The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1858-10-26
JOHN HILL, ALIAS, NIXON CURRY;
= Or, tic Ttcttne ~ CtFcUOtsfdhces. =
TRUE SKETCH OF LIFE IN Arkansas. :.


of St Francis. His eloquence and coura, e, fully
entitlc him to the proud place he holds. and we
trust, will long rcmain-that of leader of the Ark
ansas acy"-LttHc Rock Gazette IN tie
days of the Conrcntion.
"BLoODY AFFRAY.-A desperate rencontre
CURED last week in St. Francis Two distin gush
ed citizens were killed and three others dangerous
ly wounded. The difficulty resulted from an
attempt to arrest John HILL member Of the last
Legislature, and formerly of the State Convention,
who as it is alleged, is the notorious robber Nixon
Curry, that committed such atrocities fifteen years
ago in the mountains Of Caroliua.-LiHic Rock
Gazette Of Nay, 1910
We have given the previous extracts from the
oldest and most respectable journal of Arkansas,
in order to satisfy every reader that the following
narrative, extraordinary some OF Its incidents
may appear, is no tissue of fiction. Indeed, while
relating genuine events, and painting true scenes,
we have been especially careful to avoid all vivid
coors. Should this short sketch, by any chance,
reach the forests Of Arkansas, the people there will
deem its descriptions tame in comparison with the
deeds Of the man. The writer who has resided
long on the frontier, has for fancy in por
traying its exciting life. Simple memory will
serve him very we'll
About fifteen years ago there lived in Iredell
county, North Carolina ii Presbyterian minister
by the name of Curry. lie 4 man of easy cir
cumstances, of irrcproachable character, and had
large family of promising sons and dau9hters.-
Among these the favorite was Nixon, distinguished
when boy for his fearless courage and the tender
ness of his heart alike. He seems, from several
anecdotes OF his early days, to have been child of
impulse and intense carnestncss and passion
When only six years of age, he had combat at
school with bully Of the play ground, nearly
twice his own weight, and after suffering dreadful
ly at last achieved victory, due almost entirely to
the sheer power of his endurance
From the time he was six years old, that is to
say, from the first session he attended in the coun
try schookhouse, had Nixon Curry been in love-
His idol was little girl of the age, and under
the tuition of the same master. The attachment
appears to have been mutual from the commence
ment. They stood up in class, and always
managed to stand together. During the hours Of
recess, when the other juveniles were amusing
themselves with bois."rous spirits, the precocious
lovers would wonder amidst leafy groves, or by the
messy margins of silver rills. Forever, to eternity,
and whenever the soft spell of first love comes, it
brings with it the bright spirit of poetry, scattering
over all things. Even then they exchanged
pledges, and discoursed in sweet sinless whispers
OF their future bridal.
And thus they grew up into one delicious iden-
tity of fancy and feeling. Their bias for the
society of each other while children, caused no
particular remark. Such attachments common
among the youth Of opposite sexes i'll the country,
and as usual, terminate abruptly on arrival at
mature years. Far different, however, the case
with Nixon Curry and Lucy Gordan Their pas
sion became evident at fifteen, that all further
intercourse was forbidden by her parents-among
the weathicst ar;stocracy of Carolina. Then fol-
lowed stolen meetings by star light, frmcr vows
and wilder love, which always increased in proper
ton to its crosses, and like the trees Of Lebanon
sends down its deepest roots into the heart the
more it is shaken by storms
Finally, at seventeen, when LucyS relatives
were cndeavoring to force her into the arms of
another, she fed with the lover of her childhood
They were pursued, overtaken, and Nixon Curry
shot his rival and one of the proud Gordans dead
on the spot, and then escaped with his bride
although holly chased by more men, and found an
asylum in the Allegheny Mountains, the
sources ofthe Catawba Here, under the plea of
necessity, he embraced the profession of robber
and rendered his name famous by the number and
astonishing boldness of his exploits. We may
record it not matter of merit, perhaps, but for
the sake of historical truth-that this youthful
bandit was never known to perpetrate any deed of
murder for the sake of plumber, though he did
several to avoid arrest. At length the rumor of
his daring felones ceased suddenly, notwithstand-
ing reward of five thousand dollars was offered
for his apprehension by the Governor of the State
he was heard OF no more III NOth CarOllna
At the first settlement of the fertile delta, Dor
dering on the St Francis, there emigrant
who called himself John Hill, and who soon sue
ceeded in acquiring universal popularity AL
though of moderate means. he sober, industri-
Gus. generous and hosptable; and such continued
to be his character, in the country of his adop-
ton. for twelve successive years. During alfthat
long period he never had serious difficulty or
quarrel with any human being and yet everybody
was satisfied that such peaceful lifc-singuar for
that lattudc-was not owing to a want of courage,
or deficiency in power to peform good service in
any sort of battlefield; for of all bear-hunters that
ever pierced the iungles in the great
swamp or descended by torch Light into the dark
caves of the Ozark Mountains, he was celebrated
as the most fearless.
He was repeatedly elected to the territorial
Legislature, where he distinguished himself by
strong impassioned eoqucncc chief leader in
the Democratic ranks. He was next, as we have |
already seen, a member of the Convention that |
formed the State Constitutions; and was elected |
again the ensuing year to represent his county in
the Senate Of Arkansas.
At this period commenced his second series of
misforunes Hills nearest neighbors the
brothers of considerable wealth.
more ambition, and, if we may borrow the phrase
of the country, famous fighters"
Notwithstanding their character dissmi-
lar from that of the pacific 'bear-huntcr" close