The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-02-28

to the North Carolina Historical Society
and perhaps the oldest in existence, be-
gins with the issue for January 18th, 1906,
No 651, and runs to No. 755, March End,
1907 Hodge and his nephew
William Boylan, established the North
Carolina Minerva and Fayetteville Ga
zette," in the Spring of 1856. 1t was at
forwards removed to Raleigh.
Henry Wills, at one time the partner
or Hodge was born April 9th,
1764. In 1906 he had a bookstore in Eden
ton, died there July 18th, 1927, and is
buried in ST. Paul's church yard. 1 find
James Wills (perhaps his brother) print
ing the 'Edenton Gazette" in 1910.
have from Mrs. Wills that in an "Ab-
stract of Wills in DR.. ]. r. r. Hatha-
ways Genealogical Register'-a valuable
monthly publication at Edenton, N. c..
that the death of Henry Wills is stated
as in 1926, his will being probated Sep
TENDER term, 1926. This Henry Wills is
the great-grand father of Henry c. Wills
and George Blount Wills now living lin
1s04). Mrs. Wills, my esteemed CORE
sponFlent, is the granddaughter OF the late
eminent Rev. William Hooper, d. d. LII.
D.. the capital scholar, distinguished
teacher and able Baptist minister, while
her children are the great-grand children
of Henry Wills, the publisher of the
"Edenton Gazette" in the year 1910.
1 am in receipt of "The North Carolina
Booklet for January, 1904" 1t contains
a long article filling SO pages on The
Colony of Pennsylvania" by that most
tlreless, accurate worker, devoted and
faithful North Carolinian, able writer and
distinguished jurist, Chief Justice Walter
Clark, of the Supreme Court of North
Carolina. Only some fourteen pages arc
~ him, and they are well worth reading
they are mainly Introductory to the
Journal of Colonel Richard Henderson
Relating to the Pennsylvania Colony,
and which begins with Monday, March
90 1775. This interesting historical record
iils some Is pages. Such documents are
important, and help to a better under
-tanding of our States history, which
needs to be thoroughly written. BY the
way, and it is good place to bring it in,
| have received an interesting letter from
my friend, Captain S. A. Ashe, OF Raleigh,
The able ex-journalist, and writer of un-
usual merit. l read his late address on
General Lee with genuine pleasure. It
was unlike other addresses, and replete
with information anIijudiclous reflections.
/ am glad to know he has been long work,
ing on history OF our dear old State. He
WI ties me that he has about completed
a history of North Carolina during the
Proprietary Period" and he hopes to Sc
cure its publication. ! shall rejoice IN
his success, for l am sure it will prove
"a safe judicious, carefully prepared work
SO much needed-indeed, the great desid-
eratum of our people. Ii circumstances
favor, he hopes to go on with the work.
Gcd speed him and aid him III his pa
tIiotic endeavors. The people who love
their native State, and would aid the
LIVING children and unborn generations &c
a better understanding OF their ancestors
and the romantic history of the State III
the past, should aid Capt. Ashe in push
ing on his sef-sacrificing labors to d
successful and gracious consummation.
They should see that the part already
written is published, and every copy TAX
Ell and read and handed down in the fami
lies and Libraries of the dear old Mother.
/ must make few extracts from his let
ter, although it is for my eye rather
thar for the public. He writes: L have
been able to give some account, necessa-
rIly imperfect of the first settlers in
the very beginning of ory
State; for the interesting episode of RAJ
eisb's attempted settlement, is not at ali
com ected with the history of our peo-
pie" That is precisely correct, | take
leave to add only give particular
currency to it unless Virginia begins to
b1ag over the Jamestown settlement and
the Pocahontas episode" Capt. Ashe
recognizes the excellence and true value
of Wheeler and contributes some inform2-
ton relative to it. make an interesting
quotation from him: Il am glad to see
tina. you have good word for Wheeler's
OLD book. He did not dignity it with the
name of history-calling it only sketches.
With all of its imperfections, this can be
caid of it: that 1t contains an amazing
amount of information, collected with
great labor-in many cases wrung from
an unwilling and ''untoward' generation.
Had it been a pecuniary success, the Old
Colonel would have produced second
ed ton, embracing a great deal more IN
formation, subsequently obtained. During
the war, he went to Europe, and explored
the archives in Great Britain in search
OF new material"
Capt. Ashe has had completed for some
years "a short history Of the State but
it has failed OF publication, although be-
fore the State Text Book Commission.
Why it has not been adopted l do not
know. 1t is no doubt, I suppose, worthy
of proper consid grafton. Capt Ashe is a
good writer, is of clear, judicial mind.
knows the value and meaning of material,
is q careful worker, and it should be
adopted and published. That would be
good way to serve the children l recall
that in 1874 or 1875, when l was unwise
enough to publish to the people that /
would soon begin the writing of His
tory of the People of North Carolina
and that l would give at least four years
of patient, hard work to it, did not
know that my friend Ashe had begun the
preparation of a State history. Learning
it, at once went to him, and told him /
would abandon at once my purpose. But
most magnanimously he would not hear
to it. and not only gave me the field, but
sent to me at Oxford my home then, all
Of his own books and documents bearing
on North Carolina history, and also
furnished me with those belonging te
Judge w. H. Battle. 1t was most kind
and generous. Circumstances fortunately