Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 191?-19??, 1915-06-03


lands which he did not own. The
scant records of the times do not bear
out the charges against Lawson, but
On the contrary they furnish positive
proof that DeGraffenreid was himself
a cheat and swindler, and circumstan-
tantial proof that he conspired and
connived with the Indians to procure
the arrest and murder of John Law
son.
Not unlike the young men of this
ell and he tells us in his narrative how
he reached the purpose of coming to
America in these words: ''In the year
1900, when people focked from all
parts of the Christian world, to see
the solemnity of the grand jubilee at
Rome, my intention at that time being
to travel, l accidentally met with a
gentleman, who had been abroad, and
was very we'll acquainted with the
ways of living in both Indies, of whom
having made inquiry concerning them,
he assured me that Carolina was the
best country could go to. And that
there then lay ship in the river
Thames in which l might have my
portunity" 1t was in the latter part
of July when the boat landed at Sandy
Hook in the colony Of New York. AT
ter remaining two weeks in New York,
hu
Ia days later they reached Charleston
(or Charles Town as it was then call
ed.) 1t was on the 28th day of De-
cember 1900, that Lawson left Charles
ton and began his journey through
the wilderness to North Carolina. In
his party were six Englishmen, three
male Indians and a squaW-the last
mentioned being the wife of one or
the three Indians. To tell how this
band of explorers beat swamps, forded
creeks, went by canoe up and down
rivers, camped in the forest by noun
tain and stream, held intercourses
with the natives, were alarmed by
wild beasts, and feasted on by mos
quitoes, would make a narrative but
! little shorter than the journal III
which Lawson recorded his Thousand
miles travelled through several ma
tions of Indians"
From the time of his first arrival
on American soil in 100. Lawson re
manned eight years, returning to Eu
rope late in the summer of 1908.
During this period he was engaget
in surveying and promoting coloniza
ton. He plated the first town, Bath
and was one of it's first Commission
ers, serving with Col. Joel Martin AMI
Nicholos Daw Cthis was in 1705), thu
showing that he was an esteemed AM
trusted citizen. In this first town o
Bath, both Major Christopher Gale ant
Lionel Reading lived and owned prop
erty. Reading was a captain in tn
Indian wars, Justice Of the Peace,
Trustee of Bath Library, Justice C
the Court of Bath county and Commis
sioner of Land Titles. That LaWso
was a close friend of Lionel Readin
is evidenced by the records of his will
the power of attorney in Beaufo1
county, to both of which John Law
;, son is the subscribing witness.
Upon receiving from Lawson Gel
tain maps of the Carolinas and report
: of the country and it's resources, an
in recognition of his valuable SCI
!, vices, he was appointed surveyor
General of the Colony by the Lore
Proprietors The first edition of h
history made it's appearance in ITO
. being published in London.
At a meeting held in London by Il
Lords Proprietors in August 1909, JoE
Lawson was allowed the sum of q
!, pounds for several maps made by hi
of the Caro1inas: and during the san
:. year and as further evidence Of t
esteem in which he was held by tt
= Lords Proprietors, they appointed hi
:, Commissioners to represent the Lor
!, Proprietors in settling the uncerta
: boundry between North Carolina a
Virginia.
1t impossible to form a proper {
. innate and appreciation of John La
:. son, without a knowledge of Baron I
-, Graffenreid. History tells US that [
- Graffenreid was descended from
10 Swiss nobility and having met "
financial reverses as mayor of one
- the Swiss towns and seeing no char
of recuperation at home, left his p
= vate affairs in confusion and went
England with the design of builds
up his fortune in America. He is
oel scribed as a mere adyenturer, rec
for any money making scheme. W
- himself he associated Lewis Mitch
and in a history of the Germans,
Prof. Loher, he describes them b
! as ''bold and shrewd men,, and s
that '.they regarded the Germans
objects of speculation" They
vn, pictured as enthusiasts, who reI