The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-04-29

after the end of hoStilitieS Colonel
Lane exerted every effort to allay the bit
terness which had arisen while the war
was in progress, and pefrie led many
Loyaists who were objects OF hatred TO
a less generous element of the Wings
than that to which he belonged. Among
other Tories who had reason to be
thankful for his good offices, was Colonel
John Hamilton, whom he probably knew
before the war, as both were from Hal
flax county. Hamilton was one of the
bravest and most active officers siding
with the King, and man of character,
who had treated American prisoners
with more than ordinary kindness, though
even this did not save his estates from
contiscatiOn. For some years after the
Revolution, he was British Consul at Nor
folk, Virginia, and finally went to Eng
land, where he died. Serving Oh Hamil-
tons staff was a young ensign, Ddgald
McKethen, who became useful and re-
spected citizen of Raleigh after The re-
turn Of peace, and married one Of Colonel
Lanes daughters.
In the time treated of by this sketch
Wake county abounded in large game, and
hunting was favorite pastime. Just
inside, and westward of the southern en-
trance, of Capitol Square in Raleigh, there
is still living large sassafras tree, which
was a famous deer stand. The writer
learned this from his father, the late DR..
Richard B. Haywood, who personally re-
membered one of Colonel Lanes nephews
Edmund Lane, who himself claimed to
have killed nearly forty deers there.
Before the Revolutionary war. and
during that struggle, the capital of North
Carolina was somewhat migratory. 1t
was, as a rule, located where the Gov
ernor happened to reside, for that func
tionary usually summoned the Legisla
ture to meet at that place which best
suited his convenience. &c. after indie
pendence had been achieved, the State,
convention, which met at Fayetteville in
1888, gave the General Assembly instrue-
tions to fix permanently the capital, pro-
vided it should be within ten miles of
Isaac Hunters plantation in Wake coun-
ty which radius was chosen on account
of its central location. Nine commission
ers were appointed to purchase a site but
only six attended the meeting which was
held for that purpose. Those present
were: Frederick Hargett Chairman, Will
liam Johnston Dawson Joseph Mcdowell,
Jones. The members of this board were
from different parts of the State They
had to choose from seventeen tracts which
were offered. In reference to their de-
cision, the Honorable Kemp p Battle, in
his 1892 Centennial Address on Raleigh,
says that the Hinton tract on Neuse river
received Oh the first ballot. three of the
six votes cast the tract offered by Joel
Lane received two; and the other vote
was cast for land owned by Nathaniel
Jones, of White Plains, near the present
village of Cary. AS majority was not
received by either tract on this ballot
the board adjourned until next day. Con-
tinuing his address, DR.. Battle says
Willie Jones was a master Of the art
Of persuasion and was an intimate friend
of Joel Lane. Lane himself was man
of influence, who had served the State
in the Colonial Congress and as Senator
for ten years in succession. Very prob
ably he offered new inducements as to
price. At any rate. on Friday the Sofa
of March. a second ballot was taken, with
the result that Wake court house received
five votes, and the Hinton land received
only one vote. Possibly Lane was adj
versely criticised for his tactics in winning
the contest. There was abundant room
for unpleasant talk on account of his en-
PERTAINING the Commissioners at his
house, They were acting as judges, and
were certainly, notwithstanding their
high character, liable to the criticism
that they ate the bread of one of the It'll
giants. | cannot find their accounts of eX
penses, but it is altogether probable that
they paid for their entertainment. l no
tice that Lane was Senator from 1882 to
1892, both inclusive, but that in the next
year James Hinton had his place. This
is some evidence that the Hinton family
resented his success in the negotiations
and that the people took their side. If so,
the diSpleaSure was evaneScent, for he
was Senator again in 1894 and 1895.
James Iredell afterwards a Judge of
the United States Supreme COURT intro
duced the convention ordinance requiring
the capital to be located in Wake county
and the name Raleigh is said to have
! been first suggested for the new city by
Governor Alexander Martin.
The death of Joel Lane occurred on
the 29th day of March, 1895. In an ad-
dress delivered in Raleigh, on August "a,
1867, Ex-Governor Swain Colonel Lanes
great nephew refers to the last resting
place of the old patriot, saying that his
remains moulder in the midst of other
unrecorded dead beneath the shade of a
mulberry on his ancient domain. There
indeed, is his grave, of (Which no vestige
now appears. The spot is in an open field
upon which the town is fast closing I'M
srd lies a few feet east Of Boylan Ave-
I ue, about thirtyfive yards south of Nor
gan street.
After the death of Joel Lane. his son
Thomas, to whom he bequeathed his resi-
dence, sold it on December 81, 1908 to
Tr. Allen w. Gilchrist who married Colo
mel Lanes daughter. 1t was afterwards
bought by Peter Browne, native of
Scotland who was an able lawyer, but
withal miser and utilitarian, respecting
nothing above it's value in dollars and
cents. Finding that the burying ground
(where, also, many other early citizens,
besides the Lanes, were interred) was an
Improbable piece Of property he had it
plowed up and planted in cabbages. If
one leaves this spot, and walks about a
mile and half eastward along Morgan