Hannah  his  Wife  till 
he  Comes  of  age." 

"Mare  Tayler  Orfen  being  Left  destresed  ordered  that 
Shee  be  bound  to  Mr  Caleb  Calleway  And  Elisabeth  his 
Wife  till  Shee  Comes  of  Age." 

"Thomas  Hallom  Orfen  being  Left  destresed  ordered  that 
he  be  bound  to  Ifrancis  tfoster  And  Hannah  his  Wife  till  he 
Conies  of  Age."" 

These  four  examples  are  the  bare  court  orders  and  noth- 
ing is  said  about  the  maintenance  and  education  of  the  chil- 
dren bound.  Indentures  covering  each  case  were  likely  signed 
later  by  the  guardian  and  the  court  which  appointed  him. 
Ordinarily  these  indentures  called  for  the  education  and 
maintenance,  according  to  his  ''rank  and  degree,"  of  the 
orphan  bound  or  apprenticed.  This  meant  to  feed,  clothe, 
lodge,  and  to  provide  "accommodations  fit  and  necessary" 
for  the  child,  and  to  teach  or  cause  him  to  be  taught  to  read 
and  write,  as  well  as  a  suitable  trade.  This  was  the  custom- 
ary agreement  required  by  the  C(uirt.  The  absence  in  the 
cases  above  of  these  features  is  hardly  ]n'oof  that  they  were 
here  neglected.  The  indentures  were  likely  formally  signed 
later,  as  appears  to  have  been  the  case  in  the  following  agree- 
ment made  in  March,  1 703,  in  the  same  court : 

''T'pon  a  petition  of  Gabriell  ISTewby  for  two  orphants  left 
him  by  ]\Iary  Hancock  the  late  wife  of  Thorns  Hancocke  and 
proveing  the  same  by  the  oathes  of  Eliz.   Steward  and  her 


1  Col.  Rec,  I.  pp.  44S,  4m. 

2  Ibid.,  p.  522. 


AN    EDUCATIONAL    PRACTICE  43 

daughter  the  Court  doe  agree  to  bind  them  unto  him  he 
Ingagen  &  promising  before  the  Court  to  doe  his  endeavours 
to  learne  the  boy  the  trade  of  a  wheelwright  and  likewise 
give  him  at  the  expiration  of  his  time  one  ear  pld  heifer  and 
to  ye  girle  at  her  freedome  one  Cow  and  Calfe  besides  the 
Custome  of  the  Country  and  has  promised  at  ye  next  orphans 
Court  to  Signe  Indentures  for  that  effect."^ 

At  the  October,  1704,  term  of  the  same  court  Xathan 
Sutton  petitioned  to  be  appointed  guardian  for  Richard  Sut- 
ton, the  orphan  son  of  George  Sutton,  who  was  probably 
Nathan's  relative,  but  the  petition  was  rejected.  A  year 
later,  however,  he  was  appointed  guardian  for  the  boy.  The 
same  court  which  apiDointed  him  guardian  heard  complaints 
made  by  the  "orphans  of  George  Sutton  deced  That  Abyham 
Warren  their  Guardian  hath  given  Imoderate  Correccon  & 
deprived  them  of  Competent  Sustenance."  The  result  was 
that  the  court  appointed  Dennis  Macclendon  the  guardian  of 
Elizabeth  and  Deborah  Sutton,  and  Xathan  Sutton  guardian 
for  Richard.'* 

A  few  more  examples  of  the  system  will  throw  additional 
light  on  its  operation  in  North  Carolina  : 

"Upon  petition  of  George  Bell  setting  forth  that  he  had 
two  servts  bound  to  him  by  the  precinct  Court  of  Craven  in 
ye  month  of  July  17,  12/13  namely  Charles  Coggdaile  and 
George  Coggdaile  as  by  Indenture  may  Appeare.  And  fur- 
ther that  ye  Court  afsd  have  pretended  to  sett  ye  said  Servt 
at  Liberty  as  he  is  informed  by  reason  that  they  could  not 
perfectly  read  and  write  when  as  the  time  of  their  servitude 
is  not  half  expired  And  he  further  claimes  that  during  the 
time  they  were  with  him  they  were  well  used  and  much  time 
allowed  them  to  perfect  them  in  their  reading  and  writeing 
and  that  he  intended  to  instruct  them  in  ye  building  of  Ves- 
sells  Therefore  prays  that  in  regard  there  is  no  other  alle- 
gation made  appeare  agt  him  they  may  remain  with  him 

3  Ibid.,  p.  577. 

4  Ibid.,  pp.  61.3,  626. 


44  THE   ^OKTll    CAIJOLIA'A  BOOKLET 

till  ye  time  of  the  Iiuleiituve  Specifyed  be  expired  «&c. 
.  .  ."  Jt  was  ordered  that  the  servants  remain  with  their 
master  in  accordance  with  their  former  indentures.^ 

The  records  of  Chowan  precinct  for  August,  1716,  show 
the  following: 

"I'pon  Petition  of  John  Avery  Shewing  that  sometime  in 
August  ITlo  ye  said  Avery  being  in  Prince  George's  County 
in  Virginia  met  with  one  John  Fox  aged  abt  fifteen  years 
who  being  Dcsireous  to  live  in  ISTorth  Carolina  to  learn  to 
be  a  Ship  C^arpenter  bound  himselfe  an  apprentice  to  ye  said 
John  Avery  for  Six  years  before  one  Stith  Boiling  Gent  one 
of  her  Majties  Justices  of  ye  said  County  as  is  practicable  in 
ye  Governmt  of  Virginia  whereupon  ye  said  Avery  brought 
ye  said  Fox  into  Xorth  Carolina  with  him  and  Caused  the 
sd  John  his  said  Apprentice  to  be  Taught  and  Instructed  to 
read  and  write  and  was  at  other  Charges  and  Expenses  con- 
cerning him  and  haveing  now  made  him  serviceable  and  use- 
full  to  him  in  ye  Occupation  of  Shipp  Carpenter  to  ye  Great 
Content  and  Seeming  Satisfaction  of  the  said  Foxes  Mother 
and  Father  in  Law  one  Cary  Godby  of  Chowan  Precinct  But 
ye  Said  Cary  intending  to  profitt  and  advantage  himselfe  by 
the  Labour  and  usefulness  of  ye  said  John  Fox  hath  advised 
the  said  Fox  to  withdraw  himselfe  from  yor  petitionrs  ser- 
vice and  to  bring  along  his  Indentures  of  apprenticeship  & 
is  now  Entertained  and  harboured  by  the  said  Cary  Godby 
and  therefore  prayes  that  the  sd  Fox  may  be  apprehended 
and  brought  before  this  Board  their  to  be  dealt  with  accord- 
ing to  law."     Fox  was  ordered  to  return  to  his  master.^ 

A  record  of  Xovember,  1716,  in  Chowan  precinct  court, 
shows  that  the  practice  applied  to  girls  as  well  as  to  boys : 
"Upon  the  Peticon  of  John  Swain  praying  that  Elizabeth 
Swain  his  sister  an  Orphane  Girle  bound  by  the  Precinct 
Court  of  Chowan  to  John  Worley  Esqr  may  in  the  time  of 


5  Ibid.,  II,  p-  !'-• 
6Ibi<l.,  II,  p.  241. 


AN    EDUCATIONAL    PRACTICE  45 

her  service  be  taught  to  read  by  her  said  Master  Ordered, 
that  she  be  taught  to  read."^ 

These  examples  are  sufScient  to  show  the  principal  features 
of  the  system  as  it  operated  in  the  colony  of  North  Carolina. 
If  the  records  were  complete  earlier  and  more  representative 
examples  would  doubtless  be  in  evidence.  By  the  practice  in 
North  Carolina  poor  children  were  bound  to  masters  and 
guardians  were  appointed  by  the  court  for  orphans,  the  mas- 
ters and  guardians  agreeing  with  the  court,  which  had  gen- 
eral care  of  this  dependent  class,  to  teach  the  wards  a  trade 
or  occupation  and  also  to  read  and  write.  When  an  orphan 
jDOSsessed  an  estate  the  guardian  was  entitled  to  remuneration 
for  administering  it,  but  if  the  estate  yielded  no  profit  the 
master  agreed  to  maintain  and  educate  him  for  his  services. 
Under  these  conditions  the  child  probably  took  his  place  in 
the  household  on  an  equality  with  the  other  children,  and 
perhaps  received  similar  educational  advantages. 

Although  the  practice  of  apprenticing  and  binding  orphans 
and  poor  children  under  the  conditions  described  was  more 
or  less  extensive  in  the  colony  at  an  early  date,  no  legislation 
seems  to  have  been  enacted  on  the  subject  until  1715.  In 
that  year  a  law  was  passed  by  which  no  children  w^ere  allowed 
to  be  bound,  except  by  the  precinct  court  which  was  empow- 
ered to  "grant  letters  of  tuition  or  guardianship  to  such  per- 
sons as  they  shall  think  proper"  for  caring  for  the  "education 
of  all  orphans  &  for  taking  care  of  their  estates  .  .  ." 
The  law  required  that  "all  Orphans  shall  be  Educated  &  pro- 
vided for  according  to  their  Kank  &  degree  out  of  the  Income 
or  Interest  of  their  Estate  &  Stock  if  the  same  will  be  suffi- 
cient Otherwise  such  Orphans  shall  be  bound  Apprentice  to 
some  Handycraft  Trade  (the  Master  or  Mistress  of  such 
Orphan  not  being  of  the  Profession  called  Quakers)  till  they 
shall  come  of  Age  unless  some  of  kin  to  such  Orphan  will 
undertake  to  maintain  &  Educate  him  or  them  for  the  in- 

7  Ibid.,  p.  266. 


4(>  THE  xonTir  cakolina  booklet 

tere-st  nr  iiu-Miuc  of  his  or  her  Estate  without  Diminution 
of  the  Prineipal  whether  the  same  he  e;reat  or  small     .     .     .'"* 

The  iirineijjal  features  of  this  legislation  are  similar  to 
the  features  of  a  law  on  the  same  suhjeet  in  Virginia.  Close 
contact  with  that  colouy,  from  which  many  of  the  early  set- 
tlers of  North  Carolina  came  and  in  which  the  poor  and 
api)renticeshi})  laws  formed  practically  the  only  educational 
system  for  the  ])oorer  classes,  may  have  influenced  the  gradual 
introduction  <^f  ai)prenticeship  practices  into  Xorth  Carolina. 
In  Virginia  one  of  the  lirst  pieces  of  apprenticeship  legisla- 
tion which  has  a  public  educational  as})ect  was  that  of  March, 
1G48,  when  the  county  courts  enjoined  the  overseers  of  the 
poor  and  guardians  of  orphans  "to  educate  and  instruct  them 
according  to  their  best  endeavors  in  Christian  religion  and  in 
the  rudiuients  of  learning  and  to  provide  for  them  neces- 
saries according  to  the  competence  of  their  estates     .     .     ."^ 

By  an  act  of  1705,  it  was  ordered  that  when  the  estate  of 
any  orphan  was  so  small  "that  no  person  will  maintain  him 
for  the  profits  thereof,  then  such  orphan  shall  be  bound 
apprentice  to  some  handicraft  trade,  or  mariner,  until  he 
shall  attain  to  the  age  of  one  and  twenty.  And  the  master 
of  each  such  orphan  shall  be  obliged  to  teach  him  to  read  and 
write ;  and  at  the  expiration  of  his  servitude,  to  pay  and 
allow  him  in  like  manner  as  is  appointed  for  servants,  by 
indenture  or  custom. "^"^ 

Another  example  will  serve  to  make  clearer  the  similarity 
of  legislation  on  this  subject  in  the  two  colonies  and  the 
probable  influence  of  the  law  of  Virginia  on  the  law  in  North 
Caroliua.  In  174^  it  was  enacted  in  the  former  colony  that 
whenever  the  profits  of  an  orphan's  estate  were  insufficient  to 
maintain  him,  such  an  orphan  was  to  be  bound  apprentice, 
"every  male  to  some  tradesuiau,  merchant,  mariner,  or  other 
person  a])]>i'oved  by  the  court,  until  he  shall  attain  the  age 

8  Ibid.,  XXIII.  iMi.  70-71. 

»  18  Charles  I.     Heiiiiij;.  Stututes.  I.  p.  261. 

10  4  Aline.     Heuing,  Statutes.  Ill,  p.  .575. 


AN   EDUCATIONAL    PRACTICE  4:7 

of  one  and  twenty  years,  and  every  female  to  some  suitable 
trade  or  employment,  'till  her  age  of  eighteen  years ;  and  the 
master  or  mistress  of  every  such  servant  shall  find  and  pro- 
vide for  him  or  her,  diet,  clothes,  lodgings  and  accommoda- 
tions fit  and  necessary,  and  shall  teach,  or  cause  him  or  her 
to  be  taught  to  read  and  write,  and  at  the  expiration  of  his 
or  her  apprenticeship,  shall  pay  every  such,  servant,  the  like 
allowance  as  is  by  law  appointed  for  servants  by  indenture  or 
custom    .     .    ."^^ 

Seven  years  later,  in  September,  1755,  there  was  enacted 
in  North  Carolina  a  law  regulating  the  estates  of  orphans  and 
their  guardians.  The  preamble  of  the  law  explained  the  need 
for  further  legislation  on  this  subject:  "Whereas,  for  want 
of  proper  laws  for  regulating  guardians,  and  the  manage- 
ment of  orphans,  their  interests  and  estates  have  been  greatly 
abused  and  their  education  very  much  neglected,  for  preven- 
tion whereof  for  the  future,  be  it  enacted  .  .  ."  By  this 
law  the  churchwardens  of  every  parish  w^ere  to  furnish  to 
the  justices  of  the  orphans'  court,  at  its  annual  session,  the 
names  of  all  children  without  guardians.  Failure  to  perforin 
this  duty  was  punishable  by  a  fine  of  "ten  pounds  proclama- 
tion money  each."  The  court  was  to  appoint  guardians  for 
all  such  children  and  these  guardians  were  to  make  reports 
to  the  court  of  their  w^ards  and  apprentices.  When  the  court 
"shall  know  or  l)e  informed  that  any  guardian  or  guardians 
by  them  respectfully  appointed,  do  waste  or  convert  the  money 
or  estate  of  any  orphan  to  his  or  her  OAvn  use,  or  do  in  any 
manner  mismanage  the  same  .  .  .  or  neglects  to  educate 
or  maintain  any  orphan  according  to  his  or  her  degree  and 
circumstances,"  the  court  was  then  empowered  to  establish 
other  rules  and  regulations  for  the  better  management  of 
such  estate  and  "for  the  better  educating  and  maintaining 
such  orphans."  When  the  profits  of  any  orphan's  estate 
"shall  be  more  than  sufficient  to  maintain  and  educate  him,'' 
the  surplus  was  to  be  invested  on  good  and  sufficient  security. 

11  22  George  II.     Hening.  Statutes,  V,  pp.  499  ft". 


48  THE  ^•ORTli   CAT^OLINA  BOOKLET 

But  if  till'  est  art'  '\^liall  he  of  so  small  value  that  no  person 
Avill  edncaU'  or  maintain  him  or  her  for  the  profits  thereof, 
sueh  orphan  shall  by  the  direction  of  the  eonrt  be  bound  ap- 
prentice, every  male  to  some  tradesman,  merchant,  mariner, 
or  other  person  apitroved  by  the  court,  until  he  shall  attain  the 
ace  of  twenty-one  years,  and  e>'ery  female  to  some  suitable 
employment  till  her  age  of  eighteen  years,  and  the  master  or 
mistress  of  every  such  servant  shall  find  and  provide  for 
him  or  her  diet,  clothes,  lodging,  and  accommodations  fit  and 
necessary,  and  shall  teach,  or  cause  him  or  her  to  be  taught, 
to  read  and  write,  and  at  the  expiration  of  his  or  her  appren- 
ticeship shall  pay  every  such  servant  the  like  allowance  as 
is  by  law^  a])pointed  for  servants  by  indenture  or  custom, 
and  on  refusal  shall  be  compelled  thereto  in  like  manner 
.  .  ."  The  act  was  to  renuiin  in  force  for  five  years  from 
passage. 

In  xVpril,  ITGO,  a  law  similar  to  the  law  of  1755  was 
enacted,  and  two  years  later  we  find  further  legislation  on 
the  subject  of  the  maintenance  and  education  of  orphans. 
Additional  legislation  was  justified,  according  to  the  pre- 
amble, by  the  ''experience  that  the  court  of  each  respective 
county,  exercising  the  power  of  regulating  the  education  of 
orphans,  and  the  management  of  their  estates,  have  proved 
of  singular  service  to  them."  This  law  differed  from  pre- 
vious legislation  in  one  essential  point.  Formerly  the 
churchwardens  of  every  parish  were  required  to  report  to 
the  court  the  names  of  orphans  and  poor  children  without 
guardians  and  masters.  By  this  act  that  duty  w^as  trans- 
ferred to  the  grand  jury  of  every  county.  Provision  was 
further  made  for  an  orphans'  court  to  be  held  by  the  justices 
of  every  inferior  court  of  pleas  and  quarter  sessions.  This 
court  was  to  be  held  once  a  year  when  accounts  of  guardians 
were  to  be  exhibited  and  complaints  heard. 

The  educational  features  of  the  act  have  a  certain  interest. 
The  guardian  of  any  orphan  whose  estate  furnished  the  or- 
j)han  an  economic  competency  was  to  supervise  his  education 


AN    EDUCATIONAL    PRACTICE  49 

and  maintenance.  When  the  estate  was  of  such  small  value 
that  ''no  person  will  educate  and  maintain  him  or  her  for 
the  profits  thereof"  the  orphan  was  to  be  bound  apprentice 
by  the  court,  ''every  male  to  some  tradesman,  merchant, 
mariner,  or  other  person  ajDproved  by  the  court,  until  he  shall 
attain  to  the  age  of  twenty-one  years;  and  every  female  to 
some  suitable  employment,  'till  her  age  of  eighteen  years ; 
and  also  such  court  may,  in  like  manner,  bind  apprentice  all 
free  base  born  children ;  and  every  such  female  child  being 
a  mulatto  or  mestee,  until  she  shall  attain  the  age  of  twenty- 
one  years ;  and  the  master  or  mistress  of  every  such  appren- 
tice, shall  find  and  provide  for  him  or  her  diet,  clothes,  lodg- 
ing, accommodations,  fit  and  necessary ;  and  shall  teach  or 
cause  him  or  her  to  be  taught  to  read  and  write ;  and  at  the 
expiration  of  his  or  her  apprenticeship,  shall  pay  every  such 
apprentice  the  like  allowance  as  is  by  law  appointed,  for  serv- 
ants by  indenture  of  custom;  and  on  refusal,  shall  be  com- 
pelled thereto,  in  like  manner;  and  if  on  comi)]aint  made  to 
the  inferior  court  of  pleas  and  quarter  sessions,  it  shall  appear 
that  any  such  apprentice  is  ill-used,  or  not  taught  the  trade, 
profession  or  employment  to  which  he  or  she  is  bound,  it 
shall  be  lawful  for  such  court  to  remove  and  bind  him  or 
her  to  such  other  person  or  jDcrsons  as  they  shall  think  fit." 

With  the  exception  of  certain  vestry  acts  this  remained 
until  the  national  period  practically  the  only  legislation  gov- 
erning apprentices  and  the  poor  in  the  colony  of  ISTorth  Caro- 
lina. The  chief  of  these  acts  was  passed  in  January,  1764, 
and  described  the  duties  of  vestrymen  in  making  provision 
for  the  clergy  and  the  poor.  By  this  act  the  vestrymen  of 
each  parish  were  "directed  and  required"  annually  between 
Easter  and  IN'ovember  "to  lay  a  poll  tax  on  the  taxable  per- 
sons in  their  parish,  not  exceeding  ten  shillings,  for  building 
churches  and  chapels,  paying  the  ministers'  salary,  purchas- 
ing a  glebe  .  .  .  encouraging  schools,  maintaining  the 
poor,    paying    clerks    and    readers,    etc."^-      'No    important 

12  Col.  Rec.,  XXIII,  p.  601. 
—4 


50  THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  BOOKLET 

fhano-es  were  made  in  this  legislatiou  until  1777  when  an 
act  was  ]iass('(l  transferring  to  "overseers  of  the  poor"  certain 
powers  and  diilics  Avhich  hitherto  had  devolved  on  the  vestry- 
men.^"' 

Here  may  he  seen  an  important  change  in  the  conception 
of  cdncational  C(mtrol.  By  the  act  of  1702,  already  described, 
till'  duly  of  reporting  to  the  justices  of  the  local  court  the 
luunes  of  or})hans  and  poor  children  without  guardians  or 
masters  was  transferred  from  the  churchwardens  to  the  county 
grand  jury.  I>y  the  vestry  act  of  1777  similar  authority  was 
transferred  from  the  vestrymen  to  the  "overseers  of  the  poor." 
The  educational  significance  of  these  changes  is  important ; 
now  the  authority  for  controlling  the  maintenance  and  educa- 
tinn  of  the  poor  is  transferred  from  the  church  to  the  state. 
From  this  change  is  gradually  developed  the  idea  that  caring 
for  and  ''educating"  the  poor  of  the  community  is  a  state 
function.  This  general  change  is  also  clearly  marked  in  the 
legislation  dealing  with  the  poor  in  Virginia.-^'* 

In  the  main  the  foregoing  describes  the  practice  in  Xorth 
Carolina  of  apprenticing  poor  children  and  orphans  whose 
economic  competency  was  insufficient  to  maintain  and  educate 
them.  The  custom  was  not  so  extensive  and  popular  as  in 
Virginia  which  was  more  directly  influenced  by  conditions 
and  practices  in  England.  Scarcity  of  evidence  on  the  sub- 
ject in  Xorth  Carolina  may  be  accounted  for  by  the  fact  that 
children  a]i]irenticed  by  the  court  probably  took  their  places 
in  the  homes  of  their  guardians  or  masters  on  conditions  of 
maintenance  and  education  usually  allowed  other  nunnbers 
of  the  household.  The  master  was  ]U'ol)ably  required  to  give 
his  a]»prentic(>  ])racrically  the  same  care  and  attenticm  given 
his  own  childi-en;  for  when  it  a])])eared  that  the  ap])rentice 
was  ill-nsed,  not  ))ro])erly  ])i'ovided  with  "accommodations  fit 


i';  ihid..  XXIV.  ]..  !).-;. 

14  Sec  Kiiij;ht.  The  Evolution  of  I'ublic  Education  iu  Virgiuia— 
Colonial  Theory  ;nKl  PiMcticc.  in  The  Sewanee  Review  for  January, 
191G. 


AN"   EDUCATIONAL    PKACTICE  51 

and  necessary,"  or  not  properly  taught  as  agreed  to  in  the 
indentures,  he  was  removed  and  re-apprenticed  to  some  other 
master  approved  by  the  court.  This  important  feature  of 
the  apprenticeship  practice  seems  to  have  been  a  regular 
requirement. 

A  study  of  the  system  in  North  Carolina  is  not  only  sug- 
gestive but  leads  to  certain  interesting  conclusions.  From 
it  we  may  see  that  as  early  as  1695  the  practice  required 
j^rovision  for  teaching  the  apprentice  to  read  and  write,  and 
that  the  court  released  apprentices  when  "they  could  not  per- 
fectly read  and  write."  It  is  probable  that  this  requirement 
was  universal  in  the  colony,  though  abundant  evidence  on  the 
extent  of  the  custom  of  apprenticing  is  unfortunately  not 
accessible.  We  have  also  seen  that  the  apprenticeship  legisla- 
tion in  the  colony  of  Virginia  influenced  similar  legislation 
in  North  Carolina,  as  the  act  of  1748  in  the  former,  and  of 
1755  in  the  latter  colony  are  evidence.  It  also  appeared 
that  the  practice  in  North  Carolina  applied  to  orphans,  poor 
children,  free  illegitimate  children,  to  girls  as  well  as  to  boys, 
and  to  illegitimate  female  mulattoes  and  mestees.  Moreover, 
by  act  of  1715,  requiring  that  "all  Orphans  shall  be  Educated 
&  provided  for  according  to  their  Rank  and  degree,"  the 
existence  of  schools  or  other  means  of  intellectual  training  is 
implied.  The  language  of  the  law  of  1755,  "neglects  to 
educate  or  maintain  any  orphan  according  to  his  or  her  de- 
gree and  circumstance,"  and  that  of  the  law  of  1762,  "regu- 
lating the  education  of  orphans,  and  the  management  of  their 
estates,  have  proved  of  singular  service  to  them,"  and  "edu- 
cate and  maintain,"  may  be  considered  additional  evidence 
that  certain  educational  facilities,  however  meager  they  may 
have  been,  were  available  for  this  dependent  class.  It  is 
hoped  that  future  study  of  the  local  court  records  of  the 
period  will  add  to  the  evidence  already  gathered. 


52  THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  BOOKLET 


Biographical  and  Genealogical  Memoranda 


Compiled   and   Edited  by  Mrs.   E.   E.   Moffitt. 


CHIEF  JUSTICE  WALTER  CLARK. 

A  sketch  of  Judge  Clark  is  to  be  found  in  The  Booklet^ 
Vol.  IX,  No.  3. 

DR.  HENRY  ELLIOT  SHEPHERD. 

Dr.  Shepherd's  article  in  this  number  of  The  Booklet  is 
most  opportune  and  serves  to  keep  in  mind  the  part  played 
by  North  Carolina  in  the  President's  Cabinet.  Among  the 
five  who  have  filled  that  important  position  the  name  and 
fame  of  James  Cochran  Dobbin  will  be  memorable,  as  it 
was  during  his  administration  in  1854  that  the  treaty  be- 
tween the  American  Government  and  Japan  was  consum- 
mated. 

Dr.  Shepherd  hails  from  one  of  the  oldest  settlements  in 
North  Carolina,  born  at  Fayetteville,  N.  C,  the  head  of 
navigation  on  the  Cape  Fear,  January  27,  1844.  Llis  father 
was  the  late  Jesse  George  Shepherd,  one  of  the  most  accom- 
plished lawyers,  jurists  and  gentlemen  that  North  Carolina 
has  given  to  the  world,  who  died  in  the  flower  of  his  man- 
hood in  January,  1869,  at  the  early  age  of  forty-eight. 

His  mother  was  Catherine  Isabella  Dobbin,  sister  of 
James  C.  Dobbin,  Secretary  of  the  Navy  in  the  Cabinet  of 
Mr.  Pierce,  1853-1857,  whose  crowded  years  of  glorious  life 
have  scarcely  a  parallel  in  the  annals  of  our  Southern  civili- 
zation. j\Ir.  Dobbin  died  August  4,  1857  at  the  age  of  forty- 
four. 

Besides  the  lines  of  Dobbin  and  Shepherd,  other  lines 
represented  in  the  family  of  our  subject  are  the  McQueens 
of  Chatham,  the  Elliots  and  Smiths  of  Cumberland  and 
Harnett;  the  Whitfields,  the  Bryans  and  the  Camerons,  all 


BIOGRAPHICAL  53 

of  whom  trace  their  origin  to  the  Colonial  period  of  our  Caro- 
lina story. 

Mr.  Shepherd  spent  his  early  days  in  Fayetteville  under 
the  care  of  most  competent  instructors,  added  to  this 
his  daily  contact  with  father  and  uncle.  Each  of  these  gentle- 
men embodied  in  his  life  and  character  the  purest  ideals, 
the  tenderest  graces  of  a  day  that  is  dead.  He  was  sent  to 
Davidson  College,  from  there  to  the  Military  Academy  at 
Charlotte,  which  was  established  by  Major  D.  H.  Hill  in 
the  year  1859.  At  both  of  these  institutions  he  was  brought 
into  relation  with  this  strong,  heroic  soul,  under  whom  he 
was  to  serve  in  more  than  one  campaign  during  the  great 
war  drama  of  1861-1865. 

In  October,  I860,  he  was  admitted  into  the  University  of 
Virginia.  Here  he  devoted  his  energies  to  the  literary,  classi- 
cal and  historical  courses,  and  in  several  of  these  he  attained 
honorable  and  distinguished  rank. 

When  the  image  of  grim-visaged  war  loomed  upon  the 
South  in  1861,  he  was  found  in  the  field,  though  hardly 
seventeen.  He  served  under  his  former  teacher,  General 
D.  H.  Hill,  at  Yorktown,  in  the  Fall  of  1861.  He  served  as 
drill-master  of  raw  recruits  at  Raleigh  and  other  points.  In 
the  Spring  of  1862  he  was  advanced  to  rank  of  first  lieu- 
tenant of  infantry  in  the  Forty-third  IS^orth  Carolina  Troops. 
He  was  probably  at  the  time  of  his  appointment  the  youngest 
commissioned  officer  in  the  armies  of  the  Confederacy. 

The  encouragement  and  commendation  as  soldier  and 
scholar  received  from  his  great  instructor  and  commander, 
General  D.  H.  Hill,  is  held  in  sacred  memory  by  Dr.  Shep- 
herd. 

He  was  dangerously  wounded  at  Gettysburg,  July  3,  1863, 
and  upon  the  retreat  of  Lee's  army  fell  into  the  hands  of 
the  enemy.  A  long  and  cruel  captivity  followed.  At  last 
he  found  his  way  to  his  desolate  home  after  Sherman's 
carnival  of  ruin  had  swept  over  Fayetteville. 


54  THE  >"ORTn   CAROLINA  BOOKLET 

After  the  war  ]\lr.  Shepherd  taught  for  one  year  a  school 
at  Louisbnr«r,  N.  C,  iu  connection  with  Mr.  Matthew  S. 
Davis,  the  honored  head  of  this  classical  Academy. 

In  the  next  year,  18GS,  he  made  his  way  to  Baltimore 
and  in  a  short  time  was  elected  to  the  Chair  of  History  and 
English  in  the  City  College,  an  institution  that  represented 
the  highest  or  iinal  stage  of  the  public  school  system  of 
Baltimore. 

In  1875  he  was  made  Superintendent  of  Instruction,  an 
executive  position  involving  far-reaching  care  and  responsi- 
bility. He  resigned  this  trust  in  1882  to  assume  the  presi- 
dency of  the  College  of  Charleston,  South  Carolina,  to  which 
he  had  been  called  without  the  slightest  solicitation  on  his 
part.  He  restored  the  College  of  Charleston  to  vigorous  life 
at  a  time  when  it  had  fallen  into  absolute  extinction  and 
left  it  in  a  flourishing  condition.  He  withdrew  from  this 
latter  position  in  1897  and  returning  to  Baltimore  engaged 
more  earnestly  than  ever  in  intellectual  pursuits — author- 
ship criticism,  lecturing,  original  research  in  literary  and 
historical  spheres. 

As  a  College  Professor,  College  President  and  Superintend- 
ent of  Instruction  his  work  has  been  marked  from  its  earliest 
stages  by  the  vital  power  of  ceaseless  progTess  in  all  the  higher 
phases  of  intellectual  development.  Dr.  Shepherd  has  con- 
tribute to  the  literature  of  his  vocation  at  least  five  or  six 
volumes,  several  of  which  have  won  distinction,  not  in  Amer- 
ica alone,  but  in  countries  beyond  the  sea.  The  History  of 
the  English  Language ;  Historical  Reader ;  Advanced  Gram- 
mar of  the  English  Language;  Educational  Reports  and  Ive- 
views ;  "A  Study  of  Edgar  Allen  Poe" ;  Contributions  to  the 
American  Journal  of  Philology ;  Contributions  to  the  N^ew 
English  Dictionary,  Oxford;  A  Commentary  Upon  Tenny- 
son's ''In  ]\remoriam" ;  Essays  on  Modern  Language  Notes; 
Life  of  Robert  E.  Lee. 

This  enumeration  by  no  means  represents  the  total  of  Mr. 
Shepherd's  creative  work  in  history,  literature  and  educa- 


BIOGEAPHICAL  55 

tion.  He  has  now  in  contemplation  a  life  of  Sir  Walter 
Raleigh,  designed  especially  to  portray  the  intellectual  and 
literary  characteristics  of  his  brilliant  and  versatile  genius. 

(The  above  extracts  from  Ashe's  Biographical  History  of 
ISTorth  Carolina). 

"The  Life  of  Robert  E.  Lee,"  one  of  the  largest  works  of 
Dr.  Shepherd,  deserved  especial  emphasis,  and  in  which  the 
whole  South  must  be  interested.  Having  served  honorably 
in  the  Confederate  Army,  and  having  known  General  Lee 
personally.  Dr.  Shepherd  was  in  every  way  fitted  to  do  this 
work,  which  is  a  notable  contribution  to  the  fast  growing  Lee 
literature. 

ISTorth  Carolina  has  reason  to  be  proud  of  her  son.  Though 
transplanted  to  another  State  his  love  for  the  land  of  his 
nativity  remains  strong  and  loyal.  We  may  predict  that  his 
work  on  Sir  Walter  Raleigh  will  awaken  to  greater  activity 
the  project  of  erecting  in  Raleigh  a  monument  to  this  valiant 
knight  and  great  colonizer. 

Dr.  Shepherd  is  vigorous  and  robust  in  health,  still  pur- 
suing, still  achieving,  and  whose  work  has  been  most  cordi- 
ally recognized  in  both  Europe  and  America.  Shall  not 
North  Carolina  hold  fast  to  one  whose  supreme  ambition  has 
ever  been  to  contribute  to  the  glory  of  the  South  and  especi- 
ally to  his  native  State  ? 

MISS  VIOLET  GRAHAM  ALEXANDER. 

One  will  not  be  surprised  to  find  the  great-granddaughter 
of  John  McKnitt  Alexander,  playing  the  roll  of  patriot ;  in- 
terested as  she  is,  in  research  work,  concerning  the  early  his- 
tory of  North  Carolina.  Her  article  on  George  Selwyn,  that 
first  disturber  of  the  "Hornets  Nest,"  the  sting  from  which 
gave  warning  to  the  invader  to  our  country's  liberties,  finds 
a  welcome  in  the  columns  of  The  Booklet,  the  object  of 
which  is  to  preserve  important  facts  in  North  Carolina  his- 
tory not  widely  known. 


50  THE  NORTH   CAROLINA  BOOKLET 

Miss  Violet  Alexauder  was  born  in  Charlotte,  Xorth  Caro- 
lina. She  is  the  daughter  of  Sydenham  B.  Alexander;  an 
A.  1>.,  of  the  University  of  Xorth  Carolina,  1860,  also  a 
gallant  Confederate  who  served  in  Company  K,  First  Bethel 
Regiment,  that  noted  aggregation  of  men  of  Mecklenburg 
and  six  other  western  counties.  He  was  promoted  several 
times  in  the  army,  was  State  Senator  1879,  '83,  '85,  '87  and 
1001.  He  was  the  first  advocate  of  road  improvement  in 
Xorth  Carolina ;  member  of  the  Fifty-second  and  Fifty-third 
Congresses  (1891-1895)  ;  President  of  State  Grange  and  of 
Xorth  Carolina  Farmers'  Alliance  and  Industrial  Union ; 
prominent  in  agricultural  advancement,  results  in  evidence 
all  over  the  State. 

Miss  Alexander  is  a  descendant  of  many  of  the  early  set- 
tlers of  Mecklenburg,  and  patriots  who  figured  so  largely  in 
the  War  of  the  Bevolution,  viz. :  the  Caldwells,  Brevards, 
Davidsons,  Osbornes,  Grahams  and  Wilsons,  whose  names  are 
recorded  in  history.  She  is  the  great-granddaughter  of 
Samuel  Wilson,  who  came  to  l^orth  Carolina  in  1740;  a 
delegate  to  the  Provincial  Congress  from  Mecklenburg,  1773 ; 
delegate  to  the  Convention  of  Mecklenburg,  May  20,  1775, 
and  a  "signer"  of  that  document  which  has  made  that  county 
famous. 

Miss  Alexander  was  educated  at  the  Mary  Baldwin  School, 
Staunton,  Va.,  where  she  made  a  special  study  of  History, 
Literature  and  French;  she  has  traveled  much  in  Europe, 
and  in  our  own  country.  Western  States,  Old  Mexico,  Canada 
and  Cuba.  She  is  a  frequent  contributor  to  the  "Charlotte 
Observer;"  has  compiled  a  "History  of  Spratt  Burying 
Ground"  (which  dates  back  to  1765),  published  in  Xorth 
Carolina  Booklet,  January,  1916.  She  has  written  the  fol- 
lowing: "Confederate  Kavy  Yard,  Charlotte,  North  Caro- 
lina, 1862-1865,"  published  by  Southern  Historical  Society, 
Vol.  XL,  Richmond,  Va. ;  "First  Court  in  MeeMenhiirg 
County,  North  Carolina,"  published  by  Xorth  Carolina  So- 
ciety of   Colonial    Dames,    1914;    "The    Old   Cemetery — A 


BIOGKAPHICAL  57 

Revolutionary  Grave  Yard,"  published  in  Charlotte  Observer, 
Jime,  1916;  besides  many  other  historical  articles  in  news- 
papers. 

Miss  Alexander  is  a  member  of  several  patriotic  organiza- 
tions, viz. :  Charlotte  Museum  Association ;  Korth  Carolina 
Literary  and  Historical  Association,  Raleigh,  IST.  C. ;  Colonial 
Dames  of  JSTorth  Carolina ;  Mecklenburg  Chapter  D.  A.  R. ; 
Signers  Chapter  (one  of  its  organizers),  charter  member 
Stonewall  Jackson  Chapter  IJ.  D.  C,  and  has  held  office  in 
last  three  organizations. 

As  will  be  seen  Miss  Alexander  is  not  only  interested  in 
the  Old  Time,  but  in  the  ISTew.  She  was  instrumental  in 
placing  a  tablet  on  the  site  of  the  Confederate  Navy  Yard, 
Charlotte;  and  in  placing  tablet  in  Capitol  at  Raleigh,  me- 
morializing the  patriots  of  Mecklenburg;  and  chairman  of 
both  committees,  and  assisted  in  designing  both  tablets.  She 
designed  the  pin  of  the  "Signers  Chapter,"  and  it  is  proudly 
worn  by  its  loyal  daughters. 

Miss  Alexander  is  a  notable  example  of  a  continuity  of 
qualities  possessed  by  a  noble  ancestry,  and  as  an  exemplar  of 
those  timid  but  capable  scions  of  a  like  nol)le  race,  who,  con- 
tent with  the  achievements  of  their  ancestors,  are  apathetic 
and  timid  in  recording  and  transmitting  to  posterity,  undis- 
puted traditions  that  would  reflect  on  the  glory  of  the  State. 
May  the  pace  set  by  Miss  Alexander  have  many  followers 
and  thus  aid  the  Daughters  of  the  Revolution  in  its  effort 
to  preserve  authentic  ITorth  Carolina  History  through  its 
organ.  The  IvTorth  Carolina  Booklet,  which  so  far  has 
struggled  through  fifteen  years  without  compensation  to  its 
editors,  but  upheld  by  the  most  intelligent,  reliable,  painstak- 
ing historians  of  this  period.  Through  these  The  Booklet 
is  encouraged  and  inspired  to  continue  its  valuable  work  now 
entering  its  sixteenth  vear. 


58  TllK   XOKTll    CAKOLliNxV   BOOKLET 

EDGAK  WALLACE  KNIGHT. 

Horn  near  Woodland,  Northampton  (\mnty,  Xortb  Caro- 
lina, April  '.»,  ISSti;  attended  the  public  schools  of  Xorthau'}.- 
tou  County  and  Trinity  Park  School  (Durham,  N,  C); 
A.  B.,  Trinity  Colleoe,  11)00;  A.  ]\L,  Trinity  College,  1911; 
master  in  history  and  English,  Trinity  Park  School  from 
1901)  to  1911;  instructor  in  history  in  the  East  Carolina 
Teachers'  Training  School,  summer  1910;  Graduate  Scholar 
Columbia  University,  1911-1912;  Fellow  in  Columbia  Uni- 
versity, 1912-18;  Ph.  1).  Columbia,  1913;  professor  in  the 
department  of  education  in  Trinity  College  since  1913. 
Author : 

"The  Influence  of  Reconstruction  on  Education  in  the 
South,"'  (jSTew  York,  1913)  ;  "Some  Principles  of  Teaching," 
(Boston,  1915). 

Frequent  contributor  to  magazines  on  educational  and  his- 
torical subjects.  Among  his  most  recent  articles  which  have 
attracted  attention  are : 

"Some  Fallacies  Concerning  the  History  of  Public  Educa- 
tion in  the  South,"  "Reconstruction  and  Education  in  Vir- 
ginia" ;  "The  Evolution  of  Public  Education  in  Virginia" ; 
"The  Peabody  Fund  and  Its  Early  Operation  in  North 
Carolina."  These  articles  appeared  in  the  South  Atlantic 
Quarterly,  and  in  the  Sewanee  Review\ 

The  above  recital  of  Prof.  Knight's  achievements  is  indeed 
remarkable  for  one  not  yet  thirty  years  of  age,  and  may  we 
l>e  allowed  to  ]n-edict  even  gTeater,  as  the  years  roll  by.  North 
Carolina  may  well  reckon  on  this  scholarly  writer,  who,  so 
far,  is  I'eflectiui;'  credit  on  his  native  State, 


GENEALOGICAL  59 


Genealogical  Department 


Compiled  by  Miss  Sybil  Hyatt. 


LENOIK  COUNTY  PAEKERS. 

In  1736  or  37,  John  Parker  moved  to  Craven  County, 
probably  to  a  place  near  the  section,  that  is  now  Woodington, 
Lenoir  County.  The  similarity  of  family  names  indicates 
that  he  came  from  the  Chov^^au  section. 

The  Colonial  Records  mention  two  grants  of  land,  one  on 
September  10,  1737;  the  other  February  20,  1739. 

All  the  records  covering  the  name  Parker  in  this  section 
of  the  State  have  been  examined.  The  most  pertinent  records, 
those  of  Lenoir  Coimty,  have  been  destroyed  by  fire. 

The  following  abstracts  are  from  records  of  deeds  in 
Craven  County : 

December  25,  1756. — Jacob  Blount  to  Joseph  Parker, 
Between  Little  and  Great  Contentnea  creeks.  Test:  John 
Benson,  Jonas  Griffin, 


July  26,  1757. — John  Stanaland  to  Zenas  Parker,  ]^orth 
side  of  Trent  River,     Test :  John  Frank,  Martin  Worsley. 

December  2,  1758. — John  Parker  to  Zenas  Parker,  North 
side  of  Trent,  next  John  Parker's  line.  Part  of  patent  sur- 
veyed for  John  Parker,  November  26,  1736.  Test:  John 
Frank,  Thomas  Wood. 


February  10,  1759. — Zenas  Parker  to  John  Hudler. 
North  Side  of  Trent  River,  near  George  Carnegee's  land. 
Test :  Samuel  Colvel,  John  Parker. 


January    29,     1773. — John     Parker,     Planter    to     John 
Koonce.     Part  of  a  parcel  of  land,  granted  unto  a  certain 


60  THE  XOKTII   CAROLINA  BOOKLET 

John   Parker  on  Fcbruarv  21,   1738.     iS'ortli  side  of  Trent 
Eiver. 


Jannary    2o,    1790. — Martha    Parker    to    James    Meeks. 
West  side  of  Xorth  West  Creek. 


The  follDwiiiii'  abstracts  are  from  deeds  in  Duplin  Conuty: 

Fehriiary  1(5,  17<)<\ — ]Mary  Parker  to  Isaac  Huggins. 
Grant  to  her,  September  27,  1756,  near  John  Yarborough's 
line.  Test:  John  Yarborongh,  Joseph  Eason,  James  Snell. 
Clerk  of  the  C(i.nrt :     John  Dickson. 


December  30,  1768. — William  Roberts,  of  Duplin,  to  Ga- 
briel Parker,  of  Johnston  County.  East  side  of  Great  Co- 
heary.  Test:  Matthew  Parker,  Robert  Parker,  Providence 
Parker. 


February  17,  1770. — Amos  Parker  and  wife  Elizabeth  to 
William  Jones.     East  side  of  Muddy  Creek. 


September  27,  1771. — Jeremiah  Simmons  to  John  Parker. 
Joins  Parker's  own  land,  west  side  of  Little  Coharie.  Test: 
John  Owens,  John  Davis. 


January  17,  1772. — Gabriel  Parker,  of  Johnston  County, 
to  son,  Matthew  Parker.  Deed  of  gift.  East  side  of  Great 
Coheary  Swamp.  Bought  December  30,  1768.  Test:  David 
Holliman,  Hubbard  Parker. 


November  28,  1772. — Henry  Fountain,  planter  to  John 
Parker,  planter.  East  side  of  North  East  River,  north  side 
of  Muddy  Creek.  Test:  Richard  Williams,  Stephen 
Williams. 


GENEALOGICAL  61 

July  14,  1774. — Amos  Parker  to  Solomon  Parker.  East 
side  of  northeast  branch  of  Cape  Fear,  north  side  of  Muddy 
Creek.  Test:  James  Hollingsworth,  Charity  Goff,  Stephen 
Hollingsworth. 


July  29,  1775. — Matthew  Parker  to  Armager  Hall.  East 
side  of  Great  Coharie.  Deed  of  gift  from  father.  Test: 
Jesse  McEndon,  Joseph  Harris. 


1775. — John  Parker  to  Ezekiel  Allen.  South  side  of 
Muddy  Creek.  Test:  John  Williams,  Benjamin  Brown, 
William  Southerland. 


October  20,  1778. — Jonathan  Parker  to  Matthew  Powell. 
West  side  of  Six  Runs.  Test :  Joseph  Register,  Thomas 
Goff. 


There   are   several    deeds   recorded   in   Johnston   County, 
which  mention  Gabriel  Parker  of  Johnston, 


A  will  of  John  Parker  filed  at  Wilmington  devises  land  on 
main  road  from  Wilmington  to  Raleigh,  through  Duplin  and 
Sampson  to  sons,  Owen  and  Robert  Parker,  to  daughter, 
Julia  Parker,  and  to  second  wife,  Ann  Maria.  He  states  he 
leaves  this  to  the  second  wife's  children,  as  the  first's  had  been 
provided  for. 


Vol.  XXII,  page  318,  of  the  Colonial  Records,  December 
10,  1754,  Returns  for  Craven  1756,  "The  List  of  Gentlemen 
Solgers"  gives  the  names  John  Parker,  Tenes  Parker.  Vol. 
VII,  page  263.  A  copy  of  Captain  Richard  Pierce's  list 
from  the  General  Muster  on  October  7,  1766,  gives  the  names, 
Gabriel  Parker,  Martha  Parker. 


(>2  THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  BOOKLET 

There  can  be  little  doubt  of  Gabriel  Parker's  being  the  son 
of  the  John  Parker,  first  mentioned.  It  is  thought  he  lived 
near  the  line  of  Duplin  and  Lenoir.  He  was  a  slaveholder 
and  was  considered  very  prosperous.  He  made  silk  hats,  and 
even  at  a  recent  date,  there  were  some  of  his  hat  molds  i't 
the  home  of  his  granddaughter,  Mary  Parker  Miller.  He 
served  in  the  War  of  the  Revolution.  The  records,  which 
should  give  his  services  have  been  destroyed.  He  was 
wounded  in  the  thigh  in  an  engagement  with  the  British  at 
Burn  Coat  Bridge,  near  Sarecta,  Duplin  County.  He  was 
dead  in  1790,  as  his  name  does  not  appear  on  the  census  of 
ITIH). 

The  census  of  1790,  of  Dobbs  County  (now  Lenoir)  names 
the  following  heads  of  families:  John  Parker,  Sr.,  John 
Parker,  Jr.,  Joseph  Parker,  Lydia  Parker,  and  Sarah  Par- 
ker. In  the  family  of  Sarah  there  are  herself  and  one  slave. 
In  the  family  of  Lydia,  there  are  herself,  one  other  *'frcc 
white  female,"  and  four  "free  white  males  of  sixteen  years 
and  upwards." 

Gabriel  Parker  is  known  to  have  had  three  children :  John, 
Gabriel  and  a  daughter.  Gabriel  and  the  daughter  died  with- 
out issue. 

Gabriel  Parker  (son)  died  intestate  in  Lee  County, 
Georgia,  May  14,  1834.  His  inventory  taken  by  Owen  Jen- 
kins, James  Gay,  William  Tyson  and  Michael  King  amounrs 
to  $30,744.    His  entire  estate  was  heired  by  his  brother  John. 

John  Parker  (son  of  Gabriel  Parker)  was  born  in  1767, 
and  died  December  22,  1843.  He  lived  on  a  farm,  now 
owned  by  Joshua  Dawson,  about  two  and  a  half  miles  from 
the  Wooding-ton  Church.  He  owned  a  mill,  was  very  well 
off  and  is  said  to  have  been  a  very  kind,  high-toned  man. 
He  married  Angelina  Loftin,  daughter  of  Elkanah  Loftin. 
Jr.,  and  Ann  Lovick.  Her  pedigree  holds  three  "rights"  to 
membershi]^  in  the  Society  of  Colonial  Dames.  She  was  born 
in  f7f;0  ami  die]  Jidy  1,  1840. 

Members  of  the  familv  sav  that  John  Parker  and  Ane-elina 


GENEALOGICAL  63 

Loftin  had  children  named  IvTancy,  Catherine,  John  and 
William,  but  if  thej  did,  they  were  dead  in  1840,  because 
John  Parker  died  intestate  and  his  property  was  divided 
into  six  portions,  one  each  to  Winnafred,  Letitla  (wife  of 
John  Davis),  Julia,  Mary,  Rachel,  and  the  five  children  of 
Zenas. 

A  member  of  the  family  has  a  legal  paper,  which  was 
drawn  up  but  never  filed,  "The  Bill  of  Complaint  of  Daniel 
Miller  and  Winifred,  his  wife;  John  Davis  and  Letitia,  his 
wife;  Inila  N.  Miller  and  Mary,  his  wife;  against  Rachel 
Cox,  Julia  Loftin,  William  A.  Cox,  executor  of  Owen  B. 
Cox,  deceased ;  Stephen  Gooding  and  Louisa,  his  wife ; 
jN^athan  Parker,  Xancy  Parker,  John  Parker,  and  William  L. 
Parker,  the  four  last  named  infants,  by  their  guardian, 
Joseph  R.  Croom."  In  this  paper  John  Parker  is  called 
Senior,  and  it  is  a  petition  to  the  court  of  Lenoir  County 
and  states  that  the  surviving  administrators,  John  Davis  and 
Imla  J^unn  Miller  (Owen  B.  Cox,  being  deceased)  are  ready 
to  settle  the  estate  and  are  put  off  by  part  of  the  heirs. 

I.  Zenas  Parker  died  in  Lee  County,  Georgia.  He  married 
Mary  Davis,  daughter  of  Benjamin  Davis.  She  was  born  in 
1800  and  died  July  6,  1892,  Their  children  were  as  follows : 
1.  Mary  Louiza  Parker,  born  October  15,  1825;  married 
Stephen  Gooding ;  lived  near  Woodington.  2.  ISTathan  Zenas 
Parker,  born  iSTovember  5,  1827.  3.  John  Gabriel  Parker, 
born  February  17,  1830 ;  died  in  Wa\aie  County,  jSJ^orth  Caro- 
lina. 4.  ISTancy  Ann  Elizabeth  Parker,  born  February  21, 
1832 ;  died  in  Onslow  County,  ISTorth  Carolina.  5.  William 
Loftin  Parker,  born  January  5,  1834;  died  in  Lee  County, 
Georgia.  6.  Zachariah  Davis  Parker,  born  March  3,  1836 ; 
died  in  Georgia.  7.  William  Loftin  Parker,  bom  September 
15,  1839,  now  living  near  Ambrose,  Georgia. 

II.  Winnafred  Parker;  born  January  3,  1795;  died  Sep- 
tember 9,  1851;  married  March  11,  1813,  Daniel  Miller; 
died  September  9,  1851,  lived  in  Lenoir  County. 


64  THE  ^■ORTIl   CAROLIIS'A  BOOKLET 

III.  Eaehel  Parker;  born  May  22,  1800;  married  Janu- 
ary 2,  1817,  Owen  Bryant  Cox,  bom  November  2,  1796. 
They  lived  near  Tuckahoe,  Jones  Connty.  Their  children 
were  as  follows:  1.  Elany  Ann  Cox,  born  November  15, 
1817.  2.  Nancy  Jane  Cox,  born  December  18,  1818.  3. 
Gabriel  P.  Cox,  born  July  2,  1820.  4.  John  P.  Cox,  born 
August  2!),  1823.  5.  William  B.  Cox,  born  January  6, 
1826.  6.  Delila  E.  Cox,  born  December  24,  1827.  7. 
Mary  Susan  Cox,  born  December  8,  1830.  8.  Julia  Cather- 
ine Cox,  born  November  29,  1835.  9.  Edith  Caroline  Cox, 
bom  January  21,  1838. 

IV.  Mary  Parker,  born  March  26,  1804;  married  May  6, 
1828,  Imla  Nunn  Miller;  died  April  16,  1891.  She  was  of 
unusual  ability.  She  lived  near  Woodington  and  during  the 
life  of  her  husband  on  the  "Old  Place"  of  the  Millers,  which 
was  left  to  her  in  fee  simple,  her  husband  stating  in  his  will 
that  she  had  done  as  much  to  earn  his  property  as  he  had 
done.  Their  children  were  as  follows :  1.  Anderson  Rosco 
Miller,  born  May  8,  1830;  married  September  19,  1857, 
Delia  Maria  Henry,  of  Waterbury,  Vermont;  died  July  20, 
1905,  Kinston,  North  Carolina.  He  had  the  degrees  of  M.  D. 
and  D.  D.  S.  He  served  in  the  Confederate  Army  in  Nether- 
cutt's  Regiment,  was  in  the  Eighth  Battalion,  afterwards  the 
Sixty-sixth  Regiment,  and  later  was  appointed  hospital 
steward.  2.  Nancy  Miller,  bom  August  15,  1832 ;  died 
October  3,  1902,  at  the  home  of  her  niece,  Mrs.  H.  O.  Hyatt, 
Kinston,  North  Carolina.  She  was  large,  strong,  active,  and 
ran  her  farm  in  Woodington  Township  until  two  years  be- 
fore her  death.  3.  John  Parker  Miller,  born  March  30, 
1834;  married  Elizabeth  Jones  Rouse;  lived  in  Woodington 
To^vllship.  Both  of  them  were  murdered  by  negroes  in 
1867,  during  the  Reconstruction.  He  served  three,  if  not  four 
years  in  Company  F,  Sixty-sixth  Regiment.  (Information 
furnished  by  John  W.  Simmons,  of  the  Sixty-sixth.)  4. 
Francis  Xavier  Miller,  born  July  12,  1836;  lives  Gainsville, 
Florida;   married   October,   1864,   Martha  A.   Williams,   of 


GENEALOGICAL  65 

Greene  County,  ISTortti  Carolina.  He  enlisted  in  the  Confed- 
erate Army  in  the  spring  of  1861,  as  a  private  in  Company 
B,  Tenth  IvTorth  Carolina  Eegiment,  at  New  Bern,  was  or- 
dered to  Fort  Macon  and  was  in  battle  there  as  ordinance 
sergeant.  They  were  besieged  by  Burnside  in  1862,  cap- 
tured and  sent  to  Wilmington;  he  was  on  parole  until  ex- 
changed and  then  was  in  service  in  Eastern  jS^orth  Carolina 
until  the  close  of  the  war ;  was  in  the  fights  at  Kinston  and 
Goldsboro.  5.  Julia  Miller,  born  March  16,  1839;  married 
October  13,  1869,  William  M.  Dulin;  lives  at  Statesville, 
X.  C.  6.  Mary  Angelina  Miller,  born  March  22,  1841; 
married  October,  1864,  Lovick  Prather;  lived  principally  in 
Arkansas.  7.  Frances  Elizabeth  Miller,  born  March  17, 
1843;  married,  1862,  Jackson  Fordham;  lived  Woodington 
Township.  8.  Wiley  Phillip  Miller,  born  May  1,  1845; 
married  Jennie  Prather,  of  Guilford  County;  died  July  2, 
1875 ;  lived  in  Woodington  Township.  He  served  in  the 
Confederate  Army  and  was  in  Foscine's  Brigade  at  the 
taking  of  New  Bern. 

V.  Julia  Parker  (daughter  of  John  Parker),  was  born 
January  18,  1809 ;  married  Major  Loftin.  They  lived  and 
are  buried  at  the  clump  of  trees  just  across  the  Lenoir  County 
bridge.  Their  children  were  as  follows  :  1.  William  Waight- 
still  Loftin,  born  November  10,  1827;  married  Margaret 
Wilson.  2.  John  H.  Loftin,  born  March  3,  1829 ;  married 
Harriet  Loftin,  widow  of  John  Nunn.  3.  Mary  Loftin,  born 
July  7,  1831;  married  John  Whitehead.  4.  Winifred 
Loftin,  born  April  26,  1834;  married  Dr.  Benjamin  F. 
Cobb.  5.  Martha  Loftin,  born  November  29,  1836;  mar- 
ried Dr.  Lafayette  Hussey.  6.  Julia  Angelina  Loftin,  born 
May  15,  1839 ;  married  Eichard  Wooten.  7.  Nancy  Parker 
Loftin,  born  August  10,  1841 ;  married  first,  Lemuel  Korne- 
gay;  second,  Dr.  S.  B.  Flowers.  8.  James  Major  Loftin, 
born  June  3,  1844;  married  Sarah  Loftin. 


—5 


GO  THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  BOOKLET 

A  Correction 

Ilathaway's  Records  state  that  Sarah  Whitfield,  the  daugh- 
ted  of  William  Whitfield,  married  Daniel  Herring.  This  is 
a  mistake.  There  was  a  Daniel  Herring  living  in  Duplin 
County,  but  Sarah  Whitfield .  married  Stephen  Herring,  of 
Duplin  County.  The  family  records  of  Mr.  Benjamin 
Franklin  Grady,  Clinton,  North  Carolina,  so  state  her 
marriage. 

The  following  record  appears  on  the  Duplin  County 
Records  (in  the  Sampson  County  Court  House)  January  16, 
1773 :  Stephen  Herring,  of  Duplin,  to  Frederick  Bell,  of 
Duj^lin,  £100.  Plantation  whereon  John  Bell  now  lives, 
south  side  of  Beaver  Swamp,  joining  John  Moore,  267  acres. 
Part  of  Henry  McCullock's  plot.  Stephen  Herring  and 
Sarah,  his  wife,  the  true,  sole  and  lawful  owner.  Signed 
Stej)hen  Herring,  Sarah  Herring.  Test:  William  Dickson, 
Samuel  Wood. 

Stephen  Herring  lived  on  Goshen  Swamp,  between  Faison 
and  Calypso. 


Vol.  XVI 


OCTOBER,  1916 


No.  2 


North  Carolina  Booklet 


GREAT  EVENTS 

IN 

NORTH  CAROLINA 
HISTORY 


PUBLISHED  QUARTERLY 
BY 

THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  SOCIETY 

DAUGHTERS  OF  THE  REVOLUTION 
RALEIGH,  N.  C. 


CONTENTS 


PAGE. 
.      69 


Major  General  Stephen  D.  Ramseur 

By  Chief  Justice  Clakk. 

Historic  Homes — "The  Fountain" 76 

By  Captain  Edmund  Jones. 

Martha  McFarlane  Bell 88 

By  Mary  Hililiabd  Hinton. 

Genealogical  Department 97 

Biographical  Sketches 103 


SINGLE  NUMBERS  35  CENTS 


$1.00  THE  YEAR 


Entered  at  the  Postoffice  at  Raleigh,  N.  C.  July  15.   1905,  under  the  Act  of 
Congress  of  March  3,  1 879 


The  North  Carolina  Booklet 


Great  Events  in  North  Carolina  History 


Volume  XVI  of  The  Booklet  will  be  issued  quarterly  by  the  North 
Carolina  Society,  Daughters  of  the  Revolution,  beginning  July,  1916. 
The  Booklet  will  be  published  in  July,  October,  January,  and  April. 
Price  $1.00  per  year,  35  cents  for  single  copy. 

Editor  : 
Miss  Mary  Hilliard  Hinton. 

Biographical  Editor  : 
Mrs.  E.  E.  Moffitt. 

VOLUME  XVI. 

Isaac  Shelby :  Revolutionary  Patriot  and  Border  Hero — Dr.  Archi- 
bald Henderson. 

An  Educational  Practice  in  Colonial  North  Carolina — Edgar  W. 
Knight. 

George  Selwyn — Miss  Violet  G.  Alexander. 

Martha  McFarlane  Bell,  a  Revolutionary  Heroine — Miss  Mary  Hil- 
liard  Hinton. 

North  Carolinians  in  the  President's  Cabinet,  Part  III :  William  A. 
Graham — Chief  Justice  Walter  Clark. 

Historic  Homes,  Part  VII :  The  Fountain,  the  Home  of  Colonel 
Davenport — Colonel  Edmund  Jones. 

North  Carolinians  in  the  President's  Cabinet,  Part  IV :  James 
Cochran  Dobbin — Dr.  Henry  Elliot  Shepherd. 

A  History  of  Rowan  County — Dr.  Archibald  Henderson. 

Edgecombe  County  History  and  some  of  her  Distinguished  Sons — 
Mrs.  John  A  Weddell. 

Historical  Book  Reviews  will  be  contributed  by  Mrs.  Nina  Holland 
Covington.  These  will  be  reviews  of  the  latest  historical  works 
written  by  North  Carolinians. 

The  Genealogical  Department  will  be  continued,  with  a  page  de- 
voted to  Genealogical  Queries  and  Answers  as  an  aid  to  genealogical 
research  in  the  Stjite. 

The  North  Carolina  Society  Colonial  Dames  of  America  will  fur- 
nish copies  of  unpublished  records  for  publication  in  The  Booklet. 

Biographical  Sketches  will  be  continued  under  Mrs.  E.  E.  Moffitt. 

Old  letters,  heretofore  unpublished,  bearing  on  the  Social  Life  of 
the  different  periods  of  North  Carolina  History,  will  appear  here- 
after in  The  Booklet. 

This  list  of  subjects  may  be  changed,  as  circumstances  sometimes 
prevent  the  writers  from  keeping  their  engagements. 

The  histories  of  the  separate  counties  will  in  the  future  be  a 
special  feature  of  The  Booklet.  When  necessary,  an  entire  issue 
will  be  devoted  to  a  paper  on  one  county. 

Parties  who  wish  to  renew  their  subscriptions  to  The  Booklet 
for  Vol.  XVI  are  requcfitcd  to  give  notice  at  once. 

Many  numbers  of  Volumes  I  to  XV  for  sale. 

For  particulars  address 

Miss  Mauy  Hilliard  Hinton, 

Editor  North  Carolina  Booklet, 

"Midway  Plantation,"  Raleigh,  N.  C. 


Vol.  XVI  OCTOBER,  1916  No.  2 


'(ohe 

North  Carolina  Booklet 


' Carolina  1  Carolina  I  Heaven' s  blessings  attend  her  ! 
While  zve  live  zve  will  cherish,  protect  and  defend  her' 


Published  by 

THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  SOCIETY 

DAUGHTERS  OF  THE  REVOLUTION 


The  object  of  The  Booklet  is  to  aid  in  developing  and  preserving 
North  Carolina  History,  The  proceeds  arising  from  its  publication 
will  be  devoted  to  patriotic  purposes.  Editob. 


