USA > North Carolina > North Carolina historical and genealogical record > Part 5
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"President of the Confederate States of America, Soldier, Planter, Author, Statesman. Born June 3, 1808, Fairview, Kentucky. Died December 6, 1889, New Orleans, Louisiana. He was a statesman with clean hands and pure heart, who serv- ed his people faithfully and well from budding manhood to hoary age."
Three immortal additions were made to the distinguished company of southern artists last summer when markers were unveiled to Henry Timrod, "Laureate of the Confederacy;" Robert Loveman. eminent poet, and Orren Randolph Smith, designer of the "Stars and Bars."
Plans call for the conversion of the great church ground at Flet- cher into a memorial garden-a thing of artistic beauty as well as of historic interest. The Abbey is already taking shape, although the development is still in a nebulous shape. But the picture of it as it will be is very clear in the mind of Mr M Clellan, and he delights to explain it to those who will take the time to stop and listen.
"The Westminster Abbey of the South will have fulfilled its noble purpose by placing before the eyes
Rev. Clarence Stuart Mcclellan is and minds and hearts of coming the originator and founder of the generations the great ideals of the "Westminster Abbey of the South." South; its songs. its poetry, its Plans sponsored by Mr. McClel- books and prose and their writers,
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statesmen - every bit of history of the denomination's most illus- that is meaningful for the future." trious leaders of America, and no- Mr. McClellan explains.
Sitting with him beneath a mag- nificent white pine, one of the hun- dreds that make the tract one of gnarled pulpit.
the beauty spots of the "Land of the Sky," one may catch a glimpse of this remarkable dream and, glancing down the vista of years, behold a shrine that will be visit- ed annually by thousands from every corner of the globe.
Old Calvary church nestles in a tight little valley of the pine-clad hills of western North Carolina 10 miles east of Asheville on the Dix- ie highway between the middle- west and Florida. Many of the thousands of tourists who pass the quaint spot behind beautiful sweeps of lawn dotted with boxwood and shaded by giant oaks and stately pines, even now pause to admire the place and examine the monu- ments.
Built in 1859, two years after ? few devout Episcopalians of dis- ting:ished South Carolina families, such as the Rutledges and Blakes, had effected an organization, the original structure still stands. The stained glass windows, pride of the country-side 70 years ago, are fad- ed, but the stately spire remains as of old, as straight and as firm as the day the last workman clam- bered down from the dizzy tip and looked well content on the job.
The church stands a monument to the work of devout hands. loves labor in the service of the Lord Its very brick were pressed bv hand in Fletcher and the congrega- tion shed Christian sweat in its completion.
tables of national and international renown in the world of letters and the canvass, have occupied the
During the War Between the States the church was used by Con- federate troops as barracks. In the churchyard still stands an open air shed built by Confederate cav- alrymen to shelter their horses. Tales of the headless horseman, who haunts the shed, and the fair young maiden who meets her Con- federate lover at the old well hard by still cluster around the place.
The churchyard proper contains 24 acres, mostly wooded land, while the rectory property just across the highway contains eight acres-thus providing abundant space for carry- ing to completion the Open Air Westminster Abbey of the South. In the little graveyard made en. chantingly attractive with shrub- bery and flowers sleep many of the Rutledges. Blakes and other prom- inent Carolinians.
The uniqueness of the Abbey lies largely in the character of the indi- vidual markers. Each is a large up- right native granite erected in its original condition, even to the moss which frequently clings to it. On the front there is a bronze marker of most attractive design bearing the name of the person honored. dates of birth and death, and some significant statement about, or quo- tation from him or her.
There is a poet's corner, musi- cians' corner, statesmen's corner, artists' corner and benefactors' corner. Approximately identical in height. the stones are all different in contours of rough surfaces, and
The pioneer house of worship of erected in rows beneath the dense Episcopal faith in the region, many shade of beautiful white pines and
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widespread oaks. The whole is being to become Washington and Lee separated by drives and the University. We here commemorate churchyard proper by a high laurel not Lee the fighter, but Lee the. hedge, giving it an air of privacy educator. That was the true Lee. almost as complete as if it were 'He cometh to his own' says the enclosed within a stone wall and tablet. That is true, and so we want underneath a roof instead of a can- all the noble men and women of opy of rustling leaves, splashed with the south to come into their own. the blue of the sky.
