USA > North Carolina > Sketches of North Carolina, historical and biographical : illustrative of the principles of a portion of her early settlers > Part 1
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55
TIV
Gc 975.6 F73S 1157698
NEALOGY
7
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 02400 7707
GENEALOGY COLLECTION
Camion Dem lap
SKETCHES
OF
NORTH CAROLINA,
HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL,
ILLUSTRATIVE
OF THE PRINCIPLES
OF A PORTION OF HER EARLY SETTLERS.
BY
REV. WILLIAM HENRY FOOTE.
NEW YORK : ROBERT CARTER, 58 CANAL STREET. 1846.
ENTERED according to Act of Congress, in the year 1846, by
ROBERT CARTER,
in the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the Southern District of New York.
R. CRAIGHEAD'S Power Press, 112 Fulton Street.
DEDICATION.
1157698
To the Ministers of the Synod of North Carolina, with whom I have been associated in arduous labors for about seven years, and whose counsel and assistance and cheerful welcome it has been my happiness to enjoy,-
MOST RESPECTFULLY :
And to the Elders and Churches with whom I have labored in the cause of benevolence ; whose attachment to sound doctrine and the church of their fathers has been so often and so agreeably displayed; whose hospitality has spread around me, times almost innumerable, the comforts and luxuries of life, ---
MOST KINDLY :
And to the Children, who by their affectionate cheerfulness have been my solace in hours of weariness and exhaustion ; the hope of the Church and of the State, --
MOST TENDERLY :
And to the Citizens of the sedate and sober State of North Carolina gene- rally, inheriting so much that is estimable from past generations,-
WITH SENTIMENTS OF STRONG REGARD AND WELL-WISHING ;
Is this Volume dedicated by
THE AUTHOR,
WILLIAM HENRY FOOTE.
Romney, Hampshire County, Virginia, } October, 1846.
312 0
- 26.50 -
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2016
https://archive.org/details/sketchesofnorthc00foot 2
INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER.
NORTH CAROLINA, in the days of colonial dependence, was the refuge of the poor and the oppressed. In her borders the emigrant, the fugitive, and the exile found a home. Whatever may have been the cause of leaving the land of their nativity-political servitude,-tyranny over conscience,-or poverty of means, with the hope of bettering their condition,-the descendants of these enterprising, suffering, afflicted, yet prospered people, have cause to bless the kind Providence that led their fathers, in their wanderings, to such a place of rest.
Her sandy plains, and threatening breakers jutting out into the ocean, met the voyagers sent out by Sir Walter Raleigh in 1584, and the island of Woco- ken afforded the landing-place, "as some delicate garden abounding with all kinds of odoriferous flowers," and witnessed the ceremonial of taking possession of the country for the Queen of England, who soon after gave it the name of Virginia. The island of Roanoke, between Pamtico and Albemarle Sounds, in the domains of Granganimeo, afforded the first colony of English a home so quiet, with a climate so mild, and with fruits so abundant, that the tempest- tossed mariners extolled it in their letters to their countrymen as an earthly paradise. So no doubt it seemed to them the first summer of their residence, in 1585 ; and notwithstanding the disastrous conclusion of that and succeeding colonies, so the adjoining country has seemed to many generations that have risen, and flourished, and passed away, in the long succession of years, since the wife of Granganimeo, in savage state, feasted the first adventurers.
Her extended champaign around the head streams of the numerous rivers that flow through her own borders, and those of South Carolina, to the ocean, cherished into numbers, and wealth, and civil and religious independence, the emigrants from a rougher climate and more unfriendly soil, of the north of Ire- land and the Highlands of Scotland. The quiet of the vast solitudes and forests of North Carolina lured these hard-working men, who, in their poverty and transatlantic subjection, cherished the principles of religion, wealth and inde- pendence, to seek in them the abode of domestic blessedness, and the repose of liberty. Far from the ocean, in a province without seaports, and unfrequented by wealthy emigrants, the clustered settlements had space and time to follow out their principles of religion, morality and politics to their legitimate ends ; and the first declaration of Entire Independence of the British crown was heard in the province that afforded a resting-place to the first colony.