EALEIGH 

COMMERCIAJL   PRINTING    COMPANY 

PEINTEBS   AND  BINDERS 


ADVISORY  BOARD  OF  THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  BOOKLET 

Mrs.  Hubert  Haywood.  Dr.  Richard  Dillard. 

Mrs.  E.  E.  Moffitt.  Dr.  Kemp  P.  Battle. 

Mr.  R.  D.  W.  Connor.  Mr.  James  Sprunt. 

Dr.  D.  H.  Hill.  Mr.  Marshall  DeLancey  Haywood 

Dr.  William  K.  Boyd.  Chief  Justice  Walter  Clark. 

Capt.  S.  a.  Ashe.  Major  W.  A.  Graham. 

Miss  Adeilaide  L.  Fries.  Dr.  Charles  Lee  Smith. 

Miss  Martha  Helen  Haywood. 

editor  : 
Miss  Mary  Hilliard  Hinton. 

biographical  editor  : 
Mrs.  E.  E.  Moffitt. 


OFFICERS  OF  THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  SOCIETY 
DAUGHTERS  OF  THE  REVOLUTION 

1914-1916 

REGENT  : 

Miss  MARY  HILLIARD  HINTON. 

vice-regent  : 

Mrs.  MARSHALL  WILLIAMS. 

honorary  regents : 

Mrs.  E.  E.  MOFFITT. 

Mrs.   T.   K.   BRUNER. 

recording  secretary  : 

Mrs.  L.  E.  COVINGTON. 

CORRESPONDING     SECRETARY  : 

Mrs.    PAUL    H.    LEE. 

TREASURER : 

Mrs.  CHAS.  LEE  SMITH.    . 

REGISTRAR  : 

Miss  SARAH  W.  ASHE. 

CUSTODIAN    OF   RELICS  : 

Mrs.  JOHN  E.  RAY. 


CHAPTER  REGENTS 

Bloomsbury  Chapter Mrs.  Hubert  Haywood,  Regent. 

Penelope  Barker  Chapter Mrs.  Patrick  Matthew,  Regent. 

Sir  Walter  Raleigh  Chapter Mrs.  I.  M.  Meekins,  Regent. 

General  Francis  Nash  Chapter Miss  Rebecca  Cameron,  Regent. 

Roanoke  Chapter Mrs.  F.  M.  Allen,  Regent. 

Mary  Slocumb  Chapter Miss  Georgie   Hicks,    Regent. 


Founder  of  the  North  Carolina  Society  and  Regent  1896-1902 : 

Mrs.  SPIER  WHITAKER.* 

Regent   1902: 

Mrs.  D.  H.  HILL,   SR.f 

Regent  1902-1906: 

Mrs.  THOMAS  K.  BRUNER. 

Regent  1906-1910: 

Mrs.  E.  E.  MOFFITT. 


•Died  November  25.  1911. 
tDied  December  12.  TJ04. 


.M  A.I  (in   tiK.NEKAI,    SlKI'lIKX    I  >.    HA.MSI-.II; 


The  North  Carolina  Booklet 


Vol.  XVI  OCTOBER,  1916  No.  2 


Major  General  Stephen  Dodson  Ramseur. 


An  Address  delivered  at  the  Presentation  of  the  Portrait  of  Major 

General  Stephen  D.  Ramseur,  by  Chief  Justice  Clark, 

7  June,  1916. 


Ladies  of  the  Memorial  Association,  Comrades  of  the  Con- 
federacy, Ladies  and  Gentlemen: 

On  20  May,  1861,  a  date  chosen  because  it  was  the  anni- 
versary of  our  first  Declaration  of  Independence,  at  Meck- 
lenburg, there  assembled  in  the  southern  wing  of  the  Capitol 
a  Convention  commissioned  by  the  popular  will  to  again  de- 
clare the  sovereignty  of  the  State.  In  that  Assembly  were 
many  of  the  foremost  men  of  the  State :  Rufiin,  Badger,  Gra- 
ham, Bedford  Brown,  Amifield,  Arrington,  Ashe,  Barnes, 
Biggs,  Burton  Craige,  R.  P.  Dick,  John  A.  Gilmer,  Bryan 
Grimes,  T.  L.  Hargrove,  W.  W.  Holden,  John  Manning, 
Anderson  Mitchell,  Judge  Osborne,  Kenneth  Raynor,  David 
S.  Eeid,  A.  W.  Venable,  E.  J.  Warren,  Warren  Winslow, 
IST.  W.  Woodfin,  Weldon  IST.  Edwards,  and  many  others.  The 
sole  survivor  of  the  120  men  that  day  assembled  on  that  high 
errand  is  the  distinguished  and  venerable  ex-President  of  our 
State  University,  Kemp  P.  Battle. 

There  was  small  delay  in  organizing,  for  the  war  was 
already  in  motion,  and  after  brief  discussion  the  ordinance 
was  quickly  and  unanimously  passed,  which  repealed  that  by 
which  we  had  entered  the  Union  at  Fayetteville  in  1789,  and 
I^^orth  Carolina  was  again  a  sovereign  and  independent  nation. 
Indeed  on  that  day  we  were  under  three  different  govern- 
ments. Until  noon  we  were  a  State  in  the  Union  of  the 
United  States,  for  a  few  hours  we  were  a  sovereign  and  inde- 
pendent people,  and  before  night  the  Convention  had  passed 
the  ordinance  which  made  ISTortli  Carolina  one  of  the  Con- 
federate States. 


70  THE  NOKTH  CAROLINA  BOOKLET 

As  soon  as  the  ordinance  was  passed  Major  Graliam  Daves, 
the  private  secretary  of  Governor  Ellis,  threw  open  a  window 
on  the  west  side  of  the  House  of  Representatives  and  an- 
nounced to  the  young  captain  of  artillery  who  stood  waiting 
on  the  lawn  below  with  his  battery  of  six  gams  and  his  men 
at  their  post,  that  this  State  had  ceased  to  be  one  of  the  United 
States.  Immediately  a  salvo  of  100  guns  announced  to  the 
world  that  North  Carolina  was  a  sovereigTi  and  independent 
State. 

The  young  captain  of  artillery,  then  not  quite  24  years  of 
age,  a  gTaduate  of  West  Point  in  the  previous  year,  who  had 
resigned  his  commission  in  the  United  States  Army  to  offer 
his  sword  to  the  South,  was  Stephen  D.  Ramseur,  of  Lincoln 
County.  Somewhat  small  in  stature,  but  brave,  handsome, 
quick  in  his  movements,  ambitious,  and  accomplished,  he  was 
the  beau  ideal  of  a  soldier.  lie  was  destined  in  the  next  three 
years  to  rise  from  Lieutenant  to  Major  General,  and  to  die 
on  the  field  of  battle  at  the  head  of  his  division.  The  com- 
pany of  artillery  which  he  commanded  became  a  part  of  the 
history  of  the  immortal  army  of  ISTorthern  Virginia  as 
Manly's  Battery.  Its  officers,  Basil  Manly,  Saunders,  Guion, 
and  Bridgers,  knowing  the  need  of  an  army  officer  to  train 
the  battery,  asked  Governor  Ellis  for  the  best  soldier  to 
command  them.  The  Governor  promptly  replied,  ''I  know 
the  man,"  and  designated  this  young  officer,  who  was  then  at 
Montgomery,  Ala.,  where  he  had  gone  to  tender  his  services 
to  the  President  of  the  Confederacy.  Under  his  instruction 
the  battery  soon  attained  supreme  excellence,  and  held  to  the 
end  a  reputation  surpassed  by  none. 

In  AugTist  Captain  Ramseur  was  ordered  with  his  battery 
to  Smithfield,  Virginia,  and  in  the  spring  of  1862  it  passed 
over  to  the  Peninsula,  where  McClellan  was  landing  his 
army,  on  York  River,  and  this  battery  opened  the  battle  at 
Williamsburg.  Captain  Ramseur  on  that  day  was  promoted 
to  Major,  and  placed  in  command  of  the  artillery  of  our  right 
wing,  Basil  C.  Manly  becoming  Captain.     Major  Ramseur 


MAJOK  GENERAL  RAMSEUE  71 

was  soon  tendered  and  declined  the  Lieutenant-Colonelcy  of 
the  Third  ISTorth  Carolina  Regiment.  Soon  after  he  accepted 
the  Colonelcy  of  the  Fifty-Ninth  North  Carolina  Regiment 
in  Ransom's  Brigade.  In  command  of  that  regiment  he 
shared  in  the  seven  days  fights  around  Richmond,  and  was 
very  severely  wounded  at  the  unfortunate  battle  of  Malvern 
Hill  on  1  July,  1862. 

After  the  death  of  the  gallant  George  B.  Anderson,  who 
died  of  wounds  received  at  Sharpsburg,  Ramseur,  at  the  age 
of  25,  was  placed  in  command  1  November,  1862,  of  that 
historic  brigade,  which  was  composed  of  the  2  N.  C,  4  N.  C, 
14  N.  C,  and  30  N.  C.  regiments — a  brigade  that  fur- 
nished two  Major  Generals  to  the  Confederacy,  Ramseur  and 
Bryan  Grimes,  besides  Brigadier  Generals  W.  R.  Cox,  from 
the  2  N.  C.  regiment,  George  B.  Anderson  and  Bryan  Grimes 
from  the  1  N.  C,  and  Junius  Daniel,  from  the  14  N.  C. 
Among  its  many  other  officers  of  note  was  Col.  C.  C.  Tew,  of 
the  2  N.  C,  who  was  killed  at  Sharpsburg,  and  Lieut-Col. 
W.  P.  Bynum,  of  the  same  regiment,  afterward  Justice  of  the 
Supreme  Court.  W.  T.  Faircloth,  later  Chief  Justice,  was 
Quartermaster  in  that  regiment.  In  the  14  N.  C.  regiment 
Risden  Tyler  Bennett,  of  blessed  memory,  succeeded  Junius 
Daniel  as  Colonel,  and  the  30  N.  C.  was  conmaanded  by  that 
brave  officer,  Frank  M.  Parker. 

To  recount  the  battles  in  which  Ramseur  shared  would  be 
to  relate  the  history  of  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia.  At 
Chancellorsville  on  3  May,  1863,  Ramseur,  at  the  head  of  his 
brigade,  so  greatly  disting-uished  himself  that  General  Lee 
wrote  a  letter  to  Governor  Vance,  saying:  ''General  Ramseur 
was  among  those  whose  conduct  was  especially  commended  to 
my  notice  by  Lieutenant-General  Jackson  in  the  message 
sent  to  me  after  he  was  wounded,"  adding,  "I  consider  the 
brigade  and  regimental  commanders  of  this  brigade  as  among 
the  best  of  their  respective  grades  in  the  army."  It  was  in 
this  battle  on  3  May,  1863,  that  Stonewall  Jackson  was 
wounded.    He  died  a  week  later  on  10  May,  which  day  North 


72  THE  NOKTU  CAROLINA  BOOKLET 

Carolina  still  keeps  in  remembrance  as  its  memorial  day  for 
the  Confederacy. 

Ramseur's  brigade  belonged  to  Rodes'  Division,  Jackson's 
Corps  in  tliat  great  battle.  It  was  in  the  famous  Gettysburg 
campaign,  and  after  the  three  days  fight  there,  when  Briga- 
dier-General Iverson,  of  Georgia,  was  removed  from  the 
command  of  his  brigade.  General  Ramseur  was  given  the 
unusual  honor  of  being  placed  in  command  of  both  brigades. 
In  the  fall  of  that  year,  after  the  return  from  Pennsylvania, 
while  our  troops  were  in  winter  quarters  near  Orange  Court- 
house, he  was  given  a  furlough,  and  was  married  to  Miss 
Ellen  E.  Richmond,  of  Caswell  County. 

In  May,  1864,  when  Grant,  with  over  120,000  men  crossed 
the  Rapidau,  Ramseur  and  his  brigade  were  in  almost  daily 
battle  with  the  enemy  down  to  the  James  River.  On  11 
May,  at  Spottsylvania  Courthouse,  Ramseur  and  his  men 
went  over  our  breastworks  and  drove  the  enemy  from  our 
front  in  a  hand  to  hand  engagement.  On  the  next  day  the 
situation  of  our  line  at  the  ''Salient"  having  been  made  known 
to  the  enemy  during  the  night  by  a  deserter.  Grant  threw  an 
irresistible  force  in  overwhelming  numbers  on  that  exposed 
position,  capturing  Ed.  Johnson's  Division.  Ramseur, 
Rodes,  and  the  gallant  men  of  those  commands,  charged  the 
enemy  and  drove  two  successive  lines  of  battle  out  of  their 
works  in  a  hand  to  hand  encounter.  In  an  address  before  the 
Army  of  Northern  Virginia,  Colonel  Venable,  of  Lee's  staff, 
says:  "The  restoration  of  the  battle  on  the  12th,  rendering 
utterly  futile  the  success  thus  achieved  by  Hancock's  corps  at 
daybreak,  was  a  wonderful  feat  of  arms,  in  which  all  the 
troops  engaged  deserve  the  greatest  credit  for  endurance, 
constancy,  and  unflinching  courage.  But  without  unjust  dis- 
crimination we  may  say  that  Gordon,  Rodes  and  Ramseur 
were  the  heroes  of  this  bloody  day.  .  .  .  Rodes  and 
Ramseur  were  destined,  alas,  in  a  few  short  months  to  lay 
down  their  noble  lives  in  the  Valley  of  Virginia.  There  was 
no  victor's  chaplet  more  highly  prized  by  the  Roman  soldier 


MAJOK  GENERAL  EAMSEUR  73 

than  that  woven  of  the  grass  of  early  spring.  Then  let  the 
earliest  flowers  of  May  be  always  intertwined  in  the  garlands 
which  the  pious  hands  of  our  fair  women  shall  lay  on  the 
tombs  of  Rodes  and  Ramseur,  and  of  the  gallant  dead  of 
the  battle  of  twenty  hours  at  Spottsylvania." 

Old  soldiers  of  the  army  of  I^orthern  Virginia  will  tell 
you  that  during  the  whole  war  there  was  no  contest  bloodier, 
or  in  which  more  gallantry  was  displayed,  than  on  the  12th 
of  May  at  Spottsylvania  Courthouse.  After  the  war  I  saw 
in  the  porch  of  the  war  department  at  Washington  City  the 
trunk  of  a  tree  12  inches  in  diameter  that  had  been  cut 
entirely  through  by  minie  balls  from  both  sides.  After  the 
battle  General  Lee  and  Lieut.-Gen.  Ewell,  the  corps  com- 
mander, both  thanked  Ramseur  in  person  and  expressed  their 
high  appreciation  of  the  conspicuous  services  and  heroic  dar- 
ing of  his  brigade.  In  further  recognition,  on  27  May,  then 
not  quite  27  years  of  age,  he  was  made  a  Major  General,  and 
assigned  to  the  conmiand  of  Early's  Division.  Truly,  as 
Napoleon  said  of  himself,  "Men  age  quickly  on  the  battle- 
field." 

After  the  battle  of  Second  Cold  Harbor  on  3  June,  so  fatal 
to  the  Federal  Army,  Ramseur's  division,  together  with  Rodes' 
and  Gordon's,  were  placed  under  the  command  of  Early,  and 
sent  to  the  Valley  of  Virginia.  They  defeated  Hunter's  Army, 
crossed  the  Potomac,  and  on  11  July,  1864,  were  in  sight  of 
the  Capitol  at  Washington,  which  they  were  preparing  to  take 
at  daylight  next  morning,  when  the  6th  and  19th  corps  of 
the  Federal  Army,  which  had  been  sent  by  Grant,  arrived 
just  in  time  to  prevent  the  capture  of  the  city.  Sullenly  and 
slowly  retiring  across  the  Potomac,  our  army  was  forced 
back  up  the  valley,  and  at  Winchester  on  19  September  Gen- 
eral Rodes,  commanding  one  division,  was  killed.  Just  a 
month  later,  on  19  October,  at  Cedar  Creek,  we  achieved  a 
splendid  success,  the  Federal  Army  had  fled  in  a  panic  when 
Sheridan  arrived  on  the  field,  and  with  reinforcements  re- 
stored the  battle.    General  Ramseur,  in  holding  his  line,  had 


(-i  THE  NOKTII  CAROLINA  BOOKLET 

two  horses  killed  under  him,  and  was  twice  wounded,  on  the 
latter  occasion  fatally,  and  fell  into  the  enemy's  hands. 

Alanv  of  the  Federal  Generals  were  his  former  friends  at 
West  Point  and  in  the  old  army,  and  the  best  attention  was 
given  him.  He  was  taken  to  General  Sheridan's  headquarters 
where  he  had  the  service  of  both  his  own  and  the  Federal 
surgeons,  but  in  vain,  and  on  the  next  day  his  bright  and 
gallant  spirit  passed  into  the  great  beyond. 

General  Sheridan  had  his  body  embalmed  and  sent  it  under 
a  Hag  of  truce  with  an  escort  of  honor  to  our  lines,  where  it 
was  received  by  Ixamseur's  boyhood  friend  from  his  own 
county  of  Lincoln,  General  Robert  F.  Hoke. 

General  Early  in  his  report  of  the  battle  says,  ''General 
Ramseur  met  the  death  of  a  hero,  and  with  his  fall  the  last 
hope  of  saving  the  day  was  lost.  He  was  a  soldier  of  whom 
his  State  has  reason  to  be  proud.  He  was  brave,  chivalrous 
and  capable." 

The  division  which  he  was  tirst  assigned  to  conmiand  con- 
sisted of  Pegram's  Virginia  brigade  (the  13,  31,  40,  52  and 
58  Virginia  regiments)  ;  R.  D.  Johnston's  N".  C.  brigade  con- 
sisting of  the  5,  12,  20  and  23  IST.  C.  regiments,  and  Godwin's 
X.  C.  brigade  (the  6,  21,  54  and  57  X.  C.  regiments  and  1 
!N".  C.  battalion).  On  the  death  of  General  Rodes  he  was 
transferred  and  placed  in  command  of  that  division  which 
consisted  of  Battle's  Alabama  l)rigade.  Cook's  Georgia  bri- 
gade, Grimes'  X.  C.  brigade  (the  32,  43,  45,  and  53  N.  C. 
regiments  and  2  X.  C.  battalion)  and  Cox's  jS^.  C.  brigade 
(Ramseur's  old  brigade),  composed  of  the  1,  2,  3,  4,  14  and 
30  N,  C.  regiments,  the  remnants  of  1  and  3  I^.  C.  regiments 
having  been  added  to  this  brigade  after  the  capture  of  the 
bulk  of  these  regiments  at  the  Salient. 

Thus  three  short  years  sum  up  the  career  of  this  splendid 
young  soldier  who  in  four  years  from  his  graduation  as  a 
cadet  at  West  Point  had  become  a  Major  General,  whose  fame 
was  kno\vn  to  both  armies.  He  fell  in  battle  at  the  head  of  his 
division,  and  was  spared  the  anguish,  the  sorrow  and  humilia- 


MAJOK  GENEEAL  EAMSEUR  i  i) 

tion  of  the  failing  days  of  the  Confederacy  and  Reconstruc- 
tion— fortunate  in  the  hour  and  manner  of  his  death — as  in 
his  life. 

General  Ramseur  was  a  member  of  an  old  and  respected 
family  in  the  county  of  Lincoln,  which,  though  small  in  area, 
has  furnished  many  splendid  men  to  the  State  in  civil  life,  and 
among  its  gallant  soldiers  there  were  three  Generals:  Major 
General  Stephen  D.  Ramseur,  Major  General  Robert  F. 
Hoke,  and  Brigadier  General  Robert  D.  Johnston.  Hoke  and 
Ramseur  were  about  the  same  age,  and  Johnston  still  younger, 
i^o  county  in  the  State  surpassed  the  record  made  by  its  sol- 
diers of  every  rank  from  private  to  General. 

Thus  briefly  has  been  summed  up  the  story  of  this  gallant 
young  soldier,  hardly  more  than  a  boy  when  he  died.  His 
fame  belongs  not  alone  to  North  Carolina,  but  to  the  whole 
country. 

IsForth  Carolina  has  cause  to  be  proud  of  the  record  of  her 
soldiers  in  that  great  war.  ISTo  other  State,  North  or  South, 
furnished  as  many  men  in  proportion  to  its  population,  and 
certainly  none  were  better  or  braver  soldiers. 

The  day  before  he  received  his  fatal  wound.  General  Ram- 
seur received  news  of  the  birth  of  his  daughter,  his  only 
child,  and  he  went  into  battle  wearing  a  flower  in  her  honor. 
Soldiers,  comrades,  we  have  the  honor  to  have  her  with  us 
today — Miss  Mary  Dodson  Ramseur.  She  is  the  donor  of 
this  portrait  of  her  gallant  and  distinguished  father  which, 
honored  by  her  request,  I  now  present  to  the  State  to  be 
hung  on  these  walls  in  perpetual  memorial  that  the  genera- 
tions to  come  may  remember  what  manner  of  man  he  was 
who  knew  how  to  die  for  his  country  and  his  duty. 

As  was  said  of  the  greatest  soldier  of  the  centuries : 

"The  lightnings  may  flash  and  the  loud  cannon  rattle. 
He  heeds  not,  he  heai's  not,  he's  free  from  all  pain ; 
He  sleeps  his  last  sleep,  he  has  fought  his  last  battle. 
No  sound  can  awake  him  to  glory  again." 


76  THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  BOOKLET 

Historic  Homes,  Part  VII  : 

-THE  FOUiNTAIN"  AND  ITS  BUILDEK. 


By  Captain  Edmund  Jones. 


What  manner  (»f  men  they  were,  what  their  conceptions  of 
public  and  social  duty,  and  what  advance,  if  any,  our  civiliza- 
tion has  made  over  that  represented  by  them,  is,  or  should 
be  the  object  of  the  review  of  the  lives,  character  and  times 
of  the  men  of  the  past,  prominent  as  the  builders  of  our  State 
and  master  workmen  upon  its  foundations.  Objects  seen 
through  a  mist  always  appear  larger  than  the  reality ;  but  the 
outlines  are  blurred  and  indistinct.  So  viewed  through  the 
curtain  of  intervening  years,  our  ancestors  seem,  to  our  partial 
eyes,  to  loom  up  to  almost  gigantic  proportions.  Filial 
respect,  inherited  veneration,  and  pride  of  ancestry,  have 
buried  with  their  bodies  every  fault  and  weakness  and  exag- 
gerated each  virtue,  until  it  is  difficult  to  separate  the  shadow 
from  the  substance  and  arrive  at  the  true  dimensions  of  those 
long  since  gone,  but  whom  we  think  "have  deserved  well  of 
the  Republic." 

The  ISToRTH  Carolina  Booklet^  that  ''Old  Mortality" 
among  all  the  State  publications,  whose  gentle  mission  it  is 
to  keep  clear  and  distinct  the  names  on  the  moss-covered 
tombs  of  those  deemed  worthy  to  be  remembered  by  posterity, 
has  from  time  to  time  given  to  the  public  a  series  of  charm- 
ing sketches  of  men,  women  and  places,  venerable  in  our 
annals,  but  whose  history  is  all  too  unknown  in  this  hurry- 
day  age.  The  editor  of  the  Booklet  has  deemed  the  subject 
of  this  sketch  to  be  worthy  of  remembrance,  and  has  asked 
the  writer  to  prepare  a  paper  on  Colonel  William  Davenport, 
of  "The  Fountain,"  in  the  "Happy  Valley"  of  the  Yadkin. 

William  Davenport  was  born  in  Culpepper  County,  Vir- 
ginia, October  12,  1769,  and  was  one  of  the  several  children 
of  Martin  Davenport  and  his  wife,  nee  Baker.  The  family 
came  early  to  America  from  the  South  of  Wales,  probably 


('(m,(im:i.  William   I  )a\  kximikt. 


''the  fountain"  77 

during  the  emigration  from  England  of  the  Royalists  after 
the  establishment  of  the  ''Commonwealth"  under  Oliver 
Cromwell.  The  family  was  an  old  and  respected  one,  but 
without  any  claim  to  noble  or  even  knightly  lineage.  A  feAv 
years  before  the  breaking  out  of  the  Eevolutionary  War, 
Martin  Davenport  removed  from  Virginia  with  his  family  to 
Burke  County,  North  Carolina,  and  made  his  home  on  John's 
River,  now  in  the  county  of  Caldwell.  Here  in  this  border- 
land between  civilization  on  the  East  and  the  great  mountains 
full  of  unfriendly  Cherokees  on  the  West,  this  pioneer  family 
were  living  in  abundance  and  in  such  peace  as  their  surround- 
ings permitted,  when  the  news  of  the  battle  of  Lexington 
aroused  the  colonists  to  a  realization  of  the  fact  that  the^y 
were  looking  into  the  face  of  war.  He  whose  trusty  rifle  had 
ever  protected  wife,  child,  and  home  from  prowling  enemy 
and  savage  beast,  was  equally  ready  to  repel  alien  foe,  and 
among  the  very  first,  Martin  Davenport  aligned  himself  with 
the  Whigs  and  became  one  of  the  bravest,  boldest  and  most 
efficient  of  that  wild  band  that  rode  with  Old  Ben  Cleveland. 

When  the  boy  William  became  of  school-age,  the  whole  con- 
tinent was  in  the  throes  of  the  Revolution.  On  this  remote 
frontier  there  were  no  school  book  and  no  schools.  Save  what 
he  may  have  learned  from  the  instruction  of  a  wise  and  pru- 
dent mother,  it  is  to  be  doubted  if  he  ever  had  any  schooling 
until  after  the  close  of  the  war ;  but  from  what  appears  sub- 
sequently, it  is  certain  that  even  at  that  tender  age,  the  intri- 
cacies of  the  rifle  and  the  use  of  the  hunting  knife  were  no 
mysteries  to  him.  At  the  age  of  twelve  he  killed  on  Toe 
River,  in  what  is  now  Avery  County,  the  last  elk  ever  seen 
wild  in  North  Carolina.  He  afterwards  gave  the  splendid 
horns  to  General  William  Lenoir,  who  donated  them  to  the 
University  of  North  Carolina,  where  the  writer  saw  them  in 
the  attic  of  the  old  South  building  when  he  was  a  student  at 
Chapel  Hill  immediately  after  the  close  of  the  Civil  War. 

As  proof  of  the  aphorism  that  "the  child  is  father  to  the 
man,"  the  following  incident  is  well  vouched  for,  and  I  give 


78  THE  IVOKTll  CAKOLINA  BOOKLET 

it  as  related  in  a  sketch  of  Colonel  Davenport,  written  by  the 
late  kelson  A.  Powell,  of  Lenoir,  JST.  C. :  ''When  William 
\vas  abont  ten  years  of  ag'e,  a  noted  Tory  officer  named  McFall, 
rode  np  with  a  squad  to  Martin  Davenport's  home,  he  being- 
absent  on  military  duty.  The  officer  demanded  dinner  and 
ordered  William  to  feed  their  horses.  William  answered,  'If 
you  v\"ant  them  fed,  do  it  yourself,  for  I  shan't.'  The  order 
was  repeated,  accompanied  by  severe  threats,  but  he  per- 
sistently refused,  sensible  of  the  degTadation  involved  in  it. 
Upon  his  repeated  refusal  the  Tory  whipped  him  cruelly, 
ordering  him  to  feed  the  horses.  The  Tories  entered  the 
house  to  satisfy  their  own  appetites ;  but  William  fed  no 
horses ;  instead  thereof,  he  secured  a  gun  and  followed  the 
road  they  were  to  take,  for  some  three-fourths  of  a  mile  from 
the  residence,  concealed  himself  behind  some  bushes  on  a 
liank  overhanging  the  road,  cocked  the  gun  and  waited  for 
the  officer  and  squad  to  approach  his  ambush,  when  he  in- 
tended to  shoot  him.  Providentially  for  William,  and  perhaps 
for  the  Tory,  before  the  squad  approached  him,  they  turned 
from  the  main  road  and  took  a  near  cut  by  a  bridle  path. 
The  boy  waited  until  the  sun  began  to  set  before  he  returned 
to  eat  his  own  dinner,  and  to  see  what  had  become  of  the 
unwelcome  guests.''  McFall  nevertheless  did  not  escape  ven- 
geance, for  later  he  was  among  those  captured  at  King's 
Mountain,  and  was  among  the  thirty-two  upon  whom  the 
death  sentence  w^as  imposed,  seven  of  whom  only  were  actu- 
ally executed.  McFall  was  among  those  whose  sentence  was 
commuted  until  Colonel  Ben  Cleveland,  who  was  one  of  the 
court-martial,  hearing  McFall's  name  called,  and  remember- 
ing the  incident  above  mentioned,  spoke  out,  "That  man 
McFall  is  not  fit  to  live ;  he  went  to  the  house  of  one  of  my 
best  soldiers,  Martin  Davenport,  while  he  was  absent,  in- 
sulted Mrs.  Davenport  and  whipped  his  child.  Hang  him!" 
The  sentence  was  carried  out  thereupon  and  forthwith. 

One  can  hardly  realize  in  our  time  the  obstacles  in  the  way 
of  acquiring  even  a  rudimentary  education  in  a  remote  section 


''the  fountain"  79 

of  the  country  during  the  period  immediately  following  the 
close  of  the  Revolution.  But,  that  Colonel  Davenport  did 
acquire  a  very  solid  and  substantial  knov^ledge  of  our  lan- 
guage, as  well  as  excellent  proficiency  in  mathematics,  is 
evidenced  from  the  fact  that  he  was  early  recogTiized  as  one 
of  the  most  accurate  and  reliable  surveyors  in  all  western 
Carolina.  It  is  to  be  deplored  that  the  identity  of  his  teacher 
cannot  now  be  established.  Whosoever  he  was,  he  was  an 
instructor  of  rare  proficiency.  School  books  were  scarce  and 
costly.  The  writer  has  several  of  William  Davenport's  school 
books.  Among  them  a  curious  old  geography  with  many 
quaint  maps,  and  an  arithmetic  written  out  in  full  from 
cover  to  cover  with  pen  and  ink,  with  every  letter  and  figure 
beautifully  made,  and  the  different  headings  flourished  out 
in  several  colored  inks,  doubtless  the  product  of  the  trees, 
shrubs  and  berries  that  were  natives  of  the  forests  that  sur- 
rounded his  home.  On  the  inside  of  the  card-board  cover  in 
Colonel  Davenport's  handwriting,  is  the  statement  that  ''W. 
Davenport  made  this  book  at  school  in  the  year  1787.''  The 
book  is  about  the  size  of  a  merchant's  day-book,  and,  in  com- 
mon with  several  others  on  different  subjects,  is  covered  with 
buckskin  from  deer,  doubtless  the  victims  of  his  own  rifle, 
and  tanned  with  that  beauty  of  finish  and  certainty  of  dura- 
bility, the  method  of  which  was  so  well  known  to  the  Indians 
and  early  hunters,  but  which  in  our  day  seems  to  be  among 
the  lost  arts. 

In  the  year  1800  Colonel  Davenport  represented  Burke 
County  in  the  lower  House  of  the  General  Assembly,  and  in 
1802  was  the  State  Senator  from  that  district.  His  sterling- 
worth  and  fine  character  even  at  the  age  of  thirty-one  had 
impressed  itself  upon  his  fellow  citizens.  Among  the  papers 
of  Waightstill  Avery,  the  sigTier  of  the  Mecklenburg  Declara- 
tion, was  found  addressed  to  the  voters,  a  letter  in  which 
"young  Billy  Davenport"  is  recommended  as  a  fit  and  proper 
person  to  represent  the  county  in  the  General  Assembly. 
Then,  as  now,  politics  had  its  rough  side,  for  the  Colonel 


80  THE  A'ORTII  CAROLINA  BOOKLET 

becaiiu'  involved  in  a  controversy  with  General  Bains  Edney. 
Tlie  matter  led  to  a  cliallenge  from  General  Edney  to  Colonel 
Davenport.  The  challenge  was  accepted,  and  arrangements 
made  by  their  seconds  to  meet  at  six  o'clock  the  next  morning 
at  a  designated  spot  near  Morganton  and  settle  the  difficulty 
with  rifles.  Colonel  Davenport  was  promptly  on  hand  at  the 
time  and  place  with  his  deadly  rifle,  but  his  antagonist  never 
showed  up.  Information  of  the  meeting  had  somehow  gotten 
to  the  otficers  of  the  law,  and  General  Edney  had  been  placed 
under  arrest,  and  the  duel  prevented. 

About  this  time  he  married  Mary  Gordon,  widow  of  Major 
Charles  Gordon,  and  eldest  daughter  of  General  William 
Lenoir.  Major  Gordon  was  one  of  the  distinguished  Wilkes 
C\iuntv  family  of  that  name,  and  was  the  uncle  of  General 
John  B.  Gordon,  of  Georgia,  and  also  General  James  B. 
Gordon,  commander  of  the  famous  ISTorth  Carolina  cavalry 
brigade  of  Lee's  Army.  After  his  marriage,  he  moved  his 
residence  to  the  ''Happy  Valley"  in  order  that  his  wife  might 
remain  near  her  family  and  kindred.  In  1807  he  completed 
"The  Fountain,"  named  from  a  beautiful  spring  near  by,  the 
fine  old  home  where  he  spent  the  remainder  of  his  days,  and 
which  is  still  the  seat  of  a  gracious  hospitality  at  the  hands 
of  his  great  grandchildren.  The  sills  of  the  house  are  of 
massive  black  walnut  logs,  hewed  to  a  square.  The  pillars  of 
the  portico  were  of  the  same  precious  wood,  and  were  painted 
ivhite  to  correspond  with  the  rest  of  the  house  and  as  a  matter 
of  adornment.  Black  walnut  was  of  no  particular  value 
then,  while  white  paint  was  considered  the  limit  of  taste  and 
elegance.  ''The  Fountain"  was  henceforth  one  of  those  fine 
old  country  homes  of  the  ''Happy  Valley,"  the  occupants  of 
which  were  all  related,  and  where  for  a  hundred  years  a 
gracious  hospitality  was,  and  still  is,  dispensed. 

The  Fountain,  as  originally  constructed,  was  along  building 
lines  generally  in  vogue  at  that  day  and  time  for  residences 
on  Southern  plantations.  Two  stories  in  height,  with  a  por- 
tico in  front  the  entire  length  of  the  house,  the  corresponding 


"the  fountain"  81 

side  in  the  rear  one-storj  shed  rooms  built  to  and  constituting 
a  part  of  the  main  building.  At  each  end  were  great,  broad, 
massive  chimneys,  and  on  the  inside  fire-places  in  each  room 
corresponding  in  size  to  the  chimneys.  There  was  not  a  pas- 
sage in  the  house ;  their  use  and  convenience  seem  not  to  have 
been  known  or  were  unappreciated.  The  staircase  ran  up 
ft'om  the  inside  of  the  rooms,  all  of  which,  on  the  same  floor, 
were  connected  by  doors  in  the  partition  walls.  Immediately 
under  the  roof  was  the  gTeat  garret ;  that  awful  and  myste- 
rious region  where  ghosts  walked  and  where  dire  and  fearful 
engines  of  torment  were  stored  for  the  purpose  of  administer- 
ing punishment  to  delinquent  children  or  those  too  daring  or 
inquisitive  in  their  investigations.  The  "big  house"  occupied 
one  side  of  a  quadrilateral.  On  another  was  the  dairy,  the 
loom-room  and  the  kitchen ;  opposite  on  the  other  side  was  the 
smoke-house,  granary  and  carriage  house.  On  the  far  side 
and  in  the  rear  across  the  road  were  the  negro  quarters  in 
easy  call  of  the  master's  voice,  the  whole  constituting  the 
typical  planter's  seat,  as  many  of  the  passing  generation  re- 
member them.  The  outlook  from  the  front  commanded 
mountain  and  valley,  and  took  in  the  entire  scope  of  the  broad 
acres  that  constituted  the  plantation.  In  the  interior  the 
inevitable  grandfather  clock,  made  in  Morganton  early  in  the 
nineteenth  century  by  one  of  those  wonderfully  skillful  wan- 
dering clockmakers,  whose  tribe  machinery  has  caused  to  be- 
come extinct,  still  sits  in  the  place  where  for  so  many  years 
it  ticked  oft'  the  days,  hours,  minutes  and  seconds. 

At  the  close  of  the  Civil  War  Captain  William  Davenport 
Jones,  a  grandson,  returned  from  the  battlefields  and  made 
"The  Fountain"  his  home.  Here  he  lived  until  his  own 
death  four  years  ago.  Here  sons  and  daughters  were  born 
unto  him ;  here  some  have  "gone  to  the  bridal,  some  to  the 
grave" ;  here  some  of  them  still  reside,  and  here  is  the  spot 
that  they  all,  wherever  located,  call  "home." 

About  the  year  1879,  Captain  Jones  prevailed  upon  that 
accomplished  Englishman,  General  Collett  Leventhorpe,  and 


82  THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  BOOKLET 

his  wife,  to  coiiie  to  "The  Fouiitaiir'  and  make  it  his  home. 
He  and  (reneral  Leventhorpe  had  married  sisters,  daughters 
of  General  Edmund  Bryan,  of  Rutherford.  They  had  served 
through  the  war  together,  and  were  much  attached  to  each 
other,  brothers  in  affection  as  well  as  brothers-in-law.  With 
him  General  Leventhropo  brought  many  rare,  curious  and 
beautiful  works  of  art;  bronzes,  vases,  etchings  and  paintings, 
on  canvas,  on  wood  and  on  metal,  collected  in  all  sorts  of 
places  and  in  many  climes,  representing  the  Dutch,  Flemish 
and  Italian  schools.  None  of  them  were  less  than  a  hundred 
years  old,  and  many  much  older.  Among  them,  peerless  in 
its  beauty,  is  a  painting  of  the  Madonna  and  Child  that 
legend  ascribes,  and  many  good  judges  believe,  is  one  of  the 
earlier  works  of  the  gTeat  Raphael.  Be  that  as  it  may,  it  is 
wonderfully  beautiful,  and  it  shows  for  itself  that  it  is  very 
ancient.  There  are  also  in  the  collection  many  etchings  of 
Rembrandt,  and  two  paintings  of  Ostard,  an  exquisite  copy 
of  the  Temperantia  vase,  and  what  is  believed  to  be  a  crucifix 
in  solid  silver  by  Benvenuto  Cellini.  At  his  death  General 
Leventhorpe  left  his  rare  collection  to  his  wife,  and  when  she 
died,  having  no  children  of  her  o^^m,  she  divided  by  will  these 
art  treasures  among  her  nephews  and  nieces,  children  of  Cap- 
tain Jones.  The  Raphael  (  ?),  together  with  many  of  the 
rarest  and  most  valuable  articles,  is  still  to  be  seen  at  ''The 
Fountain." 

In  1813  Colonel  Davenport  was  sent  to  represent  the 
county  of  Wilkes  in  the  General  Assembly,  but  thereafter 
could  not  be  induced  to  accept  another  election.  He  was,  how- 
ever, for  a  number  of  years  register  of  the  county,  with  his 
accomplished  wife  as  his  chief  amanuensis.  The  books  of  that 
office  made  during  the  period  of  his  incumbency,  are  well 
worth  examining.  The  writer  has  never  seen  any  records  that 
in  beauty  and  excellence  were  their  equal.  Whole  volumes 
appear  in  the  copper-plate  hand  of  Mrs.  Davenport  without  a 
scratch,  blot  or  erasure. 


TnK   F()r.\TA;.\."  thk   Homk  of   Cdloxki.   I 


i.wKxroirr. 


"the  fountain"  83 

In  1821  he  was  appointed  by  the  Commissioners  on  the 
part  of  ISTorth  Carolina,  as  surveyor  for  the  State,  to  join 
with  the  representatives  of  the  State  of  Tennessee  in  surveying- 
out  and  establishing  the  dividing  line  between  the  two  States 
from  the  point  where  another  set  of  Commissioners  left  oft' 
in  1779,  to  the  Georgia  line,  a  stretch  of  near  one  hundred 
and  twenty  miles.  The  whole  distance  was  through  a  wild, 
rough,  densely  wooded  and  almost  uninhabited  mountain 
country.  This  trying  and  difficult  service  was  performed  with 
the  same  particularity  and  fidelity  that  marked  everything 
that  fell  in  the  line  of  his  duty.  Accurate  reports,  field  notes 
and  maps  were  made  and  deposited  iii  the  archives  of  the 
State,  where,  unfortunately  they  were  lost  or  destri)yed  in 
the  burning  of  the  old  Capitol.  JSTearly  a  hundred  years  after- 
ward a  great  lawsuit  sprung  up  between  the  claimants  of 
many  thousand  acres  of  very  valuable  timber  lands  situated 
along  the  line  that  had  been  run.  The  plaintifi's  claimed 
under  grants  from  the  State  of  2sr()rth  Carolina,  the  defend- 
ants by  virtue  of  grants  from  the  State  of  Tennessee.  The 
Tennessee  records  were  too  incomplete  to  decide  the  location 
of  the  line,  while  those  of  ISTorth  Carolina  had  been  destroyed. 
The  marks  made  on  the  trees  at  the  time  the  survey  was 
made  had  nearly  "grown  out,"  and  the  living  witnesses  had 
all  passed  away.  In  this  dilemma  the  writer  was  applied  to, 
to  make  a  search  among  Colonel  Davenport's  old  papers,  to 
which  he  had  ready  access,  and  see  if  anything  could  be  un- 
earthed that  might  throw  light  upon  the  troubled  question. 
A  mass  of  ancient  papers  was  gone  through,  but  without 
result.  At  last  a  gTcat,  massive  sideboard  that  had  always 
in  Colonel  Davenport's  day  sat  against  the  wall  in  the  par- 
lor, was  entered  and  searched.  From  its  labyrinth  of  pigeon 
holes,  concealed  receptacles  and  secret  drawers  was  at  last 
abstracted  a  note  book,  and  upon  examination  it  was  found 
to  be  the  long  lost  field  notes  of  Colonel  Davenport,  giving  the 
course  and  distance  of  every  part  of  the  line.  This  was  at 
once  placed  in  the  hands  of  Attorney  General  T.  W.  Bickett, 


.S4  THE  NORTH   CAROLINA  BOOKLET 

and  by  him  laid  before  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United 
States,  where  the  case  was  then  pending'  on  appeal.  These 
notes  decided  the  controversy,  and  Xorth  Carolina  won  out, 
thanks  to  the  forethought  and  careful  business  methods  of 
(^olonel  Davenport. 

lu  personal  appearance  he  was  a  most  striking  figure.  Five 
feet  and  ten  inches  in  height,  with  broad,  massive  shoulders 
and  deep  chest,  he  tapered  from  shoulder  to  the  small  foot 
encased  in  a  number  six  shoe.  The  body  was  surmounted 
with  a  noble  head  covered  by  a  snow-white,  leonine  mane, 
which  curled  down  and  rested  on  his  shoulders.  The  face, 
of  which  a  great  Roman  nose  was  the  chief  feature,  was 
lit  up  by  a  pair  of  clean,  clear,  straight  looking  eyes,  blue  in 
color  and  set  beneath  an  overhanging  brow ;  a  firm,  square 
jaw  and  straight,  well  set  lips,  the  whole  constituting  a  face 
and  figure  once  seen  was  not  easily  forgotten.  Great  age  was 
never  able  to  bow  his  figure  with  the  weight  of  years,  and  at 
near  ninety  he  was  as  straight  as  a  lance.  He  was  remarkably 
neat  in  dress,  and  while  his  apparel  was  of  good  and  simple 
material,  it  was  the  product  of  the  best  tailors  of  his  day. 
He  sometimes  told  with  great  relish  an  anecdote  at  his  o^^^l 
expense  as  illustrative  of  the  notable  prominence  of  his  chief 
facial  feature.  While  dining  on  one  occasion  at  the  hospi- 
table residence  of  Hon.  John  Hinton,  one  of  his  fellow  mem- 
bers of  the  Legislature  from  Wake  County,  Mrs.  Hinton,  im- 
])ressed  and  in  a  manner  fascinated  by  the  great  eagle-beak, 
intended  to  ask  him  "to  make  a  long  arm''  and  help  himself 
to  some  dish  on  the  ta1)le,  but  unconsciously  speaking  whai. 
was  uppermost  in  her  mind,  asked  him  "to  make  long  nose" 
and  help  himself  to  the  salad,  to  the  utter  confusion  of  the 
gTacious  lady,  and  the  intense  amusement  of  the  company, 
Colonel  Davenport  included. 

Being  of  a  quick  and  somewhat  irascible  temper,  he  kept 
a  constant  guard  over  it,  and  regulated  his  life  in  society,  in 
business,  in  methods  and  in  words,  by  rules  of  his  own  mak- 
ing, in  the  observance  of  which  he  was  firm  and  even  obsti- 


"the  fountain"  85 

nate.  He  was  the  owner  of  a  great  and  fertile  plantation, 
and  "The  Fountain"  was  always  the  home  of  abundance. 
1^0  attention  was  paid  by  him  to  prevailing  market  prices 
for  products  of  the  farm.  Intrinsic  value  alone  was  his  guide. 
A  bushel  of  corn  was  the  synonym  for  fifty  cents,  and  a  bushel 
of  wheat  for  a  dollar.  If  the  market  price  for  either  was 
above  these  figures  he  still  sold  for  the  same ;  if  below,  he  let 
it  remain  in  his  crib,  unless  he  gave  it  away.  This  writer 
has  seen  one  of  his  cribs  containing  a  thousand  bushels  of  two 
year  old  corn.  "Davenport  measure"  was  proverbial  in  his 
day,  and  the  meaning  is  even  now  well  understood  by  the 
older  men  of  his  community.  A  half  bushel  meant  a  measure 
upon  which  the  contents  must  be  piled  as  long  as  it  could  be 
heaped  on,  the  result  of  which  was  that  it  took  five  pecks  to 
make  a  Davenport  bushel. 

As  illustrative  of  the  firmness  with  which  he  maintained  his 
"rules,"  I  was  told  more  than  twenty-five  years  ago,  by  one 
of  his  neighbors,  himself  then  over  ninety  years  old,  the  fol- 
lowing instance,  which  I  give  in  his  own  language:  "One 
year  there  was  almost  an  entire  failure  of  the  wheat  crop,  and 
the  quality  was  so  poor  that  I  did  not  think  it  was  worth  while 
to  save  any  of  it  for  seed.  Some  one  told  me  that  Colonel 
Davenport  has  raised  some  good  wheat  of  a  new  kind.  I 
went  down  to  see  him  and  get  eight  bushels  to  sow.  Wlien 
I  mentioned  my  business  to  him  he  said,  'Yes,  Johnnie,  I 
have  some  wheat  that  will  do  very  well  for  seed.'  Upon  being 
asked  the  price,  he  replied  that  he  always  had  one  price  for 
grain,  50  cents  for  corn  and  a  dollar  for  wheat.  I  thereupon 
told  him  that  I  would  take  eight  bushels,  but  that  I  did  not 
have  the  money  to  pay  for  it  right  then.  To  this  he  replied, 
'That's  all  right,'  but  if  not  paid  for  in  cash  the  price  would 
be  a  dollar  and  five  cents.  I  argiied  the  matter  with  him,  but 
he  was  firm,  saying  that  was  his  rule,  and  he  couldn't  break 
his  rule  for  anybody.  After  a  while  I  got  a  little  piqued,  and 
told  him  I  wouldn't  take  it.  This  appeared  to  disturb  him 
powerful,  and  he  run  his  hands  down  in  his  breeches  pockets 


Sa  THE  ]>}ORTH   CAROLINA  BOOKLET 

and  dropped  his  bead  and  seemed  to  study  a  long  time.  After 
a  while  he  raised  his  head  and  says,  'Johnnie,  I'll  tell  you 
how  we  can  tix  this.  I  haven't  got  any  rule  against  lending 
a  friend  money,  and  I'll  lend  you  the  money  to  pay  for  the 
wheat,  and  you  can  pay  it  back  whenever  you  get  ready.'  I 
told  him  that  if  that  suited  him  better  it  was  all  right  with 
me.  He  then  ran  his  hand  down  into  his  pocket  and  pulled 
out  eight  dollars  and  handed  them  to  me,  and  I  handed  them 
back  to  him  and  took  the  wheat." 

The  writer  remembers  once  being  at  "The  Fountain''  when 
two  great,  four-horse  wagons  drove  up  and  wanted  100  bushels 
of  corn.  The  preceding  year,  owing  to  prolonged  drought, 
had  cut  the  crop  to  a  point  where,  outside  of  the  fertile  bot- 
tom lands  of  the  Yadkin,  there  was  great  scarcity  in  the  sur- 
rounding counties,  and  the  price  was  unusually  high.  On 
the  occasion  mentioned,  the  following  conversation  took  place : 
"Good  morning !  Is  this  Colonel  Davenport  ?"  ''Yes."  "Col- 
onel, we  understand  you  have  some  corn  to  sell  ?"  "Yes,  I 
have  some  that  I  could  spare."  "Well,  we  want  to  buy  a 
hundred  bushels,  and  we  have  the  money  to  pay  for  it." 
"Where  are  you  from  V  asked  the  Colonel.  They  told  him 
from  Gaston.  "You  say  you  have  the  money  to  pay  for  it  ?" 
They  told  him  they  had.  "Well,"  said  the  Colonel,  "If  you 
have  the  money  to  pay  for  it  you  can  drive  on  down  the  river, 
where  there  is  plenty  of  corn  for  sale.  I  am  going  to  keep 
mine,  for  my  poor  neighbors  that  can't  pay  for  it."  This 
ended  the  negotiation. 

Soon  after  the  completion  of  his  residence,  he  erected  in 
a  beautiful  grove  on  his  plantation,  and  in  a  central  and  con- 
venient location,  a  large  and  roomy  church  with  an  aimex  for 
negroes,  and  here  during  his  life,  whenever  there  was  service, 
he  and  his  relatives  and  neighbors,  with  their  many  slaves, 
might  be  found  assembled  for  worship.  He  always  retained 
the  title  to  the  property,  for  he  would  never  permit  it  to  be 
sectarianized,  though  he  himself  was  a  devoted  Methodist. 
He  was  one  of  the  foremost  subscribers  to  all  the  churches 


"the  foujn^taijst"  87 

erected  in  Lenoir  during  his  lifetime,  althougli  he  lived  eight 
miles  away  in  the  country.  He  was  one  of  the  founders  and 
the  chief  contributor  to  Davenport  Female  College,  which 
was  named  in  his  honor,  and  in  which  he  maintained  a 
warm  interest  as  long  as  he  lived.  He  abhorred  thriftlessness 
and  waste,  but  no  worthy  poor  or  unfortunate  man  ever  went 
away  from  his  presence  empty-handed. 

For  sixty-five  years  he  was  a  justice  of  the  peace,  and 
settled  the  controversies  and  contentions  of  his  neighbors 
according  to  that  patriarchal  code,  which,  at  that  time,  was 
the  ''common  law  of  the  land." 

He  loved  the  open-air  life,  and  even  after  he  had  passed 
his  fourscore  years,  could  be  seen  every  forenoon,  when 
weather  permitted,  riding  horseback  over  his  broad  acres, 
while  the  summer  afternoons  were  passed  on  the  portico  doz- 
ing in  his  arm-chair,  occasionally  rousing  to  throw  his  cane 
at  some  impudent  crowing  rooster  that  was  disturbing  his 
repose. 

So  peacefully  did  his  life  pass  away  that  he  refused  to  take 
to  his  bed,  and  he  died  with  loving  eyes  fixed  upon  the  moun- 
tains that  had  been  to  him  both  companions  and  shelter 
through  all  the  long  years  of  his  life. 


88  THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  BOOKLET 


Martha  McFarlane  Bell. 


By  Maby  Hilliard  Hinton. 


Some  claim  that  ]S[ortli  Carolina  has  had  few  women  of  the 
heroic  type  that  by  their  phenomenal  gifts  have  performed 
deeds  that  have  attracted  and  held  the  attention  of  the  world 
to  such  an  extent  as  to  win  permanent  places  in  her  archives. 
This  idea  prevails  through  sheer  ignorance.  No  State  can 
show  a  longer  list  of  Eevolutionary  heroines  and  as  loyal  de- 
votion to  the  patriot  cause  as  the  dames  and  damsels  of  the 
Old  North  State.  Caruthers  himself  says:  'Tt  is  believed 
that  there  w^ere  as  many  females  in  the  Old  North  State  as  in 
any  other,  who,  for  their  sacrifices,  their  sufferings,  and  their 
patriotic  services,  deserve  an  honorable  notice  in  history  as 
in  any  one  of  the  'Old  Thirteen.'  "  Think  of  a  slip  of  a 
girl  saving  the  Albemarle  section  from  the  invader's  pillage ! 
Such  was  the  service  rendered  her  country  by  Betsy  Dowdy 
when  she  warned  General  Skinner  of  the  British  plans, 
thereby  making  possible  the  victor}'  of  the  Battle  of  Great 
Bridge.  The  defiance  of  the  brave  women  of  Edenton, 
spurred  on  by  Penelope  Barker,  adds  another  gem  to  our 
rosary  of  patriotic  achievements.  To  commemorate  their 
heroic  patriotism,  the  Daughters  of  the  Revolution  placed  in 
the  rotunda  of  the  State  Capitol  the  first  memorial  that  has 
adorned  that  building.  Doctor  Dillard  has  told  of  them  in 
the  first  volume  of  the  Booklet.  Little  Virginia  Dare's 
story  was  the  first  article  contributed  to  our  magazine,  and 
that  ideal  type  of  the  Old  Regime,  the  late  Major  Graham 
Daves,  was  the  author.  Doctor  Henderson  has  wa'itten  for 
us  the  life  of  the  brave  Elizabeth  Maxw^ell  Steele;  Mr.  VV.  C. 
Ervin  has  recounted  the  deeds  of  the  beautiful  Grace  Green- 
lee ;  the  rides  of  Mary  Slocumb  and  Rebecca  Lanier  have  been 
described.  Other  names  that  deserve  homage  are  forgotten, 
and  facts  concerning  their  chequered  lives  have  not   been 


MAETIIA  m'fARLAKE   BELL  89 

collected.  It  is  the  object  of  the  Blooinsbury  Chapter  to 
gather  the  names  of  ISTorth  Carolina's  notable  women,  to  write 
sketches  of  their  lives  and  to  store  them  away  among  the 
archives  of  the  State  Society. 

Of  the  heroines  of  the  Revolution  none  were  braver  than 
Martha  McFarlane  Bell,  whose  existence  from  the  day  of 
open  hostilities  till  peace  settled  down  on  the  ramparts  of 
Yorktown  was  harassed  by  constant  dangers.  Hers  was  iiot 
the  pyrotechnic  display  of  a  few  honrs  heroism ;  it  covered  the 
expanse  of  the  years  that  marked  the  period  known  as  the 
American  Revolution.  The  Reverend  E.  W.  Caruthers,  D.D., 
published  his  book,  '^The  Old  oSTorth  State  in  1776,"  in  1856, 
and  as  late  in  the  century  as  that,  he  states,  the  knowledge 
of  her  life  was  each  year  becoming  more  unreliable,  and  that 
his  sketch  of  Mrs.  Bell  contains  the  reminiscences  of  indi- 
viduals who  had  the  advantage  of  knowing  her  personally, 
and  he  can  vouch  for  their  authenticity. 

In  historic  Orange  County  Mrs.  Bell  was  born  and  reared. 
Her  home  was  situated  in  the  southern  part,  or  that  section 
which  later  fell  within  the  boundaries  of  the  present  county 
of  Alamance.  She  sprang  from  Scotch  or  Scotch-Irish  an- 
cestry, as  her  maiden  name  McFarlane  indicates.  She  could 
at  no  time  of  life  have  been  called  a  beauty,  Init  she  possessed 
some  fine  features,  and  was  considered  "a  good  looking 
woman.''  Though  by  no  means  masculine,  but  ever  deporting 
herself  with  modesty,  she  was  gifted  with  a  strong  mind,  an 
ardent  temperament  and  gTeat  firmness.  She  could  love  de- 
votedly and  hate  with  equal  intensity,  which  made  her  a 
valuable  friend,  but  an  undesirable  enemy.  She  possessed  a 
high  sense  of  duty,  and  won  and  held  the  respect  of  the  com- 
munities in  which  she  lived.  She  feared  her  Maker,  and 
nothing  on  earth. 

Some  eight  or  ten  years  prior  to  the  Revolution  Martha 
McFarlane  married  a  young  widower,  Colonel  John  McGee, 
with  two  children  and  an  ample  fortune.  Their  home  was 
on  Sandy  Creek  in  the  northern  portion  of  Randolph  County. 


00  THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  BOOKLET 

Colonel  McGee  owned  a  vast  landed  estate,  a  mill,  a  country 
store,  etc.,  and  carried  on  a  larger  business  than  any  other 
man  in  Kandolph.  Dying  about  the  beginning-  of  the  Revo- 
lution, he  left  his  wife  with  live  little  children,  three  boys 
and  two  girls,  to  struggle  with  the  world.  One  son  became  a 
Presb\'terian,  tlie  other  a  Methodist,  minister — all  were  in 
time  church  members.  Being  the  richest  widow  in  that 
locality,  it  is  said  many  sought  her  hand  in  marriage,  par- 
ticularly the  frisky  young  widowers  and  the  less  matrimon- 
ially inclined  bachelors  of  the  prime,  who  evidently  because 
she  turned  do^vn  their  attentions  considered  her  "a  little 
haughty."  Finally  William  Bell,  a  widower,  won  her  affec- 
tions, and  on  May  (!,  1779,  they  were  united  in  the  holy 
bonds  of  matrimony. 

From  the  moment  the  ties  were  severed  with  the  Mother 
Country,  Mrs.  Bell  espoused  the  patriot  cause.  Many  are  the 
incidents  related  that  tested  her  remarkable  fearlessness  and 
presence  of  mind.  Danger,  instead  of  intimidating  her, 
merely  inspired  to  greater  exertion  of  mind  and  body.  She 
desired  above  all  things  to  be  useful,  and  being  by  nature  a 
nurse,  she  never  let  an  opportunity  pass  to  serve  the  sick  and 
needy,  going  when  called  to  any  one,  even  long  distances,  by 
sun  as  well  as  moon  and  starlight.  These  acts  of  kindness 
were  gTatuitous  till  the  ravages  of  war  depleted  her  one-time 
plentiful  possessions,  then  a  regular  charge  was  made.  To 
take  such  journeys  this  brave  woman  risked  in  those  troub- 
lous times  and  to  escape  unharmed  seems  indeed  a  marvel. 
The  country  was  but  sparsely  settled,  the  roads  at  times  almost 
impassable,  and  cuthroats  and  desperadoes  ubiquitous,  yet 
this  woman,  mounted  on  a  noble  steed  and  armed  with  dirk 
and  pistols  like  the  knight  of  old,  sallied  forth  on  deeds  of 
mercy.  During  the  war  she  sometimes  encountered  insults 
and  attacks  at  the  hands  of  ruffians,  but  her  wonderful  self- 
possession  always  rescued  her  from  harm. 

On  one  occasion,  about  the  close  of  the  devolution,  she  was 
traveling  an  unfrequented  road,  obeying  an  appeal  for  help, 


MAKTHA   m'fAKLANE   BELL  91 

when  she  espied  ahead  a  perfect  desperado  and  outlaw  by  the 
name  of  Stephen  Lewis,  generally  called  Steve  Lewis,  a 
member  of  Fanning's  Corps.  When  he  beheld  her  approach- 
ing he  dismounted,  hitched  his  horse,  set  his  gam  against  a 
tree  and  then  took  his  stand  in  the  middle  of  the  road.  As 
she  approached  he  seized  her  horse  by  the  bridle  and  ordered 
her  to  dismount,  at  which  she  drew  her  pistol  and  threatened 
to  shoot  him  on  the  spot  should  he  move  a  step.  Woman's 
nature  is  not  to  take  human  life,  though  had  Mrs.  Bell  fired 
and  killed  this  notorious  Tory,  it  would  have  been  a  Cordet- 
like  act.  However,  she  pursued  the  milder  course  and  was 
content  with  taking  him  prisoner,  driving  him  home  before 
her  at  the  point  of  the  pistol,  ready  at  any  moment  to  fire. 
Since  there  was  no  man  there  to  keep  guard  over  him,  he 
escaped  to  meet  later  by  his  own  brother's  hand  death  in  his 
own  house. 

After  the  profitless  victory  at  Guilford  Courthouse,  Corn- 
wallis'  Army  on  its  way  to  Wilmington  encamped  for  about 
two  days  at  the  Bell  plantation.  The  troops  arrived  about 
the  middle  of  the  afternoon,  the  main  division  stacked  arms 
at  John  Clarke's,  the  adjoining  plantation.  While  Corn- 
wallis  seized  her  house  as  headquarters,  he  knew  the  char- 
acter of  the  landlady,  and  treated  her  with  marked  respect. 
Cornwallis  enquired  the  whereabouts  of  William  Bell. 

She  replied :  "In  Greene's  camp." 

''Is  he  an  officer  or  a  soldier  in  the  army  ?" 

"He  is  not ;  but  thought  it  better  to  go  to  his  friends  than 
to  stay  and  fall  into  the  hands  of  his  enemies." 

"Madam  I  must  make  your  house  my  headquarters,  and 
have  the  use  of  your  mill  for  a  few  days  to  grind  for  my 
army  while  I  remain  here." 

"Sir,  you  possess  the  power,  and,  of  course  will  do  as  you 
please  without  my  consent ;  but,  after  using  my  mill,  do  you 
intend  to  burn  it  before  you  leave  ?" 

"Madam,  why  do  you  ask  that  question  ?" 


92  THE   A'OKTll    CAROLINA   BOOKLET 

"Sir,  answer  my  question  first,  then  I  will  answer  yours  in 
a  short  time." 

His  lordship  then  assured  her  that  the  mill  should  not  he 
burnt  or  injured  ;  hut  that  he  must  use  it  to  prepare  provisions 
for  his  army,  and  further  added :  That  by  making  her  house 
his  headquarters  he  would  be  a  protection  to  herself,  her 
house,  and  everything  in  or  about  it;  "for,"  said  he,  "no  sol- 
dier of  mine  dare  to  plunder  or  commit  depredations  near  my 
quarters." 

To  this  she  replied :  "Now,  sir,  you  have  done  me  a  favor 
by  giving  me  a  satisfactory  answer  to  my  question,  and  I  will 
answer  yours.  Had  your  lordship  said  that  you  intended  to 
burn  our  mill,  1  had  intended  to  save  you  the  trouble  by  burn- 
ing it  myself  before  you  derived  much  benefit  from  it ;  but 
as  you  assure  me  that  you  will  be  a  protection  to  me,  and  to 
the  property  about  the  house,  I  will  make  no  further  objec- 
tions to  your  using  our  mill,  and  making  my  house  your 
headquarters  while  you  stay,  which  I  think  you  said  would 
be  only  for  a  few  days." 

This  compact  was  kept  literally  by  both  parties. 