"My plans call for a bronze life-
In this connection It is signifi- sized statute of the. Southern Negro cant that no corner is provided for Mammy!"' exclaimed Mr. McClel -- the south's military leaders. None lan. "I want to see her with her will be, for the originator of this big, wide, white, well-starched idea believes that keeping war his- apron, her turban, her calico dress tory and war heroes in the back- and I wish to see her seated in an . ground is one of the most effective old-timey rocking chair as if be- way of training future generations away from war. fore some great open fire-place in a log cabin on a windy night with
True there is a monument to Rob- spooks prowling about in the dark. ert E. Lee, but it honors his mem- I want to see her hands hard with ory not as a great warrior, but as toil and her face - a spiritual a great leader in education of the face - recalling some of those ex- young men of the south after the quisite spirituals of her race. I War Between the States, in which want to see all old fashioned flow- he played such an important role. ers a-growing - marigolds. holly -- hocks, sunflowers, black-eyed Su -- sans, Zinnias, four-o'clocks, verbe- nas, forget-me-nots, delphiniun!, all the flowers the Old Mammy used to love.
"To foster prejudice and keep aflame the heat of the Civil War, to create sectionalism and to. carry on some phase of history that should be entirely forgotten are ab- solutely foreign to my dream for "A typical log cabin near this this Abbey," declared Mr. McClel- statute is to be fitted up with pic- lan. "I recall Lee's last words, 'Lay tures of the southern poetry-writ- aside all these local animosities and ers, musicians, statesmen commem- train your sons to become Ameri- orated in the out-of-doors Abbey, cans." With that statement Lee and their books and old chairs and passed from tables and rugs and clock. cradles and old beds to give the atmos- chieftain to a great American.
"The nucleus of my idea," con_ phere of the Old South."
To be memoralized in the Abbey
tinued Mr. McClellan," is the Rob- ert E. Lee monument near the as rapidly as the necessary funds main entrance of the grounds. This can be raised by groups interested is the motif of my thought. Lee is in preserving their names are: here depicted mounted on Traveler Frank L. Stanton, Paul Hamilton journeying into the south. It is Hayne, George Denison Prentice. Lee facing a new day, the day of Philip Pendleton Cooke, Richard his real greatness as president of Henry Wilde, James Mattews La -- Washington and Lee college, later gare, Henry Rootes Jackson, Mir-
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HISTORICAL AND GENEALOGICAL RECORD
abeau Bounaparte Lamar, Lucius poser of "The Star Spangled Ban- Q. C. Lamar, Alexander Beaufort ner;" Edgar Wilson (Bill) Nye, hu- Meek, Theodore O'Hara,
Gilmore Simms, John
Thompson. Abram Joseph Ryan
(Father Ryan), Severn Teachle Wallis, James Barron Hope, Mar- garet. Junkin Preston, Edgar Allen Poe, Edward Coate Pinckney, John Esten Cooke. Thomas Nelson Page and a host of others.
"When the memory of these im- mortals has been honored with granite markers," explained Mr. McClellan, "I want to see the Ab- bey developed further with little paths winding in and about clumps of ornamental trees and flower beds and artistic benches along the paths. As one saunters about he can see and read the memorial tab- lets.
"And I want this abbey dedicated by the singing old Old Negro spir- ituals by trained negro singers on some moonlight night in the sum- mer. Can you get the picture? Can't you feel it?"
ie:" James Whitcomb Riley, the
William morist, and John Fox, Jr., novel- Reuben ist.
In the picturesque vestry room of Old Calvary hangs one of the rar- est portraits of Robert E. Lee in existence, for which he sat during the war. It was presented the Ab- bey by a daughter of the great gen- eral as a start towards a collec- tion of canvasses of the south's great, in conjunction with the mon- uments.
Strange to say, it remained for an easterner to conceive the idea of honoring the south's heroes in this beautiful way, for Mr. McClel- lan is himself a New Yorker, of the family of General George B. McClellan, of the War Between the States fame.
He was graduated from New York University and Union Theo- logical Seminary in New York City and is known as a writer on his -- torical subjects. Of exceedingly re-
Among monuments already dedi- tiring and modest disposition, so cated are those of Daniel Decatur far as his personality is concerned, (Dan) Emmett, composer of "Dix- he talks little of himself.
