The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1901-08-15

| mond Pearson Hobson was the Hon.
! Richmond Pearson, Chief Justice of
North Carolina. This gentleman was
noted as being one of the best
lawyers who ever presided over the
Supreme Court of that State. His
father was also Richmond Pearson
| whose career in the Revolutionary
War accounts for some of Capt. Hob
sons warlike instincts. Early in 1775
company of men were drilling in
Surry County, North Carolina. The
British Captain gave an order in al
offensive manner to his young subor-
dinate Richmond Pearson. Pearson
Immediately stepped out of ranks.
defied his commander. appealed to his
comrades to follow him as their Cap
tain, and with him join the army just
being formed in the cause of liberty.
The company almost to man follow
ed the courageous youth who served
from that day until the close of the
Revolutionary War, as an officer in
the Continental Line. This fact can
be substantiated by volume now in
the Library of Congress, but long
since out of print, and by the local
historians of Surry County where the
incident occurred. Capt. Hobson's
great grandfather was Col. John Will
liams, OF Knoxville, Tennessee. Col.
Williams was s years United States
Senator from Tennessee and held a
foreign mission under President
John Quincy Adams. He was one of
the most heroic of the commanders
under Andrew Jackson in the war of
1S12-1815, and next to Jackson the
most popular statesman and soldier
of Tennessee of his generation. At
the close Of the famous battle of the
Horseshoe "Old Hickory" Jackson
grasped his hand and said: "Col.
Williams, | am under debt of ever
lasting gratitude to you. You, Sir,
have put me on the hi igh road Of mill
tary fame Thomas Benton was
Lieutenant Colonel in his command,
and Sam Houston, of Texas, though
mere boy, was one of his Lieuten-
ants.
The maternal great-grandmother of
Naval Constructor Hobson was sis
ter of the distinguished soldier, jurist
and statesman, Hugh Lawson White.
of Tennessee. AS a boy soldier White
distinguished himself by killing the
Indian Chief "Kingtisher. He was
Chief Justice of Tennessee. Subse-
quently was rendered by President
Jackson an appointment as Associate
Justice of the Supreme Court of the
United States and Attorney General
in his Cabinet, both of which he de-
clined because he preferred service in
the United States Senate, in which
body he served with great distinction
for sixteen years, and of which he was
made President when John G. Calhoun
resigned the office of Vice-President.
In 1886, Judge White was a candidate
for President of the United States re-
ceiving the electoral votes of Tennes-
see and three other States. Both Will
liams and White were from North
Carolina. 1t is not surprising that
man with such heredity should have
become the hero of his class as we'll
as of the Merrimac. The sinking of
that ship is not the most difficult
thing he has done. He has kept silent
when false reports about him have
been widely circulated, perhaps. be-
cause the veracity of the other sex
would have been impeached if he had
told the truth or allowed his friends
to do so. [ know of no severer test
of a mans chivalry. His, has stood
that test to everybody but his mother.
However, this might have been ex-
pected of man, who as a boy en-
dured class ostracism in silence,
rather than annoy the women of his
family with the knowledge of his
isolation, and who at thirty-one years
of age is recognized throughout the
world for his courage and bis scien
tific ability as is known to be facite
princeps among the Captains of the
Navy of the United States of America.
This is written without his knowledge
or consent.
CHARLES EDWARD LLOYD.