State

Watleshoro's First Marker Honors Ashe By MARY MFDLFY ihc sword struck a bone and spun back out into the arena. In these cases the matador called for a sword with a guard about six inches from the tip or point; this he pushed into the wounded animal's brain, and he tumbled over as if he had been struck with an axe. There were 3 matadors, each fought two bulls, and the whole thing was over in I Zi hours. It was not. said the Spaniards, a very good fight, but it was plenty for us. and we think six fights in one stretch is right much to sit through. Not the Spaniards. They love it, and will travel up and down the coast to see their favorite matadors in action at the numerous rings. They are quite popular as athletes, but do not rank high socially in Spain. Their pictures are on postcards, and you can even buy dolls which repro¬ duce their features and costumes ac¬ curately. One fighter on this afternoon was a 17-ycar-old boy, who is quite a local favorite. He reacted to the adulation of the crowd with about the kind you would expect from a teen-ager, grand¬ standing. posturing, bowing to the crowd, and attempting dare-devil stunts, such as kneeling before the bull. The Spaniard sitting next to us con¬ fided that the lad would become the greatest bull fighter in all Spain, to which my wife commented that he al¬ ready was the biggest ham. Since 1935. when North Caro¬ lina initiated its Highway Historical Marker program, seven of the markers had been placed in Anson County. But the recognition seemed to have bypassed Wadesboro. the county scat. Although Wadesboro is 183 years old, it had not a historical marker to its name until last month, when a marker was there unveiled honoring Thomas Samuel Ashe (1812-1887). Member of the Confederate Congress and Associate Justice of N. C. Su¬ preme Court. The Ashe name is a familiar one to students of North Carolina history, having figured prominently for two and a half centuries. Thomas Samuel Ashe was of the John Baptista Ashe and Governor Samuel Ashe line, noted in the Cape Fear in colonial and Revo¬ lutionary times. He was born at Hawficlds. and spent most of his early life around Hills¬ borough. He was educated at Bing¬ ham School, the University of North Carolina, and later studied law under Chief Justice Thomas Ruffin. In 1836 he established his law practice in Wadesboro. and married Miss Caro¬ lina Burgwin. of near Wilmington. Both of them are buried in Wades¬ boro. From practicing lawyer to legislator, member of the Confederate and U.S. Congress, Thomas Samuel Ashe moved on to head conservative forces after the War Between the States, be¬ came their candidate for governor, and lost the race to the more radical Wil¬ liam Woods Holden. He served as state solicitor, and was on the board of trustees of the University of North Carolina for many years. <5* ^ , Thomas Samuel Aihc It is said that he drove a horse and wagon around the state to help re¬ activate the University following War and Reconstruction. The dramatic oratory of a colorful fellow townsman. Col. Bisden Tyler Bennett, presented the Ashe name to the meeting of the N. C. Bar Associa¬ tion in 1878 for the honored place of justice. He won the appointment, and served until his death in 1887. The marker program was sponsored by the Daughters of the American Colonists, Admiral Anson Chapter. Mrs. W. B. Little, lineal descendant of Ashe, is also state chairman of land¬ marks and memorials for the DAC. Among the 200 people gathered for the marker unveiling was Mrs. H. I. (Ethel Marshall) DePass of Rock Hill, S. C. and Atlanta. Ga.. 9 1 -year- old granddaughter of Ashe, who was eleven years old when he died. : 1 ^ OAK RIDGE MILITARY INSTITUTE Founded 1852 fill §g Grades 8-12 Postgraduate mm R. 0. T. C. For Literature Address Director of Admissions Oak Ridge Military Institute Oak Ridge, N. C. 1 6 THE STATE. DCCCMOCR 1. 1966