262 ft33 US Dpy 1 ^T.Ii^: K.VRLY TIMK^ AND MKN OF .^Xa IS !H3 in.n! .^lE^Xa' 55 -'l^o^^ AN ORA.TIO]Sr Dclivci'ci] at EuzABETir City, N. C, on 7tT of August, 1877 iit nvincst of the "Albemarle Historical Society.'' A-uthor of the History of NORTH CAliOLINA. \%^'- "IN MEMORIAM MAJORUM." *'I have considered the days of old; and the years that have past."— Psalms, XXYII, 5th. "Let it not be thought that we are working for ourselves alone; nor for those now living. Let us remember, that thou- sands yet unborn will respect and bless the patient and pious hands that have rescued from oblivion those precious memo- rials." Hon. WM. wHixma, L.L.D. ') ^ PRESIDENT OF THE ALBEMARLE HLSTORICAL SOCIETY, 111 Introducing COL. JMO. H. ^WHEELER, i ■LaDIKS and CiENTLEMEN: ItJitis been but a sliort time, since a ri umber ut gentlenum of tins Albemtirle coiyitry clianced in be at Nag's Head. Til j meeting together, was more by ■chiiioe than design — But it was not the le? f rtunate fir that reaj^on, as you will seafrom that which resulted from our meeting there. Our friend Cieecy (who Is olen very happy in his suggestions.) sngjlsied that the time and the place ■^^as-l, oat proper for the fonnatioii of a Hislcical Society. A me;ting wxs iiekl andff may add, was largely attended; ^"7l)ai'ticipated in l>y gcntUMueu of al- ■iU'st every paitot the Albemarle region. *^"jie eloquent and entertaining speechts ■''jc, made. We all l)ccame enthused — "^ formed a society, and w« named "'Mt society The "Albemarle Hiatoriccd. "S'l^iety." As regards the time, this im- iHtantduty has only bee i n^ed ctid too l this meeting, tnat time is jjresenc this evening, mie who h.is pc rfoiined more in pr. sriving the noble p;i to t^peak taiching.the customs :!!i(i (jiiostioiis which were among the Je\\.-, may I act be permitted to indulge Ji kindred enjoyment, in endeavoring roijitorestyou, in regard to "the Early Times and Men" of this Hectiou of our Htati'. ^^"\: h every civilized jiation iiie early tinjc.-^ u!,d men of their country, have Ijcen a ad)je<.'t of research j)lea.sure and i ridi-. The Jews, the h^^torv of whose jjcoplo is the earli^st of record, w-joiced in the- contemiJation thai thcirlaw w.ro traii>]iiiued directly irojn Jehovaii; that their people were the peculiar object of his c;.i',; that He delivered them from opprcs.^ion; that heguideJ them through liie wilderness of sorrow; that he fed tiiciu,v,iih n.unuay -aiid refreslied them -.. Itli llviiig wa ers; and finally, ed them lo :! laiid ())• peace and plenty. 'I he l:.omaj,s delighted in the pages ofthcir !.'ytholo-y, which told them ihat the hjimder of their "Eicrnal Citv," was a lic'enchint from their Gods. Jlapj.dy ibr nurj)e..ple7 from the ad- -mce ..i' civilization andfn.m tliat art ■^■':*-Ii 1.- -the ])rest'rvativeofall arts," '^' Hit nf l^rinliiig, wc are not obliged to tax our faith, or our crodiilitv bv :iiiy uncertain legends, or ol>s<-iu"e raditions. "Xo (iiided iiiu-iiive from the (Iimcs ' li-"\, no Xorman tyrantri.rcathinn' ''•''and sword landed on. our shores." - ^' ki-nw the lime they came, the <-har- ' "•'• :ii:d tile designs of those who fii'sl idj a ei\ihzjd settlement in our co.lui- tiy. Tli^eir names, the- names of tlic .Ships wiiich brought thorn, the verv sput ou which they landed, are well' known to History; and will continue to- be Known "to the last s-yllabie of record- ed' time."^ Time honored Land-, where hope ;vnd liitli ^ouiihr reriiy;; in a -liinht of gloom: liiiirtd.Frce loui's altar, I'y V.a Z:\'^\e'a Lest. And le:niin!;- oil the :u m of njei-c-j, Daied I he tempest and the loe; trusting in. llittir God. Piire as-lhe Uatidful of the olden li:, i\ They aanu: their plaiulive hyinuf; of praise Aud tiri'atlied their furycut orizoua to Ilea veil. It was ill tliis very section of our uation, that the first landing of tlu Eiiglidimemon this western Continent occuj-rtHl At lioaiioke, IshuK/ on the 4th day of July 1384. two bar'.s- fitted out by direction, and ch;trge of Sir Walter- Kaleigh, eojumanled by Philip Amadiis, and ArrluayJ^irJow aiiehoied; and liaving landed., /'ey the stud Anuuhis and Biudow "too |pi>Sess.. ion-of ye >ame, in name ofEli/|l)eth ..f 1-aig and; a,>ye rightful (Gucci's and. Ptiiieesse thereof" j i: ere in the laiiguage-of the hitoriaiii of the expedition, "they found a|>t'<>ple luo.st gentle. loviuiT, ami kind; ai '••\*''». wt>..