When  Cornwallis  entered  the  house  he  announced  his 
annihilation  of  Greene's  Army,  and  that  henceforth  thev 
could  do  no  more  harm.  In  a  few  moments,  by  the  command- 
er's action,  it  was  learned  that  this  was  mere  bravado.  The 
vernal  equinox  was  approaching,  which  caused  the  cold,  high 
wind.  On  that  account  the  back  door,  that  overlooked  the 
Martinsville-Fayetteville  road,  was  kept  shut.  Cornwallis 
opened  this  and  stood  a  few  moments  gazing  up  the  road,  then 
again  took  his  seat  by  the  fire.  Mrs.  Bell  immediately  shut  it. 
The  British  peer  again  opened  it,  and  returned  to  his  chair, 
showing  extreme  restlessness,  being  unable  to  stay  in  one  posi- 
tion five  minutes.  When  Mrs.  Bell  closed  the  door  the  second 
time,  he  insisted  that  the  door  be  left  open.  When  asked  the 
reason,  he  said  General  Greene  might  be  comiug  down  the 
road. 


MABTHA  m'fARLANE   BELL  93 

''Wbj,"  said  she,  "I  thought  you  told  me  a  little  while 
ago  that  you  had  annihilated  his  army,  and  that  he  could  do 
you  no  more  harm." 

To  this  he  answered:  "Well,  madam,  to  tell  you  the  truth, 
I  never  saw  such  fighting  since  God  made  me,  and  another 
such  victory  would  annihilate  me." 

Mrs.  Bell  was  much  vexed  to  have  her  house  occupied  by 
imperious,  profane  men,  though  the  commander's  presence 
protected  her  to  a  certain  extent  and  she  escaped  the  insult 
hurled  at  Mrs.  Caldwell's  head  seven  days  before.  They 
seized  her  grain,  cattle,  provisions  and  whatsoever  they  chose, 
without  compensation.  At  a  distance  she  could  hear  the 
soldiers  cursing  her  as  a  rebel  and  uttering  maledictions. 
Through  all  she  bore  herself  with  dignity  and  without  fear. 
One  day  a  man  in  passing  her  door  hurled  at  her  some  insult- 
ing language.  She  expressed  a  wish  that  the  horse  might 
throw  him  and  break  his  neck.  In  several  minutes  her  wish 
was  granted.  Dashing  headlong  down  the  steep  bank  of  the 
river  the  rider  was  thrown  and  his  head  crushed  amid  the 
rocks. 

Being  warned  of  the  approach  of  the  enemy,  she  employed 
every  means  to  hide  her  coin  and  bacon.  The  pork  she 
secreted  in  rocks  across  the  river,  the  money — divided  chiefly 
in  "guineas  and  half  Jos" — she  placed  under  a  huge  rock, 
which  formed  the  bottom  step  at  the  entrance.  This  was  a 
favorite  depository  for  the  Whigs'  cash,  and  knowing  that,  the 
enemy  frequently  lifted  the  steps  in  search  of  hidden  treasure. 
Knowing  she  ran  the  risk  of  losing  the  savings  of  years,  she 
tried  one  day  by  going  through  the  camp  to  divert  the  atten- 
tion of  the  enemy,  after  lingering  there  till  all  became  in 
some  way  engaged,  then  she  walked  boldly  to  the  step,  lifted 
the  rock,  took  up  her  coin  and  went  about  her  own  affairs. 
A  man  named  Stephen  Harlin  had  been  employed  by  the 
Bells  in  the  capacity  of  miller  for  several  years.  He  had  the 
reputation  of  being  a  rascal  and  a  Tory,  as  his  conduct  proved, 
letting  the  British  have  orain  and  meal  out  of  the  mill  and 


'.'4  THE  NORTH   CAROLINxV  BOOKLET 

rovealing  tlic  liidiiii>'  place  of  lier  bacon,  all  of  which  tliev 
stole.  For  this  theft  she  never  forgave  him,  declining  henee- 
fortli  to  speak  to  him.  On  the  arrival  of  the  British  he  threw 
his  caj)  in  the  air,  shouting,  "Hurra  for  King  George!"  Har- 
lin  was  not  dismissed  until  a  miller  could  l)e  hired  that  gave 
jiultlic  satisfaction. 

The  evening  that  C^ornwallis'  forces  retreated,  Mrs.  Bell 
visited  the  camp,  ostensibly  on  some  errand,  but  in  truth  to 
ascertain  the  real  condition  to  report  to  Colonel  Lee  and 
C'olonel  Washington,  who,  hanging  on  the  rear  of  the  Red- 
coats, gave  considerable  trouble.  General  Greene  must  know 
the  force  of  his  enemv,  who  was  heavily  encumbered  with  the 
Avounded,  who  were  dying  all  along  the  highway.  Donning 
her  husband's  uniform  and  arming  herself  well,  she  rode 
forth  into  the  British  camp,  then  at  the  Walker  plantation  on 
Sandy  Creek,  on  the  pretext  of  a  claim  for  depredations  com- 
mitted that  were  unknown  till  the  soldiers  departed,  she  was 
keenly  alert,  and  returned  bearing  information  to  the  Patriots. 

There  is  another  exploit  that  even  surpassed  in  daring  the 
reconnoissance  of  the  British  camp.  That  was  the  night  she 
rode  the  entire  night  in  company  with  a  Whig  in  order  to 
ascertain  the  movements  of  the  Tories  said  to  have  been  form- 
ing across  the  river  fourteen  miles  distant  from  her  house. 
The  perils  of  such  a  journey  were  indeed  great.  At  each 
house  she  was  the  "spokesman."  She  would  enquire  the  road 
to  a  certain  point,  and  on  to  another,  etc.  She  made  such 
enquiries  as,  "Were  there  any  Royalists  embodied  in  that  di- 
rection ?"  "Where  was  their  place  of  meeting?"  "How  far 
was  it  ?"  "What  was  their  number  ?"  "What  were  they  going 
to  do  ?"  "Would  they  molest  her  ?"  In  this  way  she  learned 
satisfactorily  of  the  enemies'  movements  since  the  informa- 
tion led  to  Colonel  Lee's  successful  raid  the  following  night. 

Mrs.  Bell's  staunch  patriotism  invited  attacks  from  the 
Tories.  In  such  constant  danger  did  they  live,  her  husband 
daretl  not  lodge  there  at  night.  On  one  visitation  they  burned 
the  bam  and  its  contents,  wounded  one  of  her  sons  and  threat- 


MAETHA  m'fARLAjSTE  BELL  95 

ened  to  shoot  another,  because  they  protested  against  such 
depredations.  Another  night  they  attempted  to  murder  her 
aged  father  then  on  a  visit  to  his  daughter's  family.  When 
two  desperate  characters  approached  him  with  drawn  swords, 
seeing  she  must  act  quickly,  Mrs.  Bell  seized  a  broad-axe 
tightly  with  both  hands,  raised  it  above  her  head,  exclaimed 
with  gTeat  sternness,  "If  one  of  you  touches  him  I'll  split 
you  down  with  this  axe.  Touch  him  if  you  dare !"  Her 
earnestness  and  defiant  attitude  overawed  them  to  such  an 
extent  they  left  the  house.  In  the  fall  of  1781,  after  a  trip 
jS^orth,  Mr.  Bell  attempted  to  sleep  beneath  his  own  roof.  The 
Tories,  learning  of  his  presence,  called  promptly  with  inten- 
tions of  hanging  him.  Finding  the  house  securely  closed, 
they  prepared  to  apply  the  torch.  When  they  were  passing 
around  the  house  Mr.  Bell  thrust  his  head  out  of  the  window 
to  see  if  they  had  applied  the  torch,  and  in  case  they  did,  to 
fire  upon  them.  A  Tory  very  near  to  the  window  inflicted  such 
a  wound  on  his  head  that  he  was  completely  overcome.  Mrs. 
Bell  summoned  her  youthful  sons — lads  in  their  teens — from 
their  beds  upstairs  and  ordered  them  to  get  the  old  musket, 
ready  to  fire  from  the  upper  windows,  and  going  to  the  win- 
dows near  the  kitchen  yelled  to  their  servant  Peter,  "Run  as 
hard  as  you  can  to  Jo.  Clarke's  and  tell  him  and  the  light 
horse  to  come  as  quickly  as  possible,  for  the  Tories  are  here." 
Mr.  Clarke  had  a  troop  of  mounted  men  at  his  command,  but 
of  their  whereabouts  at  that  moment  Mrs.  Bell  was  then 
ignorant.  So,  apprehensive  of  shots  from  above,  and  of  Jo. 
Clarke's  "light  horse,"  the  Tories  concluded  to  retreat  was  the 
wiser  course. 

Of  Mrs.  Bell's  trip  to  Wilmington  in  company  with  Mrs. 
Dugan  to  visit  the  latter's  son.  Colonel  Thomas  Dugan,  lonii: 
confined  on  a  prison  ship,  and  condemned  to  be  hung,  space 
forbids  more  than  passing  mention.  With  perilous  adven- 
tures like  these  Mrs.  Bell's  remarkable  career  was  filled.  She 
loved  peace,  and  with  sincere  rejoicing  laid  aside  the  pistol 
and  the  dirk,  and  took  up  again  her  domestic  duties  and  mis- 


96  THE  ^'OETII   CAROLINA  BOOKLET 

sions  of  mercy  that  multiplied  as  practice  enhanced  her  skill. 
A  peaceful  reign  contains  but  few  events  to  record,  so  it  is 
with  individuals,  therefore  of  Mrs.  Bell's  latter  days  we  can 
learn  but  little.  Just  when  Mr.  Bell  died  is  not  known,  but 
Mrs.  Bell  was  many  years  a  widow.  Though  constantly  per- 
forming acts  of  kindness,  and  leading  a  most  exemplary  life, 
she  did  not  connect  herself  with  the  church  until  1800.  About 
the  eighty-fifth  year  of  her  age,  on  September  9,  1820,  her 
spirit  passed  peacefully  over  the  Bar,  Hers  was  an  unusual 
character,  endowed  with  many  sterling  qualities,  that,  con- 
sidering her  few  advantages,  enabled  her  to  act  nobly  her  part 
in  times  that  tried  men's  souls. 


GENEALOGICAL 


97 


Genealogical  Department. 


EDGECOMBE  COUNTY  RECORDS— ROBBINS. 


Compiled  by  Sybil  Hyatt,  Kinston,  N.  C. 


Generation  I — William  Robbins. 

Will.  April  7,  1779.  November  Court,  1781.  Eldest  son: 
Arthur.  Sons :  William,  Jethro,  Thomas,  John.  Grandson : 
Jesse  Green.  Daughters:  Luraney  Horn  (great  grandmother 
of  Martha  C.  Home,  second  wife  of  Jesse  Battle  Hyatt), 
Elizabeth,  now  wife  of  Thomas  Williams ;  Charity,  now  wife 
of  David  Sears ;  Milly.  Executors :  John  Williams,  John 
Robbens.  Witnesses:  Benjamin  Weaver,  Jacob  Robbins, 
Mary  Robbens. 

Inventory  August  24,  1781 :  William  Robbens,  662  acres, 
11  negroes,  etc.    Executors :  John  Williams,  John  Robbens. 

William  Robbins'  wife  may  have  been  a  Battle.  The 
Homes  were  kin  to  the  Battles.     The  Battles  were  Baptists. 

Generation  II — William  Bobbins. 

William  Robbins  md.  1st  Martha  (or  Patsey)  Farmer, 
daughter  of  Isaac  Farmer,  Jr.;  md.  2d  Phebe.  His 
daughter  Mary  Robbins,  wife  of  Joab  Hyatt,  was  by  his  first 
wife.     It  is  thought  Phebe  had  no  children. 

Deed,  October  16,  1802,  Isaac  Farmer  to  daughter  Pat- 
sey Robbins,  one  negro  girl.  Penny.  Test :  Jesse  Farmer, 
Elizabeth  Thomas. 

Will.  October  2,  1826.  Feb.  Court,  1831.  William  Rob- 
bins, Senr.  Lends  to  wife  Phebe,  "plantation  I  live  on" ;  at 
her  death  it  is  to  go  ro  grandsons:  M<>?es  Robbins,  son  of 
Elijah  Robbins,  and  Wiley  Robbins,  ?cn  of  Eli  Ivobbins. 
Residue  divided  between  3  sons  and  one  daughter:  Stephen, 
Elijah,  Eli  and  Charity  Braswell,  v/ife  of  Isaac  Bra  swell, 
Senr.    Son :  William  Robbins.    Executor :  Son,  Stephen  Rob- 


98  THE  AOKTll   CAROLINA  BOOKLET 

bins.  Tost:  I'ritaiii  Williford,  Caleb  Davis,  Mary  Ann 
Jackson. 

I  Tbis  will  omits  tbe  names  of  tbe  daughters,  Mary  Hyatt 
and  Milly  Moore.  They  probably  received  some  property  at 
marriage.] 

William  Robbins  was  a  Baptist  preacher  and  a  soldier  of 
the  Revolution.     [For  services,  see  Vol.  XVII,  page  243.] 

The  line  between  Edgecombe  and  I^ash  counties  was 
changed  by  legislative  enactment  in  1872.  This  put  the  old 
William  Robbins  (d.  1831)  homestead  in  southeast  Nash. 
Of  the  older  Robbins,  Jacob  lived  in  Edgecombe,  near  Joy- 
ner's  Depot  until  the  formation  of  Wilson  County ;  Eli  lived 
in  Wilson  County,  near  Moore's  Church ;  Arthur  lived  in 
Wilson  County. 

GenerxVtion  III — Maey  Robbins  (Hyatt). 

Mary  Robbins  md.  1st  Joab  Hyatt,  b.  Xov.  !>,  1787,  son 
of  Elisha  and  Elizabeth  Hyatt.  She  md.  2d  a  Savage,  lived 
at  Tarboro,  N.  C,  and  died  there  April  16,  1871.  Her  throe 
children  were  Jesse  Battle  Hyatt,  b.  July  1,  1820,  d.  Dec. 
9,  1886  ;  Henry  Hyatt  d.  when  14  years  old ;  Elizabeth  Hyatt 
(b.  about  1815,  d.  Oct.,  1860)  ;  md.  Isaac  Braswell  (b. 
about  1800,  d.  May,  1873),  son  of  Isaac  Braswell,  a  soldier 
of  the  Revolution.  She  had  13  children,  four  of  whom  are 
now  living. 

A  Century  of  Population  Growth  [1790-1900]  gives  the 
information  that  in  1790  there  were  in  the  United  States 
354  families,  numbering  1,690  persons  named  Robbins,  Rob- 
bin,  Robens,  Robin,  Robins,  Robons,  36  of  these  families 
were  in  IST.  C.  The  names  of  the  Heads  of  Families  living  in 
Edgecombe  were  as  follows : 

John  Robbins:  1  Free  white  males  of  16  yrs.  and  up,  in- 
cluding heads  of  families,  1  Free  white  males  under  16,  3 
Free  white  females,  including  heads  of  families,  15  slaves. 
Roland  Robbins:  1  Free  white  males  of  16  yrs.  and  up,  5 
Free  white  nuiles  under  16,  3  Free  white  females.  Sarah 
Robbins:  1  Fi-eo  white  males  of  16  yrs  and  up,  4  Free  white 


GENEALOGICAL  90 

females.  Wm.  Robbins:  2  Free  white  males  of  KJ  yrs.  and 
up,  4  Free  white  males  under  16,  4  Free  white  females.  Wm. 
Eobbins :  1  Free  white  males  of  16  yrs  and  up,  3  Free  white 
males  under  16,  2  Free  white  Females. 

[The  following  miscellaneous  records  include  all  wills  and 
one  record  under  each  name  to  1827.] 

Will.  Thomas  Robins.  Dec.  4,  1775.  Jan.  Court,  1776. 
Wife:  not  named,  ^'plantation  1  now  live  on,"  and  other 
property  during  her  widowhood,  then  to  son,  William.  Other 
sons:  Rowland,  "land  and  plantation  he  lives  upon,  which  I 
bought  of  Boyett,"  and  other  property;  Simon,  "plantation 
bought  of  Mills  Barefield,"  and  other  property.  Remainder 
to  be  divided  among  "all  my  daughters."  Executors :  Son, 
Rowland  Robins,  William  Blackburn.  Witnesses:  William 
Robins,  Robert  Rogers.     Clerk  of  Court :  Edward  Hall. 

Will.  Sarah  Robbins.  April  29,  1809.  August  Court, 
1809.  Son:  Roland  Robins.  Daughters:  Ledy  Regers,  Milly 
Rogers,  Zilley,  Elizabeth.  Grandson:  Simon  Parker.  Ex- 
ecutor :  Friend,  Joseph  Barnes.  Witnesses :  Thomas  Dixon, 
James  Barnes.     Clerk  of  Court :  E.  Hall. 

Will.  John  Robbins.  Feb.  20,  1819.  May  Court,  1819 
Daughters:  Elizabeth  D.  Pender,  £25;  Nancy  Amason,  £25; 
Beedy,  "the  whole  of  my  land  and  plantation,  with  still  and 
blacksmith  tools  and  8  negroes."  Granddaughter :  Catherine 
Williams,  3  negroes  and  2  cows  and  calves.  Other  legatees: 
Thomas  Amason,  1  negro  and  note  for  $350,  rest  to  be  sold 
and  division  made  of  lands  and  rest  of  negroes  "hired  until 
grandchildren  are  of  age."  Executors:  John  Mercer,  John 
Bridgers,  Thomas  Amason.  Witnesses:  E.  Bullock,  Henry 
Dixon,  Bursell  Barnes  (contested  by  Thomas  Amason  and 
Nancy,  his  wife,  Elizabeth  Pender  and  Catherine  Williams, 
an  infant  by  Egbert  H.  Williams,  her  next  friend. 

Other  Wills:  Roland  Robbins  (1832),  Jacob  liobbins 
(1841),  Isaac  Robbins  (1847),  Simon  Robbins  (1848). 


100  THE    XOUTll    CAROLINA   BOOKLET 

Conveyances. 

Nov.  iM;,  1T()1..  Grant.  William  Robens,  next  John  Wil- 
liams' corner,  ')'2S  acres. 

17(51.     Grant,     lioland  Robhins. 

Feb.  15,  1701.     Grant.     John  Kobius. 

Jnnc  1*2.  I70i'.  Deed.  William  I\obbins  to  George  Gard- 
ner. 

Jan.  7,  170;;.  Deed.  John  Kobins,  planter,  to  Thomas 
White,  south  side  of  To^vll  Creek. 

April  12,  1705.     John  Jones  to  Jacob  Robins. 

June  12,  1705.  Charles  Jones  and  Patience,  his  wife  to 
Jacob  Robbins. 

April  12,  1705.     Charles  Jones  to  Jacob  Robins. 

Jan.  IS,  1771.    William  Boyett  to  Thomas  Robins. 

Oct.  21,  1777.  William  Robbins  to  Shadrack  Proctor, 
south  side  of  Town  Creek,  absolute  estate  of  inheritance. 

Dec.  21,  1781.     Grant.     Stephen  Robbins. 

Oct.  28,  1782.    Grant.    Roland  Robbins. 

Dee.  2,  1782.     Jacob  Robbins  to  Richard  Lee. 

May  15,  1782.     Simon  Robins  to  Spencer  Ball. 

April  2,  1780.     Tliomas  Brand  to  John  liobins. 

May  11,  1787.     Grant.     Roland  Robens. 

Oct.  28,  1782.  Grant.  Sarah  Robins.  Fairfield,  north 
side  Toisnot  Swamp,  joins  Caleb  Williams  and  Roland 
Robins. 

Oct.  !),  178:].     Grant.     William  Robins. 

March  20,  171)3.     John  Robbins  to  Cullen  Andrews. 

Dec.  1,  1700.  Jordan  Williford  to  ]\lills  Robbins,  on  Town 
Creek. 

Aug.  21,  1707.  Jonathan  Gardner  to  stills  (or  Wells) 
Robbins. 

July  24,  1709.  Peter  Slaughter  to  Stephen  Robbins.  On 
Town  Creek.  Test:  J.  Williams  and  William  Robbins,  Jr. 
Grant.  William  Tiobbins  on  Tyancoca  Swamp.  [On  the 
nortli  side  of  Coca  Swamp,  about  a  thousand  feet  west  of  the 


GENEALOGICAL  101 

A.  C.  L,  Railroad  is  a  spring  of  water.  Near  by  there  was 
once  a  very  large  poplar  tree,  hollow  on  the  south  side,  and 
charred  inside,  an  evidence  of  its  having  been  used  as  a 
camping  place.  This  place  is  said  to  have  been  used  as  a 
rendezvous  for  Tories  during  the  Revolution.] 

Feb.  20,  1800.  Lancelot  Verrett  to  Roland  Robbins,  south 
of  Town  Creek. 

Jan.  16,  1802.  Stephen  Robbins  and  his  wife  Julian  to 
Andrew  Battle,  adjoining  William  Robbins,  estate  of  inherit- 
ance. 

Dec.  13,  1804.  Deed  of  Gift  (a  negro  boy)  Jacob  Rob- 
bins to  son  Elisha. 

July  20,  1804.    Roland  Robbins  to  Thomas  Robbins. 

ISTov.  3,  1805.  Benjamin  Williams  to  Kinchen  Robbins. 
Test:  Stephen  Robbins,  William  Robbins. 

Feb.  21,  1806.  William  Robbins,  Senr.,  to  Joseph  Lee. 
Test :  Wm.  Robbins,  Junr.,  Kynchen  Robbins. 

Feb.  16,  1808.  Sarah  Robins  to  Elizabeth  Robins,  92 
acres. 

Sep.  27,  1808.  Jacob  Robbins  to  son  Frederick,  negro  and 
furniture. 

ISTov.  29,  1812.  Jonathan  Gardner  to  Priidy  Robbins, 
south  side  Town  Creek. 

Jan.  29,  1813.  Thomas  Robbins  to  David  Forehand,  one 
tract  where  said  Robbins  now  lives. 

Jan.  20,  1812.  Division  of  William  Robbins,  deceased. 
iSTo.  I,  to  Thomas  Robbins ;  ISTo.  II,  to  Lemuel  Robbins. 

Feb.  12,  1812.  Lemuel  Robbins  to  Frederick  Robbins. 
North  side  of  Toisnot  Swamp.  Test :  Joseph  Barnes,  Eat- 
man  Flowers. 

Jan.  10,  1812.     Amos  Johnston  to  Frederick  Robbins. 

Feb.  8,  1813.  William  Robbins,  of  Nash,  to  Arthur  Rob- 
bins, of  Edgecombe,  where  he  formerly  lived. 

May  15,  1816.  Deed  of  Gift.  Elizabeth  Robbins  to 
brother,  Roland  Robbins. 


102  TilE   NOKTll   CAROLINA  BOOKLET 

Jan.  24,  181(5.  Hardv  Flowors  to  Elisha  Robbiiis,  on 
Town  Creek. 

Aug".  15,  181(!.  Eli  Robbins  and  his  wife  Prudence  to 
Lamon  Dunn,  south  side  Town  Creek. 

March  1,  1819.     Stephen  Robbins  to  son,  John  Robbins. 

March  1,  181!).  John  Robbins,  Jr.,  to  William  White, 
east  side  Gay's  Branch. 

Aug.  10,  1821.  Arthur  Robbins  to  John  R.  Robbins. 
Test :  F.  F.  Robbins,  Simon  Robbins. 

Dec.  0,  1823.     William  Robbins  to  John  Mills. 

Sept.  11,  1825.  Haymon  Mann  and  wife  Temperance,  and 
Jesse  Barnes  to  Arthur  and  Simon  Robbins.  Fell  to  Tem- 
perance by  her  father,  William  Dew,  dec'd.  Test :  F.  F.  Rob- 
bins, Jas.  W.  Barnes. 

Feb.  1,  1824.  William  Robbins,  Senior,  to  Piety  Robbins, 
granddaughter.  Test :  Stephen  Robbins,  Sr.,  Stephen  Rob- 
bins, Jr. 

Dec.  19,  1827.  Obedience  Robbins  to  John  Batts,  tract 
left  by  father,  John  Robbins,  dec'd. 

Feb.  1,  1827.     Jonathan  Gardner  to  Eli  Robbins. 

Jan.  30,  1827.  Obedience  Robbins  to  sister,  Elizabeth 
Pender. 

July  15,  1829.  William  Robbins,  Jr.,  to  John  S.  Robbins. 
Test:  Stephen  Robbins,  Senr.,  William  Robbins,  Sr. 

Oct.  20,  1830.     John  S.  Robbins  to  Stephen  Robbins,  Sr. 

Sept.  13,  1833.  Tract  belonging  to  heirs  of  Elisha  Rob- 
bins, sold  and  bought  by  elacob  Robbins. 

[Later  compilations  will  cover  the  names  Amason,  Barnes, 
Battle,  Davis,  Farmer,  Howell,  Hyatt,  Marn,  Morris,  South- 
erland,  Sugg,  Woodard,  all  of  Edgecombe ;  ISTunn,  of  Lenoir, 
and  Stokes,  Herring,  of  Craven,  Duplin  and  Lenoir.] 


BIOGEAPHICAL  10^ 


Biographical  Sketches. 


Compiled  and  Edited  by  Mks.  E.  E.  Moffitt. 


CAPTAIN  EDMUInTD  JONES. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch,  and  the  author  of  the  article 
in  this  uumber  of  the  Booklet^  ''The  Fountain  and  Its 
Builder,"  comes  from  a  long  line  of  ancestry,  residents  of 
Western  North  Carolina.  He  was  born  on  April  15,  1848, 
at  the  family  residence,  Clover  Hill,  in  the  Happy  Valley, 
Caldwell  County.  He  is  the  third  of  the  name  in  direct 
descent  from  father  to  son.  He  was  fourth  child  of  Edmund 
W.  and  Sophia  C.  Jones,  nee  Davenport.  He  was  educated 
at  Bingham  School,  the  Finley  High  School,  and  the  Uni- 
versities of  North  Carolina  and  Virginia. 

In  1864  he  left  college  and  enlisted  in  Lee's  Army  as  a 
private  soldier,  notwithstanding  the  mandate  of  Mr.  Seddon, 
the  Confederate  Secretary  of  War,  who  had  issued  an  order 
to  the  effect  that  youths  under  eighteen  would  be  allowed  to 
continue  their  studies.  These  orders  were  issued  by  com- 
mand of  President  Davis,  who  had  declared  that  he  "would 
not  grind  up  the  seed  corn."  Although  two  of  his  brothers  had 
already  given  their  lives  to  the  Confederacy,  and  another  was 
still  in  the  service,  he  dropped  everything  else  at  his  country's 
cry  of  distress  and  went  forth.  After  several  months  of  hard 
service,  never  having  missed  a  day  from  duty,  he  was  sur- 
rendered at  Appomattox  before  he  was  sixteen  years  old. 
A  few  days  after  the  surrender,  the  soldiers  were  paroled, 
and  each  took  up  his  march  homeward,  making  their  way  as 
best  they  could.  Among  them  was  young  Edmund  Jones, 
who  after  many  days  got  back  to  the  Happy  Valley,  to  the 
great  joy  of  his  friends,  to  whom  it  had  been  reported  that 
he  had  been  killed  on  the  retreat  from  Petersburg. 


104  THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  BOOKLET 

With  unabated  loyalty  to  his  Alma  Mater,  he  entered  the 
University  to  eompletc  his  education,  and  there  for  three 
years  pursued  his  studies.  He  then  took  a  course  at  the 
University  of  Virginia  to  prepare  himself  for  his  chosen 
profession  of  the  law. 

At  the  early  age  of  twenty-two,  in  1870,  he  was  elected  a 
member  of  the  House  of  the  General  Assembly.  The  country 
was  in  a  deplorable  condition,  and  it  was  a  great  compliment 
and  a  great  trust  to  impose  upon  so  young  a  man.  He  was 
again  elected  in  1872.  Again  in  1879  he  returned  for  no 
other  purpose  than  to  aid  his  personal  and  family  friend 
Governor  Vance  in  his  race  for  United  States  Senator.  In 
1892,  when  Populism  first  made  its  appearance,  he  was 
nominated  by  acclamation  against  his  protest,  and  had  to 
make  the  race  in  order  to  make  the  county  safe  against  the 
new  foe.  He  was  elected  by  a  great  majority.  At  this  ses- 
sion of  the  Assembly  he  was  chosen  one  of  the  trustees  of  the 
University  he  loved  so  well. 

In  1898  his  sjanpathies  became  deeply  aroused  in  behalf 
of  the  Cubans  struggling  for  independence,  and  he  raised  a 
company  of  men  which  afterwards  became  Company  C  of 
the  Second  !N.  C.  regiment  U.  S.  V.,  with  Mr.  Jones  as  its 
Captain.  He  remained  with  his  company  until  the  close  of 
the  war  and  the  muster  out  of  the  regiment. 

In  recent  years  he  has  given  his  whole  time  to  his  profes- 
sion, steadily  declining  to  enter  politics,  except  to  advance  the 
fortunes  of  his  party's  candidate,  until  in  the  present  year 
he  became  a  candidate  in  the  primary,  along  with  three 
others,  for  the  ofiice  of  Attorney  General,  and  was  defeated 
by  Hon.  James  S.  Manning,  running  second  in  the  race. 

Captain  Jones  resides  in  Lenoir,  the  county  seat  of  Cald- 
well County,  in  the  northw'estern  part  of  the  State,  named 
for  the  revolutionary  patriot,  General  William  Lenoir,  Cap- 
tain Jones'  great  grandfather. 

Captain  Jones  comes  of  a  long  line  of  ancestors  who  have 
served  their  country  faithfully.    The  progenitor  of  the  family 


BIOGRAPHICAL  105 

in  America  was  a  Welch  knight  by  the  name  of  Sir  Charles 
Jones,  who,  either  because  he  had  made  himself  obnoxious  to 
the  "Round-heads,"  or  because  he  refused  to  live  as  a  citizen  of 
the  ^^Commonwealth/'  left  his  country  and  came  to  America. 
When  Charles  the  Second  ascended  the  throne,  he  bestowed 
upon  Sir  Charles  Jones  an  estate  near  Annapolis,  Maryland, 
a  part  of  which,  now  a  suburban  pleasure  ground,  is  still 
known  as  "Jones'  Wood."  I^ater,  the  family  removed  to 
Orange  County,  Virginia,  where  there  are  still  many  of  them 
resident.  At  the  close  of  the  Revolutionary  War,  George 
Jones  came  to  Wilkes  County,  ISTorth  Carolina,  and  settled  in 
the  Valley  of  the  Yadkin.  His  son  Edmund  was  for  many 
years  a  member  of  both  Senate  and  House  from  Wilkes,  and 
his  grandson,  Edmund  W.  Jones,  was  likewise  State  Senator, 
and  during  the  trying  times  of  the  Civil  War  was  one  of  the 
members  of  the  Governor  s  Council. 

Xone  of  the  name  have  ever  been  politicians  in  the  gener- 
ally accepted  meaning  of  the  word.  Whatever  distinction 
may  have  come  to  them  has  come  through  the  unsought  pref- 
erences of  their  fellow-citizens,  and  a  sense  of  duty  well  per- 
formed has  been  their  sufficient  reward. 

Captain  Jones'  first  wife,  and  mother  of  his  children,  was 
Miss  Eugenia  Lewis,  of  Raleigh,  X.  C,  who  died  in  1897. 
In  1907  he  married  Miss  M.  W.  Scott,  of  Petersburg,  Vir- 
ginia. He  is  still  engaged  in  the  practice  of  his  profession, 
of  which  he  has  always  been  a  zealous  disciple. 


"Raleigh's  Shopping  Center" 

BOYLAN-PEARCE  CO. 

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BROCKWELL  KEY  COMPANY 

RALEIGH,  NORTH  CAROLINA 

We  make  all  kinds  of  keys.  

Send  sample  by  mail  and  we 
duplicate  and  return  the  same 
day.  We  are  prepared  to  make 
any  quantity — one  or  one 
thousand.  Yale,  Sargent,  Cxir- 
bin.  Lockwood,  Norwalk,  Rus- 
sell and  Erwin,  Branford, 
Eagle,  Reading,  Penn,  and  all 
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North  Carolina 


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RALEIGH,  N.  C. 

Beautiful  Cut  Flowers  for  all  occasions. 

Exquisite  Wedding  Bouquets  and  Floral  Designs. 

Palms,  Ferns,  and  all  other  kinds  of  House  and  Out  Door 

Bedding  Plants.     A  large  collection  of 

HYACINTHS,  TULIPS,  DAFFODILS 

and  Other  Nice  Bulbs  for  Fall  Planting 

^11  orders  given  prompt  and  personal  attention.    Write  for  quotations 


Vol.  XVI  JANUARY,  1917  No.  3 

North  Carolina  Booklet 


GREAT  EVENTS 

IN 

NORTH  CAROLINA 
HISTORY 


PUBLISHED  OUARTERiY 
BY 

THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  SOCIETY 

DAUGHTERS  OF  THE  REVOLUTION 
RALEIGH,  N.  C. 


CONTENTS 

PAGE. 

Portrait — Isaac  Shelby Frontispiece 

Matthew  Haehis  Joxjett. 

Isaac  Shelby 109 

By  Abchibald  Hendeeson. 

The  Old  Cemetery,  Charlotte,  N.  C 145 

By  Violet  G.  Alexandeb. 

The  North  Carolina  Medical  Society  of  1799-1804 154 

By  Marshall  DeLancey  Haywood. 

Proceedings  N.  C.  Society  Daughters  of  the  Revolution.  _  159 


SINGLE  NUMBERS  35  CENTS  $1.00  THE  YEAR 


Entend  at  the  Postoffice  at  Raleigh.  N.  C,  July  15.  1905.  under  the  Ad  of 
Congress  of  March  3,  1879 


The  North  CaroHna  Booklet 


Great  Events  in  North  Carolina  History 


Volume  XVI  of  The  Booklet  will  be  issued  quarterly  by  the  North 
Carolina  Society,  Daughters  of  the  Revolution,  beginning  July,  1916. 
The  Booklet  will  be  published  in  July,  October,  January,  and  April. 
Price  $1.00  per  year,  35  cents  for  single  copy. 

Editoe  : 
Miss  Mary  Hilllaud  Hinton. 

Biographical  Editor: 
Mrs.  E.  E.  Moffitt. 

VOLUME  XVI. 

Isaac  Shelby :  Revolutionary  Patriot  and  Border  Hero — Dr.  Archi- 
bald Henderson. 

An  Educational  Practice  in  Colonial  North  Carolina — Edgar  W. 
Knight. 

George  Selvpyn — Miss  Violet  G.  Alexander. 

Martha  McFarlane  Bell,  a  Revolutionary  Heroine — Miss  Mary  Hil- 
liard   Hinton. 

North  Carolinians  in  the  President's  Cabinet,  Part  III :  William  A. 
Graham — Chief  Justice  Walter  Clark. 

Historic  Homes,  Part  VII :  The  Fountain,  the  Home  of  Colonel 
Davenport — Colonel  Edmund  Jones. 

North  Carolinians  in  the  President's  Cabinet,  Part  IV :  James 
Cochran  Dobbin — Dr.  Henry  Elliot  Shepherd. 

A  History  of  Rowan  County — Dr.  Archibald  Henderson. 

Edgecombe  County  History  and  some  of  her  Distinguished  Sons — 
Mrs.  John  A  Weddell. 

Historical  Book  Reviews  will  be  contributed  by  Mrs.  Nina  Holland 
Covington.  These  will  be  reviews  of  the  latest  historical  works 
written  by  North  Carolinians. 

The  Genealogical  Department  will  be  continued,  with  a  page  de- 
voted to  Genealogical  Queries  and  Answers  as  an  aid  to  genealogical 
research  in  the  State. 

The  North  Carolina  Society  Colonial  Dames  of  America  will  fur- 
nish copies  of  unpublished  records  for  publication  in  The  Booklet. 

Biographical  Sketches  will  be  continued  under  Mrs.  E.  E.  Moffitt. 

Old  letters,  heretofore  unpublished,  bearing  on  the  Social  Life  of 
the  different  periods  of  North  Carolina  History,  will  appear  here- 
after in  The  Booklet. 

This  list  of  subjects  may  be  changed,  as  circumstances  sometimes 
prevent  the  writers  from  keeping  their  engagements. 

The  histories  of  the  separate  counties  will  in  the  future  be  a 
special  feature  of  The  Booklet.  When  necessary,  an  entire  issue 
will  be  devoted  to  a  paper  on  one  county. 

Parties  who  wish  to  renew  their  subscriptions  to  The  Booklet 
for  Vol.  XVI  are  requested  to  give  notice  at  once. 

Many  numbers  of  Volumes  I  to  XV  for  sale. 

For  particulars  address 

Miss  Mary  Hilliard  Hinton, 

Editor  North  Carolina  Booklet, 

"Midway  Plantation,"  Raleigh,  N.  C. 


Vol.  XVI  JANUARY,  1917  No.  3 


NORTH  Carolina  Booklet 


'Carolina]  Carolina  I  Heaven's  blessings  attend  her! 
While  zve  live  zve  will  cherish,  protect  and  defend  her' 


Published  by 

THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  SOCIETY 

DAUGHTERS  OF  THE  REVOLUTION 


The  object  of  The  Booklet  is  to  aid  in  developing  and  preserving 
North  Carolina  History.  The  proceeds  arising  from  its  publication 
will  be  devoted  to  patriotic  purposes.  Editor. 


RALEIGH 

COMMERCIAL  PRINTING  COMPANY 

PRINTERS    AND   BINDERS 


ADVISORY  BOARD  OF  THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  BOOKLET 

Mus.  Hubert  Haywood.  Dk.  Richakd  Dillakd. 

Mrs.  E.  E.  Moffitt.  Dr.  Kemp  P.  Battle. 

Mu.  R.  D.  W.  CoN^OB.  Mr.  James  Sprunt. 

Dr.  D.  H.  Hill.  Mr.  Marshall  DeLancey  Haywood 

Dr.  William  K.  Boyd.  Chief  Justice  Walter  Clark. 

Capt.  S.  a.  Asm:.  Major  W.  A.  Graham. 

Miss  Adelaide  L.  Frles.  Dr.  Charles  Lee  Smith. 

Miss  Martha  Helen  Haywood. 

editor  : 
Miss  Mary  Hilliard  Hinton. 

biographical  editor  : 
Mrs.  E.  E.  Moffitt. 


OFFICERS  OF  THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  SOCIETY 

DAUGHTERS  OF  THE  REVOLUTION 

1914-1916 

regent : 
Miss  MARY  HILLIARD  HINTON. 

VICE-REGENT  : 

Mrs.  MARSHALL  WILLIAMS. 

honorary    REGENTS : 

Mrs.  E.  E.   MOFFITT. 

Mrs.   T.   K.   BRUNER. 

recording  secretary  : 

Mrs.  L.  E.  COVINGTON. 

CORRESPONDING     SECRETiVBY  : 

Mrs.    PAUL    H.   LEE. 

TREASURER : 

Mrs.  CHAS.  LEE  SMITH. 

REGISTRAR  : 

Miss  SARAH  W.  ASHE. 

CUSTODIAN   OF  RELICS  : 

Mrs.  JOHN  E.  RAY. 


CHAPTER  REGENTS 

Bloomsbury  Chapter Mrs.  Hubert  Haywood,  Regent. 

Penelope  Barker  Chapter Mrs.  Patrick  Matthew,  Regent. 

Sir  Walter  Raleigh  Chapter Mrs.   I.  M.  Meekins,  Regent. 

General  Francis  Nash  Chapter Miss  Rebecca  Cameron,  Regent. 

Roanoke  Chapter Mrs.  F.  M.  Allen,  Regent. 

Mary   Slocumb   Chapter Miss   Georgie   Hicks,   Regent. 

Colonel  Thomas  Robeson  Chapter Mrs.  Annie  Buie,  Regent. 


Founder  of  tpie  North  Carolina  Society'  and  Regent  1896-1902 ; 

Mrs.  spier  WHITAKER.* 

Regent   1902 : 

Mrs.  D.  H.  HILL,   SR.f 

Regent  1902-1906: 

Mrs.  THOMAS  K.  BRUNER. 

Regent  1906-1910: 

Mrs.  E.  E.  MOFFITT. 


'Din(\  November  2^),  1911. 
t  Died  December  12, 1904. 


Isaac   Suki.hy 


\TTHEW    HARRIS   JOUETT 


From  his  most  famous  portrait,  never  before  reproduced,  owned  by 
William  R.  Shelby,  Esi|.,  of  Grand  Rapids,  Michigan 


The  North  Carolina  Booklet 

Vol.  XVI  JANUARY,  1917  No.  3 

Isaac  Shelby 
Revolutionary  Patriot  and  Border  Hero 


By  Archibald  Henderson. 


xlmong  that  group  of  early  pioneers  whose  intrepid  daring 
and  superior  sagacity,  tested  in  the  crucible  of  border  warfare 
and  frontier  conflict,  were  potent  agencies  in  laying  the  foun- 
dation stones  of  the  republic,  Isaac  Shelby  occupies  a  position 
of  conspicuous  leadership  in  both  martial  and  civil  life.  De- 
ficient in  the  vision  of  a  Richard  Henderson  or  the  craft  of  a 
Daniel  Boone,  Shelby  possessed  much  of  the  glorified  common 
sense  which  distinguished  James  Eobertson,  Temperamen- 
tally more  phlegmatic  than  his  comrade  in  arms,  the  impetu- 
ous John  Sevier,  he  exhibited  in  the  crucial  moments  of  his 
career  a  headlong  bravery  and  an  unwavering  self-control 
which  marked  him  as  a  trustworthy  leader  of  men.  In  per- 
sonal bravery  the  match  for  his  friend,  George  Rogers  Clark, 
Shelby  was  a  born  fighter ;  and  although  not  endowed  with 
the  tactical  brilliance  of  the  conqueror  of  the  Northwest,  he 
exhibited  such  unerring  judgment  in  battle  and  such  poise  in 
leadership  as  to  inspire  the  confident  faith  which  procures 
ultimate  victory.  His  contribution  to  the  cause  of  American 
independence  is  an  integral  part  of  the  history  of  the  Revolu- 
tion. This  chapter  which  to  this  very  day,  in  any  adequate 
sense,  remains  unwritten,  the  present  monogTaph  purposes  to 
supply. 

It  was  from  a  line  of  Welsh  ancestors  that  Isaac  Shelby 
derived  the  phlegTiiatic  temperament  and  cautious  balance 
which  stood  him  in  such  good  stead  throughout  his  eventful 
and  turbulent  career.  His  father,  Evan  Shelby,  was  born  in 
Wales  in  1720 ;  and  with  his  father  and  mother,  Evan  and 
Catherine  Shelby,  he  emigrated  to  Maryland  about  1735.   The 


110  THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  BOOKLET 

family  settled  in  the  ueig'hborhood  of  Hagerstown,  near  the 
i^orth  Monntain,  then  Frederick  County.  Strength  of  charac- 
ter and  an  iron  constitution,  reinforced  by  the  qualities  of 
tenacity  and  approved  courage,  express  the  dominant  charac- 
teristics of  this  famous  border  character,  Evan  Shelby,  Isaac's 
father.  In  the  French  and  Indian  wars  which  began  in  1754, 
he  served  with  distinction,  first  it  is  presumed,  as  a  private 
soldier;  but  in  1756  his  recognized  skill  as  a  hunter  and 
woodsman,  acquired  in  patrolling  the  border  and  guarding 
the  frontier,  as  well  as  his  bravery,  led  to  his  appointment  as 
Lieutenant  of  Maryland  troops.  It  is  related  that  on  Forbes' 
campaign,  ''he  gave  chase  to  an  Indian  spy,  in  view  of  many 
of  the  troops,  overtaking  and  tomahawking  him.'"^  The  fol- 
lowing letter  is  like  a  ray  of  light  Hashed  into  the  dim  ob- 
scurity of  the  mid-period  of  the  eighteenth  century.  It  is  a 
letter  of  Governor  Sharpe,  of  Maryland,  to  General  Forbes  •? 

1st  of  August.  1758. 
To  General  Forbes: 

Sir  : — This  serves  to  introduce  to  you  Capt.  Slielbj',  wtio  waits  on 
your  Excellency  with  his  company  of  volunteers  to  receive  your  com- 
mands. He  has  served  as  a  Lieut,  more  than  two  years  in  the  Mary- 
laud  troops  &  has  always  behaved  well,  which  encourages  me  to  hope 
that  he  and  his  company  will  be  found  useful  on  the  present  occasion. 
The  expense  I  have  been  at  in  furnisliing  his  men  with  blankets,  leg- 
gins,  moccasins  &  camp  kettles  is  £82-3-2  pens  currency,  &  as  Capt. 
Shelby  &  his  lieut.,  who  was  likewise  an  officer  in  our  Troops  until 
the  end  of  May  last,  found  themselves  under  some  Difficulties  by  not 
being  paid  the  arrears  that  were  due  them,  I  have  let  each  of  them 
have  £15  out  of  the  £510  currency,  which,  with  Your  Excellency's  ap- 
probation, Mr.  Kilby  is  to  advance  towards  paying  the  Maryland 
Forces.  I  most  sincerely  wash  Your  Excellency  the  perfect  Recovery 
of  Your  Health  &  a  successful  Campaign,  &  I  am  &c. 

Serving  as  Captain  of  Maryland  troops,  in  the  provincial 
army  destined  for  the  reduction  of  Fort  Duquesne,  Evan 
Shelby  was  engaged  in  a  number  of  severe  battles  in  the 
course  of  Braddock's  war.  In  1758,  in  pursuance  of  Governor 
Sharpens  orders,  he  reconnoitred  and  marked  out  the  route 


iDraper's  King's  Mountain  and,  Its  Heroes,  411. 
^Maryland  Calendar  State  Papers,  ii,  1757-61,  237. 


ISAAC   SHELBY  111 

of  a  road  to  Fort  Cumberland ;  and  following  his  report  to 
the  Governor  that  "three  hundred  and  fifty  men  might  open 
such  a  road  as  he  proposed  in  three  weeks/'  as  it  was  not 
more  than  sixty  miles  in  length,  the  road  was  laid  out  by  him 
with  the  assistance  of  the  desired  quota  of  men,  by  order  of 
Governor  Sharpe.^  As  a  soldier  he  was  conspicuous  for  gal- 
lantry in  the  battle  fought  at  Loyal  Hanning  (now  Bedford), 
Pennsylvania;  and  he  led  the  advance  guard  of  General 
Forbes,  when  he  took  possession  of  Fort  DuQuesne  in  1758. 
Early  in  the  'sixties,  it  is  reasonable  to  suppose,  he  removed 
with  his  family  to  Pennsylvania — perhaps  as  the  result  of  un- 
certainty in  land  titles  in  consequence  of  the  dispute  over 
territory  between  Maryland  and  Pennsylvania.  For  some 
years  thereafter  he  engaged  in  trade  with  the  Indians  of  the 
ISTorthwest.  During  the  conferences  with  the  Indians,  held  in 
connection  with  the  Treaty  of  Fort  Stanwix,  lasting  from 
October  24  until  jSTovember  6,  1768,  an  extensive  gTant  of 
land  was  made  by  the  Six  ISTations  of  Indians  to  twenty-three 
Indian  traders,  most  of  them  from  Pennsylvania,  to  recom- 
pense them  for  very  large  losses  incurred  during  the  war  of 
1763.  In  the  list  of  the  twenty-three  names  is  found  that  of 
Evan  Shelby,  along  with  such  other  well  known  names  as 
William  Trent,  David  Franks,  John  Baynton,  Samuel  Whar- 
ton, and  George  Morgan.  This  grant  included  all  that  part 
of  the  present  state  of  West  Virginia  lying  between  the  Ohio, 
the  Little  Kanawha,  and  the  Monongahela  rivers,  the  Laurel 
Ridge,  and  the  South  line  of  Pennsylvania  extended  to  the 
Ohio.  Trent  and  Wharton,  two  of  the  traders,  went  to  Eng- 
land, to  endeavor  to  obtain  a  confirmation  of  the  gTant,  which 
was  named  Indiana  by  those  who  wished  to  erect  it  into  a 
colony ;  but  while  there  they  were  induced  to  throw  in  their 
interests  with  Thomas  Walpole,  Benjamin  Franklin,  and 
others,  in  securing  the  gTant  of  Vandalia,  which  included  the 


3Cf.  Sharpe  to  Capt.  Evan  Shelby,  June  15,  1758;  Maryland  Calen- 
dar State  Papers.  Letter  Book  III,  206;  Sharpe  to  Calvert,  Letter 
Book  I,  358-9.  For  Capt.  Evan  Shelby's  report  from  Frederick,  June 
25.  1758,  cf.  also  Maryland  Calendar  State  Papers,  Letter  Book  III, 
212. 


112  THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  BOOKLET 

grants  to  the  Ohio  Company  and  to  William  Trent  and  his 
associates,  and  extended  to  the  mouth  of  Scioto.  Although 
the  draft  of  the  royal  grant  had  actually  been  prepared  in 
the  spring  of  1775,  it  ultimately  failed  of  confirmation  by 
the  Crown.'* 

During  the  third  quarter  of  the  eighteenth  century,  ranches, 
or  "cow-pens"  were  established  at  many  places  in  the  Pied- 
mont region  of  Virginia,  North  Carolina,  and  South  Caro- 
lina. The  more  adventurous  farmers,  taking  advantage  of 
the  fertile  pastures  of  the  uplands,  pressed  far  beyond  the 
ordinary  farmer's  frontier,  and  herded  in  large  flocks  of  cat- 
tle and  stock.  Many  of  these  ^vere  \vandering  wild  upon  the 
country ;  as  a  contemporary  observer  says,  "notwithstanding 
every  precaution,  very  great  numbers  of  black  cattle,  horses 
and  hogs — run  at  large,  entirely  wild,  without  any  other  pro- 
prietors than  those  of  the  ground  they  happened  to  l^e  found 
upon.''"'  In  1771,  according  to  the  best  authorities,  Isaac 
Shelby,  the  son  of  Evan  Shelby,  was  residing  in  Western  Vir- 
ginia, living  the  life  of  the  rancher,  and  engaged  in  the  bus- 
iness of  feeding  and  attending  to  the  herds  of  cattle  over  the 
extensive  ranges  of  the  uplands.*^  And  in  this  same  year,  as 
Draper  states,  the  Shelby  connection  removed  to  the  Holston 
country,  in  that  twilight  zone  of  the  debatable  ground  between 
North  Carolina  and  Virginia.^  Evan  Shelby  settled  on  the 
site  of  the  present  Bristol,  Tennessee ;  and  in  conjunction 
with  his  friend,  Isaac  Baker,  purchased  the  Sapling  Grove 
tract,  of  1946  acres,  Bobert  Preston  dividing  it  equally  be- 
tween them. 


iPlnin  Facts,  Philadelphia,  1781.  'New  Governments  West  of  the 
Alleghanics  Before  n<sO,  by  G.  H.  Alden,  Madison.  Wis.,  1897.  Cl'. 
also,  Ilanna's  The  Wilderness  Trail,  ii,  59-60. 

•'^.T.  F.  I).  Smyth:  A  Tour  in  the  United  t^tates  of  America,  ii.  143-4 

CL.  C.  Draper:    Kings  Mountain  and  Its  Heroes,  411. 

"Summers,  in  his  South  vest  Virginia,  190.3,  671-2,  states  that  "in 
the  yenr  1765  or  shortly  thereafter,  Evan  Shelby  and  Isaac  Baker  left 
their  homes  in  Maryland  and  came  to  the  Holston  country."  The 
facts,  as  stated  above,  would  indicate  that  the  date,  1765,  is  incorrect, 
with  reference  to  the  mijjcration  to  the  Holston  country  of  Evan 
Shelby,  at  least.  It  may  be  that  Isaac  Baker  preceded  Evan  Shelby 
to  the  Holston  country,  and  induced  him  to  remove  thither. 


ISAAC   SHELBY  113 

Isaac  Shelby  was  born  near  the  JSTorth  Mountain,  in  the 
vicinity  of  Hagerstown,  Maryland,  on  December  11,  1750, 
being  the  eldest  son  of  Evan  Shelby  and  his  first  wife,  Letitia 
Scott,  of  Frederickstown,  Maryland.  The  intimacy  between 
Evan  Shelby  and  his  friend  Isaac  Baker  is  shown  by  the  fact 
that  Shelby  named  one  of  his  sons  Isaac  and  Baker  named 
one  of  his  sons  Evan.  Endowed,  like  his  father,  with  an  iron 
constitntion,  and  reared  in  a  martial  atmosphere,  Isaac  early 
adapted  himself  to  the  strenuons  life  of  the  pioneer  and  be- 
came expert  in  the  arts  of  hunting  and  woodcraft.  Even  be- 
fore he  reached  man's  estate  he  served  as  Deputy  Sheriff  of 
Frederick  County,  Maryland — a  tribute  to  his  self-control 
and  personal  prowess. '^ 

Despite  the  fact  that  the  country  was  continually  harrassed 
with  a  succession  of  Indian  wars,  young  Isaac  nevertheless 
succeeded  in  obtaining  the  rudiments  of  a  plain  English  edu- 
cation. After  the  removal  of  the  Shelbys  to  Kings  Meadows 
(near  Bristol),  Evan  Shelby  and  his  four  sons,  Isaac,  Evan, 
Moses,  and  James,  continued  to  herd  and  graze  cattle  on  an 
extensive  scale  along  the  Virginia  border,  about  forty  miles 
north  of  Watauga. '^ 

An  authentic  account  of  the  career  of  Evan  Shelby  and  his 
services  to  the  cause  of  American  independence  would  con- 
stitute an  extended  chapter  in  the  history  of  Indian  battles 
and  border  warfare.  As  indicative  of  the  high  estimation  in 
which  he  was  held  in  his  former  home,  one  may  cite  the  fol- 
lowing fragment  of  a  letter  to  Captain  Evan  Shelby  from 
General  William  Thompson,  bearing  the  address,  ''Carlyle, 
6th  July,  1775." 

"Had  General  Washington  been  sure  you  could  have  joined 
the  army  at  Boston  without  first  seeing  your  family  (you) 
would  have  been  appointed  Lieut.  Colo,  (of  the)  Rifle  Battal- 
ion and  an  express  sent  by  you  being  so the 


STliis  statement  is  made  on  the  authority  of  Cecil  B.  Hartley,  in 
his  sketch  of  Isaac  Shelby,  published  in  1860,  along  with  The  Life  and 
Adventures  of  Louis  Wetzel. 

9James  R.  Gilmore :    The  Rear  Guard  of  the  Revolution,  1903,  64. 


1  14  THE    jSTORTII    CAROLINA    BOOKLET 

iieiieral  conehuled  it  (would  not  be — )  for  you  to  take  the 
field  before  seeinii  your  family.  L  leave  for  Boston  on  Mon- 
day uijilit.'' 

Upon  his  Sapling  Grove  plantation  Evan  Shelby  built  a 
fort  named  Shelby's  Station,  where  hundreds  were  sometimes 
forted  during-  the  Revolution.  At  this  fort  the  Shelbys 
kept  a  store,  which  supplied  the  pioneers  with  ammunition, 
dress  stuffs,  articles  of  food  and  drink.  Daniel  Boone  pur- 
chased supplies  here  in  preparation  for  his  ill-timed  and  ill- 
fated  expedition  in  1773.  The  stout  old  Welshman,  stern 
though  he  may  have  been,  was  evidently  not  averse  to  con- 
viviality ;  on  an  old  ledger,  dated  Staunton,  Va.,  Nov.  22, 
1773,  conspicuous  in  the  account  against  Evan  Shelby  are 
such  entries  as:  "1  Bowl  tody,"  "1  Mug  cider,"  ''1  Bowl 
Bumbo,"  ''To  Club  in  Wine."  His  first  wife,  Letitia  Cox, 
died  in  1777,  and  is  buried  at  Charlottesville,  Va.  Late  in 
life  he  was  married  to  Isabella  Elliott ;  and  the  records  show 
that  this  prudent  lady  required  one-third  of  his  estate  to  be 
deeded  to  her  before  marriage.  In  1794  Evan  Shelby  died, 
at  the  age  of  74,  and  his  widow  afterwards  was  married  again 
to  one  Dromgoole.  His  remains  now  repose  in  Bristol,  Tenn., 
on  the  lot  now  occupied  by  the  Lutheran  Church,  on  the  corner 
of  Fifth  and  Shelby  streets. ^^ 

It  w^as  not  long  after  the  settlement  of  the  Shelbys  at  Sap- 
ling Grove  that  they  formed  the  acquaintance  of  such  leading 
men  of  the  border  as  James  Robertson,  John  Sevier,  Daniel 
Boone,  and  William  Russell.  A  little  incident  indicative  of 
the  experience  of  even  the  most  expert  pioneers  of  the  day  at 
the  hands  of  the  treacherous  and  furtive  red  men  is  recorded 
in  that  valuable  repository  of  historical  lore,  Bradford's  Notes 
on  Kentucky.  "In  1772,"  records  Isaac  Shelby  in  one  of 
these  notes,  although  we  know  from  other  sources  that  he 
should  have  said  1771,  "I  met  Daniel  Boone  below  the  Hol- 
stcin  settlement,  alone ;  he  informed  me  that  he  had  spent 
the  two  years  preceding  tliat  time  in  a  hunt  on  Louisa  river 


iiCf.  Oliver  Taylor:    Tlintoric  tSuIIivan,  1909.    Also  L.  P.  Summers; 
,Soiithivest  Virginia,  1903. 


ISAAC  SHELBY  115 

(now  Kentucky),  so  called  by  all  the  Long  Hunters;  that  he 
had  been  robbed  the  day  before,  by  the  Cherokee  Indians,  of 
all  the  proceeds  of  his  hunt." 

It  was  at  the  instance  of  the  Shelbys  that  Sevier  moved  to 
the  Holston  settlements.  In  1772  John  Sevier  attended  a 
horse  race  at  the  Watauga  Old  Field,  and  witnessed  the  theft 
of  a  horse  by  a  burly  fellow  named  Shoate.  Sevier  was  about 
to  leave,  disgusted  by  the  incident — for  the  thief  pretended 
that  he  had  won  the  stolen  horse  as  the  result  of  a  wager — 
when  Evan  Shelby  remarked  to  him :  ''Xever  mind  the  rascals  ; 
they'll  soon  poplar" — by  which  he  meant,  take  a  canoe  and 
get  out  of  the  country.  One  of  the  first  measures  taken  by  the 
Watauga  settlements  was  the  passage  of  laws  to  protect  them 
from  horse  thieves.  The  following  year  the  Seviers  removed 
to  Keywood,  about  six  miles  from  the  Shelbys,  later  settling 
in  Washington  County.-^" 

It  was  not  long  before  Isaac  Shelby,  young  though  he  was, 
came  to  be  regarded  as  a  man  of  promise  in  the  frontier  set- 
tlement. In  1774  he  was  appointed  Lieutenant  in  the  militia 
by  Colonel  William  Preston,  the  County  Lieutenant  of  Fin- 
castle  County.  The  anecdote  is  related  that,  when  Isaac 
thoughtlessly  sat  down  instead  of  remaining  at  attention 
while  his  commission  was  being  written  out  by  Col.  Preston, 
his  father,  with  characteristically  imperious  manner,  sternly 
admonished  him : 

''Get  up,  you  young  dog,  and  make  your  obeisance  to  the 
Colonel!" 

Whereupon  the  young  officer,  considerably  abashed,  arose 
and  made  the  amende  honorable  to  his  superior  officer.  In 
time  to  come  the  graceless  ''young  dog"  was  to  prove  himself, 
as  soldier  and  statesman,  the  superior  of  his  bull-dog  father, 
the  grizzled  veteran  and  Indian  fighter. 

Endowed,  like  his  father,  with  an  herculean  frame,  though 
built  on  a  somewhat  larger  scale,  he  presents  a  formidable 
and  impressive  appearance  in  the  portraits  that  have  come 


i2Draper  Mss. ;  also  cf.  F.  M.  Turner  :   Life  of  General  John  Sevier, 
1910. 


116  THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  BOOKLET 

down  to  lis — with  firm,  compressed  lips,  heavv  oliiii,  massive 
features,  bcetliiiu'  brows  over  fixed,  deep-set  eyes — a  man  of 
"uncommon  intelligence  and  stern,  unbending  integrity." 

II. 

Daniel  Boone's  attempt,  without  shadow  of  title,  to  make  a 
settlement  in  Kentucky,  in  September,  1773,  had  met  with  a 
bloody  repulse  on  the  part  of  the  Indians.  In  a  letter  to 
Dartmouth,  Dunmore  said  in  regard  to  the  ''Americans,''  the 
pioneer  settlers :  "They  acquire  no  attachment  to  place :  But 
wandering  about  Seems  engrafted  in  their  Xature ;  and  it  is 
a  weakness  incident  to  it  that  they  Should  for  ever  Imagine 
the  Lands  further  off,  are  Still  better  than  those  upon  which 
they  are  already  Settled. "-^'"^  The  continued  encroachments  of 
the  white  settlers  upon  the  Indian  hunting  grounds  fanned  to 
flame  the  smouldering  animosity  of  the  red  man.  The  Six 
Xations,  at  the  Treaty  of  Fort  Stanwix  in  1768,  had  sold  to 
the  Crown,  through  Sir  William  Johnson,  their  unwarranted 
claim  to  a  vast  stretch  of  territory  extending  as  far  to  the 
southward  as  the  Kentucky  River.  The  Southern  Indians, 
the  aboriginal  occupants  of  the  soil,  indignantly  denied  the 
right  of  the  Six  Xations  to  this  Territory.  The  Indians  along 
the  border  were  aroused  to  a  pitch  of  excessive  hostility  by  the 
continued  incursions  of  the  whites.  A  succession  of  attacks 
by  the  Indians  upon  outlying  and  scattered  settlements  soon 
led  to  bloody  reprisals  on  the  part  of  the  whites.  The  open 
letter  of  Conolly,  Governor  Dunmore's  agent,  calling  upon 
the  backwoodsmen  to  prepare  to  defend  themselves  from  the 
attacks  of  the  Shawnees,  was  issued  on  April  21,  1774,  and 
the  barbarous  murder  of  Logan's  family  at  the  mouth  of  Yel- 
low Creek  on  April  30,  by  one  Greathouse  and  a  score  of 
carousing  white  companions,  rendered  the  conflict  inevitable. 
Yet  actual  hostilities  were  slow  to  commence,  and  it  was  not 
until  the  summer  of  1774  that  Daniel  Boone  and  Michael 
Stoner  were  dispatched  by  Dunmore  to  Kentucky,  to  conduct 


I31)raper  Mss.,  1.5.74-48. 


ISAAC  SHELBY  117 

into  the  settlements  the  various  parties  of  surveyors  scattered 
about  through  the  Kentucky  area.  The  war  was  now  begun, 
and  Lord  Dunmore,  hoping  to  reconcile  the  differences  be- 
tween the  colonists  and  England  by  a  successful  campaign 
against  the  Indians,  proceeded  vigorously  to  carry  the  war 
into  the  enemy's  country. 

