The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1903-01-08

tIetn fcd!-A Ndfcer OF OsefuIneSS 5
and Honor and Service to Ills State.
Elizabeth City Letter, Dec. 10.
The Oldest active editor in North
Carolina. and probably the oldest in
America, celebrated the eighty-ninth
anniversary of his birth today. We
are speaking of Colonel Richard
Benbury Creecy, the author OF Grand
fathers Tales OF North Carolina
Few people in North Carolina are un-
acquainted with the name Of this
venerable editor and few there are,
among the older heads, who do not
/ hold Ills name Ill reverence; though
the honor and distinction accorded
him was not won on blOOd-Stained
fields of conflict. Called like Cincin-
natus from the plow. he at the re-
quest OF his suffering countrymen,
took the pen i'll hand over thirty
years ago and opened an editorial
warfare on carpet-baggery that
ended disastrously to this horde of
petty politicians that preyed upon
the Southland as it struggled to re-
build the homes and cities that had
been plundered, burned and, in many
instances, totally destroyed by the
hostile forces that We're sent upon Us
by the war between the States.
The birthplace of Richard Creecy is
Greenfield, i'll ChOwan county. 1t
was there, on his fathers plantation
that little ''Dick' Creecy spent his
boyhood days His early training.
was at the old EdentOn Academy
Completing the course afforded there
he entered the State University,
graduating in the class of 1885;
thus at the youthful age of twenty
two he launched upon LIES eventful
sea. Il college graduate.
The death of his father shortly af-
forwards ensled and he was left the
management of the estate. In con-
nection with the farm he established
the Greenfield fishery. IL fishery that
is yet i'll operation and known far
and near as the largest in the State.
But to be a wealthy planter was
not the lone ambition of young
Crcecy. To become Il lawyer was his
highest hope and by the uncertain
light of light-wOod knot fires he
spent the hours OF many nj ghts in
pOndering over massive volumes per-
tanning to law and it's practice. An
apt student he was soon able to Sc
cure license and command recogni-
ton. He entered upon the practice
of his chosen profession in Edenton;
but Elizabeth City, then as now the
more promising city, appealed to
him. and in 1S43 he made Elizabeth
City his home.
1t was then that the first romance
OF serious consequence entered the
life of young Creecy. He fell vic
tim to Cupid's well aimed shaft and
in November of the following year
| (1S44) he led to the altar Miss Mary
Perkins, the daughter of Edmond II.
Perkins, then one OF the Wealthiest
planters in PasquOtank county.
1t would seem that this embarka-
ton upon matrimonial life, under
such conditions, would work advan-
tageously to Attorney Creecy's po-
sition; but not so. Miss Perkins was
the only daughter of Il lonely and af-
fectionate father and though he sane
toned the wedlock he would not
agree to her leaving the parental
roof until his death. As Edmund
Perkins lived IL distance of eight
or more miles from this city young
| Creecy was forced to practice law
under difficulties Shortly after tax
ING up his abode at the house of the
father-in-law Richard Creecy aban-
doned the practice OF law and settled
down to the life OF a typical Southern
gentleman. Much of his time was
spent in the library and keeping
abreast of current events. He be-
came known throughout this section
counsel and knowled ge were often
employed by neiyhbors in the settle
ment of disputes. Occasionally Mr.
Creecy would contribute to local and
State papers He was a brilliant
writer and when he engaged i'll a
printed controversy his vocabulary
employed the most scathing denun-
Citations and withering sarcasms
His antagonist was invariably com
PEELED to beat a retreat. And thus
we see that early in life Col. Creecy
gained fame as a writer.
But the life of Col. Creecy was not
destined to be an uneventful one
The North and South became in
volved in war, the horrors of whicl
remain vividlv stamped upon thu
memories OF all survivors. Plunder
ing armies swept through this pros
porous section, leaving death and de
struction in theirpath. Houses wer,
plunIered numerically anG often was
the torch applied, Richard Greco,
, suffered us did Others. When tn,
black war clouds We're rolled ava,
and peace again returned to tn
country the subject of our sketcl
found himself penniless and a widow
er. His wife had passed to her re
ward, leaving him nine small chil
dren to support-and only the bar
land of his plantation remained tn
means of this accomplishment, Blu
to hasten the conclusion OF our story
After the close of the war th
MANNED and crippled remnants c
= our army returned to repair thei
: homes and gather their scattere
families around them for a possibl
enjoyment OF the peace that no'
|. seemingly prevailed. But peace wa
t not yet.
6 From the North came anothe
u I; army. An army of carpet bagger'
e OF 'scallawags petty politician
who sought only the furtherapce {
Is their greedy aims regardless of I'll
it loss incurred by Others. Anothe
he war was to be fought. The pei
+ and not the sword, were to, this tin
figure as the weapon. Were the pc
mighty as the sword the fact was t
ha nSt n hlishad then and there