-- -ett'ed„ or the Plymouth Pirriins lamfed', did the gallantmen of J'>-'ii'> ' first u.ifu'l on the (Jintineiit tii^ .me- teor flag, that f .r ccntuties has "'"av'-^ll the battle and the breeze;" lie- "a^ fii-ViL heard (he roll of tluii "soir ■"^ti^'- }ng drum," Avlioise martial imisic, now >iirroiinds tlio CHobe. The voyagers, were received by tlio gentle natives Nvitli kindly welcome "wliich is, still a prominent feature in tlie character of nil true North Caroli- nians. It were too tedious a narrative to de- tidl the privations, trials and sutierings ■of these early Colonists. They were compelled from various causes to aban- don their efforts. / Their gallant pat- ron, from the vicissitudes of fortune, Jissigned his Ptitent to a company in Jjoiidon. Subsecjueutly (166;5.) another charter was granted, by Charles the 2nd, to the Duke of Albemarle, Lord Clarendon and others, as Lords Pro- prietors. Under this charter a per- manent settlement wa.s nnide. From it< mild climate and genial soil, tJiis Alboinarie regi 'ii Wiis rapidly settled "North Carolina;" says Bancroft •"was settled by the freest of the free. From its Btately groves, the grateful voices of the emigrant, rose to Heaven tor freedom of Conscience." When the ipan of G'»d (F)x) visited this region, he savs, he found a grateful people who listened to his messnge with lov^ iug hearts. Here, wasa colony of men in civilized Jifi?, scatiered among for e>ts; hernjits with wives and children riirsting up'.n the bosom of nature in harmony with the mihl net's of tht-ir ge;i» tJe clime. Such were ti»e luitivea'id (arty men of AlbMuarle, by whiih iiame, the wli'ileseci ion from Cap" J'\'ar t> the Viif'inia Line, w:is then kimwu, ;jiid wliirh preserves lor all timv, liie j;a.ii« and memory of George M,)nk, ])uke of Albem.irli'. Ilr wms dls.in- ^uishe.d as a Holdier, and Stute-mau b.>i'n in loOSaud tigured in tite li i.e*i.f (/arl'slsi, Croniwe 1, and (.'ii:irhs 2d^ He dit'd in IGTD. Ut him ilie histon- , an savs, '"his memorv deserves the pra se, as well tij> the forbearance of posterity." By an order of tlie Lords Proprif- tors, dalei^l 1GG8, Sir William Berkelv the Governor of Virginia, wasauilior- ized to constitute and appoint a Gov*. €rnor for our county of Albemarle. William Drnmmond wns appointed. As he was the first Cxovernor of our Section it may be well to dwell a moment on his name and character. He was a native of Scotland, and a Presbyterian in his faith. To the cautious and canny chaiacter of hi'* nation, he added^ the inflexible doc- trines of his church; a love of justice and truth, and a devotion to the righ s of man. He studied and knew the ti'ue principles of g(»vernment, th;.it while Society in every State was a bles- sing, goveriuuent at its best es- tate, was only a necessary restriction, and too orien evil, thai government, like dress, is a badge of lost innocence; that, had men remained pure, neither gov- ernment or dress would have been need- ed and the lighter and fewer these restrictions by government upon sox oiety, the ensi-r the duties of the ru- ler, and Iwppier the condition of the peo'ple. Under such influences and .