Sketches of Pitt County; A Brief History of the County, 1704--1910, by Henry T. King

Published: Raleigh, Edwards & Broughton Printing Company, 1911

North Carolina; includes genealogy sketches of prominent Pitt County men and women

Page 2 [blank]

Page 3

Page 4 [blank]

Page 5

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

CHAPTER ONE.
Early Mention of the Tar and Pamlico River Country--Lawson in Pitt--The Tuscarora Indians--Indian Localities--King Blount .... 17

CHAPTER TWO.
Duvall Settles at Mount Calvert--King Blount Helped--"Black Beard," or Teach--King Blount Given Land in Bertie--Other Settlements Along Tar River--George Moye and the Indian--Edward Salter--Edgecombe--Tar--Precincts Made Counties .... 23

CHAPTER THREE.
Edgecombe County--Tobacco Inspection--Military Census--John Hardy--Hugh McAden, a Presbyterian Preacher--His Trip--Tells of his Meetings .... 29

CHAPTER FOUR.
Something About Early Settlers--Entering Land--Quit-rents--Building Regulations--Overseers and Slaves--Marking Stock--The Established Church--Wild Animals--Liquor Question--How People Lived--Court-houses .... 34

CHAPTER FIVE.
High Life--Education--Marriage--Domestic Life--Mail--Amusements and Pleasure--"High Betty Martin"--The Children .... 38

CHAPTER SIX.
John Simpson--Petition to Divide Beaufort County--Pitt County Formed--Boundaries--Court-house--Named for William Pitt--Alexander Stewart--Taxes--Jurors--Ministerial Jealousy--Line Between Pitt and Dobbs--Salter and Moye--Red Banks Ferry--Masonic Lodge--The Assembly .... 41

CHAPTER SEVEN.
Courts--William Moore Complained of Simpson--Simpson Censured and Reprimanded--Mail Route--Regulators--March to Alamance--Pitt Company Under Captain Salter--Sheriff's Arrears--Martinborough .... 47

CHAPTER EIGHT.
Official Corruption--Blue Laws--County Officers--The "John and Elizabeth" Schooner Affair--Few Taxes Paid--Militia Officers--Martinborough--Revolutionary Proceedings--Pitt Freeholders Issue a Declaration of Rights--Standing Committee Appointed .... 51

Page 6

CHAPTER NINE.
Help for Boston--Donations Asked--Committee Elected as Directed by the Continental Congress--Members--The Salt Question--Provincial Congress at New Bern--Court-house--Vermin .... 56

CHAPTER TEN.
Committee of Safety Proceedings--Deputies to Provincial Congress Elected--Three Obstructionists--Acts of Continental Congress Approved--John Tison, Tory--Help for Boston--Provincial Congress and Assembly--Second Declaration of Rights--Rev. Mr. Blount--Patrollers--Atkinson and Sheppard .... 60

CHAPTER ELEVEN.
Negro Insurrection--Measures to Prevent it--White Man Instigator--No Lives Lost, but Negroes Whipped--Delegates to Hillsboro--Raising Troops--Military Districts and Officers--Justices Qualify--Trouble About Rev. Mr. Blount .... 65

CHAPTER TWELVE.
Committee Meets--Hillsborough Resolves--John Tison, Patriot--Delegates to Provincial Congress--Committee of Secrecy, Intelligence and Observation -- Pay for Provisions -- Ammunition Bought--Salt--Pay for Ammunition--Allowances to Troops--Preparations for War .... 69

CHAPTER THIRTEEN.
Pitt Members of District Committee--Capt. James Armstrong--Test and Pledge--Supplies Bought--Pitt at Battle of Moore's Creek--More Patrollers--Salt--Delinquents--Daniel Fore--Bounty Money--Arthur Moore--Mr. Carson, Dancing Master--Delegates to Halifax--Instructions for Independence--John Simpson .... 73

CHAPTER FOURTEEN.
Provincial Council--Pitt Company at Wilmington--Officers--Returns of Men--Independence--John Hunter--Delegates to Halifax--More Troops--Equipment of Soldiers--James Salter--Enlistments in Other States--Justices of the Peace--Royalists Plot--Lack of Arms--Two Vagabond Young Men--Protest Against General Moore--The Assembly .... 78

