The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1879-07-17

" vi thC toWu vi I'm was 100 cA-
posed and unsafe, the line of the river was
explored for a more suitable harbor or place
for the delivery and deposite of the articles
then constituting the principal exports from
this part of the province, and the present
site of the city of Wilmington was found to
be the nearest point to the town of Bruins
wick, suitable for the purposes required.
and here, about the year 1929 or 80,
wharves and buildings were first erected.
A plan Of the village or town was soon
made with regularly defined streets and
lots, and called New Liverpool, which
name was retained until about 1872 when.
as appears by the oldest conveyances of the
lots, the name was changed to NewtOwn or
Newton. There are deeds still in existence
for the same lots or PARCELS of land situated
IN the town formerly known as New Liver
pool, afterwards called Newton. now
known as Wilmington. There is also in
the Registers office for this county a deed
describing q lot situated in New Carthage
Town; and it has been supposed by some
that at one time that name was applied to
this locality, but of this there is no certain
knowlege. The lands next north and south
of the tract on which New Liverpool or
Newton was located had been granted
for some years prior to 1888, in which year
John Watson or Watson obtained a grant
W. So ~ dio lOltN dSICS vi dl'l III
the east side of the northeast branch of the
Cape Fear river. Among the other r~ecitals
in said grant it is stated that the village Of
Newton is situated on the tract described
and granted.
According to the r~ecitals in the oldest
deeds for lands on Eagles's Island. directly
opposite Wilmington and in its vicinity on
either side, the northeastern and north
western branches of the Cape Fear river
at the southern point of that Is
land. What is now called Brunswickriver,
on the west side of the Island. being the
northwest branch, and Wilmington on the
northeast branch, and not on the main
stem of the Cape Fear as is generally
stated. That portion of the river which
runs from the northeast branch by Point
Peter or Negro head point, as it is called to
the north west branch at the head of
Eagles's Island. is called in the old deeds
and the statutes of the State. the
Thoroughbred" and sometimes the 'tcut
through from one branch to the other,
and the land granted to Join Watson, on
which Wilmington is situated. is described
as lying opposite the mouth of this thorough
fare.
The original settlers of Newton or New
Liverpool were doubtless the factors or
agents of the principal merchants of the
town Of Brunswick, which for many years
thereafter and up to the war of the revolu-
ton continued to be port town, where the
officials of the colonial government resided,
although prior to the revolution the then
town Of Wilmington was the more popu-
lous of the two. In 1743 the name Of New
ton was changed to that of Wilmington in
compliment or in honor of Spence Comp
ton, Earl of Wilmington. ana in 176O by a
royal grant from George Second, Arthur
Dobbs being Governor) Wilmington was
erected into a borough with the right of
sending a member to the assembly of the
province. and by a second grant from the
Crown in 1863, George Ill being then
king, additional rights were given to the
borough, its corporate name being The
Mayor, Recorder and Aldermen of the
borough of Wilmington In 1866 the cor
porate name was changed to that of the
Commissioner of the town of Wilmington"
and this name was continued for one hun
dred years, the present corporate name
The city of Wilmington' being that by
which the inhabitants of Wilmington were
Incorporated as a cit. in the year 1856.
Town of Wilmington, rapidly increased
in population. while the old town of Bruins
wick sank into decay and was finally aban-
doned. For years, desolation has brooded
over the spot where once the hum of busy
life was heard, its streets have long since
been deserted and no signs Of their locality
can now be discovered. The rank under
growth in rich luxuriance grows over and
above many a marble slab bearing a brief
notice of the last resting place and virtues
of those who once trod its streets and car
ried life and may be happiness within the
social circle. The church of old St. Phil
lips, keeping as it were silent watch over
the graves of those sleeping around and
who once worshipped at its affairs still re
mains, but that sanctuary has long been a
neglected ruin. Trees of a larger growth
than the surrounding forest have grown up
within its ~roofless walls and where once the
voice of praise and thanksgiving assembled
up from ~contrite hearts to the majesty on
high, a solemn stiffness reigns. broken only
by the owlets screech or the whipp,orwiils
plaintlve cry. IchobOd, is stamped upon
" .ro,,d and tho hand of man has assist.