-uch principles, tlie country flouri-^hed and the people were huppy. After a peaceful administrafi(m of four yetirs. Governor Drnmniond returned to \'ir« ginia. His t'uture career was inieres - ing and niol.mcholy. ]>ed liy his piiniijiles and laiih, hn cooperated wich Bacon, "a yonng nnd wcidtliy PhuiUn- ot Virginia" to defend the country from ihe Indians, who had in their savage fury murd red tlie while papulation from where Washington wow is, loUiehmonil. Their force and icrocity defied ami del", at d all the e «. fort^ofthe imbecile Bcrkely. Ba-ou raised, wiil'.out his orders from the Gov. u large force, and repelled and sub- fined ihesavacres. The envy of the Governor, as well as his folly, cansed him fodenoimoe Bacon and his follow- ers as rebels. Aided by forces from home, and from the premature death of Bacon, many prisoners were taken by Berkely. ' These he tried by court martial, for fear Ihat jurors w uld acquii; con-* victions followed, and immediate ex- ecuiion. &^uch was the savage cnu- duct of 1he Governor, that the afsem- b]y of Virnd hanged on the 20lh January, 1677. It is no less true, than remarkable, that the Patron of the colony of Alhe- m.irle and its first Governor both fell victims to wrong and violence. For alleged crimes, of which he was in- nocent, Sir Walter Raleigh Wiis be- hcado^d.on 20th Oct. 1618. But their names can never die. 'They never fail who die in a great Drummond was succeeded by Stevens as Governor. Chalmers informs us that in October 1667 Samuel Stevens whose abiliiies were considered equal to the trust, was aDp(jinted Governor in room of Drummond; and that Stevens died in 1674. It were interesting, but not {;er- main to our present purpose, to trace the lives and characters of the rulers of Albemarle from ihe times ot Drnm- mond to iho-e of Governor Burring" ton (1729.) when the Lords Pr.)prie- tors surrendered their charter (ex- cept Lord Granville) to the Crown, and thus the colony became an immedime appeodage to the crown, then worn by Ge^rg-i the 2ud. Lord Granvilie in later years, endeavored to maintain his right to a port on of the State. In an av-tion of ejectment in Jan. 1805 before Judge Potter, in U. S. Circuit Court, the case was decided jidversely to his cl.-iim. But it is not of the Gov- orimrs that we propose specially to in^ terestyou. But of the people and men of Aloemarle. These men had chos» en tlieir homes fiom a love for liberty for freedom of conscience and a hatretl to every form of oppression. Clialmers tells us, the people of Al- bemarle were gentle iu their tem])ers, and advocates for entire freedom, cause. Tlie bhxk may soak thur without fear or anxiety. blood, their hp;tds nsay sodden in the Governor Spottswood said "it was a eun, their limbs be strung to city gates common lUiiclice of the people of and castle Walls ; still their immortal f^I-irit will lorcver walk abroad and conduct the world, at last to fref dom." No — As long as the majestic oak shall grow in our Stue. or as long as the fire fly lani|) shall be rcHectcd by the pellmid waters of the 'Tiakeof the Dismal Swamp." so long wi'l the names, and memories of Drumm and Raleigh be | reserved. ( Carolina to resist their Governors, un- til they looked upon that as lawful that had so long been tolerated. The!*e people were impaiieu', restless and turbulent when ruled by any other government than their own; and nnder tha , and that only were they sat' isfied." rovernor Burrington in a dispa'ch e Duke of New Castle, thus ucs- 3 isnea rvibes the people of this section: "Tiie.se I people are not industrious; but crafty «icl sub'le to adiniiatiuii, tilwiiys ])i'haved insolently to their Governors. I fcjjino of them tliey have im prisoned, ^ siiid oilieis they have drove out of ihe ciiLiiilry; and at oiht-r times, set up 1, Governors of ibeir own people suj)- '\ j)orted by men under arms. Tliese people are nei I her to be outwitted, or cajoled —Whenever any Governor attempts to effect any thing by the-^e means, he will loose his labor and fchow his ignorance- " The Governors of all tiie Provinc^es ; were required to send to the autiiori- ties in Enghind, frer^uent rep rls of the aifairs tiMUspiring in the Province. j'lie.