There  were  two  divisions  in  Lord  Dunmore's  army,  one  of 
fully  twelve  hundred  men  under  the  command  of  the  earl  in 
person,  the  other  of  about  eleven  hundred  strong,  under  the 
command  of  General  Andrew  Lewis,  a  stalwart  backwoods 
fighter.  For  some  inexplicable  motive,  which  has  been  sus- 
pected, no  doubt,  erroneously,  as  an  attempt  at  treachery  to 
the  Americans,  Dunmore  decided  not  to  unite  his  force  with 
that  of  Lev/is ;  and  after  a  long  march  he  took  up  his  position 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Hockhocking,  erected  a  stockade  styled 
Fort  Gower,  and  awaited  news  of  Lewis's  brigade.  The  divis- 
ion of  Lewis  reached  the  mouth  of  the  Great  Kanawha  River 
on  October  6  and  encamped  at  Point  Pleasant.  On  the  ninth 
the  order  came  to  Lewis  from  Dunmore  to  join  him  at  the 
Indian  towns  near  the  Pickaway  Plains.  The  sagacious 
Cornstalk,  the  Indian  leader,  divining  the  plan  of  the  whites, 
resolved  to  hurl  his  entire  force  of  one  thousand  warriors  upon 
the  sleeping  army  at  Point  Pleasant. 

Of  the  several  commands  under  Lewis  one  was  composed  of 
the  Fincastle  men,  from  the  Holston,  Clinch,  Watauga,  and 
New  River  settlements,  under  Col.  William  Christian.  The 
Holston  men  were  the  advance  guard  of  civilization  at  this 
period,  the  most  daring  settlers  who  had  pushed  farthest  out 
into  the  western  wilderness.  In  Col.  Christian's  command 
were  five  captains,  Evan  Shelby,  Russell,  Herbert,  Draper, 
and  Buford ;  and  under  Evan  Shelby  were  his  sons,  Isaac,  a 
lieutenant,  and  James ;  and  James  Robertson  and  Valentine 
Sevier,  orderly  sergeants. 

The  battle  which  ensued  has  been  described  in  such  accurate 
and  graphic  terms  in  a  letter  to  John  Shelby,  by  Isaac  Shelby, 


118  THE  XOKTH  CAROLINA  BOOKLET 

\vho  plavcnl  an  important  part  in  the  fierce  engagement,  that 
his  letter  is  given  here  in  full:^'* 

Camp  Opposite  to  the  Mouth  of  Great  Caxaway, 

October  16th.  1774. 

Di!.  I'.ncle: — I  Gladly  imhrace  this  opportunity  to  Acquaint  You 
that  we  arc  all  threeis  yet  alive  th(r)o  Gods  Mercies  &  I  Sinceerly 
wish  that  this  may  find  you  &  your  Famil5^  in  the  Station  of  Health 
that  we  left  you.  I  never  had  anything  Worth  Notice  to  quaint  you 
with  since  I  left  you  till  now,  the  Express  seems  to  be  Hurrying 
that  I  Cant  write  you  with  the  same  Coolness  &  Deliberation  as  I 
would:  we  arrived  at  the  mouth  (of)  Canaway  Thursday  6th.  Octr. 
and  incampd  on  a  fine  piece  of  Ground  with  an  intent  to  wait  for  the 
Governor  &  his  party  but  hearing  tliat  he  was  going  another  way  we 
Contented  our  selves  to  stay  there  a  few  days  to  rest  the  troops  &c, 
when  we  looked  upon  our  selves  to  be  in  safety  till  Monday  morning 
the  10th  Instant  when  two  of  our  Compys.  went  out  before  day  to 
hunt.  To  wit  Val.  Sevier  &  Jas  Robison  &  Discovered  a  party  of 
Indians  ;  as  I  expect  you  will  hear  something  of  our  Battle  before 
you  get  this  I  have  here  stated  this  aflrair  nearly  to  you. 

For  the  Satisfaction  of  tlie  people  in  your  parts  in  this  they  have  a 
true  state  of  the  Memorable  Battle  faught  at  the  mouth  of  the  Great 
Canaway  on  the  10th.  Instant ;  ^Monday  morning  about  half  an  Hour 
before  Sunrise  two  of  Capt.  Kussells  Compy.  Discovered  a  large  party 
of  Indians  about  a  mile  from  Camp  one  of  whicli  men  was  killed  the 
Other  made  his  Escape  »&  brought  in  his  iutilligenee  ;i6  in  two  or  three 
minutes  affter  two  of  Capt  Shelbys  Compy.  Came  in  and  Confirmed 
the  Account.  Colo.  Andrew  Lewis  being  Informed  thereof  Immediately 
ordered  Colo.  Charles  Lewis  to  take  the  Command  of  150  men  from 
Augusta  and  with  him  went  Capt.  Dickison.  Capt.  Harrison.  Capt. 
Willson.  Capt.  Jno.  Lewis  from  Augusta  and  Capt.  Lockridge  which 
made  the  first  division.  Colo.  Fleming  was  also  ordered  to  take  the 
Command  of  one  hundred  &  fifty  more  Consisting  of  Botetourt  Fin- 
castle  and  Bedford  Troops  Viz.  Capt.  Buford  of  Bedford  Capt.  Love 
of  Botetourt  Capt.  Shelbj^  &  Capt.  Russell  of  Fincastle  which  made 
tlie  second  Division.     Colo.  Lewis  marched  with  his  Division  to  the 


i4The  copy  here  used  is  made  directly  from  the  original  in  the 
Draper  Mss.,  7  ZZ  2.  The  text  used  by  Roosevelt  {Wi)nii>ig  of  the 
Wcf<t)  is  drawn  from  a  manuscript  copy  of  Shelby's  letter,  in  the 
Campliell  Mss. 

i''('aptain  Evan  Shelby  and  his  two  sons,  Isaac  and  James. 

icThese  were  .loseph  Hughey,  of  Shelby's  company,  and  James 
Mooney,  of  Russell's.  The  former  was  killed  by  a  white  renegade, 
Tavenor  Ross,  while  the  latter  brought  the  news  to  camp.  Mooney 
was  a  former  neighbor  of  Daniel  Boone,  upon  the  Yadkin  in  North 
Carolina,  and  had  accompanied  him  upon  the  disastrous  Kentucky 
hunting  exjiedition  of  17(>D.  He  was  killed  at  Point  Pleasant.  Cf. 
Dunmorc'a  War,  edited  by  Thwaites  and  Kellogg.  271-2. 


ISAAC  SHELBY  119 

Right  some  Distance  up  from  tlie  Ohio.  Colo.  Fleming  with  his 
Division  up  the  banck  of  the  Ohio  to  the  left :  Colo.  Lewiss  Division 
had  not  marchd.  little  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  Camp ; 
when  about  sunrise,  an  Attact  was  made  on  the  front  of  his  Division 
in  a  most  Vigorous  manner  by  the  Uni^  ,d  tribes  of  Indians — Shaw- 
nees ;  Delewares ;  Mingoes ;  Taways,i7  and  of  several  Other  Nations 
in  Number  not  less  than  Eight  Hundred  and  by  many  thaught  to  be  a 
thousand ;  in  this  Heavy  Attact  Colonel  Charles  Lewis  received  a 
wound  which  soon  after  Caused  his  Death  and  several  of  his  men 
fell  in  the  Spott  in  fact  the  Augusta  Division  was  forced  to  give  way 
to  the  heavy  fire  of  the  Enemy.  In  about  a  second  of  a  minute  after 
the  Attact  on  Colo.  Lewiss  Division  the  Enemy  Engaged  the  Front  of 
Colo.  Flemings  Division  on  the  Ohio ;  and  in  a  short  time  Colo.  Flem- 
ing reed,  two  balls  thro  his  left  Arm  and  one  thro  his  breast ;  and 
after  annimating  the  Captains  and  soldiers  in  a  Calm  manner  to  the 
pursuit  of  Victory  returned  to  Camp,  the  loss  of  the  Brave  Colonels 
was  Sensibly  felt  by  the  Officers  in  perticular,  But  the  Augusta 
troops  being  shortly  Reinforced  from  Camp  by  Colonel  Field  with  his 
Company  together  with  Capt.  iM'Dowel,  Capt.  Mathews  &  Capt. 
Stuart  from  Augusta,  Capt.  John  Lewis,  Capt.  Paulin  Capt.  Arbuckle 
&  Capt.  M'Clanahan  from  Botetourt,  the  Enemy  no  longer  able  to 
Maintain  their  Ground  was  forced  to  give  way  till  they  were  in  a 
Line  with  the  troops  left  in  action  on  Bancks  of  Ohio,  by  Colo  Flem- 
ing in  this  precipitate  retreat  Colo.  Field  was  killed,  after  which 
Capt.  Shelby  was  ordered  to  take  the  Commd.  During  this  time 
which  was  till  after  twelve  of  the  Clock,  the  Action  continued  Ex- 
treemly  Hott,  the  Close  underwood  many  steep  bancks  &  Loggs 
favoured  their  retreat,  and  the  Bravest  of  their  men  made  the  use 
of  themselves,  whilst  others  were  throwing  their  dead  into  the  Ohio, 
and  Carrying  of(f)  their  wounded,  after  twelve  the  Action  in  a 
small  degree  abated  but  Continued  sharp  Enough  till  after  one 
oClock  Their  Long  retreat  gave  them  a  most  advantages  spot  of 
ground  ;  from  whence  it  Appeared  to  the  Officers  so  difficult  to  dis- 
lodge them ;  that  it  was  thought  most  adviseable  to  stand  as  the  line 
then  was  formed  which  was  about  a  mile  and  a  quarter  in  length,  and 
had  till  then  sustained  a  Constant  and  Equal  weight  of  fire  from  wing 
to  wing,  it  was  till  half  an  Houx*  of  Sun  sett  they  Continued  firing  on 
us  which  we  returned  to  their  Disadvantage  at  length  Night  Coming 
on  they  found  a  safe  retreat.  They  had  not  the  satisfaction  of  scalp- 
ing any  of  our  men  save  One  or  two  straglers  whom  they  Killed  be- 
fore the  ingagement  many  of  their  dead  they  scalped  rather  than 
we  should  have  them  but  our  troops  scalped  upwards  of  twenty  of 
those  who  were  first  killed ;  Its  Beyond  a  Doubt  their  Loss  in 
Number  farr  Exceeds  ours,  which  is  Considirable. 

Field  Officers  killed  Colo.   Charles  Lewis,   and  Colo.  Jno.   Fields, 
Field   Officers   wounded    Colo.   Willm.    Fleming ;    Capts.    killed    John 


i7The  Ottawas,  a  Northwestern  tribe. 


120  THE  NOirnr  Carolina  booklet 

.Murray  Capt.  Saml.  Wilisou  C'apt.  Kobt.  MfClanahan.  Capt.  Jas. 
Ward.  Captains  WdunikMl  Tlios  lUiford  John  Dickison  &  John  Scid- 
more.  Snlibalti'iiis  Kill(>d  Lieutenant  Hu.!,'li  Allen,  Ensi.un  Matliew 
Krakin  i:nsi^'n  ("undiff.  Sul)t>alterns  wounded,  Lieut.  Lard;  Lieut. 
Vauee    Lieut.    (Joliiuian    Lieut.    Jas.    Kol)ison  aliout    46    killed    & 

al)out  SO  wounded  from  this  [Sir  you  may  Judge  that  we  had  a 
\"ery  hard  day  its  reall.v  Impossible  for  me  to  Express  or  you  to 
Coneieve  Aeelamations  that  we  were  under.  sometimes,  the  Hidious 
Cries  of  the  Enemy  and  the  groans  of  our  wound  (ed)  men  lying 
around  was  Enough  to  shuder  the  stoutest  hart  its  the  general  Opin- 
ion of  the  Ottieers  that  we  shall  soon  have  another  Ingagemeut  as  we 
have  now  got  Over  into  the  Enemys  Country ;  we  Expect  to  meet  the 
Governor  about  forty  or  fifty  miles  from  here  nothing  will  save  us 
from  another  Battle  I'nless  they  Attact  the  Governors  Party,  five 
men  that  Came  iu  Dadys  (daddy's)  Company  were  killed,  I  dont 
know  that  you  were  Acquainted  with  any  of  them  Except  Marck  Wil- 
liams who  lived  with  Roger  Top.  Acquaint  Mr.  Carmack  that  his  son 
was  slightly  wounded  thro  the  shoulder  and  arm  &  that  he  is  in  a 
likely  way  of  Recovery  we  leave  him  at  mouth  of  Canaway  »&  one 
^'ery  Carefull  hand  to  take  Care  of  him ;  there  is  a  garrison  &  three 
Hundred  men  left  at  that  place  with  a  surgeon  to  Heal  the  wounded 
we  Expect  to  Return  to  the  Garrison  in  about  16  days  from  the 
.Shawnj-  Towns. 

I  have  nothing  more  Perticular  to  Acquaint  you  with  Concerning 
the  Battle,  as  to  the  Country  I  cant  now  say  much  in  praise  of  any 
that  I  have  yet  seen.  Dady  intended  writing  to  you  but  did  not  know 
of  the  Express  till  the  time  was  too  short  I  have  wrote  to  Mam(m)y 
the  not  so  fully  as  to  you  as  I  then  expected  the  Express  was  Just 
going,  we  seem  to  be  all  in  a  Moving  Posture  Just  going  from  this 
place  so  that  I  must  Conclude  wishing  you  health  and  prosperity  till 
I  see  you  and  Your  Family  in  the  meantime  I  am  yr  truly  Effectionate 
Friend  &  Humble  Servt  Isaac  Shelby. 

To  Mr.  John  Shelby  Holstons  River  Fincastle  County  favr.  by  Mr. 
Benja.  Gray. 

This  recital,  written  by  the  joung  Isaac  Shelby,  modestly 
omits  any  mention  of  the  very  important  part  which  he  him- 
self played  in  the  battle.  Upon  the  death  of  Colonel  John 
Field,  Captain  Evan  vShelby  was  ordered  to  the  command, 
and  npon  so  doing  he  gave  over  the  command  of  his  own  com- 
pany to  his  son,  Isaac,  who,  while  only  holding  the  rank  of  a 
lieutenant,  acted  in  the  capacity  of  a  captain  during  about 
half  the  battle.  Cornstalk,  Logan,  Red  Eagle,  and  other 
brave  chieftains,  fighting  fiercely,  led  in  the  attack  ;  and  above 
the  terrible  din  and  clangor  of  the  battle  could  be  heard  the 


ISAAC  SHELBY  121 

deep,  sonorous  voice  of  Cornstalk  encouraging  his  warriors 
with  the  injunction :  "Be  strong !  Be  strong !"  The  Indians 
led  by  Cornstalk  adopted  the  tactics  of  making  successive 
rushes  upon  the  whites  by  which  they  expected  to  drive  the 
frontiersmen  into  the  two  rivers,  ''like  so  many  bullocks,"  as 
the  chief  later  explained.  So  terrific  were  the  onslaughts  of  the 
red  men  that  the  lines  of  the  frontiersmen  had  frequently  to 
fall  back ;  but  these  withdrawals  were  only  temporary,  as  they 
were  skillfully  reinforced  each  time  and  again  moved  steadily 
forward  to  the  conflict.  About  half  an  hour  before  sunset 
General  Lewis  adopted  the  dangerous  expedient  of  a  flank 
movement.  Captains  Shelby,  Matthews,  Arbuckle,  and  Stuart 
were  sent  with  a  detachment  up  Crooked  Creek,  which  runs 
into  the  Kanawha  a  little  above  Point  Pleasant,  with  a  view 
to  securing  a  ridge  in  the  rear  of  the  enemy,  from  which  their 
lines  could  be  enfiladed.  Concealed  by  the  undergrowth  along 
the  bank  they  endeavored  to  execute  this  hazardous  move- 
ment ;  and  John  Sawyers,  an  orderly  sergeant,  was  dispatched 
by  Isaac  Shelby  with  a  few  men  of  the  company  to  dislodge 
the  Indians  from  their  protected  position.  This  fierce  attack 
from  an  unsuspected  quarter  alarmed  the  Indians.  Cornstalk 
leaped  to  the  conclusion  that  this  was  the  advance  guard  of 
Christian's  party,  and  giving  the  alarm  hurried  his  forces  to 
the  other  side  of  Old  Town  Creek.  The  battle  continued  in  a 
desultory  way  until  sunset,  and  no  decisive  victory  had  been 
achieved.  But  Cornstalk  and  his  warriors  had  had  enough, 
and  withdrew  during  the  night. -"^^ 

In  this  remarkable  battle,  the  most  stubborn  and  hotly  con- 
tested fight  ever  made  by  the  Indians  against  the  English,  it 
was  the  flanking  movement  of  the  detachment  in  which  Isaac 
Shelby  took  a  leading  part  that  turned  the  tide  and  decided 
the  victory  for  the  whites.     This  battle,  which  brought  about 


isCompare  tlie  account  given  by  Withers  in  his  Chronicles  of  Border 
Warfare,  edited  and  annotated  by  R.  G.  Thwaites ;  Cincinnati.  190S. 
See  also  Stuart's  Narratlrc,  in  Virginia  Historical  Collections,  vol.  I. 
The  most  exhaustive  account  of  tlie  entire  campaign  is  embodied  in 
Dunmore's  War,  edited  by  Thwaites  and  Kellogg.  IMadison,  1905.  An 
excellent  map  is  found  in  Avery's  History  of  the  United  States,  vol. 
5,  p.  1S3. 


122  THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  BOOKLET 

an  early  conclusion  of  peace,  was  from  this  standpoint  com- 
pletely decisive  in  character;  and  it  should  not  be  forgotten 
that  Isaac  Shelby,  the  twenty-four  year  old  captain,  thus 
played  an  important  role  in  this  thrilling  scene  of  warfare 
preliminary  to  the  great  drama  of  the  Revolution.  "This 
action,"  comments  Isaac  Shelby  in  his  Auioljiography,  ''is 
known  to  be  the  hardest  ever  fought  with  the  Indians  and  in 
its  consequences  was  of  the  greatest  importance  as  it  was 
fought  Avhile  the  first  Congress  w^as  sitting  at  Philadelphia, 
and  so  completely  were  the  savages  chastised,  particularly  the 
Shawnees  and  Delawares  (the  two  most  formidable  tribes) 
that  they  could  not  be  induced  by  British  agents  among  them, 
neither  to  the  Xorth  nor  South,  to  commence  hostilities 
against  the  United  States  before  July,  1776,  in  which  time  the 
frontiers  had  become  considerably  stronger  and  the  settle- 
ment of  Kentucky  had  commenced." 

Indeed  it  was  this  victory  of  the  Great  Kanawha,  with  its 
temiDorary  subjugation  of  the  savages,  which  made  possible 
Colonel  Kichard  Henderson's  gallant  advance  into  Kentucky 
in  March-April,  1775,  ultimately  eventuating  in  the  acquisi- 
tion of  Kentucky  and  the  vast  trans-Alleghany  region  to  the 
territory  of  the  United  States.  Shelby's  comment  is  signifi- 
cant in  its  emphasis,  as  he  was  present  at  the  ''Great  Treaty" 
at  the  Sycamore  Shoals  of  the  Watauga  in  March,  1775,  and 
a  little  later  was  serving  as  surveyor  in  the  employ  of  the 
Transylvania  Company.  Without  the  impetus  given  to  the 
colonization  of  the  trans-Alleghany  region  by  Richard  Hen- 
derson and  the  Transylvania  Company,  there  would  have  been 
no  bulwark  on  the  west  against  the  incursions  of  savages  from 
that  (juarter  during  the  Revolution ;  and  at  the  conclusion  of 
peace  in  1783,  the  western  boundary  of  the  Confederation  of 
States  would  doubtless  have  been  the  Alleghany  Mountains 
and  not  the  Mississippi  River.  Isaac  Shelby  was  a  hero  of  the 
first  l)attle  preluding  the  mighty  conflict  which  was  ultimately 
to  end  victoriouslv  at  Yorktown.-^^ 


isCf.  Hale's  Trans-AUpghanji  Pioneers,  Cincinnati,  1886.  ch.  XXXII. 
Also  Todd's  Life  of  tihcJhij,  in  National  Poi'trait  Gallery,  I,  1835. 


ISAAC  SHELBY  123 

At  the  close  of  the  campaign,  if  not  immediately  following 
the  battle,  a  small  palisaded  rectangle,  about  eighty  yards 
long,  with  block  houses  at  two  of  its  corners,  was  erected  at 
Point  Pleasant  by  order  of  Lord  Dunmore.  This  stockade, 
entitled  Fort  Blair,  was  strongly  garrisoned,  and  the  chief 
command  was  given  to  that  splendid  border  fighter,  Captain 
William  Pussell.  The  young  Isaac  Shelby,  in  recognition  of 
his  valued  services  in  the  recent  bloody  battle,  was  made 
second  in  command."'^  It  was  here,  says  tradition,  that  the 
Indian  chief,  Cornstalk,  came  to  shake  the  hand  of  the  young 
paleface  brave,  Isaac  Shelby,  who  had  led  the  strategic  flank 
movement  which  stampeded  his  army.^-^ 

The  following  interesting  letter,  addressed  to  "Mr.  Isaac 
Shelby,  Holston,"  explains  the  state  of  affairs  which  then  ex- 
isted in  that  region,  and  the  movements  being  set  on  foot.  It 
is  a  double  letter,  for  at  the  end  of  Col.  William  Christian's 
letter  to  Isaac  Shelby,  which  Shelby  had  forwarded  to  Colo. 
William  Russell,  the  latter  wrote  a  supplementary  letter,  and 
returned  the  whole  to  Isaac  Shelby. 

DuNKABD  Bottom,  February  IS,  1775. 
Dear  Sir  : — I  have  lately  been  at  Williamsburg,  aud  applied  to  his 
Excellency  the  Governor  to  know  what  was  to  be  done  with  the  garri- 
son at  point  pleasant.  His  Lordship  has  been  disappointed  in  getting 
the  consent  of  the  Assembly  for  the  continuance  of  the  Company,  but 
he  desired  me  to  acquaint  Captain  Russell  that  he  was  to  return  to 
his  post  and  remain  there  until  the  treaty  with  the  Indians,  which  is 
to  be  at  Fort  Dunmore  in  may,  or  until  further  orders.  I  think  it 
will  be  in  June  before  that  treaty  is  finished  &  also  that  his  Lordship 
wishes  that  the  garrison  could  be  kept(?)  up  from  a  desire  he  has  to 
serve  the  Frontiers.  I  have  wrote  to  Captain  Russell  to  come  down  in 
order  to  take  the  charge  of  one  of  the  Shawnese  Hostages  who  was 
sent  up  with  me.    The  design  of  sending  him  is  to  satisfy  the  Indians 


20isaac  Shelby's  AutoMography.  Cf.  also  Dtinmorc's  War,  p.  ,310  n; 
Chas.  S.  Todd's  Life  of  SheWy,  National  Portrait  Gallery,  vol.  I. 
Thwaites  says  that  General  Lewis,  who  reached  Point  Pleasant  on 
October  28,  left  there  a  garrison  of  fifty  men  under  Captain  Russell. 
Cf.  Withers's  Chronicles  of  Border  Warfare,  1908,  p.  176n. 

^'i^^outhern  Heroism  in  Decisive  Battles  for  American  Independ- 
ence, by  Charles  Henrv  Todd,  in  Journal  of  American  History,  vol.  II, 
No.  2. 


124  THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  BOOKLET 

i>f  our  friendly  inteiitioiis,  in  contradiction  to  several  rejxjrts  spread 
among  them  by  pensilvania  Traders  intimating  that  we  designed  fall- 
ing on  them  next  spring.  The  reports  it  was  feared  might  set  on  foot 
a  general  t-onfederacy  among  the  Shawnese  «&  their  neighbors. 

1  expect  t'aptain  Kussell  will  contrive  to  be  as  far  as  McGavocks 
the  Tth.  of  March  on  his  way  to  the  post  and  I  now  write  to  you 
thinking  it  may  reach  you  much  sooner  than  Captain  Kussell  could 
send  to  you,  thereby  to  give  you  more  time  to  prepare  for  joining 
him. 

I  saw  Jno.  Douglass  this  evening  &  he  thinks  that  near  50  men  of 
those  now  on  duty  will  agree  to  continue  &  perhaps  that  will  be 
enough.  If  you  get  this  letter  quickly  would  it  not  be  well  for  you 
to  ride  over  and  consult  with  the  Captain  what  is  to  be  done.  It  is 
certain  that  you  or  him  must  set  of  (off)  soon  with  the  Indian,  or  I 
think  it  may  (mutilated)  to  come  the  time  I  have  mentioned. 

A  convention  of  delegates  is  to  be  held  at  Richmond  the  20  of 
?ilarch  to  consist  of  two  members  from  each  county  »&  corporation, 
what  is  to  be  the  consequence  of  the  present  disputes  is  yet  uncer- 
tain, but  nothing  pacifick  is  expected.  The  lowland  people  are  gen- 
erally arming  and  preparing  themselves. 

Please  to  give  my  compliments  to  your  Father  »&  tell  him  that  it  is 
most  probable  that  the  Committee  will  meet  the  day  of  our  Election 
"A'hich  is  to  be  the  7  of  March  &  that  if  he  can  make  it  convenient  he 
may  as  well  come  up. 

I  am  Sir  Your  friend  &  servant, 

Wm  Cheistiax 

On  the  next  sheet  occurs  the  following,  in  the  handwriting 

of  William  Russell : 

My  Dear  Sir  : 

I  just  Reed,  this  letter  of  yours  and  one  of  my  own.  It  seems 
Captain  Morgan  of  the  Shawanees  is  sent  up  for  us,  to  guard  out  to 
the  Shawanees  Towns  upon  Business  of  Importance,  therefore  re- 
quest your  goodness  to  meet  me  on  Sunday  next  at  Mr.  Souths  about 
Night  in  order  to  go  together  to  McGavocks  against  Tuesday  next  to  a 
meeting  of  the  Committee  either  to  Proceed  from  there  or  to  return 
by  my  House,  if  so,  you  can  return  Home  (mutilated)  I  start.  I  am 
Dear  Sir. 

Your  most  obedt  Humble 

Servt  W.  RussEiLL 

Tuesday  the  27th,  1775. 
To  Mr.  Isaac  Shelbey  Holston. 

When  Daniel  Boone  and  his  friend,  Captain  William  Kus- 
sell, the  leading  pioneer  in  the  Clinch  Valley,  at  the  head  of  a 
party  of  emigrants,  attempted  their  settlement  of  Kentucky  in 


ISAAC  SHELBY  125 

1773,  they  were  driven  back  by  the  Indians  on  September  25, 
and  abandoned  the  enterprise.  For  years,  in  fact  since  1764, 
Daniel  Boone  had  been  making  exploring  expeditions  to  the 
westward  in  the  interest  of  the  land  company  known  as  Eich- 
ard  Henderson  and  Company.^^  Another  explorer  for  Kich- 
ard  Henderson,  who  later  made  hunting  tours  and  explora- 
tions in  Kentucky,  was  Henry  Skaggs,  who  as  early  as  1765 
examined  the  lower  Cumberland  region  as  the  representative 
of  Richard  Henderson  and  Company  and  established  his  sta- 
tion near  the  present  site  of  Goodletsville,  in  Davidson 
County,  Tennessee. ^^  With  the  Western  country  thoroughly 
disturbed  and  infested  with  bands  of  hostile  red  men,  during 
1773  and  1774,  Col.  Henderson  recognized  the  signal  unwis- 
dom of  attempting  a  western  settlement  on  an  extended  scale. 
It  was  Daniel  Boone's  impatience  to  reach  the  West  and  his 
determination  to  settle  there,  regardless  of  legal  right  and 
without  securing  the  title  by  purchase  from  the  Cherokees, 
which  led  to  his  disastrous  setback  at  Walden's  Ridge  in 
1773.  This  entire  episode  exposes  Boone's  inefficiency  as  an 
executive  and  his  inability  to  carry  through  plans  made  on  a 
large  scale.  It  was  not  until  the  remarkable  legal  mind  of 
Judge  Henderson  and  his  rare  executive  ability  were  applied 
to  the  vast  and  complex  project  of  western  colonization  that 
it  was  carried  through  to  a  successful  termination. 

Two  momentous  circumstances  now  intervened  to  make 
possible  the  great  western  venture,  upon  which  Judge  Hen- 
derson, during  a  decade  and  more,  had  staked  all  his  hopes. 
Correspondence  with  the  highest  legal  authorities  in  England 
assured  Judge  Henderson  that  despite  the  Royal  Proclama- 
tion in  1763  he  would  be  entirely  within  his  rights,  as  a  Brit- 
ish subject,  to  purchase  the  western  lands  from  the  Cherokees 
and  secure  authentic  title  thereto.  The  victory  of  the  back- 
woodsmen over  the  red  men  at  the  Battle  of  the  Great  Kana- 


22Compare  the  author's  The  Creative  Forces  in  Westward  Expan- 
sion: Henderson  and  Boone,  iu  the  American  Historical  Review, 
October,  1914. 

23Albright's  Early  History  of  Middle  Tennessee,  Nashville,  1909, 
p.  23. 


120  THE    I^ORTH    CAROLIiSrA    BOOKLET 

wha  greatly  reduced  the  dangers  incident  to  a  visit  to  the 
Kentnrky  -wilderness,  and  in  1775  warranted  the  bold  venture 
which,  in  1773,  Boone,  upon  his  own  responsibility  alone,  had 
found  so  disastrous.  Following  the  Battle  of  the  Great  Ka- 
nawha, Judge  Henderson,  accompanied  by  his  friend  and 
neighbor,  Colonel  Nathaniel  Hart,  visited  the  Indians  at  their 
towns  and,  upon  inquiry,  learned  that  the  Cherokees  were 
disposed  to  sell  their  claims  to  the  Kentucky  territory.  The 
agreement  was  made  to  meet  the  entire  tribe  of  the  Cherokees 
in  Treaty  Council  at  the  Sycamore  Shoals,  on  Watauga  River, 
early  in  the  next  year.  On  their  return  to  the  settlements 
Judge  Henderson  and  Colonel  Hart  were  accompanied  by  the 
Little  Carpenter,  a  wise  old  Indian  Chief,  and  a  young  buck 
and  his  squaw,  as  delegates  to  see  that  proper  goods  were  pur- 
chased for  the  proposed  barter.  These  goods  were  purchased 
in  December,  1774,  at  Cross  Creek,  near  Fayetteville,  North 
Carolina,  and  forwarded  by  wagons  to  Watauga. 

Since  his  repulse  at  Walden's  Ridge,  in  September,  1773, 
when  the  sons  of  both  Russell  and  himself  had  been  slaugh- 
tered by  Indians,  Boone,  together  with  his  family,  had  been 
residing  in  a  cabin  upon  the  farm  of  Captain  David  Gass, 
seven  or  eight  miles  from  Russell's,  upon  Clinch  River.  He 
was  now  summoned  to  Watauga,  instructed  to  collect  the  en- 
tire tribe  of  Cherokee  Indians  and  bring  them  in  to  the  treaty 
ground.  The  news  of  the  purposes  of  the  Transylvania  Com- 
pany became  public  property  when  Judge  Henderson  and  his 
associates,  in  January,  1775,  issued  their  '^Proposals  for  the 
Settlement  of  Western  Lands,"  which,  in  the  form  of  broad- 
sides, were  distributed  widely  along  the  fringe  of  settlements 
upon  the  Indian  border  line.  News  of  the  proposed  treaty 
quickly  reached  young  Isaac  Shelby  at  Fort  Blair;  and  his 
pioneering  instinct  unerringly  drew  him  to  the  focus  of  in- 
terest, the  treaty  ground.  We  are  fortunate  in  having  handed 
down  to  us,  from  that  early  time,  a  description  of  the  treaty 
on  tlie  part  of  the  young  Isaac  Shelby,  who  was  an  eye-witness. 
Following  the  confiscation  of  the  Transylvania  Company's 
claims  liv  the  State  of  Virc-inia,  a  series  of  extended  investiffa- 


ISAAC  SHELBY  127 

tions  in  regard  to  the  Treaty  of  Sycamore  Shoals  were  made 
by  order  of  the  Virginia  Legislature.  The  points  that  were 
in  great  need  of  being  settled  were:  First,  whether  the  de- 
ponents were  financially  interested  in  lands  under  the  Tran- 
sylvania Company ;  second,  whether  the  treaty  was  conducted 
with  entire  fairness ;  and  third,  whether  the  deeds  taken  by 
the  Transylvania  Company  were  identical,  in  regard  to  the 
metes  and  bounds  of  the  territory  purchased,  with  the  verbal 
statement  of  the  negotiators  of  the  treaty,  made  to  the  Chero- 
kees.  As  it  was  subsequently  proven,  as  a  result  of  the  inves- 
tigations of  the  Virginia  Commissioners,  that  the  treaty  was 
conducted  with  scrupulous  fairness  by  Judge  Henderson  and 
his  partners,  it  is  interesting  to  read  the  following  extract 
from  the  deposition  sworn  to  on  December  3,  1777,  before 
Edmund  Randolph  and  Jo.  Prentiss,  by  Isaac  Shelby: 

"That  in  March,  1775,  this  Deponent  was  present  at  a 
Treaty  held  at  Wattaugha  between  the  said  Henderson  and 
the  Cherokee  Indians :  that  the  deponent  then  heard  the  said 
Henderson  call  the  Indians,  when  the  deed  by  which  the  said 
Henderson  now  claims  was  going  to  be  signed,  and  declared 
that  they  would  attend  to  what  was  going  to  be  done :  that  the 
deponent  believes  the  courses  in  the  said  Deed  contained,  to 
be  the  very  courses  which  the  said  Henderson  read  therefrom 
to  the  Indians  and  were  interpreted  to  them.  That  the  said 
Henderson  took  the  said  Deed  from  among  several  others  lying 
on  a  table,  all  of  which  appeared  to  the  Deponent  to  be  of  the 
same  tenor  with  that  which  he  read — That  at  the  time  of  this 
Treaty,  one  Read  who  was  there  and  suspected  that  the 
said  Henderson  intended  to  purchase  some  lands  which  he 
himself  had  his  Eyes  on,  desired  the  said  Deed  to  be  read 
before  it  was  signed,  which  was  accordingly  done,  and  the 
said  Read  objected  not  thereto." 

It  was  doubtless  at  some  time  during  the  course  of  the 
treaty — a  treaty  universally  conceded  to  have  been  unparal- 
leled for  honesty  and  fair  dealing  with  the  Indians  on  the 
part  of  the  whites — that  Judge  Henderson,  attracted  by  the 
sterling  qualities  of  the  young  Shelby  and  by  his  manifest 


128  TlIK    XOKTII    CAKOLINA    BOOKLET 

eag'erness  to  eonncet  liinisolf  with  Henderson's  plans  of 
colonization,  secured  the  promise  of  his  services  in  the  future, 
followinii'  the  expiration  of  his  term  of  enlistment,  as  surveyor 
for  the  Transylvania  Company.  The  garrison  of  Fort  Blair 
was  not  disbanded  until  July,  1775  ;  and  immediately  Shelby 
journeyed  to  Kentucky  and  engaged  in  the  business  of  land 
surveyor  for  the  proprietors  of  the  Transylvania  Company, 
who  had  established  a  regular  land  office  as  the  result  of  their 
purchase  of  the  Kentucky  area  from  the  Cherokees.  ITere  he 
renuiined  fV»r  nearly  twelve  months,  surveying  numerous 
tracts  of  land  for  the  Transylvania  proprietors,  and  likewise 
making  a  number  of  entries  of  land  for  himself  in  Judge  Hen- 
derson's land  office.-'*  His  health  finally  became  impaired, 
owing  to  continued  exposure  to  wet  and  cold,  combined  with 
the  frequent  necessity  for  going  without  either  bread  or  salt. 
On  this  account  he  w^as  compelled  to  return  to  the  settlements 
on  Holston, 

In  July,  1776,  during  his  absence  in  Kentucky,  Shelby  was 
appointed  Captain  of  a  minute  company  by  the  Committee  of 
Safety  in  Virginia.  x\s  described  by  Shelby  this  was  "a 
species  of  troops  organized  for  the  first  emergency  of  the  War 
of  the  Revolution,  which,  however,  was  not  called  into  actual 
service  from  the  extreme  frontier  on  which  he  (Shelby) 
lived."  On  December  6th  of  this  year,  the  General  Assembly 
of  Virginia  passed  an  act  dividing  the  county  of  Fincastle  into 
three  distinct  counties,  to-wit :  Montgomery,  Washington,  and 
Kentucky.  In  this  act  the  bounds  of  Washington  County 
were  defined  as  follows : 

"That  all  that  part  of  said  county  of  Fincastle  included  in 
the  lines  beginning  at  the  Cumberland  Mountains  where  the 
line  of  Kentucky  county  intersects  the  North  Carolina  (now 
Tennessee)  line;  thence  to  the  east  along  the  said  Carolina 
line  to  the  top  of  Iron  mountain;  thence  along  the  same  east- 


-•iln  liis  (k'posiUon,  referred  to  above,  Isaac  Shelby  stated  :  "This 
Deponent  has  made  several  Entries  for  lands  in  Mr.  Henderson's 
Office,  but  does  not  conceive  himself  to  be  in  any  manner  interested  in 
the  Event  of  the  dispute,  between  the  Commonwealth  of  Virginia  and 
the  said  Henderson."    Cal.  Va.  Htate  Papers,  I,  29G-7. 


ISAAC   SHELBY  129 

erly  to  the  source  of  the  South  Fork  of  the  Holston  river; 
thence  northwardly  along  the  highest  part  of  the  highlands, 
ridges,  and  mountains  that  divide  the  waters  of  the  Tennessee 
from  those  of  the  Great  Kanawha  to  the  most  easterly  source 
of  Clinch  River;  thence  westvv^ardly  along  the  top  of  the 
mountain  that  divides  the  waters  of  the  Clinch  river  from 
those  of  the  Great  Kanawha  and  Sandy  Creek  to  the  line  of 
Kentucky  county  and  thence  along  the  same  to  the  beginning, 
shall  be  one  other  distinct  county  and  called  and  known  by 
the  name  of  Washington." 

The  eastern  boundary  of  Washington  County  as  thus  de- 
fined was  altered  by  Act  of  the  General  Assembly  at  its  ses- 
sion in  the  month  of  May,  1777,  as  follows  : 

"■Beginning  at  a  ford  on  Holston  river,  next  above  Captain 
John  Campbells,  at  the  Royal  Oak,  and  running  from  thence 
a  due  south  course  to  the  dividing  line  between  the  States  of 
Virginia  and  JSTorth  Carolina ;  and  from  the  ford  aforesaid 
to  the  westerly  end  of  Morris's  Knob,  about  three  miles  above 
Maiden  Spring  on  Clinch,  and  from  thence,  by  a  line  to  be 
drawn  due  north,  until  it  shall  intersect  the  waters  of  the 
Great  Sandy  river."-'^ 

The  officers  of  the  county  commissioned  by  Governor  Pat- 
rick Henr}'  on  the  21st  day  of  December,  1776,  were  as  fol- 
lows: James  Dysart,  sheriff;  Arthur  Campbell,  county  lieu- 
tenant ;  Evan  Shelby,  Colonel ;  William  Campbell,  lieutenant- 
colonel  ;  and  Daniel  Smith,  Major.  Among  the  names  of 
those  on  the  same  day  commissioned  justices  of  the  peace  was 
that  of  Evan  Shelby.  The  first  court  assembled  at  Black's 
Fort  (now  Abingdon)  on  the  last  Tuesday  in  January,  1777. 
On  the  second  day  of  the  court,  being  the  29th  of  January, 
Isaac  Shelby  was  recommended,  with  others,  to  be  added  to 
the  Commission  of  Peace  for  the  county,  and  was  accordingly 
commissioned.  It  may  be  interesting  to  record  that,  when,  on 
February  26,  1777,  the  court  recommended  to  the  Governor 
of  Virginia  the  militia  officers  for  Washington  County,  both 


25Hening's  Statutes,  1776. 


130  THE    XORTir    CAKOLIXA    BOOKLET 

John  Shelby,  Sr.,  and  James  Shelby  were  duly  commissioned 
witli  the  rank  of  Captain.  l)urin<i'  some  portion  of  this  time 
Isaac  Shelby  was  busily  engaged  in  acting  as  commissary  of 
supplies,  a  post  to  which  he  was  appointed  l^y  Governor  Henry, 
for  a  large  body  of  militia  posted  at  several  garrisons  for  the 
purpose  of  giiarding  the  back  settlements.  Of  his  activity  we 
have  evidence  in  the  great  distances  which  he  travelled.  For 
instance,  in  September  of  this  year,  we  find  him  at  Harrods- 
burgh,  in  Kentucky,  swapping  horses  with  the  future  brilliant 
and  meteoric  figure,  the  conqueror  of  the  Northwest.  In 
Clark's  diary  one  finds  the  following  terse  entry : 

"Harrodsburgh,  September  29. — Bought  a  horse,  price 
£1-2  ;  swapped  with  I.  Shelby,  boot  £10." 

I  have  often  wondered  w^ho  got  the  ''boot" — the  phlegmatic 
Welshman  or  the  mercurial  Virginian  ! 

During  this  same  year,  Isaac  Shelby  w^as  likewise  in- 
structed to  lay  in  supplies  for  a  grand  treaty,  to  be  held  at 
the  Long  Island  of  Holston  River,  in  June  and  July,  wdth  the 
tribe  of  Cherokee  Indians. 

''These  supplies  could  not  possibly  be  obtained  nearer  than 
Staunton,  a  distance  of  near  three  hundred  miles,"  says 
Shelby,  writing  in  the  third  person,  "but  by  the  most  inde- 
fatigable perseverance  (one  of  the  most  prominent  traits  in 
his  character)  he  accomplished  it  to  the  satisfaction  of  his 
country." 

It  is  necessary  for  us  to  recall  that  in  1772  Colonel  John 
Donelson,  of  Pittsylvania  County,  acting  as  commissioner  for 
Virginia,  had  established  with  the  Cherokees  the  western 
boundary  line  of  that  colony,  viz :  a  course  running  in  a 
direct  line  from  a  point  six  miles  east  of  the  Holston  River 
toward  the  mouth  of  the  Great  Kanawha  River,  until  the  line 
struck  the  Kentucky  River,  and  thence  along  that  river  to  its 
junction  with  the  Ohio."^ 


-•'-A  price  was  nfjrreed  upon  and  promised,  but  not  then  paid,  for  the 
l;irj,'('  scftion  of  Kciituclvy  iioi-th  and  east  of  the  Kentucky  river  thus 
alienated  to  Vir;j;inia.  Considerable  doubt  still  prevails  as  to  whether 
the  price  promised  by  Donelson  was  ever  paid  over  to  the  Cherokees. 


ISAAC   SHELBY  131 

In  1777  Governor  Henry,  of  Virginia,  notified  Governor 
Caswell,  of  ISTorth  Carolina,  of  a  treaty  to  be  had  with  the 
Cherokees.  The  object  of  Virginia  was  to  alter  the  boundary 
line  as  run  by  Colonel  Donelson,  and  to  have  the  road  to  and 
through  the  Cumberland  Gap,  the  gateway  to  Kentucky,  in- 
cluded in  the  cession.  The  commissioners  chosen  to  represent 
Virginia  were  Col.  William  Preston,  Col.  Evan  Shelby,  and 
Col.  William  Christian,  or  any  two  of  them.  The  commis- 
sioners chosen  to  represent  ISTorth  Carolina  were  Col.  Waight- 
still  Avery,  Col.  William  Sharpe,  Col.  Robert  Lanier,  and 
Colonel  Joseph  Winston.  The  treaty  lasted  from  the  26th  of 
June  until  the  20th  of  July,  when  it  was  concluded  to  the 
satisfaction  of  both  Virginia  and  Xortli  Carolina.  The  line 
established  by  Donelson  in  1772  was  not  materially  altered ; 
but  the  alteration  involved  the  lands  claimed  by  the  Transyl- 
vania Company  under  their  purchase  from  the  Cherokees  in 
March,  1775.  For  reasons  of  policy  and  because  of  lack  of 
instructions  from  their  respective  governments  the  commis- 
sioners refused  to  take  account  of  the  memorial  presented  by 
Judge  Henderson  and  his  associates.  The  treacherous  and 
wily  Indian  Chiefs  characteristically  sought  to  convince  the 
commissioners  that  Judge  Henderson  had  treated  them  hardly 
in  maintaining  the  provisions  of  the  ''Great  Treaty"  of  1775  ; 
but  the  deposition  of  Isaac  Shelby  (already  quoted  from  in 
part)  is  conclusive  on  the  point : 

"That  being  present  at  the  late  Treaty  at  Long  Island,  this 
deponent  remembers  to  have  heard  Occunostoto  or  the  Tassel 
(but  which  he  does  not  recollect)  say  that  ever  since  he  had 
signed  the  paper  to  Mr.  Henderson,  he  was  afraid  to  sign 
one,  and  that  Mr.  Henderson  ever  since  he  had  signed  the 
Paper,  deprived  him  of  the  privilege  of  catching  even  Craw 
fish  on  the  land.  That  this  deponent  was  present  at  the  time 
of  signing  the  said  Deed  at  Wattaugha,  when  everything  was 
conducted  fairly  on  the  part  of  the  said  Henderson,  who  after 
signing,  desired  the  Indians  to  go  and  take  the  goods  which 
he  designed  for  them.""^ 


i^Cal.  Va.  State  Papers,  I. 


132  TIIK    XOETTI    CAROLINA    BOOKLET 

This  was  a  lucniorable  gathering  of  the  leading  pioneer 
tigures  of  the  day.  Revolntion  was  the  bnrning  topic  of  dis- 
enssion.  and  the  spirit  of  independence,  so  long  held  in  leash, 
foniid  nni\ersal  ('X})ression.  In  the  characteristic  phraseology 
of  the  patriotic  Putnam : 

"Here  were  Robertson  and  Sevier,  Boone  and  Bledsoe, 
Shelby,  Henderson,  Hart  and  others — all  men  of  worth,  of 
nci-ve,  of  cnter])rise — 'men  who  feared  God,  but  obeyed  no 
earthly  king.' 

'■They  talked  freely  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  as 
it  had  been  announced  at  Mecklenburg,  in  ISTortb  Carolina,  by 
Patrick  Henry  and  the  Virginians,  and  by  the  Continental 
Congress  just  twelve  months  before.  They  did  not  think  of 
giving  notoriety  out  there  to  the  Fourth  of  July ;  but  they  all 
heartily  concurred  in  the  renunciation  of  allegiance  to  the 
King  of  Great  Britain,  and  in  the  resolution  to  make  'these 
States  free  and  independent.'  "-^ 

In  1778,  as  we  learn  from  Shelby's  account,  he  was  still 
engaged  in  the  commissary  department  to  provide  supplies 
for  the  Continental  Army,  and  also  for  a  formidable  expedi- 
tion by  the  way  of  Pittsburg  against  the  I*forthwestern  In- 
dians. This  was  the  expedition  of  General  Mcintosh  against 
the  Ohio  Indians.  On  Dec.  12,  1778,  the  Virginia  Council 
issued  instructions  to  John  Montgomery  ''to  put  on  Foot  the 
recruiting  of  men  to  reinforce  Colo.  Clarke  at  the  Illinois 
and  to  push  it  on  with  all  possible  expedition."-^ 

George  Rogers  Clark  was  in  desperate  straits  for  men  and 
supplies  in  view  of  the  fact  that  General  Mcintosh's  proposed 
expedition  from  Fort  Pitt  against  Detroit  had  to  be  aban- 
doned. John  ]\rontgomery  was  given  a  very  free  hand  in  re- 
cruiting for  Clark ;  and  the  following  entry  shows  to  what  ex- 
tent Isaac  Shelby  w-as  relied  upon  to  fit  out  with  supplies 
various  expeditions  along  the  frontier : 

As  soon  as  the  state  of  Affairs  in  the  recruiting  business  wiU  per- 
mit you  are  to  go  to  the  Ilinois  Country  and  join  Colo  Clarke.    I  need 


-^Ilixtorii  of  Middle  Tennessee,  617. 
-'•>(' larks  Mss.,  Va.  f^tate  Archives. 


ISAAC   SHELBY  133 

not  tell  you  how  necessary  the  greatest  possible  dispatch  is  to  the 
good  of  the  service  in  which  you  are  engaged  Our  party  at  Ilinois 
may  be  lost  together  with  the  present  favorable  disposition  of  the 
French  &  Indians  there  unless  everj^  moment  is  improved  for  their 
preservation  &  no  future  oppertunity  if  the  present  is  lost  can  ever  be 
expected  so  favorable  to  the  interest  of  the  Commonwealth.  I  there- 
fore urge  it  on  you  to  exert  yourself  to  the  utmost  to  lose  not  a 
moment  to  forward  the  great  work  you  have  in  hand  &  to  conquer 
every  difiiculty  in  your  way  arising  from  inclement  season,  great 
distances,  want  of  many  necessaries,  opposition  from  enemies  & 
others  I  cant  enumerate  but  must  confide  in  your  virtue  to  guard 
against  and  surmount.  Capt  Isaac  Shelby  it  is  desired  may  purchase 
the  boats  but  if  he  cant  do  it  you  must  get  some  other  person 

You  receive  10000  £  Cash  for  Col :  Clarke's  corps  which  you  are  to 
deliver  him  except  200  £  for  Capt  Shelby  to  build  the  boats  &  what 
other  incidental  expeuces  happen  necessarily  on  your  way  which  are 
to  come  out  of  that  Sum.  I  am  &c. 

A.  Blair  C  C30 

In  the  beginning  of  the  year  1779  Isaae  Shelby  was  ap- 
pointed by  Governor  Henry  of  Virginia  to  furnish  supplies 
for  a  strong  campaigTi  against  the  Chiekamauga  Indians. 
Owing  to  the  poverty  of  the  treasury,  not  one  cent  could  be 
advanced  by  the  government  and  the  whole  expense  of  the 
supplies  and  the  transportation  was  sustained  by  his  own  in- 
dividual credit.  In  the  spring  of  that  year  he  was  elected  a 
member  of  the  Virginia  Legislature  from  Washington 
County,  for  at  that  time  it  was  supposed  his  residence  was 
within  the  chartered  limits  of  l^orth  Carolina. 

Following  the  Treaty  of  Long  Island  in  1777,  already 
spoken  of,  it  was  apparent  to  the  Commissioners  from  North 
Carolina  that  the  settlements,  having  projected  so  far  west- 
ward of  the  point  to  which  the  dividing  line  had  been  run,  it 
was  highly  desirable  that  the  line  be  extended.  In  a  letter 
from  Waightstill  Avery  and  William  Sharpe,  to  Governor 
Caswell,  August  7,  1777,  they  express  the  conviction  that 
'*the  extension  of  the  line  between  the  two  States  is  now  be- 
come an  object  worthy  the  immediate  attention  of  govern- 
ment— it  would  be  the  means  of  preventing  many  great  dis- 


sociark  Papers,  SS. 


134  TIIK    XORTH    CAROLINA    BOOKLET 

putes."'"^  In  177S  the  Assenil)l_v  of  Virginia  and,  a  little 
later,  the  Assembly  of  oSTorth  Carolina,  passed  similar  acts 
for  extending  and  marking  the  boundary.  The  acting  Com- 
missioners for  Xorth  Carolina  were  Col.  Richard  Henderson, 
his  cousin.  Col.  John  Williams,  of  Granville  County,  and 
Cajitain  William  Bailey  Smith.  The  Commissioners  repre- 
senting Virginia  were  Dr.  Thomas  Walker,  who  had  made  the 
remarkable  exploration  of  Kentucky  in  1750,  and  Daniel 
Smith,  the  map  maker,  who  was  afterwards  promoted  for 
his  services  along  the  Cumberland.  The  task  of  running  the 
boundary  line  was  regarded  as  a  dangerous  one,  on  account 
of  the  hostile  intentions  of  the  Indians ;  and  each  state  com- 
missioned a  detachment  to  guard  the  Commissioners  while 
they  were  engaged  in  the  arduous  enterprise.  The  Virginia 
Commission  was  provided  with  a  military  escort  of  twenty- 
fi^-e  men,  under  the  command  of  Isaac  Shelby,  commissioned 
a  Major  for  that  purpose  by  Governor  Jefferson. ^^  As  the 
result  of  the  extension  of  the  boundary  line,  the  county  of 
Sullivan  was  erected,  and  Isaac  Shelby,  who  had  recently 
served  in  the  Virginia  Legislature  and  received  a  military 
commission  from  Governor  Jefferson,  was  appointed  Colonel 
Commandant  of  this  new  county  of  Sullivan. 

In  1770  a  court  of  commissioners  with  plenary  powers  was 
created  by  the  commonwealth  of  Virginia  to  adjudicate  with- 
out appeal  upon  the  incipient  land  titles  of  the  country.  Wil- 
liam Fleming,  Edmund  Lyne,  James  Barbour,  and  Stephen 
Trigg,  citizens  of  Virginia  but  not  of  the  county  of  Ken- 
tucky, were  appointed  as  commissioners.  This  court  had 
alternate  sessions  at  St.  Asaph,  Harrodsburg,  Boonesborough, 
the  Kails  of  the  Ohio,  and  Bryan's  Station.  The  court  was 
opened  at  St.  Asaph  on  October  13,  1779 ;  and  at  Harrods- 
burg on  February  26,   1780,  the  court  announced  that  its 


3i.S7«fe  Records  of  Xorth  Carolina,  vol.  II,  pp.  567-S.  Cf.  also  Sum- 
mers .S'.  W.  Virgin'm,  pp.  695-6. 

32Cf.  .Tournal  of  Daniel  Smith,  edited  by  St.  George  L.  Sioussat,  Ten- 
ncHSCc  Ilintoricdl  Magaziuc,  :March,  1915;  Kentucky-Tennessee  Bound- 
ary Lino,  hy  J.  Stoddart  .Johnston,  Register  Kv.  State  Hist'l.  Soc'y. 
Sept.,  1!:M).S. 


ISAAC  SHELBY  135 

powers  had  elapsed  and  accordingly  adjourned  sine  die. 
Thousands  of  claims,  of  various  kinds,  were  granted  by  the 
court  during  its  existence.  It  was  quite  fitting,  and  in  itself 
an  event  worthy  of  commemoration,  that  the  first  claim  pre- 
sented for  adjudication  was  that  of  Isaac  Shelby,  among  the 
first  on  the  ground  as  surveyor  under  Henderson  and  Com- 
pany, and  later  to  become  the  first  governor  of  the  Common- 
wealth of  Kentucky.     The  entry  was  as  follows : 

"Captain  John  Logan  for  and  in  behalf  of  Isaac  Shelby 
this  day  produced  a  claim,  and  making  a  Crop  of  Corn  for 
the  same  in  the  year  1778  Lying  on  a  branch  that  heads  at  the 
Knob  Lick  &  about  a  mile  and  a  half  or  two  Miles  from  the 
said  Lick  a  southeasterly  course,  proof  being  made  satisfac- 
tory to  the  court  they  are  of  Opinion  that  the  said  Shelby  has  a 
right  to  a  settlement  &  Preemption  according  to  law  and  that 
certificates  issue  for  the  same."^^ 

The  amount  of  land  thus  granted  was  fourteen  hundred 
acres ;  prior  to  this  time  it  would  seem,  Isaac  Shelby  had  per- 
fected no  claims  for  western  lands.  It  is  worthy  of  note  that 
in  his  deposition  before  Edmund  Eandolph  and  Jo.  Prentiss, 
on  December  3,  1777,  regarding  the  Transylvania  lands, 
Isaac  Shelby  states  he  had  "made  several  entries  for  lands  in 
Mr.  Henderson's  olfice,  but  does  not  consider  himself  to  be  in 
any  manner  interested  in  the  Event  of  the  dispute,  between 
the  Commonwealth  of  Virginia  and  the  said  Henderson."^'* 
This  place.  Knob  Lick,  in  what  is  now  Lincoln  County,  Ken- 
tucky, was  settled  in  1776  by  Isaac  Shelby  while  a  surveyor 
under  Henderson  and  Company.  In  the  early  spring  of 
1783,  it  may  be  remarked  in  passing,  Shelby  built  his  house 
upon  the  very  spot  where  he  had  camped  in  1776,  on  the  tract 
of  land  he  had  preempted,  and  upon  which  he  planted  a  crop 
of  corn,  which  he  left  to  be  cultivated  by  a  tenant,  when  he 
himself  went  to  Williamsburg,  then  the  Capital  of  Virginia, 
for  his  appointment  by  Governor  Patrick  Henry  as  a  Captain 


33For  this  copy  I  am  indebted  to  Judge  Samuel  M.  Wilson,  of  Lex- 
inijton,  Ky. 

sWal.  Va.  State  Papers,  I,  pp.  296-7. 


loT*  TUK  NORTH  CAROLIN^A  BOOKLET 

of  the  Pr(ivisit)iial  Arinv.'*''  Ppon  this  preemption  in  August, 
ITSCt,  Governor  IShelby  built  the  first  stone  house  over  erected 
in  Kentucky.  This  was  the  famous  residence  known  as 
"Traveler's  Rest.''  It  is  recorded  that  the  late  Col.  Nathaniel 
Hart,  of  Woodford  County,  used  to  say  that  when  it  was  re- 
ported that  Col.  Shelby  had  found  stone  suitable  for  building- 
purposes,  he  received  many  letters  from  various  portions  of 
the  Tnited  States  inquiring  if  it  could  possibly  be  there;  as 
well  as  many  visits  to  verify  the  fact,  some  from  as  great  a 
distance  as  Mason  County.  The  real  scarcity  of  stone  then 
seems  almost  incredible  now — in  view  of  the  unlimited  supply 
visible  on  all  sides ;  but  was  doubtless  due  to  the  luxurious 
growth  of  cane,  and  to  the  heavy  foliage  which  so  thoroughly 
covered  the  ground  when  it  fell.^^ 

During  the  summer  of  1780,  while  he  was  locating  and  se- 
curing his  claims  made  under  the  Transylvania  Company, 
Shelby  with  his  company  spent  some  time  among  the  North- 
western Indians — Piankeshaws,  Pottawattamies,  and  Miamis. 
In  his  Memoir,  George  Rogers  Clark  makes  the  following 
amusing  entry : 

''The  ensuing  summer  (1780),  Captain  I.  Shelby,  with 
his  own  company  only,  lay  for  a  considerable  time  in  the 
heart  of  their  (the  Indians')  country,  and  was  treated  in  the 
most  friendly  manner  by  all  the  natives  that  he  saw,  and  was 
frequently  invited  by  them  to  join  and  plunder  what  was 
called  'the  King's  Pasture  at  Detroit.'  What  they  meant  was 
to  go  and  steal  horses  from  that  settlement."*^' 

What  a  lark  that  would  have  been  for  the  staid  and  phleg- 
matic Shelby ! 

While  still  in  Kentucky,  in  the  summer  of  1780,  Shelby 
received  intelligence  (June  16)  of  the  surrender  of  Charles- 
ton and  the  loss  of  the  army.  lie  made  haste  to  return  home 
(the  first  part  of  July),  as  he  himself  says,  "determined  to 
enter  the  service  of  his  country,  until  her  independence  was 


3ni)ra]M'r's  I<in<ix  Mountdin,  412;  Shelby's  Aiitohiography. 
3(!C«)llin.s'  IliHtorii  of  Kcntuclcy  (1882),  i.  514. 
3"Eiifi;lisli's  VonqufHt  of  the  Northwest,  I,  549. 


ISAAC   SHELBY 


137 


secured ;  for  he  could  not  remain  a  cool  spectator  of  a  con- 
quest in  which  his  dearest  rights  and  interests  were  at  stake." 
The  story  of  the  events  which  immediately  succeeded  this  de- 
termination is  best  told  in  his  own  words : 

"On  his  arrival  in  Sullivan  he  joined  a  requisition  from 
General  Charles  McDowell,  ordering  him  to  furnish  all  the 
aid  in  his  power,  to  assist  in  giving  a  check  to  the  enemy,  who 
had  overrun  the  two  Southern  States  and  were  then  on  the 
border  of  ISTorth  Carolina.  Col.  Shelby  assembled  the  Militia 
of  his  County,  called  upon  them  to  volunteer  their  services 
for  a  short  period  on  that  interesting  occasion,  and  marched 
in  a  very  few  days  with  near  two  hundred  mounted  riflemen 
across  the  Alleghany  Mountain. 

''Shortly  after  his  arrival  at  McDowell's  camp  the  army 
moved  to  near  the  Cherokee  Ford  of  Broad  River,,  from 
whence  Col.  Shelby  and  Lieut.  Col.  Clark  of  Georgia  were 
detached  with  fl.ve  hundred  mounted  men^^  to  attack  a  British 
Fort,  about  twenty  miles  to  the  South,  which  was  garrisoned 
principally  by  Loyalists.  Col.  Shelby  left  McDowell's  camp 
late  in  the  evening  and  arrived  at  the  enemies  Post  just  after 
daylight  the  next  morning^^  which  he  found  to  be  enclosed  by 
a  strong  Abbatus  (abatis),  and  everything  within,  indicating 
resistance.  He  however  made  a  peremptory  demand  of  a  sur- 
render, when  Capt.  Patrick  Moor,  who  commanded  returned 
for  answer  that  he  would  defend  the  Post  to  the  last  extrem- 
ity.^^ Our  lines  were  then  drawn  to  within  a  distance  of 
about  two  hundred  yards  around  the  Garrison,  with  a  determ- 
ination to  storm  it.  He  however  sent  a  messenger  a  second 
time  to  demand  a  surrender  before  he  would  proceed  to  ex- 
tremities. To  this  the  enemy  agreed  to  give  up  the  Post,  on 
their  being  Paroled  not  to  serve  again  during  the  war;  or 
until  they  were  regularly  exchanged.    In  it  were  found  ninety- 


ssshelby's  figures  are  never  conspicuous  for  accuracy.  The  detach- 
ment in  this  instance  consisted  of  some  six  hundred  horsemen. 

39Sunday,  July  30.     Cf.  Allaire's  Diary. 

40The  person  sent  in  to  demand  the  surrender  of  the  post  was 
Captain  William  Cocke,  who  made  the  daring  ride  for  Col.  Richard 
Henderson  in  April,  1775. 


138  THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  BOOKLET 

Two  Loyalists,  with  one  British  siibbolten  (subaltern)  officer 
left  there  to  discipline  them,  also  two  hnndred  and  fifty  stand 
of  arms,  Avell  chariied  with  ball  and  Imekshot  and  well  dis- 
posed of  at  the  diii'erent  port  holes.  This  was  a  strong  post 
built  for  defense  in  the  Cherokee  war  of  '70  and  stood  on  a 
branch  of  a  small  river  called  Pacolet. 

