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HISTORY

OF THE

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA

FROM IT5 BEGINNING TO THE DEATH OF PRESIDENT 5WAIN. 1789-1868

BY .

KEMP P. BATTLE,

ALUMNI PROFESSOR OF HlSTOR^ 'in'tHI: UNIVLRSITY

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VOLUME I.

to be followed by volume II. BRINGING THE HISTORY TO THE

PRESENT TIME

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PRIXTKIi FOR THE ATTHOR BY EUWABDfl A BROL'GUTON PHISTINii COMPANY. RaLKICU, N. C.

1907

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TO THJi MEMORY OF MY FATHER AND MOTHER, WHO INSTILLED INTO MY BRAIN AND HEART FROM

• « % » .» *

EARLIEST BOYHOOD

PRIDE IN AND AFFECTION FOR W, ALMA, MATER, THIS BOOK IS LOVINGLv'^FDIC;^'?tD.

; Kkmb Plum^hsr Battle.

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INTRODUCTION.

This history was written amid many interruptions. Some- times long intervals elapsed before the pen could be resumed. I certainly aimed at accuracy. If there is anv failure in this

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regard it is accidental. Similar disturbances during the im- portant process of proof-reading caused errors, but they do not obscure the meaning. The book is larger than I expected, and hence some of the half-tones prepared for this volume will be reserved for its successor. Except where absolutely necessary for true portraiture, I have carefully refrained from wounding the feelings of any one.

It may be said that I have dwelt too much on the pranks and frolics of students. My reason for detailing them is that they show, first, the social habits of the people generally, because the University is a microcosm of the State, and, second, they were largely caused by the defective system of discipline.

I have endeavored to follow the careers in after-life of the honor men. It will be seen that a common belief that success at the University is no indication of success afterwards is alto- gether erroneous. I have endeavored also to note distinctions won by any who did not attain honors. In the Appendix, as far as our records show, the positions, however humble, held by our alumni in the Confederate Army, are given.

It may be objected that the subjects of the speeches by gradu- ates unnecessarily encumber the volume. Mv reasons for re- cording them are, ist, that they show what the students were thinking about, and, 2d, that the students of the present and future may have a treasure-house of themes, which may aid them in solving the difficult question, ''what must I write about ?"

I acknowledge with the deepest gratitude my obligations to Professor Collier Cobb, for aid in obtaining the faithful half-tones which grace the book, to Dr. J. G. deR. Hamil- ton, for the preparation of the \'^ry laborious and thorough index, and to Dr. C. L. Raper, for assistance in reading proofs of the first part of the volume.

VI INTRODUCTION.

One fact, not appearing on any record at Chapel Hill, has come to my knowledge since the volume was printed, that the Delta Psi Fraternity, with a large membership, was in the Uni- versity from 1854 until some time during the war. I will be glad if all who may notice such derelictions will notify me of the same. I promise to give the proper corrections in the second volume.

I further express my thanks to the Honorable Board of Trustees for giving me free access to the University archives. I have explored them industriously, and used them with pains- taking endeavor to be accurate.

CONTENTS.

Chapter I to p. 136.

Constitution of 1776 and Charter of 1T89— The Trustees, First meetings — Lo- ««tion of Sit4? — donors — T^iying Corner- stone—Sale of Chapel Hill lots — Mc- Coriklc.- Pliin of Studies; Dr. Ker, Prp?i(Uiij£ Professor; Opening day — Hint«m Jaiue:*, the first student ; Charles \Y. Harri"*. Professor of Mathematics; First Public Kxaniination ; Grammar Schiwl; The Literary Societies; The Pettigrew Letters; Davie's Plan of Education: By-Laws: Coming of Joseph Caldwell as Professor of ^Mathematics ; HU tir>t impressions of the State and rniversity. Resignation and career of Dr. Ker: Harris, his successor; His Re^igiiation and career. Caldwell suc- wils jrives place to Gillaspie; Exami- nation of 1707. Earlv donations: Gov- crnor Benjamin Smith, General Thomas Persnn. Major Gerrard: Subscriptions; Loitrries: Gifts bv Ladies of Newbern and Ilal«-i«'h.

Chapter II to p. 230.

Gift of confiscated Property by the Cifneral As>«embly; Extremely unpopu- Ur; Kepealed and Escheats also taken away: Xewspa]>er attacks on the Uni- Ter*ifv and defence bv Caldwell; His dffeni-e of State institutions; Receipts 'rom re-jtureil Escheats; First Graduates III'S: Disorders under Gillaspie; Stric- ture* on Profe**?or Holmes; Retirement of ^^lillaspie ; Caldwell again Presiding; OradiLite-j of 1799; of 1800; Professor *^- D. Murphey; Graduates of 1801; Professor Wra. Bingham; Graduates of ^^i: 1.S03; 1804; Recollections of Dr. ^m. Hooper: Caldwell elected President ^^: Graduates of 1805; Davie leaves

the State; his Farewell letter; Furthei Recollections of Dr. Hooper; Graduates of 1806, 1807. 1808, 1809; Abner W. Clopton; Graduates of 1810; Diploma of Dr. 'Da\id Caldwell ; (xraduates of 1811, 1812; By-Laws; The early Stew- ards; Behavior of Old-time Students; A Duel, others threatened; Col. Polk's strong denunciation of them; Orgies of 22d February; The Rebellion against the Monitor law; The great Secession; Cald- well's Allegory; Letters of Chambers and C(mner: Davie's letter on the sub- ject; Faculty firm for subordination; students quail on another question. Sayings and incidents of a comical nature.

Cuapter III TO p. 324.

Dr. Chapman, President; Caldwell, Professor of Mathematics; DifTiculties with students; The Shepard Rebellion; Chapman resigns, 1816, His Career; Caldwell again President ; Graduates of 1813, 1814, 181"); Commencement Exer- cises, 1816; Mitchell, Olmsted and Kolloch Professors; Sketches of Mitchell and Kolloch: Enlarged Curriculum; Letters of Stmlents; Uniform; The Vil- lage, Moseley's description; Conduct of Students; Amendments to Charter; Old East enlarged. 01 West built; Gerrard Hall b(»gun; End of Grammar School; Commencement of 1820; 1821; Ethan A. Andrews in place of Hooper; Commence- ment of 1822: Olmsted State C"Jeologist, then .Mitchell; Commencenient of 1823; The "Fox-hall" (Vauxhall) spree; Cald- well's visit to Europe; Commencement of 1S24: College Pranks; Olmsted re- sign"*: Sketch of him; Commencement of 182r>: Typhoid fever; New By-laws; Protests of Faculty; Social Life in

v:ii

CONTENTS.

Chapol Hill in the twenties; Commence- ment of 1H2«, 1827: Judge Murphey's address; Commencement of 1828; An- drewH resigns; Troublesome Kncheats; Commencement of 1829.

Chapter IV to p. 52«.

Commencement of 1830; I'niversity in debt: applies to Legislature: Relief of- fercil refused: The Observatory; Mrs. Royall : Commencement of 1831: Insti- tute of Education: Temperance Society; The Dromgoole :M}ih; Commencement of 1832; Gaston's Address, Plea for Balls; Ktfort to remove University to Kaleigh: Commencement of 1833, 1834; Bandy; Recommendations of Professors; The Harbinger, some articles reviewed: Sale of Tennessee IauuI Warrants; His- tory of: Creation of Executive Com- mittee: Manly appointed to close out all University interests: Success: History of Universitv Librarv; Death of O'aldwell; Mitchell I'resident />n> tempore: Ander- son's Eulogy; Caldwell's Faculty: Sketch of Hentz and others; Commence- ment of 183'); Election of Swain: His sketch: Commencement of 1830, 1837; Mitchell's recommendations; Dr. Hooper again resigns — His sketch: Commence- ment of 1838: Dr. Mitchell's Bursar Re- I)orts; Rock-walls; The aljortive Del- phian Soeiety: Separate chairs of Greek and Latin ; Profs. Fetter over (Jreek, DeB. Hooper, Latin; Irregularities of conduct by students: Fruitless movement for Chaplain: Rev. W. M. Green acting Chaplain and Professor; Commencement of 1831); The :Maultby difficulty: Report of Citjvernor Dudley; Troubles of Dis- cipline: Salaries: Change of Raleigh road : Commencement of 1840, 1841, 1842; Bibles to Graduates; Secret Fra- ternities forbidden; Episcopal Church organized. Commencement of 1843; Alumni Association organized; Com- mencement of 1844; The Historical So-

ciety; I'niversity Magazine of Abortive University Cemetery pi Commencement of 1845; Law ] ment added : Commencement of Donati<ms to Historical Society; of Mrs. Caldwell; President Polk' ment-ement, 1847; Address of J< Mason: Captain Maury: Commen of 1848: New Soeiety Halls; Dr. and Prof. J. DeB. Hooper Sketches of them; Dr. Hubbard ta! l^itin Chair: Sketch of him; Com] Chapel Worship question: The ] terian Church: Commencement of Rev. A. M. Shipp Professor of I Literature and History; Campi provement.

Chapter V (IV by mistake) to

Recollecticms of U. X. C. in th( Trustees : Swain describeil ; An< and Peculiarities; Faculty me< C'onduct towards the X. C. Rai Profe*isors described, Mitchell. P Fetter, Hoojier, Green, Deems, (iraves, Charles Phillips, Brown, Phillips — Their jicculiarities ; "B ing'' the Faculty; Curriculum Exe Senior Sp(?eches: Ante-sunrise Pr The Discipline: Examinations; Tl: Societie^i : Commencements — the shals, Band, Ball ^lauager, S Facetiae — Funnv and Absurd; t Practical Jokes: Paro<ly on 1 Bathos: The Literary Trumpet: .- nients; Athletics; Strolls, M Bandy (or Shinny); Dancing, Hu Care of the sick; Social Aniusei Had Roads; Mails: Music: CoUeg penter, Davis, Boot-maker; Ser Ben Boothe, Sam Morphis, G<K)rgi ton, the poet; Night suppers; A Mason: Yatney; Jack and Ches. ritt. the coon hunters: Couch; Tl lage: Drs. Jones, Moore, Yancey; and Dumb Yancey; Sale of lots; Nancy Hilliard; Mrs. Nunn; C and Cuddie.

CONTENTS.

IX

CllAITEB VI TO P. 786.

Comiiieiu^inent of 1850; Smith Hall; Dangerous Riot ; Methodist Church built : Fnii»Tniti«»s 1>egin: Office of Escheator- (>neral created: the David Allison Es- cheat; Comnienceraent of 1851, and 1852; Students against Faculty on appointment of tt sub- Marshal. University Magazine oi 1852-1801 ; Commencement of 1853, 1S54: Charles Phillips Professor of Civil Engineering; B. S. Hedrick. of Applica- tion of Chemistry to Agriculture and the Arts; Increase of Numbers; Laws Uevised: Haptist Church built; Com- nifm-^ment of 1855; New Salaries: Burning of Belfry; Case of Professor Hndrick: The Herrisse Controversv: New Buildings, Professors and Depart- nifnt**: The Curriculum: Preparation for Admission: Commencement of 185(J; In- vitiiion to Archbishop Hughes; Com- mPDt-emrnt of 1857; Death of Dr. Miti'hell: His successor. Mailin; Coni- inentMnent f»f 1858; Lawlessness — the President's Cinular; New Caldwell Monument: Changes in Faculty; The Buchanan Coinnienc-ement, 1859: Disas- troui. Investment; Commencement of ^^: .Attendanc»e on Sunday services; "•■''• ^hipp and Wheat leave; Commence-

ment of 1861; Salaries lowered; Hard Timt«; Commencement of 1862 and 1863; Rise of Prices and Depreciation of Currency; Exemption of Students; Col. Martin joins army; Conunencement of 1864; Gold Bond; Cutting University trees: Wheeler's Cavalry and Kil- patrick's in Chapel Hill ; Mrs. Spencer's elegiac ode; Feeling of Chapel Hillians; Commenc€»ment of 1865: University stu- dents in the war; Commencenient of 18<W}: Securities lost; Transfer of Land (irant: Death of Dr. James Phillips; President Johnsons Commencement, 1867: Seward and Sickles; Dwindling of Faculty; Plan of Reorganization; Com- mencenjpnt of 1868; History of Ex- penses; Reconstruction; Treasurer Manlys Report; Swain not recognized; He Protests; His Death; Improvements during his administration; Scholarship; Successes of Alumni; The Displaced Professors: The two Societies.

Appendix.

List of Graduates and of successfu Alumni; List of Trustees from 1780 List of Executive Connuittw from 1835 List of Sul>scrij)tions to Start the Uni versity: Murjihy's Statistics of Alumni

J

ILLUSTRATIONS.

VV. K. Davie, Frontispiece. pacje.

Old Kast Building (drawn by John Pettigrew, a student in 1797).

Old KaHt Building '. 60

Joseph Caldwell 172

Dialectic Society Diploma of 1S()7 1S2

Philanthropic Society Diploma of 1S0^> lvS4

U. X. C Diploma of 180i) 184

Old West Building, (ierard Hall, South side, before removal of

porch 280

U. N. C. Diploma of 182() 284

PhilanthroF)ic Society Diploma of 1820 284

Dialectic Society Diploma of 1820 284

\Vm. Hooper .416

James Pl)illips 416

Elisha Mitchell 416

Shepherd K. Kolloch 416

Charles \V. Harris , 416

D. L. Swain 422

Judge Dick's Spring, walled up by him, 1840 480

Will. H. Battle 494

Manuel Fetter 542

W. M. Green 542

J. De Bern i ere Hooper ')V2

Charles Force Deems 542

FordvceM. Hubbard 542

Charles Phillips 5.">()

Ralph H. (Graves. Sr - .mO

John Kimberlv 55()

View from the Old Athletic Field 616

Smith Hall 616

View taken 1852, showing oM Belfry^South Building 6:>2

New West BuiMing <)52

New Kast Building 652

Wm. J. Martin (vS4

Albert M. Shipp 6.si

John T. Wheat ()84

B. S. Hedrick.^ 6S4

HiMreth M. Smith fisi

Caldwell Monument 6i»2

History of University of North Carolina.

CHAPTER I.

The Charter and Organization.

It might be claimed that the Centennial year of American Independence was likewise the Centennial year of the Univer- sity of North Carolina, although the charter was not granted until 1789.

In December, 1776, a Convention, then called Congress, of enlightened men met at Halifax to form a Constitution for the new free State of North Carolina, under whose protection the people could maintain the independence they had declared a few months before.

Without an army or navy, they had entered on a war for existence with a nation powerful, populous and wealthy, having the tradition of invincibility, which had, under Marlborough, within the century, broken the power of the Great Louis of France — had, with heavy hand, crushed the fortunes of the Pretender at CuUoden — had sent Wolfe to storm the Heights of Quebec; had swept the seas with her fleets. The Revolu- tion, if it failed, was Rebellion. The penalty of defeat was the doom of traitors. The State had barely two hundred thousand inhabitants, widely scattered, and badly armed, and divided in sentiment. But, notwithstanding these odds, this Congress, with wisdom unparalleled and faith approaching sublimity, provided for the interest of unborn children. They knew that those children would not be capable of freedom without educa- tion. They knew that there could be no education without teachers. They knew that teachers could not be procured with- out colleges. They knew that their leaders in the pulpit and in civil offices had received their education in distant States and even in the mother country across the ocean. They resolved that their youth, seeking intellectual advancement, should not be temporarily expatriated in order to obtain it. They made the requirement of the University a part of the fundamental law. On the i8th of December, 1776, in the Constitution of

2 HISTORY UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA.

the new State, tlien first adopted, are found these golden words, written amid storms and thunderings, to be made good when the sun shone on a free and united people : "All useful learn- ing shall be duly encouraged and proipoted in one or more universities."

Tradition has it that this provision in the Constitution was due to the Scotch-Irish of Mecklenburg. Smarting under re- sentment caused by the disapproval by the Crown of the charter of Queen's College, its friends procured from the people of the county a positive instruction to their delegates to the Halifax Congress of 1776 to provide for a State college. Among these delegates was Waightstill Avery, a graduate of Princeton, like- wise a member of the committee which reported the Constitu- tion, and the tradition which credits him with being the drafts- man of the University and public school clause is certainly plausible.

That our forefathers thought that the University and the public school system were necessarily part of one organism is proved by their connection in the Constitution. The section in which the General Assembly is commanded to provide the University is as follows: Section 41 — "A school, or schools, shall l>e established by the legislature for the convenient in- struction of youth, with such salaries to the masters, paid by the public, as may enable them to instruct at low prices : and all iiseful learning shall be duly encouraged and promoted in one or more universities." It was clear to the statesmen of a hun- dred years ago, and it ought not to require argument to prove it, that money spent for schools without providing teachers is mere wa.ste and follv. And certainlv our forefathers who, with their hearts sore from the attempted domination of the Church of England in colonial times, inserted in the Constitu- tion that, "no clergyman, or preacher of the gospel, of any denomination, shall be capable of being a member, either of the Senate. House of Commons, or Council of State, while he con tinues in the exercise of the pastoral function." together with other provisions, completely severing the connection between the Church and the State, never designed that state schools should look to religious colleges exclusively for their teachers, nor did they wish to be dependent on other States.

CHARTS AND ORGANIZATION. 3

During the War of the Revolution the mandate of the Consti- tution lay dormant. Inter at ma silent leges. When Caswell and Lillington were beating McDonald at Moore's Creek Bridge, and Campbell, Shelby, Cleveland, Sevier, Williams and McDowell were capturing Ferguson's forces at King's Moun- tain, and Comwallis and Greene were wrestling for the victory at Guilford, and Fanning was carrying as prisoner from Hills- boro the Governor of our State, and the momentous question whether our ancestors were patriots or traitors, was still unde- cided, there was no time for erecting universities. And after the war, industry must have time for restoring plenty to wasted lands and statesmanship to form a settled government in the place of a nerveless confederacy. In the month of November, 1 789, our State, after a hesitation of a year, entered the Ameri- can Union. In the month of December, as if forming part of a comprehensive plan, the charter of the University, under the powerful advocacy of Davie, was granted by the General As- sembly. The Trustees under the charter comprised great men of the State, good men of the State, trusted leaders of the people.

The first named, and the chairman, was Governor Samuel Johnston, who. in legislative, executive and judicial stations, in war and peace, left the impress of his wise conservatism on the State. There were James Iredell, one of the earliest Judges of the Supreme Court of the United States, and Alfred Moore, his successor in this high office. There were the first Federal District Judge, Colonel John Stokes, and John Sitgreaves, his successor.

There were the three signers of the Constitution of the I'nited States: Hugh W^illiamson, the historian William Rlount, afterwards Senator of the United States from Ten- nessee, and Richard Dobbs Spaight, who left Trinity College, Dublin, when scarcely of age, to fight for the independence of his native State. He served as delegate to the Congress of the Confederation, and of the United States, and as Governor of Xorth Carolina. Of others destined to be Governors, there were Samuel Ashe, then Judge, Benjamin Williams, and the first benefactor of the University, Benjamin Smith, and Wil- liam Richardson Davie, its father. There were miHtarv men.

4 HISTORY UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA.

who had been conspicuous fighters in the Revolution : General Joseph Graham, scarred with wounds in the defence of Char- lotte under Davie, the father of the revered statesman, William A. Graham, whose last public appearance was in behalf of the University; General Thomas Person, whose hatred of injus- tice began with the disastrous struggles of the Regulation, William Lenoir, Joseph McDowell, the elder, and Joseph Dixon (or Dickson), who aided in thwarting the plans of Cornwallis by the capture of Ferguson at King's Mountain ; Henry William Harrington, an active militia general in service on our south- ern borders.

Of the State judiciary we find three judges under the court law of 1777 — Samuel Spencer, John Williams, and Samuel Ashe, already mentioned, whose name is worthily represented by his descendants, Thomas Samuel Ashe, late of Anson, and Samuel A. Ashe, of Raleigh; and of others distinguished in the history of the State — Archibald McLaine and Willie Jones, bold and active patriots, Stephen Cabarrus, long Speaker of the House of Commons, and John Haywood, the popular State Treasurer. There were the first two Senators of the United States — Samuel Johnston and Benjamin Hawkins, and of those destined to be members of the lower House of Congress were Charles Johnson, then Speaker of the State Senate, who had fought for the Stuarts at Culloden, James Holland of Guilford, Alexander Mebane of Orange, Joseph Winston of Surry, and William Barry Grove of Cumberland. We find in the list John Hay, the eminent lawyer of Fayetteville, who gave his name to Haymount; James Hogg, an enlightened merchant of Fayetteville and of Hillsboro; Adlai Osborne, the highly esteemed Clerk of Rowan Superior Court ; the eminent teacher and divine, Rev. Samuel E. McCorkle, D.D. ; and prominent and useful members of the State legislature, Frederick Har- gett, Senator of Jones, Robert W. Snead, Senator of Onslow, Joel Lane, Senator from Wake, owner of the land bought for the site of the city of Raleigh, John Macon, Senator of War- ren, brother of the more eminent Nathaniel Macon, John Ham- ilton, commoner of Guilford, William Porter, commoner of Rutherford, and Robert Dickson of Duplin.