-e reports jirc preserved with o^rcat lure, in the Public E,olL|office in Chan- Ctiiy Lane, Lnndon, under the clnuuo of the Master of the Rolls. They are very valnalde. . IMany of tlie States have had ihem cpied so far as they (aie ooncrneij. Our State should have I iill relating to North Cuolina. '1 hey are thd best .history of her early times, and perfect phoiogrnplis of every leadinir ruan of that age. Charles Eden, after wliom E lenfou s calh'H, was a native of Englan i, lom 167o and was aop anted Gov^ cmor by the Lords Pronriet >r.-;, on J j^iUlj, January 1712, of ( arolina. His idinli stone on Saanou Creek in Bertie county, st-ates '"he was an acceptable ruh-rand gave great satiataction. He died 26tli iAfarch 1722. His repuia-. t'on was sadly damaged by a too familiar association wiih Edward Teach; alias. Black Beard; -whose name is perpetuated by a point on our coast called "Teache's Hole." George Bunington succeeded Eden as Governor, under a com mission of the Lords Proprietors. He arrived at Edenton in Jriiiuary 1724. His councillors were GhristO[)her Gale;* John BLoiiiit; Thomas Pollock; Tims; Harvey and others, Jolui Lovv. ick wa.s the Secretary and Edward Mo^-e- ly Mas the Surveyor general. It Was during his achninistraliou that the dividing line beiweiu Vir- ginia and North Carolina t\as run (March 1728) commencing on the sea shore, at 36° 31 running due west through Knott's Island. Gliris'opher Gale, John Lovwick, Edward IMosely and \\'illiam Ijitilewcre (M)nnns>ion- ers for Carolina, and William l^vrd, Picliard Fitzwilliam and William Dan ridge, for Virginia, Samuel Swanu and Edward Mosely Surveyors for Carolina, and Alexander Irwin .and ^^ illiani Mayo, Surveyors for A^'ir- ginia, Rev. Peter Fontain, Chaplain. A recoid (origiual) of ilus ex[)cdi- tion is to be found in the Rolls office in London, of which I have a C"py An account is also given by Willi i>a Byrd and]uinted in the West Over Mss* Ttiis latter statt-ment abounds in unjust and illnatured sarcsm upon IS'orth Carolina, on all and every oc- casion. As an evidence of this, speaking of the religious condition of our early ' tiiu^s, Byrd states: "After a few days de -ay at a certain poi/it, our chaidaiii (Hev. Peter Font ain) was alhw-d to take a turn to Eden; on Nortli Lai- olina lo preach the Gospel to these infidels and to christen their childreu, Edenton he says, is the only uieU'ouo- lis in the Christian or Mahonnnedan world, where there is neither church chapel, synagogue or mosque, or any- other place of worfcliip for any sort of religion. It IS natural for man to adore his criaior in some form or other. Were there any exception to this rale, I should expect it to be aniou.sj the Hottentots of the Cape of Good Hope, «u-auiong the peoi)le of North Caroli- na. For want of men in Holy Orders bath members of tiie council and ma<5i;^l rates are impowered to marrVj- biit ilie ceremony of christening their children, is left to chance. If a parson coints among them, they crave a cast of his ofhce, othersvise they are con- tent to let their children grow up, as arrant [>agans as themselves. They do not know Sunday frum any other day of the week; any more than Kobinson Crusoe This would give tliem si^me advantage, if lliey were not too lazy to work." Many ungenerous flings abound in fljis memoir by Byrd, which is so full of adulation of the people of his own Stat^, and of de])reciation of "poor pensive Carolina," as Herman Hus- band was wont to call her. Byrd seemed to imagine ilrit the sun only rose to shine on Virginia, and th.at the whole country from Cape Cod, toC^apc Sable bidonged to her; that slie was the great planet around wliich all tiieother rolonie-i moved as humble satellites. Indiscriminate eulogy is as misplaced a»< iudiscriminaie abuse. The fact as presented by this averment must be regarded as very singular, that when running an imaginary line for the first time, while those on one side are re- garded as parations of gentility and morality, those on the other side are described as depraved Hottentots of Africa, lie however adds; whenever we passed, we constantly found the boiderers laid it to heart, if their land was taken into Virginia. They chose much rather belong