X
INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER.
Carolina was settled by emigrants from different parts of the kingdom of Great Britain and her American provinces, in such numbers, and in such re- mote situations, that it is comparatively easy to follow the line of their descend- ants, and trace out the workings of their principles and habits upon themselves, the commonwealth, and the country at large. Every state of society owes much of its character for excellence or demerit, to the generations that pre- ceded; the present is a reflected image of the past ; and men must search among their ancestors for the principles, and causes, and springs of action, and mould- ing influences, that have made society and themselves what they are. The present generation of Carolinians look back to the men that drove the wild beasts from the forests, and displaced the savages, as the fathers of a republic more blessed than the most favored of antiquity ; and may well ask what principles of religion and morals,-what habits made us what we are. In an- swer to these questions there is no good civil history of the State; and with the honorable exception of the life of Caldwell, by Mr. Caruthers, there is no church history ; and the traditions that reached back to the settlement of the country, are, for the most part, passing away, or becoming dimmed in the horizon of uncer- tainty. The prospect, then, is, that the coming generations will be ignorant of their ancestors and their deeds, and like the Greeks and Romans, be compelled to go back to a fabulous antiquity to search in dreams and conjectures for the first link in a chain of causes, the progression of which is so full of blessedness.
It may be well for some people, that the mist of antiquity hides in uncer- tainty, the lowness of their origin ; and that aspersion has sometimes been cast on Carolina. But if any people may glory in their forefathers, the Carolinians, at least a part of them, may glory in theirs, and cherish their principles with the firm confidence that they will make their descendants better, and the pro- gress of excellence shall never end. No human mind can tell with certainty, or even conjecture plausibly, where the principles of the men, that did so much for their posterity, will lead; though they may be certain the pathway shall be resplendent, and the goal glorious.
The history of principles is the history of States. And the youth of Caro- lina might study both on one interesting page, were there a fair record of past events presented to their perusal. They might learn at home something better than the histories of Greece and Rome, or the Assyrian and Babylonian, or all the eastern and western empires of the world, have ever taught. They would find examples worthy of all praise, and actions deserving a generous emulation. They would be impressed most deeply with the conviction that people and ac- tions worthy of such examples must be the citizens and the acts of the happiest nation on earth.
The following pages are an effort to open the way for some future historian to do full justice to the past, by recording the events that are so honorable, and to the future by presenting a page full of interest and instruction, all true, and all encouraging. They contain the history of the Presbyterian population of
XI
INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER.
North Carolina as far as it has been yet collected from traditions, records of the churches and ecclesiastical bodies and printed volumes that refer incidentally to this people and their principles and their doings. Though the history of a denomination, it is not sectarian, because it must of necessity be the history of a large part of the State ; and because it is also a fair record of events. Every denomination has the liberty of producing a series of events in their past history of equal or greater interest, and it will be neither bigoted, sectarian, or am- bitious.