The moving spirit of this distinguished band was William

CUARTKR AND ORGANIZATION. 5

Richardson Davie. He was no common man. He had been a gallant cavalry officer in the Revolution. He had been a strong staflF on which Greene had leaned. He had been con- spicuous in civil pursuits; an able lawyer, an orator of wide influence. With Washington and Madison, and other great men, he had assisted in evolving the grandest government of all ages, the American Union, out of an ill-governed and disin- tegrated confederacy. He was beyond his times in the advo- cacy of a broad, generous education. His portrait has been drawn by a masterly hand, Judge Archibald Murphey, one of the most prc^ressive and scholarly men our State has known. In his speech before the two Societies at Chapel Hill in 1827 he says : '*Davie was a tall, elegant man in his person, graceful and commanding in his manners. His voice was mellow, and adapted to the expression of every passion; his mind compre- hensive yet slow in its operations, when compared with his great rival (Moore) ; his style was magnificent and flowing; he had a greatness of manner in public speaking which suited his style, and gave to his speeches an imposing effect. He was a laborious student, arranged his discourses with care, and where the subject merited his genius, poured forth a torrent of elo- quence that astonished and enraptured his audience,"

He had, in the Constitutional Convention of 1787, at a criti- cal moment, caused the vote of North Carolina, then one of the large States, to be cast for a compromise, the equality of States in the Senate, without which union would have been im- possible. In the State Conventions of 1788 and 1789 he had advocated the adoption of the new Constitution with equal ability. It was his foresight and wisdom which provided the University, by whose means North Carolina could keep pace in culture and influence with her sisters. He drew for the Uni- versity the Plan of Studies pursued for many years, and main- tained Its interest by his purse, his eloquence, his counsels, and constant attention to its exercises. The Dialectic Society is the fortunate owner of an excellent portrait of this gfreat man — the picture of a man of military bearing, strikingly handsome, a eentleman, a scholar and a statesman.

Such were the euardians into whose care the General Assem- bly committed the institution provided for the youth of North

6 HISTORY UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROUNA.

Carolina. Six of them — McLean, Person, Ashe, Jones, Lane and Mebane — were carrying into effect the mandate of the Con- stitution for which as members of the Halifax Congress of 1776 they had voted. Twenty-three, viz: Hargett, Smith, Mc- Dowell, Hay, Grove, Cabarrus, Samuel Johnston, Charles John- son, Robert Dickson, Hamilton, Person, Sneed, Mebane, Stokes, Holland, Winston, Blount, Williamson, Hawkins, Lane, Lenoir, Davie, and Porter, were members of the Convention of 1789, and of them only Dickson, Hamilton, Person, and Lenoir voted against the ratification of the Constitution of the United States.

The charter, granted by the General Assembly, was ratified December 11, 1789. The preamble, in wise and weighty words, asserts that, **in all well regulated governments it is the indis- pensable duty of every legislature to consult the happiness of a rising generation, and endeavor to fit them for an honorable discharge of the social duties of life by paying the strictest attention to their education, and that, a University, supported by permanent funds and well endowed, would have the most direct tendency to answer the above purpose.'*

Among the provisions of the charter, in addition to the usual powers of corporations, are the following:

The Trustees were a self-perpetuating body, having coopta- tive powers; being authorized to fill vacancies occurring by death, refusing to act, resignation or removal from the State.

The principle of having the Trustees distributed in the judi- cial districts was to be retained in all elections.

The first meeting of the Trustees was directed to be on the third Monday of the next General Assembly at Fayetteville, at which time were to be elected a President of the Board, and a Secretary. At all subsequent, regular, or annual meetings, the members present, with the President and Treasurer, or a ma- jority without either of these officers, were to be a quorum.

Special meetings could be called by the President and two Trustees, notice being given to every Trustee, and advertise- ment to be made in the State Gasette. These meetings were prohibited from appropriating money, and from electing the President and Professors of the Universitv. Thev, however, could fill a vacancy until the next annual meeting.

CHARTS AND ORGANIZATION. 7,

The meeting, at which the site of the University should be fixed upon, was to be advertized in the Gazette for at least six months and special notice given to each Trustee,

The Treasurer was to give bond, payable to the Governor, in the sum of £5,000 ($10,000), and to hold office for two years. If he should prove delinquent recovery- was to be had as in the case of Sheriffs.

The Treasurer was directed to publish annually in the State Gazette a list of moneys and other donations under penalty of iioo ($200) at the suit of the Attorney-General, the penal- ties to belong to the University. The Treasurer was ordered to pay annually to the Treasurer of the State all moneys re- ceived by him, on which the State was to pay six per cent inter- est, the principal to be a permanent fund. (This was repealed fotu- years afterwards.)

The site of the University was not to be within five miles of the seat of government, or any of the places of holding the courts of law or equity.

The Trustees could appoint a President of the University, and the professors and tutors, whom **they may remove for misbehavior, inability, or neglect of duty." They could **make all such laws and regulations for the government of the Univer- sity and preservation of order and good morals therein as are usually made in such seminaries, and as to them may appear necessary : Provided, the same are not contrary to the inalien- able liberty of a citizen or to the laws of the State."

The power of conferring degrees was given to the Faculty of the University, that is to say, the President and Professors, but the Trustees must concur.

Any subscriber of £10 ($20), payable in five equal annual installments, was entitled to have one student educated free of tuition.

The public hall, and the library and rooms of the college shall be called by the names of one or another of the six largest subscribers within four years. "And a book shall be kept in the library in which shall be entered the names and places of residence of every benefactor to this seminary, in order that posterity may be informed to whom they are indebted for the

8 UISTORY UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROUNA.

measure of learning and good morals that may prevail in the Stote."

The foregoing summary shows some provisions which ap- pear strange in our eyes. For example^ that any number of Trustees^ no matter how small, should be a quorum, if only the President of the Board and the Treasurer should be present, neither of whom was necessarily a member. Then, again, the prohibition of locating the University within five miles of the seat of government or of any court town is contrary to our experience. It was doubtless on account of the rowdyism and drunkenness during court week, then so prevalent, now happily passing away. The provision that only the State should be the custodian of the donations of money and pay interest on the same, the University being prohibited from using the principal, seems inconsistent with the imperative duty of erecting build- ings. Note also that only the President and Professors, ex- cluding tutors, constitute the faculty, and that the Trustees have no power of conferring degrees, but can only confirm or reject the nominations of the faculty. The provision that a student should have his tuition for four years on a payment of $20 by a subscriber seems reckless, unless there was a gen- eral idea prevalent that tuition should be nearly free. The appeal to the vanity of the wealthy is interesting, firstly, be- cause it shows that the projectors of the University, even in those dark days, had grand ideas as to the future, when without a dollar in sight they estimated no less than six buildings, to be essential, and, secondly, because the promise of honoring bene- factors was made irrespective of the amounts to be given.

The fear that the Trustees might, in making their by-laws, be more severe on the students than would be consistent with the **Rights of Man," for which so much blood had been spilt, is shown in the protective clause that those laws should not be "contrary to the inalienable liberty of a citizen." It will be seen in the sequel that the young men interpreted this in the broadest latitude as negativing all restraint. The construction of this charter provision by the Trustees, that the professors and tutors were to be like police officers in carrying out the dis- cipline of the institution, led to serious evils for very many years.

CHARTISR AND ORGANIZATION. 9

The locating of the Trustees in the several judicial districts in those days of bad roads, although possibly propitiating favor, was fatal to wise management. The expedient of giving wide powers to an executive committee of seven, which works so wisely now, had not then been thought of.

The power of the Trustees of filling vacancies in their body seemed harmless, if not wise. It was destined, however, to place the institution under the suspicion of being aristocratic, a suspicion fatal to its popularity in the days when there existed among the people a real fear of the introduction of English class distinctions and of a government monarchical in nature, though not in name. The provision was changed eventually, as will be seen.

On the whole, it seems probable that some of these outre provisions were inserted on the motion of members hostile to the movement, or by its friends for the purpose of placating them. Like the Fundamental Constitutions of the Lords Pro- prietors, the charter of the University is another evidence that all good government is the product of experience and growth, and can not be planned beforehand by the wit of man.

There was no appropriation of money made for erection of buildings or other expenditure for the new institution. An act wa.s, however, passed which conferred on it certain claims, which the officers of the State had been unable to collect. These were arrearages due from sheriffs and other officers prior to January i, 1783, none of them less than six years old and some far more. The proceeds of sales of confiscated lands were excepted from the gift, probably because the legislature deemed them easily collectible. A further exception was made of all the arrearages due by Robert Lanier, treasurer of the judicial district of Salisbury, and also those from the sheriffs of that district, but if they should not settle their dues in two years, the University was authorized to have all the uncollected residue.

The delinquents, sixty-cight in number, whose accounts were turned over by the act, were officers of the State or counties, some distinguished and of high character — such as General Horatio Gates. Governor Burke, Colonel Benjamin Cleveland.

lO HISTORY UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROUNA.

General Hogan, Marquis de Bretigny. Evidently many were for agencies during the war, in which vouchers were lost or captured by the enemy, or the settlements of the agencies de- stroyed. Colonel Waightstill Avery, for example, was included in the list, but he promptly proved that there was a mistake, and his name was at once struck off. The following list shows more clearly the employments of those indebted to the State accord- ing to the Comptroller's report, which debts were transferred to the University: namely. Clerks, Sheriffs, purchasers of con- fiscated property. Judges (fees for lawyer's licenses), entry- takers, agents, purchasers of lots in Raleigh, commissionaries (commissaries?), purchasers of western lands, buyer of eleven head of cattle, also of four head of cattle, buyer of one horse, hirer of McKnight's negroes (McKnight was a Tory), debtors for specie certificates, also for "old dollar money," also for offi- cer's certificates, entries of western lands, and certificates of the Auditors of the Upper Board of Salisbury.

At the same session was granted a right, shadowy, uncertain, well nigh in nubibus, but which in the course of time by skillful management brought considerable money into the treasury. This grant was such property as had escheated, or should there- after escheat, to the State. This by the energy and good man- agement of the Trustees, after a long period, was the source of the endowment of the University, lost in the Civil War. Many denizens of foreign birth left no heirs, citizens of North Caro- lina, and under the law as it stood until 1831, their lands escheated to the State ; and in a like manner obscure soldiers of the Continental Line, to whom land warrants were granted for their services in the war, died leaving no heirs to inherit their claims. Of course the revenue from this source naturally di- minished as the years rolled away from the Revolution, and it was still further diminished by acts of the Legislature giving the lands to a remoter heir, being a citizen, when the next heir is an alien, and giving the widow all the estate if her husband should die without an heir. At this day the chances of an escheat are worth but little, as an alien stands on the same foot- ing with a citizen in regard to the possession of real estate.

It was not from parsimony but hard necessity that the long services of our patriot soldiers, in hunger, and thirst, and cold,

CilARTKR AND ORGANIZATION. II

and nakedness, were paid for in a paper currency, like that of which the conquered Confederates have had such bitter expe- rience. To this meagre dole was added for faithful service warrants for land to be located in a country of great fertility, but the homes of bears, panthers, and Indians, the western region of Tennessee, then a part of the domain of North Caro- lina. To a private was given 640 acres, to a lieutenant 2,560, to a Captain 3,840, to a Major 4,800, to a Colonel, or Lieuten- ant-Colonel Commanding. 7,200, to a Brigadier-General 12,000 acres. To the great General Greene, who had by his genius retrieved the fortunes of the war after Gates' disastrous failure, they gave 25,000 acres.

The gift of the unclaimed land warrants was for years to the University like the cool waters near the parched lips of Tanta- lus. North Carolina, in 1789, ceded all its territory of Ten- nessee to the United States. The new State, after its admis- sion into the Union in 1796, claimed all the rights of sover- eignty, and refused to give effect to the grants made by North Carolina.

The State of North Carolina would never have secured an acre of these lands. No argument but that they were to be used for education, had any weight with the legislators of Ten- nessee. The Trustees sent to plead their cause one of their most enlightened members and most skilled in the arts of mana- ging men, Judge Archibald Murphey. Even he, with all his eloquence and address, was forced to a hard compromise. Two- thirds of the w^arrants were given to the College of East Ten- nessee and College of Cumberland, and one-third to the Uni- versity of North Carolina. It was not until 1835, after suffer- ing untold privations, staggering under a debt of nearly $40,000 to the banks, that funds were gathered from this source and frtmi the donations of Smith, Gerrard and others, to lift its head above the waters. A detailed narrative of the negotiations will be given hereafter.

It is pleasant to note that by the providence of our ancestors the enemies of our country's freedom contributed, albeit unwill- ingly, to the enlightment of our people. But it is of pathetic interest to know that the ignorant soldiers of America, who.

12

HISTORY UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA.

after countless sufferings filled uncofiined graves, were not only gaining liberty for their country but, unintentional benefactors, were building a great institution of learning. They did glo- rious work, those '*unnamed demigods of history," as Kossuth called them, blindly suffering martyrdom for a cause they dimly understood, but that cause triumphant and leading to never ending blessings of free institutions and liberal education.

The first meeting of the Trustees was on the i8th of Decem- ber, 1789, seven days after the ratification of the charter. To copy from the record those present were:

The Hon. Charles Johnson, of Bertie, Chairman.

Hon. S. Cabarrus of Chowan. Benjamin Smith of Brunswick. Hugh Williamson of Edenton. Thomas Person of Granville. William Lenoir of Wilkes. Robert Dixon of Duplin. John Hamilton of Guilford. Frederick Hargett of Jones.

James Holland of Rutherford. John Stokes of Surry. William Blount of Tennessee. William Porter of Rutherford. Joseph Dixon of Lincoln. Alexander Mebane of Orange. William R. Davie of HalifaT. James Hogg of Orange.

It will be noticed that the only persons dignified with the affix "Hon.,'* are Johnson and Cabarrus. That was because they were Speakers of the Senate and of the House respec- tively, and represented those august bodies. The title was then restricted as a rule to the actual incumbents of these and such high officers as President, Governor and Judge. It is now rapidly descending to tKe same dead level as that occupied by Mister, which itself has experienced the like degradation. Johnson, the grandfather of the late eminent Dr. Charles E. Johnson, of Raleigh, was a relation of Governor Gabriel and of Governor Samuel Johnston, but omitted "t" from his name be- cause, having, when barely of age, fought for Charles Edward, he wished to conceal his identity.

It was thought for years, until the Supreme Court settled the question by deciding to the contrary, that the University is a private corporation. That the earliest Trustees thought differ- ently is proved by the fact that they did not formally accept the charter, but organized at once as public officers.

Messrs. Davie and Hogg were requested to prepare blanks for subscriptions, one as specially directed by the Act of Assem- bly, the other on the principle of a mere donation.

CHARTER AND ORGANIZATION. I3

Mr. Davie made the agreeable announcement that Colo».*el Benjamin Smith oflFered a gift to the University of 20,000 acres of land warrants. The Trustee* recorded their thanks for "the liberal and generous donation."

Another early friend of the institution should be held in grateful remembrance. Governor Alexander Martin showed his interest by frequent attendance on the meetings of the Board, by occasional timely gifts and by advocating in his mes- sage to the General Assemblies its establishment and mainten- ance. In the fall of 1790 he wrote, "This institution already stamped with importance, having the great cause of humanity for its object, might do honor to this and the neighboring States, had it an adequate support, where our youth might be instructed in true religion, sound policy and science, and men of ability drawn forth to fill the different departments of gov- ernment with reputation, or be formed for useful and ornamen- tal members of society in private or professional life." He then recommends a loan for erecting buildings to "give it a more essential than a paper being."

The second meeting of the Board of Trustees, the first pre- scribed by the charter, was held likewise in Fayetteville on the 25th of November, 1790. General William Lenoir, of Wilkes County, President of the Senate, a hero of King's Mountain, on the nomination of the Speaker of the House, Stephen Cabar- rus, was made President of the Board. He, first of a long line of eminent men who held this office, was the last survivor of the original Trustees, dying at the age of 88, just fifty years after the enactment of the charter. In such high estimation was he held that an eastern county and a western town were named in his honor.

Changes had occurred in the Board of Trustees. The old heroes were dropping off. The venerable Robert Dixon gave way to James Kenan, grandfather of our worthy Trustee and President of our Alumni Association ; and battle-scarred Judge Winston to Alexander Martin, who, like our Vance, had been Governor in times of war, and, after a long interval, in times of peace occupied the executive chair. James Hogg proceeded to the welcome duty of presenting to the Board patents for the 20,(x>o acres of land, donated at the preceding meeting by

14 HISTORY univb;rsity of nortu carouna.

General Smith. On the resignation, by Colonel Lenoir, of the chairmanship, Governor Alexander Martin was chosen as his successor. On balloting for the office of Treasurer, John Craven, the State Comptroller, an old bachelor of Halifax County, was unanimously elected. His bondsmen were Colonel John Macon, of Warren, and General Thomas Person, of Gran- ville. James Taylor, a Commoner from Rockingham County, was with like unanimity chosen Secretary. It was agreed that the place of the next meeting should be selected by ballot. Hillsborough, Salem, Williamsburg (now Williamsboro), Goshen (in Granville), Rockingham and Wake Court House were placed in nomination. The vote of the majority was for Hillsboro. It is pleasant to note the care taken to satisfy all sections that the location of the University should be fairly made. It was resolved that at the next meeting on the third Monday of July, 1791, the special business should be the selec- tion of the site. Each Trustee was notified of this and a copy of the resolutions was ordered to be published in the State Gazette for six months. [In those days the General Assembly designated some newspaper as the official organ of the State. At this date it was the North Carolina Journal at Halifax, pub- lished by Hodge & Willis. Hodge was the uncle of the promi- nent Raleigh citizen, William Boylan, and brought him from Xcw Jersey to assist him in his publications.]

The Board of Trustees ordered that the efforts to obtain do- nations should be continued. As was hoped by its friends, the University was a more successful collector than the State. On December 6, 1790, the empty treasury was gladdened by the receipt of $2,706.41, paid by John Harvey, Clerk of Perquimans Court, recovered from a delinquent "Commissioner of Speci- fics.*' This was by the Trustees, as then required by the char- ter, invested in United States stock created by the financial abilitv of Alexander Hamilton.

At the Juiy, 1791, meeting Robert Burton, of Granville, father of Judge Robert H. Burton, of Lincolnton, and great grand- father of the distinguished North Carolina General, Robert F. Hoke, and great-great-grandfather of the still more distin- eruished (in athletic circles) Captain of our football team which

CHARTER AND ORGANIZATION. IS

took the scalp of the University of Virginia team at Atlanta — Dr. Mike Hoke — was chosen Secretary in the place of James Taylor, resigned. Probably on account of the meagre amount of money on hand and in sight, no steps were taken to select the site, but vigorous action was had for the collection of the arrearages and escheats granted by the Assembly. Each Trus- tee was authorized to act as agent of the Board in the matter of escheats, and attorneys, vested with full powers of collection and compromise in regard to them and the arrearages, were ap- pointed in each judicial district. As evidently the lawyers who combined ability, integrity, activity, and friendship to the Uni- versity, were chosen, I give their names. They were Edmund Blount for the Edenton District, David Perkins for that of New Bern, William H. Hill for that of Wilmington, Thomas F. Davis for that of Fayetteville, Adlai Osborne for that of Salisbury, Waightstill Avery for that of Morgan, William Wat- ters for that of Hillsborough, and John Whitaker for that of Halifax. The sensibilities of the modern lawyer will be shocked by the statement that they were required to give bond with good security for performance of duty.

The Trustees made a manly implied confession of ignorance on the subject of the great task resting on their shoulders and displayed a pro|>er carefulness to perform their duties intelli- ?:ently, when they appointed Rev. Dr. McCorckle, the teacher, Benjamin Hawkins, the Federal Senator, and Dr. Hugh Wil- liamson, an ex-professor of the University of Pennsylvania, then a member of Congress from the Edenton District, to pro- cure for the use of the Board information respecting the laws, relations, and buildings of the universities and colleges in the United States, together with an account of their resources and expenditures, and an estimate of the cost of the necessary buildings for our University. The confidence of the Board in James Hogg, Alfred Moore, and John Haywood, was shown hy taking away from a large committee, previously appointed, the power of selecting a device for a seal of the corporation, and conferring it on them. They chose the face of Apollo, the God of Eloquence, and his emblem, the rising sun, as ex- pressive of the dawn of higher education in our State.

l6 HISTORY UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROUNA.

At New Bern, in December, 1791, William Lenoir, in behalf of a committee, consisting of himself, Stephen Cabarrus, Ben- jamin Williams, John Haywood (the Treasurer), Joseph Mc- Dowell, of Pleasant Garden, and Samuel Johnston, made a woeful report on the finances, present and prospective, of the institution. The total cash was $301.24, received from arrear- ages. There was hope that more would be realized, which the committee estimated at $300. The University owned also a cer- tificate of United States loan for $2,706.41, of which under the charter only the interest, six per cent, could be used. The sub- scription papers sent out had not been returned and the amount to be expected from them was not ascertainable.

The committee pathetically state that they are "pained when they reflect how extremely illy the resources of the Trustees are proportioned to their necessities." As to the claims due the State from Colonial days, no evidence is found in regard to them "other than a report or list of balances made out by a committee of the Assembly in 1773/*

As to the arrearages voted to the University, which arose under the State government, it is stated that for many years after the Revolution the revenue business was under a Treasurer in each district, some of whom knew not how to keep accounts ; that the Treasurer of New Bern had fled the State, carrying his books with him ; the Treasurer of Salisbury District had died, leaving his account in such bad shape that the executor, Wil- liam Lanier, had induced the General Assembly to close them by settlement. When Treasurers duly settled their accounts, their books and papers were sent to the agent of the State in Philadelphia to be used in supporting the claims of North Caro- lina against the United States for troops and supplies furnished during the Revolution, and the only evidences of debts acces- sible are the statements of the Comptroller as to balances ap- pearing on his books.

Of these there had been delivered to the Trustees claims against seventy-three persons. The nominal amount was in round numbers $11,410, ranging all the way from $2,660 against one person to $3 against another. One claim was for $4.10, the equivalent of $410 "old Dollar money." Among them was an account against Governor Burke for about $100,

CHARTER AND ORGANIZATION. IJ

another for "£1,056 Dollar Money/' scaled down to $35.40; another against no less a man than Colonel Benjamin Cleve- land for $368.00. Doubtless many of these claims had been settled and the vouchers lost during the war.