to Carolina. The people are the bec«t judges of their own interest. He might have examined the escutcheon of his own State to see if no sinis'er bars existed in her herald-' rV. We have given the opini<)ns of Amadas and Barlow as to character and conduct of the original inhabitants of Carolina, their gentle and innocent and pure manners and generous hos- pitality. History does not present Virginia in so favorable a light. Stranchey, who was Secretary of the colony of Virginia (IGIO) in his '"His- torie of Travaile," publislied by the Kakluvt society, (page 132) thus says ''The young women go not shadowed among their own company until they be nigh eleven or twelve returns of the leaf old, nor are they mucli asham- ed thereof; and Pochahiintas, a well featured but wanton young girl, Pow- tan's daughter, sometimes resortiuir to our tort, of the age .of ten to twelve years, got the boys forth with her into the market place and made them wheel, falling on their hands, turuing their heels upwards, whonj slie wouiil follow, and wheel so herself, naked as she was, all 'the foit over. — Tne great ki ig powaiau called a voun^ daughter of his, whom he loved s > well. Pociiihuutas, which may signify a little wanton." This record somewhat dims the glamour of some ot the first families who boast of the red blood of their an- cestry. History, gives the account that during the administration of Sir AVilliam Berkly (1641 ) distrraced a-s it was with the juurder of Druuimond and others, levees in imitation of roy-« ally were held to which precedence was given to family and residence On one occasion, a question arose between two aristocratic ladies, (the probable purchase of a few hogsheads of tobacco) as to the right of prece- dence to the august presence of the 'ropTP.-seiitiitive of the sovrciorn, Tlie 'dispute ran s') high that, it altractt-d the attentiou of I fee Govevui'r. He patiently listened to /their respective claims; and then desired his Secretary to bring hiui hif, "Xevv Gate Caleit- «hn'." After exttniiinng the record he decided in favor of the dame whose liushand had b^en earlier transj)ortcd itotlie colony frcm i-ngland for higli" Climes :iud nii>dt"ii\' anors. Tnese pretensions even when "\vell foniultd are ridiculous in a tree countiy; yet are slill cherished by ^onie. On arecent ^occiisicMi of a pleaf^aut dinner party at Washington C'iiy, ail of the conipajiy were from iS'orth Car- olina except one gentleman, and he was iVoni Vixginia. With his patj'iotism en- livened by t-he generous cheer, he sug- gested to the company that whenever I -we visite "lie would erect aCliino.-o wal on the Virginia and Nor h ("am- lina line si that they coiiid not coino to us, or we go to them" Govetnor Burriogton resi.lt ,1 in Ede.iton; this ancient Sodoin, if }.Ii". Foniain is correct. DouhtiessGovorn^.-!' Bni riug'.on was impeiions as a rii;' ■■ as he Avas dissolute as a m; His diypalches are long and interesiinu; and valual^le when not filled witii complaints., abuse and asper-ions a>jainst iiis council, the Judges and others. He was removed by the l.,ords P'roprietors, and S'r Kichaifl ^ Eviiilmrd succeeded, wi.o if he had l^-ss vice. had much less ability ^o that wh' « the province as before s'ated in 17J ' became an appendage of the crow:', by order of the King i;i council <1;\'.-" I J.iu'iary 7ih 1780, George Buni.'g ton was airaiu appointed Ixovernor* of his majesty's prapiista Asl\c, the ancestor of- the fiiiuily which stands socou^picuous in North Carolina history, was ar re.- ted ■^or a libel on tlie Guveri'oraud placed in the comnnu Jail ar Edeuton. He was brought, by a Habeas Corpus I'e- J'oie the General Court of Session, composed of Wiu. Little, Ch. Justice AVilliani Overman and Macrara Sear- borou^di, as as:?ociiUcs and adinitied to b»iil; forvvhich.the Juti^^eri were cen- sured by tlie Govern -r, and some of iheui leaiovcd. Bnt in A^he, theGo\- rrnorhad an adversary "worthy of his siecl" and gie^MJy ids superior in tuct and talent. He. with Nath. Rice and John JMoutironiery nu-Miorialized the Crown iii a pnp a* of such power and t iwh that the Governor was removed 'JMiis memorial states "the Governor ^vii. iHa>t at C'ape F' ar sent his ser V mts and took two u.ar^s of Ashe, at)d l.raoiled toMn wi'h his brand, tiiai. when a-k( d by Mr Aslie to rest ^re them, he flew into a vidrut p;is.