Newspapers / The Journal-Patriot (North Wilkesboro, … / June 27, 1940, edition 1 / Page 29
Part of The Journal-Patriot (North Wilkesboro, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
j^es .Countyl k Pidfi^^byJolnCroadiinl^ «d his Aot bat ttlU[%b doir m&ined mnnoved. Hu Datchmvi Wame alarmed and exclaimed, “It*8 de duT-vil,” and at once abandoned that hnntin; ground. Young Cleveland chuckled not a little the success of his stratagein. Cleveland Marries tioasrY war they were y«b to W a trophy of King’s Moantain. found at the foot of the Mountain ranges on the head waters of New river. Pursuing a wounded ell^ Cleveland in attempting tor inter cept him at a rocky point of the river, where he expected the elk to cross the stream, found himself surrounded by a large number of (Conttnned troak.'|M«e two) i Itie Clevelands derive their name ' ; to a lafreland nam- ^ country in the ad Cassnt. Bis son, Christian north Riding of Yorkshire Eijg- ■ Cassatt, B(dd the lands, by power land, still called Cleveland, of attorney, to Hngli Bontgot^,! Jol® Cleveland wm one of tte of SaUabory. McmtgOMty made a | early imigrants to Vi^ia. He deed of trust to JaMS Kerr. Dav- settled on the smce famous aiU id Nesbit and Joto Brown, wholKun, and his occupation was t^t were to dividrthe lands to hisj®* house-joiner. His son, Bei^a- ■UuffhtAni and Rcheeca. min Cleveland, the subject of this .... ... . u, j SSl ^anSt Gov.^ Montford. al^etch was bom there on the 26th frontier life. In Ution, and thus probably escaped Stokes and Rebecca married Gen- At length young Cleveland mar- Tattld|ma1ces, icoiled, hissing, /and ried Miss Mary Graves, in Orai^ fearfidly sounding their alarm rat- county, whose father was |nite ties on every hand. From this wealthy. But his marriage did dangerous dilemma his only dellv- not reform his wild and reckless erance seemed to be an instan- habits. He still loved gaming, eous plunge into the river, winch horse-racing, and the wild frollck- he made without a moment’s hesi- era> James Wellobm. First CoNtty Officers Wilkes coutiy was formed in 1777, but it Whs not organised un til in the spring of the next year. Following this is a list of the first county officers, who took charge of the affairs of the new county on the 2nd day March, 1778: Sheriff, Richard Allen. ’Treasurer, Richard Allen. Entry Taker, Benjamin Herndon. Surveyor, Joe Hendron. Register, John Brown. Ranger, John Brown. Conmor, Charley Gordon. Clerk County Court, William Le noir. Representatives, Benjamin Cle- vela:^ and Elisha Isaacs. Benjamin Cleveland Ancestry A story has it that a beauty in the time of Charles ri'e First nam ed EUizabeth Cleveland, a daugh- ^r of an officer of the palace of Vumpton Court, attracted the at tention of her sovereign, and an amour was the result. When Oli- Jjer Cromwell became the rising -4^isr of the empire the same charms won his sympathies, and a son was bom unto them. The mother re tired from public gaze and subse quently married a man named Bridges. W'hen this illigrfmate son gi-ew up he took his mother's name and was the reputed author of a book "The Life and Adven tures of Mr. Cromwell, Natural Son of Oliver Cromwell,” publish ed after his death by consent of his son, first in 1731, a second edition, with a French translation in 1741, and yet another edition in 1760. Whether or not Benjamin Cleve land descended from this man and from Oliver Cromwell is a matter of conjecture. But whether or not the story is a romance or records a series of facts it is nevertheless true that Colonel Cleveland had a copy of the book and claimed in this way to have descended from the Illustrious Oliver Cromwell. Others of the Cleveland family made the same claim. day of May„ 173«: and while yet company with Joseph Martin— af- a horriblb death, very young his father moved some terwards General Martin—he put One day while Stringer was busy sixty miles to the south-west, lo-'in a field of wheat on Pig river, in preparing a fire to cook some cated in a border settlement on about the year 1767, where he set- of their wild meat for a repast, Blue Run, some six or eight mflea;tled some four years before; but