As has been stated there had been collected the sum of $2,706.41 from the arrearages due by delinquent collecting oflfi- cers. By activity and skill the attorneys of the University suc- ceeded eventually in wresting from this source the scarcely hoped for total of $7,362, of which the interest only could be used.

Steps were again taken to raise money by subscription. On November 5, 1792, papers were circulated inviting donations payable one year after the selection of the site. Most of the promises by citizens of Orange County were made on condi- tion that the location should be therein.

On December 23, 1791, a committee, whose names are not given in the journal, reported a memorial to the General Assem- bly asking for a loan of $10,000 in order to erect the buildings necessary for opening the institution. The measure was placed under the charge of Davie, who was a member of the House for the Borough of Halifax. His speech in support of it is thus described by Judge Murphey in his address of 1826: "I was present in the House of Commons when Davie addressed that body upon the bill granting a loan of money to the Trustees for erecting the buildings of the University, and although more than thirty years have since elapsed, T have the most vivid recol- lection of the greatness of his manner and the powers of his eloquence on that occasion." The appeal was successful. The loan was afterwards converted into a gift — the only appropria- tion ever made from the State Treasury until the annuity of $5,000, granted in 1881, with the exception of $7,000 for the suffering officers soon after the Civil War.

This loan was not secured without a struggle. There were many members who believed that the people's money should not be expended for any purpose other than the prevention and punishment of crime, settling disputes among citizens and other similar governmental functions. The vote was 57 to 53 in the House of Commons and 28 to 21 in the Senate. Among those

l8 HISTORY UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROUNA.

who supported the measure in the House were Messrs. Richard Blackledge and John Lanier of Beaufort, David Stone of Ber- tie, Joseph McDowell, Jr., of Burke, David Vance of Burke, Thomas Cranberry of Gates, Wm. E. Lord and Benjamin Smith of Brunswick, Richard Benbury of Chowan, Willis Als- ton of Halifax, Ebenezer Slade of Martin, Timothy Bloodworth of New Hanover. The affirmative Senators were Joseph Mc- Dowell (Quaker Meadows) of Burke, Cautier of Bladen, F. Campbell of Cumberland, Carney of Craven, Charlton of Bertie, Dauge of Camden, Kennedy of Beaufort, Humphries of Curri- tuck, Reddick of Gates, Eborn of Hyde, Gray of Johnston, Har- gett of Jones, Dixon of Lincoln, Mayo of Martin, Person of Granville, Sneed of Onslow, Ben ford of Northampton, Skinner of I^erquimans, Moye of Pitt, Williams of Richmond, Willis of Robeson, Singleton of Rutherford, Lane of Wake, Macon of Warren, Swann of Pasquotank, Dickens of Caswell, Johnson of (county doubtful).

Opposed to the hill were Wade of Anson, Bell of Carteret, J. Stewart of Chatham, Tyson of Moore, Graham of Mecklen- burg, J. A. Campbell of New Hanover. Turner of Montgomery, Quails of Halifax, Wynns of Hertford, Hill of Franklin, Winston of Stokes, Clinton of Sampson, Bcrger of Rowan, Griffin of Nash, Galloway of Rockingham, Edwards of Surry, Hodge of Orange, Wood of Randolph, Gillespie of Guilford, Caldwell of Iredell, Phillips of Edgecombe. A very few did not vote, among them, Wm. Lenoir, it not being the custom for the Speaker to vote except in case of a tie. On inspecting the list it will be found that three of the affirmative Senators, Stone, Hargett and Lane, were on the Committee of Location, Reddick was for eleven years Speaker of the Senate, Dixon and Lane ^ere Trustees. Of the opponents Hodge and Stewart would have probably voted differently if they had foreseen the location ill Orange, near the Chatham line. It is surprising to see New Hanover, noted for its liberality, in this column. Doubtless Campbell misrepresented his constituents. It is equally sur- prising to see General Thomas Wynns and General Joseph Gra- ham opposing higher education. The mistake of Graham is amply atoned for by the constant and active friendship to the University of his broad-minded sons and grandsons.

THK LOCATION. 19

It was not until January, 1792, that further steps were taken to select the University site. On that day a resolution was passed appointing Judge John Williams, General Thomas Per- son, General Alexander Mebane, Colonel John Macon, Colonel Benjamin Williams, Colonel Joel Lane, and General Alfred Moore, or any three of them, to examine the "most proper and eligible situations whereon to fix the University, in the coun- ties of Wake, Franklin, Warren, Orange, Granville, Chatham and Johnston,'' and ascertain the terms on which such situation can be bought and report to the next meeting. Probably the committee failed to act, as no report was made by them. Ac- tion under the resolutions was not had, by common consent a different method being deemed advisable.

The Location.

A second resolution was passed that the Board meet at Hills- borough on the 1st of August, 1792, in order to determine the location, and that due notice be given to each Trustee.

At the time and place appointed the attendance of members proved the interest taken in the question. There were present 25 Trustees out of 40. The largest number in these days of easy railroading is 39 out of 80, in 1885, when six professors were elected. Such patriotic sacrifice of comfort in the heated dog-days deserves to be recorded. Those who answered to the roll-call were as follows :

Alexander Martin, Governor, of Guilford; Hugh William- son, the historian, of Chowan ; Benjamin Williams, afterwards (lovemor, of Moore; John Sitgreaves, Judge United States District Court, of Craven ; Fred. Hargctt, State Senator, of Jones ; Richard Dobbs Spaight, the elder, elected Governor that year, of Craven ; William H. Hill, member of the Legislature and of Congress, of New Hanover : James Hogg, merchant, of Cumberland : Samuel Ashe, then Judge, afterwards Governor, of New Hanover ; John Hay, lawyer, of Cumberland : William Barry Grove, member of Congress, of Cumberland : Col. Wm. Polk, member of the Legislature, then of Mecklenburg ; Judge John Williams, of Granville: Alexander Mebane, afterwards member of Congress, of Orange; Joel Lane, member of the Senate, of Wake : Alfred Moore, then member of the Legisla-

20 HISTORY UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROUNA.

ture, afterwards Judge of the Supreme Court, of Brunswick; Willie Jones, of Halifax ; Benjamin Hawkins, Senator in Con- gress, of Warren; John Haywood, State Treasurer, then of Edgecombe; Rev. Dr. Samuel E. McCorkle, a distinguished preacher and teacher, of Rowan; William Richardson Davie, afterwards Governor, of Halifax ; Joseph Dixon, State Senator, afterwards member of Congress, of Lincoln ; Joseph McDowell, Jr., member of the Legislature, of Burke ; William Porter, mem- ber of the Legislature, of Rutherford; Adlai Osbome, Clerk of the Superior Court of his county, a well-read and influential man, of Rowan.

According to localities, counting New Hanover as an eastern county, and Cumberland, Warren and Guilford as middle coun- ties, there were ten eastern, nine middle and six western trus- tees.

Willie Jones submitted a motion, which was adopted, that the Board would not select any particular spot, but would choose by ballot a place with liberty of locating within fifteen miles thereof.

The places in nomination were as follows : Raleigh, in Wake County; Williamsboro, in Granville County; Hillsboro, in Orange County; Pittsboro, in Chatham County; Cyprett's Bridge, over New Hope, in Chatham; Smithfield, in Johnston County ; Goshen, in Granville County.

The Board proceeded to ballot and Cyprett's or Cipritz^s Bridge, now Prince's Bridge, on the ^ reat road from New Bern by Raleigh to Pittsboro, was chosen. The fifteen miles radius allowed a range over wide areas of Chatham, Wake and Orange ; from the highlands of New Hope to the hills of Buck- horn ; from the Hickory Mountain to the eminence overlooking: our beautiful capital on the west. The same influences which secured that the capital s^iuld be located within ten miles of Isaac Hunter's plantation, in Wake County, that is. as near the centre of the State as possible, carried this vote.

On the 4th of August, 1792, the Board adopted an ordinance to carry into efFect the selection of the University site within the circle described. One commissioner from each judicial district was appointed by ballot. There were from the Mor-

THK irOCATION. 21

ganton District, Wm. Porter, of Rutherford; the Salisbury District, John Hamilton, of Guilford; the Hilisboro District, Alex. Mebane, of Orange; the Halifax District, Willie Jones, of Halifax; the Edenton District, David Stone, of Bertie; the New Bern District, Frederick Hargett, of Jones ; the Wilming- ton District, William H. Hill, of New Hanover; the Fayette- ville District, James Hogg, of Cumberland. They were to meet in Pittsboro on November i, 1792, prepared to visit in person all places deemed eligible.

At the appointed time a majority convened in Pittsboro, viz. : Hargett, Mebane, Hogg, Hill, Stone, and Jones. It was an ex- cellent committee. Senator Hargett, a Revolutionary captain, had already assisted as commissioner in locating and laying out the city of Raleigh. Alexander Mebane had been a mem- ber of the Convention which framed the State Constitution and a useful officer of the Revolutionary army. He had long served the county of Orange in the State Legislature, and the year after this was elected to the Congress of the United States. James Hogg was an influential merchant, afterwards of Hills- borough, among whose descendants are the Binghams, Nor- woods. Webbs. Hoopers, and others. Wm. H. Hill, a descend- ant of Governor Yeamans, was an able lawyer of Wilmington, after\\'ards State Senator and member of Congress. Dayid Stone, then a member of the House of Commons from Bertie, afterwards Governor and Senator of the United States, was a veil educated and accomplished young man. Willie Jones was one of the most active and influential men of the Revolutionary and post-Revolutionary periods, as Chairman of the Committee of Safety, wielding executive authority in 1776, a member of the Continental Congress, likewise a commissioner to select the site for the seat of government.

We have the journal of these Commissioners, eivine a brief account of their labors amongf the wooded hills oit Chatham and Oranee in the early davs of November, when the forests were clothed with their changrine hues of nisset and o^reen, Nd and crimson, when the sauirrels chattered in the hickories and the deer peered curiouslv throu<^h the thick underwood, and the hosoi table farmers welcomed them with heart v preet-

22 HISTORY UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROUNA.

ings, and the good ladies brought out their foamiest cider and sweetest courtesies, while on the sideboard, according to the bad customs of that day, stood decanters of dark-hued rum and ruddy apple brandy and the fiery juice of the Indian com, which delights to flow in the shining of the moon. I g^ve some extracts from the report submitted by the Chairman, Senator Hargett, as it is more satisfactory to have the narration in the language of the old soldier who saw bloody service under Washington.

PiTTSBORO, Yov. 1st, 1792. Sundry commissioners appointed by the board of trustees of the University of North Carolina to view the country within fifteen miles of Cypret's bridge, and to fix on the seat of the University, met accord- ing to the order of the board, to- wit: Frederick Harget, Alexander Mebane, James Hogg, William Hill, David Stone, and Willie Jones.

l^ovemher 2nd.

Appointed Frederick Harget Chairman; proceeded to view the Cuni Spring belonging to Philip Meroney; also Matthew Jones's, John Men- toe's, and Matthew Ramsey's lands (near Pittsboro). and received their proposals. Sundry gentlemen of the county of Chatham offered further donations to the amount of four hundred and odd pounds, (exclusive of £1302 offered as a donation to the board at Hillsboro), provided the University was fixed at the fork of Haw and Deep rivers; and Ambrose Kamsey, Patrick St. Lawrence, George Lucas, John Mebane, Pantharoup Harman and Thomas Stokes, guaranteed to the amount of £1,500; they having all the subscriptions to themselves, provided the University was established in the aforesaid fork.

l^ovtmhcr 3rd.

Proceeded to view Richard Kennan's place, and Lasseter's Hill, and received the proposals of the respective proprietors.

Hovemher 4th.

Mr. David Stone absent. The other commissioners proceeded to Cap- tain Edwards* and the widow Edwards' places, on the north side of Haw River, and received proposals.

l^ovemher 6th.

Viewed Tignal Jones' place, commonly called "Parker's." No pro- posals were offered by the proprietor; but Tignal Jones, junior, and Robert Ck)bb offered a donation of 500 acres of land adjoining the place.

Willie Jones handed to the commissioners an offer of Col. Joel Lane, of (J40 acres near Nathaniel Jones', at the cross-roads, in Wake County, provided the University was fixed at said Nathaniel Jones'. Then pro- ceeded to view New Hope Chapel Hill, in Orange County.

THK LOCATION. 23

November 6th. Received offers of donations of land to the amount of 1^290 acres of land, eight hundred and forty of which lie on Chapel Hill or adjoining thereto, and the remainder within four or live miles or thereabouts.

November 7th, 8th, and 9th. Received also subscriptions for donations in money to the amount of £798, or thereabouts; but it must be observed these donations, both land and money are conditional ; that is to say that the University shall be established on Chapel Hill for the seat of the University. Same day several persons executed deeds for their respective land-donations to the University, viz:

Col. Jno. Hogan for 200 acres No. 1

Mr. Benj. Yergan " 61 do " 2

Mr. Matthew McCauley " 150 do " 3

Mr. Alex. Piper " 20 do " 4

Mr. Jam« Craig " 6 do " 5

Mr. Christ'r Barbee " 221 do " 6

Mr. Edmund Jones " 200 do " 7

Mr. Mark Morgan ex't'd bond

with surety to convey " 107 do " 8

Mr. John Daniel executed bond

with surety to convey " 107 do " 9

Mr. Hardy Morgan, deed " 126 do "10

1,180

Mr. Thomas Connelly, who subscribed 100 acres, or thereabouts, and Mr. William McCauley, who subscribed 100 acres, could not immediately convey, but have promised to execute deeds and deliver them to Mr. Junes Hogg, who will transmit to the board.

Mr. John Hogan entered into contract to make and deliver 160,000 bricb at 40c. per hund. as per contract.

Mr. Hogan also presented proposals for leasing some of the land on Chapel Hill, which are submitted to the board.

Mr. Edmund Jones made proposals for supplying plank and lumber, which are presented to the board.

Frederick Haroet,

Chairman, James Hogg, Alex. Mebane, Wm. H. Hill.

The board taking the foregoing into consideration concurred therewith.

This report shows that, not discouraged at having failed to secure the location of the seat of government at what is now

24 HISTORY UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROUNA.

the village of Haywood, at the confluence of Haw and Deep Rivers, a determined eflfort was made to secure the University at the same point. If it had met with success our boys could add boat races to our athletic contests. The land speculators of one hundred years ago bought lots in this town of paper in the confident belief that it was destined to be a commercial and manufacturing city, but Haywood has taken its place by the side of Brunswick, Bath and other vanished or dwarfed "boom-towns" of the past.

Notice also that Joel Lane, having secured the location of the capital on part of his broad acres, sought ineffectually to cap- ture the University. This shows the combination which carried the vote for Cypritt's Bridge as the centre of the circle inside of which its home should be. Lane had been a Halifax man and was a warm friend of Davie and of Willie Jones. The influ- ence of these three, together with that of the Cape Fear Trus- tees, was greater than any other locality could command.

Let me describe the spot selected more particularly, as it appeared to the eyes of the Commissioners.

The construction of railroads has made a wonderful change in the relative importance of our public highways. In the old days those who made tobacco rolled it away to Petersburg, little wheels being attached to the hogsheads. Those who made corn generally converted it into hogs and drove them on foot to Philadelphia or Charleston. Wheat was ground into flour and sent by wagon to distant markets — to Fayetteville, Wilmington, New Bern, and Petersburg, and the villages by the way. The corn and rye not fed to swine were changed to whiskey and the fruit into brandy, and that which escaped the capacious throats of the neighborhood drinkers was peddled along the road to the rural drinkers or sold in bulk to the village shops. In violation of all rules of political economy a man was at the same time an agriculturist, a manufacturer, a transporter, a wholesale merchant, a retailer and a voracious consumer.

The returning wagons carried home supplies of molasses and sugar, iron and salt, shot and powder and flints, not forget- ting the ribbons and combs and such paraphernalia that ladies

THE LOCATION. 2$

in all ages will obtain to gild the refined gold of their personal chamis. They were the vehicles also of the news of the day, there being no post-office nearer than Tarboro. The wonder- ing neighbors heard from these drivers what was going on in the big world — that Washington had consented to accept a second term of the Presidency, that the heads of the King and Queen of France had rolled into the guillotine basket, that the allied armies had been driven back from the Rhine; and then what has proved to be of more importance than all the vic- tories of the armies or the discrowning of kings that a Yankee schoolmaster, named Whitney, had invented a machine for picking seed out of cotton; and every old lady paused in the musical whir of her spinning-wheel to listen to the astounding intelligence, not more than three months old, that in the old country a man named Arkwright was spinning yarn by water power, and more incredible still a preacher, named Cartwright, was weaving cloth by wood and iron instead of human muscle. From these causes the roads of those days, though over them rolled no modem carriages or effeminate buggies, or bicycles, or horse-scaring automobiles, frequently resounded with the heavy wheels of the covered wagons ; and the cross-roads were places of importance where wagoners and the neighbors met for business and social enjoyments, listened to political speeches, and more rarely to homely but heart-stirring sermons.

The great roads from Petersburg to Pittsboro and the coun- try beyond, and from New Bern towards Greensboro and Salisbur\' crossed on this eminence. At the northeast comer of the cross was a chapel of the Church of England, a sad relic of the futile efforts to establish a church in North Caro- lina. The locality was called New Hope Chapel Hill or the Hill of New Hope Chapel. The eminence is a promontory of gn'anite. belonging to the Laurentian system, and extends into the sandstone formation to the east, which was once the bed of a long sheet of water stretching from near New York to the centre of Georgia. We have in our Museum pieces of rock formed from the mud and sand at the bottom of this old bay, on which are ripple marks of the waves and prints of the plants and animals that grew in its shallows. It was on

2b HISTORY UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROUNA.

this plateau, elevated 250 feet above the cotintry on the east, 503 feet above the ocean, then as now celebrated for its magnifi- cent forests of oak and hickory, its springs of cool and purest water, its pleasant, mudless, dustless soil, its genial, healthful climate, on whose hillsides the mountain Hora blossom, that the home of the University was fixed.

We are fortunate in having a contemporary description of the site in Davie's own words, when he was full of enthusiasm after eating his dinner, according to tradition, under the old poplar which bears his name.

"The seat of the University is on the summit of a very high ridge. There is a very gentle declivity of 300 yards to the village, which is situated in a handsome plain, considerably lower than the site of the public buildings, but so greatly ele- vated above the surrounding country as to furnish an extensive and beautiful landscape, composed of the heights in the vicinity of Eno, Flat and Little Rivers."

"The ridge appears to commence about half a mile directly east of the building, where it rises abruptly several hundred feet. This peak is called Point Prospect. The flat country spreads out below like the ocean, giving an immense hemis- phere in which the eye seems lost in the extent of space."

"There is nothing more remarkable in this extraordinary place than the abundance of springs of the purest and finest water, which burst from the side of the ridge, and which have been the subjects of admiration both to hunters and travelers ever since the discovery and settlement of this part of the country."

It will be noticed that the name Point Prospect has been changed to "Piney" Prospect. In old times point was pro- nounced a pint, and the change was natural, especially as the hill has pines growing on it and masses of these trees are the chief features of the scenery. I add that the water flowing from these springs into the creeks north and south of us have created an endless variety of hill and dale, with surprising wealth of flora, even the rhododendron of the mountains, which Gray stated until Dr. Simonds showed him our plant, could not grow below T.800 feet.

the donors of xhb site. 27

The Donors of the Site.

Nearly all of these donors were part of that band of im- migrants, which leaving Pennsylvania sought on the waters of the Haw, the Deep, the Yadkin, and the Catawba a more peaceful home, one farther removed from warring Indians and scheming Frenchmen in the countries bordering on the Alle- ghany and the Monongahela. They were of plain, honest, un- ambitious stock, possibly more moved to their generosity by the hope of increasing the value of the broad acres retainea by them than by love of letters and far-seeing patriotism.

Most of what I know of their history I derived from my most intelligent friend, the late Captain John R. Hutchings, whose farm lies in full view from Piney Prospect on the extreme right.

Col. John Hogan was an officer of the Revolution, in the militia service, which was arduous and perilous, especially when Cornwallis' headquarters were at Hillsboro and armed bands of British and Tories were harrying the central counties. His residence was in the county of Randolph, and his descendants are in that and Davidson counties. One of them was the esti- mable wife of Dr. Wm. R. Holt, a President of the North Carolina Agricultural Society and the introducer of Devon cat- tle and other blooded stock into the valley of the Yadkin. She was the nearest relation to the benefactress of the University, Man- Ruffin Smith.

Matthew and William McCaulev were of the few who came over directly from the north of Ireland. They were from the county of Antrim. According to tradition Matthew, when a )'outh, became involved in one of the numerous insurrections against British rule, and, concealed in a hogshead, was shipped as freight to the colonies in the new world. Settling on Mor- gan's Creek he, by industry and skill, succeeded in buying much land and establishing a mill on that creek of such wide celeb- rity that the roads in the neighborhood were marked off by the number of miles to it. He owned also a blacksmith shop, which met with a large patronage in the days when nails and horse- shoes were made by hand. His dwelling still stands, low- pitched, high-roofed, with small windows on the old Hillsboro and Pittshoro road. The mill has gone to decay.

28 HISTOKY UNIVERSITY UF NOKTH CAROUNA,

Matthew McCauley was thrown on his own resources before having an opportunity to procure book education, but was a very intelligent man and good citizen. A story told on him seems to prove the truth of the statement that '*there are no snakes in Ireland." Shortly after his arrival in Orange County he was struck by the beauty of a rattlesnake which crossed his path. He caught it, fortunately around the neck, and carried it to an old lady with the inquiry, "what is this pretty beast?" Following the terrified advice of the lady he succeeded in throwing it away so as to escape its poisonous fangs. Another story was considered very mirthful in the old days. A neighbor made him a gift of a pair of snuffers, most useful when home-made tallow candles were in vogue. He carried them home in triumph, and when the light became dim snuffed the candle with his fingers as usual and deposited the charred end of the wick in the snuffers with the triumphant remark that it was very **usiary," (useful).