-i(>n, lising scaniiaious and re(;ronchfol lin- j^ uage f-hakins; his fists ai-d thrcaten- i.ig lo tvikp Some of ]N[r. Ashe's slives also. ^Ir Aslie'heii applied t' the Court f, r redVe s. Thn Cnurlbeid that such sni's couUl not be brought figniiist a G .■•'■re. 1' "'t' be l^'i"' ti<> s itnt must I e bmught at home" (England.) Si'ch wa- tite adniuii- i-.iriini of thi^ law inider. the siiadow of royalty. We ive met a specimen or legal 'ort^'^f an e irli'T date, vvld<'h mav a^u* se our Ic- j.aj fratei nitv as showing what was (•ous'''ert»l Tieasoii, in thR ^ar.'y times «'f Alb 'nuir'e, and among the t-arly men of tliiss >cti'n. li i.-j the liist case ' of I reifOM in our Siate. Fri m Col -nial Papers relative to Caiohna Kolls 02"i'.e Loudon, page IG "Affidivitof Thomis Miller, age 31 that jie arrl'/ed in Albemarle county on July 1677, commissioned as Secre- tary of the Province, al-so as Collector ofCugtoms. Gov. East Church depu- ted him as Governor do ring his absence- In Dec 1678. .i violent rebellion broke out led by Richard Foster, George Du_ rant, John Jenkins, John Willonghby^ William Crawford, Grabriel White, Ja". Blount, Zick Gill'am, John Culpep' per, and others, wiiich stiil continues; totally overthrowimr the 2;ovcrnmen*- they imprisoned the officers, seized the record.^, appointed George Durant &t- torney General arres'.ed and tried il e deponent for his life under charge i f tr ^^son. Timotiiy Biggs, the Deputy of Lor I Cravi-u was tried for Murder; a»id John Nixon- the Deputy f u' Sir Peter Col^ letoi), for treason. Th ir fa'e would hive oeen deUh, hid not the oroclr, nMtiou of the Governor of, Virginia dissohed the Court, This deponeut nvbli'his escape to England." Tln^ rojord of tiie intlictment against !\riller is preserved, and in words and figures, is, is follows, '•AIh-iim Ic Conni-y ) At a Cran'l ('oun^ 1 PiovuK-e of t';iiolhi;i > lujifl fr)r County u Al 3 I)Ciii;o-le. Nov. !()';'• Tiio Att'iruey General, Mr. George Dur'Ut e.\hii>ited the following in- dictment against Thomas Milder, and tht» w'tiesses r,o prove i': aiol df-^ir^d justice, and the processes -f ihe law h" having broke orison cS:c. Thoiruis MilUr, Thou staudest indicfel by the name of Thomas Miller, ot thid ciuiiity Apo hecary; fnr that thou not having tliefear of Gml before thine eye- but l)eing stirred and moved by the in stigation of the Devil, and out of the rancour and malice of thine heart fbrelhou^rht, did in a rebellious and traitorous manner at the house of Thomis Harris, ill about t^ie mouth of Noy 1G73. utter and declare the fol- lowing words; viz. "That the govert,- nient was not»nder good bands iu Eng- land, since the King came in." At the hou itiu^ss'-s. After this tpis^de, which from its quaint humor, may relieve the t-dious nessof our narrative, we return to the character of Governor Rurrington. We have seen, from the lecords of the (.'onrts, his violent and turbulent tem- per, ahhnugh, by an able and arti-tic writer, Hon. Gcoige Davis, of WiJ. min-.ton, he is called "..pen, frank and ]iubiic spirited." He visited in 172', the Cape Fear region, and pnrchased a plantation, five miles i)e]ow Jirnns- wick on a creek called after him, Gov- rnors Greek where he resided for years. He was displaced, by a roval order from the King in Council in 1735. Of his death WdlLtmsou sav.s, soon after his abdication of the gov(-rnment, in 1734, he rioted one night and was found murdered the next morning in the Bird Cage Walk, in St James Park London." I have coj.ies of his D.'s- patches, as late as 1736; theiefu-e the date of his death, as given by William son is error. His will is recorded ia\ the office of the Secretary of State at Raleigh. He describes himself "of the parish of St. Martins, LudgateHill iu city of London. Admi lustration with the will auuexed, was granted on his estate to Paul Whitehead, on 22nd March 1759. In 1760 his son GeorL'e, Lieutenant of 7 1st Regiment, appoin- ted John Rutherford to take charge of his prop.