Carolina Boundary
DISPUTE
Settled by Tree
Did you know lhat the original
boundary line between North and
South Carolina, established more than
two centuries ago, was clearly proved
in recent years by a stately pine tree
whose age exceeded 350 years?
That's a fact, and the circumstances
in connection therewith reveal that an
inanimate object, without the power
of speech, may resolve itself into a
witness whose testimony can neither
be denied nor assailed.
Until about thirty-five years ago.
the exact boundary line between the
two states, especially in that section
between the ocean and the 1. umber
River near Fair Bluff. Columbus
County, was more or less in dispute.
Transfers of land, etc., had served to
confuse the issue. Deeds in many in¬
stances made mention of hazy and
hard-to- locate boundary points, in
many cases extending beyond what
was supposed to be the dividing line.
A Sketchy Survey
The actual survey of the line, many
years before, was done in a most in¬
accurate manner. "The king had fixed
its beginning," according to Wheeler’s
History of North Carolina "at the
north-east of Long Bay, to run thence
Northwest to 35 degrees north lati¬
tude. thence west to the South Sea.
The commissioners on the part of
North Carolina were Robert Holton.
Matthew Rowan, and Edward Mosely.
The commissioners began at a cedar
stake on the seashore, by the mouth
of Little River, and having run a
North-west line until they arrived, as
they conceived to 35 degrees, they al¬
tered their course by ‘mutual consent’
and ran west to the Pee Dee. This
stopped the line for the present. After¬
wards, it was extended twenty miles
by private persons. It was continued
in 1754. This was taken for the true
line, according to Governor Tryon’s
proclamation (May 1765). Governor
Martin, some years after (1771), in¬
formed the Assembly that he was in¬
structed to continue said line as far as
the Salisbury road, thence until it
strikes the lands of the Catawba In¬
dians, thence leaving those lands to
the south, to the Catawba River, then
due west. The ridiculous zigzag that
our southern line presents was the ef¬
fect of private intrigue."
When this situation was called to
the attention of Governor A. W. Mc¬
Lean. his curiosity was aroused and
he began to make some investigation
concerning it. Inquiry developed that
no one seemed to know exactly where
the line was. The canny Governor then
decided that something ought to be
done about the matter.
As the result of a subsequent sur¬
vey, for which he was largely responsi¬
ble. Governor McLean had the satis¬
faction of knowing that there would
be no further dispute or argument.
The completion of the survey and the
placing of the last marker on Gat
Island, between the Lumber River and
the Atlantic on December 4, 1928,
made the line for that distance of
43.08 miles a definite, permanent and
irrevocable fixture. Inasmuch as that
area appears to have been the one
most in doubt, the remainder of the
line west of the Lumber has been ac¬
cepted as correct and in accord with
the original surveys.
While he was looking into the mat¬
ter. Governor McLean discovered that
the North Carolina Assembly of 1915
had made provisions for a survey of
the boundary line from the ocean to
the Waccamaw River, a distance of
eight miles, and that the 1919 session
( Continued on page 1 4 )
This photogioph it of Ihc original pine tree mork-
mg
о
point in the ttotc line between the two
ttotes, eut down in June. 1928. Hill olive. It wot
355 yeort of oge ond the "bloie" wot cut in
by the turveyort in 1735 The section of the
tree here shown wot set oport for North Corolmo
ond
о
similor one token for South Carolina The
Commissioner for the latter ttote wot J. Monroe
Johnson, ond George F Symc wos Commissioner
for North Carolina The first report wos mode to
both stotet December 15. 1928
THE STATE. FCBRUARY 3. 1962
3
