The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1889-06-14

\ DAY AT PITTSBORO.
THE PITTSBORO OF THE PAST
AND OFTO-DAX.

| n DAY AT PITTSBORO.
THE PITTsBORO OF THE PAST
AND OF TODAY.
Something of the History of the Town
and COunty-The Good People o
Chatham-Stock Raising, &c.
Editorial Correspondence
PITrsBoRo, N c., May "a, 1851 have
had the pleasure this week of riding
| through one of the best sections OF the
good county of Chatham. For an hundred
years the road over Hickory Mountain has
been famous farming section Before
| the war the ALsToN's and others owned
| fine farms and thousands of negroes and
| lived lives of elegant leisure. The grand
father of the present ALSTON'S owned all
the land for twelve miles on both sides OF
the road. The land is now divided and
much of it has been sold to other parties
though the descendants still own much of
it. On the road from Pittsboro saw more
fine wheat waving in the fields than
could see riding from Raleigh to the ocean
This is great grass country and was in
tainly no part of the State is better adapt
ed to it and the farmers are just begin
ming in small way to turn their attention
to it. When they make stock raising their
chief occupation they will make money on
their farms but they will not make much
until then
IL !
the State, and has an interesting and honor
able history. In 1870, Chat ham, Guilford
and Wake counties were created out of
Orange. These counties were created in
order to more effectually deal with the
Regulators who, in a very large county,
were accustomed to gather together at the
county seat. There were some Regulators
in the northern part of Chatham. When
Chatham county was formed the county
seat was called Chatham g. ii. 1t
was directed to be one half mile south
east of the present town of Pittsboro,
near the residence of MRS. NAT. HILL. 1t
was located here because Of the central
location and Of the proximity of one of
ninety four pounds was appropriated tor
building jail and helping to erect a court
house. The jail was ''12x14 III the clear''
and was made of logs. In 1879 fourteen
hundred and forty pounds was appropri-
| ated to build jail-probably d larger ana
better one. Near this site still stands the
house, well preserved, where CoRNwAILls
had his headquarters. 1t was built with
heavy timbers and wrought iron nails.
The town OF Pittsboro was incorporated
were ordered to buy the land from the
Executors of Male Scurlock, but the{.
could not sell and 10 acres ve.e bought
from VIM, Petty. The act of the Commits
sioners was ratified by the Legislature.
The county had been named in honor Of
LORD CHATHAM and the county seat was
named in honor Of his brilliant son. :.
| wooden court house was ere ated IL the
new made town. 1t still stands ana is
| now the drug store of CHARM 4 HEADEN.
The first dwelling house erected is shl!
standing east of the Methodist church.
As early as 1890 newspaper was pub
| iished in Pittshoro. 1t was the Central
| Reflector and Was edited by HUGH Nc
| QUEEN, ESQ who was afterwards Attorney
| General for North Carolina. In 16-l" tic
| Communication was published 5l Wl2.
| POTTER In 1850 REV. D. " KERR pub
| lished the Christian Sun here.
| The old records show many interesting
| facts in connection with the early history
| of Chatham. We cite one. In August
1873, so the record shows, q man came into
court and asked that it be entered that his
| ear had been bitten off in a fight. He die
this because as the law stood perjury was
| punished by cutting of the ear, and ht
| wanted it forever known that his ear wa:
bit off in a fight and not cut Off for per
| jury. In these records it ia often noteC
that money was paid to different parties
for the destruction of wild animals, and il
| was not uncommon hundred years age
| for the inhabitants of Chatham to Kill
| bears and other wild beasts.
| l am not certain that in one respec
their laws regulating keeping hotels anl
bar rooms, which they called Nrdinaries
| were not better than ours. 4 man wht
wanted to keep an Ordinary was compelled
to give bond and the prices at which h,
sold his drinks and meals were prespribaC
by law. They dia things then that th'
moral sentiment of to day would not tol
crate. A Grand I.otttr ~ was chartered b,
the Legislature by which to SECURE f.nd
for an educational institution. 1t Was
very popular plan then of building school
houses and was considered highly respect
able snd nobody called it immoral. Thos
decoy ducks, BEAUREuARh and EARLY
who onoe had claim on the affection ant
! esteem of the South but who have nov
totally forfeited It by selling their name
to the swindling Louisiana lottery, Woult
have been in clover when lotteries wer
not regarded .s immoral, and were en-
siorsed and engaged in by Christians an,
friends of education, Tho world grow
better al! the time, tie croakers to tn
contrary notwithstanding.
At Pittsboro Academy some ef the mos
distinguished men IL the state were pre-
,a.vi ior college. It was here that WN
BINGHAM first established his school i
1898. Among the educators who hav