^rt.yiu :N"orth Car.dina. His despatches to the L )rds Co'iiinissiouers fir Tride and Plantations, ave verv foil, and (fescribe the climate, s il and pro'inctions, populaiion, and resourcg ofC-trolina, and also the Indians, har- bors and fortifications. He also gives h's op nions oftlie early Men of Albe- li arle, unreserved and gra()hic. Since soJiMi i.f the names are still extai.t in our Statp, and all are well known 'he-e curious records may prove interestin We have already given Wsoi)ii.ionas to the cautious and independent chais acfcr «f the people of Carolina. Of John Bapt'sia Ashe, in a dispatch, da- ted 20th Feb 1731; he says: "Immedi- ately before tlie Assembly met, Mr- Price, the Secretary, and Mr. John Bapiista Ashe came together from the Cape Fear, to Edenton, the se;.t of Government, and Mr. Ashe, after qua U ifying as Councillor, began to impose en the judgements of the gentlemen « f the Conncil with false rea.souiug and iallarent if any more come or not to them. The Quakers in this government are considered for their numbers and subst iiK-e. They ai-e notable for the regnhirity of their lives; for their hos- pitality to strangers and their kind offices to new settlers. Tlie successor of (Tovernor Burring- ton, wasGabrielJohnstou, who ai'rived at "Wilmington in the fall of 1784, His ne[)hew, Sam'l Johnston, sou of John Johnston, who r&sided for a long time and died near Edenton, was Ixjrii at Dundee, shire of Angus, Scotlanj)uty collector at Edeiitou under his relative, Henry E. ]\Ic("ull(,i]gh, and afterwards collector under the crown. He was elected Judge of the Superior court, iu ] 777 which he 8o< n rej^ioned. In 175)0 he avjis appointed one of the Associate Justices of the .Sui)reiue Court of the United States; which ele- vafed post he held until his death, which occurred on 20th Oct. 1799. Ire- dell county in this State preserves his name. His son James Iredell was born, lived and died in Edenton, he was born 17«-- uished gentleman, loved by all, he had no enemy only hinK New York, where he died in 1819. Stephen Cabarrns, was a |„„g time a resident of Edenton, he was a native, of France, a man of genius, vivacity and patriolism. He was a memiier of the Legislature for m.-my years, and Speaker from 178() to 180(1, with som^ intervals. Cabarrus county is called after him. Josei)h Hewes, one of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence from North Qirolina, was for a lung time a resident of Edenton, he was often a member of the Legislature and in 1774 was elected a memlx-r of the Continen- tal Congress, and with William Honp- er and John Penn as delegates from North Carolina signed that imm .rtal paner, he died in Philadelphia Nov. 10th 1785. It is not very flattering to our State pride that neither of the Signers oi the Declaration of Indepcndance from North Carolina were natives of the State. Hewes was from New Jersev, Hooper from iMassacliusetts and IVnn from Virginia. Either from mo.lestv or 3. Wrnns ol llertfnid. I'oth eonuiess 1807. 11 th. r.'-.ngr--s 1800 :iiid 12lh lyil, Leiiiuil iSow^-er of Cain- d-r. l?5ih (■onnre>s. 1818 and lltli eoiiLn-iss I'^l"), WiMaiii II .Mill Ire': i>f Hi;rt,iord. 1 th, 1817: Ui'h. 1810; ; nd 17th v.<>n- gTr-ss"S. Leihiiel SiwyiT . f ''nnidrn, l;3ni (-..iigrL'Ss l.SJ:; .Vlir-d .M. a.tlii. Uan coiiLiie-s 1S2") iind 20t;i eougiess ISji. Liinnel Sawyi-r. (Imido'i, 2lst.. IS>i); '^On i, lH;51;2:{rd. 183:i: and ■■'♦^ '' <• " '• ><-^. I^:}"). Willi nil li. Sii'l)- 3 ^rd, of Pasqixotiink. ■> . I iiii_,iOSs, io.j7, Siniiicl T. Sa.vyrr nl < liow ;in •Cth isjii; 27th. 1841: MM 1 2Sfli ron- grt'ss, 184:'. Kfnii cih Ha\ ner nf Ibrt fnrd. 20 li. t<>ii|;rt,ss, 1843 Asa Biggs ol ^larii.i coiiU.y. 3oth, 1847; 31st, 1849, and 32nd. con- gress, 18.')1. David Outlaw of Bertie. 