JON WE A ASR AE YEG _ _ os arava nennatensnnnenanenaanoatennee aan YAIRI 176 THE Nortu CAROLINA HIsToRIcAL REVIEW municate information and he delighted in the communication—in the course of his practice he performed some wonderful cures of which there are living Witnesses and it is believed he was the first in this part of the Country who in any great degree introduced Electricity into the Practice of Physic—we know he introduced it with success—when residing in Scot- land he wrote some articles for the Second Edition of the Encyclopadia Britannica** for which he received the thanks of the Compilers and we have reason to believe that had he lived he would on the subject of Medi- cine have added to our stock of knowledge— Religion) The religion of this County is divided among the Metho- dists & Baptists of which the former are the most numerous—the Baptists have four houses of religious Worship the Methodists six2>— Roads) The nature of the soil is favourable to good roads and they are commonly kept in good order—it has been remarked by travellers that the main post road from Lewisburg to Warrenton exhibits as much variety, handsome situations, and pleasant seats, as any road of the same extent in the Southern States Value of Land) It has been before observed that Franklin is more valued for its pure air and good water than for the richness of its soil— this has induced Gentlemen from the lower parts of the State to purchase summer retreats and in some neighbourhoods considerably enhanced the value of Land—thin land is worth 6 and 7 Dollars per acre, on the Water Courses it sells for 8 or 10 and in other parts of the County may be bought for 3—perhaps the average price is about 4 Dolls Diseases) ‘The old Inhabitants say that about forty or fifty years ago sickness was unknown unless where people died of casualities old age or intemperance—the recolection of ten years gives strength to this saying— but of late years and particularly in the falls of 1807 and 1809 bilious and inflammatory fevers of a most malignant nature prevailed in this County and were very fatal—it remains for the Faculty to determine whether the malignancy was owing to thé strong & robust—consetutions which the di- seases attacked or to any other cause—there is no doubt but in this and the adjacent Counties diseases have increased of late years; but we never can believe that the increase of population is the primary cause—the his- tory of other Countries will not warrant the belief— Franklin is situated in the sixth Congressional District and in writing its History it would be unpardonable not to mention that the Honourable Nathaniel Macon*® Esquire has represented it in Congress for twenty 24 Published, 1777-1784. The Encyclopaedia Britannica, IX, 377. 25 The Revolution uprooted Episcopalianism which was strengthening its position in Bute County under the ministration of Charles Cupples. Edward Hooker wrote of religion in Franklin County in his diary of 1808 as follows: ‘‘As to the learned professions, here in the middle country Mr. D. [ickenson] speaks thus. That of Theology is at low ebb, there being no preachers of education. He has never seen one Presm clergyman in the state except Mr. Caldwell P. of N. C. Univy. are Baptists and Methodists and very unlearned and in low estimation in Socy although perhaps very good men. There are many professors of religion, though mostly in humble life. There are how- ever some exceptions. Some rich and honorable Sincere Christians, down below Louisburg. A wide field is open for the production of good by enlightened clergymen.” Annual Report of the American Historical Association for the Year 1896, I, 915. 26 Nathaniel Macon of Warren (1757-1837) was the foremost figure in North Carolina politics TWELVE Nortu CAROLINA CouNTIES IN 1810-1811 177 years—his talents and integrity please all parties and he continues to Possess the increased esteem and confidence of his Constituents— Raleigh 234 June 1810 GREENE COUNTY By Tu. Hottipay? Hawlanding 14th November 1810 Dear Sir I herewith forward to you such information as I have been able to col- lect on the different Subjects requested in Your Letter of March last that was deemed of Sufficient importance to require notice Greene County? Face of the Country &c. The Land is not so level as to admit of much stagnated water, neither is there to be found many hills or rises that is of ilconveniance to agricul- ture; about one Sixth part of which is in a State of Cultivation, the bal- ance is a forrest of pine oak hicory dogwood gum elm ash maple and &c interspersed with swamps Glades and rivulets, on Iselands and ridges near Swamps a dark rich soil is to be met with, the more higher Lands are con- siderably mixt with Sand. the price of Such as is Suitable for cultivation may be estimated at from four to ten dollars and such as is only fit for tar turpentine or timber from one to four dollars per acre Productions &c All most all kind of vegetable productions that are needed for domestick Use are made in sufficiant quantitey for home consumption Settlement &c The first Settlements in Greene County was made About the date of WR aan ee during the first quarter of the nineteenth centur: He was a member of the state Senate, 1782, 1784; House of yore 1790; House of Repcesentatives of the United States Congress, yaa 1815) of which he was Speaker, 1801-1807; United States Senate, 1815-1828. After is en cmd the Senate in 1828 he was president of the constitutional convention of 1835 and a se “ys _ tor in 1836, He was a Republican of great national influence before the War of 1812; bu his i jority of his party shifted so far from his strict construction principles that in his ope sare Boy woe declined both in North Carolina and the nation. Biographical Congression irectory, ; - E. Dodd, Life of Nathaniel Macon. wo: x =—— Cr VCV01'—_”™00 in dana. es jrhomas Holliday was one of the trustees of Greene Academy, incorporated in 1804. Laws of arolina, ; oh, 48, ‘ G * In 1799 the gee A County was changed to Greene in honor of General Lae gees Teene. James Glasgow, Secretary of State from 1777 to 1798, for whom we, v= samen a wy named in 1791, had recently became involved in land frauds and an attempt to vee E a recor . G burning the State House. Dobbs County, created from Johnston in 1758 Lange oe rtp 0 Goy. Arthur Dobbs, had been divided into Glasgow and Lenoir in 1791. Thus Dol 4 ee ern disappeared from the list of North Carolina county names. North Carolina paee, By eed £18, 626, 678; S. A. Ashe, History of North Carolina, Il, 152, 176. The fe Bye ; ae a ishing Glasgow (later Greene) County, directed that the county court be held at CM jouse O i amin Sheppard at Snow Hill until James Glasgow, William Speight, William Ormond, illiam Harper, and John Pope should ‘fix a place for building the court house, etc. James Glasgow, Wi liam Speight, William Ormond, Joshua Croom and Moses Westbrook were directed “ eentract for the building of a court house, prison, and stocks at the place selected. Laws of Nort Grolina, 1791, ch, 47. 