He was a faithful soldier in the Revolutionary army. The General Assembly raised the grades of officers of the line, so that he was after the war a captain, but on the roster of Conti- nental officers he is placed as first lieutenant of the loth Regi- ment of Continental troops, his commission being dated April 19, 1777, Abraham Shepard being his colonel. While engaged under orders in recruiting service he was captured by the Tories and imprisoned for three months. Such was his hatred of Tories that even in old age, though of only medium size, he was eager to pick a quarrel and fight with any of that party whom he chanced to meet.

He left many children. One of his sons settled in Kentucky. Another, a lawyer, William by name, was a student and then steward of the University. William left two sons, one of them, Samuel, was once Mayor of Monroe : the other, Charles Mau- rice Talleyrand McCauley, was a gallant captain in the Con- federate army, a good lawyer and, as Senator from Union in the General Assembly, was always a supporter of the institu- tion, which his grandfather helped to provide. A grandson, bearing the honored name of Matthew McCauley, resides on a part of the old plantation, though not in the old home.

THB DONORS OF THE SITE. 29

William McCauley, a brother of the first Matthew, lived a few miles west of Chapel Hill in the district called the **Great Meadows/' a leader in his county. He is the ancestor of the prosperous merchant of Chapel Hill, David McCauley, who is also a descendant of Matthew McCauley, by the **spindle,'' i. e., female line. William was a member of the lower house of the General Assembly during most of the Revolutionary War, and of the Senate from 1784 to 1788 inclusive. The con- fidence of the people of Orange was further shown to him by sending him as a delegate to the Convention of 1788 held at Hillsborough, which postponed the ratification of the Consti- tution of the United States. In common with the rest of the Orange delegates he voted for the postponement.

Benjamin Yeargin was a son of the Rev. Andrew Yeargin, a Methodist preacher in Virginia and North Carolina, after whom the first Methodist church in Virginia, Yeargan's Chapel, was named. Benjamin was a worthy farmer, owning the land for a long distance along Bowlin's Creek. He was also the schoolmaster of the neighborhood. His mill, part of the mudsill still in situ, at a. romantic defile called Glenburnie, was the first in the southern part of Orange County. His dwelling-house was near the creek. The northern part of his land is the farm owned by Mr. Oregon Tenney, and in it boarded President Polk, Judge William H. Battle and other students who preferred to walk nearly two miles over the rough hills rather than take meals at Steward's Hall. One of his sons, Mark Morgan Yeargin, was a student of the l^ni- versity in 1807, and settled at Henderson in Kentucky. His descendants are now over many States, principally North Car- olina, Tennessee and Kentucky. Two of them, Leonidas Hillary Yeargan. of New York, and Hillary H. L. Yeargan, M.D., of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, have published a neat book- let-^he origin and genealogy of the Yeargan family from 1730 to 1890.*

Christopher Barbee, familiarly known as "Old Kit," one of the largest landowners of this county, had his residence on a commanding eminence called The Mountain, three miles

*The Dame was spelt differently by different members of the family, Yeargin, Yeargan, Yeargon.

30 HISTORY UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA.

east of the village of Chapel Hill. He was a familiar figure for many years, said Dr. Charles Phillips, riding into the village on horseback with a little negro behind him, his destination being his blacksmith shop on Main street. He had two sons, William and Willis. William increased an estate already considerable, and at one time represented the county in the Legislature. Willis was a physician in the same neighborhood, after being a student of the University in 1818. One of the granddaughters of William Barbec married Wm. R. Kenan, of Wilmington. Their son was a recent student and instructor in the University. A great-grandson, William I>. Stewart, was a graduate in 1881, and another, John Guthrie, was a student in 1896. A grandson, Belfield William Cave, was a graduate of 1848; and another, William F. Hargrave, was a student in 1866. The mill at the foot of the upper Laurel Hill, to which so many pilgrimages are made by young men and maidens, was known for many years as Barbee's Mill, and then Cave's Mill, after the name of one of his sons-in-law.

The land on which the mill just mentioned was built was in 1792 the property of John Daniel, another of the donors. His residence was on the road between the mill and the village, and the grave of the owner is very near it. He was the sur- veyor for the Trustees, and his map of the l^niversity lands and vicinity is in our archives. After his death his family moved to the Mississippi Territory, now State.

Mark Morgan, one of the earliest settlers, lived on his lands, bought of Earl Granville, three miles southeast of the village, the land reaching to the summit of New Hope Chapel Hill. Of his two sons John moved west in 1823, and Solomon lived and died on the homestead. Half of his land, about 800 acres, including the homestead, descended to his daughter, Mary Elizabeth, the wife of Rev. James Pleasant Mason. She be- queathed it to the University to found a fund in memory of her daughters, Martha and Varina, who died within a month of one another just after buddinr into womanhood.

In the latter part of his life. Solomon, who had been a man of neighborhood prominence, a Justice of the Peace, became feeble-minded and a guardian of his property was appointed

THE DONORS OF THE SITE. 3I

He was allowed to have a horse of his own, and on one occa- sion swapped horses with a traveler, obtaining in exchange a noble black much superior to his own. Discovering that he had been overreached the trader endeavored to procure a re- scission of the trade, and on Solomon's refusal threatened to appeal to his guardian. **Oh," said Solomon, "my guardian was appointed to keep people from cheating me and not to keep me from cheating them." And he kept his horse. It was his son Samuel who, when under conviction of his sins in consequence of the eloquent preaching at a revival, was heard, when on his knees in a solitary hay-loft, to utter this unique prayer, *'Oh, Lord ! they accuse Sam Morgan of doing this and that wicked thing, but. Oh Lord ! it's a d — d lie."

Hardy Morgan was the brother of Mark. His lands lay on Uowlin's Creek, east of the village, now the property of Robert F. Strowd. The son, Samuel, who inherited the home place is described as '*one of nature's noblemen," so free from guile as to lose nearly all his property by becoming surety for Sheriff Nat King who fled to Tennessee after bankrupting his friends. ' hie of his slaves, Tom. having been bought by a trader who designed to carry him to the Southwest for sale, ran away and for several years had two hiding places, one a cave on Morgan's Creek and the other in a very thick copse of wood near his old master's residence, under the lee of overhanging rocks. Rough Wrds leaning against the rocks made a dismal shelter from the rain. Under them was a shoemaker's bench and a pile of leaves for his couch. He lived partly by robbery, partly by food brought by his mother, whose cabin was near, but on the opposite side of the hill. There seemed to be little desire to molest him until he began to break into the stores of the village m search for meat. Then a posse was summoned for his cap- ture. Marching through the forest at regular intervals — a pro- cess known as "beating the woods" — the men aroused him from his lair, and, on his refusal to stop when commanded, he was shot in the legs, captured and then sent south for sale. I have n^ver seen the cave on Morgan's Creek but visited the den in the woods the day after his capture. I remember the shoe- taker's bench and the fragments of leather, the scattered bones.

3? HISTORY UNIVISRSITY O^ NORTH CAROUNA.

relics of his solitary meals, and my young mind was shocked inexpressibly at the resemblance of poor Tom's habitation to the lair of a wild beast.

It is gratifying to know that the old age of Samuel Morgan was relieved by the acquisition of a competent livelihood in right of his wife. Allen, the other son of Hardy Morgan, was dissipated and he and his descendants became impoverished.

James Craig lived in the house still occupied by one of his descendants in the extreme western part of the village. He was a quiet, reserved, good man, so absent-minded that on one occasion he rode on horseback to New Hope church and then walked home about seven miles, forgetting that he had a horse, saddled and bridled, hitched near the church door. I heard President Andrew Johnson, in a speech delivered from President Swain's front steps, tell how, when on his way from Raleigh to seek his fortune in Tennessee, having walked from Raleigh, 28 miles, penniless and weary, he begged for a supper and a night's lodging at James Craig's. With softened voice he spoke of the cordial hospitality with which he was received, and how after abundant meals and a good night's rest he was cheered on his lonely journey by kind words and a full supply of food in his pockets.

For many years **Craigs," or "Fur (far) Craigs," as the place was called, to distinguish it from a Craig residence nearer the village, was a favorite boarding house for those not ad- verse to long walks. Dr. Hooper tells in his "Fifty Years Since" how ambitious "spreads" of fried chicken and other dainties were served up to parties of students, seeking a change from the monotony of the ancient Commons. I remember that on one sad occasion a squad of unfortunates, among them one destined to be an eminent Confederate general, whose hands bore the signs of the presence of the dreaded sarcoptes scabei, were quarantined at this remote spot in sulphurous loneliness, under the sway of the terrible demon, "Old Scratch "

Two of James Craig's children lived to the advanced age of 84 or 85 years on the homestead. His son James ejaduated at the Universitv in 1816 in the class of John Y. Mason. Wm. Julius Alexander, and others. James Francis Craig, his grand-

LAYING THE CORNER STONE. 33

son, a student of the University in 1852, recently died on the old homestead. Another grandson, Wm. Harrison Craig, a graduate of 1868, is a successful lawyer in Arkansas.

Alexander Piper was a plain farmer who removed to Fayette County, Tennessee, many years ago.

Edmund Jones, a most valuable citizen in his county, was a soldier in the Revolutionary War. Marrying Miss Rachel Alston he settled as a farmer near Chapel Hill, but soon after the location of the University removed to Chatham County and established himself on Ephraim's Creek, on the present line of the Cape Fear and Yadkin Valley Railroad, midway between Siler City and Ore Hill. He is buried about twelve feet from the road. He died in 1834 at the age of 85 years. He left three sons, two of whom resided in North Carolina, and the third moved West. His descendants are scattered all over the South and Southwest. One of his sons, Atlas Jones, was an alumnus, then a tutor of the University, i8o4-'o6, then a Trus- tee. He was a lawyer of prominence and a member of the General Assembly from Moore County. A lawyer of much natural ability, but of irregular habits, often in the Legislature from Anson, noted for his power of discomforting opponents by humorous ridicule. Atlas Jones Dargan, was named after him.

Thomas Connelly was once owner of the Matthew McCauley mill tract. Seized by the fever for emigrating he removed to Georgia. He sold his Orange County possessions and his iiame has disappeared from this neighborhood. He was a Vir- ginian and married Miss Mary Price, of Norfolk, in that State. He died at the age of 82, leaving eleven sons and five daugh- ters, most of them married. His descendants are scattered from Georgia to Texas.

The Laying of the Cornerstone of the Old East

. BUIU)ING.

! The report of the Commissioners was referred to a com-

mittee consisting of Davie, McCor^kle, Jones. Ashe, and Sit-

. greaves. Jones, as chairman, reported an ordinance ratifying Aeir action, which was unanimously adopted. At a previous

3

34 HISTORY UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA.

meeting a committee of which Senator Hawkins was chairman, recommended the plan of a building 120 feet by 50, three stories high, with a dining-room on the first floor 40 feet by 30, and a public hall on the second and third floors of the same dimensions. This plan was for want of means not approved, and on motion of Davie the location and construction of a building sufficiently large to accommodate 50 students, and also the laying out the village of Chapel Hill and selling lots therein, were directed to be entrusted to seven commissioners, styled the Building Committee, to be elected by ballot.

The following were chosen: Alfred Moore, W. R. Davie, Fred. Hargett, Thomas H. Blount, Alexander Mebane, John Williams and John Haywood, certainly worthy of full confi- dence.

The committee reported, through John Haywood, at their meeting in Fayetteville in December, 1793. They had met in Hillsboro in April of that year and contracted with George Daniel, of Orange County, for making 350,000 bricks for 40 shillings ($4) per thousand. On the loth of August following they met at Chapel Hill, marked off sites for the buildings, "together with the necessary quantity of land for offices, ave- nues and ornamental grounds." They then laid off the village into lots. In addition to the beauty and natural advantages of the place, they reported that it is "happily accommodated to the introduction and direction of several important public roads, Avhich it is highly probable will in the future lead through it." They found that a tract of eighty acres, belonging to Hardy Morgan ran inconveniently near the buildings, and therefore bought it for $200. On the igth of July they con- tracted with James Patterson, of Chatham County, for erecting a two-storied brick building, 96 feet 7 inches long and 40 feet I 1-2 inches wide, for $5,000, the University to furnish the brick, sash weights, locks, hooks, favStcnings and painting. The building was to contain 16 rooms with four passages, and to be finished by the ist of November. 1794. The cornerstone was laid on the 12th of October. 1793, and on the same day the lots in the village, reserving a four-acre lot for a residence for the President, were sold for £1.534 ($3,168), payable in one and two years, good security being given. It was thought

I

MAYING THE CORiNER STONE. 35

that "the amount of the sales furnishes a pleasing and unde- niable proof of the high estimation in which the beautiful spot is held." The report is signed by Davie, Moore, Mebane, Blount, and Haywood, from which it is inferrible that Hargett and Williams did not act. The 8o-acre tract included the land east of the buildings next to the Raleigh road, which is prop- ably the oldest cleared land of the University site. There are traces on it of a cottage, which was probably tenanted at the time of the purchase.

The 1 2th of October was the date of many great events in the world's history — of the discovery of America by Columbus, of the birth of that grand evolution of Anglo-Norman- Ameri- can character, Robert E. Lee, and of our active, progressive, and able ex-President of the University, George Tayloe Win- ston. In the year 1877 it was made a holiday, University Day. General Davie, as Grand Master of the Free and Accepted <)rder of Masons, officiated, and Rev. Dr. Samuel E. Mc- Corckle delivered the address, on the occasion of the laying of thcf comer-stone.

We have fortunately an account of the proceedings of this <iay so memorable, written by Davie himself, the chief actor. I will endeavor to take the veil from this picture of long ago. and wipe off the dust which obscures it.

The Chapel Hill of 113 years ago was vastly different from the Chapel Hill of to-day. It was covered with a primeval growth of forest trees, with only one or two settlements and a few acres of clearing. Even the trees on the East and West Avenue, named Cameron by the Faculty in recognition of the w-^* and skillful superintendence by P. C. Cameron of the ex- tensive repairs of our buildings prior to the re-opening in 1875, v^ere still erect. The sweetgums and dogwoods and maples were relieving with their russet and golden hues the general Sreen of the forest. A long procession of people for the first time is marching along the narrow road, afterwards to be widened into a noble avenue. Many of them are clad in the striking, typical insignia of the Masonic Fraternity, their Grand Master arrayed in the full decorations of his rank. They march With military tread, because most of them have seen service, w»any scarred with wounds of horrid war. Their faces are

-^6 HISTORY UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROUNA.

serious, for they feel that they are engaged in a great work. They are proceeding to lay the foundations of an institution which for weal or woe is to shape the minds of thousands of unborn children; whose influence will be felt more and more, ever widening and deepening as the years roll on, as one of the great forces of civilization.

Let us transport ourselves in imagination and look on this strange procession and see if we can recognize any of them as they step firmly in the pleasant sunshine of the autumnal sun. •

The tall, commanding figure most conspicuous in the Grand Master's regalia is that of William Richardson Davie, whom I have heretofore described. The distinguished looking man, "small in statue, neat in his dress, elegant in his manner,'' next to Davie, is Davie's great rival, Alfred Moore. Judge Murphey gives us a vivid picture of him also : "His voice was clear and sonorous, his perception quick and judgment almost intuitive. His style was chaste and manner of speaking animated. Hav- ing adopted Swift for his model, his language was always plain. The clearness and energy of his mind enabled him al- most without an effort to disentangle the most intricate subject and expose it in all its parts to the simplest understanding. He spoke with ease and with force, enlivened his discourse with flashes of wit, and where the subject required it with all the bitterness of sarcasm. His speeches were short and impressive. When he sat down every one thought he had said everything he ought to have said." His learning and acquirements secured for him a seat on the bench of one of the most august tribunals in the world — the Supreme Court of the ITnited States.

In that procession appeared one too who had highest reputa- tion among his contemporaries as an enlightened lawyer, Wil- liam H. Hill, heretofore described, father of the brilliant young man whose death filled the whole Str.te with grief. Joseph A. Hill.

We next see one who was for many years the most popular man in North Carolina, John Haywood. For forty years — 1787 to 1827 — he was Treasurer of the State.. His hospitality was unbounded. He made it a rule to invite specially to an entertainment at his house at each session of the General As-

LAYINC. THE CORNER STONK. 37

sembly, which then met annually, every member. His kindness and charity were absolutely inexhaustible. In reading over the University records I find that for over thirty years he scarcely missed a meeting of the Board, whether held at Chapel Hill or Raleigh. His name is perpetuated not only by the memory of his distinguished sons, but by one of our loveliest mountain counties and by a neighboring town, which once aspired to be the capital of the State and site of the University.

Marching with Haywood was Gen. Alexander Mebane, of the old Scotch-Irish stock, who settled the Haw Fields in Ala- mance, something of whose history has been given.

In that procession was also John Williams, founder of Wil- liamsboro, in Granville County, whose strong, sturdy sense enabled him to step with short interval from the bench of the carpenter to the bench of the judge of the first court under the Constitution of 1776. He was likewise a member of the Congress of the Confederation.

Thomas Blount, member from Edgecombe, soon to enter Congress and to become an attached colleague of Nathaniel Macon, was likewise present.

Prominent in this procession was the venerable Hargett, Senator from Jones, plain, solid, but eminently trustworthy.

After these came other Trustees. Who they were, with the exception of McCorkle, we have no record.

After the Trustees march State officers, not Trustees ; among them Judge Spruce McKoy, of Salisbury, and doubtless John Taylor, the first Steward of the University, and the officers of the county ; and then followed the gentlemen of the vicinity, the donors of the land and their neighbors, and among them Patterson, of Chatham, the contractor for the building. Since that day we have had processions, year by year, on our Com- mencement days, and in their columns men learned and dis- tinguished in all the pursuits of life, but never has there been a procession more imposing than that which laid the cornerstone of the Old East, on the 12th day of October, 1793.

The orator of the day. Dr. Samuel E. McCorkle, was one of the most noted educators of that period. He was one of the sturdy Scotch-Irish, who made the north of Ireland famous throughout all lands for triumphs of intelligent industry and

38 HISTORY UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA.

thrift, whose glorious defence of Londonderry stands unexcelled in the annals of human valor and endurance; who gave to North Carolina many of its leaders in war and peace — Grahams and Jacksons, Johnstons, Brevards, Alexanders, Mebanes and hosts of others, but above all most of its faithful and zealous instructors of youth, such as Dr. Caldwell, of Guilford, and Dr. Caldwell, of the University, Dr. Ker and Mr. Harris, its first professors, and that progenitor of a line of able and cul- tured teachers and founder of a school eminent for nearly a century for its widespread and multiform usefulness, William Bingham, the first.

Dr. McCorkle was among the foremost of these. He was beyond his generation as a teacher. His school at Thyatira, six miles west of Salisbury, spread abroad not only classical learning but sound religious training. He attached to it a de- partment specially for teachers — the first normal school, I feel sure, in America. The first class which graduated at our Uni- versity consisted of seven members ; six of them had been pupils of Dr. McCorkle. And it is gratifying that one of the first graduates of the revived University was a relative of his, George McCorkle, of Catawba, the Chief Marshal of 1876.

The name Zion-Pamassus, which he gave to his school at Thyatira, shows how he combined the culture of the Bible and the culture of the Muses. The first Board of Trustees of the University was composed of the greatest men of the State, and among them — Senators, Governors, Judges of the Supreme Court of the United States and of the State — was Dr. Mc- Corkle, the solitary preacher and solitary teacher. He was one of the best friends the University had; worked for it, begged for it, preached for it. It was most fitting that he should deliver the first address at the University, to be followed by a long line of eloquent men.

We have a report of the address made by Dr. McCorkle on this momentous occasion. It is replete with wisdom and noble thoughts, and pioves that the estimation placed on him by the men of his day was fully earned.

"Observing on the natural and necessary connection between learning and religion, and the importance of religion to the

LAYING THe CORNER STONE. 39

promotion of national happiness and national undertakings,'^ he said,'^ "It is our duty to ackowledge that sacred scriptural truth, except the Lord build the house they labor in vain who build it. Except the Lord watcheth the city the watchman walketh but in vain." For my own part I feel myself prostrated with a sense of these truths, and this I feel not only as a min- ister of rehgion, but also as a citizen of the State — as a member of the civil as well as the religious society."

After laying doWn the proposition that the happiness of mankind is increased by the advancement of learning and science, the doctor observed, "Happiness is the centre to which all the duties of man and people tend. ... To diffuse the greatest possible degree of happiness in a given territory is the aim of good government and religion. Now the happiness of a nation depends on national wealth and national glory and cannot be gained without them. They in like manner depend on liberty and good laws. Liberty and laws call for general knowledge in the people and extensive knowledge in matters of the State, and these in turn demand public places of educa- tion. .. . How can any nation be happy without national wealth? How can that nation or man be happy that is not procuring and securing the necessary conveniences and accom- nwdations of life; ease without indolence and plenty without luxury or waste ? How can glor}' or wealth be procured with- out liberty and laws ? They must check luxury, encourage in- dustry and protect wealth. They must secure me the glory of my actions and save me from a bow-string or a bastille. And how are these objects to be gained without general knowledge? Knowledge is wealth — it is glory — whether among philoso- phers, ministers of State or religion, or among the great mass of the people. Britons glory in the name of Newton and have honored him with a place among the sepulchres of their kings. Americans glory in the name of Franklin, and every nation boasts of her great men. who has them. Savages cannot have, rather cannot educate them, though many a Newton has been bom and buried among them. Knowledge is liberty and law. When the clouds of ignorance have been dispelled by the radi- »»ce of knowledge power trembles, but the authority of the

40 HISTORY UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA

laws remain inviolable; and how this knowledge productive of SO many advantages to mankind can be acquired without pub- lic places of education I know not."

