The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1886-02-25


va, IFS simplicity She
lived comfortably She nepJ comfortable
rfhpt-e but SHE spent nothing OIL lux
ufy 81 Oh o,tcntatiOn of any sort Qu.ct
III naLuer, reserved ia speech aud with
~ arr aali tinld, and smile half dcpre-
catory, She passed Oh Dor way unuot,ced,
aud very few even of those who knew her
best gave her credit tor taa close obScrla-
ton, the intelligence or the
Judgment With which She took note Of mcu
and manners. While Judge Battle and
his family we're residents Of Chapel Hill,
her association was chiefly with them, and
tine friendship was afterwards transferred
to President and Mrs. Battle, to whom
alone She at last looked for the Offices Of
friendship.
While Miss Maria spear lived She hardly
felt how alone She stood After that lady's
death in January 81, her interest in life,
beyond its daily duties. visibly slachened
Her health failed, aua less and less tre-
queHtly her carriage was seen at the door
Of the Chapel Of the Gross We, all Of
us, may reckon on dying pretty much as
we have lived Miss Mary Smith knew her
end was near, but she spoke no word Of it
to any one, and finally when the supreme
hour came she died as she lived quietly,
silently and almost alone.
a large gathering of her tenants, neigh
bors and old friends Semblcd at her
house on sunday Npy. th 1sS3 to pay
her the last Offices due The Rev. Mr..
Bush, Of Pittsb0ro, o11iciated, and after
the services at the house were ended, q
long processi II followed the hcarse TO the
old family burying ground at Jones Grove
SIX miles distant in Chatham. There She
was laid among her own once more, and
by the side of her friend, Miss Maria.
Very few Of Us knew what disposition had
been made of her estate by Will, and We
looked at the broad acres and orchards
and forests belonging to her plantations
with wondering curiosity to know their
destination. Miss Mary left no relations
nearer than cousins, .l or third. Her
church alone, We the would be her
heip,
President Battle 5 appointed executor
and administrator OF a i'll made at least
fifteen years since, and in day or two its
provisions We're made public. Miss Smith
beQueathed her entire estate with the eX-
ception of some legacies to former slaves,
to church and State. This solitary single
woman certainly devised noble things. 70
Bishop Lyman's Diocese she bequeathed
the Prices Creek" plantation, three miles
from Chapel Hill, a noble farm Of near
l, 300 acres. Also all the money, notes,
bonds, etc, which may remain after the
personal legacies are paid, This bequest
will probably amount to S25, 900 To the
Chapel Of the Cross is left il valuable lot
in Chapel HILL
To The University she left the Jones
Grove" tract, comprising no acres of
arabic and woodland III Chatham county,
perhaps some eight miles from Chapel
Hill. The Trustees can hold or sell this
property The income only is to be used
for the education Of such students at the
University as the faculty shall designate.
This plantation is estimated Is worth per
haps SIS, coo 1t is sad that s, 900 worth
of valuable timber could be sold oil Of it
for lumber without injury TO the value of
the tract
The Will was written by Miss Mary
Smith herself-under legal advice, OF
course as to technicalitieS,e etc, and is care
fully framed to prevent lawsuits of which
she had a great adherence, President
Battle says tie construction Of the Will
shows her to have possessed III unusually
clear legal head.
As she inherited the ''Jones" plantation
directly from her brother FranE, sac di-
reetS that the fund shall be known as the
Francis Jones Smith Bequest. lhc be
quest to the Diocese, Size desired should
not be known by her name at al. 'rir;,
wish, however, viii probably be diaregar-
ded
Here i az example set US all BY a
thoughtful, intelligent, independent North
Carolina woman. 1t has been more than
three hundred years since Sir Walters
ships touched upon Roanoke Island, and
in all these years this IS the only woman
who has made 50 publicsp spirited, 50 noble
division Of her property. No man has
yet done So
That our men however DC appreciate and
know how to honor such action, IS shown
in the resolve at the last meeting of the
Board of Trustees to erect a tablet to Miss
Mary Smiths memory in Memorial Hall.
Well done {. 7. ;.