Mecklenburg County, North Carolina

“ John Penn, of North Carolina, said in presence of several members of Congress, that he was "highly pleased with the bold and distinguished spirit with which so enlightened a county of the State he had the honor to represent had exhibited to the world, and, furthermore, that the bearer of the instrument to Congress had conducted himself very judiciously on the occasion by previously opening his business to the Delegates of his own State, who assured him that the other States would soon act in the same patriotic manner as Mecklenburg had done." ”

“ James Harris was from Eastern Mecklenburg (now Cabarrus county) , a neighborhood universally holding Whig principles. He was the Major in Colonel Robert Irwin's regiment at the battle of the Hanging Rock, and elsewhere performed important services during the war. Next to the Alexanders the name Harris was most prevalent in Mecklenburg county preceding the Revolution, and both still have numerous worthy descendants among us to perpetuate the fair name and fame of their distinguished ancestors. ”

“ After the war, he was elected Major General of the North Carolina militia. For many years, he was clerk of the court of Mecklenburg county, and frequently a member of the State Legislature. He was the people's friend, not their flatterer, and uniformly enjoyed the confidence and high esteem of his fellow-citizens. He lived more than half a century on his farm, two miles from Charlotte. He died on the 29th of March, 1826, in the sixty-eighth year of his age, and is buried in the graveyard of the Presbyterian Church at Charlotte. ”

“ All of these Delegates were unwavering patriots, and nearly all were signers of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence. Not only were the patriotic sons of Mecklenburg county active and vigilant in those trying times, but no portion of our State was more constantly the theater of stirring events during the drama of the American Revolution. "Its inhabitants," says Tarleton in his campaigns, "were more hostile to England than any others in America." ”

“ Yet, being raised to habits of industry, he did not despair, feeling assured that, "where there is a will there is a way" to act in earnest, and battle against the adverse fortunes of life.
Finding in Charleston a wagon from North Carolina, he made suitable arrangements with its owner, and accompanied it on its return to Mecklenburg county, whither his mother and four brothers had emigrated several years before, and settled in the neighborhood of Poplar Tent Church. Here, by strict economy, and persevering industry, he was prospered as a farmer ”

“ On the 4th of August, 1772, Captain Jack left his mountain home and moved to the residence of his father, Patrick Jack, in Mecklenburg county. On the 16th of February, 1773, he and his father moved from the country, where they had been temporarily sojourning, into "Charlotte town," prospered in business, and soon became useful and influential citizens.
On the 26th of Sept., 1780, Lord Cornwallis, elated with his victory at Camden, entered Charlotte, with the confident expectation of soon restoring North Carolina to the British Crown. ”

“ Charlotte early became the central point in Mecklenburg county for these assemblages, and there the leading men often met at Queen's Museum or College, to discuss the exciting topics of the day. These meetings were at first irregular, and without system. It was finally agreed that Thomas Polk, Colonel of the militia, long a surveyor in the province, frequently a member of the Colonial Assembly, and a man of great excellence of character should be authorized to call a convention of the Representatives of the people whenever circumstances seemed to require it. ”

“ Mr. B——, formerly of Pennsylvania, had a plantation in Marlborough District, South Carolina, and was the pastor of a church in Darlington District. The Rev. Mr. T——, of Johnson county, North Carolina, has a plantation in Alabama.
"I was present, and saw the Rev. J—— W——, of Mecklenburg county, North Carolina, hire out four slaves to work in the gold mines is Burke county. The Rev. H—— M——, of Orange county, sold for $900, a negro man to a speculator, on a Monday of a camp meeting.
"Runaway slaves are frequently hunted with guns and dogs. ”

“ CAPTAIN WILLIAM SHARPE. Captain William Sharpe was born on the 13th of December, 1742, and was the eldest son of Thomas Sharpe, of Cecil county, Maryland. At the age of twenty-one he came to North Carolina and settled in Mecklenburg county, where he married a daughter of David Reese, one of the signers of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence. He was a lawyer by profession and had a large practice. Soon after his marriage he moved to the western part of Rowan county (now Iredell) and took an active and decided stand for liberty. ”

“ It was so called because it was ninety-six miles from the frontier fort, Prince George, on Keowee river, in the present county of Pickens. No portion of South Carolina suffered more during the Revolution than the district around Ninety-Six. The Tories were numerous, bold and vindictive, and for that reason the gallant Whigs of that region frequently called upon their compatriots-in-arms in North Carolina, more particularly in Mecklenburg, Lincoln and Burke counties, for assistance in defending their homes and their property. ”

“ Charles Harris was born in the eastern part of Mecklenburg county, (now Cabarrus) , on the 23rd of November, 1762. He was distinguished as a patriot, a soldier and a physician. While pursuing his studies in Charlotte, the invasion of the town by the British army, under Lord Cornwallis, caused him to exchange the gown for the sword. Accordingly, when a call was made for troops to resist and hold in check the invaders of his country, he joined the corps of cavalry under Col. William R. Davie, and was with that brave and chivalric officer in much of his daring career. ”

“ The railway passes through a rolling country, and thirty-three miles farther northeast is King's Mountain, where the previous battle was fought, October 7, 1780, in which the British under Colonel Ferguson were also defeated and a large part of their forces captured. Beyond, the boundary is crossed from South to North Carolina and Charlotte is reached, having cotton factories and gold mines and twelve thousand people, the county-seat of Mecklenburg, where the famous resolutions were passed, May 20, 1775, demanding independence. ”

“ The increase in population in North Carolina in the [Pg 54] single decade of 1870 to 1880 about equalled that of the four decades preceding. The comprehensive influence here upon immigration by the abolition of slavery is not greatly modified by the fact that in the period before 1870 fell the losses from the Civil War. [87] The tide of immigration to Mecklenburg County in this State dwindled from the introduction of slavery as a system until 1825, and thereafter set in the emigration of persons from the county, an even severer influence and stronger indication of the baleful labor system. ”