The eyes of the orator kindled as he looked into the future, **The seat of the University was next sought for," he said, "and the public eye selected Chapel Hill — a lovely situation in the centre of the State, at a convenient distance from the capi- tal, in a healthy and fertile neighborhood. May this hill be for religion as the ancient hill of Zion; and for literature and the muses, may it surpass the ancient Parnassus 1 We this day enjoy the pleasure of seeing the cornerstone of the University, its material and the architect for the building, and we hope ere long to see its stately walls and spire ascending to their summit. Ere long we hope to see it adorned with an elegant village, accommodated with all the necessaries and conveniences of civilized society."

"The discourse was followed by a short but animated prayer, closed with the united amen of an immense concourse of peo- ple."

We thank thee for thy golden words, thou venerable father of education in our State. On this foundation the University desires to rest, the enlightenment of the people, their instruc- tion not alone in secular learning but in religious truth, leading up to and sustaining liberty by demanding and shaping benefi- cent laws under which wealth may be accumulated and individ- ual happiness and national glory be secured, all sanctified by the blessings of God ; these are the objects, these are the methods, these are the good rewards of the University.

But the beginnings of the University were in troublous times. Its struggles were not only with want and penury, but with ignorance and prejudice and a wild spirit of lawlessness.

All the world was in a ferment. The passions of the era flamed across the ocean and enkindled sympathetic passions in our midst. Furious eflForts were made to force the United States into alliance with the French Republic. The vision of the sister democracies of the Old World and the New, marching shoulder to shoulder to plant in every capital the standard of universal freedom, and conquering together a universal peace,

LAYING THE CORNER STONE. 4I

aroused every sentiment of romantic philanthropy and quixotic gratitude.

The rage of parties was strong in North Carolina^ as else- where. It stood in the way of all measures for the advance- ment of the public good. It stimulated bad passions, prevented co-operation, divided the people into hostile camps. In the general excitement the cause of education was little regarded, and but for the wisdom of such men as Davie and Moore and Mebane and Haywood and Hill the new-born University would have been strangled in its infancy.

The population of the State was only about 400,000, of whom about 100,000 were slaves. The permanent seat of government had just been chosen. The city of Raleigh was located in 1792, the State-house was not finished until 1794. The inhabitants of the State lived remote from one another, and mutual inter- course was prevented not only by Ipng distances but by the execrable roads and the almost entire absence of spring vehicles. The two- wheeled sulky and stick-back gig were possessed by ' the better class, while only a few of the wealthiest could boast of the lumbering coach. Most traveling was on horseback, it being quite the fashion for the lady to sit behind the gentleman and steady herself by an arm around his waist.

The diffusion of intelligence through most of the regions of the State was by the chance traveler or the wagoner. In 1790 there were only 75 post-offices in all the Union, now there are over 70,000. There were only 1,875 rniles of post roads in all the Union, now there are over 400,000. Then there was only one letter to 17 people, now there are over 20 letters to each person. Then there were only 265,500 letters carried in a year; now there are largely over 1,000,000.000. Then the postage was from seven to 33 cents, according to distance ; now for two cents a letter will go with great certainty to the shores of the Pacific, e\'en to distant Alaska among the frozen latitudes. In his mes- sage to the Legislature of 1790 Governor Alexander Martin complained that there is only one mail route in the State, and that runs only through the seaboard towns ; that only a few inhabitants derive advantage from that establishment in com- parison to the general bulk of the people of the interior coun-

42 HISTORY UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROUNA.

try. Five years afterwards Prof. Harris, when a weekly mail had been established, writes, "Our news at this place (Chapel Hill) has given us more trouble and disappointment than in- formation. 1 joined Mr. Ker, acting president, in getting Browne's daily paper, but it has not arrived by the two last posts, and if it does not come more regularly we must discon- tinue it." The old records show that it was a common practice to send a special messenger, called an **express," when impor- tant communication became necessary between the University authorities and the Trustees.

The state of education was at a low ebb. There were no public schools and few private schools. I am fortunately able to give information on this subject from Judge Archibald Murphey, an early student of the University ; after his gradua- tion one of its professors. He says: "Before this University came into operation in 1795 there were not more than three schools in the State in which the rudiments of a classical edu- cation could be acquired. The most prominent and useful of these schools was kept by Mr. David Caldwell, of Guilford County. He initiated it shortly after the close of the war and continued it for more than thirty years. The usefulness of Dr. Caldwell to the literature of the State will never be suffi- ciently appreciated, but the opportunities of instruction in the school were very limited. There was no library attached to it. His students were supplied with a few of the Greek and Latin classics, Euclid's Elements of Mathematics and Martin's Natural Philosophy. Moral Philosophy was taught from a syllabus of lectures by Dr. Witherspoon in Princeton College. The students had no books on history or miscellaneous liter- ature. There were very few indeed in the State, except in the libraries of lawyers who lived in the commercial towns. I well remember that after completing my course of studies under Dr. Caldwell, I spent nearly two years without finding any books to read except old works on theological subjects. At length I accidentally met with Voltaire's History of Charles XII. of Sweden, and an odd volume of Smollett's Roderick Random and an abridgement of Don Quixote. These books gave me a taste for reading which I had no opportunity of gratifying

LAYING THE CORNER STONE. 43

until I became a student of the University in 1796 Few of Dr. Caldwell's students had better opportunities of getting books than myself, and with those slender opportunities of in- struction it is not at all surprising that so few have become eminent in the liberal professions. At this day (1827) when libraries are established in all our towns, when every profes- sional man and every respectable gentleman has a collection of books, it is difficult to conceive the inconvenience under which young men labored thirty or forty years ago." And yet there were men who, like Judge Murphey, conquered all these difficulties and rose, conspicuous for learning and science.

I am satisfied that Judge Murphey was mistaken as to the number of classical schools. There were others, but very far from being sufficient to supply the needs of the State.

Tht North American Review in 1821 said that, "In an ardent and increasing zeal for the establishment of schools and acade- mies for several years past, we do not believe North Carolina has been outdone by a single State. The academy at Raleigh was founded in 1804, previously to which there were only two institutions of the kind in the State. The number at present is nearly forty, and is rapidly increasing. Great pains are taken to procure the best instructors from different parts of the country, and we have the besl authority for our opinion, that in no part of the Union are the interests of education better under- stood and under better regulation than in the middle counties of North Carolina. The schools for females are particularly cdebrated and are much resorted to from Georgia, South Caro- lina and Virginia. In the year 1816 the number of students at academies within the compass of forty miles amounted to more than one thousand."

Soon after the laying of the cornerstone of the Old East, the President's dwelling was begim. This was located opposite to the present Commons Hall, and is now occupied by Prof. Gore. It was the residence of Professor Ker, then of Professor Gil- ^)ie ; then for some years of President Caldwell. In the year 1807 he married the widow of William Hooper, son of the signer of the Declaration of Independence, who had removed from Hillsboro to Chapel Hill in order to educate her sons ; he

44 HISTORY UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA.

then removed to her residence at the southeast comer of Frank- lin and Hillsboro streets. This caused the "President's house" to become the residence of professors.

Sale of Village Lots.

After the ceremonies of laying the cornerstone, was had the sale of villages lots. A careful inspection of the map of the town preserved among the Harris papers and of the deeds given by the Commissioners of sale show clearly the plan. A broad avenue, called the Grand Avenue, 290 feet wide, being the dis- tance between the eastern side of the East Building and the western side of the West Building, was laid out on paper, ex- tending from the north front of the South Building north- wardly to the limits of the University land, considerably beyond the present village school-house. Person Hall (Old Chapel) was located to front on this avenue.

Another avenue about 150 feet wide was designed to extend from the South Building eastwardly to Piney Prospect. The lots on both sides of Franklin or Main street, with the excep- tion of those included in the Grand Avenue, were squares of two acres each, as were also those along Columbia Avenue. These two-acre lots were numbered i to 24; those west of Columbia Avenue, beginning at the south, being numbers i, 3, 5, 7 ; those on the east being 2, 4, 6, 8 ; the two latter as well as 5 and 7 being on Franklin street. To the east of 6 on Frank- lin street were the odd numbers 9 to 23, the spaces occupied by Grand Avenue and Raleigh street not being included ; that at the southeast corner of Franklin and Raleigh streets being No. 19. Similarly on the north side of Franklin street from No. 8, usually known as the Hargrave lot, to the east are the even numbers 10 to 24; that known as the Thompson lot being No. 18.

Besides these there were five lots of four acres each, Nos. I and 2 being the lots from Commons Hall to the Pittsboro road. Nos. 3 and 4 being east and west of Grand Avenue and north of Rosemary street, No. 5 being east of Hillsboro street and north of Rosemary, and No. 6 being the Battle lot, touched by no street, evidently set apart for sale because a spring was within its h'mits.

SALE OF TOWN LOTS. 45

The campus, then called ornamental grounds, was planned to be far larger than at present. It was a square, extending eastwardly to the front line of No. 6 four-acre' lot, and, the same distance into the forest on the south, beyond the old brickyard. The general changes in the plan have been the re- stricting of the campus into its present stone-wall limits and the sale of that part of the Grand Avenue which lies north of Franklin street. The first encroachment was a Union church, called the village chapel, for holding religious services on Sun- day nights, on Franklin street about the middle of Grand Avenue, the professors contributing the major part of the building ftmd. In the course of time the lot on which it was situated was sold to the Presbyterians for their church, and the lots to the west of it were disposed of for various purposes. The old village chapel was moved northward and was recently the town school-house. Another portion of Grand Avenue was bought by the Methodists as a site for their church, and, when they concluded to build another, some northern Congregation- alists bought it for a school and church for the colored. It has since been sold into private hands.

Long afterwards, about 1830, when Gerrard Hall was built, the authorities of that day had a quixotic notion to force the University to turn its back to the village and its face towards the south, a stately east and west avenue to run from the Ra- kigh to the Pittsboro road. The southern porch of Gerrard Hall, recently taken down, is a memento of this abortive pro- ject

It is interesting to read the list of purchasers at the sale of 1793. I regret that I have been unable to find the number of the lots each purchased, but by the researches of Mr. S. M. Gattis I can give fair specimens. The last descendant of an original purchaser who continued to hold the land bought was Mrs. Mary Kenan, of Wilmington, wife of Wm. R. Kenan, whose mother, Mrs. Jesse Hargrave, was a granddaughter of Christopher Barbee. She has recently sold it. The following is the list of purchasers, the terms of sale being twelve months' credit:

46 HISTORY UNIVERSITY OF NORTU CAROLINA.

Christopher Barbee £105.10 $211.

Win. Hayes £ 60.6 100.60

John Daniel 28. 56.

Samuel Hopkins, No. 14 33. 66.

Hardy Morgan, No. 12 76. 160.

Edmund Jones, No. 13 100. 200.

George Johnston, No. 11 71. 142 .

Nathaniel Christmas 40. 80.

Alfred Moore, No. 17 32. 64.

Charles Collier 67. 134.

Stephen Gapins 40. 10 81 .

.fames Patterson, Nos. 4 and 5 108. 10 217.

John Caldwell 29. 58.

Jesse Neville 76.10 153.

John Grant Rencher, Nos. 20 and 19

and 4 acre No. 6 114.6 228.50

Daniel Booth 52. 104.

Chwley Page Paterson 82 . 164.

Fxjwis Kirk 58. 116.

Kphraim Frazier 65. 110.

Archibald Campbell 54. 10 109.

John Carrington 107. 214.

Andrew Burke, four acre No. 6 and

four acre No. 3 126. 250.

Total £1504. $3008.

Tlie Commissioners reported £30 more than this. The auc- tioneer was John G. Rencher, and he was paid $20. John Daniel was the surveyor and received $16.

The lot bid oflF by Alfred Moore, one of the Commissioners, for £32 ($64) was transferred to William H. Hill, and by him to Thomas Taylor, a merchant. After building a house on it and living therein for many years Taylor removed to Tennessee, sellinji^: it to the University. It is the land east of the Episcopal church extending to the Raleigh road, now occupied by Dr. Alexander.

The Charles Collier lot ($134) is that at the corner of Hills- boro and Franklin street, now owned by the heirs of Henry Thompson.

John Grant Rencher was the father of the late Abram Rencher, member of Congress and Charge d' Affairs to Portu- gal.* He bought No. 5 lot of four acres for $74.50, No. 19, that

SALK OF TOWN U)TS. 47

at the southeast corner of Franklin and Raleigh streets, and that opposite for ^yy each.

The four-acre Battle lot, No. 6, was purchased by Andrew

Burke, a merchant of Hillsboro, for $150. The highest priced

were the two-acre lots No. 11, where is now Roberson's Hotel,

$142, or $71 per acre, the^ purchaser being George Johnston;

No. 12 opposite, on part of which is the residence of the late

Dr. W. P. Mallett, sold to Hardy Morgan for $150, or $75 per

acre; and No. 13 (the Chapel Hill Hotel lot) to Edmund Jones

tor $200, or $100 per acre. The two-acre lot adjoining the

campus on the west, brought only $95, and that at the southwest

corner of Franklin street and Columbia Avenue, was sold

to James Paterson, the contractor for the East Building, for

$122.

Nearly all of these purchases were for speculative purposes and it is doubtful whether any money was made on the re-sales. Investors should take warning by these figures of the danger *)f holding unimproved land in towns of slow growth. Number ^^ ^%77)* one of the most beautiful building sites in the village, the house on which, burnt in 1886, was the residence of Presi- <i«its Caldwell and Swain and which sheltered three Presidents ^^ the United States, Polk, Buchanan, and Johnson, is now worth exclusive of buildings about $1,000. The %yy paid in ^7^3 at six per cent compound interest would be over $12,000, and until 1848 moneys lent were not taxed.

It is noticeable, as showing the progress of prices in real wtate, that the acre which is now the Presbyterian Manse, then without a building on it, was in 1847 bought by Prof. W. M. ^'reen, since Bishop of Mississippi, for $37.50. In 1892 Prof. Collier Cobb gave for three-fourths of an acre adjoining $300. The first effort to start the University on its educational career was peculiar and proved abortive. On the I2lh of De- cember. 1792. the Curriculum Committee inserted an advertise- iflent in the newspapers as follows: "Proposals from such gentlemen as mav intend to undertake the instruction of vouth'' are invited, the instniction to embrace "Languages, particu- brly the English : the Belles Lettres : Logic and Moral Philoso- phy; Agriculture and Botany, with the principles of Architec-

48 HISTORY UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROUNA.

ture." No gentlemen offered themselves for this stupendous task.

First Plan of Studies and By-Laws.

(Jn December 4, 1792, at a meeting of the Trustees at New Bern, Messrs. McCor^le, Stone, Moore, Ashe, and Hay were appointed a committee to report a plan of education, and Hugh Williamson was afterwards added. Of these McCorkle, Stone, Moore, and Ashe have already been described. Hay was an able lawyqr from Fayetteville, from whom Haymount is called, occasionally a member of the General Assembly, a strong Fed- eralist with a sharp tongue, which often embroiled him with the Republican judges, Ashe, Spencer and Williams. His beau- tiful daughter was the first wife of Judge Gaston. Dr. Hugh Williamson had the reputation of having much varied learning, especially in the sciences. He was a graduate of the Literary Department of the University of Pennsylavnia, was educated to be a Presbyterian preacher, but after serving two years left the ministry on account of ill health. After being Professor of Mathematics in his alma mater for a short while he obtained the degree of Doctor of Medicine from the University of Edin- burgh, and practiced his profession in Philadelphia. Engaging in a coasting commercial venture at the opening of the Revo- lutionary War, he was forced, in order to avoid capture, to run into Edenton, in North Carolina, and there concluded to settle. When the militia was called out for the unfortunate Camden campaign he volunteered his service as surgeon, and remained in the hands of the British in order to care for the American wounded. He was afterwards member of the North Caro- lina Legislature, member of the Congress of Confederation and of the Convention of 1787. and a signer of the United States Constitution. Marrying a lady of wealth living in New York, he removed his residence to that citv and there wrote his His- tory of North Carolina. He also published a volume on the climate of America as compared with that of Europe, and was an active co-operator in advancing the interests of the Univer- sitv of North Carolina until his death in 181Q. Jefferson said of him that he was. a "very useful member of the Congress of the Confederation." of "acute mind and of a high degree of

PLAN OF STUDIES. 49

erudition." Of the commitlee the only college-bred men were McCorkle, Stone and Williamson.

Dr. McCorkle, as Chaiqnan, reported in December, 1792, in general terms that, considering the poverty of the University, the instruction in literature and science be confined to the study of the languages, particularly the English, the acquirement of historical knowledge, ancient and modem ; Belles Lettres, Math- ematics and Natural Philosophy; Botany and the theory and practice of Agriculture, best suited to the climate and soil of the State; the principles of Architecture. The committee recom- mended the procurement of apparatus for Experimental Phil- osophy and Astronomy. In this they included a set of Globes, a Barometer, Thermometer, Microscope, Telescope, Quadrant, Prismatic Glass, Air-pump, and an Electrical Machine. They were of the opinion that a library be procured, but the choice should be deferred until additional funds should be provided.

The report is remarkable as being far ahead of the times. Notwithstanding that the chairman and the second on the list. Stone, were graduates of Princeton, a seat of the old curricu- lum, viz.: the Classics, Mathematics and Metaphysics, promi- nence is given to scientific studies and those of a practical nature. It is strikingly like the plan adopted by Congress for the establishment of the agricultural and mechanical colleges, in which, to use the words of the act, "Without excluding the classics, and including military tactics, shall be taught the branches of learning relating to Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts." And I find that the course of studies, from which the classics were excluded, was called by the name adopted in 1870, the Scientific Course, although the Faculty adopting the latter had no knowledge of the scheme of 1792.

It is certainly to the honor of Dr. McCorckle that, while he established over a hundred years ago in the wilds of North Carolina a Normal School, the first probably in America, he like- wise drew up a scheme for the more practical instruction which all institutions of higher learning at the present day have to a greater or less extent adopted. It is probable, however, that as the University of Pennsylvania, the alma mater of Dr. Hugh Williamson, was conspicuous in exalting scientific studies, his

4

50 HISTORY UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA.

influence had weight in the report of the committee. I find that Dr. John Andrews, Provost of that institution, as late as 1810, writes that the principal teachers of Xatin and English are not styled professors, but masters — that these schools were con-* sidered distinct from the college, subordinate to it and only kept up as nurseries of the philosophical classes. He thought that on the death or resignation of the Rev. Dr. Rogers, the head of the English school, it would be abolished altogether.

On January 10, 1794, the Board ordered the scheme of the Committee to be carried into effect, and that the exercises should begin on the 15th of January, 1795. The annual Com- mencement was to be on the Monday after the loth of July each year, after which "there should be a time of recreation or holiday of one month only." The next vacation was to begin on the 15th of December and end on the 15th of January of each year.

The prices for tuition were as follows :

For Reading, Writing, Arithmetic and Bookkeeping, $8 per annum.

For Latin, Greek, French, English Grammar, Geography, History and Belles Lettres, $12.50 per annum.

Geometry with practical branches. Astronomy, Natural Philoao- phy. Moral Philosophy, Chemistry and the principle's of Agri- culture, $15.00 per annum.

No President was to be chosen, but a Presiding Professor only, to occupy the President's house and to be responsible for all the teaching. His style was "Professor of Humanity,'' his salary $300 a year and two-thirds of the tuition money.

The Professor of Humanity and three Trustees, or the Presi- dent of the Board, were authorized to employ assistance when needed. The salary of a tutor was to be $200, one-third of the tuition money, free board at Commons, and the use of a room in the "Old East." The word "Humanity,*' more often in the plural form, "the Humanities," was held to include grammar, logic, rhetoric, poetry and the ancient classics, opposed to mathematics and the natural sciences.

Charles Wilson Harris, a recent graduate of Princeton, wae chosen, in the spring of 1795, Tutor of Mathematics.

It was likewise resolved to build a Steward's House, to be

PLAN OF STUDIES. $1

ready at the opening of the institution, the size of the edifice to be at the discretion of the Building Committee.

The students were to be allowed, but not compelled, to live in the University building and board at Commons.

Absalom Tatom, of Hillsborough, who was afterwards a Commoner from that borough and, by his criticism of the Uni- versity as being aristocratical, provoked violent denunciation by President Caldwell, and Walter Alves, of the same town, the new^ Treasurer, were added to the Building Committee.

A committee, composed of John Haywood, Davie, James Taylor, Adlai Osborne and Rev. Dr. McCorkle, reported that, as instructed, they had examined into the financial condition of the institution. That, "on the ist of November, 1794. the in- stitution would have in ready cash i6,297, 9s, 6d, ($12,594.95), exclusive of the hard monev, which bv that time for interest will be three hundred dollars, or thereabout. This interest was payable by the United States on bonds invested in the new debt created for discharging the Revolutionary obligations of the General and State governments.

The Committee, to report "the quantity and quality of the meats and drinks to be furnished to students," was composed of Col. Wm. Lenoir, David Stone, Joel Lane, Robert Porter and John Haywood. The diet recommended seems sufficiently jrenerous.

For Breakfast. — Coffee and tea, or chocolate and tea, one warm rolL one loaf of wheat or com flour (the secretary spells it flower), at the option of the student, with a sufficiency of butter.

For Dinner. — A dish or cover of bacon and greens, or beef and turnips, together with a sufficient quantity of fresh meats, or fowls, or pudding and tarti», with a sufficiency of wheat and corn bread.

For Supper. — Coffee, tea, or milk at the option of the Steward, with the necessary quantity of bread or biscuit.

The Committee adds that "it is expected Potatoes and all other kinds of vegetable food will be furnished, and plentifully, by the Steward," with a clean table cloth every other day. "They are of opinion that no drink other than water be pro- vided, the word "drink" here meaning spirituous, vinous or malt fluids." The report was adopted.