CHAPTER FIFTEEN.
No Senator--Supplies--Insolvents--Pitt's Quota--Sheriffs Fined--Simpson Succeeds Robeson--Falconer Succeeds Ascue--More Troops--Members of Assembly--Robert Salter--Robert Williams, Surgeon--Field Officers--Colonel Armstrong Wounded--Day of Fasting--Charleston--Money--Continental Army .... 82

Page 7

CHAPTER SIXTEEN.
Guilford Court-house--Pitt Militia--Joel Truss--Old British Road--British Pass Through Pitt--Cattle and Provisions Captured--Skirmishes--Men and Guns at Martinborough--Troubles South of Pitt--Call for Troops--Prisoners in Jail--Buck's Barn--Leniency .... 86

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.
Peace and Independence--Part of Pitt Given to Beaufort--John Simpson--Negro Burned for Murder--Acts of the Assembly--Armstrong and Salter, State Officers--Justices Resign--Part of Craven Given to Pitt--Armstrong, Brigadier-General--Pitt Academy--Greenville -- William Blount -- Greenville Ferry--Simpson Paid .... 90

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN.
Constitution Rejected--Motions and Vote Thereon--Location of Capital--Constitution Adopted--Amendments Recommended--The University--Foreign State--New Court-house--John Simpson Dead--Bounties for Manufactures--Pitt Iron Mines--Pitt in the Revolution--Governor Caswell's Opinion .... 95

CHAPTER NINETEEN.
Tory Pardons--Vote on the Capital Bill--William Blount--First Census--Washington's Tour--Impressions in Pitt--Old People--James Armstrong Dead--Second Census--Peace and Progress--Schools and Houses--Mail Facilities--Modes of Conveyance--Good Old Times .... 99

CHAPTER TWENTY.
Third Census--Yankee Hall--Second War with England--Two Pitt Companies at Beacon Island--Their Pay-roll--Retreat and Amusing Incident--Fourth Census--Occupations--Bridge at Greenville--Greenville Academies--Fifth Census--John Joyner .... 104

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE.
Steamboats--Constitutional Convention of 1835--Delegates--Important Votes--Baptist State Convention--Greenville Gazette--Presidential Election--Loss in Population--Flat Boats--Dr. Williams Dead--Harris and Yellowly Duel--Harris Killed--Academy Incorporated .... 109

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO.
Plank Road--Seventh Census--Plank Road Stockholders Organized--Cold Spring--Court-house Burned--Great Loss--Common Schools and Progress--County Superintendent--Apportionment--Journal of Education--Very Old Man .... 113

Page 8

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE.
Military Spirit--Good Old Muster Days--Eighth Census--Elections--Fort Sumter--President Calls for Volunteers--Governor Ellis Calls for Volunteers for State's Defense--Secession Convention--Pitt's Members--G. B. Singeltary Raises First Company--Tar River Boys--Marlboro Guards--Disbursing and Safety Committee--War Funds--Third Regiment .... 118

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR.
Major Grimes--Wyatt Killed--Disposition of Pitt Companies and Men--Hatteras Captured--Pitt County Boys Prisoners--Surgeon Brown and Madison--Yellowly's Call for Volunteers--Officers of Twenty-seventh Regiment--Chicamacomico--Promotions .... 122

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE.
Enlistments--Military Board--Capture of Roanoke Island--Companies and Officers--Forty-fourth Regiment--Seventeenth--Grimes, Lieutenant-Colonel--Fifty-fifth--Tranter's Creek Skirmish--Fight a Few Days Later--Colonel Singeltary Killed--Movements--Seventy-fifth .... 126

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX.
Vance Elected Governor--State Census--Yellowly for Congress--Fifty-fifth at Kinston--General Clingman's Complaint--Maryland Campaign--Captain Joyner Killed--Heavy Losses--Singeltary's Reply--Movement of Troops--Haddock's Cross-roads--Federals Capture Greenville--Other Events .... 130