33id. conyress 1858, Henry M. Shaw, ol (/nrrituck. 34tli, congress 1855, Robert T. Paine ofCiiowan, o5th congress, 1857 Henry M. Shaw, of Curritnclc. 3Gth congress, 1859, Wm. N. H.Smith of Hertford. 37th, 1861: 38tli. 18*53: and 39th. con- gress. No members in U. S. Oongns. 40th, congress, 1867 John R. French of Chowan. 41 St, 1869: and 42nd congre^is 1871; Clinton L. Cohb, of Pasquotank. 48fd, 1873, and 44th 1875, Jesse J. Yeatcs, ot Hertford. These names afford ample material to the Biographer and Historian. It is ID be hoped that some patriotic pen Avill embalm in history their charac- teis and services. The centennial year of our Nation was rendered memora* b'e 1)}' the recommendatioiv of Congress and by the proclamation of the Pres- ident, to the people of each county of every State to prepare some historical sketch of the Early Titties and the Eirly Men, to be preserved for future nference. Some portions of our vr-ta e have responded to this call; notably by the cnuniy of Wake, in the iiiter- Cfting sketches of the early history of the city of Raleigh by K^•mpJ^ Batilo, and historical sketches of Herl ford county by Mtijor Jnlui W. I\I 'ore. Who wiil bring up the r cord V ol V i-([!io!ank? l'as(ju itaiik C' uniy deiive- isname fro II a native tribe of lii'li »ns, (P.is- qu''ii"k-^) H lu) liv'd ii ar l'owt-1's Point, rts sh iwu by l)i'F)rv. 1 ii id tVuiii the privjitH h-titues (4' the Siaie by JutLeF. X. Miriin.that in 1784 th' ciiirt ln'iisr was iiMve i fr on Wimi- hi!ld, ir !ir (1 ibb's l^lllr, to Nixonton, M ti'^n on tlie XorMi sid ■ of Lit'le IMvi r, so called Ir^im ilic owner if the pnce. Jt was nfterwaids rem -ved in il'Jo to llieNarr. ws, n iw clle 1 Eliz- 7 af">etli City, wliicli flenre?if? namd from Kliziibetli, the wife of Adam Tooley, tlie owner of tlie land on wliicli the town was located, son>e of whoso des- eenilants (\Vrn. Slianuon,) still reside liere. Tliis connty, early proved i>» devotion to the oanse of Independence. In 1776 two R8gin)if^t)ts for tlie ('onti- nental Army were raised. Its offioprs ■were, for the fii>:t Regiment; Thi)ini«s Boyd, colonel, Spencer Ripley, lieu- tenant colonel, Olheneil Liiscetle* 1st major, and John Ca?ev 2nd major. For the second Kcuiment, Isaac (rregory, colone^, Dciup-iey Bursjjes.s- lientenant colonel, Jos-hoa Oani[ihell 3 !dy fornied our State Cotistitiiti >n, w«s Henry Al^b^t, Demi^ey Burgess, De- votion Pavi^, Isaac Gregoiy anil Lenuiel 8atM'er. [ts poputati n. for ilie last fifty years liH-* been sinL'uhirly iniiform. U 18-20, 8008 18:?0. S6+1; 1840, BoU, 3S.-,o. SOoO. I860. 8740: 187\ 81:11. I sliull no.\v close, for 1 leBi.c that L luva f: Trendy trespa sped on your patience;' py I sincerely fcti ttiat j isticr has ni>tJ>oorj done to my subject. I hafe Iiowctit done the V)est I conld. I have lard Ix'- /^ . f >re yon the r<-searclies and studies of a lifetime; njaterial yatliercd trom every acuree, forf^ga and dmiestic. "Tolled froto the Sv;iitt.ered loro of asic*." The solo reward 1 ask, or hope for is that they will be agreeable to you, that yoa will accept the otferiai;. 'thoush po a* the ottering be, study them, and ad'l_tc> their nijmber. It is a field so fair and full of goodly pi-ospects, that doubtless some yunger and abler hand will perfect in the future what I have so feebly commenced in tbe present. No County or State has so brilliant a record as North Carolina; ,■ none is so little known. Let us thjui/ all unite to preserve her glowing tradi- tions and records, and transmit to pos- terity her unsullied character, and her devotion to freedom and to virtue. Let all of us, love iLc dear laud that we liru in A* lin pjiy a region as this side of heav I'n, U itli Honor anKl rree\ei- us liaise » loud tog. ther, the heurt thriiliug- (•horn- The old Nortiii Sttvte forever'. LIBRftRY OF CONGRESS 014 419 087 7