192 Chronicles of the Cape Fear River

brought out his brother Charles (was it not John?), but was
driven from the field by the Odd Fellows’ School. He tics went
into the shipping commission business, having for his clerk An-
thony D. Cazaux. Afterwards, he engaged in turpentine distill-
ing, and finally returned North, where he died in a good old age

Mr. Mulock’s principle in teaching was thoroughness. There
were no heads nor tails to his classes. Boys came up to the front

bench to recite and standing erect were questioned, or went to
the blackboard to do the “sums,” as the problems in mathemat-

ies were called. Smith’s grammar was used and Walker’s dic-
tionary. <A part of speech was named and parsed, with the rea-
son why for everything. A word was spelled and defined, and
a sentence constructed with the word properly used thereiti
There was no precise verbal memorizing required, and there
could be no dodging nor evasion. The chinquapin was always
ready for use and was in frequent demand. Boys were detained
sometimes until long after nightfall, as “Nick” puts it, “staying
in until perfect, even to the bringing of your candle tot night
study.” Being a very small boy, the writer was excused from
night service. Day’s algebra, we thought, was the hardest alge-
bra to be sure. It most certainly tried one’s intellectual calibre
more than Davies’, which was used in the Odd Fellows’ School.
But we are reminded that Mr. Mulock was patient with all boys

and helpful to all, even while he required
ood
exacted perfect iepieatt s good conduct and

As to Madame Clement’s and Miss Verina Moore’s schools
about which we are asked, they came on after the forties—that
is our recollection. Miss Verina afterwards married Dr. R. H
oo Presbyterian minister, taught school in Goldhiees:
perhaps also in Asheville, and died at th :
Sainte e latter place a few

. Our last article closed with the blowing up of Philip Bassa-
dier. He was, as has been said, of mixed blood and appears to

have come to Wilmington from one of the West Indian Islands
long before the days of the forties. At that time he was recog-

nized as a character. He was exceedingly Frenchy in his polite-
ness and doubtless the only tonsorial artist in the town. At least
the following advertisement, which appeared in the Chronicle
of November 1, 1843, would indicate that then for the first time
Walsh Revells or some one else was making his opposition felt
Here is Philip’s ad., after an announcement of his readiness to
serve the public: “He has carried on this business in Wilming-

Early Years 193

ton for upwards of forty years, which he thinks some evidence
of merit in the use of razors and scissors, and as giving him
some claim to public patronage.” There seems to be force in the
claim. Philip, with his grey-white kinky hair, brown com-
plexion, and knee breeches—well, maybe not—looms up before
us now. His shop stood at the corner of the alley next north of
Boatwright’s store, on the precise site of that store in fact, a
small one-story wooden building with the inevitable striped pole
in front, and there he was to be found presumably for forty
years before 1843. ‘The shop was destroyed by fire on the early
morning of November 26, 1846. Perhaps too much time and
space are given to Philip Bassadier, but he can not be dismissed
without reference to his musical ability, displayed as violinist
on festive occasions of all kinds, at the theatres, etc., and espe-
cially of his services as bugle man to the Clarendon Horse
Guards about 1845 and later. The Horse Guards, under com-
mand of Dr. James F. McRee, jr., and later of Capt. William
©. Howard, to the small boys of the period stood as representa-
tive of military pomp and prowess, but the company itself did
not call forth more admiration than Philip Bassadier as, early
in the morning on the day of the “turn out,” he blew his bugle
at one street corner, then in a gallop rushed to another, reined
and again awakened the echoes with his blast. We see him
now in his cocked hat and red flannel coat and note the beaming
pride on his countenance, and we almost hear the shouts of de-
light of the urchins enjoying it all.

The Wilmington Volunteers on April 30, 1840, celebrated
their ninth anniversary. They were then in command of Junius
D. Gardner. Afterwards Capt. O. G. Parsley was chief in com-
mand, and previously, probably, Capt. John MacRae. This
company was the pride of our town in those days, and on the
anniversaries it always had target practice at Hogg’s Folly, and
thereafter marched through the streets, the well-torn target in
the rear and the best marksman, usually Billy Burch, or Mr.
Jimmy, his brother, conspicuous in the ranks by reason of the
yellow plume which decorated his cap and proclaimed his skill.
The New Hanover Rifle Corps paraded the first time Novem-
ber 8, 1841, with R. F. Brown as captain, R. G. Rankin, first
lieutenant, J. B. Cumming, second leutenant, and Louis H.
Pierce, third. In 1846, about June, the Wilmington Guards
were formed, with James Anderson, captain, Alexander Mac-
Rae, jr., first lieutenant, Henry Nutt, second heutenant, and

13