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN.
Emancipation Proclamation--Movements of Troops--Colonel Griffin in Pitt--His Picket Lines--Tithe Gatherers--Colonel Hammond--His Predicament--Conversation--Escape--Chancellorsville--Jackson Killed--In Virginia .... 134

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT.
Gettysburg--Farthest At--Severe Losses--Potter's Raid--At Greenville--Videttes Fired Upon--Return from Tarboro--Skirmish at Otter's Creek Bridge--Lieutenant Sharpe--Escape of Raiders--Their Route--At Scuffleton--Demoralization of Followers .... 138

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE.
The Eighth--Major Yellowly--Forty-fourth and Sixty-sixth--Bristoe Station--Losses--Cas Laughinghouse--Duel That Never Occurred--War Prices--Capture at Haddock's Cross-roads--Red Banks Affair--Other Events .... 142

Page 9

CHAPTER THIRTY.
County Matters--Sixty-seventh--Movements of Other Regiments--Plymouth Captured--Great Victory--Heavy Losses--Taxes--The Wilderness--Remarkable Fighting--Spottsylvania--General Daniel Wounded and Grimes in Command--Drewry's Bluff--Captains Jarvis and Hines Wounded--Thomas King--Juniors--Cold Harbor--Captain Anderson Killed .... 145

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE.
Grimes, Brigadier-General--Losses Around Petersburg--A Great Capture by Fleming, James, Cherry and Coggins--Regiment of Juniors--Davis Farm--Reams Station--Hard Times in Richmond--Short Rations--Winchester--Grimes in Command of Division--Other Fighting--Peace Party--Pitt Officers of Juniors--Fort Fisher .... 150

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO.
Deeds of Daring by Harris and Bland--Losses and Promotions--Around Petersburg--Fall of Fort Fisher--Wise's Fork--Southwest Creek--Bentonsville--Juniors--Struggling Against Odds .... 154

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE.
Lee's Lines Broken at Petersburg--Retreat--Incidents--Johnston and Sherman--Appomattox--Last Charge--Surrender--Johnston Surrenders to Sherman--Pitt's Parole at Appomattox--Men Furnished--Officers .... 157

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR.
"Wheelers"--Dupree Kills Federal--Amnesty--Holden Provisional Governor--Delegates to Convention--Acts--Worth Elected Governor--School Matters--War-time School Books--Curious Lessons .... 161

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE.
War-time School Books--Geographical Reader for Dixie Children--Description of the State--Its People--Patriotic--South Carolina--Review--Questions and Answers--Confederate Prowess Taught .... 165

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX.
Carpetbaggers--Legislature of 1866--Pensions--Thirteenth Amendment--Reconstruction--Military Government--Cotton Planter--Education--Willis Briley Murdered--Two of the Murderers Hanged--Negro Militia--Laflin and Rich--Misguided Missionaries .... 169

Page 10

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN.
Riddick Carney--Attempt to Capture--Federal Lieutenant Killed--Second Attempt to Capture--Major Lyman and Negro Militia--Two Negroes Killed--Both Carneys Die--Horrible Tragedy--Ku Klux--Negro Officers--Specimens .... 174

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT.
Ninth Census--Things Improving--Convention of 1875--Delegates--Vance and Jarvis Elected--Jarvis Becomes Governor--Newspapers--Jarvis Elected Governor--Latham Elected to Congress--General Grimes Assassinated--A Lynching .... 179

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE.
Tenth Census--County Towns--Education--Evolutions of the Old Male Academy--Prominent Teachers--Latham Defeated--Yellowly Dead--Jarvis Minister to Brazil--Fine Babies--Earthquake--Latham Elected--Railroad .... 183

CHAPTER FORTY.
Eleventh Census--Growth in Country and Towns--More Towns--Education--County Superintendents--Tobacco--Market Opened--Farmer Governor--Daily Reflector--King's Weekly--Jarvis Appointed U. S. Senator--Harry Skinner Elected to Congress--Great Fire--Telephones--Skinner Re-elected--Latham Dead--Records for Postmasters .... 188

