The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-05-30

oemmeS ana Tar Heel Walden
Such names as these almost make
piracy respectable, as those lust
mentioned did ''rebellion,"
These old sea birds did swim in ey-
cry sea, and lit them up with their
pyrotechnics in their two little boats
with a fancied broom for penant. de-
spite the prohibitory veto of hostile
navies. Yes. pull ashore, old Tar
paulines," and ride with those old
heroes who were born on horseback.
Brothers DER the harbor. these he
few of our honored leaders. Soldiers
all they were in high degree, but more
than mere soldiers-gentlemen We
do not challenge competitive claim,
but defy detraction. In that galaxy
of immortals, few won more enviabic
fame in successive grade than cid Dob-
ert Ransom. He was born and rear
ed in Warren county, NortA Carolina.
| long anterior thereto and thence on
until the war, the recognized home
of refinement and hospitality. Her
reputation in that regard extended far
beyond State borders. Whils+ ,here
was perhaps more average wealth per
capita than in any other county in
| the State, its possession was rarely
accompanied by vulgar assumption.
Education, refinement and culture
were unquestioned passports to every
/ circle. 1t was the privilege of the
| speaker to have his lot cast amongst
that generous people in middle bow
/ hood, and thence on with Interruptions
to the present time; and he hcsitatcs
not to say that for the beautiful
| traits named, he has after extended
! f,.aE al nd oh
| known the country community that
surpassed. if euualled it.
Whilst. as said there was wealth
there for that day and / rural popu7
| lation, Bob Ransom was not one Of the
| boys who was born with silver
spon in his mouth Perhaps as CON
ductive to the proud name and fame
he left. quite the reverse. His ances-
tors were of the very first who settled
that part of our State and had lived
in style but open doors aud open
handed welcome, had reduced his own
and many collateral branches of his
house to scant means of continuing
that mode OF living; but still the latch
string was ever on the outside of his
fathers door. TO the credit of both
be it said he and his illustrious broth
cr Matt, who served four terms in the
United States Senate, and prouder
still, four years in the fight between
the States and with a proud war rec
ord and diplomatic besides, had to
contribute by manual labor on Tie
farm in intervals from desultory
schooling, to maintain that unpreten-
tious but hereditary hospitality.
His father was Robert Ransom.
Sr. and his mother Priscilla Whit;t-
ker by birth, likewise of the illus
trious Carey stock. His grandfather
Seymour Ransom. married Birchett,
the daughter of William Green. one
sof the most successful planters and re-
markable men of the South. His pa
ternal great grandfather was James
Ransom and his wife Priscilla, born
Jones, the daughter of Edward Jones
and his wife, Abigail Sugar.
This last named was one of the most
remarkable women of the last century
or any preceding century, and is Eet-
ter known to her thousands, aye, tens
of thousands descendants as Grand
mother Cook" (TIer second husband
was named Cooke She was a woman
of marked traits of character, who
left her impress upon succeeding gen
erations of her posterity, and. more
distinguished progeny than man OF
woman probably ever did whose death
is within a century. Governors ami
lawmakers and law construers, sol
diers and divines of high degree have
through all that time been proud 10
claim that barefoot. unsophisticated
pioneer girl as a most illuStriOuS fOun-
tain-head of lneir stocks. Priscilla
her daughter. first married Col. Ma
con and was the mother of North Car
olina's most distinguished son. Ma
thaniel OF that name. 1t will thus be
seen that Gen. Ransom's great grand
father was the step-father of that in
flexible old Roman, Nathaniel Macon.
whose name is revered and honOred
wherever known.
Mr.. Macon was his great uncle
through his paternal as he was likewise
through his grand maternal side of
the house, and most striking were their
traits in common. Neither knew the
virtue in the world policy; neither would
have Neptune for his trident or Jove
for his power to thunder; neither would
have relaxed i'll sense of duty to win
the acclaim of others, in order to lead
Senates or armies or to win the civic
crown or supreme command. AS Old
Tom Carlyle might have expressed it,
they We're brace of sturdy, duty-loying
men, who could not be swayed or
sweryed from settled conviction of right
by patronage from above or plaudit from
below. Duty was the text of each
through life; his life, the sermon.
General Ransom's preliminary educa-
ton was obtained at the Warrenton
Academy, necessitating a walk of three
or four miles day each way, not t.
speak of incidental exercise at home
His teacher was "old Bob Ezell, famil
iarly so known. A ripe scholar he was,
who believed in hickory and the high
classics, and instilled the last by Il free
application of the first. 1t was Il cruel
system, as | for one can feeling!y cor
tify, that under which we old boys of
that day were indoctrinated i'll the
"Humanities," Heaven save the mark.
1t may well be questioned, however,
whether its entire subversion or substi-
tuition by the new tangled fad" called
moral suasion is conducive to Il higher
order of manhood. The proof is on
the boys of the last and rising genera
ton and others to follow to adduce.
From the village school he was trans