After spending considerable time
post; Stephen Collins Foster, com- in California and Texas he came porer of "Swande River"; William to Fletcher seven years ago to be- Sydney Porter (O'Henry), short- come rector of the old and fash- story writer: Sidney Lanier ,south- ionable church. His whole interest ern song-bird; Joel Chandler Har- now is bound up in his dreams of ris. creator of "Uncle Remus"; the Westminster Abbey of the Franc's Orrerry Ticknor, Georgia's South, and his enthusiasm is high- great poet; Francis Scott Key, com- ly contagious.
-
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HISTORICAL AND GENEALOGICAL RECORD
HALIFAX STANDS OUT IN HISTORY
Halifax, county seat of Halifax cite not being for sale. Numbers of county, named for the Earl of Hali- visitors stop at the place, which is fax, is the birthplace of the first maintained as a state museum. constitution adopted in North Caro- Three markers have been erected lina, as well as the first place in the at the house, commemorating histori- state to celebrate the news of the cal events there, and in the yard is adoption of the declaration of inde- a memorial oak given by Mirs. W. N. pendence in 1776. The famous Hall- Reyonlds. of Winston-Salem, as one fax resolutions for independence were of nine planted in the state in towns also adopted in Halifax at the fourth visited by George Washigton in 1791. provincial congress.
The section was the home of many prominent men of the revolutionary period, as Willie Jones, William R Davie, father of the state university at Chapel Hill; Joseph Montford. Lieut. Col. J. B. Ashe, Gov. Hutchins Burton, whose wife was a niece of Elizabeth Montford Ashe, and many others,
A colonial church used by all de. nominations in the early days fell into decay some years ago. The best of the timbers were saved and a small pavilion was erected by the D. A. R. chapter there. The broken mon !- ments in the church yard were ce- mented together and the graves ini- proved.
The frame house in which the first state constitution was adopted on December 18, 1776, was purchased and restored several years ago and is row the property of the North Car- olina Daughters of the American Revolution, a gift from the Eliza -- beth Montford Ashe chapter, D. A. R., of Halifax.
The inscriptions follow :
"In this house, 1776, the consti- tution of North Carolina was framed. The house was restored under the auspices of the Elizabeth Montford Ashe chapter, D. A. R. Trustees: Ursula M. Daniel, Annie Howerton Taylor, Florence D. Wilcox .The con- struction was done under the direc- tion of Mr. Job Taylor, 1920." "In patriotic commemoration of the visit of George Washington on his tour of the southern states, 1791. Marked by the North Carolina Daugh- tors of the American Revolution."
"1776-1926 In commemoration or the Halifax resolves adopted April 12, 1776, the North Carolina declara- tion of independence. Erected by Elizabeth Montford Ashe chapter, D. A. R."
The work accomplished during the year 1776 in the old house was of utmost importance for the state. As a result of the constitution adopted there, North Carolina had an inde- pendent government of its own, made and administered by its own repre- sentatives.
As it now stands, the structure is The formation of this first state constitution was no easy task for the early patriots. There were many. dif- ferences of opinions and divergen- an exact reproduction of the former historic building. Only the heavy timbers and sills are from the orig- inal house. It was moved and re- cies of views in those days, as there huile on land formerly "The Grove", are now, and the important decisions property of Willie Jones, the original that had to be made, with little ex-
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HISTORICAL AND GENEALOGICAL RECORD
perience and few examples, were ex- was elected president at the first ceedingly difficult. The patriots meeting of the new council on June scemed to realize, however, the far- 5 at Wilmington. reaching effects of their plans. After July 4, with the adoption of
On April 13, 1776. the day after the federal declaration of independ- the adoption of the Halifax resolu- ence, it became more necessary to tion, the first in America to suggest have a permanent constitution for officially as a province that the col- the state. On August 9, the coun- cnies ought to be free and inde- cil of safety issued formal announce- pondent of England, the Halifax con- ments, urging that great care be gress appointel a committee to draft a "civil constitution."
taken by citizens in the selection of delegates for the next congress "of this now independent state of North
When the committee went to work it was soon found that wide differ- Carolina," in view of the "important ences of opinion on the kind of gov- consideration that will be the busi- ernment desired would make the ness of the delegates ... to forn: a adoption of a constitution impossible constitution for this state. . . the or inadvisable at that time, It was cornerstone of all law." thought best to postpone final work
The election was held on October on the planned document until No- 15 and the Congress met at Halifax vember.
