The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1902-04-08

Hooks. died 1929.
The fInllingsworth family was the
oldest and also one of the first 10 SCI
tie in the county. According to burke
Landed Gentry. they We're comfortably
settled in England before the Conquest
Valentine Hollingsworth came to
America with William Penn. 1852 and Tor
almost twenty years was a member OF
the legislature of Pennsylvania. Two
of his defendants, Stephen and Henry,
came to Duplin and settled ON stuart 5
Creek. Others OF the family followed.
John was a member OF the Convention
at Halifax, April, 171e. Charles was 4
lieutenant IN the battalion which vas
formed for the defence Of the coast
about Wilmington. Samuel was a
leader of the patriots in Cumberland
Henry and ZebulOn, sons OF the nrst
Henry that cone out were pensioned
by order Of Congress- in 1898. for mill
rary service during the Revolution
Stephen was 4 man OF large landed es-
tate. a Baptist minister, a stirring pa
trict in Pladen where sucn men We're
much needed. Some years after :he
establishment Of the Hollingsworths on
Stuart's creek the Aldermans came
out IEOul -Nt" OtlSts dhd I 80
he same region, drawn probably by
some tie of acquaintance or religious be-
lief. They came from England where
they We're out Of harmony with the
Established Church and therefore un-
pleasantly situated in their homes.
Prof. Alderman, superintendent OF grad
ed schools in Henderson, has among his
heir-looms a writing desk which was
brought over by the family on thelr
first coming TO America. Thomas hin
near (COnicr) was sheriff OF Dul'lln'
The first of the name in Maryland. was
Philip Confer who, 1841, was appointed
by Governor Calvert a commissioner OF
Kent county. and, 1862, was appointed
commander of the county. But there is
not time or space for more of these de-
tails of person and family history. The
making of Duplin was the work Of men
such as those whose names have been
mentioned. OF course there were many
others. Some came from other colonies
but no other province furnished so many
settlers of such excellent quality as
Maryland. 1t is proof of the character
Of the people that for twentY-seven
years Duplin furnished the Congress-
man for the district in which it is stu
ated. 1t also gave to the State an ex-
cellent Governor.
Of course people like these would not
be Indifferent to the education of their
children. BESIDES the neighborhood and
schools there were at a very
early period two academies of high
grade. One of them, now known as the
James Sprunt Institute, was at (irst
~, op3 rtoo1 81 ho
You'd the town limits. For many years
it had a very extensive patronage and
it is still quite as fiourishing as ever.
The other was Green Academy, about
three miles north of Faison and rival
ling the Grove in reputation and patron
age. 1t was conducted by such men
as Hustled, Of Raleigh, and the Elliots,
A. M. Green, of the family now in
G~oldsborO and Wilson, was the founder
and first teacher.
The Established Church was not
popular. TIL citizens would not have
it A parsonage and glebe, near the
was purchased and Gov
error Tryon sent them Rev. Hobart
Briggs, but he soon had to leave the
community and the property was sold
by act Of the LEGISLATURE. Afterwards
there was no other Episcopal church in
the county until the close of the civil
war: save perhaps a small body of
in Clinton, North Carolina.
PreshyterianiSm as an organized body
had its beginning in Duplin county,,
1893. There were many congregations
before that but nothing more. DR.. Nc
Alden organized the Grove church, 115S.
1t is now the church at K~enanSViIle.
He continued in the pastoral office in
Duplin till failing health compelled his
return to the hill country. The Bap-
fists We're in the field a little earlier.
Seven-mile, now Canaan, was the first
and them Cohara. which is now Ebene-
Ger. Rowan was formed in 1853 and
Bear Marsh in 1863. From that time
the growth of the denomination was
but not rapid. Charles
Hines, Joshua Herring, Stephen Hol-
the Coopers and Taylor
among the prominent preachers OF
that period.
Duplin had no small share in the war
Of the Revolution and the skirmisnes
which led up to it. Her sons were with
the people of Wilmington in the trouble
over the Stamp Act. Some of her ,nen
were at tie battle of Moore's Creek and
others, by order of CasWell, were guard
ing the bridges in his rear; but most of
them were with Col. James Moore near
Fayetteville in his effort to defeat the
Tories or prevent their march to join
the British in Wilmington. Some of her |
men were With Caswell in the disas- |
trous battle Of Camden and others were |
with John Ashe in the defeat at Erie-
Creek, Ga. When Maj. Craig was max
ing it uncomfortable for the patriots Of
Wilmington and threatening worse
things. many of them fled for refuge
Duplin. 1t is sad to think of John |
Ashc, broken hearted over the disaster |
at Brier Creek, sick of smallpox and ,
yet compelled to leave home with the
others; of his reaching Sampson Hall. |
the home of his friend, only to Gle. The
place, a noted one in that day. was a
few miles from Clinton. l think # is
now owned by Rev. Allen Whitfield.