CONCLUSION. I have done. I have finished my work. I am conscious that it contains errors, omissions, and imperfections. These will be in time discovered and corrected.. I cannot say with Ovid ”黃 "Jamque opus exegi, quod nec Jovis ira nec ignes, Nec poturit ferrum, nec edax abolere vetustas.' But I can trust to the indulgence of my countrymen. I hope that they will see and appreciate the labor I have faithfully and cheerfully_encountered, and that they will read and study the materials I have here collected. To North Carolina, in whose borders I was born, and in whose territory the bones of my ancestors for two generations are deposited, and who has honored me with her confidence, I feel the duty of a citizen and all the affection of a son. In my studies at school and in the pursuits of manhood, I have sought anxiously for her history. But I have sought in vain. Our young men at college can tell us about the histories of Greece and Rome, and England and France; yet if you ask our most practised statesman about North Carolina, he may not be able to tell you how many counties the State has, and perhaps not know the date of formation or origin of his own. This is similar to that philanthropy which is ready to send food to the suffering heathen, while our own household are crying for bread. Of the History of North Carolina, full of deep interest and patriotism, but little is known within her own borders, and nothing out of them. I have proven that North Carolina was the first State of "the Old Thirteen," on which the English landed. That here (on Roanoake Island, 1584) was the cradle in which this infant Empire. was rocked, whose gigantic limbs now stretch from the Atlantic to the Pacific. I have shown that in the borders of North Carolina the blood of the colonists first flowed for liberty, (at Alamance, May, 1771,) and no doubt now exists that her sons at Charlotte in May, 1775, were the first to throw off the yoke of English oppression. I have shown the valor of her sons, and recorded the purity and patriotism of her daughters. Free from the shackles of parties and sects, I have tried to divest * I have now completed a work which neither the anger of Jove, nor fire, nor the sword, nor the corroding tooth of time shall be able to destroy. myself of all partialities or prejudice; and present her and her sons as Cromwell would have Lely to paint his portrait, “True, as it is." Yet after all much remains yet to be done. I feel, like Newton, "that I have been but as a boy playing on the beach with pebbles, while the great ocean of truth lay undiscovered before me." It is to be hoped that some future hand, with bolder heart, more adventurous spirit, and more gifted intellect, will enter this brilliant career, and achieve for himself and her honor the bright rewards her history presents. And yet it is believed, that in the attempt here made, the kind and attentive reader of these sketches will say that on this beach of time some "Gems of purest ray serene" are discovered, that had nearly been covered by the waves of oblivion. To some an objection may be that this work is chiefly a compilation from records, authorities, and tradition. If admitted, this should not detract from its merit. The honey of the bee is not less prized because by diligence and labor it has been "Tolled from the scattered sweets of nature." His work now launches on the uncertain sea of public favor. It may seem temerity (not to use a harsher term), in one so little known in the republic of letters to attempt so hazardous a voyage, and his barque may meet with adverse winds and unfriendly gales. But to drop all metaphor and speak plain, he can only say to those who may feel disposed to find fault, or criticise this work; that when this disposition may arise, instead of attacking these labors, take and examine them carefully, and improve on them for the benefit of North Carolina. With a heart glowing with State pride, spend (as the author of these sketches has) ten years of the meridian of life in collecting and collating materials of her history, procure from home and abroad every author or authority which presents a line in her history, from Amidas and Barlow (in 1584) and Lawson (in 1714), to the latest ephemeral notice in the newspapers of the day; examine the records of the offices of the Board of Trade in the mother country, and our own archives at home; correspond with some intelligent individual in every section of North Carolina; traverse every county, from Currituck to Cherokee, and then improve upon the labors here shown. No one will more heartily