The author has had some peculiar advantages in gathering the facts related in the following pages. For about seven years he was constantly engaged in the active duties of Secretary of Foreign Missions ; and in their fulfilment was called to visit most of the Presbyterian congregations in North Carolina and Virginia repeatedly. In conversation with the aged ministers and members of the church, he heard many things to which he listened with emotion, and asked to hear them again; and then repeated them to others; and then wrote them down; and then corrected and enlarged the notes ; and then occasionally pub- lished a chapter in the Watchman of the South, the reading of which often induced persons in possession of interesting facts to communicate them either to the writer personally, or to the public through the Watchman; and then to consulting manuscripts and records as far as they were known to have any relation to the matters in hand, or as they fell in his way, and commonly he stumbled, as it were, upon them most unexpectedly, as he passed around in his arduous undertakings ; and then as the agency in which he was engaged was drawing to a close, in looking over the memoranda of interesting events that had accumulated upon his hands, the purpose was formed of making a volume of sketches relating to past events in the Presbyterian settlements of Virginia and Carolina, few of which had ever been in print except in the columns of a weekly periodical, and most were fast passing away from the knowledge of the living, as that generation whose fathers were actors in the most interesting scenes of the early settlement, and from whom many of these traditions were received by the writer, were fast entering the unseen world, when he com- menced committing their communications to paper, and have now but here and there a solitary representative in the land of the living. In this state of the case the Synod of North Carolina, during the annual session held in Fayette- ville, November, 1844, by a committee, invited the writer to use his materials, and others that might be put into his hands, in preparing a history of the Pres- byterian Church in North Carolina ; such a history as might show the influ- ence of Presbyterian doctrines, habits, and population, upon the past and present generations of citizens of the North State, and in some degree also upon the population of those States which owe much to the emigration from Carolina. The only hesitation the writer felt in acceding to this honorable proposal, arose from the circumstance, that as the population of a part of Virginia and North Carolina were homogeneous, and were for a long time connected in the same
xii
INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER.
Presbytery, and have always since been more or less connected in their religious and benevolent actions, there might arise a difficulty in giving a fair history of the church and people, disconnected from the church in Virginia, which was senior in point of time and always intimately connected in action. But upon farther reflection and conversation with judicious friends, it appeared there were ample materials, purely Carolinian, to form a volume of the size desired by the generality of readers, and equally as ample materials, purely Virginian, for another ; and the gratification of the readers, and the public advantage, would be consulted by giving the volumes separate. The invitation of Synod was then, after a few explanations, accepted, and the brethren generally most cheer- fully made offer of their collections of facts and materials for the history, which they had for some time been gathering respecting their own particular charges.
The writer is under particular obligations to many individuals for the mate- rials for the succeeding volume. To Rev. John Robinson, D.D., now no more, from whom he received the first impulse to make the collection of traditions, by hearing from him, at his own fireside, the recital of some of the events that must immortalize Mecklenburg; and whom he visited for the purpose of correcting and enlarging his traditions, in December, 1843, and found preparations making for his funeral ;- a noble, urbane, powerful preacher of the gospel : to Rev. E. B. Currie, in whose retired cottage the writer gathered the principal facts relating to Rev. James McGready and the revivals that accompanied and fol- lowed his preaching; and many of the facts respecting the churches in Gran- ville and Caswell counties ; the infirmities of whose age but enrich his experi- ence : to the Rev. Robert Tate, from whom I received much that is recorded respecting the churches in the eastern part of the State, himself the patriarch of the present churches in New Hanover : to the Rev. Dr. Morrison, for ma- terials for the interesting Memoir of his father-in-law, J. Graham; and also for much concerning Dr. Hunter and Dr. Wilson : to Dr. T. C. Caldwell, for many traditions relating to Sugaw Creek, received from his father, and for an interesting visit to the old grave-yard: to Dr. Hunter, of Goshen, for many facts and incidents concerning his father, Rev. Humphrey Hunter, D.D. : to Rev. Eli W. Caruthers, for the valuable selections from his Life of Rev. David Caldwell, D.D .: to ex-Governor Swain, President of the University of North Carolina, for materials for the sketch of the University, and Rev. Joseph Cald- well, D.D., and for other interesting facts: to Rev. Colin McIvor, stated clerk of the Synod, for a copy of the minutes of the Synod of the Carolinas, and for the translation of a Gaelic pamphlet: to Mr. Charles W. Harris, for some curious manuscripts relating to Poplar Tent, from the pen of Mrs. Alexander : to Rev. Alexander Wilson, D.D., for facts concerning the county of Granville, and the church in Ireland previous to the emigration : and to Rev. Messrs. Cyrus Johnson, J. M. M. Caldwell, John M. Wilson, James M. H. Adams, E. F. Rockwell, A. Gilchrist, C. Shaw, and Archibald Smith, for manuscripts, pamphlets and volumes relating to the history of Presbyterianism in their con-
xiii
INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER.
