The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-04-13

Goldshoro and Wilson, was the founder
and first teacher.
The Established Church was not
popular. The citizens would not have
it A parsonage and glebe, near the
courthouse, 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
churchlnen in Clinton, North Carolina.
Presbyterianism as an organized body
had it's beginning in Duplin county,
175S. There We're many congregations
before that but nothing more. DR. Nc
Alden organized the Grove church, 175S.
1t is now the church at Kenansville.
He continued in the pastoral office in
Duplin till failing health compelled his
return to the hill country The Bap-
lists were in the field 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
continuous but not rapid. Charles
Hines, Joshua Herring, Stephen Hol-
lingsworth, the Coopcrs and Taylor
were among the prominent preachers of
that period.
Dupln had no small share in the war
of the Revolution and the sltirmishes
which led up to it. Her sons We're with
IN,
over the Stamp Act. Some of her ,nen
were at the 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 We're with Caswell in the disas-
trous battle of Camden and others were
with John Ashe in the defeat at Erier
Creek. Ca When Maj. Craig was max
ing it uncomfortable for the patriots Of
Wilmington and threatening worse
things. many of them fled for refuge
into Duplin. 1t is sad to think of John
Ashe, broken hearted over the disaster
at Brier Creek sick of smallpox and
Others: of his reaching Sampson Hall,
the home of his friend, only to die. The
place, noted one in that day. was a
few miles from Clinton. l think it is
now owned by Rev. Allen Whitfield.
The people Of Durlin had scant SYM
pathy with the savagery at Alamance
and afterwards. Only a handful of men
followed Tryon and they were not COM
manded by a citizen of Duplin. On the
return of Tryon he sent John Ashe into
Dupln to administer some sort of new
oath. The people loved Ashe but they
refused to take any oath and sent him
on to his home. In the most dreadful
period of the Revolution they stood as
wall in front of the Tories of Bladen
and Cumberland. aud so there were no
inroads or raids. When Col. Brown and
mis- compatriots were compelled to flee
for their lives from Bladen county they
found sympathy and safety in Dupln
and thence they returned to redeem
their homes in the triumph at Eliza
BEETHOVEN. ant go
I am a long ways from tie scenes Of
which / have been writing. and Ehere
may be mistakes or Inaccuracies. Dup
lin was my birth place and the home
of my youth as Maryland was the home
of my ancestors. 1t has been pleasant
to pay this tribute to each of them. 1t
I has been specially pleasant to set forth
in some feeble fashion the part which
| Maryland had in making an important
, section of North Carolina.
J. D. HUFHAM.