welcome their work to the public, and none rejoice more sincerely in their success than THE AUTHOR. INDEX. Abbot, Henry (Pasquotank), i. 78, 86 Albemarle (George, Duke of), i. 30 ; ii. 89 Abraham (ib.), chairman of Con- John McKnitt (Mecklenburg), Atkinson, John (Orange), i. 74, 85 107 Auld, James, i. 74 Avery, Waightstill, i. 70, 73, 85; ii. 56 Backhouse, John (Carteret, Cong. '76), i. 78 Baily, John L. (Judge), ii. 339 Benjamin (Ensign '76), i. 80 Balch, Hez. James (Mecklenburg), i. 69 Hezekiah (ib.), i. 70, 74, 79, 82, Ballard, Kedar (Gates), i. 80 Ezra (ib.), i. 70 George A. (ib.), 89 85 Barber, John (Tryon), i. 86 Barrat, Wm. (Capt. '76), i. 79 Barringer, John Paul (Cabarrus), ii. 67 Daniel L. (Wake), sketch of, ii. Daniel Moreau (Cabarrus), ii. 67 Barrow, John (Beaufort), i. 85 Barry, Richard (Mecklenburg), i. 70 Bass, Andrew (Dobbs), i. 85 Battle, Elisha (Edgecombe), i. 78, 85; ii. 146 Beard, Valentine (Cornet of Horse), i. 80 Beasly, John B. (Chowan), i. 78 Beatty, Thos. (Tryon), i. 81 Beckman, C. (Rowan), i. 81 James (Cornet of Horse, '76), i. Bellamy, Wm., i. 74 80 Benbury, Thomas (Chowan), i. 65, 73, 79, 85 Berry, Charles, i. 47, 53 Bethune, Lauchlin (Cumberland), ii. 130 , James (Chowan), i. 71, 85 Blount, Wm. (Craven), life and services of, | Cain, Elisha (Chatham, Cong. '76), i. 78 Boone, Daniel (Watauga), ii. 445 Dr. Hugh (surgeon 4th reg.), i. 79 Branch (Sheriff of Halifax), i. 75 John (Rowan), i. 74, 86 Brier Creek, battle at, ii. 279 Brown, Wm. (Bath), i. 66, 73, 78, 81, 86 Bedford (Caswell), ii. 79 Bryan, Col. Needham (Johnston), i. 58, 65; Col. Needham, Jr. (Johnston), i. 78, , John (Craven), i. 81, 85 John H. sketch of, ii. 120 Francis, U. S. A., ii. 120 William (Johnston), i. 81 Bryant, Simon (Regulator), i. 57 Burgess, Dempsy (Pasquotank), i. 78, 81, Burke, Thomas (Orange), i. 78, 85; sketch Burrow, Geo. (Cong. '75,) i. 73 Robert H. (Lincoln), ii. 246 , Robert (Granville), ii. 163 Burgwynn, J. H. K. (U. S. A.), death of, ii. Calloway, Miss (seized by the Indians and Campbell, John (Bertie), i. 64, 78 Cameron, Duncan, ii. 417 John A. (Cumberland), K. 130 Cannon, Henry (Lt. '76), i. 80 Carteret, Sir Geo. (Gov. of N. C.), i. 29, 30 Caswell, Richd., i. 58, 65, 66, 72, 74, 78, 79, 85; life, character, and ser- Wm. (Ensign '75), i. 72 Casey, John (Pasquo.), i. 81 Chang and Eng (Wilkes), ii. 465 W. W. (ib.), ii. 33 Childs, Thomas (Atty.-Genl.), i. 47 James (Ensign '75), i. 71 Jas. W. (Edgecombe), ii. 144 Clayton, Jos. (Lt. '76), i. 80 Francis (Wilmington), i. 66 Columbus (discovers America 1492), i. 23 Cabarrus, Stephen (Chowan), life, character, Congress, list of members from N. C., Con- and services, ii. 94 Cabot, John, i. 23 tinental, from 1774 to 1788, i. INDEX. Conner, Henry W. (Catawba), ii. 82 Cornwallis, Ld., i. 75, 77; life of, ii. 180; Correy, Archd. (Cong. '76), i. 78 David Lt. '76), i. 80 Burton (Rowan), sketch of, ii. 395 Cromwell, Oliver, ii. 199 Croom, Major (Cong. '75), i. 73 Hardy (Lenoir), ii. 223 Crowell family, ii. 199 77 Culpepper, John (Rebellion of 1678), i. 31 John (Montgomery), ii. 271 Cumming, Wm. (Pasquotank), i. 78 Custen, John (Lt. '76), i. 80 Dallas, George M., ii. 151 Dickson, Henry (Capt. 75), i. 71 473 William (Duplin), i. 65, 78, 85 Dobbin, James C. (Cumberland), sketch of, Dobbs, Arthur (Gov. 1754), i. 46 Edward B. (Councillor 1765), i. 47 Richard Spaight (Guilford), ii. 120 Drummond, Wm. (1st Gov. of N. C. 1681), i. 30 Duels between Simpson and Whitechurst, Wilkes and Martin, i. 63 Duffy, Wm. (Cumberland), sketch of, ii. 128 Dunn, John (Rowan), petition of, ii. 377 Durant, Geo., i. 29 Easton, John (Carteret), i. 73, 85 Dandridge, Wm. (dividing line Va., 1725), Eaton, Wm. (Con. '75), i. 74, 82, 86 , George (Capt. '75), i. 71 William (Meckg.), i. 79; ii. 267 John (Meckg. Dec. '75), i. 70, 81 Davis, Thos. (Com. '76), i. 74 Davis, Wm. (Capt. '75), i. 71 Dawson, John (Councillor), i. 47 Thos. (Bute), i. 81, 85 Charles A. (Granville, Cong. '76), i. Pinkinthan, (Capt. '76), i. 79 Wm. (Northampton), i. 81 Edwards, Isaac (Newbern), i. 66 -, Weldon N. (Warren), sketch of, Elizabethtown, battle of, ii. 36 John W. (Rowan), Judge, sketch of, Emmet, James (Cap. '76), i. 80 Dare, Eleanor, child of (first-born Ameri- Enloe, John (Captain, '76), i. 80 Devotion (Capt. '76), Pasquo., i. 86 De Kalb, Baron (his death, by an eye-wit- Dent, William (Guilford), i. 74, 78 Denton, James (Bute), i. 85 De Rossett, Lewis H. (Councillor, 1760), Devane, John (New Hanover), i. 78, 85 Ennet, James (Captain, '76), i. 79 Fannen, David (Chatham), a desperate ma- Fisher, Hon. Charles (Rowan), sketch of |