"Shortly  after  this  atfair  and  his  return  to  McDowell's 
camp  Shelby  and  Clark  were  again  detached  with  six  hun- 
dred mounted  men  to  watch  the  movements  of  the  Enemy, 
and  if  possible  to  cut  up  his  foraging  parties.  Ferguson  who 
commanded  the  Enemy  about  two  thousand  five  hundred 
strong,'*^  composed  of  British  and  Tories,  with  a  small  squad- 
ron of  British  Horse,  was  an  officer  of  great  enterprise  and 
although  only  a  Major  in  the  British  line,  was  a  Brigadier 
General  in  the  royal  militia  establishment  made  by  the  enemy 
after  he  had  overrun  South  Carolina,  and  esteemed  the  most 
distinguished  partisan  ofilcer  belonging  to  the  British  army. 
He  made  several  attempts  to  surprise  Col.  Shelby,  but  his  de- 
signs were  always  bafiled.  On  the  firsf*"  of  August  however, 
his  advance,  about  six  or  seven  hundred  strong,  came  up  with 
the  American  Commander  at  a  place  he  had  chosen  to  fight 
him,  called  Cedar  Spring;  when  a  sharp  conflict  ensued 
which  lasted  about  half  an  hour ;  when  Ferguson  came  up 
with  his  whole  force.  The  Americans  then  retreated,  carry- 
ing off  the  field  of  battle  about  twenty  prisoners  and  two 
British  Subalterns."*'^  Their  killed  was  not  ascertained.  The 
Americans  lost  eight  killed  and  upwards  of  thirty  wounded, 
mostly  with  the  sabre  officers.  The  Enemy  made  great  efforts 
for  several  miles  to  regain  the  prisoners,  but  by  forming  fre- 
quently on  advantageous  gTound  apparently  to  give  them 
battle  the  enemy  were  retarded  in  their  pursuit,  so  that  the 
prisoners  were  pushed  out  of  their  reach.    General  McDowell 


4iSlioll).v's  orifriiial  stateuu-nt  in  Haywood's  Tennessee  is  that  the 
enemy  numliered  about  two  thousand  ;  it  may  have  been  as  small  a 
nunilii'i-  as  eiirhteen  hnndred. 

•i-Tlie  date  is  correctly  ^'iven  in  Allaire's  Diaii/  as  Augiist  eighth. 

43in  Todd's  Memoir  of  Shelby  the  number  of  prisoners  taken  is 
increased  from  twenty  to  liftv. 


ISAAC  SHELBY  139 

having  by  some  means  got  information  that  a  party  from  four 
to  six  hundred  Loyalists  were  encamped  near  Mnsgrove's 
Mill,  on  the  South  Side  of  the  Enoree  River,  about  forty 
miles  distant;  he  again  detached  Col.  Shelby,  Williams  and 
Clark  with  about  seven  hundred  horsemen,^'*  to  surprise  and 
disperse  them.  Ferguson  with  his  whole  force  was  encamped 
at  that  time  on  their  most  direct  route.  The  American  com- 
manders took  up  their  line  of  march  from  Smith's  Ford  on 
Broad  river  (where  McDowell's  army  was  then  encamped) 
just  at  sundown  on  the  evening  of  the  ISth*^  August  1780 — 
marched  through  the  woods  till  after  dark,  and  then  took  a 
road  leaving  Ferguson's  camp  about  three  miles  to  the  left. 
They  rode  very  hard  all  night,  the  greatest  part  of  the  way  in 
a  fast  travelling  gait,  and  just  at  the  dawn  of  day,  about  half 
a  mile  from  the  Enemy's  camp,  met  a  strong  patrol  party,  a 
short  skirmish  ensued,  and  several  of  them  were  killed.  At 
that  juncture  a  countryman  living  immediately  at  the  spot, 
came  up  and  informed,  that  the  enemy  had  been  reinforced 
the  evening  before,  with  six  hundred  regular  troops  (the 
Queens  American  regiment  from  New  York)  under  Col. 
Ennes,  destined  to  reinforce  Ferguson's  army ;  and  the  cir- 
cumstances attending  this  information  were  so  minute  and 
particular,  that  no  doubt  was  entertained  of  its  truth  although 
the  man  was  a  Tory.'*^  To  march  on  and  attack  the  enemy 
then  seemed  improper.  To  attempt  an  escape  from  the  enemy 
in  the  rear  appeared  improbable,  broke  down  as  were  the 
Americans  and  their  horses ;  for  it  was  well  known  to  them 
that  the  enemy  could  mount  six  or  seven  hundred  infantry 
with  horses  of  the  Loyalists.     They  instantly  determined  to 


44 It  is  probable  that  the  American  forces  numbered  only  from  two 
hundred  and  fifty  to  three  hundred  and  fifty.  Probably  the  British 
originally  numbered  approximately  six  hundred. 

45The  weight  of  authority  favors  the  seventeenth,  the  battle  occurr- 
ing on  the  eighteenth. 

46it  is  probable  that  this  statement  with  respect  to  the  number  of 
British  was  a  considerable  exaggeration.  Gov.  Abner  Nash,  writing 
Sept.  10.  1780,  gives  Williams'  force  as  two  hundred  and  the  British 
as  four  hundred.  The  name  of  the  commander  of  the  British  re- 
inforcement was  Inne.s,  not  Ennes. 

—3 


140  THE    NOKTir    CAROLINxV    BOOKLET 

form  a  breastwork  of  old  logs  and  brush  near  the  spot,  and 
make  the  best  defense  in  their  power;  for  by  this  time  the 
drums  and  bugle  horns  of  the  enemy  were  distinctly  heard  in 
their  camp  on  the  high  ground  across  the  river,  and  soon  in- 
dicated their  movements.  Captain  Inman  was  sent  with 
twenty-five  men,  to  meet  the  enemy  and  skirmish  with  them, 
so  soon  as  they  crossed  the  Enoree  River  Capt.  Inman  was 
ordered  to  fire  on  them,  and  retreat  according  to  his  own  dis- 
cretion. This  strategem  (which  was  the  suggestion  of  the 
Capt.  himself)  drew  the  enemy  forward  in  disorder,  believing 
they  had  driven  our  w4iole  party;  and  when  they  came  up 
within  seventy  yards  a  most  destructive  fire  commenced  from 
our  Ririemen  who  lay  concealed  behind  their  breastwork  of 
pine  logs  and  brush,  w^iich  was  near  half  a  mile  long.'*"  It 
was  one  wdiole  hour  before  the  enemy  could  force  our  Rifle- 
men from  their  slender  breastwork.  Just  as  they  began  to 
give  way  in  some  parts.  Col.  Ennes  was  badly  wounded ;  and 
all  the  other  British  officers  except  one  being  previously  killed 
or  wounded ;  and  Capt.  Hawsey  a  considerable  leader  among 
the  Loyalists  being  shot  dow^n;  the  whole  of  the  enemy's  line 
began  to  give  way,  the  Americans  pursued  them  close,  and 
beat  them  across  the  river  with  slaughter.*^  In  this  pursuit 
Capt.  Inman  was  killed  bravely  fighting  the  enemy  hand  to 
hand.  In  this  action  Col.  Shelby  commanded  the  right 
wing,  Clark  the  left  and  Williams  the  center.  The  Americans 
returned  to  their  horses  and  mounted  wdth  a  determination  to 
be  in  Ninety-Six  (at  that  time  a  weak  British  Post)  before 
night ;  it  being  less  than  thirty  miles  distant  according  to  in- 
formation then  received.  At  that  moment  an  express  from 
Gen'l  McDowell  (one  Francis  Jones)  came  up  in  great  haste 
with  a  short  letter  in  his  hand  from  Governor  Caswell,  dated 
on  the  battle  ground  near  Camden  apprising  McDowell  of 


■iTThe  Americans  had  been  cautioned  to  reserve  their  fire  "till  they 
could  see  the  buttons  on  the  enemies'  clothes." 

4HWiniam  Smith  of  Watauga,  whose  bullet  had  struck  down  Innes, 
exultantly  exclaimed :  "I've  killed  their  commander."  whereupon 
Shelby  "rallied  his  men  who  raised  a  regular  frontier  Indian  yell  and 
rushed  furiously  upon  the  enemy,  who  were  gradually  forced  back 
before  the  exasperated  riflemen."    Cf.  Draper's  Kings  Mountain,  108. 


ISAAC  SHELBY  141 

the  defeat  of  the  American  grand  army  under  Gen'l  Gates,  on 
the  16th  near  that  place,  advising  him  to  get  out  of  the  way, 
for  that  army  would  no  doubt  endeavor  to  improve  their  vic- 
tory to  the  greatest  advantage  by  cutting  up  all  the  small  corps 
of  the  American  armies  within  their  reach.  It  was  fortunate 
that  Col.  Shelby  had  some  knowledge  of  Governor  Caswell's 
handwriting  and  knew  what  reliance  to  place  upon  it ;  but  how 
to  avoid  the  enemy  in  his  rear,  broke  down  with  fatigue  as  his 
men  and  horses  were,  with  upwards  of  two  hundred  prisoners 
(mostly  British)  taken  in  the  action — was  a  difficult  task. 
The  loss  in  killed  of  the  enemy  was  not  ascertained  owing  to 
the  sudden  manner  in  which  the  Americans  were  obliged  to 
leave  the  battle  ground,  but  must  have  been  very  great,  from 
the  incessant  fire  that  was  poured  upon  them  by  our  Riflemen 
for  considerably  more  than  an  hour.  Our  loss  did  not  exceed 
nine  or  ten,  as  the  enemy  generally  overshot  the  breast- 
work.^^ The  prisoners  were  distributed  amongst  the  com- 
panies, so  as  to  make  about  one  to  every  three  men,  who  car- 
ried them  alternately  on  horseback  directly  towards  the  moun- 
tains. We  continued  our  march  all  that  day,  the  night  follow- 
ing and  the  next  day  until  late  in  the  evening,  without  ever 
stopping  to  refresh. ^^  This  long  and  rapid  retreat  saved  the 
Americans,  for  it  is  a  fact  that,  De  Peyster  second  in  com- 
mand of  Ferg-uson's  army,  pursued  them  with  seven  hundred 
mounted  men  to  the  place  where  they  had  foraged  and  re- 
freshed themselves  in  the  evening  of  the  second  day  after  the 
action;  and  having  arrived  there  half  an  hour  after  our  de- 
parture, at  dusk,  so  broke  down  by  excessive  fatigue  in  hot 
weather,  he  gave  up  the  chase. ^^     Having  seen  the  party  and 


•iSDraper  says :  "four  killed  and  eight  or  nine  wounded."  The 
British  loss,  according  to  the  same  authority,  was  eighty-three  killed, 
about  ninety  wounded,  and  seventy  prisoners — a  total  of  two  hundred 
and  twenty-three  out  of  between  four  hundred  to  five  hundred — an 
unusually  high  percentage  of  loss. 

soThis  is  an  admirable  illustration  of  the  indomitable  persistence 
and  strenuous  energy  of  Shelby. 

siNote  B  at  end  of  Shelby's  Ms.  is  as  follows :  "This  information 
Col.  Shelby  received  from  De  Peyster  himself  after  he  was  captured 
at  Kings  Mountain  in  October  following."  Draper  pronounces  this  an 
error  on  the  authority  of  Fanning,  the  Tory  annalist,  who  asserts  that 
on  the  night  after  the  battle  De  Peyster  accompanied  him  from  Mus- 
grove's  Mill  to  Ninety  Six. 


142  THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  BOOKLET 

the  prisoners  out  of  all  danger  Col.  Shelby  retreated  over  the 
Western  waters  with  his  followers,  and  left  the  prisoners  w^th 
Clark  and  Williams  to  carry  them  on  to  some  place  of  safety 
in  Virginia.  So  great  was  the  panic  after  Gen'l  Gates'  de- 
feat, and  Gen,  Sumpter's  disaster,  that  McDowell's  whole 
army  broke.  Some  retreated  west  of  the  mountains,  and  others 
went  to  the  Xortli,  This  action  which  lasted  one  hour  and  a 
half  and  fought  so  shortly  after  the  defeat  of  our  grand  army, 
is  scarcely  known  in  the  history  of  the  Revolution. '"^^  Fergu- 
son too,  made  a  hard  push  with  his  main  army  to  intercept 
and  retake  the  prisoners  before  they  could  reach  the  moun- 
tains, but  finding  his  efforts  vain,  he  took  post  at  a  place  called 
Gilbert  Town." 

Xews  of  the  disastrous  reverse  to  General  Gates  and  the 
American  army  at  Camden,  on  AugTist  16,  1780,  and  of  the 
defeat  of  General  Sumter  which  followed  shortly  afterwards, 
produced  the  immediate  effect  of  spreading  universal  conster- 
nation and  alarm.  The  various  bodies  of  Whig  Militia  were 
forced  to  scatter  in  all  directions.  From  his  post  at  Gilbert 
Town,  Ferguson  paroled  a  prisoner,  one  Samuel  Philips,  a 
distant  relation  of  Isaac  Shelby's,  and  ''instructed  him  to  in- 
form the  officers  on  the  Western  waters,  that  if  they  did  not 
desist  from  their  opposition  to  the  British  arms,  and  take  pro- 
tection under  his  standard,  he  would  march  his  army  over  the 
mountains,  and  lay  their  army  waste  with  fire  and  sword."^*^ 
Immediately  following  the  affair  at  MusgTove's  Mill,  Shelby, 
with  the  approbation  of  Major  Robertson,  had  proposed  that 
an  army  of  volunteers  be  raised  on  both  sides  of  the  moun- 
tains for  the  purpose  of  resisting  Ferguson's  advance.  At 
the  time  the  concensus  of  opinion  heartily  favored  Shelby's 
prriposal.    As  soon  as  Shelby  received  Ferguson's  threatening 


■""'-Shelby  elsewhere  describes  the  battle  as  "the  hardest  and  best 
foii^rht  action  he  ever  was  in" — attributing  this  valor  and  persistency 
to  "the  great  number  of  officers  who  were  with  him  as  volunteers." 

•'iSGeneral  .Joseph  Graham's  account  in  General  Joseph  Graham  and 
His  Revolutionary  Papers,  by  W.  A.  Graham.  1904.  This  account 
originally  ar)peared  in  the  ^Southern  Literary  Messenger,  September, 
184.5.    Compare,  also,  Draper's  Kings  Mountain,  p.  169. 


ISAAC  SHELBY  143 

and  insulting  message,  he  set  in  train  a  course  of  events 
which  were  the  reverse  of  the  result  aimed  at  by  Ferguson. 
The  letter  instead  of  having  a  deterrent  and  intimidating 
effect  upon  Shelby,  only  fired  to  immediate  execution  the  de- 
termination which  he  had  already  reached  to  arouse  the  fierce 
mountain  men  to  action.  Without  delay,  Shelby  rode  off 
about  forty  miles  to  see  John  Sevier,  the  efiicient  commander 
of  the  militia  of  Washington  County,  at  his  home  near  Jones- 
borough,  Here,  after  his  ride  in  feverish  haste,  he  found  Se- 
vier in  the  midst  of  great  festivities — a  horse  race  was  in 
progress,  and  the  people  in  crowds  were  in  attendance  at  the 
barbecue.  Angered  by  the  insolent  taunt  of  Ferguson,  Shelby 
vehemently  declared  that  this  was  a  time,  not  for  a  frolic,  but 
for  a  fight.  Sevier,  the  daring  and  adventurous,  eagerly 
seconded  Shelby's  proposal  to  arouse  the  mountain  men,  to 
cooperate  with  other  forces  that  might  be  raised,  and  to  make 
an  effort  to  attack,  by  surprise,  and  to  defeat  Ferguson  in  his 
camp ;  if  this  were  not  practicable,  to  unite  with  any  corps  of 
patriots  with  which  they  might  meet  and  wage  war  against 
the  enemies  of  America ;  and  in  the  event  of  failure,  with  the 
consequent  desolation  of  their  homes,  to  take  water,  float  down 
the  Holston,  Tennessee,  Ohio,  and  Mississippi  rivers  and  find 
a  home  with  the  Spaniards  in  Louisiana.^'*  For  two  days 
Shelby  remained  in  consultation  with  Sevier;  the  Sycamore 
Shoals  of  the  Watauga  was  agreed  upon  as  the  rendezvous  for 
their  forces,  and  the  time  of  meeting  the  twenty-fifth  of  Sep- 
tember. A  small  force  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  men,  under 
Colonel  Charles  McDowell  and  Colonel  Andrew  Hampton, 
driven  before  the  enemy,  had  encamped  at  Watauga  on  Sep- 
tember 18th;  and  their  "doleful  tale,"  as  Col.  Arthur  Camp- 
bell expressed  it,  still  further  "tended  to  excite  the  resentment 
of  the  western  militia."  Sevier  undertook  to  bring  this  force 
into  the  movement ;  and  Isaac  Shelby  sent  his  brother  Moses, 
who  held  the  rank  of  Captain,  with  a  message  to  Colonel  Wil- 
liam Campbell,  of  the  neighboring  county  of  Washing-ton, 


54Li/e  of  General  John  Sevier,  by  F.  M.  Turner ;  pp.  108-9.    Draper's 
Kings  Mountain,  p.  170. 


14-i  THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  BOOKLET 

urgently  requesting  his  cooperation.  Campbell  had  other 
plans  on  foot ;  but  upon  the  receipt  of  a  second  and  more 
urgent  message  from  Shelby,  he  acquiesced  in  the  latter's  plan 
for  the  attack  on  Ferguson,  Shelby  likewise  despatched  a 
messenger,  a  Mr.  Adair,  to  the  County  Lieutenant  of  Wash- 
ington County,  Colonel  Arthur  Campbell,  the  cousin  and 
brother-in-law  of  William  Campbell,  requesting  his  coopera- 
tion. Arthur  Campbell  had  just  returned  from  a  conference 
with  Governor  Jefferson,  and  was  in  a  mood  to  act,  as  the 
Governor  had  pressed  upon  him  the  need  for  a  more  vigorous 
resistance  to  the  enemy.  Campbell  sent  word  back  that  *'if 
the  western  counties  of  North  Carolina  could  raise  a  force  to 
join  Col.  McDowell's  men,  that  the  officers  of  Washington 
County  would  cooperate." ^^ 


5nKings  Mountain — A  Fragment,  by  Col.  Arthur  Campbell. 


145 


The  Old  Cemetery,  Charlotte,  N.  C. 

Some  Unusual   Notations  Concerning  this  Ancient 

Burial  Place,  which  Holds  the  Dust  of  Many 

Patriots  of  Fame  in  North  Carolina 


By  Violet  G.  Axexakdek. 


A  complete  record  of  this  ancient  burial  ground  is  not  ex- 
istant  todaj,  but  it  is  known  to  be  one  of  the  oldest  graveyards 
in  North  Carolina,  guarding  in  its  bosom  the  dust  of  many 
patriots,  men  and  women,  with  their  little  children,  once 
prominent  in  the  life  of  the  county  and  the  State. 

It  has  been  called  "the  graveyard  of  the  Presbyterian 
church"  (Hunter's  Sketches  of  Western  North  Carolina, 
pages  50-59)  and  there  is  probably  a  reason  for  this  title,  for 
in  the  early  days  of  this  community,  what  is  today  the  First 
Presbyterian  Church  was  the  only  church  in  Charlotte,  and 
was  built  for  all  denominations ;  but  at  that  date  the  Presby- 
terian denomination  was  the  only  one  in  evidence,  so  after 
some  years  of  so-called  "general  use"  the  Presb}i;erians  paid 
a  small  debt  of  $1,500  and  took  over  the  church  and  beautiful 
oak  grove  occupying  a  city  square.  As  was  the  custom  in  those 
early  days,  a  graveyard  was  laid  oif  adjacent  to  the  church 
and  was  used  as  a  common  burying  ground.  This  one  lies  im- 
mediately in  the  rear  of  the  Presbyterian  church  occupying 
almost  a  city  square  and  as  it  was  laid  off  in  connection  with 
the  church  has  frequently  been  called  "the  graveyard  of  the 
Presbyterian  church." 

The  "Old  Cemetery,"  as  it  is  now  more  generally  called, 
was  the  first  graveyard  in  Charlotte,  the  "Spratt  Burying 
Ground"  antedating  it  some  years,  was  a  private  one  outside 
the  town  limits  in  early  days.  The  "Old  Cemetery"  was  used 
as  the  "town"  cemetery  until  a  few  years  prior  to  the  War 
Between  the  States,  about  1854,  the  date  of  the  first  inter- 
ment in  "Elmwood,"  the  present  large  city  cemetery,  when, 


140  THE    XORTir    CAROLINA    BOOKLET 

on  account  of  its  small  size  and  crowded  condition,  it  was 
closed  for  burials,  and  ''Elmwood"  was  opened. 

Interments  ''bv  special  permit"  to  allow  members  of  fam- 
ilies to  be  buried  bv  tbose  of  tlicir  name,  liave  taken  place  as 
late  as  during  the  '70s.  One  of  the  last  was  that  of  Mrs. 
Sophie  Graham  Witherspoon,  widow  of  Dr.  John  Wither- 
spoon  and  daughter  of  General  Joseph  Graham,  a  beautiful, 
gifted,  and  beloved  woman,  worthy  of  her  splendid  ancestry, 
who  today  has  a  host  of  relatives  in  Charlotte  to  "rise  up 
and  call  her  blessed." 

Xo  complete  list  of  those  who  have  been  buried  here  is 
available,  as  no  record  was  kept,  and  the  tombs  of  many  have 
disappeared  from  age  or  neglect,  but  a  partial  list  has  been 
gleaned  from  the  tombstones  still  standing,  which  contains  the 
names  of  the  following  well-known  and  honored  families : 
Alexander,  Davidson,  Graham,  Witherspoon,  Polk,  Irwin, 
Carson,  Orr,  Harty,  Clayton,  Houston,  Berryhill,  Blair,  Cald- 
well, Dunlap,  Watson,  Lowrie,  Wilson,  Gillespie,  Elms, 
Trotter,  Ray,  Woodruff,  Britton,  McLelland,  Howell,  Sloan, 
]\rorrow,  Cook,  Lemmuel,  Badger,  Sterling,  Jones,  Owens, 
Thomas,  Mcliee,  Tredinick,  Kearney,  Caruth,  Asbury,  Hos- 
kins,  Boyd,  Springs,  Laurey,  Meacham,  Dixon,  McCombs, 
Edwards,  Howie,  Wheeler,  and  Dinkins. 

This  incomplete  list  is  one  of  the  "honor-rolls"  of  Mecklen- 
burg County,  recording  the  fair  names  of  some  of  her  bravest 
sons  and  loveliest  daughters,  who  in  their  brief  day  acted  well 
their  part  and  laid  the  safe  foundation  of  Church  and  State 
which  is  today  the  goodly  heritage  of  Charlotte.  Lack  of 
space  prevents  individual  mention  of  many  whose  names  and 
lives  are  indelibly  linked  with  North  Carolina's  history  nor 
are  we  permitted  to  quote  the  quaint  epitaphs  and  inscrip- 
tions found  on  many  of  the  tombstones. 

Three  men  of  considerable  fame  and  who  stand  large  in 
Xorth  Carolina  history  arc  buried  in  the  "Old  Cemetery" 
and  deserve  a  more  extended  notice:  Governor  Xathaniel 
Alexander,  Colonel  Thomas  Polk,  and  General  George  Gra- 
ham. 


THE  OLD  CEMETERY,  CKAKLOTTE,  X.  C.        147 

Governor  N^athaniel  Alexander  is  the  only  Governor  Meck- 
lenburg County  has  ever  had  and  his  last  resting  place  should 
be  gTiarded  with  affection  and  pride,  for  he  was  honored  and" 
beloved  by  his  contemporaries  as  is  attested  by  the  many 
positions  of  trust  he  filled.  Foote,  in  his  History  of  Western 
North  Carolina,  page  267,  has  the  following: 

"l^athaniel  Alexander,  late  Governor  of  North  Carolina, 
was  a  native  of  Mecklenburg.  He  was  a  physician  by  profes- 
sion and  was  elected  a  member  of  the  House  of  Commons 
from  Mecklenburg  in  1797,  a  member  of  the  Senate  in  1801, 
and  reelected  in  1802.  In  1803-1805  he  was  a  member  of 
Congress,  and  in  1805  elected  Governor  of  the  State.  He 
married  a  daughter  of  Colonel  Thomas  Polk.  He  left  no 
children.  He  was  a  man  of  much  personal  worth  and  re- 
spectable talents.    He  died  and  lies  buried  in  Charlotte." 

Governor  Alexander  was  a  son  of  Colonel  Moses  Alexander, 
a  distinguished  Revolutionary  patriot,  who  also  rendered 
large  services  to  his  country.  Governor  Alexander's  wife 
(Margaret  Polk),  was  also  of  patriotic  blood,  a  woman  of 
many  fine  traits  and  splendid  characteristics,  as  is  evidenced 
by  the  fact  that  she  was  one  of  that  brilliant  company  of  young 
ladies  of  Mecklenburg  County  who  drew  up  and  signed  the 
famous  patriotic  Resolutions  and  sent  them  to  Salisbury  to 
the  Committee  in  session  there  representing  Rowan  and 
Mecklenburg  counties  on  May  8,  1776.  For  a  full  account  of 
this  patriotic  deed  read  Hunter's  Sketches  of  Western-  North 
Carolina,  pages  144-145.  It  would  appear  from  this  action 
of  the  women  of  Mecklenburg  County  in  May,  1776 — still 
some  months  prior  to  July  4,  1776 — that  they  were  fired  with 
the  same  fearless  patriotism  which  prompted  the  men  of 
Mecklenburg  County  to  draw  up  and  sign  the  Mecklenburg 
Declaration  of  Independence  on  the  previous  May  20,  1775  ! ! 

Governor  Alexander  and  his  wife  are  buried  in  the  "Old 
Cemetery"  and  we  find  the  following  inscriptions  on  their 
tombs. 


148  THE  NORTH  CAKOLINA  BOOKLET 

Sacred 

To  the  Memory  of 

Doc'r  Nathaniel  Alexander 

Late  Governor  of  No.  Carolina 

who  departed  this  life  on  the 

7th  day  of  March  1808 
in  the  52nd  year  of  his  age. 

By  his  side  lies  buried  his  wife,  with  this  inscription  on 

her  tomb: 

Sacred 

To  the  Memory  of 

Margaret  Alexander 

Wife  of 

Doctor  Alexander 

and  daughter  of 

Thomas  and  Susannah  Polk 

who  departed  this  life  on  the 

12th  day  of  Sept.  1806 

in  the  42nd  year  of  her  age. 

Turning  now  to  Colonel  Thomas  Polk,  we  again  quote  from 
the  historian,  Foote,  pages  5-10,  who  says :  "Col.  Thomas 
Polk  and  his  wife  Susanna  Spratt  Polk,  lie  buried  in  the 
graveyard  of  the  village  (Charlotte)."  Colonel  Polk  was  one 
of  the  ablest  and  most  patriotic  men  Mecklenburg  County — 
famous  for  her  patriots — has  ever  borne.  He  was  a  member 
of  the  Colonial  Assembly  in  1771  and  again  in  1775.  In 
1775  he  was  Colonel  of  the  Mecklenburg  Militia  and  issued 
orders  to  the  Captains  of  the  several  ''beats,"  or  districts,  to 
send  two  (2)  delegates  each  to  the  Convention  held  in  Char- 
lotte on  its  regular  day  of  meeting,  May  19,  1775.  It  was  on 
this  day,  while  the  Convention  was  in  session,  that  the  news  of 
the  Battle  of  Lexington  (Mass.)  reached  Charlotte,  and  the 
citizens,  already  aggrieved  and  incensed,  became  so  indignant 
that  Resolutions  were  drawn  up  and  signed  on  May  20,  1775, 
declaring  independence  of  Great  Britain.  Colonel  Polk  was 
a  delegate  to  the  Convention  and  was  one  of  the  signers  of  the 
Declaration  of  Independence  and  had  the  honor  by  right  of 
his  official  capacity  as  Colonel  of  the  Militia,  of  reading  the 
famous  document  publicly  from  the  courthouse  steps  to  the 


THE  OLD  CEMETERY,  CHARLOTTE,  N.  C.        149 

assembled  citizens.  Colonel  Polk  was  appointed  Colonel  of 
the  Fourth  Regiment,  Continental  Troops  by  the  Provincial 
Congress  at  Halifax,  E".  C,  April  4,  1776.  After  the  death 
of  General  William  Lee  Davidson  at  Cowan's  Ford,  he  was 
appointed  Brigadier- General  in  his  stead.  Mrs.  Polk  was  a 
daughter  of  Thomas  Spratt,  one  of  the  earliest  settlers  of 
western  North  Carolina,  who  was  the  first  man  to  '^cross  the 
Yadkin  River  on  wheels" — vehicles  in  those  primitive  days 
being  rare ;  he  was  one  of  the  wealthiest  and  most  influential 
citizens  of  Mecklenburg  and  it  was  at  his  home  where  the 
first  court  was  held  prior  to  the  building  of  the  first  court- 
house. Mrs.  Polk's  sister,  Ann  Spratt,  was  the  first  white 
child  born  in  Western  North  Carolina,  and  her  gTave  is  in  the 
old  ''Spratt  burying  ground."  Colonel  and  Mrs.  Polk  had  an 
interesting  family,  many  of  whose  descendents  are  prominent 
in  the  life  of  the  community  today.  Himter's  Sketches  of 
Western  North  Carolina,  page  55,  tells  us  that  ''he  (Colonel 
Polk)  died  in  1793,  full  of  years  and  full  of  honors,  and  his 
mortal  remains  repose  in  the  graveyard  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church,  in  Charlotte." 

Their  son,  William  Polk,  also  a  distinguished  patriot, 
erected  a  memorial  marble  over  the  last  resting  place  of  his 
parents  as  a  tribute  of  filial  love  and  esteem.  On  it  we  read 
this  beautiful  testimony : 

Here  lies  inter'd 

The  Earthly  remains  of 

General  Thomas  Polk 

and  his  wife 

Susanna  Polk 

who  lived  many  years  together 

justly  beloved  and  respected 

for  their  many  virtues 

And  universally  regretted  by  all 

who  had  the  pleasure  of  their 

acquaintance. 

Their  Son 

William  Polk 

As  a  token  of  his  filial  regard 

hath  caused  this  stone  to  be 

Erected  to  their  Memory. 


150  THE    XORTII    CAROLINA    BOOKLET 

Some  vears  ai;o  it  was  the  custom  on  each  20th  of  May  for 
a  "Special  Committee"  of  citizens  to  visit  the  ''Old  Cemetery" 
and  decorate  Colonel  Polk's  iirave  with  flags  and  flowers  in 
loving-  niemorv  of  his  patriotism  as  Siguier  and  Public  Reader 
of  ^lecklenburg's  Declaration.  Today  this  loyal  tribute  has 
fallen  into  disuse,  but  the  writer  hopes  to  sec  it  revived  and 
again  become  an  annual  custom. 

General  George  Graham  is  the  third  distinguished  patriot 
buried  in  the  "Old  Cemetery"  of  whom  we  shall  write.  He 
was  one  of  the  most  conspicuously  brave  and  daring  men 
Xorth  Carolina  has  ever  produced,  a  man  with  a  notable 
record  for  heroism  as  is  strikingly  recounted  in  the  remarkable 
inscription  on  his  tombstone.  He  was  the  son  of  Scotch-Irish 
parents,  James  and  Mary  Graham,  and  was  born  in  Pennsyl- 
vania, December  5,  1752,  moving  to  Xorth  Carolina  with  his 
widowed  mother  when  about  ten  years  of  age.  His  mother 
was  a  woman  of  strong  character  and  fine  patriotism,  aiding 
her  countrymen  in  their  struggle  for  freedom  and  giving  to 
the  cause  two  sons,  General  Joseph  Graham  and  General 
George  Graham.  She  is  buried  in  the  ''Old  Cemetery,"  near 
the  grave  of  her  son,  George.  He  was  one  of  the  students  of 
"Queen's  Museum"  (afterwards  Liberty  Hall)  and  was  in 
Charlotte  and  present  at  the  reading  of  the  Mecklenburg 
Declaration,  on  May  20,  1775,  as  is  attested  by  his  affidavit 
given  when  he  was  61  years  of  age.  In  May,  1775,  when  it 
was  rumored  that  Captain  James  Jack,  bearer  of  the  Meck- 
lenburg Declaration  to  the  Continental  Congress  in  Philadel- 
phia, was  about  to  be  detained  in  Salisbury  by  two  Tory  law^- 
yers,  Dunn  and  Booties,  young  George  Graham,  then  about  23 
years  of  age,  "was  one  of  the  brave  spirits  who  rode  all  night 
to  Salisbury,"  seized  the  offenders  and  brought  them  both  to 
Mecklenburg  for  trial.  George  Graham  took  an  active  part 
in  the  campaign  against  Cornwallis  in  1780,  and  was  one  of 
the  twelve  (12)  brave  men  wdio  dared  attack  a  foraging  party 
of  four  hundred  (400)  British  soldiers  at  Mclntire's  Branch 
on  the  Beattie's  Ford  road,  seven  miles  from  Charlotte,  com- 
pelling them  to  retreat  with  a  considerable  loss  of  dead  and 


THE  OLD  CEMETEEY,  CHARLOTTE,  jST.  C.        151 

wounded.  Scarcely  has  a  braver  or  moie  daring  deed  been 
written  in  the  annals  of  American  historj' ! 

After  the  war  George  Graham  was  elected  Major-General 
of  the  Korth  Carolina  Militia ;  for  many  years  he  was  Clerk 
of  the  Court  of  Mecklenburg  County  and  he  was  a  member  of 
the  House  of  Representatives  during  1793-94:-95,  and  was  a 
member  of  the  State  Senate  during  1703-01-05-06-07-08-09- 
10-11-12.  Again  we  quote  from  Hunter's  Sketches  of  West- 
ern North  Carolina,  page  99  : 

"He  (George  Graham)  lived  more  than  half  a  century  on 
his  farm  two  miles  from  Charlotte.  He  died  on  the  29th  of 
March,  1826,  in  the  68th  year  of  his  age,  and  is  buried  in  the 
graveyard  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  Charlotte." 

A  more  extended  and  interesting  account  of  George  Graham 
may  be  found  in  that  valuable  contribution  to  history,  the  life 
of  his  brother  Joseph,  entitled  General  Joseph  Graham  and 
His  Revolutionari)  Papers,  written  by  General  Joseph  Gra- 
ham's distinguished  grandson,  Hon.  Wm.  A.  Graham. 

The  inscription  on  George  Graham's  tombstone  is  a  gTate- 
ful  recogTiition  by  his  fellow-countrymen  of  his  splendid 
bravery  in  times  of  war  and  of  his  sterling  qualities  in  times 
of  peace,  a  most  unusual  and  striking  tribute ! 

As  we  stand  by  his  grave  we  read : 

Sacred 

to  the 

Memory  of 

Major-General  George  Graham 

who  died 

on  the  29th  of  March.  1S26 

in  the  68th  year  of  liis  age. 


He  lived  more  tlian  half  a  century 

in  the  vicinity  of 

This  place  and  was  a  zealous  and 

active  defender  of  his 

Country's  Rights 

in  the 

Revolutionary  War 

and  one  of  the  Gallant  Twelve  who 


152  THE    NOIJTir    CAKOLIXA    BOOKLET 

dared  to  attack  and  actually 

drove  4(X>  British  troops 

at  Mclutire's 

7  miles  north  of  Charlotte 

on  the  3rd  of  October,  1780. 

George  Graham  filled  many  high 

and  responsible  Public  Trusts 

the  duties  of  wliich  he  discharged 

with  fidelity. 

He  was  the  people's  friend  not  their 

flatterer 

and  uniformly  engaged  the 

Unlimited  Confidence 

and  respect  of  his 

Fellow  Citizens. 

The  site  of  the  encounter  with  the  British  at  Mclntire's  has 
been  marked  by  a  boulder  and  inscription  as  a  memorial  to 
George  Graham  and  the  "Gallant  Twelve." 

In  the  north  and  east  corner  of  the  ''Old  Cemetery"  a 
space  was  set  apart  for  the  burial  of  the  slaves  who  died  in 
the  homes  of  their  masters.  Many  faithful  men  and  women, 
with  their  little  children,  found  sepulture  here,  near  the  last 
resting  place  of  those  they  had  loved  and  faithfully  served, 
and  who  in  return  were  held  in  affection  and  esteem.  No 
tombstones  mark  these  graves  and  most  of  them  have  disap- 
peared from  sight,  so  today  only  a  rolling  greensward  greets 
the  eye  of  the  casual  passerby,  giving  no  intimation  that  be- 
neath its  turf  lie  the  dust  of  many  of  an  alien  race  who  had 
found  home  and  friends  in  Charlotte. 

Strangers  and  visitors  to  Charlotte  often  visit  the  ''Old 
Cemetery"  to  search  for  graves  ^f  relatives,  or  to  copy  inscrip- 
tions, or,  from  a  reverent  love  of  studying  at  first-hand  a 
people's  history,  to  stroll  through  its  shady  walks  under  its 
ancient  oak  trees  and  read  the  quaint  epitaphs.  Unfortun- 
ately this  historic  burial  place  has  not  been  put  in  "Perpetual 
Care,"  and  the  city  gives  only  a  small  appropriation  for  its 
upkeep.  A  fine  hedge  has  been  planted  around  it  and  a 
splendid  rock  wall  built  on  the  front  side.  At  its  entrance 
on  West  Fifth  Street  we  find  a  beautiful  old  wrought-iron 


THE  OLD   CEMETERY,    CHARLOTTE,   N.    C.  153 


gate  of  historic  interest.  The  iron  was  mined  by  John  Gra- 
ham, a  son  of  General  Joseph  Graham,  at  one  of  the  General's 
iron  furnaces,  ''Rehoboth  Furnace,"  in  Lincoln  County,  and 
was  made  ''by  hand"  by  the  slaves  and  is  a  beautiful  specimen 
of  their  work.  The  gate  was  owned  by  various  members  of 
the  family  in  succession  and  has  been  donated  to  the  "Old 
Cemetery."  This  sacred  "God's  Acre"  now  lies  close  to  the 
throbbing  heart  of  the  modern  "Queen  City,"  and  is  one  of 
her  priceless  heritages  from  her  early  patriots,  who  bestowed 
on  her  her  splendid  history  which  is  today  her  greatest 
treasure. 


154  THE    XORTII    CAROLINA    BOOKLET 

The  North  CaroUna  Medical  Society 
of  1799-1804 


By  Marshall  DeLancey  Haywood. 

Author  of  "Governor  William  Tryon  and  His  Administration  in  the 

I'rovince  of  North  Carolina,   1765-1771,"   "Lives   of 

the   Bishops   of  North   Carolina,"    "Ballads 

of  Courageous  Carolinians,"  etc. 


The  present  splendid  organization,  known  as  The  Medical 
Society  of  the  State  of  North  Carolina,  had  its  origin,  as 
many  know,  in  the  year  1849 ;  but  the  fact  is  known  to  very 
few  that  just  half  a  century  earlier  a  society  of  almost  the 
same  name — The  North  Carolina  Medical  Society — 
was  projected  in  the  city  of  Raleigh  by  leaders  of  the  medical 
profession  then  residing  in  the  Old  North  State. 

By  perusing  old  files  of  the  Raleigh  Register,  now  pre- 
served in  the  North  Carolina  State  Library,  we  are  able  to 
catch  glimpses  of  the  earlier  organization  and  its  promoters. 
In  the  issue  of  that  paper  of  November  12,  1799,  it  is  stated 
that  "it  is  contemplated  by  several  Gentlemen  of  the  Faculty, 
in  the  State,  to  form  themselves  into  a  Medical  Society,  and 
that  they  intend  to  convene  for  that  purpose  in  this  city  some 
time  in  the  month  of  December."  The  editor  adds:  "Such 
an  association  of  scientific  men  must  be  highly  useful  to  them- 
selves and  to  the  community."  Commenting  still  further  it 
is  editorially  stated  that  such  a  society  could  be  made  ex- 
tremely useful  "by  the  interchange  of  sentiments  which  it 
would  occasion ;  by  the  discussion  of  medical  subjects,  which 
would  awaken  the  spirit  of  inquiry;  by  directing  the  pur- 
suits of  the  pupil ;  by  giving  sanction  to  the  medical  skill  and 
ability  of  candidates  for  practice;  by  establishing  among  the 
Faculty  a  friendly  intercourse;  by  enabling  the  community 
to  distinguish  the  true  Physician  from  the  ignorant  Pre- 
tender ;  and  by  discountenancing,  and  possibly  suppressing 
the  fatal  and  criminal  practices  of  Quacks  and  Empyrics." 


THE  jSr.  C,  MEDICAL  SOCIETY  155 

The  term  "Faculty,"  above  mentioned,  we  may  add  in 
passing,  is  not  used  in  the  same  sense  as  we  now  generally 
understand  that  word,  but  is  an  obsolete  term  to  denote  a 
learned  profession  or  occupation. 

In  the  Ealeigh  Register  of  December  10,  1799,  Dr.  Calvin 
Jones,  '^Secretary  of  Correspondence,"  published  notice  that 
the  Medical  Society  would  hold  its  meeting  in  Raleigh  on  the 
16th  of  the  same  month.  It  is  briefly  announced  in  the  afore- 
mentioned newspaper  of  December  17th  that  the  "Medical 
Society  met  this  day  [probably  meaning  the  preceding  day] 
when  Dr.  Hand  was  appointed  to  the  chair,  and  the  Society 
proceeded  to  business." 

The  State  Legislature  convened  in  Raleigh  about  this  time, 
and  legally  incorporated  The  ISTorth  Carolina  Medical  So- 
ciety by  Chapter  38  of  the  Private  Laws  of  1799. 

The  list  of  officers  was  announced  as  follows  in  the  Baleigh 
Register  of  December  24th :  Richard  Fenuer,  President ; 
ISTat  Loomis  and  J.  Clairborne,  Vice-Presidents ;  Sterling 
Wheaton,  James  Webb,  John  J.  Pasteur,  and  Jason  Hand, 
Censors ;  Calvin  Jones,  Corresponding  Secretary ;  William  B. 
Hill,  Recording  Secretary ;  and  Cargill  Massenburg,  Treas- 
urer. This  meeting  adjourned,  with  a  resolution  that  the 
next  annual  convention  should  be  held  in  Raleigh  on  Decem- 
ber 1,  1800.  It  met  at  the  appointed  time,  and  elected  as  new 
members  Drs.  John  C.  Osborne,  Thomas  Mitchel,  John  Sib- 
ley,   Armistead,  and French.  A  success- 
ful examination  before  the  Censors  was  passed  by  Charles 
Smith.  Quite  a  number  of  essays  was  read,  and  discussions 
were  participated  in  by  many  of  those  present.  The  State 
was  then  divided  by  the  Society  into  medical  districts,  and 
the  physicians  residing  in  these  districts  were  urged  to  hold 
periodical  meetings.  Dr.  James  Webb,  of  Hillsborough,  read 
a  paper  on  the  causes  and  prevention  of  gout  and  rheumatism. 
Prizes  in  money  were  offered  by  the  Society  for  certain  quan- 
tities of  plants  and  medicinal  articles  produced  in  North 
Carolina,  as  follows:  fox-glove,  opium,  rhubarb,  castor  oil, 
—4 


156  THE    NORTH    CAROLINA    BOOKLET 

and  senna.  Cholera  infantum  was  fixed  upon  as  the  special 
subject  of  study  for  the  succeeding  annual  meeting,  and 
Drs.  Pasteur,  Wheaton,  Loomis,  and  Hand  were  appointed 
essayists  for  the  said  forthcoming  meeting,  to  be  held  in  the 
year  following,  with  liberty  to  choose  the  subjects  of  their 
dissertations.  Before  this  meeting  of  1800  adjourned,  officers 
were  elected  as  follows  :  John  C.  Osborne,  President ;  Thomas 
]\ritchcl  and  Richard  Feuner,  Vice-Presidents;  James  Webb 
and  John  Sibley,  Censors ;  Sterling  Wheaton,  Recording  Sec- 
retary; Calvin  Jones,  Corresponding  Secretary;  and  Cargill 
Massenburg,  Treasurer. 

The  next  annual  meeting  duly  convened  in  the  city  of 
Raleigh  on  Monday,  December  1,  1801,  and  held  a  three-day 
session.  The  newspaper  account  says  that  "a  considerable 
number  of  respectable  Physicians  from  various  parts  of  the 
State  were  present."  The  president,  Dr.  Osborne,  delivered 
the  opening  address  which  was  editorially  described  in  the 
Baleigli  Begister  as  *'a  cursory  narrative  of  the  progress  of 
the  science  of  Medicine,  from  the  earliest  ages."  An  "in- 
genious practical  treatise  on  General  Dropsy"  was  read  by 
Dr.  Wheaton.  A  committee  was  appointed  to  take  steps  to- 
wards establishing  a  botanical  garden,  for  the  cultivation  of 
medicinal  plants,  and  it  was  also  resolved  to  found  a  medical 
library.  The  officers  of  the  preceding  year  were  reelected, 
with  the  exception  of  the  fact  that  Dr.  Clairborne  succeeded 
Dr.  Sibley  as  a  Censor.  The  subject  of  infantile  diseases 
was  designated  as  a  special  study  for  the  next  annual  meeting. 

In  the  newspapers  of  ISTovember,  1802,  a  call  for  the  Society 
to  meet  on  December  1st,  was  issued  by  Dr.  Calvin  Jones, 
Corresponding  Secretary ;  but,  if  the  meeting  took  place,  as  it 
probably  did,  the  present  writer  can  find  no  record  of  its  pro- 
ceedings. 

The  annual  meeting  at  Raleigh,  on  December  3,  1803, 
brought  a  new  accession  of  members  in  the  persons  of  Drs. 
Robert  Williams  (of  Pitt),  John  McFarland,  John  McAden, 
Elias  Hawes,  Hugh  McCullough,  and  Thomas  Henderson. 
jSTo  change  of  officers  was  made  except  the  election  of  Dr. 


THE  N.  C.  MEDICAL  SOCIETY  15T 

Williams  as  a  Censor,  vice  Dr.  Clairborne.  The  details  of  this 
meeting  are  not  given  in  the  newspaper  report. 

The  Society  met  in  Raleigh  on  December  10,  1804,  re- 
elected all  officers  of  the  preceding  year,  with  the  exception  of 
Treasurer — Dr.  Hawes  succeeding  Dr.  Massenburg — and  re- 
solved to  hold  its  next  meeting  in  the  town  of  Chapel  Hill, 
the  seat  of  the  University  of  North  Carolina,  on  the  5th  of 
July,  1805.  Whether  this  meeting  took  place  the  present 
writer  is  unable  to  say,  nor  can  he  find  any  further  record  of 
proceedings  of  this  Society  in  the  old  newspaper  files  or  else- 
where. 

To  illustrate  how  thoroughly  abreast  of  their  time  these 
physicians  in  the  ISTorth  Carolina  Medical  Society  were,  it 
may  be  recalled  that  while  Dr.  Jenner's  experiments,  in  Eng- 
land, on  the  subject  of  vaccination  against  smallpox  were  still 
in  progress  the  ISTorth  Carolina  practitioners  were  making  a 
study  of  his  dissertations  and  applying  the  process  to  their 
patients.  Jenner's  first  published  treatise  on  the  subject  ap- 
peared in  England  in  1798,  and  his  experiments  were  not 
completed  till  several  years  later.  Yet  as  early  as  1800  Dr. 
Calvin  Jones  published  in  the  Raleigh  Register  an  announce- 
ment that  soon  he  hoped  to  begin  the  treatment  in  North 
Carolina.  A  long  treatise  on  this  subject,  from  the  pen  of 
Dr.  Jones  will  be  found  in  the  Raleigh  Register  of  April  14, 
1801,  in  which  he  made  reference  to  an  announcement  on  the 
subject,  by  him,  in  the  preceding  year,  but  stated  that  he  had 
decided  to  postpone  the  treatment  until  further  experiments 
had  been  perfected  in  Europe  and  America.    He  says : 

"The  public  have  been  taught  to  expect,  from  my  advertise- 
ments of  last  year,  that  I  shall,  in  the  ensuing  month,  com- 
mence inoculation  for  the  Smallpox ;  but  I  am  prevented 
from  doing  this  by  the  consideration  of  what  is  due  from  me 
to  those  who  would  have  been  my  patients,  whose  ease  and 
safety  my  own  inclinations  and  the  honor  of  my  profession 
bind  me  to  consult." 

Further  on  in  this  communication  Dr.  Jones  refers  to  emi- 


15S  THE    XOKTII    CAROLINA    BOOKLET 

iient  practitioners  in  England,  Scotland,  Austria,  and  France, 
who  bad  successfully  used  the  treatment,  and  adds : 

"Dr.  ]\Iitcliell,  of  Xew  York,  and  Dr.  Waterhouse,  of  New 
Ilampsliire,  have  both  received  the  matter  of  the  disease  from 
England,  and  propose  inoculating  early  in  the  present  season, 
so  that  we  may  expect  it  will  soon  become  common  in  the 
United  States." 

The  practice  of  vaccination,  we  may  add,  came  into  use  in 
parts  of  Xorth  Carolina  other  than  the  vicinity  of  Raleigh 
about  the  time  the  above  experiments  were  being  made  by  Dr. 
Jones  and  his  associates.  The  historical  researches  of  Miss 
Adelaide  L.  Fries  have  recently  brought  to  light  the  fact  that 
in  the  old  Moravian  community  of  Salem,  North  Carolina, 
eighty  persons  (mostly  children)  were  successfully  treated  in 
the  Summer  of  1802,  by  Dr.  Samuel  Vierling,  the  town  phy- 
sician, for  whose  use  the  parents  in  that  place  ("house-fathers" 
and  "house-mothers")  had  obtained,  by  a  special  messenger 
whom  they  had  sent  to  "a  certain  doctor  in  Raleigh,"  speci- 
mens of  the  cow-pox  virus,  with  instructions  for  its  proper  use. 
When  Dr.  Vierling  undertook  this  work  at  Salem  he  refused 
to  say  what  compensation  he  would  demand,  as  he  did  not 
know  what  trouble  and  expense  the  process  would  entail.  He 
did  state,  however,  that  he  would  do  the  work  as  cheaply  as 
possible ;  and  we  must  credit  him  wath  keeping  this  promise  to 
the  letter,  as  the  record  concludes  wath  the  remark  that  Dr. 
Vierling  '^declined  to  accept  any  pay  for  his  services." 

Returning  to  the  subject  of  the  North  Carolina  Medical 
Society,  little  remains  to  be  added.  xVs  already  noted,  we  can 
find  no  record  of  its  meetings  after  1804.  We  may  state  in 
conclusion,  however,  that  as  the  Society  had  made  a  collec- 
tion of  natural  history  specimens,  etc.,  and  as  Dr.  Calvin 
Jones  w^as  its  secretary ;  and  furthermore,  as  Dr.  Jones  turned 
over  a  '^museiun  of  artificial  and  natural  curiosities"  to  the 
University  of  North  Carolina,  about  twenty  years  later,  on 
the  eve  of  his  removal  to  Tennessee,  this  gift  to  the  University 
was  ill  all  probability  the  last  remaining  possession  of  the  de- 
funct North  Carolina  Medical  Societv. 


159 


Proceedings  of  the  North  CaroUna  Society 
Daughters  of  the  Revolution 

Held  in  Edenton,  October  24-26,  1916 


At  the  annual  meeting  of  the  State  Society  D.  R.,  held  in 
Raleigh  in  1915,  on  motion  of  the  Vice-Regent,  Mrs.  Mar- 
shall Williams,  it  was  voted  to  hold  the  annual  meeting  of 
191 G  in  some  of  our  historic  old  towns  where  the  Society  has 
a  Chapter.  So  when  Mrs.  Patrick  Matthew,  Regent  of  the 
Penelope  Barker  Chapter,  extended  an  invitation  to  the 
Daughters  to  visit  Edenton,  the  invitation  was  accepted  with 
delightful  anticipation  and  without  deliberation,  for  Edenton 
of  all  towns  in  the  State  is  very  near  to  the  hearts  of  the 
Daughters  of  the  Revolution.  It  was  in  studying  the  history 
of  this  Revolutionary  hot-bed  that  they  were  inspired  to 
commemorate  the  Edenton  Tea  Party  of  17T4  with  a  hand- 
some bronze  tablet,  which  was  placed  in  the  rotunda  of  the 
State  Capitol  at  Raleigh  in  October,  1908.  In  order  to  raise 
funds  for  that  purpose  the  ISTorth  Carolina  Booklet  was 
launched  in  May,  1901,  at  the  suggestion  of  Miss  Martha 
Helen  Haywood,  who,  with  Mrs.  Hubert  Haywood,  was  one 
of  the  first  editors ;  and  the  Penelope  Barker  Chapter  was  the 
first  Chapter  organized  by  the  ISTorth  Carolina  Daughters. 

The  Twentieth  Annual  Meeting  of  the  ISTorth  Carolina  So- 
ciety Daughters  of  the  Revolution  was  held  in  the  form  of  a 
pilgrimage  to  the  historic  "Borough  Towne"  of  Edenton, 
variously  called  "ye  Towne  in  Queen  Anne's  Creek,"  "ye 
Towne  in  Mattermacomock  Creek,"  and  "Port  of  Roanoke"  in 
the  oldest  records.  The  Penelope  Barker  Chapter  filled  the 
role  of  hostess  most  charmingly  October  21,  25  and  26. 

The  delegates  arrived  at  noon  Tuesday,  October  24,  and 
were  met  at  the  station  by  members  of  the  Chapter  and  Mr 
Richard  D.  Dixon,  representing  his  uncle.  Dr.  Richard  Dil- 
lard  (who  was  unavoidably  absent)  and  driven  to  their  desti- 
nations. That  afternoon  the  gentlemen  of  the  Historical 
Society  gave  a  sail  in  honor  of  the  visiting  Daughters.     The 


ICO  THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  BOOKLET 

weather  was  ideal  and  the  famous  Bay  of  Edenton,  that  has 
been  so  often  compared  to  the  Bay  of  Naples,  never  looked 
fairer  than  it  did  under  the  mellow  rays  of  the  radiant  autumn 
sun,  while  Mattermacomoek  Creek  was  a  veritable  reproduc- 
tion of  fairyland  with  the  rich  tints  of  the  changing  forests, 
the  waving  Spanish  moss  and  the  vivid  reflections  borne  on 
the  smooth  surface  of  its  limpid  waters.  The  dying  of  a 
perfect  day  and  the  brilliant  afterglow  amid  such  surround- 
ings were  watched  intently  by  the  guests,  all  of  whom,  save 
two,  were  enjoying  the  attractions  of  Edenton  for  the  first 
time. 

On  landing,  the  party  strolled  to  the  home  of  Mr.  Frank 
Wood,  where  they  were  entertained  at  tea  by  Miss  Caroline 
W.  Coke,  Vice-Regent  of  the  Penelope  Barker  Chapter.  In 
the  grounds  of  Mr.  Wood's  home,  facing  the  court  house  green, 
stood  the  residence  of  Mrs.  Elizabeth  King,  where  the  Eden- 
ton Tea  Party  was  held,  October  25,  1774,  the  site  of  which 
has  been  marked  by  Mr.  Frank  Wood  with  a  pedestal  mounted 
with  a  bronze  tea  pot.  China  that  was  owned  by  the  distin- 
guished President  of  the  Tea  Party,  the  stately  Penelope 
Barker,  was  used,  and  delicious  tea  cakes,  made  from  the 
recipe  she  had  so  frequently  found  useful,  were  served.  On 
departing,  each  guest  was  presented  with  a  typewritten  recipe, 
rolled  and  tied  with  bufi^  and  blue  ribbon,  the  Society's  colors. 

The  recipe  is : 

Pexelope  Barker  Tea  Cakes. — 1  quart  flour,  3^  cup  but- 
ter and  lard,  mixed ;  2  large  cups  brown  sugar,  3  eggs,  1 
rounded  teaspoonful  soda.  Beat  eggs  together  well,  adding 
sugar;  next,  soda,  dissolved  in  1  tablespoonful  warm  water 
(not  hot).  Flavor  with  vanilla.  Lastl}' add  quickly  the  flour, 
into  which  butter  and  lard  have  been  well  worked.  Roll  out 
as  soft  as  possible  and  cut.    Bake  in  a  hot  oven. 

The  parlor  was  tastefully  decorated  with  trailing  vines  and 
pink  roses.  Miss  Tillie  Bond,  the  nearest  living  relative  of 
Penelope  Barker,  was  a  guest  of  honor. 

On  Tuesday  evening  the  Daughters  met  in  the  Colonial 


PROCEEDINGS  N.  C.  SO.  D.  E.  161 

court  house,  which  had  been  appropriately  dressed  with  yellow 
flowers  and  banners,  carrying  out  the  colors  of  the  Daughters 
of  the  Revolution,  Dr.  Dillard  presiding.  The  address  of 
welcome,  was  delivered  by  the  Regent  of  the  Penelope  Barker 
Chapter : 

Mme.  Regent,  Daughters  of  the  Revolution,  Ladies  and  Gen- 
tlemen: 

The  first  page  of  American  history  was  written  when 
Columbus  appealed  to  the  Court  of  Spain  for  a  fleet  with 
which  to  set  sail  upon  that  long,  perilous  voyage  which  termi- 
nated in  his  planting  the  Cross  upon  the  Island  of  San  Salva- 
dor, 1492. 

From  that  time  to  the  establishment  of  the  Sir  Walter 
Raleigh  Colony  on  Roanoke  Island  to  the  settlement  of  the 
Chowan  Precinct  was  but  a  short  chain  of  events,  but  perfect 
in  continuity. 

Here,  where  the  giants  of  the  forest  stood  deep-rooted  on 
the  shores  of  this  grand  body  of  water,  which  is  now  known  as 
the  Albemarle  Sound,  flowing  into  the  Atlantic  Ocean,  con- 
necting the  Old  World  with  the  New,  was  "Ye  Little  Towne 
on  Queen  Anne's  Creek."  With  but  a  handful  of  people  it 
set  up  its  own  government  with  its  laws,  court,  customs, 
church,  and  thus  early  laid  the  foundation  for  an  important 
centre  of  trade. 

Surrounded  by  the  Red  Men,  who  soon  became  friends, 
they  reduced  to  cultivation  fertile  fields  which  afforded  the 
barter  for  the  vessels  which  sailed  into  the  harbor. 

Without  recorded  explanation  the  name  was  changed  to 
"Port  of  Roanoke,"  and  here  increased  high  life  of  Church 
and  State,  industries  grew,  wise  patriots  became  known 
abroad,  the  capital  of  the  State  was  here  located,  laws  made, 
and  her  fame  spread  like  the  branches  of  the  grandeur  of  the 
forest  primeval. 

Her  commerce  increased,  ships  multiplied  in  numbers,  and 
the  Old  World  wondered  at  her  great  possession. 

In  1722  Governor  Charles  Eden  died,  and  from  that  date 


162  THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  BOOKLET 

the  iiaino  oi'  the  tcnvn  lias  been  Edenton,  thus  eonvincing  us 
that  it  was  named  in  nieniorv  of  that  distingiiished  statesman. 

After  years  of  servitude  and  discontent,  with  no  represen- 
tation in  parliament,  the  cries  of  resentment  grew  pitiful,  but 
the  determination  of  resistance  came  from  the  women  of 
Edenton  in  that  document,  The  Edenton  Tea  Party,  which 
shook  the  foundation  of  British  rule  in  America,  and  sounded 
the  tirst  alarm  at  the  court  of  St.  James.  Women  have 
always  been  powerful,  but  the  mighty  stroke  of  independence 
was  wielded  by  the  pens  of  the  immortal  fifty-one  wdio  signed 
their  names  to  that  document,  which  w^as  the  key-note  of  the 
War  of  the  Revolution. 

So,  Mme.  Regent  and  Daughters  of  the  Revolution,  we  bid 
you  welcome  to  the  home  of  our  ancestors,  the  land  of  King 
Iloyle,  the  last  sovereign  ruler  of  the  Choanokes,  a  man  whose 
lovely  character  made  the  white  people  live  in  harmony  with 
his  tribe,  and  who  gave  his  two  sons  to  be  taught  to  receive 
Christianity,  for  in  his  savage  breast  there  beat  a  heart  which 
knew  that  a  greater  God  than  their  Great  Spirit  was  Lord 
over  the  w^orld  and  he  wanted  his  sons  to  take  up  their  cross 
and  follow  Him. 

With  your  advent  in  our  midst  you  receive  the  freedom  of 
Edenton,  and  to  one  and  all  w^e  bid  you  come  to  our  houses, 
partake  of  our  bounty,  welcome  you  to  our  firesides,  make  you 
our  friends,  for  be  it  ever  so  lowly  '^There's  no  place  like 
home." 

The  following  response  was  made  by  Miss  Mary  Hilliard 
Hinton,  the  State  Regent : 

Officers  and  DaugJiters  of  the  Revolution: 

It  is  a  pleasure  inexpressible  for  the  North  Carolina  So- 
ciety Daughters  of  the  Revolution  to  assemble  for  the  Twen- 
tieth Annual  Meeting  in  this  historic  ''Borough  Town," 
variously  referred  to  in  the  oldest  records  as  the  "Towne  in 
(^ueen  Anne's  Creek,"  the  "Towne  in  Mattermacomock 
Creek,"  "Port  of  Roanoke,"  and  later  permanently  and  so 
appropriately  named  Edenton,  though  it  must  be  admitted 


PROCEEDINGS  IST.  C.  SO.  D.  R.  163 

the  serpent  is  conspicuous  through  absence.  It  is  a  joyous 
privilege  indeed  to  acknowledge  the  gracious  words  of  this 
very  cordial  welcome,  and  to  you,  Madam  Regent,  and  the 
Penelope  Barker  Chapter,  we  extend  our  warmest  expres- 
sions of  appreciation  and  gratitude. 

Particularly  dear  to  the  hearts  of  the  Daughters  of  the 
Revolution  are  Edenton  and  the  Penelope  Barker  Chapter, 
for  it  was  the  noble  history  of  this  fair  town  which  first  in- 
spired this  Society  to  commemorate  the  ^'Edenton  Tea 
Party"  by  placing  a  handsome  bronze  tablet  in  the  State 
Capitol  at  Raleigh,  the  first  to  adorn  that  stately  edifice,  and 
as  a  way  to  raise  the  means  necessary  the  ]*^orth  Carolina 
Booklet  was  launched.  May  10,  1901.  In  every  important 
event  in  our  past  since  then  Edenton  has  been  prominently 
represented,  and  some  of  the  Booklet's  most  valuable  con- 
tributions have  been  from  the  pen  of  her  versatile  writers, 
even  to  the  youngest  generation.  The  Penelope  Barker  Chap- 
ter has  been  our  heart's  pride,  because  it  was  the  first  Chapter 
organized,  and  its  record  can  only  arouse  interest  and  stimu- 
late ambition  in  historic  research  and  patriotic  achievements. 
It  is  an  honor  to  have  such  a  band  of  members  respond  to  its 
roll  call. 

