The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-11-26
By CATHERINE ALBERTSON.

Aibemarle none is more full or ms
toric interest than the lovely stream
known as Little. River, the boundary
set by nature to divide P~asquotank
county on the east from her sister
county. perQuimans, on the west.
Or the shores of this stream,
little" as compared with the Other
rivers of Albemarle, but Of noble
proportions when contrasted Win
SOME Of the so-called rivers Of our
W. stern counties. the history OF
North Carolina as an ~ganlze gov
nme had its beginnings.
AS early as 1859 settlers began NOV
ing down into the Albemarle region
from Virginia. among them being
George Durant who spent two years
searching for. a suitable spot 70 10
cate a plantation, finally declolns
upon a. fertile, pleasant land lying pc
tween PerquiInans River on n west
and Little River on the east. Follow
ing DuIant came George Catehlnald'
JOIN Harvey. JOnn Battle, Dr. I1Ao1iias
itelfe and other gentlemen. who set
tied on P~asQuOtank, Perquimans ana
Little rivers, buying their lands from
the indians and later, when Charles
III included the AIbemarle region In
the grant to the Lords PrOprletorS.
taking out patents for their estates
from these new Owners OF the SOIL.
paying the usual quit rents Tor the
same.
John jenkins, Valentine Byrd and
other wealthy men came later INTO
this newly settled region, and by 1868
the AlbeInarle region was a Settle
iuent OF Importance, and Governor
Berkeley, of Virginia, one OF the Lords
IroprietOrS, had with the concurrence
ct his partners in this new land sent
William Drummond to Overn the
colony, and the Grand Assembly OF
Albemarle had held its first session
1t Halls Creek an arm OF Little
River, in PaSQuOtank county.
In 1864. when the Clarendon col
cny was broken UP, many of the set
tiers from the Cape Fear region came
into Albemarie, n in 1866 this Sec
ito received a fresh influx Of i'm
migrants from the West Indies,
many of whom settled upon Little
River and embarked upon the then
lucrative trade of sh~ip-building. rne
unusual natural advantages Of the
section mad it in many respects a
desirable land for the new Corners:
still there were many drawbacks to
the we'll being Of the settlers. among
the most serious of which weta the
lack Of the two factors which make
most OF the true progress OF a &C ur-
try, educational and religious faciii-
tres and privileges.
Carolina was settled IN a very diff
GILL AIOlki AAtooN " liza Oily
ters among the thirteen colonies. TIC
those regions settlers came In groups
often d whole community migrating
to the new land, taking with them
ministers. priests and teachers; and
wherever they settled, however wilC
and desolate the land, they had with
them those two mainstays Of civil.
Eation.
lut into the Albemarle colony. tn
settlers came a family at a time; anl
instead of towns and town govern
ments being organized. the well-tO
do settlers with their families ane
servants established themselves upol
large Plantations. building thei
homes far apart, and devOting thei
time to agricultural pursuits.
SO 1t is not surprising that 70
many years the only religious exer
cises Ia which the Carolina settle
could take part were such as he hel,
in his WI home, the members Of tn
Church of England reading the pray
ers and service Of the Book Of Com
mon Prayer. the dissenter using sucl
service as appealed most to him..
AS for the education OF the chill
drcn, the wealthy planter would ofte'
engage In his service some indenturei
servant often a man of deep learn
ing. who would gladly give his serv
ICES FOR q number OF years for tn
opportunity OF coming to this ne,
Land of Promise. And as the boy
OF the family outgrew the home tutor
they were sent to the Mother COUNT
TO finish their education at Oxfor
or Cambridge.
But b poor colonist had none G
these means OF giving his children a
education. and for many years, In
deed, not until 1905. we can find n
mention OF any attempt on the pal
OF h settlers to provide q schoi
for tho children OF the poor.
But about twelve after Eeore
Durant settled on Little River the r.
ligious condition of Albeznarle b,
San to improve. In the spring {
that year William Edmundson.
faithful friend and follower of Geore
Fox. the founder OF the Quake
church. canne into AIhemarie ar
held the FIRST public religious serris
e:er heard in the colony at the hou,