Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 191?-19??, 1914-12-03

House and Jail was awarded to Johr
3. Becton and Joseph Kennedy. Al
the August term, 1850, the commits
sioners reported that they purchased
a lot and had received from the con
tractors the Court House and Jail.
find no record of any report of the
commissioners, required by the order
of the August term, 1913, nor of any
payment made to the contractors, but
have understood that the contract price
was about $40
At the August term, 1850, the last
Court held in the town of Waynes
boro, it was ordered "That the wilful
defacing, cutting or in any other man.
ner injuring the walls, or any other
parts OF the Court House shall be held
an offense in the contempt Of the
Court, and the officers of the court
are ordered to bring all persons sc
offending forthwith before the Court
to be dealt with in the premises"
The first Superior Court held in
the new Court House was on Septem-
Der 80, 1850, when Hon. John w. Ell
lis, afterwards Governor of the State,
presided. The first Court of Pleas
and Quarter Session was held in the
new Court House IN the 18th day of
November, 1850. The minutes recite,
Justices present, the Worshipful Will
lam K. Lane, John G. Slocumb,
Thomas T. HolloWell and John Hayes,
Esq"
I note that at the November term,
1851, an order was made allowing
William t. Dortch, County Attorney,
the sum of $3.50 for his services at
this term and at the three preceding
terms.
John A. Green, a descendant of Jo-
seph Green, who in 1890 was the larg-
est slave owner of Wayne county,
was Clerk of the Court of Pleas and
Quarter Session: He served in that
capacity from August term, 1888, to
September term, 1853, when he was
succeeded by Benjamin Aycock, who
served until 1862.
John A. Green was the father of
Mrs. George L.. Kirby, the late Mrs.
Susan Gulick and the late George D.
Green, of Wilson.
At the same time William G. Bryan
was Clerk of the Superior Court. He
served from 1S49 to 1861, and was the
father of John w. Bryan, Esq, for
merly a member of the firm of Grain
ger & Bryan, attorneys, of Goldsboro,
and now one of the officers of the
Eastern Hospital for the Insane.
At the same time James Griswold
was Clerk and Master in Equity. He
filled hat Office from 1928 until 1853.
He was succeeded by Geo. v. Strong,
who performed the duties of office
until 1860. James Griswold left de-
scendants who have worthily borne
his name, some of whom are now
residents of the county.
At the same time Ollin Coor was
Sheriff. He served for % years.
Sheriff Coor was the father of Capt.
Hopton H. Coor, of Fork township.
Ollin Coor and his kinsman, who pre-
ceded him, filled the office of the
Sheriff of Wayne county for many
years.
In the GO years intervening between
the first court held in Waynesboro
and the first court held in Goldsboro
great changes had taken place. Much
of the land had been cleared, many
large plantations stocked with numer-
GUS negroes were to be found in the
different sections of the county.
Among the large land owners and
slave owners was John w. Sasser,
the father of Mrs. Ellen Dortch, de-
ceased, and Mrs. Mile Mckee, of
Raleigh. 1t is related that he could
ride on horseback from GoldSboro to
his home, some six or seven miles dis
tant, without getting off his own land.
Other large land and slave owners
were William K. Lane, George w.
Best, Sam Smith, John Coley, -
Fort, John Everett, David Everett,
Levi D. Howell, Capt. R. P. Howell,
William D. Cobb, the numerous Whit
fields, John c.. Slocumb. David F.
McKinne, Thomas Uzzell, Peter Pea
cock, Thomas Y~elverton, RigdOn Dees,
Gabriel and William Sherrard, E. B.
Borden, W. F. Atkinson and others.
The cultivation of cotton had be-
come general. The population had
increased to 1902 whites and 5000
slaves and sc free negroes.
The free schools had begun their
work and a number of private schools
had opened in Goldsboro, and in some
other sections of the county. Among
other teachers were William Rob-
inson and John Robinson, graduates
Of Dublin University and natives of
Ireland. About that time they con-
successful private schools.
John Robinson was the father of
Hon. w. S. O'B. Robinson, Col. Jos.
E. Robinson, Miss Eliza Robinson,
Mrs. Frazier, deceased, and Mrs.
Mary Morris, all of whom, except
Mrs. Frazier, reside in or nea Colds
boro, and DR.. George Robinson and
James Robinson, deceased.
Ministers of most of the denomina-
tons preached in almost every neigh
borhood. Illiteracy had been re
duced at that time to such an extent
one in every seven white persons
over 81 years of age could read and
write. There vas nc development OF
manufacture except along the rail-
turpentine stills we're every
where to be found. There were gin
houses and a few saw and grist mills.
There were no banks and the money
and heir customers attended
the courts, where loans were made
and collected. The town of White
Hall, situated on the Neuse River,
was beginning to grow and become a
of trade. Nahunta, now Ere
mont; Eureka, Pikeville, Dudley and
Mount Olive did not exist. Colds
boro was growing into a thriving n
prosperous village and the center OF
trade.