The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1857-10-20
HISTORICAL RECORDS.

joining counties. was furnished by our
friend, DR.. c. L. Hunter of Lincoln county:
Extracts from the Records Of Iryon county.
Mr. EDITOR: In a recent examination
of the public Records Of the county of Try
on. embracing Lincoln and Rutherford, to
which the Clerk kindly gave me free and
unrestricted access, have been enabled to
Gull few entries which may have sufficient
historic Importance. at this remote period,
to eaerit place in your columns. In an
old book, commencing with April Term,
1869. soon after Lincoln county was set
apart from Mecklenburg, find the follow
ing entry:
NORTH CAROLINA, 1ryon co.
Pursuant to an Act of Assembly of the
Province aforesaid, bearing date the fifth
day of December. 1868, and in the 9th year
of his Majesty's reign, for dividing Meek
lenburg county into two distinct counties
by the name of Meeklenburg county and
Tryon county, and other purposes in said
act mentioned, his Malesty's commission,
under the Great Seal of the Province afore-
said, appointing Thomas Neel, Jr., William
Moore, William Watson, John Ritzhaupt.
Jacob Costner, VIM. Twitty, James Nell
wean, Henry Clark, Jonas Bedford. John
Gordon, John Walker. Henry Holman,
Robert Harris. Jr, and David Anderson,
Esq'rs, Justices assigned to keep the
Peace, was read in open Court" &c.
Descendants Of most of these are still to
be found in old Lincoln and Rutherford
counties.
On the first page of this book is also the
following entry
Ezekiel Polk came into Court and pro-
duced Commission appointing him Clerk
of the county of Tryon, and took the oaths
appointed by law for the qualification of
public officers, subscribed the Test, took
the oath of Clerk, and took his place &C
cordngly."
1t does not appear, however. from the
records, that be acted any considerable
length of time ia this capacity.
On the second page is this entry:
alexander Martin came into Court and
produced dePutation appointing him At
torney for the Crown in said county, who
took the oaths by law appointed for the
qualification of public officers, subscribed
the Test. took the oath of an Attorney, and
TOOK mas place accordingly.
AT the same time. Waightsill Avery
produced license of anAttorney in Court,
and took the Oaths by law appointed for the
qualification of public officers" &c.
AT the same time, John Dunn, Samuel
Spencer, and James Forsyth appeared in
court and took the oaths of an Attorney,
and took their places accordingly"
Of these names it may be remarked, in
passing, that Alex. Martin was " a man Of
letters" an active patriot, and was Gown
of the State, first in 1882, & again in 1889.
Waightsill Avery was also sterling pa
triot, one Of the signers of the Mecklenburg
Declaration. and was chosen the first At
torney General of the State i'll 1777.
Samuel Spencer firm patriot, and
served his country in both q civil and mill
tary capacity. He was appointed with
of Safety for the District of Salisbury, and
was elected in l777 one of the first three
Superior Court Judges under the Constitu-
ton. 1t is hoped some future historian
will do ample iustise to the neritorious SER
vices of these and other distinguished pa
triots of the good Old North State.
At the April Term, 1869, Bill of Sale
is recorded from Peter Havner to Derrick
Ramsour, dated Feb. Sd, 1869. '.in consid-
GRAFTON of f. lS, 1Ss. l0d. for one negro boy
named Finley" The age is not given, but
if said boy was grown, or nearly so, he was
certainly a cheap negro.
At the October term, 1869, is this entry !:
ION motion of Alex Martin, bill of sale
was recorded in open court from James
Farr to Michael Crawford, dated Sd day of
my's Gray" &c.
Among the claims on the county of Try on
for the year l769, are the following:
ITO charter for the county EGO. ex-
penses in sending for the same ES; to Chas.
Mclean, for 2 courts held at his house. 95.'
The claims amounted to Ell los. 10d.,
for the payment of which tax of 3 shillings
and pence, proclamation money. was or
dered to be levied on each taxable person
in said county. the whole number being
1921. This enumeration included Ruther-
ford, which was not set apart until l77D.
At the October term, l772, ANDREW Neei
came into court and produced q commission
under the hand and seal of Saml. Strudwick,
Esq, appointing him clerk of the Pleas for
the county of Tryon." His handwriting is
very neat and legible as the records ofTry-
on abundant!y testify. He filled the posi-
ton of clerk for several years prior to and
during the Revolution.
The claims against thn county for 1872
amounted to ESQ los. Among the items
charged are the following:
ITO Thomas Polk for running the coun-
ty line &c los; to Thos. Neel for do. f6
los; to Peter Johnston, surveyor, for his
services. go 15s.; to provisions for hands
l3 days. at Is. each, 81 3D.; to Chas. Nc
Lean for courts held at his house. flO."
Let these extracts suffice for the present.
On a future occasion they may be CON
tinued. Z. l.. ii.
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