“ For instance, most North Carolinians seem addicted to the belief that Mecklenburg County drew up certain drastic resolutions of Independence, May 20, 1775; and the man who is not convinced of it had better live somewhere else than in North Carolina. In like manner many Southerners suppose it to be an established fact that the aristocracy in the South were descended from English Cavaliers, and the leaders in New England from the Puritans. ”

“ That we, the citizens of Mecklenburg county, do hereby dissolve the political bands which have connected us to the mother country, and hereby absolve ourselves from all allegiance to the British Crown and abjure all political connection, contract, or association with that nation, who have wantonly trampled on our rights and liberties, and inhumanly shed the blood of American patriots at Lexington.
"Resolved, 3. That we do hereby declare ourselves a free and independent people ”

“ From Rocksborough by Hugh Wood’s, to Black Walnut, in Halifax county, Virginia. From Concord to Mill grove, thence by Dewees’ Hickory grove post-office, Mecklenburg county, to Beatty’s ford. From Nashville to Warrenton, by Belford post-office, and Shocco Springs. From Oxford to Hillsborough, in the state of North Carolina, passing by Potter’s bridge, Richard Bullocks, Hester’s store, Thomas Benchan’s and Pickett’s oil mill. From Greenville to Stauntonburg. From Lawrenceville, Montgomery county, to Wadesboro’, Anson county. From Leesburgh, by Hightowers, to Caswell courthouse. ”

“ Their inhabitants do not pay taxes to any MCD, nor do they vote in any MCD elections. The independent incorporated places in a State constitute a separate type of county subdivision apart from its MCDs. Of the 28 MCD States, there are 20 with such MCD equivalents. At the time of the 1990 census, only 19 States had independent incorporated places. An additional State, North Carolina, now has independent incorporated places as well. Usually these independent incorporated places are cities; however, in some States they also are boroughs, towns, and villages (see Table 8-2) . ”

“ Its population is homogeneous and law-abiding. The feeling between the races is friendly and cordial. We have nearly a half million acres of land, and around twenty-five thousand people. We have room for all who wish to better themselves.
The Bankhead National Highway passes north and south through the county; and the county has a well organized road system and force. The surface of the county is gently rolling, to rolling. Its highest point above the sea level is 97 feet. All of the lands are capable of drainage. A dozen rivers, creeks and swamps furnish an outlet for water. ”

“ The surprise at McIntyre's compelled the British to move with greater forces in their foraging expeditions. It is seldom, in the historic annals of any people, that we find it required "one half" of a large army, in a sparsely settled country, to "protect the foraging parties and cattle drivers." It indicated a spirit of determined resistance by the patriots of Mecklenburg and of the State generally, which can only be construed as a faithful maintenance of the principles of freedom proclaimed on the 20th of May, 1775. ”

“ More improvements have been made in Sampson County in the past decade in building better homes, adding home comforts, in added facilities for better schools and churches, in improved farming lands, and in improved fertility of the soil, in improved stock, hogs and cattle, in better highways and improved health conditions, and in every way that tends to make farm life more pleasant and profitable, than in many other counties in this section of the State. ”

“ Whenever the General Assembly is directed or authorized by this Constitution to enact general laws, or general laws uniformly applicable throughout the State, or general laws uniformly applicable in every county, city and town, and other unit of local government, or in every local court district, no special or local act shall be enacted concerning the subject matter directed or authorized to be accomplished by general or uniformly applicable laws, and every amendment or repeal of any law relating to such subject matter shall also be general and uniform in its effect throughout the State. ”

“ A close watch is kept for epidemics, and an accurate record made of the vital statistics is available at all times to the public. For those unfortunate enough to be left destitute Nash has almost completed a County Home that can hardly be matched in the South. In architectural design, modernity of equipment, and comfort for the unfortunate
Court House, Nash County it will always stand as an evidence of the spirit of charity that a fortunate citizenship feels for those whose existence has been marred by the unkind hand of fate. ”

“ An Aft, for the better regiilaring the Militia of this Government, 215 An Ad:, for Erefting the upper i-'art of Craven County into a County and Parilh j and for appointing a Pluce for building a Court-houfe, Prifon, and Stocks, in the faid County, 219 An Ad, for dividing Edgcomh County and Parifli, and for .erefting the upper Part thereof into a County and Parifh, by the Name of Gran-vtlle County, and St. ”

“ During the year 1775, the Province of North Carolina, ever in the van of early patriotic movements, formed "Associations" throughout her territory, mainly as tests of patriotism. The county of Cumberland formed an Association on the 20th of June, 1775. The county of Tryon (embracing Lincoln and Rutherford) formed a similar "Association" on the 14th of August following, which was signed by the "Committee of Safety," and ordered to be "signed by every freeholder in the county." ”

“ In each county a Sheriff shall be elected by the qualified voters thereof at the same time and places as members of the General Assembly are elected and shall hold his office for a period of four years, subject to removal for cause as provided by law. No person is eligible to serve as Sheriff if that person has been convicted of a felony against this State, the United States, or another state, whether or not that person has been restored to the rights of citizenship in the manner prescribed by law. ”

“ It is not to be [617] credited that the Mecklenburg patriots made an absolute declaration of independence on the twentieth, and in ten days thereafter acknowledged the sovereignty of Great Britain. These admirable resolutions of the thirtieth were published in the Mercury, a North Carolina newspaper, (and others,) and a copy of it was transmitted by Governor Tryon to the British minister, and denounced as the boldest of all, "most traitorously declaring the entire dissolution of the laws and constitution, and setting up a system of rule and regulation subversive of his majesty's government." ”