The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-01-25
LIFE WORK OF
NATHANIELMACON
He Boldly and Ably Confronted
Great Problems of National Life
On Their Political and Their
Moral Sides

Nathaniel Macon was bOi H
vile county, now Warren, December
u. 1857. His father was Gideon Ma
con. a native of Virginia, descended
from the Huguenot Gideon Macon,
who settled in that State some time
prior to 1852. Martha, a daughter of
this first Gideon, married orlando
Jones and was grandmother of Mar
tina Custis, the wife Of George Wash
ingtOn. His mother was Priscilla
Jones, daughter of Edmund Jones,
Of Shocco, and Abigail (Sugan) Jones,
reputed the first white. woman to
cross Shocco creek into the up oun
try
Nathaniel was one of the younger,
possibly the youngest, of eight chill
dren. His father died when he was
about five years old. His mother SUBJ
SeQuently married James Ransom and
from that marriage sprung General
Robert Ransom and his distinguished
brother, Matt. w. Ransom. At an
early age Nathaniel ave such promise
of those strong moral and intellectual
qualities which distinguished his ma
ture years that, notwithstanding the
moderate near of the family, it was
determined to give him a collegiate
education. The few classical schools
then in the State were conducted
chiefly by Presbyterian ministers who
were educated at Princeton College
then as now an institution of very
high rank. Through the influence of
these teachers it contributed more
than any similar institution to higher
education in North Carolina. The fact
that young Macon was sent to that
college indicates the influence OF some
one of those teachers, most likely Rev.
Henry Patillo, WhO taught in Orange
and later in GranViile, and was chair
man OF the Committee Of Safety OF
Pute county from its organization.
His reputation as q teacher was eX-
cellent and specimens Of his hand
writing. now in nay possession. lnd1-
cate that he was a man of culture. /
have not been able to learn when Mr.
Macon entered college, but it was
probably about 1775. In 1875 when
he was not yet eighteen years of age
his studies We're Interrupted for a
short tour of military service on the
Delaware, after which he returned to
his classes. The gifted and patriotic
DR.. WitherspoOn was then President
of Princeton and the value OF his m
~Auence upon the life OF the young
man can not now be
OF Young Macon at this time his
friend and biographeT, Hon. Weldon
N. Edwards, writes: His own lncllna-
tiOns eagerly seconded the hopeful
purpose of his friends. While there
he prosecuted his studies with fond
diligence and sought all the venues
to useful knowledge with ~unfiagglng
zeal. Nor did he relax his efforts IN
this respect after his return home, de-
voting to such books as were within
his reach all the time he could spare
from the ordinary duties of life. "
IN the latter part of his life he was
often heard to say that his eyeSlght
failed him sooner than 1t otherwise
would have done In consequence of
his reading so much by freight In
his youth and early manhood-belng
then too poor to buy candleS-hlS
small patrimony having been
ed during his minority IN ms uppol
and education.'
In 1879. when the war clouds had
descended upon the South, he laid
aside his studies at college ana mas
tening home. enlisted as q private IN
a company of which his brother John
was captain. He continued in the
service as a private, except as inter
ruDted by legislative duties, until pro-
~visional articles of peace were signed
in November, 1882, and though COM
mands and places of trust and con
Gdence, as well as of ease and safety
were often rendered him, he invariably
declined Them" nor would he accept
a cent of pay for his service. When
the war was over and provision was
being made for the soldiers of the
revolution, he declared that mo state
Of fortune could induce him to ac-
cept it" His was a knightly spirit
freed from the license and e~xtrava-
eance Of knighthood. He served from
the love of serving and when the frosts
Of many winters had his
head, the State was still to him "Our
beloved mother North Carolina"
While in the army and scarcely yet
twenty-three years Of age, he was
elected the first Senator from War
rem county to the General Assembly
of North Carolina. It is said that
his first intimation of the election was
q from the Governor to at
tend a session of the Assembly, and
that he would have declined the honor