State

Роде Six the state July 20, 1935 GOVERNORS OF NORTH CAROLINA - No. 22— Arthur Dobbs - - By W. J. Sadler - ★ HOSTILITIES of the Indians and in- ★ lernai troubles marred the adminis¬ tration of Arthur Hobbs. North Carolina's I u only-second Governor, who served in that capacity for al¬ most eleven years. Hobbs, old and infirm, finally requested relief, and was succeeded by William Tryou. jk КТН Г К DOBBS, A IWonl.V-si'L'ulul Gov- ernor of North Cnro- linn and the fourth person to hold that office under the di¬ rect authority of the British Crown, was a man of exten¬ sive land holdings in the New World colony. News evidently traveled -lowly in those early days, heeuuse it was almost two and a half years before Dobbs was appointed Gov- ernor, following the death of Gabriel Johnston, wlm served as Chief ExecU- tive of the -late for eighteen years. During that time two men, Nathaniel Biee and Matthew Rowan, had ruled over the Albemarle as "President* of the Council" through tin- authority of the state assembly, but they could not properly be termed governor- in a- much as their appointments had not been au¬ thorized by the British authorities. II is- torical account* indicate that little of importance transpired during the time they held office, with the exception of renewed hostilities with unfriendly In¬ dian tribes. Took His Time Dobbs, appointed by the English king as Governor of North Carolina in Janu¬ ary. 1 753, did not sail for the colony until a year and a half later, reaching the Albemarle some time during the month of October, 17-Ч. 11 is reigu ex¬ tended over a peri< «1 of almost eleven years, ending in March, 1765. “Governor Dobbs had apparently bes'n interested in North Carolina mat¬ ter» as earlv a* 1 733,*" says one historical account of hi- appointment Gover¬ nor. "and in 1735 had a grant of 12,500 acres on Deep River and one for 60,000 acre» ou Black River, in New Hanover Precinct. 1 1 •• also had a grant for a large territory between Salisbury and the Catawba Indians." Dobbs, upon u>-nming office, inherit¬ ed all of the troubles that could be en¬ gendered by a more or less typo of guerilla warfare with various tribes of red men who felt that they had been unfairly treat'd by the whites. The nocturnal forays of the Indians iu wide¬ ly-separated sections of the colony cre¬ ated a situation which he fouud hard to cope with in an efficient manner. Battled With Assembly And, too, the new Governor, like so many of his predecessors, just could not get along with the state assembly. The question of taxes and rents, and the method of their collection, continued to plague him, just as it had a number of those preceding him in office. He "seemed to have developed nil arbitrary ami exacting spirit, and would brook no np|N>»ition to his purpose».” declares one historian in writing of hi* adminis¬ tration. “Old, self-willed and petulant,” the account continues, "he appears to have regard'd himself as a ruler rather than as a mere executive officer, and lie sought to constrain rather than to influence.” Despite his difficulties with the assem¬ bly. ho wever. Governor Dobbs was hon¬ ored bv that body through the naming of a great portion of what is now Eastern North < Carolina in his honor. The terri¬ tory. comprising several of the present counties of Wayne, Lenoir, Greene, and possibly others, was named Dobbs Coun¬ ty in his honor. A town known as Tower Hill, on the Ncuse River, was selected as the capital of the colony, after Dobbs had insisted that the site should bear that designation. The legislative meas¬ ure, however, a year or so later was repealed. Honored By Waddell Another honor was to сото to Gov¬ ernor Dobbs. Hugh Waddell, son of a wealthy and aggressive Scotch-Irish¬ man, had taken an active part in the war against the Indians during Dobbs's administration. He was so great an admirer of the elderly ruler of the Albe¬ marle that he established a fort in Rowan County, near the present city of States¬ ville. naming it Fort Dobbs. Dobbs apparently was at odds with the state assembly during the entire period, covering almost eleven years, that he was Governor of North Carolina. He was, historians tell us, "loud in his de¬ nunciation of all opposition to his measures and schemes, and ascribed the antagonism of the leaders in the assem¬ bly to a spirit of republicanism, which lie declined was more rife in tlii* prov¬ ince than iu any other.” First Paper Started It was during Dobbs's administration that North Carolina's first newspaper was established. It was the Xorth Caro¬ lina Gmclle. published in New Bern by James Davis, printer and postmaster of that city. Davis Inter also began the publication of the Xorth Carolina Magazine, or Universal Intelligencer. and still later Andrew Stouart published the Xorth Carolina Gazette and Week¬ ly Post Hoy at Wilmington. The Post Hoy later was succeeded by the Cape Fear M or сигу. Succeeded by Try on Governor Dobbs, nearing the end of his administration at the age of almost eighty years, tired of his duties iu the fall of 1764. and a.k.-d the British au¬ thorities to appoint someone else in his place. Ilis request was acceded to, and William Tryon, destined to go down in North Carolina history as one of its greatest despots, was appointed in his place. I >obbs, however, held his office until the spring of the following year when he was succeeded by Tryon.