The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-12-14

tfced successfully for several years,
but could not overcome his distaste Tor
1t, and again and finally abandoned 1t;
and he and the late p. K. Dickerson,
Esq, bought the Phoenix Mill from
Governor Dudley and carried on a sue
cessful business until 1889. when he and
John Potts Brown started a general
commission business under the hrm
name Of Brown & DeRosset-
This business become very large and
prosperous. A branch house was es-
tablished in New York d that name
(the house in Wilmington being De-
Rosset & Brown and the firm contin-
ued to prosper until the war caused its
dissolution. The business was contin-
ued by DR.. DeRosset. and Mr.. K r.
Brown until the latter's death in 1865.
and then for some years by the doctor
and his sons. and s~on-in-law, until the
accumulated burdens OF those troubled
tunes threatened the credit OF the
house, whereupon he Immediately
called his creditors together. and, al
though he could easily have set
tied for fifty cents OF the dollar. per-
emptorily refused to do SO. turned over
all his property, claiming no exenfp-
tons, and thus not only paid every
cent, but transferred property which
afterwards sold for more than he got
for it. His friends censured him for
INSISTING on CulS COUISc' u lac 'oA
lin a paper now before this writer)
these words: Il have never for a mo-
ment regretted having done so. and
could never have felt satisfied il l had
retained property and left any DEBT un-
provided for. and the mems conscia
recti' has been far more precious to ME
than the possession OF any amount
which the laws and the circumstances
OF the case would have enabled me to
retain"
Always a public spirited man. DR..
DeRosset was identified with nearly
all the earlier enterprises inaugurated
for the advancement of his native town,
and especially with the wilmington
and Weldon Railroad, to the capital
stock of wthic he was one OF the orlgl-
nal subscribers and the last survlv-
ing one, n Of which he was a direc-
tor almost from the beginning, serving
in that capacity continuously for fifty
FIVE years. One of the incidents OF MS
life to which he referred with pride
and pleasue (though never puoIlcly)
was his successful negotiation In 1919
in England Of $500, 600 Of the bonds OF
that road when the undertaking seemed
absolutely hopeless. The road was
completed in 1897, and was the second
longest railroad then in existence, but
the cost Of iron rails was then so great
that the compan could not buy them,
and therefore the track was laid with
strap iron, spiked to wooden scantllng.
:, It was doing a good business, the
prospect of the construction OF the
North Carolina railroad, and The Will
: mington and Manchester railroad
} promised a large increase Of it's trafflc,
: but it was evident that for successful
!. handling of it iron rails were absolutely
: necessary. The property Of the com
. pany had been mortgaged to the state
n for more than half a million dollars,
n and it's credit was so low that the lead
ing merchant of Wilmington had re.
y fused to fill an order from 1t for {
dozen shovels.
The directors appealed to the legisla'
ture to endorse the bonds of the com
= pany in order to buy iron rails. Thl!
was refused, but the legislature re
Il leased the states mortgage 50 that TN
road could have a clean title to IT
property. n a basis of credit on which
, to negotiate for the purchase or tn
:, rails. This was in 1S4S. Shortly after
. wards DR.. DeRosset was urged by TN
:. directors to undertake the negotiation
of the bonds of the company either i
!. this country or Europe. BelleVelng Il
- the success Of the road if this could b
d dore. he accepted, and after satisfyin
y himself that the negotiation could no
e he effected in his country, he sailed TO
- Liverpool in May 1S49. After a serle
~ OF disheartening experiences with cap
le. talists he finally went directly to the iro
- manufacturers, and at last succeeoe
in inducing two firms to take the pono
y in exchange for iron rails. The latte
=, were promptly shipped, and the success
IA of DR.. DeRosset's mission proved to I
"a a turning point in the history OF II
o. road, which soon began to pay dlV
:, dends and to thrive ~splendidly. Aga
IL in October, 1S65-when the Unite
a. States government, which had held II
q road for military purposes. gave 1t U
to the and when it was a
~ most a complete wreck-Dr. DeRoss
81 was sent to England to make a ne
VI loan, and to get an extension or tin
from the ~bondholders. His missl'
was again successful, and the compa
III was made easy. He made no char.
and received no compensation for n
services on either mission.
ir- Any sketch of DR.. DeRosset viii.
To- omitted his life long service to I
20 church of which he was a deVot
lty member, would be sadly de1ective' y
&c mention Of only a few facts IN IN
~ connection will now be made. He w
an active and jealous m or t
In Episcopal church from earliest ma
hood, and held the most responsl
and prominent positions when a Ia
he man can hold therein. he succeeu
&C. his father as senior warden or
James church nearly fifty years a
u and continued so until his death.
was treasurer of the diocese of MOI
- Carolina (before it was divided)
many years, and has been treasurer
the diocese Of East Carolina, and me
Der Of its Standing Committee from
first organization until too enfeebled
IA. perform its duties; and he has rep
in scented its diocese as a deputy to
tod general convention continuously
more than half a century. acting on
most important committees OF Il
BODY. and thus becoming well kno
,re- to ~Episcopalians throughout
ere country
to Throughout his life DR.. DeRosset
res, ways acted upon the principle |
at duty is the sublimest word in our |
Of guage" He did his duty, as he s
the IT faorIacSIy. honestly. and cOurteO