The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-07-02

strain of Anglo Saxon blood i'm the
world Is 10 be found on tine Eastern
Shore. Which may we'll be true
Since for three hundred years some of
been kept there free from all foreign
infusions
A number of very old homes are
to be seen. bearing fancy names. like
the old English homesteads, that were
bestowed many generations ago
Onley, the historic home of General
Henry A. Wise, an ante-bellum Gov,
ernor OF Virginia and one of her most
brilliant sons; Ravenwood, the home
stead of a branch of the famous Gus
It's familyi Cokesbury. Bowmon's Fol.
~. Mt. Custis, Belle-Meade, Kerr
Place, and many Others each with
its family burying ground attached to
which the wandering children are
brought back from all over the land
for the last sleep.
Down at the lower end of the PEN
insula, where the point narroWs down
so fine that you can stand with one
foot in the Atlantic and the other III
the Chesapeake, there is the old Ar
lington burying ground. In it is the
grave of a CuStiS who seems TO have
had an unfortunate matrimonial ex-
perience He outlived his wife siA
years, and during this period of Wild
owhood kept bachelors hall, no wo-
man of any kind being allowed on the
premises. On his tomb this ancient
cynic ordered this ungallant but sig
nificant legend to be inscribed: HE
lived six years
The topography over here is musical
with Indian names-different, by the
way, from any that are found else
where-such as Wachapreague, Pun
colleague, Chincoteague, Nandua, AS
savannah, NassawaddoX, Assateague.
IT is said that Accomach county took
the name of the principal tribe of In
dams. and the others are names of SUBJ
siding tribes There are only two
counties on the Eastern Shore Acco-
mach aAl Northampton, and thin
court records are very old Northamp-
ton claims the Oldest complete set Of
court records in the United States,
running back somewhere about 1880
The records of Accomach. which was
formed later from a part of Northamp
ton. are not quite SO ancient, but We
examined some i'm the clerks Office al
the county seat that seemed very re-
markable. These hoary records are
full of interest to those who like TO
nose through mustv files and have the
patience to decipher antique script
There is the record of the sale of
piece of land by the King of Oman
coch." Also the voluminous report of
one Col. Thomas Scarbrugh who was
sent by the Governor of the colony to
investigate a settlement of "Quakers
and other turbulent folk who had
squatted on the line between Virginia
and Maryland. He was instructed 10
take with him fifty knights and men,
alarms for pomp and safety" Col.
Scarbrugh was very prominent man
in the colony and notable character.
One of the Indian tribes had offended
him, and he took a short but effective
cut to revenge. He informed the chiet
that if he would gather his tribe to-
gether at a given time and place they
should have an interview with the
Great Spirit. Meanwhile the amiable
colonel had a long, narrow trench dug
and planted n loaded cannon at one
end with its muzZle bearing straight
down the trench. At the time APP
pointed the braves assembled, eager
for a glimpse of the Great Spirit. The
colonel arranged them in most rever-
ent attitude upon their knees in the
ditch, and then touched off the gun.
So the word of a gallant English gen
tleman was kept and the Indians
gained their coveted interview.
One of these records gives Us
glimpse of a curious custom in the
Colonies two hundred years ago. A
certain householder filed a complaint
against his woman servant because
she had a "shrewish tongue and the
court ordered the woman to be ducked
by the sheriff. The complaint was
lodged a second time and again the
same punishment was ordered. Upon
the third appearance of the plaintiff
with his old grievance, the court hau
either grown weary or wise, and or
dered the woman TO be ducked, and
her master also because he could not
manage the women of his own house
hold. There were no further com.
plants of this nature. Fortunately
for the modern householder the duck.
ing stool disappeared from the statute
books long ago.
One of the oldest and at the same
time most interesting papers TO be
found among the Accomach records
is the will of the Rev. Francis Maken.
ME, who is honored as the founder OF
the Presbyterian church in America.
This venerable document was dis
covered a few years ago i'll an old
chest of papers. 1t is the original
manuscript, much torn and mutilated,
but much of it fairly legible, anG
bears Makennie's signature and the
date 1905. Upon it also are the sig
natures of Naomi, his wife, ana seVerdi
witnesses. The original copy made by
the clerk of the court at the time IL
was placed on record also exists in
very good form. We were at some
pains to make a corv of the latter.
covering some fifteen pages of fools
cap and were also fortunate enough 10
secure a photograph of the last sheet
of the will itself, including the date
and signatures.
DIR. Mackenzie was not only nota-
BILE preacher but a financier of no
mean ability. and. in addition to do
ing vast deal of preaching and es-
tablishing q number of churches. he
amassed a large estate and died pos
sessed of a very handsome fortune fol
that day. This he bequeathed to ms
wife and two daughters, Anne and
Elizabeth His library he left to the
First Presbyterian Church of Phila-
delphia. while his best black camelot
"cloke was given 10 the pastor, the
Rev. Jedediah Andrews and to his
heirs forever, evidently good piece
of cloth.
We determined to make pilgrim
age to the grave of this father OF
American Presbyterianism. A drive
of twenty miles brought us 10 that
portion of his old estate on Holden