Two political parties were develop- was elected president. He stood as a ed by the discussions. The conserva- tives, exemplified by Samuel John-
on November 12. Richard Caswell moderate type between the two op- posing extreme sets of politicians, a ston. wished to keep the main fea- man with practical sense and excel- tures of the old system of govern- lenc judgment, possessing the conf- ment so far as possible; they doubted dence of all factions. the ability of the people to govern themselves and they feared for the representatives to be given too much power.
Instead of voting by counties, it was decided to vote by members. A committee was immediately pointed to "form and lay before this constitution for the government of this state."
Radicals, led by Willie Jones, of house a bill of rights and form of a Halifax, on the other hand. wanted a more democratic form of govern- ment, with no feature retained from On the committee were Caswell. the British system. They believed Thomas Person, Allen Jones, John that the American colonists were Ashe. Abner Nash, Willie Jones. fully capable of self-government and Thomas Jones. Simon Bright, Christo- that annual elections would act as pher Neale. Samuel Ashe. William safety valves against the usurpation Haywood, Henry Abbott, Griffith of too much power hy the officials. Rutherford, Luke Sumner, Thomas
Under a new temporary govern- Respis, Archibald MacLaine, James ment, a council of safety was ap- Hogun, Hezekiah Alexander. Corne- Harnett, Wightstill. Avery.
pointed on May 12 to conduct the lius business of the province. with full Joseph Hewes, Whitmel Hill, Thomas executive power between the meet- Eaton, John Birdsong. Robert Irwin. ings of the congresses. This was a William Sharpe and John Spicer. much more highly centralized form After three weeks of study, the of government. Cornelius Harnett committee was ready to report to the
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HISTORICAL AND GENEALOGICAL RECORD
congress that it had drafted a con- and promoted in one or more uni- stitution. It was read aloud by the versities."
committee chairman, Thomas Jones, This constitution was not sub- people, but it was given their favor.
Discussion of the report had to be Two days after its adoption by the interspersed among many other mat- ters that pressed forward for the at- tention of the convention delegates. Troops and equipment had to be pro- lished. Principles of citizenship were decided.
The legislative branch of govern- dependent state as well as a colonial ment was made most important, with capitol. With other state officers he provision for the election of the gov- took the oath of office there on ernor and his council by the legisla- January 16, 1777. The first state gen- ture. All officers except the secre- eral assembly met there in April, tary of state and judges were to 1777. Caswell was re-elected gover- be elected annually. Judges were to nor by the legislature in 1777, 1778 hold office during good behavior. and 1779.
On the first council of state were
Powers granted the chief executive were very limited. He was to be com- named Cornelius Harnett, Thomas mander of the militia, but could not Person, William Haywood, Joseph call it out unless he had the approv- Leach, Thomas Eaton, William Dry al of seven councillors. He had no and Edward Starkey. James Glas- veto power. "Power to sign a re- gow was made secretary of state. ceipt for his salary," was the terse These officers were also named by way William Hooper summed up the constitutional convention to serve until the April meeting of the gen-
the gubernatorial authority.
No religion was to be established eral assembly.
or supported by the state and r.o Ordinances were passed by the resident was to be forced to go to convention, providing for the gov- any church; but office holders had ernment until the session of the gen- to acknowledge the truth of the eral assembly, and then the conven- Protestant religion and the divine tion adjourned on December 23, authority of the Old and New Testa- 1776. For almost 60 years the con- ments. Roman Catholics were permit- stitution remained unchanged, as ted to hold office. adopted by this body.
Another provision was to the effect that "a school or schools shall be established by the legislature for the years later they abolished the re- quirement of a freehold for sena-
In 1835, the people decided to elect their own governors. About 20
convenient instruction of youth, with such salaries to the masters, paid by torial electors. The constitution was the public as may enable them to amended again in 1861 and 1865. A new state constitution was adopt- instruct at low prices, and all useful learning shall be duly encouraged ed in 1868.
and laid on the table for considera- mitted for a vote of approval by the tion.