178 THE NortH CAROLINA HistoricaAL REVIEW 1710 by emigrants from the North Countys of this State, Virginia and some few from Mereland from which time for several Years they continued to live in a most retched State of poverty possessing few if any of the com- forts of Life “But from prudance and industry that never failing source of domestick happiness the inhabitance of Greene County have been well fed and well clothed for many years past, and at this time participates in many Luxurys of Life. Navigable Streams &c The only Navigable Stream in Greene County is great Contentny® a branch of Neuse, which rises in Nash County‘ and passes through Edge- combe and Greene Countys and falls in to Neuse about thirty miles above Newbern, and is navigable for flats of one hundred and fifty barrels bur- den as high as the upper part of Greene County at a freight to Newbern of from 25 to 40 cents per barrel Articles of Exportation &c Pork may be considered as the Staple article about one forth part of what is made to Spare is generally drove to Virginia the ballance is either made into bacon or barreled, and generally find a market in Newbern also corn, pees, cotton, flour wax, tallow tar turpentine and Staves are made to Spare and generally find amarket in Newbern Welth &c Greene County contains about 500 familys® and is about equal in Sise to eighteen miles Square which would be about 420 acres to each family, the everage welth would be about equal to $5000 but as in all other places welth is very disproportioned Some possessing fare more and Some a great deal less® Buildings &c The inhabitance Generally live in framed houses with chimneys of brick which are comfortable but seldom eligant Horses Cattle and Sheep are raised the two former a sufficiant for home demand and the latter might with proper attention Manufactoreys There is no manufactoreys that deserve the name except of the house hold Kind where the principal part of the clothing of each family is made ® Contentnea Creek. * Contentnea Creek rises in Franklin County. 5 In 1810 the population of Greene County was 4,867 comprising 2,970 whites, 1,842 slaves, and 55 free negroes. In 1860, the population was 7,925, 824 whites, 3,947 slaves, and 154 free negroes. Ninth Census, 1, 52-54. ® Greene County tax and other records have been destroyed for the most part. In 1790, Dobbs County, which comprised what later became Greene, had 1,915 slaves in a total population of 6,893. There were a few large slaveholders: James Glasgow, 50; Benjamin Sheppard, 71; Jesse Cobb, 42; Bryan Whitfield, 58; John Heritage, 38. S. R., XXVI, 481-500. TwELvE NortH CAROLINA COUNTIES IN 1810-1811 179 Schools &c The Greene Academy’ is the only incorperated School which was incor- perated in the Year 1804 but for want of adequate funds as well as the want of attention of the Trustees, the Institution is not promising, which is much to be lamented as the inhabitance Generally appear to be desireous of procuring for their childred a good English education which most of them have often discovered the want of them Selves® Religion Episcopalians, Babtists & Methodists the latter are the most numerous, the Babtists and Methodists have each three meeting houses within the County With high respect I am Sir Your most Obd Th. Holliday LENOIR COUNTY By JoHNn WasHINGcTON! Kinston May 1, 1810. Gentlemen: Your fav'. of 30th ulto I receivd some 15 or 20 days ago which on ac- count of my indisposition, I have been prevented from answering sooner. Though I feel reluctant to engage in that which Tam so badly qualified to perform yet it affords me pleasure to comply with your request, par- ticularly as you express an opinion that it may probably be rendered servicable to the public. With respect to the face of Lenoir County, it is generally level except near the river, (in some places) and on some of the creeks, which can by no means be called hilly, except as compared to the very level state of the rest of the County. At the distance of a half to one or two miles from the river Neuse (much dependant on the breadth of the drownable lands) either on the one side, or the other of the river, there is generally found a ridge or rather a de- cent from the higher and level lands of about 20 to 30 feet, which in many places affords beautiful places for building. The Neuse low grounds or those subject to overflow in this county is not very considerable, though it affords a border on the one side or the Coun hand Craik ober” Thomas Wiittion, Sassh Leake, Lames Cay Jeln. tar per, Silas Lassiter, Samuel Hooker, Francis Kilpatrick, Roderic Powell, Isaac Ward , and Hugh Harper as trustees of Greene Academy to be erected in an old field near Hooker s, Bridge on Great Contentney. In 1807, Jacob Lassiter, secretary »f the trustees, advertised for a “Principal Teach- er.” He announced that the trustees were satisfied “at the progress of the Institution under their former Teacher, Mr. A. M. Rogers.” C. L. Coon, op. cit., 167; Laws of North Carolina, 180 . 43. x 4 : : 2 The first Greene County graduate of the University was Octavius Wright Hooker, class of 1845. ea le, . cit., 800. : f ; _ + ieee Wieklnwton was a commissioner of Kinston in 1806 and 1809 and postmaster in 1823. The North Carolina Register, 1823, 68; Laws of North Carolina, 1806, ch. 42; Laws of North Carolina, 1809, ch. 90. ta oe vet miata iP omer PE pth emg Bi -p Siae in ENR iy