52 HISTORY UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROUNA.

It is manifest that there is abundant room for differences be- tween the Steward and his hungry patrons. Neither the size, nor the weight of the rolls, loaves, bacon, beef, is specified. As no fresh meats and fowls were required when puddings and tarts were on hand, the first course, bacon with beans, or in lieu thereof, beef and turnips, must have been a trifle lonesome. And if the Steward, as he had the right to do, concluded to serve corn-bread, hot or cold, without butter, even the advocate of Spartan simplicity might find it unsavory. It must be noted too that the age and strength of the butter, which was not im- perative except at breakfast, might be a matter of serious wrangling. It seems to have depended on the sympathetic tem- perament of the Steward whether the expectation of the un- limited supply of vegetables was realized in all seasons. Our history will show abundant heart-burnings resulting from the want of more stringent provisions in the summary of that offi- cer's duties.

In addition to furnishing food, the Board required the Stew- ard to give the floors, passages and staircases a fortnightly washing, to have the students' rooms swept and beds made once a day, and to have brought from "the spring" at least four times a day a sufficient quantity of water in the judgment of the Faculty. The spring mentioned was near the Episcopal Church rear wall, the head of the streamlet going through Battle Park. It was then bold and pure. General Clingman informed me that it was used as late <:s 1831.

The first Steward was John Taylor, usually called Buck Tay- lor. For his services he was to receive $30 a year for each student. He was required to enter into bond with good security in the sum of $400 for the performance of his duty. An inspec- tion of a copy of the bond shows that the uncertainty in regard to the vegetables was partly removed by adding other words, so as to read. "potatoes and all kinds of vegetable food usually served up in Carolina in sufficient quantities." The hours of meals were for breakfast and dinner eight and one, and for supper "before or after candle light, at the discretion of the faculty." The provision was added that if milk should be served at supper, neither coffee, tea, nor chocolate should be

P1,AN OF STUDIISS. 53

required, ''unless by boys who eat no milk." Eating milk has an odd sound to our ear, but it must not be understood that the lacteal fluid hardened into the likeness of cheese. In 1796, for some reason not explained, the requirement of milk was dis- pensed with until after July ist, while wheat bread and biscuit might be lacking until the same date. The house of the Stew- ard stood for fifty years at the crown of the hill east of Smith Hall, in the middle of Cameron Avenue — a two-storied wooden building painted white. Taylor held the contract until he gave place to Major Pleasant Henderson, a Revolutionary soldier, uncle of Chief Justice Leonard Henderson.

John Taylor was a fine specimen of the bold, frank, rough, honest. Revolutionary veteran, a good citizen, but perhaps too ready to assert his rights and resent injuries by fist law. He owned a plantation three miles west of Chapel Hill, now called the Snipes place. When he came to his death-bed he requested to be buried on the summit of a woody hill overlooking the cultivated fields, so that he could watch the negroes and keep them at their work. The monument is a sandstone slab, and on it, "To the Memory of John Taylor. Bom June 22, 1747; died May 28, 1828. A Patriot of 1776."

At this meeting General Davie was requested to prepare a book-plate for the University books. It will be noticed that his Revolutionary title of Colonel is dropped for that of a higher rank, which of course was in the militia. There is a tradition that when he was afterwards a special Commissioner to France, Napoleon, although generally treating him with marked con- sideration, showed disgust when he learned that the title was not gained on the gory battlefield.

The names of the earliest donors of books to the Library should be known. They were: Honorable Judge Williams, 3 volumes; James Reid, Esq., of Wilmington, 21 volumes; Wm. R. Davie, 6 volumes; Rev. David Ker, 3 volumes; Richard Bennehan, 32 volumes; Araham Hodge, 10 volumes; Centre Benevolent Society of Iredell, 11 volumes; Francis W. N. Bur- ton, 2 volumes. In 1797 Joseph P. Gautier, Senator from Bladen, a lawyer, made the handsome gift of 174 volumes of French books.

54 HISTORY UNIVERSITY Of NORTH CAROLINA.

The Trustees placed in the hands of Hugh Williamson $200, to be used in the purchase of "such Grammar, Classical and other books as in his opinion will be first needed," and the Pro- fessor of Humanity was directed to sell them to the students at cost. It is interesting to note the titles of some of these books and their prices :

48 Ruddiman's Rudiments each $0.28

24 Whittenhairs Greek Grammar " . 37 V^

48 Webster's Grammar " . 33 1-3

6 Scot's Dictionary " 1 .00

36 Corderii " .28

24 Erasmus " .47

2 Clark's Nepos " 1.33

10 Sallust " .87%

6 Cicero Delphini " 2.00

6 Virgil Delphini " 2.25

6 Horace Delphini " 2.26

6 Young's Dictionary " 2.25

6 Schrevelius' Lexicon " .26

6 Greek Testaments " 1 . 67

4 Lucian " .90

3 Xenophon " 2.60

6 Nicholson's Philosophy (Natural) " 2.67

4 Homer " 3.76

6 Epictetus " .81

It will be observed that Dr. Williamson rightly estimated the paucity of numbers likely to be in the higher Greek classes. The prices also point to the general slender demand for both Latin and Greek : $2.50 for Xenophon, $3.75 for Homer, $2.25 for Cicero, Virgil, and Horace would distress the average stu- dent even in our day. Money was much more difficult of at- tainment then than now.

The by-laws of the University were written at first by Dr. McCorkle, then referred to a committee, amended and adopted finally on the 6th of February, 1795. The following is a faith- ful summary.

The duties of the President, or Presiding Professor, were to superintend all studies, particularly those of the Senior class, provide for the performance of the morning and evening prayer, to examine each student on every Sunday evening on questions previously given them on the general principles of morality and

PI<AN OF STUDIES. 55

reiigion; to deliver weekly lectures on the Principles of Agri- culture, Botany, Zoology, Mineralogy, Architecture and Com- merce; report annually at least to the Trustees on the state of the University, with such recommendations as he saw fit to surest.

The officers of the University collectively were called the Faculty, with power to inflict the punishments prescribed by the Trustees, and to make temporary regulations when the Board was not in session.

No officer to be removed without a fair hearing.

Four literary classes were prescribed, called First, Second, Third, and Fourth.

The studies of the First Class were English Grammar, Roman Antiquities, and such parts of the Roman historians, orators and poets as the professors might designate, and also the Greek Testament.

The Second Class to study Arithmetic, Bookkeeping, Geog- raphy, including the use of globes, Grecian antiquity and Greek classics.

The exercises of the Third Class to be the Mathematics, in- cluding Geometry, Natural Philosophy and Astronomy.

The Fourth Class to study Logic, Moral Philosophy, Princi- ples of Civil Government, Chronology, History, Ancient and Modem, the Belles Lettres, "and the revisal of whatsoever may appear necessary to the officers of the University."

It was provided that if any studies should not be finished in one year, they should be completed in the next. B converso, if those assigned to one year should be finished before the end of the session, those of the next should be anticipated.

For admission into the First, *. e., the lowest class, successful examinations should be had on Caesar's Commentaries, Sallust, Ovid or Virgil and the Greek Grammar. Equivalent Latin works were accepted.

Those electing to study the Sciences and the English lan- guage to be formed into a Scientific class, or pursue the chosen subjects with the Literary classes.

Those entering the Third class at, or after, the middle stage of its progress, should pay eight dollars ; those entering the Fourth in its first half, $12.50; in the second half, $15.00.

S6 HISTORY UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROUNA,

Three quarterly and a final examination were required of each class.

Attendance on prayers twice a day was required, and morn- ing prayer was at sunrise.

From morning prayer to breakfast was to be study hour. One hour was allowed for breakfast and amusement, after which three hours were devoted to study and recitation, t. e., until 12 o'clock.

Study hours began again at 2 o'clock p. m. and continued until prayers at 5 o'clock, after which was a "vacation" until 8 p. m., *'when the students shall return to their lodgings and not leave them until prayers the next morning."

Each class to have one of its members a monitor to report those absent without leave, and also the disorderly and vicious.

Students all to speak, read and exhibit compositions on Satur- day mornings. Saturday afternoons were allowed for amuse- ments.

All were required to attend divine service on the Sabbath. In the afternoon they were examined on the general principles of religion and morality. They were enjoined to reverence thq Sabbath, to use no profane language, not to speak disrespect- fully of religion or of any religious denomination. Keeping ardent spirits in their rooms, association with evil company, playing at any game of hazard, or other kind of gaming, and betting, were prohibited. They must treat their teachers with respect. And an aristocratic principle was introduced when it was further ordered that they treat "each other according to the honor due each class." A general injunction to observe the rules of decency and cleanliness was prescribed.

A fee of $5.00 per term, payable half yearly in advance, was exacted for room rent and repairs of accidental damages. One causing wilful damage must pay four-fold. If the mischief- maker was unknown, the real damage was assessed on all the students. Payment of dues was necessary to obtaining degrees.

The students were required to cleanse their beds and rooms of bugs every two weeks.

To ensure understanding of the rules it was ordered that the students copy them in note books.

BY-LAWS. 57

With regard to punishment the by-laws were framed with conscious recognition of the fact that University life is separate and apart from that of the State. A "Declaration of Rights" was prefixed. "The students charged shall have timely notice and testimony taken on the most solemn assurance shall be deemed talid without calling on a magistrate to administer an oath in legal form."

The grades of punishment were :

1. Admonition by any University oflScer, or by the Faculty.

2. Admonition before the whole University.

3. Admonition before the Trustees.

4. Suspension.

5. Total and final expulsion.

It was gravely provided that no pecuniary mulcts should be inflicted for non-attendance on prayers or recitations, but in addition to admonition, an abstract of the report of the monitors of such absence must be sent to the offender's parent or guar- dian.

The "monitors' bills," or reports, were to be read publicly every Monday evening, and offenders "brought to account."

The laws were to be publicly read once a year, and an address delivered on the advantage and necessity of observing the laws. This address was to be either by a member of the Faculty, or by a student appointed for the purpose.

A hundred years' experience discloses a marked change not only in words, but in the spirit of the University laws.

In the administration of the criminal law a regular trial of offenders was originally contemplated. Witnesses were called for and against the accused, their solemn affirmation being taken as an oath. In practice it was found of course that stu- dents could not be compelled to inform on one another. Now the practice is to have no witnesses at all. The executive offi- cer satisfies himself that there is strong presumption of guilt, so strong, that if the accused refuses to answer, this refusal is to be considered as confession. If the accused positively affirms certain facts, they are, as a rule, accepted without calling any witnesses. His denial, unless inconsistent with known facts, »s admitted to be true. It is not a criminal trial at all, but the

58 HISTORY UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROUNA,

accused is allowed to exculpate himself from suspicion, so grave, that without such exculpation, guilt is conclusively pre- sumed. The executive officer never arraigns a supposed of- fender on a mere suspicion or guess, with the intention of call- ing up one after another until the offender is discovered. This would ruin his authority and would justify students in refusing to answer, because obviously the plan would be equivalent to making students indirectly inform on one another. After much disturbance and many clashes this is the final outcome — the evo- lution of University trials. It is more satisfactory than any preceding method. A practice of many years has shown not one serious mistake on the part of the executive officer, and extremely rare cases of deception on the part of the accused. In these the scorn of their fellows was sufficient punishment.

It is occasionally urged that the Faculty should invoke the power of the courts for punishment of student offenders. It has been done once at least, and threatened oftener in old times, but it seems to be against principle. The Faculty stand in loco parentis, and ought except in extreme cases rather to employ counsel to defend their children "in law" than prose- cute them.

The evolution of punishments is interesting.

Up to a recent period admonition before the Faculty was practiced freely. Experience has shown that this created irri- tation without effecting reformation, and it has been discon- tinued. The President takes the duty.

Admonition before the whole University has been long ago abandoned as mischievous and useless. The same may be said of admonition before the Trustees. Suspension for from two weeks to six months was practiced until 1868. Obviously this punishment was very injurious to the scholarship of the stu- dent. It was not dreaded to a great extent by those who were not in awe of parents. Often the offenders engaged board a few miles from Chapel Hill and had a jolly time "rusticating," reading novels, hunting or fishing. Sometimes they plunged into the dissipations of neighboring towns. So the "total and final expulsion" was divided into "dismission," and "expulsion," the latter being only inflicted in cases of flagrant enormity.

BY-LAWS. — PRESIDING PROFESSOR. 59

For oflFenses for which formerly suspension for a definite term was inflicted, the punishment is now dismission from the University without report to the Trustees. It then rests en- tirely with the Faculty whether the offender shall be allowed to return, and if so, when and on what conditions. If the offence is an atrocious one the case is reported to the Trustees and, in addition to dismission, expulsion is recommended. If the Trustees concur, on no terms can there be re-admission. A milder form of dismission is a notification to the offender that he must withdraw, or a request to the parents to order him home. This allows easier admission to other institutions. Sometimes offences are overlooked in consideration of pledges to refrain from the particular misconduct. General pledges of good conduct, once a favorite with the Faculty, are now not rquired, as being a snare for the thoughtless.

If it should become absolutely necessary, the Presiding Pro- fessor, with the advice of three Trustees, could employ a teacher of reading, writing, arithmetic, and bookkeeping.

The Trustees had a high conception of the office of President. Before going into the election of the Professor of Humanity, it was ordered that neither he nor any assistant shall have "any manner of claim, right or preference whatever to the Presidency of the University, nor to such employments as it may hereafter be thought advisable to fill, but they shall be considered^ as standing in the same situation as though they had received no appointment from the Board."

Election of Presiding Professor.

The election was by ballot on the loth of January, 1794. It does not appear that there were any applicants, but the follow- ing were placed in nomination : Rev. John Brown, who had been a pupil of Dr. McCorkle, pastor of Waxhaw Church, afterwards a Professor in the University of South Carolina, and President of that of Georgia ; Rev. Robert Archibald, a Rniduate of Princeton, pastor of Rocky River Church, after- ^*ards embracing the doctrine of universal salvation, but it did not save him from being dropped from the Presbyterian roll ; R^. James Tate, an excellent Presbvterian divine from New Hanover: Rev. George Micklejohn, generally called Parson

60 HISTORY UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA,

Micklejohn, who had been a minister of the Church of Eng- land in Colonial times, having under his jurisdiction, besides many others, the New Hope Chapel. He was a Tory and was forced to change his residence to the Albemarle country for fear of his influence over the Regulators. He was a rough, honest gentleman of the old Scotch school, according to tradi- tion, who would hire a man to attend his services by the bribe of a generous drink out of his bottle of brandy. Many sur- mised that the choice would fall on Dr. McCorkle, a Trustee, who delivered the address at the laying of the corner-stone of the Old East ; but, while his learning was conceded, Davie dis- trusted his executive ability. A story of McCorkle as a farmer shows that this distrust was well founded. He was used to carry into the field volumes on theological subjects for his di- version in intervals of manual labor. A neighbor seeking him on business found him stretched sub tegmine querci, deep in his studies, while his negro plowman was fast asleep under another tree, and the mule was cropping the grateful corn-tops.

In a letter of Davie's, written at a later period, is the sugges- tion of another objection to Dr. McCorkle, by reason of a dis- trust of the wisdom of all preachers. Speaking of some criti- cisms of the University, he wrote, "Bishop Pettigrew has said it is a very dissipated and debauched place. Some priests have also been doing us the same good office to the westward. Noth- ing, it seems, goes well that these men of God (the italics arc his) have not some hand in." Dr. McCorkle must have beeQ included in this sneer. . Davie, in truth, had imbibed some of ^ the skepticism then so prevalent among the educated classes. ^

Although he was not chosen, the good Doctor had no resents > ment against the University. This is proved by his collectklll\/ of a subscription from his congregation at Thyatira for the CM.^^ of the University, the only instance of congregational hdp? given in the early days. Whether a business man or not hfiuu' was possessed in a large measure of piety and force. Botll -r August 23, 1746, in Lancaster County. Pennsylvania, he wtl brought to North Carolina when nine years of age to a farm fifteen miles west of Salisbury. He was a bright student ati the school of Dr. David Caldwell, graduated at Princeton itt -V 1772 in the class of Aaron Burr, whose father of the same name

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PRESIDING PROFESSOR. 6l

was President of the College. After his ordination as a minis- ter of the Presbyterian Church he was for awhile a missionary in the counties of Hanover and Orange in Virginia. He then settled at Thyatira, near his father's homestead in Rowan County, in North Carolina, and connected himself with the Presbytery of Orange. In 1785 he established his school. His person is described as tall and manly, his delivery in the pulpit grave and solemn, his language impressive and thrilling. He lived until January 21, 181 1, on his death-bed dictating minute directions as to his funeral. His wife was Elizabeth, daughter of William Steele, a sister of General John Steele, a prominent Congressman of his day.

Of Andrew Martin, also nominated, I have been able to learn nothing. Possibly he was a relative of the Governor.

Over these nomin^res Rev. David Ker, thirty-six years old, bom in North Ireland and educated at Trinity College, Dub- lin, a recent immigrant, Presbyterian pastor in Fayetteville, adding to his small salary by conducting the high school in the town, was chosen to inaugurate the new institution.

In order to be ready for the opening on the 15th of January, J795» the work on the East Building and" the President's house was ordered to be pushed. The contractor was Samuel Hop- kins, as Martin Hall was the- builder of Steward Hall, and Phileman Hodges of the Old Chapel, or Person Hall. It may be of interest to some that George Daniel made 150,000 bricks for $266.67 21* one time and at another for $333.30. In the same year John Hogan received $400 for the same work. The clay and the fuel for burning were from the University lands. It certainly shows a striking difference between old ways and new that the lime for mortar was obtained from shells brought up the Cape Fear to Fayetteville and thence hauled by wagons to be burned in Chapel Hill. Now, instead of from the ocean which breaks upon our coast, we get our lime from the far-distant State of Maine.

The Opening of the University, January 15, 1795.

The opening of the University on the memorable January 15, ^795, gave no prophecy of the swarms of students annually ap- pearing at the openings of our day. The winter was severe and

62 HISTORY UMIVKRSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA.

the roads almost impassable. Governor Richard Dobbs Spaight, whose energy and devotion to duty had been shown when, as a student of twenty, he hastened to sail for America, ran the hazard of being captured by British vessels in order to throw in his fortunes with his native State, had braved the discomforts of twenty-eight miles of red mud and pipe clay and jagged rocks stretching from Chapel Hill to Raleigh. It is recorded that he had attendants, and we can assuredly guess that among them were State Treasurer John Haywood, and John Craven, the Comptroller, the first University Treasurer. The gazette of the period, the North Carolina Journal, merely states that there were present ^'several members of the corporation and many other gentlemen, members of the General Assembly," then m session. We may almost certainly see in attendance the members from Hillsborough and Orange, Samuel Benton, father of the great Senator, "Old Bullion," Thomas Hart Benton ; Walter Alves, son of James Hogg; and William Lytle, son of Colonel Archibald Lytle who fought so bravely under Sumner at Eutaw ; also William Cain, the Senator from Orange, whose liberality to the institution has been mentioned ; William Person Little, Senator from Granville, and Thomas Person, Commoner, both nephews of the University's benefac- tor, detained at home by the infirmities of age; John Baptist Ashe, Commoner from Halifax, afterwards elected Governor but dying before taking his seat, in place of General Davie then employed on official duty elsewhere. Of course the ever-active Joel Lane, Senator from Wake, who offered broad acres to secure the University at Cary, was on hand. And it is reason- ably certain, judging from the interest they took in the new institution, that John Macon, Senator from Warren, Daniel Gillespie, Senator from Guilford, whose son was afterwards Presiding Professor; and the brilliant young Commoner from Fayetteville, afterwards the first Chief Justice of our Supreme Court, John Louis Taylor, were willing to add eclat to the occa- sion by their presence. Of course in attendance were Alex- ander Mebane, the Congressman, and James Hogg, the rich merchant. Trustees, Commissioners to select the site, and mem- bers of the Building Committee.

OPENING DAY. 63

The morning of the 15th of January opened with a cold, drizzling rain. As the sighing of the watery wind whistled through the leafless branches of tall oaks and hickories and the Davie poplar then in vigorous youth, all that met the eyes of the distinguished visitors were a two-storied brick building, the unpainted wooden house of the Presiding Professor, the avenue between them filled with stumps of recently felled trees, a pile of yellowish red clay, dug out for the foundation of the Chapel, or Person Hall, a pile of lumber collected for building Steward's Hall, a Scotch-Irish preacher-professor, in whose mind were fermenting ideas of infidelit)% destined soon to cost him his place, and not one student.

The proverbial optimism of the press as to matters hoped for did not fail the ancestor of our modem newspapers. The edi- tor of the Journal kindly comments : "The Governor, with the Trustees who accompanied him, viewed the buildings and made report to the Board, by which they are enabled to inform the public that the buildings prepared for the reception and accom- iiKxiation of students are in part finished, and that youth dis- posed to enter the University may come forward with the assurance of being received." The editor goes on to state the tenns of tuition and board in apparently naive unconsciousness that he was giving the University a first-class advertisement. When I state that this important item appears in the issue of February 23d, forty-nine days after the event, we must give the palm for furnishing news more promptly, if not more reliably, to the modem reporter.

The learned Presiding Professor, Dr. David Ker, reigned in his solitary greatness for the greater part of the period of revo- iutkm of the wintry moon. It was not until the 12th of Feb- niary that the first student arrived, with no companion, all the way from the banks of the lower Cape Fear, the precursor of a ^g line of seekers after knowledge. His residence was Wil- niin}2[ton, his name Hinton James.

For two weeks, in his loneliness, he constituted the entire student body of the University, with no Sophomores saluting his cars with diabolical yells, nor teaching him to keep step to the rhythm of whistling music. For two weeks he was the first-honor man of his class.

