State

Volume XII Number 52 May 26 1945 THE STATE A Weekly Survey of North Carolina Entered as »*cond-cIau matter. June 1. 1933. at the Postoffice at Ralelfh. North Carolina, under the Act of March 3. 1879. The Naming of Carolina Some individuals are of the opinion that the state was папич! for Charles IX, of France. The best authorities, however, are agreed that Charles I, of England, deserves this distinction. WAS Carolina named for Charles I. Charles II. both of England or for Charles IX. of France? This question often has been propounded by persons interested in the derivation of the name of our state. While the proponents of the French king have been rather hard to convince in this mat¬ ter. nevertheless the greater weight of fact and argument leads to the conclusion that the honor right¬ fully belongs to King Charles I. The question is of sufficient interest to justify delving into the historical records in order to as¬ certain the conclusions of pro¬ found students of the past. From authoritative sources consulted, it appears that the major number seem to be in agreement that the name was selected either by Charles I himself or by Sir Robert Heath. By way of parenthesis, it might be explained here that Charles I was also known by his Latin name. Carolus, and it is from this that Carolina is derived. Two of the most dependable students who have written exhaus¬ tive and accurate histories of this state are Hugh Williamson, whose work was published about 1812, and the late beloved Captain Samuel A. Ashe, of Raleigh, whose history of North Carolina was pub¬ lished about a century later. These two men are agreed that the name of our state, and that of our sister state to the south, were both given in recognition of Charles I, of Eng¬ land. Williamson says rather humor- By EOllIS T. MOORE ously that no prince could be more liberal than Charles in rewarding his friends with that which cost him nothing. Nor was he without precedent in his own family in granting the same thing a second time. James I divided the province that had been granted to Sir Walter Raleigh between two com¬ panies. Charles I granted a con¬ siderable part of the same terri¬ tory to one of his favorites. In the fifth year of his reign he gave to Sir Robert Heath, the Attorney General, all that part of America from the River Saint Matthes, 30 degrees north latitude, to the River Passo Mago, 36 degrees north lati¬ tude, and extending from the At¬ lantic to the South Sea: also all the islands of Veanis and Bahama not being in actual possession of any Christian Prince. Sir Robert, his heirs and assigns, were desig¬ nated as true and absolute lords and proprietors of the said region and territory, saving the faith and allegiance due the king and his successors. The land thus granted was created into a province by the name of Carolana. The laudable zeal of Sir Robert Heath in pro¬ moting the Christian faith, enlarg¬ TIIE COVER PICTURE A scene along one of the many beautiful bridle paths at Pinehurst. ing the empire and increasing the commerce of the kingdom at his own cost are given as motives that inspired the grant. The River Passo Mago was above the en¬ trance to Albemarle Sound. Martin, another noted North Carolina historian, in his record of the state, also mentions the fact that Sir Robert Heath was given full grant to the territory described above. The charter bears the date of October 5, 1629, or the fifth year of the reign of Charles I. In line with the foregoing facts stands the following extract from the Second Charter granted by Charles II of England to the Pro¬ prietors, doted June 30, 1665 (the date of the first grant having been March 24. 1663): “All that prov¬ ince, territory, or tract of ground called Carolina, lying within our Dominions of America, extending from the north end of the island called Luke Island, which lieth in the Southern Virginia seas, and within 36 degrees of north latitude; and to the rest as far as the South Seas; and so respectively os far as the river of Matthias, which bordereth upon the coast of Florida, and within 31 degrees of northern latitude; and so west, in a direct line as far as the South Seas.” In a personal communication to the writer shortly before his death, Captain Samuel A. Ashe, of Ra¬ leigh. wrote in 1934: “In 1629 Charles I of England made a grant to his Attorney General of so much of the continent as lay be¬ tween the 31st and 36th degrees of north latitude. The grant said: (Continued on page 16)