- Title
- Early history of Raleigh, the capital city of North Carolina: a centennial address
-
-
- Date
- 1893
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-
- Creator
- ["Battle, Kemp P. (Kemp Plummer), 1831-1919."]
-
- Place
- ["Raleigh, Wake County, North Carolina, United States"]
-
- Local Call Number
- 975.6551 B336 (Text)
-
-
Early history of Raleigh, the capital city of North Carolina: a centennial address
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49
of ten barrels of vinegar. The fire of 1821 burnt over the
same district, beginning where the market-house stands,
then it crossed Hargett and was only slopped by the pluck
of Mrs. Hannah Stewart, which saved herdwelling standing
on the land occupied by Tucker hall. She saved it again
from a fire which consumed all the buildings north to Mor¬
gan street, but about twenty years afterwards a third fire
prevailed even over her heroic energy.
At another time all the buildings on the west side of Fay¬
etteville street from Morgan to Hargett, with the exception
of that next to Morgan, then belonging to the Newbern
bank, were swept away. This was kindled by an incen¬
diary, Benjamin F. Seaborn, a clerk of Richard Smith, who
endeavored by arson to hide the crime of theft. Smith was
County Register, and twenty registry books were destroyed
with his store-house, causing much confusion of titles in our
county. It is gratifying to know that Seaborn was hung for
his crime.
THE FIRST CITY FATHERS.
The first Intendant of Police of the city, as I have stated,
was John Haywood, the Treasurer of the State from 17o7 to
his death in 1827, forty years, so popular that a county and a
town were named in his honor, one of the most conspicuous
citizens of early Raleigh. His kindness to the sick and afflicted
and his hospitality knew no limit. He made it a rule to
invite to a meal every member and officer of the General
Assembly, which in his lime met yearly. Rather uncult¬
ured guests he had sometimes. Funny stories about some
of them once flitted about the social atmosphere of our town.
I recall one of a backwoods legislator who in the dim light of
the Treasurer’s parlor gazed with enquiring wonder at an
animal lying on the rug. “That,” said the Treasurer, “is
my daughter’s pet.” ‘“A pet is it? a pet you say? I thought
it was a cat!” It was at a party, as receptions were then
called, given by Senator Badger, some years later, that one
of the guests took his seat on an old-fashioned piano, remark¬
ing that “these Raleigh big-bugs have benches with mighty
long legs.”
Treasurer John Haywood is to be distinguished from Judge
John Haywood, the eminent lawyer who adorned the bench
of this Slate and of Tennessee. Treasurer John was from
Edgecombe, son of Col. William Haywood, a very prominent
member of our State Congresses and General Assemblies of
the Revolution. Judge John was from Halifax, son of Egbert,
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