As  we  gather  here  today,  some  visitors  for  the  first  time  to 
this  Revolutionary  hot-bed  and  centre  of  culture  and  refine- 
ment, naturally  our  thoughts  revert  to  those  stirring  times 
that  shook  a  great  kingdom  and  a  vast  continent  to  their  very 
foundations.  We  feel  the  sacred  presence  of  the  famous 
statesmen  and  the  brave,  fascinating  women  who  moved  in 
that  long  ago,  for  here  they  lived,  labored  and  won  laurels  for 
the  Patriot  Cause  that  can  never  fade.  These  beautiful, 
historic  buildings  of  the  Colonial  period  have  been  rendered 
more  interesting  from  the  fact  that  they  have  resounded  with 
the  echoes  of  their  voices  and  the  fall  of  their  footsteps.  They 
pass  before  us  in  mental  review.  Foremost  in  that  distant 
throng  are  Judge  James  Iredell,  who,  by  his  letters,  has  be- 
queathed to  posterity  such  vivid  delineations  of  the  social  life. 
Colonial  and  Revolutionary,  of  Edenton;  Governor  Samuel 


1G4  THE  NORTH  CAKOLINA  BOOKLET 

Johnston,  the  builder  of  "Hayes,"  and  his  sisters,  Hannah  and 
Isabella ;  Joseph  Hewes ;  James  Wilson,  of  Pennsylvania ; 
Thomas  Barker,  and  his  fair  spouse,  the  immortal  Penelope, 
and  that  beauty  and  belle,  Betsy  Barker,  whose  likeness 
present-day  iconoclasts  wish  to  confound  with  that  of  her 
noted  step-mother,  Imt  whose  separate  portraits  exist  in 
middle  Carolina,  one  of  the  President  of  the  Tea  Party 
l(iancJ  to  the  Hall  of  History  at  Raleigh  and  the  other  in 
the  home  of  a  descendant  at  Ridgeway,  painted,  it  seems,  by 
the  same  artist,  but  showing  not  one  trace  of  resemblance. 
Each  of  the  fifty-one  signers  of  the  Tea  Party  stand  forth  as 
clearly  as  though  the  mist  of  intervening  years  had  vanished. 
Many,  many,  many  others  pass  in  the  distingiiished  assemb- 
lage. We  offer  our  homage  to  their  hallowed  memories  and 
imbibe  inspiration  to  aspire  to  higher  ideals  and  the  perform- 
ance of  deeds  worth  while. 

Of  all  the  towns  of  North  Carolina  none  have  preserved 
that  ideal,  restful  Colonial  atmosphere,  all  too  rare  in  this  age 
of  perpetual  unrest  and  dangerous  commercialism,  as  has  this 
sweet  haven  of  rest,  and  nowhere  else  can  be  brewed  as  delic- 
ious a  cup  of  tea,  which  proves  that  the  fifty-one  ladies  that 
met  at  Mrs.  King's  house  on  the  Court  House  Green  one  hun- 
dred and  forty-two  years  ago  tomorrow,  understood  the  full 
meaning  of  self-denial !  To  Edenton  we  come  to  receive  fresh 
impetus  to  proceed  with  extensive  plans  for  a  future  of  rose- 
tinted  promise. 

Six  and  a  half  years  have  passed  since  you  entrusted  to 
your  Regent  the  highest  office  in  the  gift  of  the  Society.  It 
has  been  a  pleasure  to  serve  the  order  that  is  closest  to  her 
heart,  even  though  in  so  doing  she  has  been  overworked  with 
the  requirements  of  the  office,  in  addition  to  the  demands  of 
the  Booklet,  therefore  she  fully  realizes  her  shortcomings 
and  at  all  times,  in  glancing  over  the  past,  she  trusts  you  will 
do  so  with  kind  indulgence. 

During  that  space  of  time  five  Chapters,  the  Bloomsbury 
at  Raleigh,  the  Roanoke  at  Windsor,  the  General  Francis 
Xash  at  Hillsboro,  the  Mary  Slocumb  at  Faison,  and  the 


PROCEEDINGS  N.  C.  SO.  D.  E.  165 

Thomas  Robeson  at  Red  Springs,  have  been  organized,  and 
two  Junior  Chapters,  the  Virginia  Dare  and  Ensinore,  at 
Elizabeth  City,  have  been  formed.  The  set  of  one  hundred 
and  nine  lantern  slides,  most  of  which  are  colored,  and  the 
lecture,  '^Stories  from  North  Carolina  History,"  have  been 
made  and  presented  in  Raleigh,  Elizabeth  City,  Washington, 
Edenton,  Windsor,  and  Winston-Salem.  Eight  tablets  have 
been  erected  by  the  Chapters.  A  room  has  been  furnished  by 
the  Chapters  in  Elizabeth  City,  called  the  ^'Virginia  Dare 
Room."  The  chart  and  key  of  St.  Paul's  Churchyard  has 
been  presented  this  historic  church,  the  painstaking  work  of 
the  Penelope  Barker  Chapter.  Twenty  gold  medals  have  been 
presented  in  the  public  schools  in  towns  in  North  Carolina. 
Miss  Catherine  Albertson's  book,  "In  Ancient  Albemarle," 
has  been  published  by  the  Society.  Every  annual  meeting  of 
the  General  Society,  save  that  at  Brooklyn  in  1915,  has  been 
attended  by  delegates  from  North  Carolina.  The  Booklet 
has  been  published  and  some  brilliant  social  functions  are 
some  of  the  matters  that  have  engaged  the  hearts  and  hands 
of  the  North  Carolina  Daughters. 

Today  the  North  Carolina  Society  is  as  loyal  to  the  parent 
Society  as  she  was  in  the  pioneer  days — aye,  more  so.  We 
stand  for  the  things  she  advocates  and  we  are  happy  and  con- 
tent in  being  under  her  fold.  Loyalty  is  one  of  the  noblest 
traits  that  has  been  implanted  in  the  nature  of  man.  Would 
we  be  worthy  of  the  great  heroes  whose  deeds  we  commem- 
orate were  we  untrue  to  the  cause  we  have  espoused  '^  Our 
ranks  are  constantly  being  strengthened  by  the  best,  and  we 
rejoice  that  we  can  face  the  future  with  confidence  and  hope 
of  greater  achievement. 

To  our  beloved  founder,  Mrs.  Fannie  DeBerniere  Hooper 
Whitaker,  we  turn  in  loving  remembrance,  and  we  feel  North 
Carolina  has  been  richer  for  the  influence  she  wielded  and 
her  memory  continues  to  exert. 

To  the  officers  and  members  of  the  North  Carolina  Society 
your  Regent  extends  her  sincerest  thanks  for  this  list  of  good 


IGG  THE    XORTII    CAROLIXA    BOOKLET 

works  and  for  the  whole-hearted  support  you  have  bestowed  in 
times  of  hibor  and  toil,  in  times  of  clouds  and  sunshine. 
Each  of  you  has  become  dearer  for  the  associations  which 
shall  be  cherished  always. 

An  address,  giving  the  historical  facts  of  this  building, 
around  whii-h  has  centered  so  much  of  the  past  of  Edenton, 
from  Dr.  Dillard,  was  enjoyed  by  the  audience.  The  interior 
is  modeled  after  the  ancient  basilica,  and  here  the  House  of 
Burgesses  assembled  and  guided  the  affairs  of  the  Colony  of 
Xorth  Carolina.  Mrs.  E,  E.  Moffitt,  Honorary  Regent  of  the 
Xorth  Carolina  Society  D.  R.,  also  talked  on  subjects  of  vital 
importance  for  the  preservation  of  our  State  history. 

October  25th — the  anniversary  of  the  Tea  Party — dawned 
bright  and  clear.  In  celebration  of  that  event  four  tablets 
were  unveiled  by  the  Penelope  Barker  Chapter.  By  10 
o'clock  the  citizens  of  Edenton  had  gathered  in  St.  Paul's 
Church,  the  school  children  had  marched  from  the  Academy, 
bearing  the  banners  of  the  Chapter,  which  on  entering  were 
placed  at  the  church  door,  and  the  Daughters  of  the  Revolu- 
tion had  taken  the  seats  reserved  for  them  along  the  main 
aisle,  to  take  part  in  the  impressive  service  that  was  con- 
ducted in  the  absence  of  the  beloved  Rector,  Reverend  Robert 
Brent  Drane,  D.D.,  by  the  Reverend  B.  F.  Huske,  Rector  of 
Christ  Church,  Xew  Bern,  ]^orth  Carolina.  Here  was  un- 
veiled by  Richard  Xorfleet  Hines,  Jr.,  the  marble  tablet  in 
the  rear  of  the  church  to  the  sigTiers  of  the  "Test,"  who  com- 
posed the  vestry  of  St.  Paul's  at  that  time,  renouncing  alle- 
giance to  the  crown.  The  text  of  the  document  and  the  names 
of  the  sigTiers  are  engraved  on  the  memorial  in  black  letters. 
Mr.  Iluske's  address  was  most  interesting,  and  it  is  regretted 
by  the  Daughters  that  it  was  almost  entirely  extemporaneous. 

Erom  the  church  the  throng  repaired  to  the  home  of  Judge 
James  Iredell,  where  the  marble  tablet  in  the  gTeat  outside 
brick  chimney,  the  gift  through  the  Daughters  of  the  Revolu- 
tion of  the  present  owners  and  occupants,  Mr,  and  Mrs.  Wil- 
liam T.  Gordon,  was  unveiled  by  William  Elliott  and  Ethel 


PKOCEEDINGS  N.  C.  SO.  D.  R.  167 

McMullan.  Colonel  J.  Bryan  Grimes,  President  of  the 
North  Carolina  Society  of  the  Sons  of  the  Revolution,  made 
the  speech  of  presentation.  He  spoke  of  the  man,  his  life  and 
splendid  services  to  the  State  and  the  Union,  of  his  influence 
on  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States  and  the  Constitu- 
tion. It  was  here  that  James  Wilson,  signer  of  the  National 
Declaration  of  Independence  from  Pennsylvania,  visited,  and 
here  he  breathed  his  last.  His  remains  were  interred  in  the 
burying-ground  at  ''Hayes"  and  later — several  years  ago — 
were  removed  to  Philadelphia.  Dr.  Dillard  accepted  in  his 
happiest  manner  for  the  town  of  Edenton : 

Ladies  and  Gentlemen : 

Prehistoric  man  built  cairns  or  heaps  of  stone  to  commem- 
orate important  events ;  the  ancient  Egyptians  emblazoned  in 
hieroglyphics  the  deeds  of  their  illustrious  Pharoahs  upon 
the  faces  of  the  everlasting  pyramids ;  the  history  of  the 
ancient  Aztecs  is  written  amid  the  picturesque  mines  of 
Mitla  and  Cholula,  and  Joshua  set  up  twelve  stones  at  Jordan, 
so  that  when  the  children  should  ask  their  fathers  in  times  to 
come,  "What  mean  ye  by  these  stones  ?  ye  shall  answer  them 
that  the  waters  of  Jordan  were  cut  off  before  the  ark  of  the 
covenant  of  the  Lord."  And  so  on  through  all  the  ages,  man- 
kind has  seen  fit  to  mark  in  brass,  or  bronze,  or  graven  stone, 
whatever  was  valuable  for  posterity— they  are  the  hall-marks 
and  symbols  of  immortality.  We  have  had  presented  us  today 
a  tablet  in  honor  of  Edenton's  most  illustrious  son ;  like  Socra- 
tes he  was  "the  perfection  of  earth's  mental  beauty,  and  the 
personification  of  all  virtue" ;  the  fairest  star  that  glitters  in 
the  firmanent  of  our  history !  And  now,  in  behalf  of  the  citi- 
zens of  Edenton,  and  the  Sons  and  Daughters  of  the  Revolu- 
tion, this  tablet  is  most  graciously  accepted.  Here  let  it  stand, 
a  perpetual  inspiration  to  noble  deeds,  and  virtuous  actions  I 
To  the  souls  of  fire  let  it  give  more  fire,  and  to  those  who  are 
slothful,  let  it  give  a  might  more  than  is  man's !  For  who 
shall  say  that  fame  is  but  an  empty  name ! 


168  THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  BOOKLET 

"In  thinking  of  the  honored  dead 
The  youth  shall  rise  from  slothful  bed 
And  now,  with  uplifted  hand  and  heart, 
Like  him  to  act  a  noble  part." 

At  the  Academy  a  bronze  tablet  to  the  Founders  of  the 
original  AcadeniV;,  on  the  exterior,  near  the  entrance  of  the 
stately,  pillared  new  structure,  is  placed,  which  was  unveiled 
bv  Caroline  Privott,  daughter  of  a  trustee.  Colonel  J.  Bryan 
Grimes  presenting,  and  Mr.  J.  Norfleet  Pruden  accepting  on 
behalf  of  the  Board  of  Trustees.  Colonel  Olds  also  addressed 
the  throng,  speaking  of  the  duty  that  rested  upon  the  children, 
the  future  makers  of  Edenton  and  the  keepers  of  her  splendid 
past. 

To  the  court  house  the  children  marched,  followed  by  the 
audience,  to  witness  the  presentation  by  Colonel  C.  S.  Vann, 
who,  in  speaking,  paid  a  high  tribute  to  womanhood,  and  the 
acceptance  of  Mr.  F.  W.  Hobbs,  Clerk  of  the  Court,  of  the 
bronze  tablet,  unveiled  by  daughters  of  county  officers,  Fran- 
ces Brownley  Evans,  Elsie  Goodwin,  Cornelia  Harrell,  and 
Sadie  Hobbs,  on  the  exterior  of  the  edifice  to  the  fifty-one 
sigTiers  of  the  Edenton  Tea  Party. 

Mr.  Hobbs  said : 

Ladies  and  Gentlemen: 

Although  I  am  no  speechmaker  I  wish  to  assure  you  that 
it  aifords  me  a  peculiar  pleasure  to  accept  the  tablet  commem- 
orative of  one  of  the  most  important  historical  events  recorded 
upon  the  annals,  embracing  the  history  of  our  grand  old  town, 
county,  and  commonwealth. 

The  Daughters  of  the  Revolution  deserve  the  highest  com- 
mendation at  our  hands  for  the  splendid  work  they  have  ac- 
complished in  placing  tablets  here  and  there  in  our  town, 
which  Col.  R.  B.  Creecy  said  was  the  most  historical  of  all 
the  towns  in  the  State.  These  matters  of  history  will  always 
be  recognized  as  most  important,  for  frequently  they  are  the 
source  of  inspiration  to  succeeding  generations,  and  I  believe 
to  have  them  carved  upon  enduring  metal,  or  other  lasting 


] 


PKOCEEDINGS  N.  C.  SO.  D.  K.  169 

material,  and  placed  where  they  can,  on  all  public  occasions, 
be  seen,  will  have  a  tendency  to  elevate  the  ideals  of  our  citi- 
zenship, make  them  more  patriotic,  and  lovers  of  our  grand 
old  State  and  glorious  Nation. 

I  thank  these  ladies  for  their  manifested  interest  in  these 
matters,  and  again  state  with  great  pleasure  I  accept,  on  be- 
half of  the  Board  of  Commissioners  and  the  citizenship  of  the 
County  of  Chowan,  this  splendid  tablet  which  commemorates 
such  glorious  courage  and  patriotism  of  our  women  of  the 
Revolutionary  War.  To  read  these  resolutions  is  enough  to 
make  us  proud  of  our  women  of  this  stirring  period  of  our 
country's  history,  and  to  make  us  glad  that  we  are  to  the  man- 
ner born. 

We  welcome  to  the  county  the  iSTorth  Carolina  Society 
Daughters  of  the  Revolution,  and  have  placed  at  their  dis- 
posal this  court  house,  within  whose  walls  have  presided  and 
pleaded  statesmen  and  men  who  were  giants  in  their  profes- 
sion and  times,  honored  and  esteemed  by  their  fellow  country- 
men. 

The  ''Resolves"  signed  two  hundred  and  forty-two  years 
ago  and  the  names  of  the  patriotic  signers  are  given  thereon. 

On  the  conclusion  of  these  instructive  and  enjoyable  exer- 
cises the  Daughters  of  the  Revolution  were  cordially  invited 
by  Dr.  Dillard  to  visit  "Beverly  Hall."  Here  amid  the  rare 
plants,  flowers  and  ornamentation  of  his  Italian  garden,  and 
in  the  library,  where  each  recorded  her  name  in  the  guest 
book,  time  flew,  and  soon  the  Daughters  were  rushed  off  to 
charming  luncheons  with  Mrs.  William  D.  Pruden  and  Miss 
Sophie  Martin  Wood,  at  historic  "Hayes,"  conceded  by  Vir- 
ginia authorities  to  be  the  most  interesting  home  in  the  South. 

The  afternoon  was  devoted  to  the  transaction  of  business 
in  the  court  house.  Miss  Hinton  presiding.  Reports  from  the 
State  ofiicers  and  Chapter  Regents  were  read  and  plans  dis- 
cussed for  entertaining  the  General  Society  in  Raleigh  in 
April,  1917.  Twenty-five  dollars  for  the  publication  of  the 
minutes  of  this  meeting  in  the  Booklet  were  donated  by  the 


170  THE    XORTII    CAROLINA    BOOKLET 

visiting  delegates,  and  it  \vas  voted  to  have  a  handsome  silk 
banner  made  this  winter,  such  as  the  other  State  Societies 
possess.  This  will  bear  the  State  flag  and  will  be  adorned 
with  the  hornet's  nest,  emblems  of  the  Edenton  Tea  Party,  etc. 
Seventeen  new  members  have  joined  during  the  year  1916, 
and  thirty-two  more  are  filling  out  their  papers.  Two  new 
Chapters,  the  Mary  Slocumb  at  Faison,  of  which  Miss  Geor- 
gia Hicks  is  Regent,  and  the  Colonel  Thomas  Robeson,  at 
Red  Springs,  have  been  organized,  while  another  of  young 
girls  is  being  formed.  A  motion  was  carried  that  the  Society 
request  Colonel  Charles  Earle  Johnson  to  reprint  the  "Life 
and  Letters  of  James  Iredell,"  by  McRee,  now  out  of  print. 
This  cast  such  light  on  the  grave  questions  of  the  Colonial, 
Revolutionary,  and  post-Revolutionary  periods  and  on  the 
delightful  social  life  of  Edenton  of  Judge  Iredell's  day  that 
it  is  needed  in  our  public  and  private  libraries. 

REPORT  OF  THE  RECORDING  SECRETARY— MRS.  L.  E. 
COVINGTON. 

The  jSTorth  Carolina  Society  Daughters  of  the  Revolution 
have,  during  the  year  1915-1916,  done  substantial,  good  work. 
The  Society  has  maintained  its  high  standard  of  patriotic  zeal 
and  worth-while  accomplishments. 

Quite  a  number  of  energetic,  ambitious  members  have  been 
added  and  they  are  already  taking  up  the  work  of  the  Society 
with  vigor  and  zeal.  It  behooves  those  of  us  who  have  been 
members  for  some  years  not  to  lag  behind  these  new  members 
in  zeal ;  and,  in  fact,  we  should  endeavor  to  inspire  and  en- 
courage them  to  the  most  energetic  service.  Social,  domestic, 
and  often  literary  duties  are  pressing  upon  us  and  the  tempta- 
tion is  to  leave  the  hardest  work  to  the  most  willing  ones ;  but, 
remembering  that  we  are  descended  from  the  men  who  took 
upon  themselves  unselfish,  faithful  service  to  their  country, 
we  cannot  bo  faithless  to  the  trust  of  ours,  to  keep  their  mem- 
ory fre.sh  and  green,  to  erect  from  time  to  time  tablets  and 
memorials  so  that  heroes  and  heroic  deeds  may  not  be  forgot- 


PROCEEDINGS  X.  C.  SO.  D.  K.  171 

ten ;  and,  above  all,  to  inspire  in  the  present  generation  a  love 
for  their  country  and  their  country's  heroes. 

Perhaps  the  most  important  work  that  our  l^orth  Carolina 
Society  has  done  and  is  doing  is  the  publication  of  the  North 
Carolina  Booklet,  begun  some  years  ago  by  Miss  Martha 
Haywood  and  Mrs.  Hubert  Haywood  and  now  continued  by 
Miss  Mary  Hinton  and  Mrs.  E.  E.  Moffitt.  The  most  val- 
uable historical  papers  are,  in  the  Booklet,  collected  in 
tangible,  enduring  form ;  well  known  authorities  give  accu- 
rate, carefully  written  articles;  and,  under  Miss  Hinton's 
wise  editorship,  the  North  Carolina  Booklet  has  become  a 
storehouse  of  information,  and,  to  the  Booklet,  scholars, 
teachers,  and  students  are  constautly  referring  for  facts  of 
historical  importance.  The  recent  series  of  articles  on  the 
North  Carolina  Secretaries  of  the  Navy  have  received  more 
attention  and  have  been  most  favorably  reviewed  by  the  press 
in  different  sections  of  the  State. 

During  the  recent  Convention  of  the  General  Society,  held 
last  May  in  New  York,  the  North  Carolina  Society  was  repre- 
sented by  Miss  Hinton,  Regent ;  Mrs.  Paul  Lee,  Correspond- 
ing Secretary;  Mrs.  Marshall  Williams,  Vice-Regent,  and 
Mrs.  C.  C.  Phillips  of  New  York.  The  invitation  was  ex- 
tended by  the  North  Carolina  Society  through  Miss  Hinton 
to  have  the  General  Society  hold  its  meeting  in  Raleigh  in 
1917.  The  invitation  was  accepted  and  Raleigh  will  be 
hostess  some  time  next  year,  either  in  April  or  May,  to  a  dis- 
tinguished gathering  of  women.  There  has  been  appointed  by 
Miss  Hinton  a  Ways  and  Means  Committee  to  arrange  for 
expenses  incident  to  this  meeting,  and  plans  are  being  formu- 
lated as  to  the  program  of  entertainment,  etc. 

Mrs.  Covington  then  quoted  from  The  Patriot,  a  part  of 
Miss  Hinton's  report,  read  at  the  New  York  Convention  in 
April,  1916. 

The  report  from  Mrs.  Chas.  Lee  Smith,  Treasurer,  was 
read,  showing  receipts  amounting  to  $161.33,  and  disburse- 
—5 


172  THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  BOOKLET 

ments  amouutiug  to  $118.59,  leaving  a  balance  on  hand  of 
$45.74.  It  was  moved  and  carried  that  this  report  be  ac- 
cepted. 

!Miss  Ilinton,  Regent,  and  editor  of  the  Booklet,  reported 
for  vohimcs  XIII,  XIV,  XV,  extending  from  July,  1913,  to 
July,  1910.    Moved  and  carried  that  this  report  be  approved. 

The  Eegistrar,  Miss  Sarah  W.  Ashe,  reports  these  new 
members : 

]\Irs.  Fannie  Yarborough  Bickett,  Louisburg,  IST.  C.  (wife 
of  Attorney-General  [now  Governor]  Hon.  Walter  Bickett). 

Mrs.  Mary  Davis  Holt,  Burlington,  N.  c.  (wife  of  Mr. 
Erwin  xVllcn  Holt). 

Miss  Elizabeth  Ireland,  Faison,  'N.  C. 

Mrs.  Mary  Lou  Brown  Hill,  Warsaw,  N.  C.  (wife  of  Mr. 
William  L.Hill). 

Mrs.  Annie  H.  Witherington,  Faison,  IST.  C.  (wife  of  Mr. 
B.  B.  Witherington). 

Mrs.  Xyda  H.  Weatherby,  Faison,  X.  C.  (wife  of  Mr. 
Carleton  E.  Weatherby). 

Miss  Winifred  Faison,  Faison,  X.  C. 

Miss  Georgia  Hicks,  Faison,  X.  C. 

Mrs.  Janie  Hicks  Phillips,  Xew  York  City  (wife  of  Mr. 
C.C.Phillips). 

Miss  Louise  Phillips,  Xew  York  City. 

Mrs.  Lila  H.  Hines,  Faison,  X.  C.  (wife  of  C.  Shaw 
Hines). 

Mrs.  Mary  Franklin  Pass  Fearingtou,  Winston-Salem, 
X.  C.  (wife  of  Dr.  J.  P.  Fearingtou). 

Miss  Faith  Fearing-ton,  Winston-Salem,  X.  C. 

]\rrs.  Elizabeth  R.  F.  Croom,  Wilmington,  X.  C.  (wife  of 
Mr.  Avery  Burr  Croom). 

Miss  Mary  Perrett,  Faison,  X.  C. 

Mrs.  Ruth  Huntington  Moore,  Raleigh,  X.  C. 

Mrs.  Annie  Ramsey,  Raleigh,  X.  C.  (wife  of  Dr.  George 
J.  Ramsey). 

Report  from  Mrs.  Matthew,  Regent  of  the  Penelope  Bar- 


PROCEEDINGS  N.  C.  SO.  D.  K. 


1Y3 


ker  Chapter,  which  report,  she  said,  was  written  on  bronze 
and  marble,  the  four  tablets  unveiled  today  bespeaking  the 
work  of  this  chapter.  A  fine  work  in  necrology  has  also  been 
done.  It  was  moved  and  carried  that  this  report  be  accepted. 
Report  from  Mrs.  I.  M.  Meekins,  Regent  of  the  Sir  Walter 
Raleigh  Chapter: 

REPORT  OF  THE  SIR  WALTER  RALEIGH  CHAPTER, 
DAUGHTERS  OF   THE   REVOLUTION. 

Miss  Catherine  Albertson,  former  Regent  of  the  Sir  Walter 
Raleigh  Chapter  D.  R.,  resigned  her  office  as  Regent  last 
October,  as  her  duties  as  Principal  of  the  High  School  prevent 
her  from  carrying  on  the  work  of  the  Chapter. 

Mrs.  I.  M.  Meekins,  Vice-President,  then  became  Regent. 

The  pupils  of  the  High  School  manifested  unusual  interest 
in  the  competition  for  the  medal  oft'ered  by  the  State  Society 
D.  R.  last  spring.  The  subject  chosen  was  ''The  Life  of 
John  Harvey,"  and  the  medal  was  won  by  Miss  Ida  Owens,  a 
member  of  the  Senior  Class  of  '16. 

Miss  Albertson  presented  the  medal  to  Miss  Owens  on 
Thursday  night,  June  1st,  during  the  graduating  exercises  of 
the  High  School  Senior  Class,  and  took  occasion  to  make  a 
short  address  to  the  audience,  commemorating  the  services  of 
John  Harvey  to  the  State  of  IsTorth  Carolina. 

On  June  11th,  a  meeting  of  the  Sir  Walter  Raleigh,  Ense- 
nore,  and  Virginia  Dare  Chapters  was  held  at  the  residence  of 
Mrs.  I.  M.  Meekins,  for  the  purpose  of  arranging  for  a  D.  R. 
float  to  take  part  in  a  parade  on  July  4th,  in  which  the  various 
civic  and  patriotic  organizations  of  the  town  were  asked  to 
join. 

July  Fourth  a  seven  passenger  automobile  was  decorated 
with  the  D.  R.  colors  and  filled  with  members  of  the  Junior 
D.  R.,  dressed  in  Colonial  costumes. 

The  three  D.  R.  Chapters  still  hope  to  erect  the  memorial 
fountain  to  Virginia  Dare,  and  as  the  Juniors  grow  to  woman- 
hood to  erect  in  our  county  the  memorial  tablets  to  preserve 
her  history. 


174  THE    NORTH    CAEOLIIVA    BOOKLET 

REPORT  FROM  THE  BLOOMSBURY  CHAPTER. 

The  Blooraslniry  Chapter  D.  E.  was  formed  April  9,  1910 
Although  young'  in  age  it  has,  under  the  leadership  of  Mrs. 
Hubert    Haywood,    its    Eegent,    marked    several    historical 
places. 

The  first  one  being  the  site  of  the  old  town  of  Bloomsbury, 
or  Wake  Court  House. 

The  memorial  was  a  bronze  tablet  placed  on  a  natural 
boulder  of  Wake  County  granite,  and  located  at  the  corner  of 
Boylan  Avenue  and  Morgan  Street. 

The  second :  The  Chapter  presented  to  the  City  of  Ealeigh 
a  beautiful  bronze  tablet  to  the  memory  of  Col.  Joel  Lane.  It 
was  placed  on  the  left  hand  side  of  the  entrance  to  the  City 
Municipal  Building, 

In  the  near  future  the  Chapter  expects  to  mark  Tryon's 
Eoad  (Eamsgate  Eoad).  This  road  was  used  by  Tryon  on 
his  march  against  the  Eegiilators  at  Alamance.  It  is  situated 
south  of  Ealeigh. 

jSTearly  seventy  dollars  is  in  the  treasury  for  this  purpose. 
Several  of  the  members  have  contributed  to  this  cause,  and 
forty-six  dollars  and  thirty-five  cents  ($16.35)  were  made 
from  a  moving  picture  benefit. 

The  Chapter  decided  that  it  would  take  the  noted  women 
of  North  Carolina  during  the  Eevolutionary  period  as  the 
topic  for  this  year. 

In  addition  to  the  regular  business  meetings  held  during  the 
year  there  were  two  especially  enjoyable  occasions. 

On  New  Year's  day  the  Chapter  met  with  Mrs.  James  E. 
Shepherd.  After  the  business  of  the  Chapter  was  dispatched 
several  historical  places  and  noted  women  of  the  Colonial 
period  were  discussed.  During  the  afternoon  Mrs.  Shepherd 
served  delightful  refreshments  typical  of  the  New  Year. 

Washington's  birthday  was  celebrated  this  year  at  the  home 
of  Mrs.  Geo.  P.  Pell. 


PROCEEDINGS  N.  C.  SO.  D.  E.  175 

The  decorations  of  the  house,  the  papers  read  and  the  songs 
sung  were  all  suggestive  of  the  occasion. 

Then  followed  delightful  refreshments  which  carried  out 
the  patriotic  idea.  Grace  H.  Bates, 

Secy  Bloomshury  Chapter  D.  R. 

Report  from  the  Gen.  Francis  IS^ash  Chapter,  Miss  Rebecca 
Cameron,  Regent,  was  read  and  approved.  This  Chapter  has 
done  no  active  work  in  the  past  year,  but  has  maintained  or- 
ganized membership.  With  infinite  sorrow  they  report  the 
death  of  one  of  their  beloved  members,  Mrs.  Annie  RufRn 
Collins  (Mrs.  George  P.  Collins). 

Miss  Georgia  Hicks,  Regent  of  the  Mary  Slocumb  Chap- 
ter, read  the  report  from  this  Chapter : 

REPORT  OF  THE  MARY  SLOCUMB  CHAPTER  DAUGHTERS 
OF  THE  REVOLUTION,  OCTOBER  25,  1916. 

The  Mary  Slocumb  Chapter  was  organized  March  20, 
1916,  in  the  home  of  Mrs.  Marshall  Williams,  State  Vice- 
Regent.  Mrs.  Williams  presided  and  read  the  Constitution 
and  By-laws,  and  object  of  the  Society.  Officers  elected  were: 
Regent,  Miss  Georgia  Hicks ;  Vice-Regent,  Mrs.  W.  L.  Hill, 
Warsaw;  Secretary,  Miss  Elizabeth  Newton  Ireland. 

The  name  of  the  Chapter,  "Mary  Slocumb,"  was  selected  by 
a  unanimous  vote.  Fifteen  ladies  now  constitute  the  member- 
ship and  we  will  probably  have  more  before  very  long.  Mrs. 
Williams  and  Miss  Hicks  entertained  the  Chapter  at  the 
June  meeting.  Mrs.  Williams  gave  a  most  interesting  ac- 
count of  her  visit  to  New  York  as  delegate  to  the  National 
D.  R.  Convention.  Miss  Hicks  read  a  sketch  of  Nathaniel 
Macon,  and  Mrs.  Witherington  an  article  on  Colonial  hospi- 
tality. This  winter  we  will  probably  study  Revolutionary 
history,  beginning  with  sketches  of  the  men  and  women  of 
those  times.  As  our  Chapter  is  probably  one  of  the  most  re- 
cently formed  in  the  State  it  may  not  be  amiss  to  give  a  little 
sketch  of  the  heroine  for  whom  it  is  named,  ''Mary  Slocumb." 
Among  the  brave  men  who  took  part  in  the  Battle  of  Moore's 


176  THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  BOOKLET 

Creek  Bridge  was  Capt.  Ezekiel  Slocumb,  of  Wayiie  County, 
whose  home  was  near  tlie  iSTeiise  Eiver,  He  left  his  home  on 
Sunday,  previous  to  the  battle,  in  high  spirits,  with  eighty 
men  to  join  the  forces  under  Col.  Richard  Caswell,  and  to  do 
battle  against  the  Tories,  Mrs.  Slocumb,  the  wife  of  the 
Captain,  said  she  kept  thinking  about  her  husband  all  day, 
when  he  was  going  with  his  men,  and  the  Tories  they  would 
meet,  and  though  she  worked  hard  all  day  the  situation  of 
Captain  Slocumb  and  his  men  could  not  be  banished  from  her 
mind.  That  night  she  had  a  ''dream  that  was  not  all  a 
dream."  She  saw  distinctly  a  body  wrapped  in  her  husband's 
guard  cloak,  bloody  and  dead,  and  others  dead  and  wounded 
on  the  ground.  She  felt  she  must  go  to  her  husband,  and  in  a 
few  minutes  after  awakening  she  saddled  her  horse  and  rode 
at  full  speed  in  the  direction  the  men  had  taken.  All  night, 
with  scarcely  a  break  in  the  pace,  she  rode  through  Duplin 
and  New  Hanover  counties,  through  the  lone  pine  woods. 
About  sunrise  she  passed  groups  of  women  and  children  on 
the  road-side  exhibiting  equal  anxiety  to  hear  from  the  battle, 
but  she  paused  not  until,  after  riding  65  miles,  she  came 
into  swampy  ground  and  heard  the  thunder  of  the  cannon. 
To  use  her  words,  she  said,  'T  stopped  still,  the  battle  was 
fighting  then,  I  could  hear  the  muskets  and  the  shouting,  I 
spoke  to  my  mare  and  dashed  on  in  the  direction  of  the 
firing,"  The  shouts  grew  louder  as  she  drew  nearer,  and  she 
said,  *T  saw,  a  few  yards  away  from  the  road,  under  a  cluster 
of  trees  perhaps  twenty  men  lying — they  were  wounded,  I 
knew  the  spot  as  if  I  had  seen  it  a  thousand  times,  and  the 
position  of  the  men,  I  had  seen  it  all  night.  In  an  instant 
my  whole  soul  was  centered  on  one  spot,  for  there,  wrapped  in 
his  bloody  guard  cloak,  was  my  husband's  body.  How  I 
passed  the  few  yards  from  my  saddle  to  the  place  I  never 
knew.  I  remember  uncovering  his  head  and  seeing  a  face 
clotted  with  Ijlood  from  a  dreadful  wound  across  the  temples. 
I  put  my  hand  on  the  bloody  face,  and  an  unknown  voice 
begged  for  water — it  was  Frank  Cogdell.    Just  then,  I  looked 


PROCEEDINGS  N.  C.  SO.  D.  E.  177 

up  and  mv  husband,  bloody  as  a  butcher,  and  muddy  as  a 
ditcher,  stood  before  me."  Her  husband  was  wounded,  but 
not  seriously.  She  spent  the  day  in  tenderly  nursing  the 
wounded  and  dying,  then  returned  home. 

Captain  Slocumb  survived  the  varying  fortunes  of  the 
Revolution,  and  he  and  his  courageous  and  devoted  wife  lie 
buried  beneath  modest  slabs  on  their  old  plantation  home. 
Some  of  us  have  heard  the  story  of  this  brave  woman  from 
our  earliest  years,  and  to  this  day,  though  we  frequently  pass 
the  old  burying  ground,  we  always  look  for  the  white  tomb- 
stones, and  think  of  the  heroism  of  Mary  Slocumb. 
Respectfully  submitted, 

Georgia  Hicks. 

The  Corresponding  Secretary,  Mrs.  Paul  H.  Lee,  of 
Raleigh,  gave  an  interesting  report  of  the  annual  meeting  of 
the  General  Society,  held  in  ISTew  York  last  April : 

According  to  a  pleasant  custom  the  New  York  State  So- 
ciety was  hostess  to  the  E^ational  Society  Daughters  of  the 
Revolution  for  the  Convention  of  1916,  at  the  Waldorf- 
Astoria,  the  Convention  of  this  year  commemorating  the 
twenty-fifth  anniversary  of  the  Society.  The  Silver  Jubilee 
being  an  occasion  of  great  significance  brought  together  rep- 
resentatives from  all  parts  of  the  country. 

The  formal  opening  of  the  Convention  was  on  Tuesday 
morning.  May  2d,  at  11:30.  A  procession,  led  by  juniors, 
with  past  and  present  officers  and  especially  invited  speakers, 
marched  to  the  rostrum  and  took  their  places.  Rev.  Dr. 
Robert  Clark,  Chaplain  of  the  l^ew  York  Society,  offered  an 
invocation,  then  the  salute  and  pledge  to  the  flag  was  given  by 
the  gathering.  The  regular  program  was  an  address  of  wel- 
come by  Miss  Carville,  Regent  of  the  ISTew  York  State  Society, 
and  was  brim-full  of  hearty  expressions  of  welcome,  and  was 
received  with  much  applause.  Mayor  Mitchell  was  to  have 
spoken  the  words  of  greeting  from  the  city,  but  was  unable 
to  attend  at  the  last  moment,  and  was  represented  by  Hon. 
Cabot  Ward,  Park  Commissioner.     Mr.  Ward  bade  the  dele- 


ITS  THE    XOnXII    CAROLINA    BOOKLET 

gates  a  hoarty  welcome  in  the  name  of  the  Mayor  and  the 
City  of  New  York.  The  President-General's  address  spoke 
for  itself,  ringine;  clear  the  keynote  of  patriotism.  This  was 
followed  i)y  the  annual  reports  of  the  dill'erent  officers. 

The  afternoon  session  was  given  over  to  the  report  of  the 
standing  committees  and  reports  of  the  State  Regents.  Break- 
ing the  regular  routine  of  the  program  for  the  afternoon  the 
Convention  was  entertained  by  Madam  Archtowska,  an  Amer- 
ican, whose  husband,  a  native  of  Poland,  made  an  address  in 
behalf  of  the  suiferers  of  Poland,  and  spoke  of  the  appropri- 
ateness of  an  organization  like  the  Daughters  of  the  Revolu- 
tion, whose  forefathers  had  fought  l)eside  Kosciusko  and 
Pulaski,  repaying  the  debt  of  gratitude  by  material  help  to 
the  country  from  which  these  two  men  came  to  aid  the  Colon- 
ies in  their  time  of  need.  "The  Star  Spangled  Banner"  was 
then  sung  with  enthusiasm. 

The  morning  session  of  the  second  day  of  the  Convention 
opened  with  the  recital  of  the  Lord's  Prayer  in  unison.  The 
minutes  of  the  previous  meeting  were  read  and  approved. 
The  i^ominating  Committee  having  been  chosen  on  the  prev- 
ious day  the  election  of  officers  for  the  next  two  years  was  in 
order.  There  were  two  candidates  for  President-General : 
Mrs.  Keay,  from  Pennsylvania,  and  Mrs.  Eaynor,  of  New 
York.  A  number  of  speeches  were  made  setting  forth  the 
qualifications  of  each  candidate.  When  the  ballots  were 
counted  the  ISTominating  Committee  reported  that  Mrs.  Pay- 
nor  had  received  the  majority  vote  and  was  therefore  de- 
clared the  President-General  for  the  next  two  years.  While 
the  ballots  were  being  counted  reports  were  still  being  read 
from  the  State  Chapters.  Miss  Ilinton,  Regent  of  the  l^orth 
Carolina  Society,  gave  a  very  complete  and  gratifying  report 
of  the  work  done  by  the  State  Society.  It  was  very  pleasing 
that  there  was  a  good  representation  from  the  "Old  North 
State." 

The  opening  feature  of  the  afternoon  session  of  May  3d 
was  a  telegram  from  West  Virginia  announcing  a  gift  of  $2.5 


PROCEEDINGS  JST.  C.  SO.  D.  E.  179 

as  a  silver  jubilee  present.  Two  vocal  solos  were  rendered ; 
then  several  announcements  were  made,  the  most  important 
being  an  invitation  extended  to  the  General  Society  by  Miss 
Ilinton,  reading:  ''The  North  Carolina  Society  cordially  in- 
vites the  General  Society  Daughters  of  the  Revolution  to  hold 
the  annual  meeting  of  1917  in  Ealeigh,  North  Carolina."  On 
motion  of  Miss  Carville,  of  New  York,  seconded  by  Mrs. 
Berry,  of  Long  Island,  the  invitation  was  accepted.  The 
yearly  volume  of  the  Nokth  Carolina  Booklet  was  pre- 
sented most  graciously  by  the  Vice-Regent,  Mrs.  Marshall 
Williams.  The  gift  was  acknowledged  by  the  President- 
General. 

A  very  pleasant  departure  from  business  was  a  visit  from 
Mrs.  Theodore  Roosevelt,  Jr.,  a  member  of  the  Woman's  Sec- 
tion Committee  of  the  Preparedness  Parade,  who  came  to 
extend  an  invitation  to  the  Daughters  to  take  part  in  the  Pre- 
paredness Divisions  of  the  patriotic  Societies. 

Now  we  will  turn  to  the  numerous  entertainments  planned 
for  the  pleasure  of  the  delegates.  There  was  a  reminder  of 
New  Amsterdam  in  the  selection  of  the  Holland  House  for 
the  reception  of  welcome  given  by  the  New  York  State  Society 
to  officers,  delegates,  and  visitors,  from  four  to  six  o'clock  on 
Monday  afternoon.  May  1st.  A  continuous  procession  passed 
down  the  line,  headed  by  Miss  Carville,  Regent  of  New  York, 
and  the  general  officers.  The  Hospitality  Committee  looked 
after  the  serving  of  refreshments  and  making  every  one  feel 
welcome.  When  the  last  strains  of  the  orchestra  died  away 
one  could  feel  ''The  End  of  a  Perfect  Day." 

On  the  following  afternoon  the  Board  of  Managers  of  the 
General  Society  gave  a  tea  in  the  East  Room  of  the  Waldorf 
in  honor  of  those  on  roll  of  the  first  two  hundred  and  fifty 
members  of  the  Society.  An  invitation  was  extended  to  all 
delegates  and  visitors  to  pay  their  respects  to  these  pioneer 
members.  Conspicuous  among  the  pioneer  members  present 
was  Mrs.  Joseph  J.  Casey,  one  of  the  incorporators  and  for 
nineteen  years  Registrar-General. 


ISO  THE  XORTH  CAROLINA  BOOKLET 

The  principal  social  function  this  year  was  a  luncheon, 
which  was  a  reversion  from  the  reo:ular  custom  of  a  banquet. 
The  business  being  over,  everv  one  was  ready  for  the  function, 
which  meant  a  good  time.  The  luncheon  was  served  in  the 
Astor  gallery,  the  hall  being  resplendent  with  decorations  of 
flags  and  flowers,  amid  its  gorgeous  hangings  of  gold.  The 
menu,  lists  of  guests  of  honor,  and  program  of  toasts  were 
enclosed  in  a  cover  of  buif,  adorned  with  a  water-color  repro- 
duction of  an  old  print  of  the  inauguration  of  George  Wash- 
ington, at  Federal  Hall,  Wall  Street,  April  30,  1789.  The 
giiests  were  entertained  by  an  address  on  Preparedness,  from 
Major-General  Leonard  Wood,  of  TJ.  S.  A.  Mrs.  Chas.  S. 
Whitman,  the  wiie  of  the  Governor  of  New  York,  was  also  a 
guest  of  honor. 

After  a  group  of  German  songs,  Mrs.  Kent,  the  toastmis- 
tress,  introduced  the  speakers,  who  were  seated  on  a  dias 
banked  with  flowers.  Each  toast  given  was  a  retrospect  of  the 
twenty-five  full  years  of  the  Society.  When  Mrs.  Bleakley, 
the  retiring  President-General,  rose  to  give  her  parting  word 
she  was  visibly  affected.  She  spoke  briefly  of  the  activities  of 
the  past  four  years,  and  urged  all  to  work  for  the  Society 
under  the  new  leadership. 

The  three  toasts  that  followed  the  President-General's  were 
given  by  ex-Presidents-General,  the  toasts  being  as  follows : 
''The  Woman  of  the  Past,"  by  Mrs.  D.  Phoenix  Ingraham ; 
"The  Woman  of  the  Present,"  by  Mrs.  Adeline  F.  Fitz,  and 
"The  Woman  of  the  Future,"  by  Miss  Adaline  W.  Sterling, 
The  final  toast  was  given  by  Mrs.  Nathaniel  S.  Keay,  Vice- 
President-General. 

At  the  close  of  the  feast  gifts  were  bestowed  on  each  past 
and  present  President-General,  in  the  order  of  her  service, 
a  beautiful  pin  of  platinum  and  gold  in  the  form  of  a  friend- 
shijj  \vi-eath,  to  which  was  attached  the  Society  Pibbon,  bear- 
ing in  silver  letters,  "1891-1916,"  as  an  expression  of  love 
from  the  State  Societies.  This  testimonial  came  as  a  com- 
plete surprise,  all  recipients  were  present  and  much  appro- 


PROCEEDINGS  N.  C.  SO.  D.  E.  181 

ciation  was  shown  by  the  past  officers  as  evidence  of  the  strong 
tie  that  binds  the  Daughters  together. 

At  the  coffee  stage  of  the  luncheon  two  ushers  passed  from 
table  to  table,  placing  beside  each  guest  a  box  tied  with  buff 
and  blue  ribbon,  containing  a  souvenir  in  the  form  of  a 
dainty  silver  teaspoon  of  Revolutionary  pattern,  inscribed 
"D.  R.,  1891-1916." 

Friday,  May  5th,  was  set  to  show  the  visitors  New  York's 
wonderful  park-way  system.  The  weather  did  not  smile  upon 
us;  instead  showers  and  clouds  fell,  but  a  few  glimpses  of 
sunshine  insured  the  excursion.  Automobiles  were  found  at 
the  34th  street  entrance  of  the  Waldorf,  and  when  the  tourists 
had  been  placed  the  start  began.  The  route  led  through  Fifth 
Avenue,  thence  by  Pelham  to  Travers  Island,  where  the  party 
was  scheduled  to  lunch  at  the  New  York  Athletic  Club.  The 
luncheon  was  served  on  the  enclosed  balcony  of  the  Club,  and 
was  quite  refreshing.  After  luncheon  the  Daughters  re- 
turned to  their  respective  vehicles  and  started  for  Yonkers, 
through  parks  along  historic  roads.  Automobiles  sped  until 
we  reached  the  doorway  of  the  hospitable  home  of  Mrs. 
Bleakley,  who  gave  the  delegates  a  cordial  welcome;  the  re- 
freshments were  as  bountiful  as  the  greeting  was  hearty. 
Reluctantly  the  visitors  turned  toward  New  York,  carrying 
with  them  the  memory  of  a  charming  day. 

On  Saturday  morning.  May  Gth,  a  pilgrimage  was  made 
around  historic  low^er  New  York,  winding  up  at  Frances  Tav- 
ern for  refreshments  and  rest. 

A  glorious  May  afternoon  formed  the  beautiful  setting  for 
the  last  event  of  the  Convention,  when  a  large  company  as- 
sembled to  attend  the  opening  of  Fort  Independence  Park, 
and  to  witness  the  unveiling  of  two  bronze  memorial  tablets, 
the  gift  of  the  General  Society  Daughters  of  the  Revolution. 
These  tablets  adorn  the  gate-posts  that  stand  at  the  entrance 
of  Fort  Independence  Park,  which  includes  the  exterior  de- 
fences of  the  Revolutionary  Fort.  The  erection  of  this  splen- 
did memorial  is  due  to  the  untiring  efforts  of  Mrs.  Raynor,  the 


182  TTIE    NORTH    CAROLINA    BOOKLET 

newlv-ekvtcd  rresident-General.  The  retiring  President- 
General  made  a  stirring  address,  taking  as  her  theme  the 
dedit-aticni  of  the  Park  as  an  inspiration  to  the  youth  of  our 
nation.  When  the  last  strains  of  "The  Star  Spangled  Ban- 
ner" had  died  away,  the  last  chapter  of  the  Convention  of 
10 1()  had  passed  into  history. 

^liss  Georgia  Hicks,  of  Faison,  was  elected  Historian. 
There  will  be  no  change  in  the  officers  until  the  next  annual 
meeting,  which  will  be  held  in  Raleigh,  after  the  meeting  of 
the  General  Society,  the  invitation  extended  by  the  Blooms- 
bury  Chapter  being  accepted.  In  the  absence  of  Mrs.  L.  E. 
Covington,  Mrs.  Charles  P.  Wales  (Duncan  Cameron  Win- 
ston), formerly  a  Vice-Eegent  of  the  Society,  acted  as  Re- 
cording Secretary. 

The  evening  of  the  25th  a  tea  party  w^as  given  by  the  Re- 
gent of  the  Penelope  Barker  Chapter  at  her  lovely  Colonial 
home  that  dates  back  to  1722,  which  was  the  scene  of  beauty, 
wit,  and  chivalry.  Flowers — golden  blossoms  predominat- 
ing— were  banked  here  and  there.  The  hostess,  assisted  by 
the  Vice-Regent  of  the  Chapter,  Miss  Caroline  W.  Coke,  re- 
ceived the  gTiests  in  the  front  drawing-room  with  charming 
grace.  She  wore  a  handsome  creation  of  white  chiffon,  with 
train  of  black  velvet,  and  trimmed  with  rare  lace,  an  heirloom 
handed  down  in  Mr.  Matthew's  family  in  Scotland  for  genera- 
tions, that  had  been  the  bridal  veil  of  a  relative  in  the  long- 
ago — the  Countess  of  Campbelldown.  A  feature  of  the  even- 
ing was  the  tea  party  tableau — a  table  and  several  chairs  of 
the  Revolutionary  period  were  arranged  in  the  centre  of  the 
front  drawing-room,  around  which  sat  and  stood  the  members 
of  the  Penelope  Barker  Chapter,  each  in  turn  signing  another 
document  expressing  the  friendship  and  good-will  of  this 
province  by  the  descendents  of  the  Tea  Party  signers  of  the 
distant  past.  Mrs.  Selby  Harney,  a  descendant  of  Winifred 
Hoskins,  acted  as  Secretary  of  the  Tea  Party  of  1916. 

Telegrams  of  greeting,  congratulations,  and  good  wishes 
from  Mrs.   Cordelia  Armstrong  Raynor,   President-General 


PROCEEDINGS  N.  C.  SO.  D.  E.  183 

Daughters  of  the  Revolution;  Mrs.  Alfred  Moore  Waddell, 
President  North  Carolina  Society  of  Colonial  Dames ;  the 
North  Carolina  Society  Sons  of  the  Revolution,  and  Colonel 
and  Mrs.  Charles  Earle  Johnson,  were  read  by  Miss  Hinton, 

as  follows : 

New  York,  October  24,  1916. 
Miss  Mary  Hilliard  Hinton: 

The  President-General  sends  greetings  to  tlie  Nortti  Carolina 
Society,  its  Regent  and  members.  Would  like  to  be  with  the  Pene- 
lope Barker  Chapter.  The  report  from  North  Carolina  was  inspiring 
last  Monday.  We  are  working  for  a  great  ideal :  Liberty,  Home,  and 
Country.  Cordelia  A.  Raynor. 

Miss  M.  H.  Hinton,  Regent  of  the  North  Carolina  Society  Daughters 
of  the  Revolution: 

Wilmington,  N.  C,  October  24,  1916. 
The  North  Carolina  Society  Colonial  Dames  of  America  send  greet- 
ing.    May  continued  success  attend  your  efforts  to  keep  in  remem- 
brance the  glorious  deeds  of  the  past.  G.  Waddell, 

President  N.  C.  S.  C.  D.  A. 

Raleigh,  N.  C,  October  24,  1916. 
Miss  Mary  Hilliard  Hinton,  State  Regent  of  the  Daughters  of  the  Rev- 
olution: 
The  Society  of  Sous  of  the  Revolution  extends  congratulations  to 
the  Daughters  of  the  Revolution  on  this  occasion  of  their  annual 
meeting  in  the  historic  borough  of  Edenton,  and  wishes  your  organi- 
zation all  the  success  which  the  patriotic  labors  of  its  members  so 
richly  deserve.  Marshall  DeLancy  Haywood, 

Sec'y.  of  the  Sons  of  the  Revolution. 

Raleigh,  N.  C,  October  24,  1916. 
Miss  Hary  Hilliard  Hinton,  State  Regent  D.  R.: 

Mrs.  Johnson  and  I  wish  to  express  to  you,  and  thi-ough  you  to  the 
Daughters  of  the  Revolution,  our  appreciation  of  the  noble  work  being 
done  by  your  patriotic  Society,  and  to  voice  our  regret  that  we  cannot 
be  present  with  you  today  in  person,  as  we  are  in  spirit  and  in 
thought.  Chas.  E.  Johnson. 

The  State  Vice-Regent,  Mrs.  Marshall  Williams,  oifered  a 
resolution  of  thanks  most  gracefully  expressed  for  the  many 
courtesies  extended  by  the  local  Chapter  Daughters  of  the 
Revolution  and  citizens  of  Edenton : 


1S4  THE    NOnTII    CAROLIXA    BOOKLET 

"Scarcely  had  we  arrived  in  historical  Edenton  before  we 
realized  that  coupled  with  patriotism  was  unbounded  hospi- 
tality. 

To  the  iicntlenicn  of  the  Historical  Society  for  the  inter- 
estint;;  and  delightful  boat  ride,  the  joy  experienced  as  we 
glided  along  that  'river  of  dreams,'  reflecting  and  mirroring 
the  beauties  of  lavish  nature,  is  inexpressible. 

Then  the  cup  of  refreshing  tea  and  delicious  cakes  served 
at  the  home  of  Mr.  Frank  Wood,  Miss  Carrie  Coke,  the  Vice- 
Kcgent  of  the  local  Chapter  being  hostess,  and  allow  us  to  re- 
peat our  thanks  for  the  recipe  of  the  famous  Penelope  Barker 
tea  cakes,  useful  souvenirs  indeed. 

Welcome  evening  made  us  feel  very  much  at  home  through 
the  courtesy  of  your  Regent,  Mrs.  Patrick  Matthew,  who 
greeted  us  in  her  own  charming  way  and  then  a  welcome  from 
that  prince  of  gentlemen,  Dr.  Dillard.  Indeed  we  were  en- 
tranced to  feel  ourselves  seated  in  the  House  of  Burgesses 
and  hear  the  history  of  the  famous  judges  who  sojourned 
here. 

The  exercises  in  St.  Paul's  Church  were  an  inspiration, 
and  we  rejoice  with  the  Edenton  people  in  having  Mr.  Huske 
of  ISTew  Berne  to  present  the  tablet.  We  were  glad  to  see  so 
many  school  children  present  to  witness  this  eventful  cere- 
mony. 

We  enjoyed  the  address  of  Colonel  Grimes  when  the  Iredell 
tablet  was  unveiled  and  the  acceptance  by  the  silver  tongiied 
orator.  Dr.  Dillard.  Of  especial  interest  was  our  visit  to  the 
home  of  Mrs.  Gordon. 

It  w^as  pleasant  to  visit  the  artistic  and  beautiful  new 
Academy  and  again  witness  another  tablet  unveiled  and  ac- 
cepted by  Mr.  Pruden,  Chairman  of  Trustees. 

Long  to  be  remembered  was  the  unveiling  of  the  tablet  at 
the  court  house  to  the  women  of  the  Edenton  Tea  Party,  and 
Colonel  Vann\s  tribute  to  womanhood  and  the  acceptance  by 
Mr.  F.  W.  Hobbs,  Clerk  of  the  Court. 

The  Society  of  the  visiting  Daughters  is  greatly  indebted 


PKOCEEDINGS  N.  C.  SO.  D.  E.  185 

to  Mrs.  Pruden  and  Mrs.  John  Wood  for  a  real  peep  into  the 
fireside  and  social  life  of  the  charming  and  cultured  homes  of 
Edenton — rich  in  rare  and  interesting  relics. 

Our  Society  was  honored  by  the  presence  of  Colonel  Olds, 
State  Historian. 

Last,  but  by  no  means  least,  were  our  delightful  moments 
spent  in  the  Italian  garden  of  the  genial  host.  Dr.  Dillard, 
where  we  walked  with  Milton  in  a  Paradise  and  dreamed  with 
Dante  of  Beatrice. 

All  good  things  must  end  save  one.  Among  the  choice 
things  of  earth  there  is  nothing  so  fair  as  memory ;  without  it 
there  would  be  no  history,  no  friendship,  no  love  of  patriotic 
tradition. 

So  we  will  take  with  us  in  memory's  storehouse  this  de- 
lightful occasion,  showered  with  intellectual  gifts  and  gracious 
hospitality,  and  will  count  it  another  pearl  in  our  rosary  of 
gTateful  thoughts." 

Witty  toasts  by  Mrs.  Williams  and  Mrs.  Matthew  were 
given.  Delicious  refreshments  in  two  courses  with  the  cup 
of  tea,  brewed  as  nowhere  else  on  this  side  of  the  Atlantic, 
were  served.  Miss  Hinton  and  Mrs.  Williams  presided  at  the 
tea  table.  After  reading  a  list  of  the  achievements  of  the 
ISTorth  Carolina  Society  Daughters  of  the  Revolution,  the  Re- 
gent expressed,  on  behalf  of  the  Society,  appreciation  of  the 
cordiality  and  delightful  hospitality  of  the  Edentonians  and 
good-nights  were  said. 

WHAT  THE  NORTH   CAROLINA   SOCIETY   DAUGHTERS   OF 

THE  REVOLUTION  HAS  ACCOMPLISHED  SINCE 

IT  WAS  FOUNDED,  OCTOBER  19,  1896. 

Raised  funds  through  the  publication  of  the  ISTorth  Caro- 
LiNA  Booklet  to  erect  a  bronze  tablet,  cast  by  Gorham  and 
Company,  to  the  memory  of  the  fifty-one  signers  of  the  Eden- 
ton Tea  Party,  in  the  State  Capitol  at  Raleigh,  the  first  mem- 
morial  to  adorn  that  building,  in  October,  1908. 

Since  May,  10,  1901,  has  published  the  N^orth  Carolina 
Booklet,  an  historical  magazine,  devoted  to  North  Carolina 


186  THE  NOKTH  CAROLINA  BOOKLET 

History — "Great  Events  in  North  Carolina  History."  It 
has  just  entered  upon  the  sixteenth  vohime.  The  editors 
and  contributors  have  always  served  without  remuneration. 
There  is  no  capital  stock,  the  periodical  being  run  on  faith, 
as  it  were,  but  more  than  five  thousand  dollars  have  been 
spent  in  publishiuii'  it  and  about  a  thousand  dollars  have  been 
cleared,  all  made  from  the  subscriptions  and  advertisements. 
More  than  three  hundred  articles  have  been  contributed  by 
one  hundred  and  five  writers,  thirty-two  of  these  being  women. 
It  goes  to  all  the  libraries  of  our  greatest  Universities  and 
the  great  libraries  of  the  country,  and  to  many  colleges.  It 
has  subscribers  in  twenty-eight  States  of  the  Union,  Great 
Britain,  and  India. 

The  site  of  the  meeting  of  the  Grand  Albemarle  Assembly, 
February  0,  1665,  was  located  and  marked  by  a  handsome 
tablet,  June  11,  1910,  by  the  Sir  Walter  Raleigh  Chapter  of 
Elizabeth  City. 

A  marble  tablet  has  been  placed  in  the  High  School  of 
Elizabeth  City,  containing  a  record  of  the  great  events  in  the 
history  of  Pasquotank  County,  the  work  of  the  Sir  Walter 
Raleigh  Chapter. 

A  room  bearing  the  name  ''Virginia  Dare  Room,"  in  the 
hospital  at  Elizabeth  City,  has  been  furnished  by  the  two 
Junior  Chapters  of  that  town— the  Virginia  Dare  and  Ensi- 
nore. 

On  April  26,  1911,  the  Bloomsbury  Chapter  erected  a  tab- 
let and  boulder  to  mark  the  location  of  the  site  of  the  old  town 
of  Bloomsbury,  where  our  capital  city  now  stands. 

On  April  23,  1913,  the  Bloomsbury  Chapter  placed  a 
Ijronze  tablet  on  the  City  Municipal  Building,  to  the  memory 
of  Colonel  Joel  Lane,  who  was  instrumental  in  locating  the 
capital  at  Raleigh. 

The  set  of  one  hundred  and  nine  lantern  slides,  ninety-four 
of  which  are  colored,  and  the  lecture  that  accompanies  them, 
"Stories  From  Xortli  Carolina  History,"  is  the  work  of  the 
entire  State  Society. 


PEOCEEDIIS'GS  X.  C.  SO.  D.  R. 


187 


The  Penelope  Barker  Chapter,  at  Edenton,  has  erected  the 
following  tablets: 

A  tablet  on  the  exterior  of  St.  Paul's  Church. 

A  tablet  on  the  exterior  of  the  court  house. 

A  bronze  tablet  on  the  east  side  of  the  court  house,  contain- 
ing the  Tea  Party  Resolutions  and  the  names  of  the  fifty-one 
signers. 

A  bronze  tablet  on  the  south  side  of  the  Edenton  Academy, 
dedicated  to  its  founders. 

A  marble  tablet  in  the  interior  of  St.  Paul's  Church,  dedi- 
cated to  its  vestrymen  who  sig-ned  the  ''Test"  for  American 
Independence. 

A  marble  tablet  in  the  great  brick  chimney  of  Judge  James 
Iredell's  home. 

A  complete  map  and  key  of  St.  Paul's  churchyard  have  been 
made  by  the  Penelope  Barker  Chapter,  and  presented  to  the 
said  Parish. 

Twenty-five  gold  medals  have  been  presented  in  the  public 
schools  of  ISTorth  Carolina  to  pupils  writing  the  best  essays  on 
some  given  historical  subject,  North  Carolina  history  being 
selected. 

The  jSTorth  Carolina  Society  assisted  in  collecting,  install- 
ing, taking  care  of,  packing  and  recording  the  North  Carolina 
Historical  Exhibit  at  Jamestown  Exposition  in  1907. 

The  Society  has  contributed  liberally  towards  funds  used 
in  erecting  monuments  by  the  General  Society  at  Valley 
Eorge,  Cambridge,  Massachusetts,  where  General  Washing- 
ton took  command  of  the  American  Army  under  the  historic 
elm  on  Cambridge  Common,  and  the  bronze  tablet  to  the  sea- 
men of  the  American  ISTavy  during  the  Revolution  that  was 
placed  in  Bancroft  Hall,  Annapolis,  in  May,  1910, 

Marking  the  grave  of  Sergeant  Koen,  of  the  Revolution, 
by  the  Sir  Walter  Raleigh  Chapter. 

Placing  a  tombstone  over  the  grave  of  General  Isaac  Greg- 
ory, in  the  Gregory  burying  ground  at  "Fairfax." 

—6 


ISS  THE  XORTir  CAHOLIXA  BOOKLET 

Publishing  the  original  historical  papers  of  Miss  Catherine 
Albertson,  in  a  book  entitled,  ''In  Ancient  Albemarle." 

The  tablet  erected  by  the  Red  Men,  through  the  Penelope 
Barker  Chapter,  on  the  exterior  of  the  court  house,  Eden- 
ton,  X.  C. 