64 HISTORY UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROWNA,

It was of good omen that this first-fruit of the University was worthy to head the list of her students. The Faculty records show that he performed his duties faithfully and with ability. For several years the students were required to read original compositions on Saturdays, and those deemed especially meri- torious were posted in a record book. The name of Hinton James occurs often on this Roll of Honor. His taste took a scientific and practical direction. One of his subjects was ''The Uses of the Sun," another "The Motions of the Earth," a third **The Commerce of Britain," a fourth "The Slave Trade," a fifth "The Pleasures of College Life," and a sixth the "Effects of Climate on the Minds and Bodies of Men."

After leaving the University, James became a civil engineer of usefulness in his section of the State, as an assistant to Chief Engineer Fulton, who was brought from Scotland at a salary of $6,000 a year payable in gold, to improve the navigation of our rivers. In passing from Wilmington down the beautiful Cape Fear, I was shown by my intelligent friend, the late Henry Nutt, some of James' works for deepening the channel, which had withstood the floods and tides of sixty years. He was likewise called into the service of his country as a legislator for three terms, beginning with 1807, for two of them being the colleague of a lawyer of great reputation in the old days, Wil- liam Watts Jones.

The next arrivals were, a fortnight later, Maurice and Alfred Moore of Brunswick, and their cousin, Richard Eagles, of New Hanover; John Taylor of Orange, and from Granville William M. Sneed, and three sons of Robert H. Burton, the Treasurer of the University, namely, Hutchins G., Francis and Robert H. Burton, Junior. It is pleasant to record that all of these turned out tp be good men. The two Moores were sons of Judge Alfred Moore. Maurice served Brunswick County in the General Assembly and then became a planter in Lousiana. He it was who had the misfortune to shoot Governor Benjamin Smith in a duel. Alfred Moore, whose bust may be seen in Gerrard Hall, was a cultivated and popular man, reaching the dignity, once considered as nearly equal to that of Governor, of the Speakership of the House of Commons. He would have gone higher, if he had not lacked ambition. His name and

-.• 1

FIRST STUDENT. 65

talents have descended to his scholarly grandson, Alfred Moore Waddell. The father of Richard Eagles gave the name to Eagles Island, opposite Wilmington. The son, like the father, was a man of wealth and high standing in a cultivated com- mtmity. John Taylor, son of the first steward of the Univer- sity, was for many years Clerk of the Superior Court of Orange and was the grandfather of our big-brained mathematician — ^the late Ralph H. Graves. Of the Granville men, William Mor- gan Sneed was seven times State Senator and twice Commoner. Of the three Burtons, Hutchins G. was thrice elected Governor of the State, after being a Congressman. Francis Nash Wil- liams Burton was a lawyer of large practice in Lincoln and the adjoining counties, while Robert, his partner, was at one time Judge of the Superior Court. A daughter of Judge Burton married the eminent lawyer, Michael Hoke, and was the mother of one of General Lee's best Major-Generals, Robert F. Hoke, and grandmother of Secretary Hoke Smith. I give these par- ticulars in order to show that the University made a good start on its grand career. Its earliest sons were leaders in good works.

The numbers reached forty-one by the end of the term. Dur- ing the second term they rose to nearly one hundred, but such was the dearth of good schools in the State that at least one- half of them were unprepared to enter the University classes.

It became necessary to inaugurate a Preparatory Department,

or "Grammar School,^' for the benefit of these juveniles, many

of tiiem belonging to the "small-boy" genus. The profession

of teachers was then, and years afterward, at such a low ebb

that obtaining competent professors was a most troublesome

problem.

Among the earliest students besides those I have named we

find men afterwards notable for good works : such, for example,

as Ebenezer Pettigrew, a member of Congress, father of Gen-

• cral J. Johnston Pettigrew, a still more eminent son of the Uni-

j versity ; Thomas D. Bennehan, famed for bounteous hospitality,

I long a Trustee of the institution, which his father, Richard

Bennehan, assisted in its young days ; James Mebane, Speaker

rf fte House of O>mmons, father of another University grad-

5

66 HISTORY UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROUNA,

ute and Speaker of the Senate, Giles Mebane. I could name many others.

Harris Ei^cted.

The increase in numbers led to the election of a Tutor of Mathematics, in the sphing of 1795. The choice fell on Charles Wilson Harris, a recent first-honor graduate of Princeton, nephew of Dr. Charles Harris, a noted physician of his day, who taught at his home probably the first medical school in the State. Young Harris ' had a strong mind, elegant literary tastes, courtly manners, and weight of character. These two, Ker and Harris, sustained the burdens of instruction and discip- line during the first year of University life, and sustained it with conspicuous fathfulness and ability. It was a great mis- fortune that Ker the next year went off into infidelity and wild democracy, thus raising up two sets of enemies in the Board of Trustees, Christians and Federalists, so that he deemed it pru- dent after eighteen months to resign his charge.

For the first year and a half, however, these two, Ker and Harris, had the difficult and unpleasant task of classifying and instructing the unorganized mass of all ages from mature young men to mere boys, some with a smattering of algebra and the classics, others innocent even of arithmetic and grammar.

We have no letters of Dr. Ker written from Chapel Hill, but by the kindness of William Shakespeare Harris and other rela- tives this want is abundantly supplied by those of his associate. Charles W. Harris was an elegant writer. His style is free from ostentation, his ideas are clearly and strongly expressed, his penmanship is good, and his spelling in advance of his age as a rule. It is strange, however, that he gives to Chapel in Chapel Hill two p's instead of one.

On the loth of April Harris writes to his uncle. Dr. Charles Harris: "We have begun to introduce by degrees the regula- tions of the University and as yet have not been disappointed. There is one class in Natural Philosophy and four in the lan- guages." He continues, "The constitution of this college is on a more liberal plan than that of any other in America, and by the amendment, which I think it will receive at the next meet- ing of the Trustees, its usefulness will probably be much pny

■\

LETTERS OF HARRIS — MUSEUM. 67

moted. The noticxi that true learning consists rather in exer- cising the reasoning faculties and laying up a store of useful knowledge, than in overloading the memory with words of dead languages, is daily becoming more prevalent." He then enters upon praises of Miss Wollstonecraft's book on the ''Rights of Wc»nen," as containing the true principles of edu- cation, and states that though the laws at present require that Latin and Greek be understood by a graduate, they will in all probability be mitigated in their eflfect.

He was of a social nature, and deplored the lack of congenial society. "My only resort," he wrote, "is to Mr. Ker, who makes ample amends to me for the want of any other. He is a violent republican and is continually deprecating the aristoci- cal principles which have lately prevailed much in our execu- tive." We can see that Harris' political faith was swerved by this well-educated, able and experienced middle-aged clerical politician, for he sneers at some strong words of praise of Wash- ington by one Rev. Stanhope Smith, saying that "tho' he be the greatest man in America the encomium smells strong of British seasoning."

He rejoiced that the Trustees resolved to inaugurate a mu- seum and took active steps to procure for it specimens.

Although the articles given have been lost, the names of the donors should be remembered and the objects given recorded. The context shows that some of the specimens were given three years later.

** Honorable Judge Williams/' An Ostrich egg.

MfR. Allen Jones^ Halifax, Pieces of Cloth made of bark brought from Otaheite by Capt. Cooke. The tooth of a young mammoth from the banks of the Ohio. Frank Burton, Granville, A sea leaf. A viol containing a reel. Col. Adlai Osborne, Centre, A piece of Asbestos. A pine limb and &

piece of resin petrified. Hutchins Burton, Senior, The incisors of a Beaver. Messrs. Caldwell and Gillaspie, A Pocupine skin.

A Beech nut petrified. His Excel. Gov. Davie, A testaceous bracelet from an Indian grave near Nashville. Curious stones, bones of nondescript animals., specimens of Indian clothing, and their arts and manufactures.

68 HISTORY UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA.

As Harris had read some medical books while living with Dr. Harris, and, as there was no physician nearer to Chapel Hill than Hillsboro, he charitably kept a small stock of medi- cine for the students and the neighborhood, to be sold at cost He sent a plot of the University lands, well drawn, with a broad avenue leading N. 69 E. from the contemplated Main (now South) Building to "point-prospect" (now Piney Prospect). The campus then contained 98J acres ; about twice as large as the present campus. His opinion of the suitableness of the local- ity for its purpose, accords with Davie's — "Most happily situ- ated; a delightful prospect, charming groves, medicinal springs, light and wholesome air, and inaccessible to vice." "This last enconium by Mr. Charles Pettigrew, the Bishop-elect from Edenton, added when he visited us." The inaccessibility to vice was a pleasing delusion, as the good Dr. Pettigrew found on a subsequent visit. Two years afterwards he writes to Caldwell of his dread lest his sons, John and Ebenezer, may have "all fear of the Almighty eradicated from their minds by the habit- ual use of oaths and imprecations, which report says, and which my own ears have informed me, are too common impletives* in the conversation of the students." Those conversant with the social history of the times know well that the students used no worse language than was common in all social gatherings of men.

Harriss expressed much concern about the education of his younger brother, Robert. "He is growing fast and receiving none of those improvements which he ought. I could not pre- vail with my father to let him come to this place. — It can scarcely be pecuniary want that hinders his complying with my request. Nor can it be I hope any distrust of my principles, as I have heard suggested. He and I have been very free in speaking on tenets, and I never observed any great degree of disapprobation. If the latter be the cause I have no more to say."

There is only one other allusion in all his letters to the devia- tion of his faith from that of his Presbyterian forefathers. That looked only to the denial of the doctrine of the Trinity

* This word is not in Webster.

i

1

FIRST EXAMINATION. 69

as usually understcx)d, not by any means atheism, or denials of other truths of Christianity. If his apostasy had been rank, his Ruling Elder father would have regarded it not only with disapprobation, but horror. Nor would that father have placed his peculiarly beloved son, as within a few weeks he did, under the charge of an infidel elder brother, all the more dangerous because of his winning manners, strong mind and wide and varied reading. I think it is clear that Charles Harris' unbelief would in our day be regarded as not more heterodox than that preached by Dr. C. H. Briggs, Dr. Wm. Robertson Smith and other able divines, who have a large following in their respec- tive churches, although regarded by the majority as lacking the true faith. In other words, he was like those called among Episcopalians, "Broad Churchmen." It must be remembered that a hundred years ago there was much greater intolerance of diflFerences of opinion than now.

The first public examination was held on the 13th of July, 1795, the first of the long series of Commencements, which have produced more eloquence, brought together more distin- guished men and beautiful women, provided a more abundant supply of unadulterated fim, and married off more congenial couples than any other similar occasion, in the land. Previous notice was given in the newspapers, over the signature of the Governor, Richard Dobbs Spaight. In an enthusiastic editorial in the North Carolina Journal, it was stated that the "young gentlemen" had submitted with a degree of cheerfulness and promptitude to the regulations of the University, which does them che greatest honor. — The Commons have exceeded the expectations both of students and of strangers. The spirit of improvement, order and harmony, which reigns in this little conununity, emulously engaged in the noble work of cultivating the human mind, is most commendable." The editor at the same time gives glowing praises of the Academies of Thya- ^^. under Dr. McCorkle, the Warrenton, under Rev. Marcus George, the Chatham under Rev. Wm. Bingham, and the New S^m. under Dr. T. P. Irving, as capable of furnishing students to the University. There is no contemporary account of this first Commence-

yo HISTORY UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA.

ment, but the deficiency is partly supplied by a letter from Hinton James, heretofore mentioned, written when he was about sixty years old. The public interest had not been aroused sufficiently to ensure a large attendance of visitors. Only one lady graced the occasion, the wife of the Governor, the first of the long procession of the thousands of the brightest and best of the womanhood of the land, — Mary (Leach) Spaight, well remembered as one of the most handsome and attractive of her sex.

There were only about a dozen of the gentlemen of the State, the leaders of the hosts of the friends of higher education. Among them were "the University Father," General Davie, and the Secretary of State, James Glasgow, whose frauds in his office had not been discovered ; the merchant, James Hogg, and the eminent Attorney-General and Judge, Alfred Moore, the elder. These Trustees attended in pursuance of an ordinance of the Board that at every examination it should be the duty of one Trustee from each judicial district in alphabetical order to visit the classes and report the result of their inspection to the Board. As might have been expected, the attendance of the Trustees, at all times spasmodic, soon ceased altogether.

It must have been an occasion of a staid and dignified nature, with no regaliad marshals, or dancing, or other amusements, to attract the fancy of young people.

Oral examinations in the class-rooms and declamations and reading of compositions in one of the East Building rooms, fitted up for a public hall, in the presence of elderly gentlemen and Mrs. Spaight and probably Mrs. Mary Ker, the wife of the Presiding Professor, constituted the exercises.

We have a letter from Davie written a few days afterwards, in which he says that the students acquitted themselves well, but with the refrigerating addition, "everything considered." The Trustees were disgusted with the exorbitant charges of the contractors, Patterson of Chatham and Hopkins, for extra work; in Davie's opinion four times what they ought to have been. There is abundant evidence all through the early records of the watchful economy of the guardians of the interests of the University.

»

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PREPARATORY DEPARTMENT. 7I

The letter was addressed to Treasurer John Haywood, who was absent from the meeting on account of the death of his first wife. It is interesting to see what kind of consolation the free-thinker, Davie, oflfers to one afflicted. **I regret exceed- ingly the various causes which produced your absence from th« Board. However, as the Arabs say, *God would have it so and men must submit.' Under misfortunes like yours there is no comfort because nothing can be substituted. The only re- course of the htmian mind in such cases is in a kind of philo- sophic fortitude, the calm result of time, reason and reflection." CcMitrast this with the Christian's consolation, "Sorrow not as they who have no hope."

Grammar School.

On this occasion the Board determined to erect a house for a Grammar School, which should contain three or four lodging rooms, and thus relieve the congested state of the dwellers in the Old East Building. It would also separate from the older the very young students, some of whom were of such tender years, though tough in conscience, that it was necessary for their benefit to introduce corporal punishment. This school building was situated in the woods, south of Rosemary Street and west of the late public school, a place peculiarly lonely, but near two never- failing springs of purest water.

Richard Sims, an advanced student from Warren County, seems to have been the first master of the Grammar School. In the month of December, 1796, was chosen Nicholas Delvaux, and with him on account of the rapid increase of numbers, was associated Samuel Allen Holmes, who had been a preacher. The antecedents of both of these teachers are unknown. Soon afterwards Holmes was promoted to the University and Wil- liam Richards, late a teacher in the Academy of Mr. Marcus George in Warrenton, was placed in the Grammar School in his stead.

It has been mentioned that those of the early students who wrote the best compositions were rewarded by having their J^ames posted on an honor roll. The first who won this dis- tinction was in August, 1795, Richard Sims, of Warrenton,

^Q, HISTORY UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROUNA.

his theme being **The Employment of Time." The second was Thomas A. Osborne on Habit. The third was Thomas A, Os- borne on the question, "Do Savage or Civilized Nations Enjoy the Most Happiness." The fourth Edwin Jay Osborne on "The Uses of Geometry." The fifth by Edwin Jay Osborne on "Self Government." He divided honors in the sixth with Hinton James, the themes respectively being, "The Uses of the Pas- sions" and "The Uses of the Sun." In the next week the same Osborne and Henry Kearney were the first, on "The Distinction Between Resentment and Revenge," by the former, and "The Uses of the Moon," by the latter. This honor roll was discon- tinued after the first year.

The Literary Societies.

The Dialectic and Philanthropic Societies have been such a large part of our university life that I must give their origin.

It was doubtless through the influence of Tutor Harris, who had seen the benefits of the renowned Whig Society of Prince- ton, of which he was a member, that the first literary society of the University was formed, as his name is the first on the list of signers to the preliminary articles. It was organized on the 3d day of June, 1795, under the name of "The Debating Society." The first President was James Mebane, of Orange, afterwards of Caswell; the first Clerk or Secretary was John Taylor, of Orange; the first Treasurer was Lawrence Toole, who changed his name to Henry Irwin Toole, of Edgecombe, grandfather of Bishop Joseph B. Cheshire; the first Censor Morum, Richard Sims, of Warren, afterwards Principal of the Grammar School.

The objects of the society were expressed to be the cultiva- tion of a lasting friendship and the promotion of useful knowl- edge. The members pledged themselves under hands and seals to obedience to the laws of the society, and due perform- ance of the regular exercises. I give the names of those fathers of the Dialectic and Philanthropic Societies.

Charles Wilson Harris Cabamis.

Adam Haywood Edgecombe.

Robert Smith Cabarrus.

Alexander Osborne Iredell.

THE DEBATING SOCIETY. 73

Edwin Jaj Osborne Rowan.

William Houston Iredell.

William Dickson Burke.

James Mebane Orange.

John Pettigrew Tyrrell.

Richard Eagles New Hanover.

Hinton James New Hanover.

Haywood Ruffin Greene.

Richard Sims Warren.

Lawrence Toole Edgecombe.

Henry Kinchen Franklin.

William Morgan Sneed Granville.

Ebenezer Pettigrew Tyrrell.

William C. AUton Halifax.

Hutchins G. Burton, Senior Granville.

Evan Jones New Hanover.

John Taylor Orange.

Maurice Moore Brunswick.

Alfred Moore Brunswick.

Thomas Davis Bennehan Orange.

Francis Nash Williams Burton Granville.

Allen Green South Carolina.

Allen Jones Davie Halifax.

Hyder Ali Davie Halifax.

David Cook Unknown.

Nicholas Long Franklin.

George Washington Long Halifax.

There was no constitution eo nomine, but there were *'Laws and Regulations," some of which are worthy of mention. The officers were a President, Censor Morum, two Correctors, a Clerk, and Treasurer. The President and Treasurer held offie for three weeks, the other officers for six weeks.

The Censor Morum was clothed with powers and duties which would not be tolerated in this p^eneration, "to inspect the conduct and morals of the members and report to the society Aose who preserve inattention to the studies of the University, in neglect of their duties as members, or in acting in such a manner as to reflect disgrace on their fellow-members." This making the society responsible for attention to University exer- cises has been long ago abandoned, after the effort came near breaking it into fragments. This powerful officer, evidently modelled after the august Censors of Rome, presided in the absence of the President.

74 HISTORY UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROWNA.

The society met on Thursday evenings only. The members were divided into three classes. These read, spoke and com- posed alternately. There was a debate at each session, two opposing members previously appointed opening, and then the other members had a right to discuss the question, but were not compelled to do so.

It was the duty of each member of the class whose turn it was to "read" to hand in a "query," then called "subject of de- bate," and out of these one was chosen for the next meeting by the society.

It must be noticed that the "reading" mentioned above meant the reading aloud of an extract from some author. Of the other two classes one declaimed memorized extracts, and the other read aloud short essays of their own composition.

Two votes were sufficient to negative an application for membership. The term "black-ball" was not then in vogue. The new members when admitted were required to "promise not to divulge any of the secrets of the society." The strin- gency of this provision has been since materially modified.

It was made dangerous to "take umbrage at being fined,*' and to denote it by word or action," because, if the fine should be found to be legal, the accused must pay a quarter of a dollar for his squirming. There was mercifully no penalty for show- ing umbrage by a gloomy countenance unless the gloom was evidenced by frowning or other facial action.

There seems to have been no fine for laughing or talking, unless a speaker was interrupted.

The practice of wearing hats in the society, as is permitted in the English Parliament, was forbidden. The President, however, of at least one society, the Dialectic, was after some years required to preside with hat on. often a high-crowned beaver borrowed for the purpose.

The admission fee was one quarter of a dollar. If a member absented himself for three months, without obtaining a diploma of dismission, he must seek a new admission.

A member could leave the society without asking its consent, nor was any student compelled to join it. But having once left there could be no re-admission.

A SECOND SOCIETY. 75

It shows the high purpose of the founders of the society, that the first motion made after the admission of members, at the first meeting on June 3d, 1795, was for the purchase of books. It passed unanimously. The mover was Tutor Harris. The first speech made in this parent of the Dialectic and Philanthropic Societies was by James Mebane who sustained the affirmative of the first query ever debated, **Is the study of ancient authoiip useful?" He was answered by Robert Smith. I am proud to state that the classics won the day.

At the second meeting, on June 11, 1795, it was agreed to admit no more new members. A great moral question was then discussed, the names of the speakers being omitted. This was *'Is the truth always to be adhered to?" the decision being ''that breaches of faith are sometimes proper." It is gratifying to observe that the decisions of the queries debated were as a rule conservative and sensible.

On the 25th of June, 1795, Maurice Moore moved that the society be divided. The motion was laid over for one week and on July 2d was taken up and carried. The new organiza- tion was called "The Concord Society." We can only con- jecture the cause of the new movement, as no reason appears on the journal. It is possible that there was in it an element of party feeling. Jeflfersonian Democracy claimed to be the peculia advocate of the "Rights of Man." The name Con- cord, and the substituted Philanthropic, and the addition of the word Liberty to the motto of the other society, look in this Erection.

Another reason for the division was probably to have the number so small as to allow and require every member to per- ionn some duty at each weekly meeting. The prohibition of farther addition to the membership of the first societv seems to show this.

A third reason for the change was, I think, hostility to the extensive powers and duties of the Censor Morum, heretofore described. I make this conjecture because the officer was omitted in the new body, and when it was restored after many months his duties were carefully confined to behavior of mem- bers in society. Even this however proved unsatisfactory and

76 HISTORY UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA.

the name was changed to Vice-President. It will now be ad- mitted that the seceding students were right in their attitude. The Dialectic Society eventually came to the same conclusion.

For some weeks it was allowable to belong to both societies, which was practicable as they met on different nights in order to have the use of the same room. The first student, Hinton James, and Maurice and Alfred Moore were for awhile active members of both. When the duplicate membership was for- bidden they elected the new.

I cannot find an official list of the "Fathers" of the Q)ncord or Philanthropic Society, but after carefully examining the journal I think that the following can be relied on:

Hinton James New Hanover.

