The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-04-05
Libraries Public and Private in North Caro-
lima

The New York Times-Saturday Review
Of December .. 1897. contained an arti-
Gle on Future Libraries and Museums in
philadelphia" in which occurs this part
OF a sentence-"the city of Benjamin
Franklin. of the first public library in
America" This library was founded in
1871. In The Acts of the General As
sembly of the State of North Carolina"
published by Francois X. Martin. 1875, I
find the following, which should be of
interest to North Carolinians: AN Act
Appointing a Town in the County of
Bath, and for securing the Public Lii
brary belonging to H. Thomas Parish, in
Pamlico.'
This act, which is too long for inser-
ton here, was made and ratified the
Sth day Of March, Ammo Domini, 170o."
(Private acts nth, George L.
Being much interested. / examined all
colonial records in the public library Of
Wilmington, and also wrote to Rev. Rob-
ert Brent Drane. D. D., now officiating
at St. Paurs. Edenton. n. c.. for fur
Their information as TO whether that
library was still in existence and by
whom founded.
In reply DIR. Drane referred me to
Church History of North Carolina"
published in 1892. wherein are references
to Libraries Public in the Province of
North Carolina" and also states that
among the things exhibited at the
Historico Ecclesiastical Exposition, held
in Marlborough. n. c., May 18th, to 18th.
1890, was a copy of An Explication TO
the cdIeCIlSm OIL the tnuTcl OF Eng
land" published by Gabriel Towerson,
London. 1855. which had stamped upon
! the cover "Belonging to We library of st.
Thomas parish. in Pamlico.' He then
gives a. partial list of the books of this
library now in existence. The volume or
exhibition was given to the Diocese of
: East Carolina, and intrusted to the care
of its bishop, the Rt. Rev. A. A. Wat
son, D. D.
In the history referred to: I learned
that this library was founded by DR..
Bray. in 1899, and consisted Of e100 worth
of books which had been sent out from
erence of the ''Fouer Precincts of Abe
marie Colonial Records, N. G, Vol
1.1S1.) The Rev. Mr.. Blair, in 1903, states
that there are five precincts in the col
ony, and he seems to use the terms
''precinct' and parish" interchange
ably. &C.. r. 1922 In 17o5 the colony
consisted Of two counties, anC
Bath. and these Were divide into four
precincts, each Of which was a parish
from 1901.
In 1920 Edward Mosely, member Of the
council and an able lawyer. and a lead
err in the state, made a large donation
of standard books towards a provincial
library, to be kept in Edenton, the me-
tropolis Of North Carolina" This libra
ry was composed of twenty-six folio vol
umes, twelve quarto volumes and thir'
ty-six octave volumes.
The private library Of this gentleman
must have been large as the remains
| SUN eAl ullIDSl lIl1luuIlS ~
Gals of that day, some three hundred OF
more books. Among them is an English
prayer book printed in London in 1l3l
and containing the coat-of-arms of the
HaseH family. This library was remove
from the old colonial residence of Mosely
Hall to Ellington Hall. to the owners O
which it descended. and from thence tt
the summer residence on Masonboroug
sound, near Wilmington, of the family
of the late DR.. Edwin A. Anderson. O
this place. who married a granddaught
err of Colonel Ellington, Of revolUtionar
fame.
In the fire which destroyed Lillingtol
! Hall, many of the books were lost, IL
-" HISTORIAN.
Some additions nave been made to thi
article. which was first published in tn
New York Times-Saturday Review
March 26th. .
1t is the desire of this writer to d,
what lies in her power to rebut tn,
charge of illiteracy. which has been 81
freely cast upon this state by publish
ing, from time to time, such facts q!
are obtainable in regard to the efforts o
the citizens of North Carolina to edu
cate and elevate her people.
1t has been said of this state. that he
people were too busy making history, il
the past, to have time to write it, saw
in deeds: and the results of those deed
have not been confined to her own Dor
ders. Individuals can be modest in re
gard to their private acts. but, publi
deeds belong to history and if honorable
+ their recital Inspires others to emuIat
them: if dishonorable. their public con
domination shames from such deeds al
whose weakness of character might 9th
erwise tempt them to like acts
L II NJ