gregations : to Governors Morehead and Graham, and the public officers in Raleigh, for access to the records of the State and the public library : to Dr. Ramsey, of Tennessee, for much valuable information : and to J. S. Jones, the author of the Defence of North Carolina, from which many interesting facts have been borrowed: and to Dr. Pattillo, of Charlotte, for many papers relating to his grandfather. Other sources of information are acknowledged in the body of the work.
It is more than possible that upon the perusal of these pages other documents - will be brought to light that shall confirm the principal facts here produced, add others, and perhaps modify some.
The strict order of chronology could not be followed in the succession of chapters, but it is, as far as possible, in the events themselves, and also in the narration.
The volume takes the name of "Sketches," rather than that of " History," for reasons that will be apparent on perusal ; and the author has but one cause of dissatisfaction in reviewing the work, and that is, that the Sketches are not more worthy of the scenes and the actors.
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
THE FIRST DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, MAY, 1775.
The Village of Charlotte, its Situation, and Origin of its Name. The Con- vention, May 19th, 1775, the Preparatory Steps, its Organization and Object. An Incident related by General Graham. Committee present the Resolutions drawn by Dr. Brevard. THE MECKLENBURG DECLARATION, Unanimously Adopted. THE SECOND MECKLENBURG DECLARATION. Capt. Jack takes the Declaration to Philadelphia, reads the Papers in Sa- lisbury, is opposed by Dunn and Boote. The Delegates decline laying the Declaration before Congress; Circulation and Preservation of the Copies. The Action of the Committee in the Case of Dunn and Boote. Associations first formed according to the Recommendations of Continental Congress. Provincial Council. County Committees of Safety. A Certi- ficate. FIRST DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE BY THE CONSTITUTED AUTHORITIES OF A STATE. Inquiry concerning the Origin of the People forming the Convention
33
CHAPTER II.
BLOOD SHED ON THE ALAMANCE-The First Blood Shed in the Revolution, May 16th, 1776.
The Situation and Origin of the name of Hillsborough ; its Connection with Past Events. Discontent in Orange and neighboring Counties. Governor Tryon marches to Orange with Armed Forces ; his first Visit and its Fail- ure. The Excitement of the People. The Eastern men mistake the Western. The Commencement of the Disturbances. The Sheriff hin- dered in his Duty, 1760. Pamphlet in Granville, 1765. Causes of the Com-
-
xvi
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
plaints among the People. Frauds of Childs and Corbin in Signing Pa- tents. The Proclamations Disregarded. Example of Hardship in going to Market. Proposed meeting at Maddock's Mill, Oct. 10th, 1766. Meet- ing at Deep River. Fanning's opinion of the Meeting. Another Meet- ing, 1767. Commencement of the REGULATION. Building the Govern- or's Palace in Newbern. Another Meeting in 1768 addresses the Govern- or ; his reply. Unjustifiable outbreaks unfairly charged on the Regula- tion. Governor Proclaims the Regulation an Insurrection ; Ninian Bell Hamilton. The Regulators in Arms, August 11th, 1768. The Governor's Justice, his Proclamation. The persons excepted. Report of Maurice Moore, 1776. Extract from Records of Court in Hillsborough. Acts of Personal violence ; a Mock Trial. Four New Counties made. The Go- vernor's Circular, 1771. General Waddel goes to Salisbury. The Black Boys. Waddel retires before the Regulators. Orders. Certificate. Go- vernor crosses the Haw, May 13th, approaches the Regulators ; Negotia- tion. The Governor kills Robert Thompson. The Flag of Truce fired on. The Governor commands his men to fire. Regulators Routed. Governor hangs James Few. Case of Captain Messer. Governor leads his prisoners in chains. Execution of six prisoners near Hillsborough. Tryon returns to Newbern. Fanning's Flight. Husband's Flight. In- quiry into the origin of the men engaged in the Regulation
46
CHAPTER III.