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE.
Spanish-American War--Greenville Guards--Officers--Mustered in at Raleigh--Go to Tybee--Storm--Mustered Out--Skinner Defeated--Greenville Fair--Second Great Fire--Tingle Succeeded by Ragsdale--Bryan Grimes Elected Secretary of State--Railroad -- Telephone Matters -- Amendment -- Twelfth Census -- Towns--Dr. O'Hagan Dead .... 193

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO.
First Four-weeks Teachers' Institute in State--Rural Free Delivery--Harry Skinner Appointed United States District Attorney--Special Taxes for Schools--Teachers Organize--County Board of Education--Full-time Superintendent -- Houses -- Medals -- Grimes Re-elected--Skinner Re-appointed--Railroads--Public Building--Steel Bridges--Grimes Elected Third Time--Training School--Pitt Dry .... 198

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE.
Laughinghouse Superintendent of Penitentiary--Post-office Site--Training School Opened--Its History--Senator Fleming Dead--Big Fire--Court-house Burned--Records Saved--Greenville Post-office Advanced to Second Class .... 203

ADDENDA .... 206

Page 11

CONCLUSION .... 207

SKETCHES OF PROMINENT PITT COUNTY MEN AND WOMEN [Part 1] .... 211-240
SKETCHES OF PROMINENT PITT COUNTY MEN AND WOMEN [Part 2] .... 241-263

ADVERTISING .... 264

MAPS.
Map of Indian Locations .... 18
Map of Early Settlements along Tar River .... 27
Map of Pitt County in 1760 .... 41
Map of Pitt County in 1787 .... 92
Map of Pitt County, showing Townships .... 201

Page 12 [blank]

Page 13

These Sketches are the result of years of inquiry, research and compilation. They are intended to give such traditions and facts as could be had from reliable sources and records. An earnest endeavor has been made to get the truth and put it in form to place before the public, that the heritage of a glorious past, and the achievements of the present may be the pride of posterity.

Efforts have been made to be as correct as possible, but with matter, written and unwritten, traditions and reminiscences, errors are unavoidable. From diversity of statement and difference of opinion, accuracy has been sought Criticism is legitimate, but it should not minimize the true. The criticism that may eliminate errors in the future will be duly appreciated.

Acknowledgments are made to the late Dr. W. M. B. Brown, the late Dr. C. J. O'Hagan, Hon. A. L. Blow, Hon. W. R. Williams, Hon. J. Bryan Grimes, and to many others, who have at various times rendered valuable aid in the collection and preservation of historical matter; and to them is due much credit for the production of these Sketches.

These Sketches are not intended as a biography, genealogy or advertisement, but the demand for sketches of many of Pitt's prominent men, both of the past and the present, has made necessary the addition of a second part, where many such sketches may be found. And from a financial standpoint, it has been found well to allow advertisements or a directory of some of the County and Towns. But all are parts, separate and distinct, and not confusing.

Page 14

With a consciousness that much matter of historical value is here preserved, that should be a source of patriotic pride to the people of the County, and simply asking credit for whatever merit may be found in them, these Sketches of Pitt County are respectfully submitted.

Greenville, N. C., Henry T. King.
January, 1910.

Page 15

To cite authorities for much of the matter herein recorded would demand more space than can be allotted in a work like this. It would be difficult to cite authorities where a fact has been the result of a variety of fragmentary evidence. Such has often been the case. They will be furnished when necessary.

The following works have been consulted:

North Carolina Works:

Colonial and State Records, Regimental Histories, Foote's Sketches, Moore, Wheeler, Hawks, Williamson, Jones's Defense, Lawson, Wiley, Grimes's Notes, Sketches of Eastern Carolina, Handbooks of Department of Agriculture, Moore's Roster, Roster of North Carolina Troops in Spanish-American War, Acts of Legislature, North Carolina Booklet, Report of Fraud Commission, Publications of Historical Society, Letters of General Grimes, Life of Vance, etc.

Histories of United States:

Stephens, Willard, Lee, Grimshaw, and others.

Miscellaneous:

County Records, Congressional Directory, United States Government Reports of the Civil War (Land and Naval), Dictionary of American History, Census Reports, Files of Newspapers, Almanacs, and numerous Personal and Private Letters and Papers of the author.

Page 16 [blank]