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

fHtnsf UILL. Feb 10. The CHeoNuIE
l., d. oHgratulated on the opening #
.s.y aad valuable wien of local history in
Ie.oting some space to biographical
sketches of the notable women Of North
Carolina.
For my part ! have always believed in
our women. \ firm believer in Southern
women generally believe in our North
Carolina women III particular. Whether
il is that ouI men being conStitutioualIr
Slow, ert, conservative, the women in
consequence have developed a greater eli
cr@y and more sprlghtlinesS Of character.
] vii not undertake to say, but certainly
as tong ago as 139 a keen observer among
men. pun it on record that the women Of
this State were found to be more indus
trIouS than the men, more active, more
efficient.
Let it be explained as you Will, the gen
tlcmcn Of North Carolina will not be dis
pleased to acknowledge that their moth
nt'., wives sisters and daughters have gen
orally shOWn public spirit, u quickncSS
of apprehension, a zeal and a generosity
shat have held up the hands Of the men
IN all times of danger, difficulty and dis
trcSs, and that they haze sometimes gone
before and marShalled them the way they
should 20.
The chief obstacle in the way Of your
tcfial for biography Our women have the
Dld-fa&iioned grace Of modesty, and are
Keepers m aOmc. Lives that have known
but little incident and have kept out Of
public glare must be judged by the fruit
rather than by the detail. And here your
writers will have to be careful or they will
find themselves sliding off the track, and
eulcrng upon praise OF our men. w lat
our men arc is largely the work Of our
a.Ft LII ~.
aeilent mother, or if his wife had been
other than they were, does anyone suppose
that the Goycrnor himself would now stand
where he does first and foremost OF Us all!
But this is large subject and not TO be
entered on rashly.
propose in this paper to furnish some
account of Il notable single woman who
las doLe by a stroke Of her pen, what no
other wQu.aG or man, married or single,
Of the State has ever done to forward its
best interests, and has done it too with
such characteristic North Carolina mod
-Aty and reserve that it was only known
after her death what large things She had
meditated and by her will she further
provided that iler name should not appear.
But let justice De done. Mary Ruilin
Smiths name must appear. and due honor
must be done her memory.
From forty to sixty years ago Or. James
smith. 0i IjlhSbtIo, W tS Il IOlIlllitlit lDCtt
physician, planter, politician, and man of
business He possessed m unusual share
Of intelligence, ability and energy, being
r-nbEaticaIiy Selfmade man, Who all
thrGugil life rOWed his own boat fearleSSly
and successfully. He married Della Jones,
daughter Of francis Jones, of 'Jones
Grove" III Chatham who had been a
lieutenant in the ReyolutiGna y army and
.gaS one of the largest landhGl,t"ls III this
!, l,.it al 200,
ehildretl sydney. Francis Jones and Mary
Ruffin, I'll Of whom lived to or beyond
middle age, and al! died single. He gave
them each an education; fully abreast with
their tame. sydney was lawyer, we'll
known ttough this section Frank was
a physician. and as they polh We're men
of capacity. they might easily nave ad-
vanced the family natn" 20 honor Easily,
but for one unhappy habit which has laid
vsa4.r more talent and darkened l4ore
homes than any calamity OF war or pestl-
44use within our borders.
Or Smith paid il good deal Of attention
himself to his daug ghlerS training lie sent
her TO the best school Within his reach,
conducted by the then rector Of the Epls-
sopaI church in liillaborO. itey. Wri. Nj.
g reen. aftcrward Professor IN the | n4Yer-
sitv aIsd since 1S49 Bishop of Mississippi.
Ir Green was assisted by the late Miss
n
birth, one Of the best aud most successful
teachers oue State has ever known. She
taught school III North Carolina over fifty
years ana never had a pupil or a patron
who did not regard her with affection and
esteem Her influence over Mary Smiths
mind ceased only with life. friendship
WAS formed between the young teacher
anG Der pupil which lasted more than
fifty years. After Mr.. Green's departure
10 Chapel IIill the Rev. DR.. Curtis family
had a great share H. forming the charac-
ter and directing the taste Of Miss Mary.
Her father gave her solid books to read
Ancient classical history, and the history
Of England We're her favorite eading She
1:iSo read medicine, and persued some
studies IN chemistry. Novels III that day
were thought pernlclous, and careful par
t-nts strictly forbade them. The almos
exclusive comFan:onship with Episcopal
ians gave her preposseSsion III favor o
their church which without such friend
ship SIZE would probably have missed. Th'
smiths and Jones family had little lean
ing that way, and Miss Mary's adherence
20 that form of worship tended to Seye
her FROM her own people-though a
daughter and sister her loyal affections tC
her own WAS genuine and lasting.
About forty years ago DR.. Smith built
large and commodious house or planta
tion three miles South of Chapel Hill whicl
ne got through his wife, called at tha
time the .'Prcc's Creek tract. This wa
fine farm aud the house we'll situated
and DR. Smith must have hoped to eay
it TO his grandchildren in time. But ther
his daughter saw her parents and brother
die. and there she herself died. solitar
old maid.
BY the successive deaths of her brother
she came into possession Of great part o
the land formerly owned by her grand
father Jones She proved herself to be
capital woman of business, and more tha
that, she was, as one of her lawyers sal
nf her years ago, thoroughly homes
woman" She managed her varied cor
Germs iudiciously and with liberaiity
though without the slightest ostentation
Her own habits and requirements wer
very simple She lived without q singl
article Of luxury in dress and furniture Q
cluipage, and was satisfied with sma
and select circle of friends whom she di
not replace as time thinned them out. Afte
the deaths of her parents and brother Syc
ney, she offered home to her believe
best friend Miss Maria Spear, and the tw
ladies' in their punctual attendance g
church IN Chapel Hill, and occasional VII
It's to old friends in the village were we
known upon Our streets. Miss Mary CAV
90 her church with great liberality. n
appeal Tor aud IN its various operation