Congress, Richard Caswell was cho- sen first governor, to serve until the meeting of the general assembly. He thereafter acted as governor after the adjournment of the convention and vided. Temporary courts were estab- shortly after Christmas moved to Tryon Palace in New Bern, the first capitol of North Carolina as an in-
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HISTORICAL AND GENEALOGICAL RECORD
NAME "TAR HEEL" BESTOWED ON CAROLINIANS BY BRITISH
By H. W. KENDALL
If traditions which prevail in cer- boats which had put in at that tain seetions of eastern Carolina are port. . An unhealthy state of affairs to be accepted at their face value, confronted them at Wilmington. however, as Whig resistance stiffened ard the outlook, both from the maili- tary and supn'y standpoints, became less encouraging with each passing day. the battle of Guilford courthouse may be indirectly credited with har- ing given to residents of North Caro- lina the nickname of Tar Heels by which they are now universally known.
The story, and it is no more than that without any historical founda- tion so far as cursory investigation reveals, has wide circulation in Nash and Edgecombe counties which are traversed by the Tar river, the stream which figures prominently in the incident involved and which at leas: lends a degree of plausibility to the legend. Incidentally, it is claimed that the Tar had an Indian name before the visit of Lord Corn- wallis and his troops to the section. Those who discredit the tradition persist that such is untrue, that the stream was really named after the Tau in England, some of the early settlers coming from that im- mediate section of the old country But that difference of opinion will merely serve to bring on argument and get ahead of the story.
Consequently Cornwallis soon de- cided to resume the march, heading northward toward Virginia where he hoped to effect a junction with the British forces operating in that. state. His route touched Kinston and then led him on into Nash and Hali- fax counties, where bands of daring Whigs continually harassed him and made life anything but pleasant for his command. Residents of this sec- tion, as those who studied geography some years ago will recall, devoted themselves primarily to the pro- duction of naval stores, tar, pitch and turpentine, which normally found a ready export market. With the coming of the Revolution, how- ever, and the staging of an effective blockade by the British flest, ship- ments to European ports became a virtual impossibility, and the re- sult was that unusually large stores had accumulated during the latter
But to return to the beginning and tie in the origin of Tar Heel with stages of the war when Cornwallis the battle which was fought at Guilford Courthouse 150 years ago. and his men invaded the territory. Rather than allow these ac- After the clash, it will be recalled, cumulated products to fall into the the British, under Lord Cornwallis, enemy's hands, the story goes, resi- although they claimed the victory, dents of the section traversed by were in such disadvantageous posi- what is now the Tar, carted their tion that they began a retreat south- naval stores to the banks of that eastward across the state to Wil- stream as the redcoats approached -- mington where they might enjoy the Cornwallis camping a short distance protection of his majesty's gun- above the present site of Rocky
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HISTORICAL AND CENEALOGICAL RECORD
Mount and fording the river at that Then it was that the redcoats re- point-and dumped them into (12 lated their experience, declaring that stream. As would be expected, the tar immediately sank and, being a voluble substance, soon covered the bottom of the stream for a consid- erable distance. When they reached the river, the British. following their usual custom, proceeded to discard their boots and wade across, only to have an unexpectedly sticky, mity experience and to find their feet covered with tar after their laborious crossing. the rivers in North Carolina flowed tar and that any one who essayed to wade them, particularly that stream just below Halifax. would get that way. Thus they just about had all folks in North Carolina with tar on their heels. The name like the sub- stance from which it was derived, is alleged to have stuck. North Carolinians became Tar Heels and the river which had "flowed" tar received that honorable name as a permanent possession.
There was little time to be spent in trying to get the cohesive sub- stance off. Rather it was necessary There may be a multiplicity of ex- planations for the origin of the now popular nickname. This version of its acquisition is given merely as a tradition, although there are obvious- ly certain factors involved which give it a degree of plausibility. But even as a tradition, it must be highly ac- ceptable as an addition to the lore which has grown up around the to follow the slow process of letting it wear off so that months later when Cornwallis' men had completed their march via Petersburg to York- town and surrendered to the vic- torious Continental forces under Washington, there were considerable traces of tar on their feet and par- ticularly on their heels. As they fraternized with their former state's early history and especially
enemies after the surrender-or that part which has to do, directly perhaps the matter was discussed by or indirectly, with the important prisoners who were taken during battle whost sesquicentennial was the Virginia engagements-the con- celebrated last July 4th. The battle dition came in for comment. the loses none of its significance because Americans in a spirit of curiosity of the likelihood o to having con- asking what was that substance on tributed to North Carolinans not their heels and how it got there. only a local habitation but a name.
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