The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1885-12-10
WAKING Up WARRENTUN.
TIE HISTORIC OLD towns NHAkE~
Or ITS III SIN E>S LETu ARt.N.
The Chnk of the Golden Dollars Di>turb-
ing Her Rip-Nan-W inkie Slum be r--
Opening OF the Arlington Warehouse
Especial Cor STATE CHRONICLE

FAfslAt>iffN. lux. Sd 1'iFEEEIN AL 81
the war You might stand on the street
I corners OF Raleigh or ..ny of the neichl,or
4 ing towns and ask every darkey that pass
/ I'll where he came from and half Of them
would say, From Warrenton, boss, from
Narrenton, and wheneyer YOU met War
renton darhey you met one that was proud
OF his nativity and proud that he could
claim the name of any one of the noble
oid families which gave to the good old
county OF Narrenton prominent place in
the political and socia. history OF our State
Before the war Warren county had 1000
white population, and owned nearly II,
600 slaves. Ii was then one Of the most
prosperous as we'll as one OF the wealth
lest counties III the State. Warrenton It's
principal town, was not big business cen
ire It's citizens didn't care TO make il SO
ltWas the home of "A hundred or more of the
"eatfle>t and most influential men III the
county men who owned large plantations,
who owned slaves by the hundreds,
and had nothing 10 do but 10 sill in their
homes and receive the reports of their
oVerSeers. Their lands were rich and pro
ducuve, their annual income was some
times enormous, and with it, instead of
lnstitutlng new business industries, they
bought more lands and more slaves War
renton was then the social Mecca Of the
state. Its balls We're more brilliant its
tournaments more lively and all its social
gatherings characterized by more pomp
ana glory than they were at any other
point +,ear the town was situated Jones's
Springs, where people gathered, not for
health but for pleasure Shocco Springs,
another noted resort, was six miles distant
vt those two resorts the wealth and gal
lantry OF this section of North Carolina,
mingled with the beauty and intellcc:
OF Eastern Virginia, and together made
merry many social gatherings that are vet
among the pleasant recollectionS of many
of the good old people of Warren The
sentimental maid who found the ball so
tine because of the presence of Robin
Adalr never experienced feelings of greater
delight than did those who attended the
OLD time balls at Jones and Shocco Springs,
and the gallant knight of ''ye olden time"
never lifted his gittering helmet in the
presence OF his chosen queen of love and
beauty" with more profound respect and
dignity than did the successful knight of
| Narrenton tournament Then this gay
old 'bOrO, noted always for its gallant
men and its beautiful women, was the one
great centre of social attraction. Nor was
1t lacking in the production of great men,
men who in that day and time moulded
public opinion and helped to shape the
destlnles Of the people. Nathaniel Macon,
who III his day swayed the people to his
own thinking, and thrilled his fellows in
the Nations Legislature with matchess
eloquence and helped the State to main
tain its high position in the galaxy of
States, was a Warren man and his sacred
remains now sleep a few miles from War
renton, the mound (at his requesD being
covered with native stones.
! Warren also gave to the State such men
as VIM. Eaton, Vim. A. jenkins, Weldon
\. Edwards, VIM. Plummer and many other
shining lights of the past, whose noble
deeds and lofty patriotism are the proud
| Inheritance of their worthy descendants.
The Effects of the War.
When the war broke out Warren was
not SLOW in her response 10 the call for
volunteers and she sent in defence of the
South nearly twice as many soldiers as she
had voters, many of whom by their daring
and bravery attained high rank in the
annals of war. Bravely they fought in
defence of what they Thoughts was right
until their flag went down at Appomatox
and then what was left Of them layed
down their swords and returned to find a
shadow of dependency lowering over
their once happy homes. Their planta-
/ tlOns going to waste and their fathers sit
ting down grieving over what they thought
was an end to all that was worth living
| for or hoping for in the South. Is it a
wonder that they grew respondent!
a number of the good old people of the
| county set down, drank in the opiate of
despondency until they quietly dosed off
to sleep. When now and then one of the
more buOyant would become imbued with
"a spirit of industry, the despondent old
fathers would wake up long enough to tell
him that he was chasing myth. There
Is no money he would say, ''and no way
out of this total wreck of fortune and
| hope Under this state of business OPP
preston, the years would come and go,
and as each season passed it left in its wake
greater waste and more certain decay.
The storms of winters beat upon grand
old homesteads, and as each spring ap-
peared its flowers bloomed around more
unsightly buildings and its sun gave new
life to the weeds and thistles that were
sprlnglng up where once abundant harveSts
! insured peace and plenty.
Just enough business activity was man
| fested TO keep the good old county from
tumbling over the rapids of absolute ruin
and financial depression, but its a long
lane that has no turning Like old Rip
up in the Catskllls, it slept for twenty
. years. Now new day is breaking and
as its dawn kisses the cheeks Of old Rip he
wakes up, stretches out his rheumatic limbs
and has them rubbed with the oil of new
progres. and industry, he sees that those
who We're dependent babes when he went
off to sleep are now men imbued with 3
spirit of activity and inspired with the
dream Of the poet, TO build up the fu
ture heaven skaters the past" He ha;
his spirits revived by drinking at the foun
tain Of new life, new energy and new hops
and is about ready to say, Deal me {
hand boys" and let me take part in thi,
new game that you are playing. WarreI
county is one of the most favored sections
of our State. Its lands are gently undu
lating and comprise. such variety Of sol
as to enable her people to successfully di
yerAify their crops, all kinds Of grasse
grow to perfection and even before tn
war tho county made as much as tire
millions pounds Of tobacco in one year ani
bale Of cotton to the acre is Of ige9uen
occurrence Its low lands are easily draipe,
and easily cultivated and are we'll adapt
ed to the growth of oorn and other grain
, From its productive lands, Warren befor
=, The war achieved great wealth, and erol
the same lands it may, and will, soon r.
gain its last fortunes. The new spirit tina
is operating towards lis upbuiiding is
healthy one and Is earnestly at work
: Its Tobacco Interest,"
Warren was a noted tobacco county bt
fore the war, but then, the bright golde
2 leaf that has since made North Carolin