A PAPER ON CIVIL AND RELIGIOUS LIBERTY, IN 1775.
Widow Brevard ; her son Alexander. Judge Brevard. Her son Ephraim ; his Education ; the part he took in the Convention in Mecklenburg ; the Circumstances of his Death. Death of Mrs. Jackson. INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE DELEGATES OF MECKLENBURG COUNTY. The Principles of Civil and Religious Liberty.
68
CHAPTER IV.
COMMENCEMENT OF PRESBYTERIAN SETTLEMENTS IN NORTH CAROLINA.
The Emigrants previous to about 1736, from Virginia, Colonies of Huguenots and Palatines. Quakers or Friends. The Presbyterians in Duplin, and in Frederick, Augusta, and Virginia. Settlements on the Eno. West- ern Counties set off. Encouragement to Emigrate. Lord Granville's por- tion of Carolina set off. The Scotch on Cape Fear. Congregations and Churches in the Upper Country. Origin of the people worthy of notice. Influence of Religious Principle.
77
.
xvii
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
CHAPTER V.
ORIGIN OF THE SCOTCH-IRISH.
To be found in Ireland under Elizabeth and James. Reformation in Eng- land partly Voluntary; in Ireland Involuntary. King's Supremacy ac- knowledged, 1536. The Bible in Ireland, 1556. Conspiracy of Tyrconnel and Tyrone, 1605, and Ulster forfeited to the Crown. The Province sur- veyed by Chichester and allotted to three kinds of occupants. Lands gen- erally occupied, 1610. Stewart's account of the Emigrants to Ireland. Con O'Neill loses part of his Estate. Emigrants under Montgomery. Situation of the County in 1618. The name Scotch-Irish ; their character.
84
CHAPTER VI.
STATE OF RELIGION IN IRELAND FROM THE TIME OF THE EMIGRATION FROM SCOTLAND TO THE FIRST EFFORT TO EMIGRATE TO AMERICA, 1631.
The Emigrants from Scotland. Stewart's character of them. The opinion in Scotland about the Emigration. Christian Ministers go over to Ireland to the Emigrants :- 1st, Edward Brice ; 2d, John Ridge; 3d, M. Hub- bard ; 4th, James Glendenning ; 5th, Robert Cunningham ; 6th, Robert Blair ; 7th, James Hamilton. The Success of these Ministers. Com- mencement of the Great Revival. Stewart's account of it. The Month- ly Meeting at Antrim. Stewart's and Blair's account of it. More Ministers pass over to Ireland. The 8th, Josias Welch; 9th, Andrew Stewart ; 10th, George Dunbar ; Andrew Brown, the Deaf Mute ; 11th, Henry Colwort ; 12th, John Livingston, of Kirks, of Shott's Memory ; 13th, John McClelland ; 14th, John Semple. Monthly Meeting at Antrim im- proved. Bodily Exercises no mark of Religion.
91
CHAPTER VII.
THE EAGLE WING, OR FIRST ATTEMPT AT EMIGRATION FROM IRELAND TO AMERICA.
Cause of the attempt at Emigration. Four Ministers forbid the Ministry. Delegates appointed to New England. Cotton Mather's notice of the mat- ter. The Eagle Wing sails, 1636, with a band of Emigrants. Livingston's account of the Voyage. Child Baptized at sea. Vessel driven back to Ireland. The reception of the Emigrants. The Ministers return to Scot- land in 1637; their flocks go over to receive the Sacraments. The Influ- ence of these men on Ireland and the World.
102
xviii
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
CHAPTER VIII.
