State

The De-weeding of Richard Spaight Boy Scouts cleared away the brush, and there again was the tomb of North Carolina's first native-born Gover¬ nor. By PHIL BOHIL Some people buzzing along Brice’s Creek Road about three miles from the center of New Bern have glimpsed, off in the brush, what looks like just another of the family graveyards that dot homesteads throughout the state. Until recently, few knew- that this par¬ ticular cemetery holds the remains of one of the most important figures in the colonial history of North Carolina — Richard Dobbs Spaight. Sr. A nephew’ of Royal Governor Arthur Dobbs. Spaight gave up his aristocratic Hnglish-lnsh heritage to help in the fight for independence as an aide to General Richard Caswell, commander of the state militia in the Revolutionary War. Along with two other North Carolinians. William Blount and Hugh Williamson. Spaight signed the U.S. Constitution and worked to have it ratified. He went on to become a prom¬ inent legislator and the first native- born governor. Following his term as governor, Spaight was elected a state senator. In 1802. he was 44 when he became em¬ broiled in a bitter political battle with New Bern lawyer John Stanly. On a Sunday afternoon in September of that year, the two faced each other on the outskirts of town for a formal duel. In the exchange of pistol fire. Spaight was fatally wounded. His son. Richard. Jr., also went into politics and eventually won the gover¬ nor’s chair. Both men are buried in the little cemetery off Brice's Creek Road. A bronze plaque inside the brick-and- granitc enclosure reads: "On this property known as ‘Cler¬ mont’ was erected by Col. William Wilson, about 1735. a colonial brick mansion which was destroyed by the Federal forces in 1863. Col. Wilson married Mary Vail, the widow of Fred¬ erick Jones Esq., their daughter Elizabeth, married in 1756. Richard RxKord Dobbt Spoight, Sr., legislotor. congtettmon, ugner ot the U.S. Conititution. ond fir»» notive gov¬ ern*» of North Caroline. In 1802 he -ot hilled in о duel Spaight. secretary of the crown in the province of North Carolina, justice of the Supreme court and member of the council of Gov. Arthur Dobbs. 1757- 1763. Here was bom in 1758 their son. Richard Dobbs Spaight. the first native governor of North Carolina. 1792- 1795. In this plot arc interred the re¬ mains of Richard Spaight. 1730-1763; Madame' Mary Vail Moore. 1705- 1764; Gov. Richard Dobbs Spaight. 1758-1802; Mary Jones Leech. 1765- 1870. his wife; William Wilson Spaight. 1794-1812; Charles George Spaight. 1798-1831; Gov. Richard Dobbs Spaight. Jr.. 1796-1850; Mar¬ garet Elizabeth Spaight. 1 800- 1831. wife of Judge John R. Donnell: Mar¬ garet Elizabeth Donnell. 1828-1836; Col. Joseph Leech. 1720-1803. trea- Mott motonttt potted I He overgrown cemetery plot (left) never tutpecling thot it contoined the tomb ol о dittinguuhed figure in North Corolmo's colomol hutory. Now, with the |ungle clcorcd o-oy by New Bern Boy Scoult (right) the histone site it reody for Biccntenmol visitors