Thursday  morning  was  devoted  to  sight-seeing.  The 
Cupola  House,  where  Miss  Bond  requested  the  Daughters  to 
register  in  the  guest  book  that  only  contained  the  autographs 
of  the  Society  of  the  Cincinnati  when  they  visited  this  Colo- 
nial mansion,  St.  Paul's  churchyard,  and  ''Hayes"  were 
visited.  The  grave  of  Penelope  Barker,  in  the  burying- 
ground  at  "Hayes,"  where  she  sleeps  beside  her  husband, 
Thomas  Barker,  was  strewn  with  golden  flowers  by  the 
Daughters. 

The  delegates  left  at  noon,  carrying  the  happiest  recollec- 
tions of  their  Twentieth  Annual  Meeting,  of  the  one-time  cap- 
ital of  North  Carolina  and  her  hospitable  inhabitants,  w^orthy 
inheritors  of  her  glorious  past  and  noble  men  and  women. 

The  officers  of  the  Society  are :  Regent,  Miss  Mary  Hilliard 
Hinton;  Vice-Regent,  Mrs.  Marshall  Williams;  Honorary 
Regents,  Mrs.  E.  E.  Moffitt  and  Mrs.  T.  K.  Bruner ;  Record- 
ing Secretary,  Mrs.  L.  E.  Covington;  Corresponding  Secre- 
tary, Mrs.  Paul  H.  Lee ;  Treasurer,  Mrs.  Charles  Lee  Smith ; 
Registrar,  Miss  Sarah  W.  Ashe. 


Vol.  XVI  APRIL,  1917  No.  4 

North  Carolina  Booklet 

^^^^H        GREAT  EVENTS 

f^^^MJ  NORTH  CAROLINA 
^^^^^  HISTORY 

PUBLISHED  QUARTERLY 
BY 

THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  SOCIETY 

DAUGHTERS  OF  THE  REVOLUTION 
RALEIGH.  N.  C. 

CONTENTS 

PAGE. 

General  D.  H.  Hill  as  a  Teacher  and  Author 191 

By  De.  Henry  Elliot  Shepherd. 

The  Voyage  of  Verrazzano 209 

By  R.  D.  W.  Connor. 

Blrst  Secession  Flag 219 

By  General  W.  A.  Smith. 

Genealogical  Department 227 

By  Sybil  Hyatt. 


SINGLE  NUMBERS  35  CENTS 


$1.00  THE  YEAR 


Entered  at  the  Postoffice  at  Raleigh,  N.  C.  July  15.   1905,  under  the  Act  of 
Congress  of  March  3,  1 879 


The  North  CaroUna  Booklet 


Great  Events  in  North  Carolina  History 


Volmiie  XA'II  of  The  Booklet  will  be  issued  quartei-ly  by  the 
North  Carolina  Society,  Daufjhters  of  the  Revolution,  beginning  July, 
1917.  The  Booklet  will  be  published  in  July,  October,  January,  and 
April.    Price  $1.00  per  year,  35  cents  for  single  copy. 

Editor  : 
Miss  Mary  Hilliard  Hinton. 

Biographical  Editor  : 
Mrs.  E.  E.  Moffitt. 

VOLUME  XVII. 

Isaac  Shelby :  Revolutionary  Patriot  and  Border  Hero — Part  II — 
Dr.  Archibald  Henderson. 

Revolutionary  Heroines  of  Mecklenburg — Miss  Violet  Alexander. 

Glimpses  of  Plantation  Life  in  the  Old  South — By  an  Eye  Witness. 

History  of  Rowan  County — Dr.  Archibald  Henderson. 

History  of  Agriculture  in  North  Carolina — 

Hospital  Service  in  the  War  Between  the  States — 

Historic  Homes,  Part  VIII :  "Bookwood" — Mr.  William  C.  Ervin. 

Historic  Homes,  Part  IX :  "Creek-Side" — Mr.  William  C.  Ervin. 

Shqcco  and  Jones'  Springs :  Old-fashion  Resorts  in  Warren  County 
— Judge  Walter  A.  Montgomery. 

History  of  the  Continental  Line  of  North  Carolina — Mr.  Frank 
Nash. 

Historical  Book  Reviews  will  be  contributed  by  Mrs.  Nina  Holland 
Covington.  These  will  be  reviews  of  the  latest  historical  works 
written  by  North  Carolinians. 

The  Genealogical  Department  will  be  continued,  with  a  page  de- 
voted to  Genealogical  Queries  and  Answers  as  an  aid  to  genealogical 
research  in  the  State. 

The  North  Carolina  Society  Colonial  Dames  of  America  will  fur- 
nish copies  of  unpublished  records  for  publication  The  Booklet. 

Biographical  Sketches  will  be  continued  under  Mrs.  E.  E.  Moffitt. 

Old  letters,  heretofore  unpublished,  bearing  on  the  Social  Life  of 
the  different  periods  of  North  Carolina  History,  will  appear  here- 
after in  The  Booklet. 

This  list  of  subjects  may  be  changed,  as  circumstances  sometimes 
prevent  the  writers  from  keeping  their  engagements. 

The  histories  of  the  separate  counties  will  in  the  future  be  a 
special  feature  of  The  Booklet.  ^Tien  necessary,  an  entire  issue 
will  be  devoted  to  a  paper  on  one  county. 

Parties  who  wish  to  renew  their  subscriptions  to  The  Booklet 
for  Vol.  XVI  nre  requested  to  give  notice  at  once. 

Many  numbers  of  Volumes  I  to  XVI  for  sale. 

For  particulars  address 

Miss  Mary  Hilliard  Hinton, 

Editor  North  Carolina  Booklet, 
"Midway  Plantation,"  Raleigh,  N.  C. 


Vol.  XVI  APRIL,  1917  No.  4 


NORTH  Carolina  Booklet 


'Carolina  I  Carolina  I  Heaven's  blessings  attend  her! 
While  "we  live  zve  will  cherish,  protect  and  defend  her' 


Published  by 

THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  SOCIETY 

DAUGHTERS  OF  THE  REVOLUTION 


The  object  of  The  Booklet  is  to  aid  in  developing  and  preserving 
North  Carolina  History.  The  proceeds  arising  from  its  publication 
will  be  devoted  to  patriotic  purposes.  Editor. 


RALEIGH 

COMMERCIAL  PRINTING  COMPANY 

PRINTERS   AND  BINDERS 


ADVISORY  BOARD  OF  THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  BOOKLET 

Mrs.  Hubert  Haywood.  Db.  Richard  Dillabd. 

Mks.  E.  E.  Moffitt.  Dr.  Kemp  P.  Battle. 

Mr.  R.  D.  W.  Connor.  Mr.  James  Sprunt. 

Dr.  D.  H.  Hill.  Mr.  Marshall  DeLancey  Haywood 

Dr.  William  K.  Boyd.  Chief  Justice  Walter  Clark. 

Capt.  S.  a.  Ashe.  Major  W.  A.  Graham. 

Miss  Adelaide  L.  Fries.  Dr.  Charles  Lee  Smith. 

Miss  Majbtha  Helen  Haywood. 

editor  : 
Miss  Mary  Hilliaed  Hinton. 

biographical  editor  : 
Mrs.  E.  E.  Moffitt. 


OFFICERS  OF  THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  SOCIETY 
DAUGHTERS  OF  THE  REVOLUTION 

1914-1916 

REGENT  : 

Miss  MARY  HILLIARD  HINTON. 

VICE-REGENT  : 

Mrs.  MARSHALL  WILLIAMS. 

HONORARY    REGENTS : 

Mrs.  E.  E.  MOFFITT. 
Mrs.   T.   K.   BRUNER. 

recording  secretary  : 
Mrs.  L.  E.  COVINGTON. 

CORRESPONDING     SECRETARY  : 

Mrs.    PAUL   H.    LEE. 

TREASURER : 

Mrs.  CHAS.  LEE  SMITH. 

REGISTRAR  : 

Miss  SARAH  W.  ASHE. 

CUSTODIAN   OF  RELICS  : 

Mrs.  JOHN  E.  RAY. 


CHAPTER  REGENTS 

Bloomsbury  Chapter Mrs.  Hubert  Haywood,  Regent. 

Penelope  Barker  Chapter Mrs.  Patrick  Matthew,  Regent. 

Sir  Walter  Raleigh  Chapter Mrs.  I.  M.  Meekins,  Regent. 

General  Francis  Nash  Chapter Miss  Rebecca  Cameron,  Regent. 

Roanoke  Chapter Mrs.  F.  M.  Allen,  Regent. 

Mary   Slocumb  Chapter Miss   Georgie  PIicks,   Regent. 

Colonel  Thomas  Robeson  Chapter Mrs.  Annie  Buie,  Regent. 

Tuscarora  Chapter Miss  Annie  Montague,  Regent. 


Founder  of  the  North  Carolina  Society^  and  Regent  1896-1902 : 

Mrs.  SPIER  WHITAKER.* 

Regent   1902: 

Mrs.  D.  H.  HILL,   SR.f 

Regent  1902-1906: 

Mrs.  THOMAS  K.  BRUNER. 

Regent  1906-1910: 

Mrs.  E.  E.  MOFFITT. 


•nied  November  25,  1911. 
tDieti  Deiember  12. 1904. 


The  North  Carolina  Booklet 


Vol.  XVI  APRIL,  1917  No.  4 


General  D.  H.  Hill  as  a  Teacher  and  Author 


An  Educational  and  Literary  Review 


By  Dr.  Henky  Elliot  Shepherd. 


In  a  preceding  connection  I  have  given  a  brief  account  of 
the  work  of  Gen.  D.  H.  Hill  in  the  educational  sphere,  my 
narrative  being  in  large  measure  drawn  from  the  memory  of 
my  youthful  experiences  as  a  student  at  Davidson  College 
and  a  cadet  at  the  ISTorth  Carolina  Military  Institute.  Of  the 
results  accomplished  by  General  Hill  during  the  last  eleven 
or  twelve  years  of  his  life,  while  devoting  himself  to  new 
fields  of  labor  in  Arkansas  and  in  Georgia  (1876-1889),  I 
am  not  able  to  express  a  judgment  or  form  an  estimate  based 
upon  immediate  knowledge  of  the  conditions  and  circum- 
stances which  characterized  his  novel  and,  as  the  result  proved, 
his  latest  phase  of  educational  enterprise.  We  may  rest 
assured  that,  despite  his  gTadually  failing  physical  health,  the 
same  inflexible  purpose,  the  same  heroic  ideals,  and  the  same 
singleness  of  aim,  marked  him  to  the  final  stage,  in  Sep- 
tember, 1889,  when 

"Meekly  he  did  resign  this  earthly  load 
Of  death  called  life,  which  us  from  life  doth  sever." 

*The  career  of  Gen.  D.  H.  Hill,  as  teacher,  during  the 
period  preceding  the  War  Between  the  States,  falls  into  three 


*In  my  review  of  the  literary  work  accomplished  by  General  D.  H. 
Hill,  I  have  drawn  both  illustrations  and  comments,  almost  entirely, 
from  his  two  distinctive  and  characteristic  productions,  "The  Sermon 
on  the  Mount,"  and  "The  Crucifixion."  Much  that  is  excellent  might 
have  been  gathered  from  "The  Land  We  Love,"  and  "The  Southern 
Home,"  but  I  selected  the  books  named  as  best  adapted  to  the  pecu- 
liar end  I  had  in  view. 


192  THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  BOOKLET 

well-defined  divisions :  Professor  of  Mathematics  at  Washing- 
ton College  (afterwards  Washington  and  Lee  University), 
from  1849  until  1854;  Professor  of  Mathematics  at  Davidson 
College,  1854-1859;  Superintendent  North  Carolina  Mili- 
tary Institute,  Charlotte,  from  October,  1859,  until  April, 
18G1.  He  was  twenty-eight  years  of  age  when  he  assumed 
the  chair  of  mathematics  at  Washington  College,  and  not 
quite  forty,  in  April,  1861,  when  he  was  assigned  to  the  com- 
mand of  the  camp  of  instruction  near  Raleigh,  and  was  soon 
to  become  Colonel  of  the  historic  first  North  Carolina,  or 
Bethel  Regiment.  In  the  three  educational  capacities  with 
which  Hill  was  associated  during  the  eventful  years  from  1849 
to  1861,  he  was  in  each  instance  at  the  head  of  the  department 
of  mathematics.  Yet  it  would  involve  a  serious  error  to  infer 
that  his  power  as  teacher,  his  faculty  of  instruction,  was 
absorbed  by  this  one  subject,  or  expended  upon  it.  There  was 
hardly  a  feature  of  the  curriculum  which  he  did  not  touch  at 
some  point,  and  he  touched  none  that  he  did  not  illuminate. 
In  his  special  sphere  he  was  wont  to  track  ''suggestion  to  her 
inmost  cell" ;  his  patience  was  boundless,  and  he  approached 
very  nearly  the  lofty  standard  set  up  by  that  famed  master  of 
his  art,  "who  taught  as  if  every  scholar  was  the  only  scholar." 
When  I  withdrew  from  the  Military  Institute,  in  order  to 
enter  the  University  of  Virginia,  during  the  summer  of 
1860,  he  gave  me  a  most  kindly  and  cordial  letter  of  com- 
mendation to  the  faculty,  concluding  with  this  significant 
sentence:  "Cadet  Shepherd  has  a  strong  passion  for  litera- 
ture and  the  languages,  and  no  taste  whatever  for  mathe- 
matics." That  I  never  developed  a  faculty  for  his  specialty, 
can  in  no  sense  be  laid  to  his  account.  Pie  was  the  most  labo- 
rious, exact,  lucid,  of  teachers,  and  while  I  have  ofttimes 
deplored  my  weakness,  I  was  never  able  to  triumph  over  the 
strong  propensity  of  temperament,  even  under  the  guidance 
of  so  masterful  an  instructor.  To  that  end  I  could  have  sub- 
scribed myself,  as  Macaulay  did  when  writing  to  his  parents 
during  his  undergraduate  days  at  Cambridge,  "Your  miser- 


GENERAL  D.    H.    HILL,  193 

able  and  mathematical  son."  Hill  has  assumed  a  justly 
acquired  rank,  not  only  among  the  foremost  interpreters  of 
his  science  in  the  educational  world  of  the  South,  but  in  the 
country,  without  regard  to  geographical  or  sectional  limita- 
tions.   His  treatise  upon  Algebra,  published  about , 

1857,  was  compared  in  its  luminous  method  and  skill  in 
demonstration,  to  the  work  of  Euler,*  whose  fame  is  not  pre- 
served alone  in  the  esoteric  circles  of  a  mathematical  cult,  but 
is  perpetuated  in  his  native  city  on  the  Rhine  by  visible 
memorials,  attesting  alike  the  grateful  appreciation  and  abid- 
ing reverence  of  the  community  from  which  he  went  forth  into 
remote  and  barbarous  empires,  carrying  with  him  the  glory 
of  Basel  and  the  inspiration  of  his  chosen  science.  Yet,  in  the 
State  of  his  adoption^  with  which  his  name  and  fame  are  for- 
ever blended,  no  monumental  stone^  no  image  wrought  in 
marble  or  bronze,  not  even  a  modest,  half -concealed  tablet,  in 
some  niche  in  a  chapel  wall,  recalls  the  genius,  suggests  the 
heroism,  or  intimates  in  temperate  phrases,  the  unsurpassed 
idealism  which  crowned  the  life  of  D.  H.  Hill.  I  have  at 
times  indulged  myself  in  innocent  speculation  with  reference 
to  the  possibilities  of  Hill  in  the  higher  ranges  of  modern 
mathematical  development,  in  conditions  more  congenial  to 
his  tastes  and  sympathies,  as  well  as  richer  in  inspiration  to 
his  native  powers,  than  the  sad  mechanic  exercise  of  unfold- 
ing the  elements  of  algebra  and  geometry  to  callow  and  fledg- 
ling lads,  many  of  whom,  as  attested  by  himself,  had  never 


*Iu  the  ninth  volume  of  the  Encyclopaedia  Britanuica  there  may  be 
found  an  admirable  outline  of  the  life  of  Euler  (1716-1783),  as  well 
as  an  accurate  and  discriminating  estimate  of  his  I'ank  as  a  mathema- 
tician. His  Algebra,  to  which  Hill's  has  been  compared,  although 
published  in  1770,  still  maintains  its  place  as  a  work  of  authority. 
His  varied  researches  in  his  special  field,  embraced  from  sixty  to 
eighty  quarto  volumes.  From  Russia,  Prussia  and  France  he  received 
marked  honor  and  distinctions,  in  royal  as  well  as  scientific  circles. 
More  than  this,  Euler  was  endowed  with  that  versatility  of  intellect 
which  was  characteristic  of  D.  H.  Hill,  and  in  addition  to  his  mathe- 
matical attainments,  was  an  accomplished  classical  and  literary 
scholar.  In  his  native  city  of  Basel  there  is  a  leading  hotel  wliich 
perpetuates  his  name.  Thus  far  no  monument  or  memorial  recalls 
the  genius  and  the  achievements  of  the  man  who  twice  rescued  the 
Southern  Confederacy,  not  from  imminent  peril  alone,  but  from 
seemingly  inevitable  destructioiL 


104  THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  BOOKLET 

mastered  the  fundamental  laws  of  simple  arithmetic.  Di- 
vested of  the  grievous  daily  burden  of  empirical  teaching, 
might  he  not  have  attained  the  transcendental  heights  of  the 
school  of  Higher  Algebra^  and  entered  into  that  mystic  fellow- 
ship, of  which  in  English  speaking  lands  Sylvester  and  Cayley 
were  the  acknowledged  oracles  ?  Had  he  been  able  to  cast  off 
the  incubus  of  class-room  routine,  crushing  nervous  energy 
and  absorbing  mental  vitality,  might  he  not,  in  his  mathe- 
matical sphere,  have  been  one  of  those  chosen  and  rare  spirits 
whose  high  vocation  is 

"To  follow  knowledge  like  a  sinking  star, 
Beyond  the  utmost  bound  of  human  thought." 

Major  Hill  combined  with  his  native  reserve  and  dignity 
a  strong  element  of  caustic  wit,  as  well  as  a  keen  apprecia- 
tion of  the  ludicrous  and  the  humorous.  Upon  a  certain 
occasion  a  somewhat  venturesome  student  wrote  ASS  in  large 
chalk  letters  upon  the  back  of  a  class-mate,  who  was  absorbed 
in  his  demonstration  at  the  blackboard.     His  quick  eye  at 

once  observed  it,  and  he  remarked,  "Mr. somebody 

has  been  writing  his  name  on  your  back."  The  rift  within 
the  mathematical  lute  was  immediately  healed,  and  tran- 
quility' reigned  supreme.  Upon  another  occasion  he  said  to 
a  student  who  was  transcending  the  limits  of  propriety:   "Mr. 

if  you  do  not  conduct  yourself  properly  I  shall  be 

obliged  to  put  the  door  between  us."  His  teaching  was  ideal, 
his  discipline  unsurpassed.  ISTothing  was  too  minute  to  escape 
his  vigilance,  or  so  trivial  as  to  be  unworthy  of  his  regard. 
He  knew  the  weakness  and  the  strength  of  every  pupil,  and 
as  his  classes  never  exceeded  a  rational  number,  he  was 
acquainted  with  the  special  characteristics,  mental  and  moral, 
of  the  crude  and  self-appreciative  lads  who  were  entrusted  to 
his  keeping.*  He  understood  our  shallow  intellects,  our 
minimum  of  attainments,  and  his  teaching;  descended  to  the 


*I  have  learned  from  an  authoritative  source  tliat  during  his  asso- 
ciation with  Davidson  College,  1854-59,  Major  Hill  introduced  a  reso- 
lution, which  was  adopted,  requiring  the  meetings  of  the  faculty  to 
be  Oldened  with  prayer. 


GENERAL  D.    H.    HIT.L,  195 

plane  of  our  merely  dawning  or  embryonic  stage  of  develop- 
ment. With  the  mode  of  instruction  by  lectures,  which 
obtained  in  the  University  of  Virginia,  he  had  no  sympathy, 
or  hardly  a  sentiment  of  toleration,  for  he  understood  only 
too  thoroughly  the  dissipation  of  mental  and  physical  energy 
which  it  involved,  under  the  conditions  that  existed  in  the 
prevailing  system  of  elementary  education.  "Yes,"  he  said 
in  one  of  his  emphatic  moods,  "that's  the  way  at  the  Uni- 
versity of  Virginia;  everything  done  by  lectures."  I  have, 
in  another  connection,  pointed  out  the  essential  fact,  that 
although  Major  Hill  was  the  chief  of  the  mathematical  depart- 
ment, both  at  Davidson  College  and  at  the  Military  Institute, 
his  genius  as  a  teacher  was  not  expended  in  that  sphere  alone. 
On  the  contrary,  nearly  every  feature  of  the  curriculum  was 
touched  by  his  pervading  influence.  He  was  what  Tennyson 
would  have  described  as  a  "diffusive  power,"  Above  all,  his 
far-ranging  vitality  of  intellect  was  brought  to  bear  upon  the 
interpretation  and  elucidation  of  Holy  Scripture.  His  daily 
comments  upon  the  Psalms,  the  Gospels,  or  the  Epistles,  are 
wrought  into  my  memory ;  despite  the  process  of  the  suns, 
and  the  increasing  years,  I  can,  in  part,  recall  them  as  clearly 
and  vividly  as  if  I  had  listened  to  them  but  yesterday.  To 
the  mind  of  D.  H.  Hill  a  system  of  education  which  knew  not 
God  and  did  not  rest  upon  a  moral  foundation  as  its  inspiring 
principle,  would  have  seemed  not  an  anomaly,  but  a  mon- 
strosity, contemplated  from  the  viewpoint  of  religion  or  that 
of  reason  and  logic.  The  Book  of  Psalms  was  apparently  his 
favorite  field  of  research  and  interpretation ;  his  minute  and 
critical  study  of  the  master  lyrics  revealed  itself  whenever  he 
read  them  in  the  morning  or  evening  service.  His  wide  range 
of  scientific  attainment  stood  him  in  good  stead,  and  his  illus- 
trations were  drawn  with  admirable  judgment  from  the  works 
of  nature  as  exhibited  in  astronomy  or  displayed  in  the 
lowliest  manifestations  of  creative  power,  the  lily-of-the- 
valley,  or  a  modest  violet,  beneath  some  mossy  stone,  half 
hidden  from  the  eye.     Yet  his  two  distinctive  treatises,  "A 


196  THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  BOOKLET 

Consideration  of  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount/'  and  "The  Cruci- 
fixion/' upon  which  his  fame  as  an  author  will  principally 
abide,  are  devoted  to  the  central  and  surpassing  fact  of  Scrip- 
ture history,  the  nature  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  as  unfolded 
in  his  inaug-ural  discourse;  and  the  sublime  tragedy  of  his 
atoning  death,  his  analysis  of  which  I  regard  as  his  crown  of 
glory  in  the  province  of  Scriptural  exegesis,  as  well  as  in  the 
sphere  of  literary  achievement.  It  is  an  almost  unknown  or 
unimagined  circumstance,  even  for  the  boldest  or  most  irrev- 
erent student,  to  venture  on  a  liberty  with  the  Major  or  to 
propose  quizzes  or  "catch"  questions,  in  order  to  test  his 
knowledge  in  regard  to  abstruse  and  subtle  problems  in  mathe- 
matics or  in  physical  science.  I  can  recall  but  a  single 
exception  to  this  prevailing  rule,  that  of  Cadet  Winslow,  who 
entered  the  lists  against  him  upon  a  point  involving  the  rela- 
tion of  wind  to  light,  but  the  experiment,  so  far  as  I  am 
aware,  was  never  repeated.  The  same  spirit  did  not  obtain 
in  student  circles  at  the  University  of  Virginia,  and  I  am 
familiar  with  more  than  one  instance  in  which  a  professor  of 
languages  was  brought  to  grief  by  his  own  pupils  upon  ques- 
tions of  translation,  of  idiom,  and  of  construction.  ISTot  so 
with  D.  H.  Hill  in  his  special  sphere.  Our  feeling  of  con- 
fidence was  absolute,  and  the  most  youthful  cadet  felt  assured 
that  while  mathematics  "was  his  forte,"  "his  foible  was  omni- 
science." During  the  period  that  Major  Hill  was  in  charge 
of  the  Military  Institute  (October,  1859,  to  April,  1861), 
there  was  but  a  single  commencement  celebrated,  July,  1860. 
A  year  passed,  commander  and  cadets  were  in  the  field,  and 
his  relation  to  the  institution  was  never  resumed  with  the 
restoration  of  peace.  The  commencement  exercises  were  held 
in  the  Presley terian  Church,  Major  Hill  presiding.  Thomas 
L.  Clingman  had  been  invited  to  deliver  the  formal  ad- 
dress, but  he  failed  to  appear,  and  in  his  stead  we  listened 
to  an  admirable,  informal  discussion  of  the  school,  its  work 
and  its  power  for  noble  and  beneficent  ends,  by  Judge  James 
W.  Osborne,  of  Charlotte.    Orations  were  delivered  by  Cadet 


GENERAL  D.    H.    HILL  197 

Houston  B.  Lowrie,  wlio  fell  at  Sharpsburg;  Cadet  Graham, 
of  Alabama;  and  bj  the  author  of  this  narrative.  Lowrie's 
theme  was  a  eulogy  upon  ISTorth  Carolina,  having  special 
reference  to  three  of  her  sons,  Macon,  Gaston  and  Dobbin. 
The  oration  of  Cadet  Graham  was  patriotic  in  its  scope ;  the 
third  speaker  devoted  himself  to  the  literature  of  Scotland, 
his  principal  characters  being  Burns  and  Sir  Walter  Scott. 
Despite  the  invincible  aversion  I  cherished  for  the  peculiar 
science  in  which  Major  Hill  excelled  every  teacher  with  whom 
I  was  brought  into  contact^  I  have  never  failed  to  regard  him 
as  one  of  the  vital  forces,  one  of  the  purest  inspirations  that 
quickened  the  crude  and  inchoate  life  of  my  boyhood,  both  at 
Davidson  College  and  at  Charlotte.  With  the  attitude  of  Sir 
William  Hamilton  in  reference  to  the  disciplinary  value  of 
the  mathematics,  I  have  never  been  in  accord.  My  weakness 
revealed  itself  in  an  inability  to  overcome  the  strong  pro- 
pensity of  nature.  Major  Hill  was  in  no  sense  accountable 
for  my  failure  to  develop  an  affection  even  for  his  algebra, 
with  its  touches  of  Southern  fire  and  sentiment  encroaching 
upon  the  calmness  and  serenity  of  abstract  reasoning  and 
subtle  generalization.  Though  I  stood  at  the  pole  of  contrast 
in  all  my  predilections  and  affinities,  in  the  light  of  broaden- 
ing years,  and  after  having  seen  and  heard  such  modern  ora- 
cles of  the  kingdom  of  mathematics  as  Sylvester,  Cayley  and 
Kelvin,  I  rank  him  higher  than  ever  in  the  foremost  ranges  of 
his  chosen  field.  It  has  been  my  specific  aim  thus  far  to  make 
clear  his  right  to  an  undisputed  place  among  the  leaders  of 
our  armies,  and  the  guides  of  our  intellectual  development  in 
the  South.  In  each  of  these  relations,  soldier  and  teacher,  his 
iame  has  passed  beyond  the  region  of  controversy.  The 
boldest  iconoclast  would  no  longer  venture  to  question  his 
title,  or  impeach  his  two-fold  claim  to  assured  renown. 

It  may  be  fairly  assumed  that  if  Hill  had  never  devoted 
himself  to  the  art  of  war,  had  never  become  a  professional 
soldier,  but  on  the  contrary  had  dedicated  his  energies  to 
literature  as  a  calling,  a  life  work,  he  would  have  won  an 


198  THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  BOOKLET 

assured  rank  among-  American  authors.  I  use  the  term 
American  advisedly,  for  his  reputation,  I  am  confident,  would 
not  have  been  circumscribed  by  sectional  or  geographical 
limitations.  It  may,  upon  first  reflection,  create  a  feeling  of 
surprise,  that  a  soldier  by  profession,  like  Hill,  should  have 
entered  the  field  of  authorship,  and  that,  above  all,  he  should 
have  selected  as  the  most  congenial  sphere  for  the  exercise  of 
his  gifts,  the  department  of  scriptural  exegesis. 

Among  the  most  notable  contributions  ever  made  by  a 
Southern  layman  in  this  department,  was  the  work  of  George 
E.  Badger,  of  j^orth  Carolina,  issued  in  1849,  during  the 
"Anglo-Catholic"  or  Bishop  Ives  controversy,  then  moving 
towards  its  critical  stage  of  development.  The  ^'examina- 
tion''"of  Mr.  Badger  combines  the  subtlety  of  i^ewman  with  the 
far-reaching  and  critical  acquirement  of  Bishop  Lightfoot.  It 
may  be  assumed  without  fear  of  exaggeration,  that  no  layman 
of  the  present  age  in  any  Protestant  communion  could  rival  or 
reproduce  this  work  of  the  jurist  and  statesman ;  and  even  in 
the  clerical  order,  it  would  be  a  difiicult  task  to  suggest  his 
peer  in  acuteness  of  intellect  or  clearness  and  skill  in  presen- 
tation of  the  truth.  One  who  is  familiar  with  the  genesis  and 
evolution  of  the  Hill  family  might  be  disposed  to  attribute 
our  hero's  predilection  for  theological  investigation  and  scrip- 
tural analysis  to  ancestral  influences  and  rigid  Calvinistic 
training.  Apart  from  purely  religious  forces  and  tendencies 
developed  by  education,  there  was  apparently  a  literary  strain 
or  clement  inherent  in  the  blood  of  the  Hills,  This  claim  of 
transmitted  faculty  on  the  part  of  D,  H.  Hill  is  confirmed  by 
the  valuable  contribution  made  to  our  revolutionary  history 
by  his  grandfather,  Colonel  William  Hill,  in  his  "ISTarrative 
of  the  Campaig-n  of  1780,  in  South  Carolina,  Under  General 
Thomas  Sumter,  Together  with  an  Account  of  the  Battle  of 
Musgrave's  Mill,  and  the  King's  Mountain  Expedition."  This 
work  may  have  been  resting  in  the  memory  of  D.  H.  Hill 
when  he  introduced  as  corroborative  testimony  a  reference  to 
the  battle  of  King's  Mountain.    "The  Crucifixion,"  page  192. 


GENERAL   D.    H.    HILL  199 

The  literary  susceptibility,  even  in  the  form  of  poetry,  may 
reveal  itself  in  natures  nurtured  in  the  most  austere  modes  of 
religious  culture.  A  vein  of  poetic  sensibility  has  been 
traced  in  the  creations  of  Calvin,  and  in  his  years  of  dawn, 
D.  H.  Hill  at  times  was  wont  "to  meditate  the  thankless 
muse." 

JISTo  purer  or  more  vigorous  English  ever  flowed  from  the 
pen  of  Hill  than  may  be  found  in  his  contributions  to  the 
editorial  columns  of  "The  Southern  Home,"  when  his  spirit 
was  touched  and  kindled  by  some  exalted  and  inspiring  issue. 
Above  all,  does  this  generalization  hold  good  of  the  editorial 
elicited  by  the  formal  dedication  of  the  Foley  statue  of  Jack- 
son in  Richmond  during  the  month  of  October,  1875, 

We  turn  now  to  a  specific  analysis  of  the  two  works  upon 
which  in  the  sphere  of  literature  at  least,  his  fame  will  abide. 
Each  of  these,  "A  Consideration  of  the  Sermon  on  the 
Mount,"  1858,  and  "The  Crucifixion,"  1859,  was  probably 
written  during  the  Davidson  period  of  the  author's  life,  that 
is,  between  1854  and  1859.  "The  Crucifixion"  appeared  as 
a  serial,  being  published  in  the  weekly  issues  of  the  "ISTorth 
Carolina  Presbyterian"  at  Fayetteville,  during  the  year  1858- 
1859.  I  recall  with  perfect  distinctness  the  interest  that  the 
gradually  expanding  work  inspired  and  the  animated  discus- 
sion which  was  sometimes  evoked  by  the  views  of  Major  Hill  in 
regard  to  certain  aspects  of  the  consummate  tragedy  involved 
in  the  death  of  our  Lord.  In  its  present  form  it  must  have 
been  issued  not  far  from  the  date  at  which  he  assumed  charge 
of  the  Military  Institute,  September  or  October,  1859.  I  am 
at  a  loss  to  understand  why  the  preface  contains  no  reference 
to  the  circumstances,  in  part,  at  least,  of  its  original  appear- 
ance. There  is  a  pathetic  interest  associated  with  the  first  of 
the  two  books — the  commentary  upon  the  Sermon  on  the 
Mount.  The  origin  and  inspiration  of  the  work  are  seem- 
ingly revealed  in  the  dedication  to  the  memory  of  two  of  his 
children  who  lie  in  the  little  cemetery  at  Davidson  College, 
where  both  father  and  mother  now  rest  beside  them.     The 


'200  THE    NOKTII    CAROLINA    BOOKLET 

spirit  of  the  dead  broods  over  the  volume — it  is,  in  a  measure, 
an  elegy  in  }>rose.  Thus  runs  the  dedication:  "To  The 
^[ouiorv  of  ]\rorrison  and  Willie  Hill,  With  The  Prayerful 
Hope  That  This  Little  Book  May  Do  Some  of  That  Good 
Which  Their  Fond  Parents  Had  Hoped  That  They  Would 
Have  Done  Had  They  Been  Spared  to  Labor  in  the  Vine- 
yard of  the  Lord."  It  is  evident  from  the  tenor  of  the  lan- 
auaire,  that  these  two  "little  ones"  had  been  devoted  in  thought 
and  }iurpose  to  the  ministry  of  the  gospel.  They  were  de- 
signed to  follow  in  the  footsteps  of  their  maternal  grandfather, 
and  one  of  them  bore  the  name  of  his  ancestor  who  outlived 
him  for  nearly,  if  not  quite,  a  third  of  a  century.  No  feature 
of  General  Hill's  character  was  more  intensely  developed  than 
his  affection  for  his  children ;  it  pervaded  every  phase  of  his 
nature  while  they  were  with  him,  and  when  God  took  them, 
he  dedicated  the  creations  of  his  genius  and  scholarship,  as  a 
monument  to  their  memory.  That  the  two  works,  devoted  to 
the  treatment  of  scriptural  themes,  were  the  productions  of  a 
layman,  was  a  circumstance  which  from  some  points  of  view 
might  tend  rather  to  contribute  to  their  popularity  than  to 
detract  from  it.  The  ventures  of  laic  skill  and  scholarship  in 
this  field  have,  in  notable  instances,  been  crowned  with  assured 
success.  Wilberforce's  "Practical  View  of  Christianity"  will 
readily  suggest  itself,  and  one  of  our  author's  special  topics, 
the  Sermon  on  the  Mount,  had  been  the  subject  of  a  commen- 
tary by  Henry  Thornton,  M.  P.,  in  1840,  while  Hill  was  a 
cadet  at  West  Point.  The  labors  of  the  non-clerical  author  in 
the  Biblical  sphere,  will  be  accepted  by  many  as  the  result  of 
genuine  piety  and  consecration  of  spirit,  not  as  a  mere  com- 
pliance with  an  official  or  professional  obligation.  ISTo  man 
who  is  associated  with  the  development  of  theological  opinion 
in  Scotland  during  the  nineteenth  century  exerted  a  more 
potent  influence  than  Erskine  of  Linlathen,  a  mere  layman. 
All  the  essential  conditions  were  combined  in  Hill — the  fervor 
of  his  Scottish  ancestry,  a  moral  temperament  that  was  never 
invaded  by  the  spectre  of  doubt,  a  subtlety  of  judgment  stimu- 
lated by  his  rigorous  mathematical  training,  and  a  range  of 


GENERAL  D.    H.    HILL  201 

historical  and  literary  acquirement,  unequalled  by  any  of  the 
foremost  soldiers  in  the  armies  of  the  South.  More  than  this, 
his  acquaintance  with  Scripture  was  minute,  exact,  compre- 
hensive. The  Psalms  were  his  chosen  field  above  all,  a  cir- 
cumstance which  possibly  finds  its  explanation  in  the  ancient 
and  now  unhappily  obsolete  custom  in  Presbyterian  house- 
holds, of  requiring  them  to  be  committed  to  memory  and 
recited  by  the  children.  The  treatise  upon  the  Sermon  on 
the  Mount  contains  282  pages,  and  is  topical  in  arrangement, 
rather  than  characterized  by  formal  division  into  chapters. 
Every  essential  feature  of  our  Lord's  inaugural  discourse  is 
reviewed  as  it  presents  itself  in  the  order  adopted  by  the 
Divine  speaker,  who  was  unfolding  the  vital  principles  which 
were  to  guide  the  destinies  of  the  kingdom  that  He  came  to 
establish.  The  formalism  of  the  Pharisees,  the  Lord's  prayer, 
censoriousness,  covetousness,  needless  anxiety,  every  phase 
of  the  unique  discourse  is  discussed  in  its  proper  relation,  with 
a  lucidity  and  perspicuity  of  lang-uage  which  reveals  the 
mathematical  culture  of  the  author,  as  well  as  a  simplicity 
and  directness  that  appeals  to  the  humblest  intelligence.  'No 
trace  of  scholastic  pedantry  or  esoteric  method,  is  discernible 
at  any  point  in  the  expanding  thought  of  the  commentator. 
At  the  same  time,  his  theological  equipment  is  ample,  his 
knowledge  comprehensive  and  critical,  his  English  vigorous 
and  undefiled.  Technical  terms  drawn  from  the  nomen- 
clature of  the  schools  do  not  darken  the  understanding  of  the 
unlettered  intellect;  the  book,  in  Baconian  phrase,  comes 
home  ''to  men's  business  and  bosoms."  ]S[ot  the  least  of  the 
sources  of  its  power  lies  in  the  fact  that  it  was  not  the 
product  of  a  mind  nurtured  in  seclusion  or  bred  in  the  cloister, 
but  the  creation  of  one  who  blended  with  exact  attainment  a 
knowledge  of  the  world  of  realities,  who  had  tasted  the  sweet- 
ness of  home,  the  bitterness  of  war,  had  borne  sore  trials,  had 
"seen  life  thoroughly  and  seen  it  whole."  Each  of  the  two 
works  now  under  review  is  a  suggestive  illustration  of  the 
intellectual  and  ancestral  influences  by  whose  agency  its 
author  was  developed.     The  critical  student  will  not  fail  to 


•202  THE    NORTH    CAROLINA    BOOKLET 

note  that  the  literary  illustratious,  varied  as  is  their  range, 
are  drawn  in  great  measure  from  the  masters  of  English 
thought  and  expression  during  the  seventeenth  and  eighteenth 
centuries,  or  from  those  who  do  not  descend  to  a  later  period 
than  the  earlier  decades  of  the  nineteenth.  There  is  hardly 
to  he  discovered  a  reference  to  an  historian  later  than  Macau- 
lay,  Arnold,  ISTielmhr,  or  Sir  Archibald  Alison,  or  a  poet  who 
is  subsequent  to  the  time  of  Byron  and  Southey.  In  his 
literary  record,  no  allusion  appears  to  the  mighty  company  of 
master  spirits,  Wordsworth,  Keats,  Shelley,  Tennyson,  Brown- 
ing, all  of  whom  were  contemporaries,  and  one  of  whom  out- 
lived him,  being  laid  in  the  Poet's  Corner,  three  years  after 
Hill  had  been  borne  by  loving  hands  to  his  grave  among  his 
children  at  Davidson  College.  To  the  lover  of  literature  in 
our  modern  day,  it  sounds  as  if  an  echo  of  the  vanished  past 
had  fallen  upon  our  ears  as  we  read  Hill's  elaborate  quota- 
tion from  the  "Botanic  Garden,"  page  24,  published  in  1791. 
The  author  was  the  grandfather  of  the  renowned  naturalist 
whose  name  is  for  all  time  associated  with  the  doctrine  of 
evolution.  Another  illustration  of  the  strong  literary  con- 
servatism which  marked  our  ancestors  of  the  South  may  be 
discovered  in  Hill's  quotation  from  PoUok's  ''Course  of 
Time,"  page  108,  and  from  Young's  "Night  Thoughts,"  page 
09.  Yet  each  of  these  was  a  favorite  classic  in  the  homes  of 
our  forefathers,  and  rare  editions,  w^hich  survived  the  deso- 
lation of  war,  may  be  found  on  ancient  shelves  in  many  a 
Virginia  and  Carolina  manor  unto  this  day.  In  the  quota- 
tion from  Pope's  "Universal  Prayer,"  page  44,  we  have,  it 
may  be,  an  example  of  the  dominant  classical  spirit  trans- 
mitted from  the  eighteenth  century,  or  the  survival  of  mater- 
nal influence  in  the  development  of  literary  tendency.  It  has 
been  explained  that  Mrs.  Solomon  Hill  was  thoroughly  at 
home  with  this  master  light  of  our  Augustan  age.  The  quo- 
tations from  Shakespeare  are  rare  and  isolated.  "The  Cruci- 
fixion" suggests  a  possible  preference  for  "King  Lear,"  among 
the  creations  of  the  sovereign  dramatist.  Among  the  leaders 
in  the  sphere  of  fiction.  Hill's  comments,  page  53,  indicate  a 


GENERAL   D.    H.    HILL  203 

strong  aversion  to  the  heroes  who  have  been  wrought  into 
form  by  the  genius  of  Charles  Dickens,  his  dislike  being  justi- 
fied by  the  salutary  and  admirable  reason  that  "they  have  no 
regard  for  the  Sabbath,  none  for  the  Bible,  none  for  the 
preached  word."*     This  distrust  of  the  literature  embodied 


*In  order  to  illustrate  the  rigid  views  entertained  by  men  of  ttie 
school  to  which  Hill  and  Jaclison  belonged,  in  regard  to  the  sanctity 
of  the  Sabbath,  as  contrasted  with  the  laxity  that  prevails  in  our 
modern  life  and  practice,  I  insert  the  following  extract  from  a  letter 
written  by  General  Jackson  five  days  before  his  brilliant  flank  move- 
ment against  Hooker  at  Chancellorsville,  May  2,  1863.  The  letter  was 
one  of  the  last  that  came  from  his  hand.  In  less  than  two  weeks 
from  the  day  on  which  it  was  written,  .Jackson  died  at  Guinea  Sta- 
tion, Virginia,  May  10,  1863.  The  letter  was  addressed  to  his  friend 
and  colleague.  Colonel  J.  T.  L.  Preston,  of  Lexington,  Virginia : 

"Near  Fredericksburg,  April  27th,  1863. 
Dear  Colonel : 

I  am  much  gratified  to  see  that  you  are  one  of  the  delegates  to  the 
General  Assembly  of  our  Church,  and  I  write  to  express  the  hope  that 
something  may  be  accomplished  by  you  at  the  meeting  of  that  infiuen- 
tial  body  towards  repealing  the  law  requiring  our  mails  to  be  car- 
ried on  the  Christian  Sabbath.  Recently,  I  received  a  letter  from  a 
member  of  Congress,  expressing  the  hope  that  the  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives would  act  upon  the  subject  during  its  present  session ; 
and  from  the  mention  made  of  Col.  Chilton  and  Mr.  Curry,  of  Ala- 
bama, I  infer  that  they  are  members  of  the  Committee  which  recom- 
mend the  repeal  of  the  law.  A  few  days  since  I  received  a  very  grati- 
fying letter  from  Mr.  Curry,  wliich  was  entirely  voluntary  on  his  part, 
as  I  was  a  stranger  to  him  and  there  had  been  no  previous  corres- 
pondence between  us.  His  letter  is  of  a  cheering  character,  and  he 
takes  occasion  to  say  that  divine  laws  can  be  violated  with  impunity 
neither  by  governments  nor  individuals.  I  regret  to  say  that  he  is 
fearful  that  the  anxiety  of  members  to  return  home,  and  the  press  of 
other  business,  will  prevent  the  desired  action  this  session.  I  have 
said  thus  much  in  order  that  you  may  see  that  congressional  action 
is  to  be  looked  for  at  the  next  Congress,  and  hence  the  importance 
tliat  Christians  act  promptly,  so  that  our  legislators  may  see  the 
current  of  public  opinion  before  they  take  up  the  subject.  I  hope  and 
pray  that  such  may  be  our  country's  sentiment  upon  this  and  kindred 
subjects,  that  our  statesmen  will  see  their  way  clearly.  Now  appears 
to  me  an  auspicious  time  for  action,  as  our  people  are  looking  to 
God  for  assistance. 

Very  truly  your  friend, 

T.  J.  Jackson." 

The  General  Assembly  of  the  Southern  Presbyterian  Church  met  at 
Columbia,  S.  C,  on  the  seventh  of  May,  and  three  days  after  Jackson 
entered  into  rest.  At  this  time  General  Hill  was  in  command  of  the 
Department  of  North  Carolina.  He  would  have  been  heartily  in 
accord  with  the  views  of  General  Jackson  in  reference  to  the  observ- 
ance of  the  Sabbath.  Upon  the  very  day  on  which  this  letter  was 
written,  Hooker  began  his  Chancellorsville  campaign,  a  large  part  of 
his  army  crossing  the  Rappahannock  at  Kelly's  Ford,  April  27th,  1863. 


•204-  THE    NORTH    CAROLINA    BOOKLET 

in  the  novel  and  the  romance,  reveals  itself  in  the  letters  of 
Robert  E.  Lee,  and  of  his  father,  each  of  whom  warns  his 
children  aiiainst  the  dissipation  of  moral^  as  well  as  mental 
energy  involved  in  the  readinp,'  of  fiction.  So  far  as  we  are 
enabled  to  form  an  intelligent  judgment  of  our  author's  liter- 
ary tendencies,  he  was  not,  even  in  early  years,  a  devotee  of 
fiction.  The  most  notable  exception  to  this  comprehensive 
statement  is  probably  to  be  found  in  the  historical  romances 
of  Sir  Walter  Scott.  Yet  in  this  special  field  we  find  him  at 
one  with  Guizot  and  Ruskin  in  the  conviction  that  Scott  had 
not  succeeded  in  his  endeavors  to  recreate  the  past  and  to 
present  not  an  idealized  portraiture,  but  the  very  "form  and 
pressure"  of  the  vanished  ages.  The  range  of  illustration 
drawn  from  history  is  far-reaching  in  character.  The  eras 
in  the  development  of  the  modern  world  are,  above  all,  the 
fearful  carnival  of  crime  and  blood  involved  in  the  French 
Revolution,  the  days  of  the  St.  Bartholomew,  the  critical  era 
of  Henry  VIII^  that  of  the  first  Napoleon,  the  troublous  time 
of  the  War  of  The  Roses.  These,  however,  by  no  means 
exhaust  his  fertility ;  he  may  be  said  to  take  all  historic 
knowledge  as  his  province.  In  the  light  of  present  compli- 
cations with  the  Republic  of  Mexico,  Hill's  comments,  page 
159,  upon  its  former  crises  and  revolutions,  its  episodes 
of  anarchy  and  its  intervals  of  calm,  will  prove  rich  in  sug- 
gestion to  those  discriminating  minds  which  interpret  the 
present  in  the  retrospect  of  the  past.  One  supreme  motive 
and  aim  pervades  the  work,  fashions  its  form  and  determines 
its  spirit —  to  "assert  eternal  providence  and  justify  the  ways 
of  God  to  man."  To  this  pre-eminent  purpose  of  vindicating 
the  Divine  attitude^  as  revealed  in  the  evolution  of  our  race 
in  its  varying  stages,  his  wealth  of  illustration  is  dedicated. 
It  need  hardly  be  intimated  that  from  their  first  to  their 
final  utterance,  a  tone  of  invincible  orthodoxy  is  character- 
istic of  both  of  these  works.  No  shadow  of  doubt  seems  ever 
for  a  moment  to  have  fallen  upon  the  spirit  of  their  author. 
Had  the  Son  of  ]\lan  come.  He  would  have  found  faith  upon 


GENERAL   D.    H.    HILL,  205 

the  earth  concretely  illustrated  in  the  life  and  walk  of  D.  H. 
Hill.  In  an  age  when  the  foundations  of  belief  are  appar- 
ently dissolving  under  the  incubus  of  an  all-prevailing  unrest, 
and  the  ceaseless  "questioning  of  invisible  things,"  the  con- 
trast exhibited  in  the  attitude  of  Hill  is  grateful,  as  well  as 
inspiring,  like  a  voice  calling  from  the  vanished  days  of  un- 
challengeable trust  in  the  eternal  verities.  There  is  the  abso- 
lute confidence,  the  urgent  warning  directed  against  needless 
anxiety,  the  "taking  thought,"  which  conveys  a  possible  re- 
flection upon  the  Divine  omniscience  and  the  Divine  provi- 
dence. When  v/e  recall  our  author's  broad  and  accurate 
acquaintance  with  the  classic  literature  of  the  Elizabethan 
era,  one  almost  awaits  to  hear  him  cite  Shakespeare  and 
Bacon,  in  confirmation  of  his  interpretation  of  the  expres- 
sion. Hill  was  familiar  with  the  fact,  known  to  every  stu- 
dent of  English,  that  the  contemporary  masters  of  our  lan- 
guage, in  many  well  defined  instances,  present  the  most  simple 
and  satisfactory  rendering  of  seemingly  obscure  passages  in 
the  standard  versions  of  Holy  Scripture.  His  varied  and 
troublous  life  in  war,  and  during  the  saturnalian  period  of 
reconstruction,  alforded  him  an  admirable  field  for  the  appli- 
cation of  his  own  teachings  in  the  daily  gra]3ple  with  new 
problems,  novel  conditions,  a  new  earth,  not  a  new  heaven, 
into  which  fate  had  cast  him.  Yet,  unto  the  end,  his  faith 
failed  not,  and  he  endured  as  seeing  Him  who  is  invisible. 
When  we  recall  the  ceaseless  and  multiform  activity  which 
was  characteristic  of  Hill  and  his  technical  training  as  a  pro- 
fessional soldier,  it  is  difiicult  to  explain  the  process  by  which 
he  acquired  so  broad  and  accurate  a  knowledge  of  literature 
and  history,  in  nearly  all  their  stages  save  the  periods  that  are 
subsequent  to  the  first  half  of  the  nineteenth  century.  In  this 
regard  he  displays  a  striking  resemblance  to  his  favorite  his- 
torian, for  Hill,  like  Macaulay,  was  in  the  essential  features 
of  his  intellectual  development,  a  type  and  in  large  measure 
a  product,  of  the  culture  and  ideals  which  prevailed  during 
our  Augustan  age,  when  Addison,  Swift,  Steele  and  Pope 
were  the  recognized  and  indisputable  standards.  To  the 
2 


200  THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  BOOKLET 

modern  reader,  the  refereiiee  to  Cudworth,  page  136,  seems  an 
echo  from  worlds  no  longer  realized,  but  the  citation  serves  to 
illustrate  Hill's  versatile  knowledge  and  bis  discursive  rang- 
ing among  the  forgotten  masters  of  the  seventeenth  century. 
The  introduction  of  the  Swedish  hero,  Gustavus  Adolpbus, 
page  170,  is  rich  in  historic  suggestion,  for  Gustavus  presents 
a  striking  resemblance  in  genius  and  in  character,  in  life  and 
in  death,  to  our  own  Stonewall  Jackson.  The  supreme  mili- 
tary career  of  each  extended  over  the  same  length  of  years: 
Gustavus  from  1630  to  1032;  Jackson  from  1801  to  1863; 
both  died  at  nearly  the  same  age;  Jackson  at  39 ;  Gustavus  at 
38,  and  both  fell  in  the  moment  of  victory,  the  one  at  Lutzen, 
the  other  at  Chancellorsville.  Had  Hill's  book  been  written 
five  or  six  years  later,  his  eye  would  have  recognized  the 
parallel,  and  his  hand  would  have  traced  it  in  every  one  of  its 
distinctive  features.  On  page  212,  we  read  the  reference  to 
Bishop  Beveridge,  the  subject  of  Browning's  ghastly  witti- 
cism, but  turned  to  good  account  by  our  author,  who  in  com- 
mon with  nearly  every  scholar  of  the  South  during  the  past 
generation,  had  no  part  in  the  poetry  of  Browning. 

As  the  work  expands,  we  cannot  fail  to  observe  how  effectu- 
ally the  mathematical  habitude  of  the  author  preserves  its 
unity  and  guards  it  from  unmethodical  or  desultory  treat- 
ment. The  element  of  system  entered  into  every  detail  of 
his  daily  life.  The  book  abounds  in  passages  whose  concise- 
ness and  lucidity  adapt  them  to  the  purpose  of  quotation,  so 
that  we  cannot  forbear  to  draw  from  its  varied  wealth  in  the 
hope  of  rendering  it,  at  least  in  a  measure,  familiar  to  the 
student  of  his  life,  who  has  been  accustomed  to  contemplate 
him  principally,  if  not  in  every  sense,  from  the  viewpoint  of 
his  genius  as  a  soldier  and  his  career  in  the  armies  of  the 
Confederacy.  I  am  endeavoring  to  demonstrate  that  his 
character  and  his  achievement,  if  faithfully  scrutinized,  will 
reveal  a  literary  and  scholarly  feature,  not  only  worthy  of 
critical  analysis,  but  contributing  in  no  small  measure  to  the 
"eternity  of  his  fame."  In  the  light  of  contemporary  de- 
velopment in  the  sphere  of  education.  Hill's  comments,  page 


GENERAL  D.    H.    HILL  207^ 

228,  assume  a  peculiar  interest :  "To  the  contaminating  power 
of  sympathy  with  evil  doers,  is  to  be  ascribed  the  awful  de- 
pravity of  large  cities.  Hence,  too,  the  low  standard  of  morals 
among  soldiers  and  sailors.  Hence,  also,  the  gTeater  amount 
of  wickedness  in  State  Universities  and  in  colleges  overflowing 
with  numbers,  than  in  those  less  known  and  less  celebrated." 
During  the  ten  years  that  Hill  was  associated  with  Washing- 
ton College  and  with  Davidson  College  as  professor  of  mathe- 
matics (1849-1859),  the  numerical  attendance  in  either 
probably  did  not  exceed  one  hundred  students.  He  spoke 
from  the  viewpoint  of  his  own  experience,  and  his  judgment 
is  amply  sustained  by  the  records  of  that  period,  as  well  as  by 
the  living  voices  of  many  who  bear  in  memory  the  academic 
life  of  the  South  during  the  years  that  preceded  the  coming 
of  the  conflict  which  destroyed  the  continuity  of  educational 
development.  JSTor  was  there  more  thorough  and  admirable 
teaching,  though  its  range  was  restricted,  to  be  found  in  that 
day  than  was  received  in  these  two  modest  and  unaspiring 
colleges,  the  one  encompassed  by  the  mountain  walls  of  Vir- 
ginia, the  other  remote,  difficult  of  access,  and  nursing  its 
strength  in  tranquil  solitude. 

On  page  200,  we  are  met  by  a  passage  which  seems  almost 
an  echo  of  one  of  Newman's  Oxford  sermons.  Despite  the 
likeness,  no  two  characters  were  ever  marked  by  more  sharply 
defined  antitheses  than  D.  H.  Hill  and  the  Anglo-Catholic 
leader.  "How  cheering  and  comforting  it  is  to  know  that 
God  is  more  ready  to  send  this  renewing,  sanctifying,  inter- 
ceding Spirit,  than  parents  are  to  give  good  things  to  their 
children.  Here  is  the  great  encouragement  to  prayer — the 
promise  of  the  Spirit.  We  are  dark,  ignorant,  short-sighted, 
and  know  not  how  to  frame  our  petitions  aright.  He  has  all 
wisdom  and  will  enlighten  our  understandings.  Our  hearts 
are  cold  and  dead,  but  He  will  give  them  warmth  and  life. 
Grod,  because  of  our  sins,  'has  covered  Himself  with  a  thick 
cloud,  that  our  prayers  should  not  pass  through.'  But  when 
His  Spirit  has  enabled  us  to  believe  on  His  Son,  He  will  say : 
'I  have  blotted  out,  as  a  thick  cloud,  thy  transgressions,  and 


^08  THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  BOOKLET 

as  a  cloud  tliv  sins  ;  return  unto  me,  for  I  have  redeemed  thee.' 
Our  prayer  will  then  be  unto  thee,  O  Lord,  in  an  acceptable 
tinuN  'and  God,  even  onr  own  God,  shall  bless  lis.'  "  On  page 
8,  wi'  liuvc  an  illustration  drawn  from  Hill's  memories  of  his 
experiences  in  Mexico.  ''Let  the  soldier  be  too  proud  to 
studv  the  principles  of  military  science,  and  he  will  be  but 
too  likely  to  imitate  the  examples  of  one  of  the  mushroom 
o-enorals  of  the  Mexican  war,  and  place  his  ditch  on  the  ivrong 
side  of  tJie  fortification/'  The  reference  is  to  General  Gideon 
J.  Pillow,  and  the  celebrated  entrenchment  at  Camargo.  At 
a  later  period.  Hill  did  not  hesitate  to  apply  the  same  unspar- 
ing criticism  to  the  "mushroom"  type  of  generals  developed 
during  the  War  between  the  States. 

The  tone  of  fervid  piety  which,  at  every  point,  pervades 
the  work,  is  a  grateful  contrast  to  the  prevailing  spirit  iu  the 
same  sphere  during  the  contemporary  age.  It  is  inspiring  to 
be  carried  back,  even  for  an  hour,  into  a  realm  of  thought 
in  which  faith  reigns  supreme,  and  where  the  mere  sugges- 
tion of  doubt  has  apparently  never  entered.  The  same  atti- 
tude reveals  itself  in  the  comments  on  page  69.  "The  com- 
mand to  'pray  always'  implies  that  the  heart  may  be  lifted  up 
in  secret  devotion  amidst  the  most  pressing  duties  of  active 
life.  Still,  all  should  have  and  all  might  have  special  seasons 
of  private  prayer.  Colonel  Gardiner  could  find  such  seasons 
amidst  the  exciting  scenes  of  civil  war  and  domestic  dissen- 
sion. Washington  could  find  such  on  his  most  arduous  and 
active  campaigns.  David  could  lind  such  even  when  hunted 
down  by  his  enemies.  Above  all,  the  Son  of  God,  when 
engaged  in  His  glorious  mission  on  earth,  could  find  time  to 
sj^end  whole  nights  in  secret  prayer.  JSTo  man  can  say  that  he 
is  more  diligently  or  more  usefully  employed  than  were  Gar- 
diner, Washington  and  our  blessed  Redeemer.  Let  no  one 
then  dare  to  say  that  he  has  no  time  for  secret  prayer."  Had 
this  passage  been  written  in  later  years,  Jackson  would  have 
been  added  to  this  enumeration  of  generals  who  have  glorified 
God  by  lives  consecrated  to  His  service  in  secret  prayer. 

END. 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  VEREAZZANO  209 


The  Voyage  of  Verrazzano 


The  First  Exploration  of  the  North  CaroHna  Coast 
by  Europeans 


By  R.  D.  W.  Connor, 
Secretary  of  the  North  Carolina  Plistorical  Commission. 


The  first  European  to  visit,  explore,  and  describe  the  coast 
of  ]S[orth  Carolina  was  Giovanni  da  Verrazzano,  a  Florentine 
navigator  in  the  service  of  France.  It  is  trne  some  historians 
suppose  that  the  Cabots  preceded  Verrazzano  to  this  region 
by  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century;  but  the  voyages  of  the 
Cabots  are  involved  in  so  much  obscurity  and  present  so  many 
points  for  controversy  that  it  is  impossible  to  ascertain  with 
any  degTee  of  certainty  just  what  parts  of  JSTorth  America 
they  visited.  It  is  doubtful,  to  say  the  least,  whether  or  not 
their  explorations  brought  them  as  far  south  as  our  latitude; 
at  any  rate  no  report  of  their  explorations  describing  the 
country  and  its  people  is  now  extant.  Verrazzano,  on  the 
contrary,  submitted  to  the  King  of  France,  a  long  and  detailed 
report  of  his  discoveries,  dated  July  8,  1524,  which  is  the 
earliest  known  description  of  the  coast  of  the  United  States. 
He  coasted  from  Cape  Fear  to  Newfoundland,  and  his  account 
of  the  country  and  its  people  is  one  of  the  most  interesting 
documents  that  has  come  down  to  us  from  the  era  of  dis- 
covery. And  yet,  strange  as  it  may  seem,  his  exploits  have 
almost  entirely  escaped  the  attention  of  North  Carolina  his- 
torians. Williamson  and  Martin  dismiss  his  voyage  with 
scant  notice,  while  Hawks,  Wheeler,  Moore,  and  Ashe  ignore 
it  altogether.  It  is  true  his  discoveries  led  to  no  settlements ; 
nevertheless  they  form  an  important  link  in  the  chain  of  dis- 
coveries which  were  slowly  but  gradually  revealing  to  Europe 
the  truth  about  the  New  World;  and  as  his  report  was  in- 
cluded by  Hakluyt  in  his  ^'Divers  Voyages,"   in   1582,   it 


210  THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  BOOKLET 

probably  Avas  not  without  influence  in  turning  the  attention 
of  Sir  AYalter  Ealeicli  toward  America  as  a  field  for  coloniza- 
tion. I  propose,  therefore,  to  relate  the  story  of  this  first 
visit  of  Europeans  to  the  shores  of  l^orth  Carolina. 

The  story  of  the  great  voyage  of  Columbus  in  1492  was 
heard  with  wonder  and  delight  in  France  and  in  England, 
but  these  feelings  were  promptly  turned  into  a  feeling  of 
disgust  at  the  cupidity  of  Spain  and  Portugal  in  laying  claim 
to  all  the  undiscovered  regions  of  the  earth  and  at  the  zeal 
with  which  Pope  Alexander  VI  hastened  to  confirm  their  pre- 
tentions. France  and  England,  however,  were  not  prepared 
to  admit  the  Spanish  and  Portuguese  titles,  "'If  Father  Adam 
has  left  the  earth  to  Spain  and  Portugal,"  said  Francis  I  of 
France,  ^'let  them  show  me  the  will."  In  the  course  of  a  few 
years,  therefore,  French  and  English  ships  were  sailing  the 
waters  of  the  Atlantic  far  and  wide  disputing  the  claims  of 
Spain  and  Portugal  and  taking  possession  of  various  portions 
of  the  iSTew  World  in  the  names  of  their  sovereigns. 

The  first  French  expedition  sent  to  the  New  World  under 
royal  auspices  was  the  expedition  of  Verrazzano  in  1524. 
But  little  is  known  of  Verrazzano's  career.  He  was  born  in 
Florence  about  the  year  1470,  and  at  an  early  age  entered  the 
maritime  service  of  France.  He  seems  to  have  performed  for 
France  about  the  same  kind  of  service,  though  perhaps  not  so 
effectively,  that  Hawkins  and  Drake  performed  for  England. 
We  hear  of  him  first  as  a  French  corsair  ravaging  the  posses- 
sions of  Spain  and  Portugal  in  the  East  Indies  and  the  West 
Indies.  On  one  of  his  privateering  expeditions,  1522,  he  cap- 
tured the  rich  treasure  ship  which  Cortez  had  dispatched  from 
Mexico  to  Spain  laden  with  the  vast  spoils  of  the  Montezuma. 
It  is  estimated  that  this  prize  yielded  gold  and  silver  bullion 
worth  more  than  one  and  a  half  million  dollars. 

