The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-06-23
(By r. d. w.

Iluence with the members of the Co
lonial Assembly Of the beautiful and
charming Esther Wake, siSter-in-law
of Governor Tryon; and also states
that Wake county was named in her
honor. But later historians have re-
pudiated Jones statement and insist
that Esther Wake is a creature of his
fertile imagination. No reference, they
say, IS found to n such person
among the contemporary letters and
papers OF the period in which she is
alleged to have lived either in North
carolina or New York, and inquiries
among the members of the Tryon and
wake families in England reveal the
fact that neither family has any rec
ord of her existence. Mr.
in his governor Tryon of North Caro-
Ina who thoroughly investigated the
subject, says:
But after all said and done, no
one has been able to find any trace in
the old records Of this rare and ra-
diant maiden whom the Tar Heels
call Esther. None Of the letters of
the colonial period mention her. No
known documents of any sort in eth
er North Carolina or New York have
a word to say of her. When the Gov
ernor's House in Fort George, New
York, was burned. her name is moi
given among those Of it's inmates,
though the members OF Tryon's house
hold are enumerated. Nor is she
mentioned in the will of Mrs. Tryon,
who left no children On whom to set
tie her fortune, and therefore divided
it among her friends.
S all this about settles the fact
hat Esther Wake-that vision Of
lOveliness which for so many years
has been the idol Of North Carolina
rOmancerS-waS none other than a
creature of fancy. brought forth from
the realms of Fairyland by the pen Of
a sentimental writer. Many hiStO-
rianS. otherwise accurate, have been
firm believers in her existence, and no
one can regret more than the author
of this biography that Our beautiful
and fascinating heroine has failed to
materialize. Queen of Love and
Beauty, farewell!-and peace to your
ashes, if you left any,"
But may there not have been letters
in existence when Jones wrote his
book that have since been lost? This
question cor interesting and per-
tineht, in view Of the finding among
the papers of the North Carolina His
tOrical Commission, in Jones own
handwriting, an account, hitherto un-
published, of Esther Wake in which
ne quotes references to her found in
letters of the period said to be in his
enclosed in a letter from Jones to Will
possession. The account was found
liam A. Graham, dated New Berne.
February %, 1886" and is as follows:
"Miss Esther Wake, by 10. Seawell
Jones.
1.-The City of Raleigh is the capital
Of the county Of Wake, as we'll of the
State of North Carolina. In the year
1888 the people of the State in con-
vention assembled, ordained that the
beautiful eminence, now crowded witt
the ruins Of Canova's Washington AND
the new Capitol, should be in all flu.
ture time, the headquarters of The
State government. 1t is a spot cOnse'
Grated to the genius Of Raleigh ant
was appropriately chosen in a count
founded in n of a beautiful
wOman
Miss Esther Wake was the sistel
of Lady Tryon, and came with Gov
ernor Tryon to North Carolina in tn
year 1854. h was, l have been told
at the early age Of fifteen on her ar
rival. and during the six years of he
residence in the State, she was trul.
and emphatically adored, by all VIII
had the distinction of her acquaint
ance. Even the people in their as
sembled majesty, bowed to the su
Of her charms and the AS
sembly of 1910 erected the county o
wake to commemorate her name
such was the influence of beauty, viz
tue and wit, among a chivalrous an
hospitable people.
1.-The secret history Of our countr
is a little known as are the secre
motives of the human heart. The leg
islator often acts from a more ignobl
impulse than the pleasure OF a Lover
woman, and then continues to hid
even this fair reason under speciou
considerations Of State policy. In tn
years 1857, 8 and 9 the Assembl
voted sixty thousand dollars, to pull
a palace for the Governor and the his
torian of the State will pause an az
for any higher Involvement for TN
pfofligacy of expenditure, IMAM IN
qualifications of this celebrated lad.
She was ambitious enough to desl1
Magnificent parlours and
wherein to receive the homage OF ne
numerous admirers, for the Governt
previous to the building of the Palac
was compelled to provide his own e
t~ablishment, which was uSuaily rent
from some of the gentlemen OF II
borough. The heavy taxes levied
complete the edifice contributed 10 II
-~f1uence the rebellion of the Regul;
TORS. and was more than any 9th