Richard Eagles New Hanover.

George Washington Long Halifax.

John Taylor Chapel Hill.

William McKenzie Clark Martin.

David Gillespie Duplin.

Edwin Jay Osborne Salisbury.

Evan Jones Wilmington.

Nicholas Long ^ Franklin.

James Paine Unknown.

Alexander McCulloeh Halifax.

David Evans Edgecombe.

Henry Kearney Warren.

Thomas Hunt Granville.

Lewis Dickson Duplin.

John Bryan t . . Sampson.

Lawrence Ashe Dorsey Wilmington.

Joseph Gillespie Duplin.

In all, 18.

The residence of James Paine does not appear further than that he was from North Carolina.

The records of the Dialectic Society state that the following remained in the Debating Society at the time of the division, their full names and residences having already been given, viz. : Messrs. Harris, Houston Toole, H. and F. Burton, R. Smith, Bennehan, Kinchen, Sims, Haywood, Ruffin, James, Green, A, Osborne, W. Dickson, Sneed. J. and E. Pettigrew, Davie, Me- bane, M. and A. Moore. Of these, as was said, James and the two Moores soon became members of the other, and John Pettigrew followed a year afterwards.

CHANGE OF NAMES OF SOCIETIES. ^^

The first meeting of the Concord Society was August lo, 1795. David Gillespie was the first President, Evan Jones the first Treasurer, Henry Kearney the first Clerk. The first de- baters were George W. Long and Henry Kearney, on the ques- tion "Which is best — an Education or a Fortune?" It is con- sistent with the honorable career of the society that the decision was in favor of education.

The first President, son of James Gillespie, of Duplin, mem- ber of Congress for eight years, was evidently a most promising student. By the courtesy of David S. Nicholson, I give a copy of the certificate granted him on his leaving the University, the first document in the nature of a diploma ever granted.

We, the undersigned Professors of the University of North Carolina, b&ve had under our particular care Mr. David Qillespie of this State. He has studied Gredc and Latin and the elementary Mathematics in tbeir application to Surveying, Navigation, etc. He has also read under our care Natural Philosophy and Astronomy. His behavior, while at this place, has met with our warmest approbation. Mr. Gillespie, being about to leave the University to attend Mr. Ellicot in determining the Southern boundary of the United States, we have thought proper to give Wm this certificate.

Chas. W. Harris, Prof, of Math, and N, Phil. Sah'l Holmes,

Prof, of Lang. W. L. Richards, Teacher of French and Englith. University, N. C, September 22, 1796.

To this was attached the certificate of Sam. Ashe, Governor, attested by Roger Moore, Private Secretary, with the great seal of the State, that the above-named were professors of the University as alleged.

After working for about a year it occurred to the members of both societies that English names were not of sufficient *gnity. Accordingly on the 25th of August, 1796, in pursu- ance of a motion made by James Webb, of Hillsboro, a week preceding, the name Debating was changed into its Greek equiv- alent, Dialectic. And four days afterward, on the 29th of August, 1796, the Greek Philanthropic took the place of Con- cord, on motion of David Gillespie. I have no information

I

78 HISTORY UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA.

as to whether, when this name was adopted the pronunciation was wrongly Phi-lanthropic instead of Phil-anthropic. John- son's dictionary, then the standard, gives no countenance to it, and I am inclined to think that the mispronunciation, pre- valent here for many decades, arose from the custom universal among students of abbreviating names in common use, and from the euphonic wish to have the nickname sound like Di. Those familiar with university life know well that under- graduates would smash every dictionary in the land before they would be called Phils., or, as it soon would have become, PhUlies.

The Fundamental Laws, afterwards called Constitution, and the course of proceedings of the two societies were much alike.

In the Concord for a short while new members could be ad- mitted by a majority vote. The first restriction was the re- quirement of two-thirds in case the applicant was under fifteen years of age. I notice no other material differences, and I make no further distinction between the two in endeavoring to reproduce their action.

In the declamations, then called "speaking," we miss Patrick Henry's "give me liberty or give me death," because that speech was written by Wirt long afterwards, nor of course do we find Emmet's, "Let no man write my epitaph." In their places were Cicero's denunciations of Verres, and Demosthenes' thunderings against Philip, Micipsa's plea against Jugurtha, Brutus over the body of Lucretia, Catalines' speech to his soldiers, and the like.

It is surprising that the stock utterances of our Revolutionary sires, such as Otis, Adams, Henry, Rutledge, R. H. Lee, were not reproduced in our halls. It is in accord with the hatred of Great Britain which had not all waned that there were no selections from the great English orators.

The readings were extracts from history, poetry, the Spec- tator, and the like literature. They were generally serious ; oc- casionally comic, for example. "The Stuttering Soldier." "The Raid-headed Cove," "Anecdote of Miss Rush." It shows the difference in the habit of matutinal sleeping that one of the essavs was in ridicule of "The Rov Who Lav in Red After

QUERIES DEBATED. 79

Sunrise." The extract chosen by David Gillespie from the preface to Murray's Grammar, just out of press, was of suffi- cient gravity.

Not many of the subjects of composition are given. Among them I notice "Oratory," "Eloquence," "Unpoliteness," "In- dustry."

But the subjects chosen for debates, and the votes taken thereon, throw much greater light on the intellectual attitude of the students. I therefore cull from the records of both societies such of those subjects as will show the tastes and opinions of the members during the first two years of the university life.

I have already shown that the decision was that education is better than riches. It was likewise decided that public edu- cation is of more advantage than private, and horribile dictu, that the schoolmaster is of more advantage to society than the preacher. The members were of the opinion that wisdom tends to happiness ; that modern history is of more value to students than ancient ; that a liberal education is more conducive to hap- piness than a savage life. The theory of Rousseau, that savage is on the whole happier than civilized life, was at one time affirmed; at another, negatived. It was voted that the French language is of more value than the Latin.

In an unguarded moment one of the societies agreed to dis- cuss whether traveling improves the mind, whereupon there is the following curious entry, "As the question intended for debate is not "thinkable," the opponents coincided in opinion. The debate was therefore not a good one, but, after the regular business was over, we debated on this question, "Does a man with a competency, or he who is in a very affluent station, enjoy most happiness." The admirers of Solomon will be gratified to know that competency was successful.

This incident reminds me that Mrs. Delphina E. Mendenhall, of Guilford, a Quakeress, presented to the Dialectic Society Dymond's Essays, advocating universal peace. When a stu- dent I induced the Query Committee to report the question, taken from the essays, "Is War Ever Justifiable?" The great debaters in the society declared that it was altogether one-sided,

8o HISTORY UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA.

refused to discuss it, and censured the committee for adopting a query on one side of which nothing could be said. As it was not my turn to speak, I had not crammed on the subject from Dymond and was unable to bring forward a single Quaker argument in order to avert the displeasure of the house.

The last educational topic will astonish readers of this gen- eration. It was however discussed seriously in a literary so- ciety of an American university, "Shall Corporal Punishment be Introduced Into the University ?'* The memory of smarting backs and knuckles produced an emphatic No ! I must explain that the small boys in the institution had not then been sepa- rated from the rest and placed in a preparatory department.

The members were fairly orthodox, although infidelity and lawless theories were so prevalent throughout the world. It was decided that Religion makes mankind happy, that Self -Conceit does not produce happiness, that the Bible is to be believed, that the Profligate is more unhappy than the Moralist, that Polygamy is not consistent with the will of God, that tempo* rary marriages would not conduce to the good of society, that Suicide can never be justifiable. Even on the concrete ques- tion, whether Lucretia was justifiable in killing herself, it was voted that the poor lady was blameable, although by her mar- tyrdom she inaugurated popular government in Rome.

On what is called the Jesuitical doctrine of Pious Frauds, it was voted that they are wrong, although on the similar question whether it is ever allowable to tell lies the members agreed with military men, statesmen and others that occasion may arise to justify them. As to which is most despicable the Thief or the Liar, the decision was that the Thief was the worst. Indeed on another occasion it was solemnly voted that he ought to be hung instead of receiving the milder punishment of forty stripes save one. On the question, "Is Debauchery or Drunkenness most prejudicial," drunkenness was pronounced the lesser evil. The miser was considered an unworthv char- acter evidently, because it was discussed whether we have the right to kill him and distribute his property. He was spared. A blow was struck at the Sermon on the Mount when it was decided that it is not consistent with reason to love one's ene-

THE TWO SOClKTUiS. 8l

mies. It is gratifying that they thought that actions cannot be poUtically right and morally wrong. Whether duelling is ever justifiable was discussed several times. Twice it was sus- tained and once the decision was adverse, though it is significant that Tutor Harris then opened the debate. Salaried ministers of the gospel should breathe more freely on learning that the students of 1796 deemed it conformable to the Christian re- Ugion for preachers to get wages. Fun-lovers should be com- forted in knowing their opinion, that "moderate fortune and good humor are preferable to a large estate and bad disposi- tion,"

Other decisions were : that Health is better than Riches ; that love of mankind is more prevalent than love of money; that Flattery is sometimes useful ; that the pursuit of an object gives greater happiness than the enjoyment ; that Pride is essential to happiness ; that a man is happier in seeking his own approba- tion than in seeking that of others ; that a state of Nature is a state of war; that the Immortality of the soul is not deducible from reason; that beasts have no souls. It is surprising that young men in the last decade of the i8th century, with the war spirit hot throughout the world, debated with warmth, but could not be brought to a decision, the question, "Is it justifiable to kill one who is threatening one's life?"

Among the moral and religious questions it should perhaps be mentioned that the opponents of such amusements as danc- ing, fox hunting, horse racing, and the like, had the strength to bring forward the query, "Is it politic for the Trustees to permit a Dancing School at the University ?" They were out- voted.

During the first years of the University the students were totally debarred from the society of ladies of their own age, as the village was merely on paper. It is to be noted, however, that none the less was their interest in all questions of a social nature. "Does a matrimonial or single life confer most happi- ness" was gravely decided in favor of marriage. "Are Talents or Riches greater recommendations to ladies?" was asked, and the sodety honored the fair sex by answering "Talents." "Are ladies or wine most deleterious to students ?" was another ques-

6

82 HISTORY UNIVroSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA.

tion, the palm for deleteriousness being awarded, I grieve to say, to the ladies. Greater gratitude was shown, however, in the decision of the next, **Is female modesty natural or af- fected ?" nature getting the credit. The members wrestled with this rather nebulous speculation, *'Is love without hope, or malice without revenge, most injurious," but never came to a conclusion. I presume this was one of the **non-thinkable" subjects. The members knew their own minds however on this question, "Should a man marry for gold or for beauty?", the preference being given to the red metal.

Of course questions of public policy were frequently de- bated. Indeed one enthusiastic member proposed that the Constitution of the United States should be discussed clause by clause, but this was too great a task. The extent of the powers granted by the Constitution, the unconstitutionality of acts of Congress, seem not to have attracted attention. I find only questions of expediency or the reverse. For example, "Is an excise tax consistent with the principles of Liberty?" an- swered in the affirmative. "Are standing armies useful?" an- swered No. "Are the salaries of United States officers too great?" answered Yes. "Is the neutrality of the United States in the French- British War consistent with gratitude?" answer. Yes. "Should the United States pay the British debts?" an- swer, No. "Which is best a pure Democracy or a mixed gov- ernment?" answer, Mixed. "Should foreigners be allowed to hold offices in the United States?" answer at one time. Yes; at another. No. "Should army officers be appointed by the executive or Legislature?" answer, by the executive. "Should our diplomatic intercourse be diminished?" answer, No. "Is there just cause of war by the United States against France?'' (February, 1797), decision, No. In April the same discussion arose and the war spirit gained the vote. Should our Navy be increased?" decision. Yes. "Should the United States further negotiate with Algiers?" Decision. No. "Is it equitable and politic to confiscate private property in war?" decision. Yes. "Is Spain blameable for obstructing the navigation of the Mis- sissippi?" decision. Yes. "Are treaties contrary to the Law of Nations binding?" decision. Yes. "Should the United States adopt Sumptuary Laws ?" decision, Yes.

THE TWO SOCIETIES. 83

It is remarkable that the question should have been debated, **Is the Constitution of England or the United States prefer- able?'* The decision, as might be expected, was in favor of the United States. The members pronounced themselves in favor of a protective tariff. They anticipated the action of this State sixty-one years in declaring for free suffrage for both branches of the General Assembly. This shows the preponder- ance of Western members. They likewise voted against the use of paper money. When this question was called, Robert Burton, afterwards a North Carolina judge, and Nathaniel Williams, afterwards a Tennessee judge, who had been ap- pointed to open the debate, declined to speak for the reason that they knew nothing of the subject. This excuse was unani- mously disallowed and they were promptly fined.

When it was argued "Is peace or war most useful?"; it is honestly recorded that the vote was in favor of war "from the arguments." That Commerce is useful to Nations only passed by a majority vote. As to the relative advantageousness of Commerce and Agriculture, the preference was given to com- merce. Was not this the old contest between Poseidon against Athena, Neptune against Minerva ?

On the slavery question the members on the whole took the

Southern view, yet there was evident a want of enthusiasm,

if not positive doubt. It is likely that the decision on the

query, "WTiether Africans have not as much right to enslave

Americans as Americans to enslave Africans?" viz.: that

"Africans have as good right, if not better," was in a jocular

spirit. But there was no joking in the declaration that Death

is preferable to Slavery, but it is probable that they meant

slaver)^ to white people. The fact, however, that the members

discussed the question "Whether slaves are advantageous to

; the United States?" and "Whether the importation of African

\ slaves is of advantage to the United States ?" shows that there

I was difference of opinion, although the majority was in the af-

\ finnative in both cases. A spirit of doubt as to the beneficence

( of the institution seems to be implied in the question "Should

slaver)' be abolished at this time?", notwithstanding that the

^ members answered no.

84 HISTORY UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROUNA.

I give a few miscellaneous questions perhaps worthy to be recorded. The right of the Legislatures of the States to in- struct members of Congress was debated but not decided. It is noticeable that a serious discussion was had as to whether public offices should be venal, i. e., at liberty to be bought and sold. The decision was adverse. It is in affirmance of what political economists say of the abominable evils of the poor laws of England at this time that a debate was had as to the propriety of making any provision for paupers, although the conclusion was favorable. The members voted that the fathers should retain the power of disinheriting altogether their chil- dren, although admirers of French ways contended otherwise. The latter, however, succeeded in obtaining a majority vote that Louis XVI. was justly beheaded. The members showed their jealousy of the Federal government by voting on one occasion that official salaries were too high, and on another that members of Congress should be paid less wages than soldiers. They voted at one time that bodily strength is better than valor in war, and at another that ingenuity is superior to bodily strength. It seems that the vegetarian theory, one of the first modem ab- surd **isms," had penetrated to our wilds, because the prohibi- tion of animal food was discussed, but it was too much to ex- pect our keen-stomached students with visions of ham and roast beef, or the savory fried chicken at to-morrow's dinner, to vote against their consumption.

In the spring of 1796 both societies voted to substitute a play for all other exercises, and the members made preparations with enthusiasm. This action was probably stimulated by the advent of a tutor, Mr. Richards, who had been an actor. The scenery was purchased at Williamsboro, but it does not appear why such apparatus was in that village. Such was the zeal of the amateur Thespians that one of the members who agreed to take two parts and failed without excuse was incontinently expelled from one of the societies. I regret that I can find no description of this great dramatic performance.

As showing the contrast between the reading room of 1796 and that of one hundred years later I state that a motion was made in one of the societies that the Halifax Journal be sub-

THE TWO SOCIETIES. 85

scribed for in behalf of the members; whereupon Alexander McCulkxh, brother-in-law of William Boylan, one' of the edi- tors, generously offered the use of his copy, and the motion was withdrawn. A subsequent motion to buy the Fayetteville Hinerva was defeated, as one paper was deemed sufficient. The following is the first list of books ever purchased by either society. It shows taste for solid reading — ^not a novel among them.

Locke on the Human Understanding.

WoolstonecM^ft's Rights of Women.

Gillie's Greece.

Sully's Memoirs.

Becearia on Crimes and Punishments.

Brown on Equality.

Mosheira's Ecclesiastical History.

Goldsmith's History of England, 4 volumes.

Gibbon's Decline and Fall.

Helvetius on the Human Mind.

Porcupine's Bloody Buoy.

Porcupine's Politicar Censor.

Love and Patriotism.

The Federalist.

Smith's Constitutions.

The most active of the earliest members of the Debating So- ciety were, in order of their names, Wm. Houston, Lawrence Toole, Robert Smith, Francis Burton, James Webb. Richard Simms, Alexander Osborne, Wm. M. Sneed, Hutchins G. Bur- ton, Wm. Dickson and Samuel Hinton. In the Concord So- ciety the leaders were David Gillespie, E. J. Osborne, George W. Long, Hinton James, Evan Jones, Henry Kearney, Nicholas Long. Wm. Alston, David Cook, Lawrence A. Dorsey, Joseph Gillespie. Of these David Gillespie, E. J. Osborne and George W. Long were most prominent.

The professors of the University were admitted to be active members of one or the other society, but do not often appear in the debates.

Early Student Lii^ — The Pettigrew Letters.

By the kindness of Miss Caroline Pettigrew, granddaughter of Ebenezer Pettigrew, who with his brother John was a student of the University from the spring of 1795 to the fall of

86 HISTORY UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROI^INA.

1797, I am able to give glimpses of the inner life of the Univer- sity in its infancy from letters written by them to their father. Their father was Rev. Charles Pettigrew, of Tyrrell County, who was chosen Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church, but was prevented, by the breaking out of yellow fever in Phila- delphia at the time, and failing health afterwards, from being consecrated. I have also been permitted by Mr. Norman Jones, of Raleigh, to examine a letter dated April, 1795, written to his mother by his ancestor, Nicholas Long, grandson of Colonel Nicholas Long, of the North Carolina Continental line.

Letters by children to their parents were then as a rule much more formal than is now usual. Long addresses his mother as ^'Honored Mother ;*' but the Pettigrews wrote "Dear Father." Long^s father was dead and his mother had married a Methodist preacher, Rev. Daniel Shine. He sends his "re- spects" to Mr. Shine. A married sister he calls Sister Hill, and the husband of another sister he calls "Brother Green." The Presiding Professor he called Rev. Parson Ker. The Pet- tigrews sign themselves, or rather John signs for both, "your dutiful sons." They always send their "duties" to their mother and compliments to all others. In one letter the word "com- pliments" was in the message to the mother, but it was scratched out and "duties" substituted. Bishop Pettigrew's letter to Jackey and Ebley, as he calls them, are exceedingly affectionate and wise.

The boys saw no newspapers. Weeks intervened between letters. The postage to Bertie County, where Dr. Pettigrew once lived, is usually endorsed 17 cents. Once John informed him that he was forced to pay at Chapel Hill 12 1-2 cents when his father prepaid the same amount. The latter afterwards re- torted: "What you designed for frugality accidentally resulted otherwise. You thought by your two letters on the same sheet, or rather half sheet of post paper, to save expenses, but I find 44 cents on the letter. 45 is just the postage of three letters. Your putting two wafers and two addresses has made it a double letter for which they charge double postage." The con- sistency of the charges of the Postal Department seems open to criticism, judging from the foregoing statements.

THE PETTIGREW LETTERS. 87

We learn from these letters, and from other sources, some- thing of the modes of travel to and from the University. Some came on horseback, some in "chairs" or double sulkies, others in carts. Long wrote that, if "the boy" would start by daybreak with the horse, he might make the journey from his home, Sandy Creek, in Franklin G)unty, 65 miles, in one day. The following extract from one of the Pettigrew letters shows the difficulty of transporting persons and things. "Send up a dou- ble chair with a portmanteau and a pair of saddle-bags (as our chests will be too unhandy to be carried in a chair), in which we could carry our clothes and some particular books, but as there are a great many of them it would be needless to attempt carrying them all in a chair. In my opinion it would be best for the rest to stay until December when the boys who will come from Bertie will be coming up in a cart, and as the cart will be going back empty I have no doubt they would take down a chest of books to Windsor, from whence they might easily be conveyed to Tyrrell. My bed I can dispose of." They were not expecting to return to the University.

Among other things they tell of the sad necessity of going

nearlv barefoot, because of the non-existence of a shoemaker

in the village. They hope, however, that an itinerant mender

of shoes while on his circuit will come to their relief. They

asked their father to have pairs of new shoes ready at their

homes when the session shall be over, for, said they, shoes are

expensive at Chapel Hill, being 18 shillings or $1.80 a pair.

They marked the length of their feet on the margin of the big

sheet on which they wrote, thus giving us a hint of the rudeness

of the foot coverings of that day, no other measure than the

length being given to the workman. If they had enclosed a

slip instead of notching the paper it would have subjected

the letter to double postage, i. e., the postage of the order would

have been nearly 20 per cent of the cost of the article.

Another trouble they had was the difficulty of procuring a ^d, meaning one made of the soft feathers of geese. They slept for a while at the house of a family named Kimball, in the only room to be rented in town, but, the Kimballs announcing rtieir intention to move to "Caintuck" (Kentucky), it became

88 HISTORY UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA.

necessary for the boys to move into the college building, and hence a bed of their own was essential. They state that the Steward, Mr. Taylor, had beds to rent for the enormous price of ii2, or $24 per annum. Their father earnestly cautioned them against the danger of sleeping on hard boards after en- joying the luxury of feathers all the summer, and saved them from this evil by sending the coveted piece of furniture from his home in the "chair" designed for the return of the boys in vacation.

Moving into the Old East, they were forced to share the apartment with four others, but they were comforted by the fact that two of them were little boys of the Grammar School. Some of the "small boys" they discovered were loud-mouthed nuis- ances. They found in this room a more grievous nuisance even than noisy "small boys" — the bully. "One of our room-mates desires," they