The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-01-09
COUNTY
N MILES HARVEY
Hn Assembly of 1881 in Old TarborO
COurthOuse-Interesting History
of EdgecOmbe Section
BY MISS Ida TUNsTALL RODMAN


interest. 1t has ever been one OF the
big counties Of the State in the sense
or religious. educational, political, and
industrial prominence: but best Of all
has been its prominence for the high
character and conservative type Of its
citizenship. In times OF stress and
struggle. the noble sons Of EdgecOmbe
have been ready to answer the clarion
cali. and to lay down their lives, if
need be, to protect the honor and
glory of North Carolina.
Though not an original precinct,
EdgecOmbe is one of our Oldest coun-
ties. 1t was formed from a part Of
Craven ny Governor burlington, in
1888. and confirmed by legislative act
in 174l. The old Saxon name signi-
jies a valley enviToned with hills.
The county was named for the Earl
of Mount Edgecombe, a distinguished
captain in the English navy. Tar
borough. the county seat OF Edge
combe, took its initial step in the fall
of 1850 when the General Assembly
passed IN Act for establishing a town
on the lands Of Joseph Howell on
Tar river" 1t was evidently in a
convenient location for transporting
the public tobacco. for, in 1851, q bill
was passed "for charging the time
for inspection Of tobacco, at the public
warehouse in the town of Peterborough
in the county of Edgecombe, and for
increasing the. salaries Of the inspec-
tors thereof This warehouse was a
large wooden building, 160 feet long,
and about SO feet broad, and was
situated near the river.
In 1897 it was said that "1,400
hoSSheads of tobacco were annually
brought for inspection. 1t was
brought to this landing sometimes in
wagons but more usually rolled, and
from the distance Of a hundred miles
or more. cit was also brought up the
river by boat called flats.) After
inspection. the planter pays for its
examination and storing five shillings,
and has no further trouble: his note,
o. receipt, is transferable like a bill
of credit when or where he pleaSeS.
The buyer when he wants to remove
the tobacco presents the note and
the Identical hogshead is delivered to
him"
The last of the Royal Governors.
Alexander Martin, visited Marlborough
about 1772. He was so pleased with
the people and the elegant hospital
ity shown him that he granted a
charter to what was then q village
giving also the right of q borough
member to represent them in the AS
sembly with the same privileges that
at that date, belonged to the Older
towns Of Bath. New Bern. Edenton
Wilmington, Halifax. Hillsboro, an6
C~ampbellton. Henry Irwin was
chosen. but upo application for 6
seat, his claim was disallowed by the
Burgesses on the ground that it re-
Guired sixty families in q town before
If COJllG he made q borough nv the
Governors charter. The forces tina
brought about our separation from
the Mother Country were seething
and the BurgeSSeS were in no mOO(
to ratify the acts Of this Royal 10Y
ernor even to confer favor upon thei,
friends.
The Assembly met in Marlborough il
November, 1887. THE size of tn
town appeared so Inadequate to tn
comfortable accommodation of a legis
iature composed of about 100 com
mOners, or delegates, and about 6
senators, together with the people at
q tending the sessions for business o
pleasure that you will not easily be
lieve that it was possible to prOvid
for them. Yet provided for they were
and as they said themselves Yer
comfortably. One member sal tina
he had cause to be satisfied, for h
lived better than he did at home
Captain Toole, a trader. and for tn
TIME inn-keeper, provided for 40 @
SO members, with a great number Q
others. Almost every family receive
some Of the members. Beds wer
borrowed from the county, and thre
or our placed in q room, and two c
their HonOrs in a bed. provision
were in plenty. Horses were mostl
sent to farms in the vicinity Of tn
town..
1T is very much the custom i
Nnrtb 90 Vp1ino tN drink lpnyoc r
some kind or other before breakfast
sometimes gin. cherry bounce, OIL egs
nOg, the recipe for his latter bein
five eggs to half pint of rum. Sex
eral of the Assembly men this morn
ing INDUCED themselves in this RI
spect. (ThiS was a custom in merr
England also at that time.)
THE Assembly sat in the cour