The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-12-16
AN EDzKroN EVENING.
The Daughters of tbs Revolution Beautifully
Entertained by Mrs Bruner.


The North Carolina Daughters of the
Revolution were beautifully entertain
ed on the afternoon of Thursday, the
18th inst. by the Secretary, Mrs. Il.
X. Bruner. at her home, No. 112 East
Jones street, where their December
meeting was held.
The minutes of the preceding meet
ing having been read and approved,
interesting papers by Mrs. Henry ID.
b. Hooper, of Edenton, on the revolu-
tionarv services of two distinguished
North Carolina patriots of the Abe
marie section Thomas Benbury and
General William Skinner, the common
ancestors of herself and Mrs. Hubert
HAYWOOD. were read by the latter to
attentive listeners; also by the same,
from the same pen, the thrilling lie
gend of Betsy Dowdy," young and
pretty. whose all-night ride in De-
cember 1875 from her Carolina
! home by the sea, as mounted on her
pony. she dashed along the beach, in
to shadows. over ford, island, ferry,
Iowlands, hills, 1.-The twinkling stars
her only light" to the home of Gen
eral Skinner. carrying to him the news
of the approaching British, saved to
the Americans the battle of Great
Bridge. and fairly eclipses in its pluck
and perils, the famed midnight ride
of Paul Revere" placing her of right
among the heroines of the Revolution.
Following these papers, DR.. Dillard' S
tasteful and valuable pamphlet on
The Historic Tea-party of Edenton,
October 25th, 1774," held at the resi-
dence of Mrs. Elizabeth King, of that
place, at which fifty-one ladies, the
names of only five of whom have sur
vived. entered into an association,
pledging their adherence to the re-
solves of the Provincial Congress, and
that they would abstain from tea and
the wearing of British manufactures,
until the tax should be repealed, was
approximately read by Miss Martha IL.
Haywood. The society then passed a
resolution to the effect that they
would bend their energies towards the
construction of some worthy memo
rial, the material and design of which
are to be determined in future. TO
these patriotic ladies too little known
to fame; it being Unanimously agreed
that no more appropriate work could
| be undertaken by womans patrluc
organizat ton. Pursuant to this ldeas
! it was decided that the society would,
at an early date, give some entertain
| ment with view to the beginning of
a fund towards this meritorious OBJ
ject.
1t was gratifying to note the inter
est manifested by all present in the
collection and preservation of historic
incidents of the early days of our
modest old State, whose role, as has
been APPLY stated. has heretofore been
| to make, not write history. The
| Daughters of the Revolution would
earnestly recommend to the scholars
of the State. that henceforth the maxi
| ing be supplemented by the writing.
| D that some inspired pen had pre-
served for us the names of those fifty
Zone ladies of the Edenton Tea-party
of October 25th., 1774, which should be
blazoned high on the roll of fame. in
stead of lost in the mists of conJec-
ture! 1t may be interesting to some
| to recall that the five which Dr. Dill
lard has Succeeded in rescuing from
local traditions are as follows: Mrs.
| Thomas Barker, President of the Tea
party, Mrs. Sarah Valentine, Mrs. Eliz-
abeth King. Miss Isabella Johnston, q
sister of Governor Johnston, and Mrs
Winifred Virgins Hoskins, ancestress
of DR.. r. II. Lewis, of Raleigh.