But  the  daring  Florentine  was  not  merely  a  corsair.  The 
next  year  ho  turned  his  attention,  for  awhile  at  least,  from 
privateering  to  the  work  of  scientific  exploration.  King 
Francis  fitted  out  for  him  four  ships  with  which  "to  discover 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  VEEEAZZANO  211 

new  lands  by  the  ocean." ^  A  storm  drove  him  with  two  of 
these  vessels,  the  Norman  and  the  Dauphine,  to  seek  refuge 
in  a  port  in  Brittany ;  what  became  of  the  other  two  we  do 
not  know.  Having  repaired  the  damages  sustained  from  the 
storm,  Verrazzano  made  a  successful  descent  upon  the  coast 
of  Spain  from  which  the  king  derived  some  profit.  Then 
with  the  Dauphine  alone,  he  says,  'Sve  determined  to  make 
discoverie  of  new  Countries,  to  prosecute  the  navigation  we 
had  already  begun."  His  purpose  was  to  find  a  way  to  Cathay 
(China)  by  a  westward  route.  Accordingly,  with  a  crew  of 
fifty  men,  well  provided  with  'Victuals,  weapons,  and  other 
ship  munition"  for  an  eight-month  voyage,  he  set  sail  Janu- 
ary 17,  1524,  from  a  "dishabited  rocke  by  the  isle  of  Madera" 
and  turned  his  prow  toward  the  unknown  world. 

For  twenty-five  days  Verrazzano's  little  caravel  sped  along 
for  500  leagues  before  "a  faire  Easterly  wind,"  but  on  the 
twenty-sixth  day  he  was  "^overtaken  with  as  sharp  and  terrible 
a  tempest  as  ever  saylers  suffered."  Weathering  this  storm, 
as  he  said  "with  the  divine  helpe  and  mercifull  assistance  of 
Almighty  God,  and  the  goodnesse  of  our  shippe,  accompanied 
with  the  good  happe  of  her  fortunate  name,"  he  again  fell  in 
with  a  '^prosperous  winde,"  and  pursued  his  course  west  by 
north  for  a  little  more  than  400  leagues.  When  in  the  thirty- 
fourth  parallel  of  latitude,  he  reached  a  low-lying  coast,  "a 
newe  land,"  he  declares,  "never  before  scene  of  any  man  either 
ancient  or  moderne."  This  landfall  was  off  the  coast  of 
what  is  now  North  Carolina  near  Cape  Fear. 

Perceiving  by  "the  great  fires"  on  shore  that  the  country 
was  inhabited,  Verrazzano  followed  the  coast  southward  for 
fifty  leagues  in  search  of  "some  convenient  Harborough 
wherein  to  anchor  and  have  knowledge  of  the  place."  Fail- 
ing in  his  search,  he  says,  "we  resolved  to  returne  backe  againe 
towards  the  ISTorth,  where  wee  found  our  selves  troubled  with 
the  like  difficultie.     ...     At  length  being  in  despaire  to 


1  Quotations    in    this    article    from    Verrazzano's    report    are   from 
Hakluyt's  translation  printed  in  his  "Voyages,"  reprint  of  1810,  Vol.  3. 


'21-2  THE    I^ORTII    CAROLII^A    BOOKLET 

tinde  any  Porte,  wee  cast  auelior  iipou  the  coast,  and  sent  our 
Boate  to  shore,  where  we  saw  great  store  of  people  which  came 
to  the  Sea  side :  and  seeing  us  approach,  they  fled  away,  and 
sometimes  would  stand  still  and  looke  hacke,  beholding  us 
with  great  admiration ;  but  afterwards  being  animated  and 
assured  with  signes  that  we  made  them,  some  of  them  came 
luu'd  to  The  Sea  side,  seeming  to  rejoyce  very  much  at  tho 
sight  of  US,  and  marveling  greatly  at  our  apparel,  shape  and 
whitencsse,  shewed  us  by  sundry  sigiies  where  we  might  most 
commodionsly  come  aland  with  our  Boate,  offering  us  also  of 
their  victuals  to  eate/' 

Thus  for  the  first  time  the  red  men  of  our  Carolina  coast 
came  in  contact  with  the  wdiite  race.  It  was  a  wonderful 
occasion  for  both.  And  yet,  how  much  more  wonderful  it 
would  seem  if  the  red  men  could  have  imitated  the  example 
of  their  pale-face  visitors  and  left  for  us  their  impressions  of 
the  strangers  as  the  white  men  did  of  them.  In  Verrazzano's 
report  of  his  voyage  we  have  the  earliest  description  of  these 
natives  that  has  come  down  to  us.  That  some  of  his  state- 
ments are  erroneous  is  not  to  be  marveled  at ;  rather  ought  we 
to  wonder  that,  considering  all  the  circumstances,  his  obser- 
vations of  these  people,  as  strange  to  him  as  he  was  to  them, 
should  approach  so  nearly  to  accuracy.  Here  is  what  he  says 
of  them : 

^'Xow  I  wil  briefly  declare  to  your  Maiestie  their  life  and 
nianers,  as  farre  as  we  could  have  notice  thereof:  These  peo- 
ple goe  altogether  naked,  except  only  that  they  cover  their 
privie  parts  with  certaine  skins  of  beasts  like  unto  Marterns, 
which  they  fasten  unto  a  narrow  girdle  made  of  grasse  very 
artificially  wrought,  hanged  about  with  tayles  of  divers  other 
beastos,  which  round  about  their  bodies  hang  dangling  downe 
to  their  knees.  Some  of  them  weare  garlands  of  byrdes  feath- 
ers. The  people  are  of  colour  russett,  and  not  much  unlike  the 
Saracens :  their  hayre  blacke,  thicke  and  not  very  long,  which 
they  tye  together  in  a  knot  behind  and  weare  it  like  a  little 
taile.  They  are  well  featured  in  their  limbes,of  meane  stature, 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  VERKAZZANO  213 

and  commonly  somewhat  bigger  than  we:  broad  breasted, 
strong  armed,  their  legs  and  other  parts  of  their  bodies  well 
fashioned,  and  they  are  disfigiired  in  nothing,  saving  that  they 
have  somewhat  broade  visages,  and  yet  not  all  of  them:  for 
we  saw  many  of  them  wel  favoured,  having  blacke  and  great 
eyes,  with  a  cheerefull  and  steady  looke,  not  strong  of  body, 
yet  sharpe  witted,  nymble  and  exceeding  great  runners,  as 
farre  as  we  could  learne  by  experience,  and  in  those  two  last 
qualities  they  are  like  to  the  people  of  the  East  partes  of  the 
world,  and  especially  to  them  of  the  uttermost  parts  of 
China.  We  could  not  learne  of  this  people,  their  maner  of 
living,  nor  their  particular  customs,  by  reason  of  the  short 
abode  we  made  on  the  shore,  our  company  being  but  small, 
and  our  ship  ryding  farre  off  in  the  Sea." 

After  these  observations  on  the  people  Verrazzano  describes 
the  country  itself.  It  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  Verraz- 
zano thought  that  he  was  on  the  coast  of  Cathay  and  there- 
fore imagines  that  the  forests  which  he  saw  at  a  distance 
would  be  not  "altogether  voyd  of  drugs  or  spicery,  and  other 
riches  of  golde,  seeing  the  colour  of  the  land  doth  much  argue 
it."  Such  errors  are  common  to  the  narratives  of  most  of 
the  early  explorers  who,  thinking  themselves  in  an  oriental 
country,  attribute  to  America  many  of  the  features  and  prod- 
ucts of  the  Orient.  So  does  Verrazzano  in  the  following 
description  of  the  Carolina  coast — the  first  description  of  this 
region  ever  written — fall  into  similar  errors.     He  says : 

''The  shoare  is  all  covered  with  small  sand,  and  so  ascendeth 
upwards  for  the  space  of  15.  foote,  rising  in  forme  of  litle 
hils  about  50.  paces  broad.  And  sayling  forwards,  we  found 
certaine  small  Rivers  and  armes  of  the  Sea,  that  fall  downe 
by  certaine  creekes,  washing  the  shoare  on  both  sides  as  the 
coast  lyeth.  And  beyond  this  we  saw  the  open  Countrey  ris- 
ing in  height  above  the  sandie  shoare  with  many  faire  fields 
and  plaines,  full  of  mightie  great  woods,  some  very  thicke, 
and  some  thinne,  replenished  with  divers  sorts  of  trees,  as 
pleasant  and  delectable  to  behold,  as  is  possible  to  imagine. 


21-i  THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  BOOKLET 

And  your  Maiestie  may  not  thinke  that  these  are  like  the 
woods  of  Herevnia  or  the  wilde  deserts  of  Tartarv,  and  the 
Northerne  coasts  full  of  fruitless  trees :  But  they  are  full  of 
Palme  trees.  Bay  trees,  and  high  Cypresse  trees,  and  many 
other  sortes  of  trees  unknowen  in  Europe,  which  yeeld  most 
sweete  savours  farre  from  the  shoare,  the  propertie  whereof 
we  could  not  Icarne  from  the  cause  aforesaid,^  and  not  for  any 
difficulty  to  passe  through  the  woods,  seeing  they  are  not  so 
thicke  but  that  a  man  may  passe  through  them.  ISTeither  doe 
we  thinke  that  they,  partaking  of  the  East  world  round  about 
them,  are  alti^gether  voyd  of  drugs  or  spicery,  and  other  riches 
of  o'olde,  seeing  the  colour  of  the  land  doth  so  much  argue  it. 
And  the  lande  is  full  of  many  beastes,  as  Stags,  Deere,  and 
Hares,  and  likewise  of  Lakes  and  Pooles  of  fresh  water,  with 
great  plentie  of  Fowles,  convenient  for  all  kinde  of  pleasant 
game.  This  land  is  in  latitude  3-i.  degrees,^  with  good  and 
wholesome  ayre,  temperate,  betweene  hot  and  colde,  no  vehe- 
ment windes  doe  blowe  in  those  Regions,  and  those  that  doe 
commonly  reigne  in  those  coasts,  are  the  jSTorthwest  and  West 
windes  in  the  summer  season,  (in  the  beginning  whereof  we 
were  there)  the  skie  cleere  and  faire  with  very  little  raine: 
and  if  at  any  time  the  ayre  be  cloudie  and  mistie  with  the 
Southerne  winde,  immediately  it  is  dissolved  and  waxeth 
cleere  and  fay  re  againe." 

Sailing  northward,  Verrazzano  found  the  coast  "to  trend 
toward  the  East''  and  "saw  every  where  very  great  fires,  by 
reason  of  the  multitude  of  the  inhabitants."  An  incident 
soon  occurred,  tragic  enough  in  its  possibilities  as  viewed  by 
tlie  horrified  Frenchmen,  but  merely  amusing  as  we  now  read 
it  in  Verrazzano's  narrative,  which  shows  how  difficult  it  was 
for  the  visitors  and  the  natives  to  understand  each  other  at 
their  first  contact.  Verrazzano  tells  the  story  in  the  follow- 
ing passage: 


~"l',y  roiisoii  of  the  short  ahode  we  made  ou  the  shore,  our  company 
bciiiK  liut  small,  and  our  ship  ryding  farre  off  in  the  Sea." 
■"iA  few  miles  south  of  Wilmington. 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  VEEEAZZANO  215 

"We  departed  from  this  place,  still  running  along  the  coast, 
which  we  found  to  trend  toward  the  East,  &  we  saw  every 
where  great  fires,  by  reason  of  the  multitude  of  the  inhabi- 
tants. While  we  rode  on  that  coast,  partly  because  it  had  no 
harborough,  and  for  that  we  wanted  water,  we  sent  our  boat 
ashoare  with  25.  men:  where  by  reason  of  great  and  continuall 
waves  that  beat  against  the  shoare,  being  an  open  Coast,  with- 
out succour,  none  of  our  men  could  possibly  goe  ashoare  with- 
out loosing  our  boate.  Wee  saw  there  many  people  which 
came  unto  the  Shoare,  making  divers  signes  of  friendship,  and 
shewing  that  they  were  content  we  should  come  aland,  and  by 
trial  we  found  them  to  very  courteous  and  gentle,  as  your 
Maiestie  shal  understand  by  the  successe.  To  the  intent  we 
might  send  them  of  our  things,  which  the  Indians  commonly 
desire  and  esteeme,  as  sheetes  of  paper,  glasses,  bels,  and  such 
like  trifles  ;  we  sent  a  young  man  one  of  our  Mariners  ashoare, 
who  swimming  towards  them,  &  being  within  3.  or  4.  yards  of 
the  shoare,  not  trusting  them,  cast  the  things  upon  the  shoare ; 
but  seeking  afterwards  to  returne,  he  was  with  such  violence 
of  the  waves  beaten  upon  the  shoare,  that  he  was  so  bruised 
that  he  lay  there  almost  dead :  which  the  Indians  perceiving, 
ranne  to  catch  him,  and  drawing  him  out,  they  carried  him  a 
little  way  off  from  the  sea.  The  yong  man  perceiving  they 
caried  him,  being  at  the  first  dismaied,  began  then  greatly  to 
f eare,  and  cried  out  piteously :  likewise  did  the  Indians  which' 
did  accompany  him,  going  about  to  cheere  him  and  to  give  him 
courage,  and  then  setting  him  on  the  ground  at  the  foote  of  a 
litle  hil  against  the  sunne,  they  began  to  behold  him  with 
great  admiration,  marvelling  at  the  whitenesse  of  his  flesh: 
and  putting  off  his  clothes,  they  made  him  warme  at  a  great 
fire,  not  without  our  great  feare  which  remayned  in  the  boat, 
that  they  would  have  rested  him  at  that  fire,  and  have  eaten 
him.  The  young  man  having  recovered  his  strength,  and 
having  stayed  a  while  with  them,  shewed  them  by  signes  that 
he  was  desirous  to  returne  to  the  ship :  and  they  with  gi-eat 
love  clapping  him  fast  about  with  many  imbracings,  accom- 


216  TTTE    NORTH    CAROLINA    BOOKLET 

panviiiLi-  him  unto  the  sea,  and  to  put  him  in  more  assurance, 
Icavlim'  him  a  lout',  went  unto  a  high  ground  and  stood  there, 
lichohliii--  him  until  he  was  entred  into  the  boate.  This  yong 
man  oljserved,  as  we  did  also,  that  these  are  of  colour  inclin- 
ing to  Hlacke  as  the  other  were,  with  their  flesh  very  shining, 
of  mcaue  stature,  handsome  visage,  and  delicate  limmes,  and 
of  very  little  strength,  hut  of  prompt  wit:  farther  we  ob- 
served not.      .      .      ." 

Proceeding  still  farther  northward,  Verrazzano  coasted  the 
shores  of  Virginia  and  IMaryland,  looked  in  at  the  bay  of 
Xew  York,  and  following  the  coast  of  Rhode  Island,  entered 
the  harbor  of  Newport,  where  he  rested  at  anchor  for  fifteen 
tlays.  Ever^^v^here  the  natives  welcomed  the  French  with 
signs  of  great  joy  and  friendship.  But  after  leaving  the 
harltor  oi  Newport  the  voyagers  noted  a  decided  change  in  the 
attitude  of  the  natives.  The  Indians  were  willing  enough  to 
trade,  but  showed  a  determination  to  have  no  further  inter- 
course with  the  strangers.  At  times  the  attempts  of  the 
French  to  land  were  met  with  wild  war-whoops  and  showers 
of  arrows  which  speedily  drove  them  back  to  their  ship. 
Coasting  the  shores  of  Maine,  Verrazzano  pursued  his  voyage 
as  far  north  as  Newfoundland.  His  supplies  now  beginning 
to  run  short,  he  set  sail  for  France,  and  cast  anchor  in  the 
harbor  of  Dieppe  early  in  July.  There  on  July  8,  1524,  he 
wrote  and  dispatched  to  the  King,  Francis  L,  ''the  earliest 
description  known  to  exist  of  the  shores  of  the  United 
States."* 

Verrazzano  was  eager  to  return  to  the  New  World,  plant 
a  colony  there,  and  become  the  bearer  of  the  Christian  religion 
to    the    savage    tribes    of    America.     But    the    situation    of 


4  The  autlKPi-itics  for  Verrazzano's  voyage  are  his  letter  of  July  8, 
1024,  to  the  Kiuj,',  u  niup  of  the  world  drawn  by  his  brother  in  1529, 
and  certain  I'eferences  to  his  voya^'e  in  early  French.  Spanish.  Portu- 
guese and  Kn^'lish  writers.  Within  recent  years  the  authenticity  of 
Vernizzaiio's  letter  has  been  called  inttj  (luestion.  It  has  been 
asserted  that  the  letter  is  a  for.^ery,  ini,'eniously  prepared  in  France 
with  tbe  connivance  of  the  Kin?,'  to  serve  as  a  basis  for  a  claim  to 


THE  VOYAGE  OF  VEERAZZANO  217 

territory  in  America,  and  that  Verrazzano  never  came  to  America 
at  all. 

Tlie  original  of  Verrazzano's  letter  to  the  King  is  not  known  to  be 
in  existence.  There  are  two  copies  of  it  extant,  both  of  which  are 
Italian  translations.  One  of  these  was  printed  by  Ramusio  in  1556. 
Ramusio  asserts  that  he  had  conversed  with  many  persons  who  had 
known  Verrazzano,  and  he  prints  a  paper  in  which  Verrazzano's 
voyage  is  mentioned  by  a  contemporary.  Parkman :  The  Pioneers  of 
France  in  the  Neiv  World,  p.  2.31-32.     (Note.) 

From  Ramusio's  copy  Hakluyt  made  the  English  translation  for 
his  "Divers  Voyages,"  pnblished  in  1582.  Hakluyt  also  makes  several 
references  to  Verrazzano's  discoveries  in  the  dedication  to  his 
"Divers  Voyages"  and  in  his  "Discourse  on  Westerne  Planting." — 
Winsor :  Narrative  and  Critical  History  of  America,  IV.,  17. 

The  other  copy  of  Verrazzano's  letter  was  found  in  the  Strozzi 
Library  in  Florence  and  published  with  an  English  translation  by  the 
New  York  Historical  Society  in  1841.  Along  with  this  copy  was 
found  a  letter  written  from  Lyons,  Aug.  4,  1.524,  by  Fernando  Carli 
to  his  father  in  Florence.  Carli  writes  of  the  arrival  of  Verrazzano 
at  Dieppe  and  sends  a  copy  in  Italian  of  his  account  of  his  voyage 
which  Carli  thought  would  interest  the  people  of  the  navigator's 
native  city. — Winsor :    Nar.  and  Grit.  Hist.  IT.,  17. 

In  1529,  Hieronimo  da  Verrazzano.  brother  of  Giovanni  da  Verraz- 
zano. made  a  large  map  of  the  world,  now  preserved  in  the  College  of 
the  Propaganda  at  Rome,  on  which  the  discoveries  of  Verrazzano  are 
laid  down.  That  part  of  North  America  explored  by  him  bears  the 
following  legend :  "Verrazzano.  or  New  Gaul,  which  was  discovered 
five  years  ago  by  Giovanni  da  Verrazzano.  of  Florence,  by  the  order 
and  command  of  the  most  Christian  King  of  France." — Winsor :  Nar. 
and  Crit.  Hist.  IV..  18-19. 

There  are  numerous  references  to  Verrazzano's  voyage  in  the  early 
Spanish,  Portuguese,  French,  and  English  authorities.  Among  them 
is  a  letter  from  the  Portuguese  ambassador  to  France  written  in  the 
spring  of  1523  which  shows  that  Verrazzano  had  announced  his  inten- 
tion of  making  a  voyage  to  "Cathay."  References  to  the  fact  that  he 
did  actually  make  such  a  voyage  are  found  in  the  writings  of  histo- 
rians as  earlv  as  1537. — Parkman:  The  Pioneers  of  France  in  the 
New  World,  232.     (Note.) 

The  first  suggestion  that  the  letter  of  July  S,  1524,  was  not  genuine 
was  made  by  Mr.  Buckingham  Smith  in  a  paper  which  he  read  before 
the  New  York  Historical  Society  in  October,  1864.  This  view  was 
further  supported  by  Henry  C.  Murphy,  in  liis  "Voyage  of  Verraz- 
zano." published  in  1875,  whose  work  is  the  strongest  statement  of 
the  case  against  Verrazzano.  Its  chief  importance  arises  from  the 
fact  that  it  caused  Mr.  Bancroft  to  omit  any  reference  to  Verraz- 
zano's vovage  in  his  last  revision  of  liis  "Historv  of  the  United 
States." 

Justin  Winsor  reviews  the  entire  controversy  in  the  fourth  volume 
of  his  ''Narrative  and  Critical  History  of  America.'"  and  seems  effect- 
ually to  dispose  of  the  arguments  of  Mr.  Murphy.  .John  Fiske  also 
declares  that  "Mr.  Murphy's  conclusions  have  not  been  generall.v  siis- 
tained." — Discovery  of  America,  II.,  493  (Note).  Since  the  publica- 
tion of  Murphy's  work,  new  evidence  discovered  in  European  archives 
still  further  substantiates  the  genuineness  of  the  Verrazzano  letter, 
so  that  at  present  the  conclusion  of  Francis  Parkman  appears  to 
represent  generally  the  attitude  of  modern  investigators  and  histo- 
rians. Says  he.  after  reviewing  the  controversy,  "A  careful  examina- 
tion of  these  various  writings  convinces  me  that  the  evidence  in  favor 
of  the  voyage  of  Verrazzano  is  far  stronger  than  the  evidence  against 
it." — Pioneers  of  France  in  The  New  World,  232  (Note). 


218  THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  BOOKLET 

Fvaiu'c  at  that  time  was  unfavorable.  ''The  year  of  his 
voyaiic"  says  Parkmaii,  'Svas  to  France  a  year  of  disasters — 
defeat  in  Italy,  the  loss  of  Milan,  the  death  of  the  heroic 
IJayard;  ami,  while  Verrazzano  was  writing  his  narrative  at 
Dieppe,  the  traitor  Bourbon  was  invading  Provence.  Prepa- 
ration, too,  was  soon  on  foot  for  the  expedition  which,  a  few 
months  later,  ended  in  the  captivity  of  Francis  on  the  field 
of  Pavia.  Without  a  King,  without  an  army,  without  money, 
convulsed  within,  and  threatened  from  without,  France  after 
that  humiliation  was  in  no  condition  to  renew  her  transat- 
lantic enterprise."^ 

We  know  but  little  of  Verrazzano's  subsequent  career,  and 
his  fate  is  involved  in  much  obscurity.  Ramusio  states  that 
he  was  killed  and  eaten  by  savages ;  while  Biddle  thinks  that 
it  is  impossible  from  references  in  Hakluyt,  to  withstand  the 
conviction  that  Verrazzano  later  entered  the  service  of  Henry 
VIII  of  England.  But  the  best  modern  opinion,  based  on 
documents  recently  brought  to  light,  is  that,  in  1527,  he  was 
captured  by  the  Spaniards  and  condemned  and  hanged  as  a 
pirate.  Still,  as  another  writer  has  said,  "All  that  we  know 
with  certainty  is,  that  one  great  action  distingiiished  him 
from  the  mass  of  adventures,  in  an  age  which  had  produced 
a  Columbus  and  a  Cabot ;  while  doubt  and  mystery  have  envel- 
ojDed  the  rest  of  his  career,  leaving  us  uncertain  whether  we 
should  lament  the  untimely  fate  which  gave  him  a  prey  to  the 
barbarous  appetite  of  cannibals,  or  execrate  the  ingTatitude 
which  compelled  him  to  sacrifice  to  a  struggle  with  the  daily 
necessities  of  life,  a  mind  formed  for  daring  and  successful 
adventure."^ 


•"irarkmau  :    The  I'ionccrs  of  France  in  the  New  World,  201. 
ociroeii,    George    W. :     "Life   and    Voyages   of   Verrazzano,"   North 
American  Review,  October,  1837. 


FIKST    SECESSION    FLAG  219 

First  Secession  Flag 


The  Raising  and  Taking  Down  of  the  Flag  at 
Ansonville  in  February,  1861 


By  Generai.  W.  A.  Smith. 


In  Ansonville,  North  Carolina,  on  the  morning  of  the 
second  of  February,  1861,  the  citizens  of  the  village  beheld  a 
flag,  whose  folds  were  flapping  in  the  wind  blowing  from  the 
Southeast  betokening  rain  and  brewing  up  foul,  disagxeeable 
weather,  foreshadowing  dark,  impending  war  clouds. 

On  and  before  February  1st,  seven  States  had  passed  ordi- 
nances of  secession  from  the  Union,  and  withdrawn  their 
Congressional  delegations  from  Washington.  South  Carolina 
led  on  December  20,  1860.  Mississippi  followed  January  7, 
1861;  Florida,  Janiiary  10,  1861;  Alabama,  January  11, 
1861;  Georgia,  January  19,  1861;  Louisiana,  January  26, 
1861;  Texas,  February  1,  1861. 

February  1st  the  electric  telegraph  flashed  over  the  land 
that  Texas  had  joined  her  Southern  sisters,  which  so  enthused 
Adolphus  A.  Waddell,  John  B.  Waddell,  W.  A.  Threadgill 
and  Jas.  M.  Wright  that  they  determined  to  become  more 
active  in  the  cause  of  secession.  These  young  men  of  the 
village  were  very  desirous  to  have  I^orth  Carolina  follow  the 
seven  States,  and  during  the  night  of  February  1st  prepared 
a  flag  which  they  hoped  would  prove  an  incentive  and  aid 
in  determining  the  State  of  ISTorth  Carolina  to  secede  from 
the  Union.  Having  no  bunting,  they  made  the  flag  of  calico, 
with  two  large  stars  at  the  head  marked  S.  C.  and  Miss.,  ab- 
breviations for  South  Carolina  and  Mississippi,  the  first  two 
States  severing  their  relations  with  Washington,  From  these 
stars  led  stripes  of  alternating  red,  white  and  blue ;  and  in  the 
lower  corner  at  the  tail  end  was  another  star  of  like  propor- 
tions half  turned  down  marked  N,  C,  representing  ]^orth 
Carolina  faint  and  drooping,  hanging  her  head  in  dishonor, 


•220  TIIK    NOTiTII    CAKOLINA    BOOKLET 

sluiiiie  and  disuraee.  In  larg-e  letters  at  the  top  of  the  flag 
was  t\w  word  "S(>c'ession."  TJiideriieath  was  this  motto:  "Re- 
sistaiico  to  ()}>})ressiou  is  in  Obedience  to  God." 

This  lla,u'  was  fashioned  in  the  Garrett  store  after  business 
honrs.  On  the  opposite  side  of  the  street  was  the  wooden 
framework  of  an  nnlinished  store.  The  flag,  size  6x9  feet  was 
attached  to  a  pole  and  secnrely  fastened  to  the  studding  and 
rafters  forming  the  comb  of  this  building. 

On  the  morning  of  the  2nd  of  February  the  citizens  of  the 
village  took  notice  of  this  Secession  flag  which  had  been  given 
to  the  breeze  during  the  dark  hours  of  the  night.  Almost 
unanimous  was  the  sentiment  of  opposition.  Indignation 
prevailed  and  talk  of  cutting  it  down  freely  indulged,  the 
makers  not  daring  to  disclose  themselves.  Two  or  three  rati- 
fied the  act  and  commended  the  unknown  makers,  and  as  the 
day  wore  on  a  few  were  converted,  declaring  themselves, 
and  were  added  to  the  number  of  Secessionists.  Among  these 
was  Prof.  Gilliam,  a  teacher  in  the  college,  from  the  State  of 
Virginia.  Emboldened  by  these  accessions,  the  makers  of  the 
flag  openly  avowed  their  sentiments  and  their  handiwork  in 
fashioning  the  flag. 

Misses  Kate  Smith  and  Winnie  Watkins  made  four  rosettes 
of  silk  and  pinned  them  on  the  lapels  of  the  makers  of  the 
flag,  which,  said  one  of  them,  ''made  us  very  proud,  and  we 
walked  the  streets  as  vain  as  strutting  peacocks." 

During  the  night  of  the  2nd,  Col.  John  J.  Colson  and 
Washington  Threadgill  climbed  to  the  comb  of  the  storehouse 
frame,  cut  the  fastenings,  and  the  flag  fell  to  the  sidewalk. 
In  descending,  Colonel  Colson's  foot  slipped  and  he  fell  10  to 
15  feet,  with  only  a  slight  sprain,  landing  on  his  feet.  Dr. 
William  A.  IngTam,  in  his  office  near  by,  heard  the  noise  and 
came  out  to  ascertain  the  cause.     Colson,  pointing  to  the  flag, 

said,  "We  cut  down  that  d d  Secession  flag."     Doctor 

Ingram  replied,  "You  did  right.  It  ought  not  to  have  been 
made  and  put  up  to  insult  the  intelligence  of  the  community. 
I'll  never  tell  who  did  it."  He  respected  his  word.  This  flag 
was  never  more  seen. 


FIRST    SECESSION    FLAG  221 

The  morning  of  the  3rd  dawned  fair.  Balmy  breezes  from 
the  South  stirred  the  hot  blood  of  the  young  Secessionists  of 
both  genders  to  indignation  and  contempt  of  the  dastardly 
act,  on  finding  the  flag  of  their  pride  torn  down  and  de- 
stroyed under  the  cover  of  darkness.  Undismayed,  bunting 
was  procured,  taken  to  the  residence  of  Mrs.  Garrett,  an 
enthusiast  in  the  cause  of  secession.  She,  assisted  by  the 
young  ladies  of  the  village,  made  a  larger  flag,  similar  in 
design,  and  with  like  stars  and  same  motto.  This  flag  was 
unfurled  in  the  afternoon  at  the  same  place.  Seemingly  the 
destruction  of  the  flag  added  to  the  number  of  Secessionists, 
for  believing  in  a  square  deal  the  people  condemned  the 
dastardly  act  of  tearing  it  down  under  the  cover  of  darkness. 
A  few  walked  underneath  its  folds  with  hats  off,  others  and 
far  the  greater  number,  would  not  pass  underneath  or  even 
allow  its  shadow  to  fall  on  them. 

]^ews  of  the  first  Secession  flag  raised  and  destroyed,  and 
the  making  of  another,  larger  and  of  finer  material  having 
been  made  and  given  to  the  breeze,  was  circulated  in  the 
country.  A  large  number  of  citizens  assembled  in  the  village 
the  afternoon  of  the  3d  of  February,  many,  very  many,  ap- 
proving the  destruction  of  the  first  flag,  taking  this  one  down 
and  tearing  ''the  damn  Secession  rag  to  pieces." 

One  of  the  makers  of  the  original  flag,  and  the  only  one 
now  living,  from  whom  many  of  the  facts  herein  set  dovsoi 
were  obtained,  writing  of  the  occasion,  says:  "About  ten 
young  men  fell  in  with  us,  all  armed  with  guns,  and  told  the 
crowd  that  we  would  fight  for  that  flag,  and  this  was  a  free 
country,  and  that  it  should  not  be  torn  down."  Professor  Gil- 
liam was  in  the  crowd,  and  was  called  on  for  a  speech.  Stand- 
ing above  the  crowd,  he  made  a  fine,  instructive  and  impres- 
sive address  in  favor  of  secession,  arraigning  the  ISTorth  for 
its  aggressions  against  the  South,  and  their  repudiation  of 
the  States'  rights,  for  their  contempt  for  the  Constitution — 
that  sacred  bond  of  Union — saying :  "By  the  treaty  of  Paris, 
made  in  1783,  England  acknowledged  the  independence  of  the 
3 


•ll'l  THE    NOKTir    CAROLINA    BOOKLET 

thirteen  eolonies  bv  name,  and  each  one  became  a  sovereign, 
independent  State" ;  that  these  States  entered  into  a  Union 
forming  the  United  States  of  America  by  their  own  choice 
and  motion,  each  one  reserving  its  independence,  and  its  State 
right  to  withdraw  from  the  Union  when  laws  adverse  and 
hurtful  to  its  welfare  should  be  made  by  the  General  Con- 
gress; that  the  Xorthern  States,  being  commercial  and  manu- 
facturing, antagonized  the  agricultural  Southern  States, 
whose  people  were  content  and  prosj)erous,  and  therefore 
envied ;  that  law  after  law  had  been  enacted  inimical  to  our 
welfare,  encroachment  after  encroachment  was  borne  by  the 
South,  compromise  after  compromise  was  broken  and  nulli- 
fied by  the  States  of  the  ISTorth,  dominated  by  a  party  which 
declared  the  Constitution — that  sacred  bond  of  Union — 'Svas 
in  leagTie  with  the  devil  and  a  covenant  of  hell"  ;  that  our  only 
safety  lay  in  separation  and  withdrawing  from  a  compact 
repeatedly  broken ;  that  having  reserved  the  right  to  secede, 
we  would  withdraw  in  peace ;  that  they  would  not  attempt 
coercion  ;  they  would  not  dare  bring  on  a  fratricidal  war ;  they 
would  not  dare  bring  on  a  war  among  brothers,  for  that  would 
mean  a  war  to  the  knife — a  war  in  which  no  quarter  would  be 
sh(jwn;  that  they  would  not  dare  attempt  to  make  vassals  of 
free  and  independent  States. 

"iSTo,"  said  he,  "we  will  go  in  peace  and  pursue  our  own 
ideas  of  progress  and  advancement  and  live  under  laws  en- 
acted by  ourselves,  conducive  to  our  own  interest  and  to  our 
happiness" ;  that  the  ISTorth  were  merchants  and  shoemakers, 
who  would  not  fight ;  they  were  shade-seekers  and  counter- 
jumpers,  unacquainted  with  firearms,  inexperienced  in  horse- 
manship and  manly  out-of-door  sports ;  no,  they  would  not 
dare  meet  the  chivalry  of  the  South  on  the  battlefield.  "Isn't 
the  Lord  on  our  side,  the  side  of  equity,  justice  and  right? 
He  says  in  holy  writ:  'Five  shall  chase  an  hundred,  and  an 
hundred  shall  put  ten  thousand  to  flight' ;  and,  again,  'the 
sound  of  a  leaf  shall  chase  them.'  I  will  drink  all  the  blood 
shed   by  the  pusillanimous   abolitionists."      Turning   to   the 


FIRST    SECESSION    FLAG  223 

little  band  under  arms,  he  commended  the  makers  of  the  flag 
and  the  heroism  behind  it,  and  fully  endorsed  the  motto,  "Re- 
sistance to  oppression  is  in  obedience  to  God." 

He  closed  with  discreet,  well-chosen  phrases  complimentary 
to  those  whose  patriotic  sentiments  were  opposed  to  secession 
and  to  the  raising  of  the  flag,  advising  calmness  and  due  con- 
sideration of  the  opinion  of  others  who  differed  with  them; 
advising  against  rashness  and  hasty  action,  counseling  due 
deliberation,  and,  withal,  admonishing  them  to  maintain  the 
dignity  of  the  law  and  preserve  the  reputation  of  the  good 
people  of  the  community  by  keeping  the  peace. 

His  speech  had  a  very  happy  effect.  It  emphasized  and 
clarified  the  intellectual  vision  of  his  audience,  and  one  by 
one  they  wended  their  way  home  with  thoughtful  mien  and 
contemplative  spirit. 

E^evertheless,  the  flag  was  guarded  that  night  and  every 
night  until  the  sentiment  against  it  had  cooled  down.  Day  by 
day  accessions  were  made  of  those  of  secession  aspiration  and 
patriotic  sentiments.  No  further  attempts  were  made  against 
the  flag. 

Cheered  only  by  the  smiles  of  the  young  ladies  and  daily 
accessions  of  young  manhood,  the  Secessionists  proposed  plac- 
ing the  flag  in  a  more  conspicuous  position.  By  permission 
of  Colonel  Colson  (they  knew  not  that  he  had  cut  down  and 
destroyed  the  first  flag),  they  procured  from  his  land  a  very 
tall,  beautifully  straight,  but  small  pine,  upward  of  80  feet 
long.  The  bark  was  peeled  off  and  the  long  tapering  white 
pole  was  raised  in  front  of  the  college  building  amidst  the 
jibes  of  observers  on  the  one  hand,  and  the  cheers  of  the  many 
boy  participants  on  the  other.  The  flag  was  then  run  up  to 
the  top  of  the  pole  by  the  young  hot-bloods  with  no  thought 
that  it  foreshadowed  four  long  years  of  disastrous  war  and 
devastation  of  the  fair  Southland.  The  older  and  old  men  did 
not  approve  of  the  sentiments  typified  by  this  secession  flag. 
They  deemed  it  wrong,  rash  and  inconsiderate.  Col.  William 
G.  Smith,  William  Little,  Dr.  John  B.  Cortrell  and  others 


224  THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  BOOKLET 

spoke  their  disapproval  of  this  exhibition  of  disloyalty  to  the 
Union.  These  old  gentlemen  thoroughly  believed  in  the  right 
of  a  State  to  withdraw  from  the  Union,  a  right  guaranteed 
North  Carolina  by  the  CongTess  of  the  United  States  before 
she  entered  the  Union,  but  did  not  think  secession  the  proper 
remedy  to  correct  the  wrongs  which  the  ISTorth  was  perpetrat- 
ing against  the  South  and  the  whole  body  politic.  Therefore, 
these  men  opposed  the  raising  of  this  secession  flag  by  the 
hot-headed,  fire-eating  boys,  who  gave  little  heed  to  the  counsel 
of  the  old  and  no  thought  to  the  responsibilities  of  the  future. 
These  older  men  said:  ''Fight  for  our  rights  if  needs  must, 
but  fight  in  the  Union,  under  the  flag  made  glorious  by 
the  blood  of  our  Revolutionary  fathers — the  flag  of  love  and 
veneration — the  stars  and  stripes."  Had  their  advice  been 
taken  and  followed,  the  North  would  not  have  been  able  to 
stir  the  hearts  of  their  people  so  profoundly  and  rouse  them 
to  unanimity  against  the  South  by  the  heartrending  but  coura- 
geous cry,  "The  Union  and  Old  Glory  Forever." 

Early  in  February  the  question  of  calling  a  convention  for 
the  purpose  of  passing  an  ordinance  of  secession  was  defeated 
by  the  people  by  a  majority  of  30,000,  indisputable  evidence 
that  the  prevailing  sentiment  in  North  Carolina  was  for  the 
Union.  When  President  Lincoln  called  for  troops  to  coerce 
the  seceeding  States  back  into  the  Union,  and  the  question 
again  submitted,  it  was  ratified  almost  unanimously;  for  he 
was  transcending  his  authority,  attempting  to  force  an  inde- 
pendent State  and  free  people  to  live  under  laws  inimical  to 
their  welfare.  Sentiment  crystalizes  rapidly  in  times  of  great 
excitement,  even  on  questions  of  momentous  issue. 

On  the  20th  of  May  North  Carolina  elected  to  stand  with 
her  sister  Southern  States  in  defense  of  her  rights  by  passing 
the  ordinance  of  secession.  Then  the  turned  down  star,  rep- 
resenting North  Carolina,  was  displayed  in  full;  complete, 
strong  and  clear.  iVs  one  man  her  sons  sprang  to  arms  and 
attested  her  devotion  by  giving  130,000  of  her  bravest  to  the 
cause,  more  than  40,000  of  whom  never  came  back,  whose 


FIRST    SECESSION    FLAG  225 

blood  flowed  out,  enriched  and  made  sacred  the  soil  of  many 
States.  From  the  war  records  we  know  more  men  fell  in 
battle  from  ISTorth  Carolina  than  from  any  three  other  States, 
a  fact  of  pride,  not  of  boast.  The  secession  of  North  Caro- 
lina was  preceded  by  Virginia,  April  17,  1861;  by  Arkansas 
May  6,  1861,  and  followed  by  Tennessee  June  5,  1861. 

When  the  Anson  Guards,  which  was  the  first  company  in 
the  State  to  ofi^er  its  services  to  Governor  Ellis,  left  for  the 
front  this  secession  flag  was  committed  to  John  Birdsong  Wad- 
dell,  a  member  of  said  company,  to  be  by  him  presented  to 
Governor  Ellis.  John  Birdsong  Waddell  was  the  great  grand- 
son of  John  Birdsong,  of  Chatham  County,  who  was  noted  for 
his  patriotism  in  the  day  '"that  tried  men's  souls,"  was  promi- 
nent in  the  councils  of  the  colony.  He  was  a  delegate  at 
Hillsboro,  August  21,  1775,  and  member  of  Congress  at  Hali- 
fax November  12,  1776. 

Search  among  the  State  archives  so  far  has  failed  to  find 
this  flag.  This  is  not  surprising,  however,  considering  an 
army  under  General  William  T.  Sherman,  famed  by  the  de- 
vastated homes  on  his  march  to  the  sea,  evidenced  by  the 
blackened  chimneys  standing  as  monuments  amid  waste  and 
desolation  wrought  by  his  army. 

The  sentiment  against  the  secession  flag,  sometimes  desig- 
nated "Secesh"  flag,  was  violent  and  uncompromising.  Many 
would  not  walk  under  its  folds  nor  allow  its  shadows  to  fall  on 
them,  often  crossing  the  street  to  avoid  the  possibility  of  being 
contaminated  thereby.  These  were  probably  actuated  by  sim- 
ilar feelings  which  animated  the  ladies  of  New  Orleans,  who 
refused  to  walk  under  the  Federal  flag  displayed  by  the  order 
of  B.  F.  Butler,  known  to  the  South  and  to  history  as  "Beast" 
Butler  and  "Spoon"  Butler.  Sam  Christian,  a  prominent 
citizen,  drove  five  miles  out  of  his  way  going  to  Wadesboro, 
the  county's  capital,  rather  than  pass  underneath  its  folds; 
and  the  Reverend  William  (Uncle  Billy)  Knight  refused  to 
visit  the  village  during  his  life  because  of  his  dislike  and  con- 
tempt for  the  secession  sentiment  manifested  by  "that  hole," 


226  THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  BOOKLET 

as  he  expressed  it.  In  the  language  of  the  only  one  of  the 
inmiortal  four  now  living,  ''Old  Aunt  Polly  Ingram  came  to 
Ansonville  to  sLop.  She  always  traded  with  me.  On  enter- 
ing the  store  she  noticed  the  beautiful  rosette  on  my  coat  lapel 
and  she  blessed  me  out  and  took  herself  across  the  street  to 
Garrett's  store.  There  she  saw  W.  A.  Threadgill  with  a 
rosette  on.  In  no  gentle  language  she  gave  him  a  piece  of  her 
mind,  and  out  she  came.  Indignant  and  in  disgust,  she  left 
the  village  and  drove  to  Wadesboro,  ten  miles  distant,  and 
did  her  shopping." 


GENEALOGICAL  DEPARTMENT  227 

Genealogical  Department 


Edgecombe  County  Records— Farmer 


Compiled  by  Sybil  Hyatt,  Kinston,  N.  O. 


Generation  I — Isaac  Farmer^  Senior. 

Colonial  Records,  Vol.  IV,  page  644.  Council  held  at 
Edenton,  Nov.  16,  1743.  The  following  persons  were  ad- 
mitted to  prove  their  Rights  in  order  to  their  taking  up  of 
land — viz :  Isaac  Farmer,  Edgecombe,  3  whites. 

Isaac  Farmer  md.  Elizabeth.  Their  son,  Samuel,  was  born 
May  13,  1754.  Other  sons  were  Isaac  and  Benjamin.  He 
died  prior  to  1790. 

Deed.  Feb.  25,  1770.  Isaac  Farmer,  Senr.  to  Isaac  Far- 
mer, Junr.,  200  acres,  north  side  of  Toisnot.  Test:  William 
Blackburn,  Zachariah  Lee,  Jesse  Farmer. 


Generation  II — Samuel  and  Isaac  Farmer^  Junior. 

Samuel  Farmer  md.  Jerusha  Tyson,  b.  Feb.  20,  1756, 
daughter  of  Aaron  and  Alsey  Tyson.  Their  son,  Moses,  was 
born  July  11,  1791. 

Will.  Samuel  Farmer.  March  21,  1814.  August  Court, 
1817.  Sons:  Samuel,  Moses  (tract  on  Miry  Swamp  called 
Parish  place),  Isaac  (land  I  live  on  at  his  mother's  death). 
Daughters:  Rhoda  Shary,  Anna  Sharp.  Wife:  Jerusha. 
Rest  of  estate  to  be  equally  divided  between  wife  and  all  other 
children.  Executors:  Sons,  Samuel  and  Moses.  Test:  J. 
Farmer,  Isaac  Farmer.     Clerk  of  the  Court:  E.  Hall. 

Will.  Isaac  Farmer.  Nov.  13,  1800.  Feb.  Court,  1805. 
Sons:  John  (plantation  I  now  live  on,  200  acres,  and  200 
acres  adjoining),  Josiah,  Isaac,  Azeal  Barnes.  Daughter: 
Patience.     Wife:  Not  named,  her  interest  to  go  at  death  to 


228  THE  NORTH  cakolina  booklet 

the  child  she  is  supposed  to  be  pregnant  with,  and  also  to  that 
child  the  land  John  Ross  lives  on.  ^'Remainder  of  estate  to 
he  divided  among  all  my  children.  The  property  my  wife 
brought  with  her  when  we  were  married  may  be  sold  to  pay 
her  debts,  and  the  remainder  to  be  her  right."  Executors: 
Brother,  Benjamin  Farmer;  son,  Azeal  Farmer.  Test:  Wm. 
Blackburn,  William  Dew,  Jeremiah  Baleman.  Clerk  of  the 
Court:  E.  Hall. 

Deed  of  gift.  Jan.  12,  1804.  Isaac  Fanner  to  daughter, 
Bashaba  Beal,  of  Johnston  Co.,  negi'o  girl. 

Deed  of  gift.  Dated  Mar.  15,  1800.  Recorded  May 
Court,  1805.  Isaac  Farmer  to  son,  John  Farmer,  "planta- 
tion I  live  on,"  but  if  John  dies  without  will  or  sale  it  goes 
to  son  Isaac. 

Deed  of  Gift.  Oct.  16,  1802.  Isaac  Farmer  to  daughter, 
Patsey  Robbins,  one  negro  girl  Penny.  Test :  Jesse  Farmer, 
Elizabeth  Thomas. 


Generation  III — Moses  Farmer. 

Moses  Farmer  md.  1st  Elizabeth  Dew,  b.  April  9,  1796, 
daughter  of  John  and  Sally  Dew.  Their  children  were  Larry 
Dew  Fanner,  b.  Oct.  31,  1816,  and  Moses  Farmer,  b.  Oct. 
23,  1829.  Moses  Farmer  (III)  md.  2d  Elizabeth  Barnes, 
b.  April  15,  1815  (a  niece  of  his  first  wife),  daughter  of  John 
Barnes  and  Mary  Dew.  Their  children  were :  Samuel  Barnes 
Fanner,  b.  Dec.  20,  1835 ;  Jerusha  Fanner,  b.  Jan.  16,  1838, 
Walter  Farmer,  1).  Sept.  9,  1844  (killed  at  Appomattox). 


Generation  IV — Jerusha  Farmer  (Woodard). 

Jerusha  Farmer  md.  in  1856,  William  Woodard.  The 
following  sons  survive  them:  Walter  F.  Woodard,  b.  Sept. 
14,  1864;  James  E.  J.  Woodard,  b.  Oct.  31,  1866;  David 
Woodard,  b.  March  8,  1869;  Charles  Warren  Woodard,  b. 
Aug.  16,  1874. 


GENEALOGICAL  DEPARTMENT  229 

A  Century  of  Population  Growth  (1790-1800)  states  that 
in  1790  there  were  in  the  United  States  136  families  (Far- 
mer, Farmar,  Farmor)  of  616  persons,  42  families  in  Vir- 
ginia, 29  in  ISTorth  Carolina,  11  in  South  Carolina,  8  in 
Maine,  8  in  Vermont,  20  in  Massachusetts,  4  in  Connecticut, 
2  in  JN^ew  York,  5  in  Pennsylvania,  7  in  Maryland.  In 
ISForth  Carolina  were  the  following  heads  of  families:  Anson 
Co.,  James;  Bertie  Co.,  James,  Joseph;  Caswell  Co.,  Cassan- 
dra, William,  Dan'l,  Joseph,  Thomas,  Sr. ;  Dobbs  Co.,  Jesse ; 
Edgecombe  Co.,  Benjamin,  Isaac,  Jesse,  Joseph,  Joseph, 
Joshua,  Samnis  (Samuel),  Thomas;  Franklin  Co.,  John; 
Granville  Co.,  Sarah,  John,  Othniel;  Johnston  Co.,  Nicholas, 
William ;  Orange  Co.,  Thomas ;  Randolph  Co.,  Frederick, 
John ;  Rutherford  Co.,  Nathan ;  Stokes  Co.,  John ;  Wilkes 
Co.,  Thomas. 


Wills — Edgecombe  County 

Thomas  Farmer.  Nov.  16,  1784.  Feb.  Court,  1785. 
Sons:  Thomas  ("plantation  I  now  live  on"),  Jesse  and 
Joseph  ("new  entered  land").  Perishable  estate  to  be  sold 
and  equally  divided  between  all  my  children.  Executors: 
Joshua  Farmer,  Joseph  Farmer.  Test :  Joshua  Farmer, 
Aziel  Barnes,  Daniel  Highsmith.  Clerk  of  the  Court:  Ed- 
ward Hall. 

Jesse  Farmer.  July  9,  1808.  Augxist  Court,  1812.  Wife: 
not  named  (lend  to  her  1/3  "manner  plantation  I  live  on" 
and  one  negro  man,  2  negro  women,  etc.,  at  her  death  or  mar- 
riage to  son,  Joseph  Farmer),  son,  Joseph  Farmer  ("all  the 
rest").  Executors:  Friend,  Charles  Coleman;  son,  Joseph 
Farmer.     Clerk  of  the  Court :  E.  Hall. 

Benjamin  Farmer.  March  16,  1825.  Feb.  Court,  1827. 
Wife:  Elizabeth  ("including  the  Deloach  tract").  Sons: 
William  (land  on  north  side  of  Hominy  Swamp),  Braswell 
(214  acres,  north  side  of  Toisnot  Swamp,  joining  Moses  Far- 
mer and  Arthur  D.  Farmer,  "it  being  part  of  a  tract  of  land 


230  THE  NORTH  CAKOLINA  BOOKLET 

drawn  bv  lue  and  my  wife  Elizabeth  by  death  of  William 
Dew),  Absalom,  Dew,  Jacob,  Arthur  D.,  William  D.  Daugh- 
ters: Sally  Hollowcll,  Beedy  White,  Nancy  Dew,  Elizabeth 
Amason.  Other  legatees:  Heirs  of  John  Barnes  (Toit, 
Thomas,  Betsy,  Sally,  Beedy,  Dempsey  and  l^ancy).  Exec- 
utor: William  D.  Farmer.  Test:  Isaac  F.  Wood,  Hansel  D. 
Griffith. 

Elizabeth  Farmer.  January  29,  1844.  Nov.  Court,  1852. 
Daughter:  Elizabeth  Amason  ("tract  north  side  Toisnot 
Swamp;  ("joining  Moses  Farmer  and  Arthur  D.  Farmer, 
deceased,  it  being  part  of  land  fallen  to  me  by  the  death  of 
my  brother,  William  Dew").  Rest  to  be  sold  and  divided 
between  lawful  heirs.  Executor :  Friend,  Larry  D.  Farmer. 
Test :  Jas.  D.  Barnes,  Larry  Dew.  Clerk  of  the  Court :  Jno. 
Norfleet. 


Conveyances 

Oct.  1,  1765.  Joshua  Lee.  Deed  of  Gift  to  son-in-law, 
Thos.  Farmer,  "on  little  swamp." 

March  2,  1761.  John  Stevens  to  Isaac  Farmer,  north  side 
of  Toisnot  Swamp. 

Sept.  13,  1773.  Richard  Bracewell  of  Dobbs  Co.  to 
Thomas  Farmer  of  Edgecombe.  Heired  from  father  Richard 
Bracewell,  Senior.     Hatcher  Swamp. 

July  4,  1778.  Thomas  Farmer  to  Solomon  Bracewell. 
Grant  to  William  McDaid,  Augaist  4,  1762,  from  him  to 
Ponder,  from  Ponder  to  Richard  Bracewell,  Senior,  and 
descended  to  son,  Richard  Bracewell,  Junr.,  and  sold  by  him 
to  Thomas  Farmer. 

Jan.  14,  1778.  William  Hatcher,  Junr.,  to  Jesse  Farmer, 
south  side  of  Toisnot  Swamp.  Test:  George  Ezell,  Isaac 
Farmer,  Benjamin  Farmer. 

Jan.  30,  1779.  William  Gay  to  Joseph  Farmer.  Town 
Creek. 


GENEALOGICAL  DEPARTMENT  231 

March  12,  1782.  Joshua  Morris  to  Samuel  Farmer.  On 
Hominy  Swamp.  Grant  to  Thomas  Hall,  1761.  Test:  Wm. 
Blackburn,  Joseph  Farmer,  Isaac  Farmer. 

March  30,  1782.  Jesse  Farmer  to  Benjamin  Farmer. 
Miry  Swamp.     Test :   Isaac  Farmer,  Joseph  Farmer. 

April  11,  1783.  Samuel  Farmer  to  Isaac  Farmer,  north 
side  of  Toisnot  Swamp.  Test:  Joseph  Farmer,  Benjamin 
Farmer. 

Nov,  16,  1784.  Thomas  Farmer  to  son,  Joshua.  Deed  of 
gift.  Little  Swamp,  granted  to  Thomas  Farmer  by  Joshua 
Lee  in  1765.     Test:  Aziel  Barnes,  Thomas  Farmer,  Senior. 

Jan.  1,  1785.  Salathiel  Parish  to  Samuel  Farmer.  On 
Miery  Branch.  Signed:  Salathiel  Parrish,  Sukey  Parrish. 
Test:  Jesse  Farmer,  Benjamin  Farmer. 

Sept.  29,  1785.  John  Deloach  to  Benjamin  Farmer. 
On  Llominy  Swamp.     Test :  Jesse  Farmer,  Isaac  Farmer. 

June  29,  1788.    Elisha  Ellis  to  Jesse  Farmer. 

Jan.  30,  1790.  Joshua  Farmer  and  his  wife  Susanner,  to 
James  Barran,  west  side  Great  Branch. 

Feb.  1,  1790.  Thomas  Farmer  and  his  wife,  Elizabeth,  to 
James  Barran,  west  side  Great  Branch. 

December  5,  1791.    Joseph  Farmer  to  William  White. 

Dec.  8,  1792.    Asa  Arnold  to  Jesse  Farmer. 

March  2,  1793.     Ephriam  Philips  to  Joseph  Farmer. 

Dec.  7,  1793.    Andrew  Greer  to  Benjamin  Farmer. 

Nov.  Court,  1795.  Feb.  28,  1796.  Joseph  Farmer,  dec'd. 
Infant  sons,  Asia,  Enos,  Joseph. 

Feb.  6,  1798.  John  Mewborn  to  Benjamin  Farmer. 
Hominy  Swamp.     Grant  to  William  Forkes,  Apr.  1,  1763. 

Dec.  2,  1802.  Deed  of  Gift.  Jesse  Farmer  to  son,  Josepli 
Farmer. 

Dec.  21,  1802.  Deed  of  Gift.  Jesse  Farmer  to  son,  Joseph 
Farmer. 

Feb.  9,  1805.  Benjamin  Farmer  to  Absalom  Farmer. 
Grant  to  William  Folk's  corner,  Apr.  1,  1763. 


232  THE    ISrORTII    CAROLINA    BOOKLET 

180<i.  Joseph  Fanner  sold  out  to  Jesse  Farmer,  it  seems, 
and  probably  moved. 

October  1,  1807.  Joseph  Farmer  to  Jacob  Horn.  Joins 
Isaac  Farmer,  dec'd. 

Jan.  1,  1807.  Benjamin  Farmer  and  Elizabeth,  his  wife, 
to  Dew  Farmer.     Hominy  Swamp. 

Jan.  (i,  1808.  Elizabeth  FaiTner  of  Edgecombe ;  John  Wal- 
ton of  Oglethorpe,  Ga. ;  Mica j  ah  Pettiwary  and  Sarah,  his 
wife  of  Edgecombe  to  Enos  Tart.     Toisnot  Swamp. 

Mch.  15,  1811.    Enos  Farmer  to  Zilpha  Farmer. 

March  12,  1809.  Jesse  Farmer  to  son,  Joseph  Farmer. 
Deed  of  gift.     3  negToes. 

March  12,  1809.  Jesse  Farmer  to  gTanddaughter,  Eliza 
Farmer.    Deed  of  Gift.    One  negro  boy  child  5  mo.  old. 

Mch.  23,  1812.  Anna  Law  of  Williamson  Co.,  Tenn.  Ap- 
points Absalom  Farmer,  attorney,  ''to  sell  my  right  of  dower 
to  certain  parcel  in  Wayne  Co."     On  Black  Creek, 

Oct.  24,  1812.  Amos  Johnston  to  Isaac  Farmer.  Town 
Creek. 

Dec.  15,  1812.     Asa  Farmer  to  Joseph  Farmer. 

Feb.  22,  1813.  William  Coppage,  Aseal  Farmer  and  Mar- 
tin Thorne  to  Benjamin  Sharp.     ISTegro  boy. 

Aug.  22,  1814.  Aseal  Farmer,  and  Charlotte  Farmer, 
Martin  Thorn  and  Polly  Thorn  appoint  Benjamin  Grantham 
attorney  to  sell  tract  in  Northumberland  Co.,  Va.,  which 
descended  to  wives  by  brother^  Griffin  Coppage,  died  intestate. 

March  25,  1814.  Senath  Farmer  to  Willie  Coleman,  on 
Contentnea  Creek.  Bequeathed  to  Senath  and  her  two  broth- 
ers, Zepthah  and  John  Bearfoot  by  their  grandfather,  Zep- 
thah  Bearfoot,  Senr.,  dec'd.    Fell  to  her  on  division. 

August  30,  1815.  Division  of  Arthur  Dew  No.  1.  Polly 
Barnes'  heirs.  No.  2,  William  Dew.  No.  3,  Elizabeth  Far- 
mer. No.  4,  John  Dew's  heirs.  No.  5,  Martha  Simms.  No. 
C,  Arthur  Dew. 

Feb,  22,  1816.  Joseph  Farmer  to  William  Ellis.  Con- 
tentnea Creek  and  Tarborough  Koad. 


GENEALOGICAL  DEPARTMENT  233 

March  18,  1816.  Joseph  Fanner  to  Joseph  Barnes. 
Hominy  Swamp.    Test :  Joseph  Barnes,  Jesse  Barnes. 

Dec.  13,  1815.  John  Barnes,  ISTancy  Farmer  and  Thomas 
Barnes  to  Arthur  Dew.  Interest  in  land  inherited  from 
grandfather,  Arthur  Dew. 

Feb.  22,  1817.     Samuel  Farmer  to  Moses  Farmer. 

Dec.  29,  1817.  Samuel  Farmer  to  Washton  Killibrew. 
Tyancocoa  Swamp.  Fell  to  Moses  More  from  death  of  his 
brother,  John  Moore.  Fell  to  Wanecy  Waller  by  said  John 
Moore,  with  division  not  made. 

Feb.  22,  1817.  Samuel  Farmer  to  Isaac  Farmer,  Jr. 
After  the  death  of  said  Samuel  Farmer  and  wife,  Jerusha. 
Hominy  Swamp.     Granted  to  Thomas  Hall,  March  9,  1761. 

Feb.  22,  1820.     Jacob  Farmer  to  Moses  Farmer. 

April  5,  1821.  Zilpha  Farmer  to  son,  Joseph  Farmer. 
Deed  of  gift. 

Oct.,  1822.  Division  of  lands  of  William  Dew,  dec'd. 
Heirs  of  John  Dew,  Elizabeth  Farmer,  Mary  Barnes'  heirs, 
Martha  Simms'  heirs. 

Feb.  28,  1823.  Benjamin  Farmer  and  Elizabeth,  his  wife, 
to  the  heirs  of  John  Dew,  dec'd,  Mary  Barnes,  Jonathan  Dew, 
John  Dew,  Larry  Dew,  David  Dew,  Teresa  Ellis,  Duncan 
Dew,  Elizabeth  Farmer,  Patsy  Rountree,  Sally  Carpenter, 
ISTancy  Wiggins,  Beedy  Wilkinson.  "Interest  we  drew  in  a 
division  of  Arthur  Dew,  dec'd,  our  father."  Lot  ISTo.  3.  Paid 
for  by  William  Dew. 

June  4,  1823.  Deed  of  Gift.  Benjamin  Farmer  to  grand- 
children, Thomas  and  Elizabeth  Barnes,  Sally  Barnes,  Beedy 
Barnes,  Dempsey  Barnes,  Nancy  Barnes. 

May  25,  1824.  Jubal  Carpenter  and  Sally,  his  wife  of 
Greene  Co.,  Ala.,  to  Moses  Farmer.  Interest  in  land  heired 
from  William  Dew. 

May  25,  1824.  Jubal  Carpenter  and  Sally,  his  wife  of 
Greene  Co.,  Ala.  Tract  fell  to  us  by  death  of  father,  John 
Dew. 


234  THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  BOOKLET 

Feb.  4,  1824.  John  Dew  of  Cumberland  Co.  Lands  heired 
from  William  Dew. 

Feb.  2;},  1824.  Benjamin  Wilkinson  and  wife,  Beedy 
(Obediciu'e)  to  Moses  Farmer.  Interest  in  estate  of  William 
Dew. 

Ana'.  1,  1823.  Jonathan  Dew,  Mary  Barnes,  Larry  Dew 
and  David  Dew  to  Moses  Farmer.  All  right  in  lands  which 
fell  by  the  death  of  William  Dew.     North  Toisnot  Swamp. 

]\[ay  20,  1824.  Benjamin  Farmer  to  daughter,  Nancy 
Dew  and  her  husband  Jonathan  Dew.     Deed  of  gift. 

Aug.  21,  1824.    Benjamin  Farmer  to  son  William  Farmer. 

Nov.  19,  1824.  Willie  Eountree  and  Patsy,  his  wife,  to 
Moses  Farmer,  right  in  lands  from  William  Dew  by  heirship. 

March  16,  1825.  Benjamin  Farmer  and  Elizabeth,  his 
wife  to  son,  Arthur  D.  Farmer.  Deed  of  Gift.  Tract  fell 
to  them  by  death  of  William  Dew. 

Aug.  16,  1827.  William  D.  Farmer,  executor  of  Benja- 
min Farmer  and  Elizabeth  Farmer,  widow  of  said  dec'd,  to 
Larry  Dew,  14  of  Amason  tract,  which  fell  to  said  Elizabeth 
by  death  of  William  Dew. 

Mr.  Larry  Dew  Farmer  used  to  say  there  were  three  dis- 
tinct sets  of  Farmers  in  Edgecombe  County  who  were  not 
related. 


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