Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1894-09-21

WHICH lHe Alu1Cn ACl was pass
ed in South Carolina through the
chicanery of Sir Nathanial John
ston, the society finding out that
it was for his political advantage
ard not for the good of the
Church, held a special meeting
in London, and resolved to send
no more missionaries until it was
repealed; And then too it is
hardly rational to suppose, that
he would have espoused the
British cause for the sake of the
paltry stipend, when he owned
large landed and fishing interests
here exposen to the revolution
lists, and it is not probable either
that he should have antagonized
himself to his dear ones. his
daughter and grandson, respect
lively the wife and son of Charles
Johnson an early apostle Of lib
erty, and Mr.. Johnson would
hardly have been so intimate
with a family, whose feelings
were so ini1nical to his i'll a day,
when political differences were
almost as closely drawn as the
color line now. Some stress must
also be laid upon tradition, and
local history, "Parson Earl's"
memory is still held in great re-
spect throughout all this section,
and but few years have passed
since there were many old people
living in this county who could
remember his last days and death,
and who bore testimony to his
patriotism and virtues; the life
of a tory in this liberty-loving
section could hardly have had
such a glorious sunset. He pre-
sided over a revolutionary meet
ing of the freeholders, and other
citizens of ChoWan County and
Edenton at the Courthouse Aug
ust 23rd I774.among whom were
such patriots as Joseph Hewes,
Samuel Johnson. and Thomas
Benbury, and who passed reso
lutions condemning the Boston
Port Act, and the unjust imposi
ton of taxes upon the colonies.
He was also unjustly accused of
being tory because he did not
sever all connection with the
Church of England, and establish
an independent Church, but he
held that the Church was OF Di-
vine origin, that he was simple
priest, and that the Bishop of
London, the head of the Church,
alone had that power. On &C
count of his fealty to the Aneri-
can cause he was also deprived
of preaching in his church in
Edenton during the revolution.
"Parson Earl game to this
section i'll 1857 to acf as curate
for the aged and venerable Mr..
Hall then rector OF St. Paul's and
in feeble health, and upon his
death III 1860 became full rector.
Soon after moving here he set
tied on the Chowan, just below
Wingheld the home Of the
BroWnr1ggs, small creek separ-
ating the two estates, Pars0n
Earl also established a fishery
there, and was therefore one of
the pioneers in the herring fish
ing in this country, being styled
the herring catching parson from
an incident | have mentioned
elsewhere. He named his estate,
containing several thousand
aces, Bandon after his native
town Bandon. in the province Of
Munster. Ireland. The house,
which he built on the river near
the mouth Of the creek, was large
and commodious, considering
comfort more than beauty Of ex-
terror,
''ruilt in the old colonial day,
When men lived in a grander way,
With ampler hospitality"
This old manse stood until |
about 1860, though it had been
for many years untenable Upon
the acquisition of Mr.. c. E.
Johnson to his gfandfather's es-
tates, he selected a cite about half
a mile down the river, and built
a beautiful residence, an illus
tration of which appears with
this issue. 1t is the the shape
of the letter IT, THE stem point-
ing down the river, in the angles
thus formed are breezy porticos,
there is an extension wing on
either end of the main body of
the house; small porch in front
leads to a hall into which the
rooms open. 1t is said that Mr..
Johnson spent nine years in Sc
Letting the lumber for this house.
1t stands in the midst Of a grove
of beautiful oaks, about seventy
five acres in extent, the silvery
river forming the western
boundary. The dark green trees,
laden with long gray Spanish
moss, which sweeps the white
sand underneath, makes the place
extremely picturesque, weird
and beautiful, and when thei
breeze from the river stirs among
the trees, and swings the long .,