FORMATION OF PRESBYTERIES IN IRELAND.
First Meeting of a Presbytery in Ireland, 1642. Steps Preparatory. Con- vocation of the Irish Clergy appointed Usher to draw up a Confession of Faith. Its character. Heylin's account of the Church in Usher's time. Blair and Livingston's course respecting Ordination. Laymen conduct public worship after the Clergy retire to Scotland. The Scottish army introduced to crush Rebellion, 1641. Massacre of Protestants. Six Chap- lains accompany the Scotch regiments; also Mr. Livingston. Regular Presbyterian Churches formed in the Regiments. The Presbytery Con- stituted. Sessions formed in the country around. The people petition the General Assembly of Scotland for Supplies. Six Ministers sent to regu- late the Churches. The Congregation take possession of some of the va- cant Parish Churches. Some persons Episcopally ordained, join the Pres- bytery. Solemn League and Covenant adopted in Scotland, 1643, and in many parts of Ireland, 1644. Its effect. Number of Presbyterian Minis- ters in Ireland from 1647 to 1657. The first Presbytery divided into five Presbyteries. Number of Ministers in 1660 and in 1689. The Presbyte- ry of Lagan license the first Presbyterian Minister settled in the United States ; Francis Makemie.
109
CHAPTER IX.
THE POLITICAL SENTIMENTS OF THE SCOTCH-IRISH EMIGRANTS.
They were Loyal. Reasons for their ancestors being chosen to colonise Ire- land. Their views of the authority of Parliament after the King's Death. How the Magistrates are to be chosen. 2d. They insisted on choosing their own Ministers of Religion ; this the source of all their trouble; Re- publicans in their nations. 3d. They demanded ordination by Presbyters instead of Bishops. 4th. Strict discipline in morals and in the instruc- tion of Youth. Their views of Education. Connection of their Religion with their politics. Their agreement in fundamentals ; and disagreement in smaller matters.
120
CHAPTER X.
THE SETTLEMENT OF THE SCOTCH ON THE RIVER CAPE FEAR, AND THE REVE- REND JAMES CAMPBELL.
Some families Settled as early as 1729. The Clark family as early as 1730, from the Hebrides. Charles Edward, the Pretender, appears, lands in
xix
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
Scotland. The heads of the great Clans against his plans ; joined by the young men. Is for a time successful. Is ruined at Culloden. Executions follow his defeat ; the country laid waste ; but the Prince escapes. An- ecdote of a Scotch gentleman. Anecdote of Kennedy. The Rebels con- demned ; 17 suffer, the rest exiled, go to Cape Fear; causes of settling there. The Religion of the Scotch. No Minister came with the first Emigrants. The Rev. James Campbell ; birth-place ; emigrates to Ame- rica ; gives over Preaching. By means of Whitefield resumes his Minis- try. Emigrates to Cape Fear. His extensive labors ; his regular preach- ing places. Bluff and its Elders. Barbacue and its Elders. Use of the Gaelic Language. The Rev. John McLeod.
125
CHAPTER XI.
THE POLITICAL OPINIONS OF THE SCOTCH EMIGRANTS.
The Scotch not Radicals ; desired a Government of Law. The Bible their guide. Revolution. Natural right in given cases. Their National Cov- enants ; their object. Hetherington's view of the Covenants. Rutherford's Lex Rex. Charles 2d and James 1st, swore to the Covenants ; the Oath. Division of sentiment about the Revolution. The Association in Cum- berland, drawn by Robert Rowan, 1775. Governor Martin commissions Donald M'Donald as Brigadier. He erects the Royal Standard, Feb., 1776. The Camp at Campbellton, or Cross Creeks. Col. Moore marches against him M'Donald sends an Embassy. Moves down to Moore's Creek. Makes an attack on Caswell and Livingston, and is defeated. The action of the Provincial Congress respecting the Prisoners. .
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.