The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-06-29
so SAYS DR.. KlNGSBURY,
I Am an Old Man Loving Him for His
Virtues.
HIS RECORD IN THE CIVIL CONFLICT.
His Great Work in Editing the Regimenial
Histories. He is Too Broad and
Fair 10 be an Enemy Of
Railroads.

To the Editor: In the early part of
1860 I had the satisfaction and pleasure
pitable homes on one of the great plan
tations of Roanoke river in the old
county of Halifax, North Carolina. 1t
was the home of Gen. David Clark, an
educated farmer of high standing and
the father of that eminent iurist and
most popular of living North CAROLYN
ians, Judge Walter Clark. The low
grounds on the river of this extensive
plantation were ten miles in length by
actual survey. were as level as plank
floor, and never subject to overflow be-
cause of dykes constructed by the care
full owner. The plantation was model,
and was divided into many sections by
deep bitches. Every such division had
been surveyed, and the soil of each
division had been analysed by COM
petent chemist. A book contained the
size of every division, and the analysis
beheld a very impressive sight that
day as / drove along an excellently con-
most fertile grounds or bottom
lands. There were sixty ploughs run
ming side by side with the regularity OF
body of drilled men. Never before or
since has such an interesting view
broken upon my vision. General Clark
lived in his large ancestral residence
that stood but a few feet from the
dykes. The house occupied this point
49, sn;xy
and passed over it and settled hall
mile or more in the higher grounds. He
had most comfortable summer home
in the northern portion of the county
some fifty miles distant, and not fan
from the country road leading from
the old colonial town of Halifax to War
renton, in the adjacent county of War.
rem, and in what is known as the 'Bethe
Section taking its name from the
Methodist church thus named. When
knew it forty odd years ago it was with
! one exception the wealthiest section bu
one l had known or heard Of in NORTH
Carolina. The late highly revered Rev
DR.. Drury Lacy, SO long pastor of the
First Presbyterian church. Raleigh ant
for some years President of Davidson
College, and a Virginian by nativity
told me once that it was beyond ques
ton the most superior community -ht
had known, the wealthiest perhaps, ant
the most generally religious. l thinl
it was so. The rich men for the mos
part were religious men. For some ter
miles in 1S6O-'61 there was but one mar
In this fine section lived Mrs. Patterson
,,,;o loI or icfn of h.
late distinguished and venerated Bishol
Atkinson, of Wilmington, and much re
sembling him in features and expression
! She and her two daughters, and he
highly esteemed and we'll educated son
| DR.. Robert Patterson, who still sur
vices constituted the Presbyterians il
| the community, and to them the excel
| lent DR.. Lacy preached now and then
| he occupying the pulpit of the Bethe
church by invitation of the stewards
| So he learned to know the people o
! that section, and how to appraise them
| Some time in 1S61-probably May
was the guest of General and Mrs
| Clark at their home in this section
| While there very bright, but quiet an
modest youth of perhaps fifteen or six
teen years, appeared. 1t was their ED
est son, Walter, who had but just re
turned from the Military School a
Charlotte, under Maj. d. H. Hill, after
| wards the much distinguished and no'
| fighting Lieutenant General d. II. Hill
| who commanded North Carolina troop
that did much splendid service, Tough
I in so many bloody battles, and she
such lustre upon the South and the grea
/ State of North Carolina General Hi
was a South Carolinian, but he love
| to command the men of our State, for
reliableness, and that they would stick.
Gen. A. p. Hill, a Virginian Lieutenar
! General. was asked by Mr.. Wallace, tn
oldest lawyer of Peters burg, which troop
would he rather command, and he re
piled at once: "Why, North Carolinians
Mr.. Wallace said to the late Rev. D.
Thomas II. Pritchard ard me that.
surprised him, as both Hill and himsel
were Virginians. He could not under
! stand how this could be, and asket
| General Hill said that North Carolinian
were as brave as any troops, were MOI
| obedient to authority and were, there
fore, better soldiers. They would d
/ what they were commanded to do, an
remain steadfast when SO ordered
This quiet, we'll hammered, opens face
intelligent boy had bee reared in til
! country in religious family IL
father was a Methodist steward in til
oldest of all North Carolina circuits, tt