Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-07-04
INDEPENDENCE DAY.
The First Declaration OF MeckleR.
burg, May 2Oth.

The First Declaration OF MeckleR-
burg, May goth.
There has always been some uncer-
tainty as to the exact date on which that
little band of patriots met at Charlotte,
Mecklenburg county, North Carolina,
and publicly raised the first voice to dis
solve all connection with the kingdom OF
Great Britain. McCarty's Statistician
gives it as "the cloee of May, 1775; the
precise date is not known" The Meek
lenburg declaration was proclaimed by
Colonel Thomas Polk, grandfather of
Colonel George W. Polk, of Tennessee,
and the latter, in a recent letter to his
son, l. H. Polk, Receiver of Public
Moneys, in this city, conclusively fixes
the date. He says: 81 have no doubt
of the date of the Mecklenburg declsra-
tion. 1t is May 20, 1775. Recollect
hearing my father, Colonel William
Polk, speak Of it often, never doubtfully.
When a very small boy was in Char
lotte with my father, and one thing
l remember was the many old soldiers
who came to see him. In talking
of old-timers, one of them, Major Jack
Barnett, said, Don't you remember the
goth OF May, 1775, when the Declaration
was read by Colonel Thomas Polk, how
the crowd shouted and threw up their
bats? The Mecklenburg Declaration of
Independence was written by Colonel
Ephraim Brevard (who married my
fathers sister and proclaimed by my
grandfather, Colonel Thomas Polk"
There is much of interest in the dis
tippuished Polk family,
Colonel William Polk, son of General
Thos. Polk and Susan (nee Spratt) was
born 1859. He left Queens College,
Charlotte. when 16 years of age (1775)
and entered the army as Lieutenant in
Colonel Thompeon's cold Danger
regiment. He was detailed by Colonel
Thompson, with thirty men, to watch
the movements of the Tories in South
Carolina. He was led into an abus-
cade by his guide Zone Sol. Dea-
som and was badly wounded in the
shoulder, from which he did not recover
in year. "This was the first blood
shed south of Lexington" 30 says Gen.
Andrew Jackson in sketch written in
1874, when James K. Polk was candi.
date for the Presidency. Some time be-
tween 1887 and 1889 tow boat was
towed up to Harper's Shoals, three
miles from Nashville. The river being
low it could go no higher. Upon this
boat there was some Madeira wine, the
first ever brought to Nashville. A large
party, including Gen. Jackson and Col.
Polk, went down to the boat to have "a
good old time," which no doubt they
had. On their return to Nashville Col.
Polk saw a man sitting on stool in bis
nah M nj
this man made such an impress
passed the cabin he returned alone and
mon Deason; whereupon the Colonel
lerked the stool from under him and
with it knocked him down and proceeded
to demolish Mr.. Deason. General Jack
son and others of the company returned
and saved Solomon from further punish.
ment. They then wanted to know why
Colonel Polk had knocked the man down.
He told them of the ambuscade, and
and afterwards Tory. Their verdict was
"served him right" and, when the
story was related, public opinion forced
supposed, after this adventure, they
again looked upon the wine when it was
red, for before they got back to Nashville
General Jackson bantered Colonel
Polk for wrestle, which was
at first declined, but they did
wrestle and General Jackson was thrown
| Colonel Polk being feet inches high,
and of herculean strength). Then Old
Hickory got mad and challenged Colonel
Polk, which was accepted. The next
morning they met-not with pistols-but
with handshake and renewal of their
friendship. From this little adventure it
! is apparent that Old Hickory knew all