CTeveland spread his bUntet on above its iunction with th Rapi- were too indolent to fence it the ground under a large oak and properly. When harvest time came lay down to rest himself and soon there was something of a crop. As fell asleep. In a few moments the custom of that time, he suddetdy awoke in a startled above its junction with th Rapi' dan near the line of Albemarle. Boyhood iWhen little Benjamin was about in\'ited their friends to condition—^why, he couldn’t telV— join them in cutting t he and, casting his eyes into the tree- grain; for which occasion some li- tops above, he saw a large limb quor and a fiddler v 're provided, directly over him, nearly broken and a good time was i.ecessary be-; off, hanging only by a slight fore entering upon the work, which splinter to the parent tree. He said ended in a debauch, and the grain to his companion, pointing at the was never harvested. limb; '‘Look, Reubin, and see what Tradition tells us that Cleveland an ugly thing we have camped un took an active part in the French der!” "It has, indeed, an ugly ap- and Indian wars, but the facts are' pcarance,” replied Reubin, “but lost to history. No doubt he was since tt has apparently hang a initiated into the military service great while in that condition, it in that border conflict, which may likely do so a good while proved a training school for his longer.’’ “Ah,” said Cleveland, “as twelve years old, some drunken , rowdies came to Cleveland’s home one day when both parents were away from home. The rowdies commenced throwing the stools in the fire, when little Bon snatched his father’s rifle from the racks and simply said, “gentlenven do not I you see this?” They saw the gun and the determined attitude of the youth, which led them to think discretion the better part of valor, when one of the party said to his fellows: ‘‘We’d better be off: we don't know what this excited child might do.” So little Ben’s conduct caused the rowdies to leave. Young Cleveland did not “fancy” farm life, but like Daniel Boone, he preferred a dog and gun and ♦^he forest He spent much of his time from early youth in the wil derness, securing pelts and furs which found a market. Firehunt ing at that day was a very com mon and popular mode of entrapp ing the deer in warm weather, when they repaired to certain lo- f#\li(^s at [night in shallow streams, where they could find food suiting their taste. The torch lights of the hunters would so dazzle the attention of the deer that he would stand in amazement ■watching the strange light, while the hunter had only to blaze away at its glaring eyes and bring it down. There w-as an old Dutchman in that region who had a good stand for fire hunting, and young Cleve land wanted it himself. One day he peeled some bark off a tree and placed it in the water to resem ble a deer. At night he conceal ed himself nearby where he could watch operations. In due time the Dutchman made his appearance— fired upon the supposed deer with out bringing him dowm’, he repeat- Revolutionary career. Cleveland Moves To Wilkes In order to break away from long as it has hung there, there is a time for it to come down, and I will not be in the way of danger,” and gathered up his blanket to You’ll Be WITHOUT EXTRA EXPENSE FOR NEW CLOTHES IF YOU USE OUR CLEANING SERVICE DRESS UP FOR THE CELEBRATION We are grateful for the privilege O- having serv'ed so many people throughout this section during the past nine years. The repeat business of our custo mers means that we satisfy, which is also gratify ing. In the fadt that we clean clothes CLEAN means that we are saving “new clothes money” for hundreds, regularly. We’d like to save money for YOU, too, by saving you new clothes expense. A complete cleaning service for men, ladies and children. It’s Cheaper To Clean Clothe* ITian To Buy New Ones! Quality Cleaners JIM HAUSER, Manager We Call For and Deliver Phone 357 North Wilkesboro, N. C. * reckless habits and old associates, ®Pread it in a safer place. As he Cleveland, about 1769, removed, was passing the fire he heard a with his father-in-law and family, crack abov^the splinter^ 1^ to North Carolina and settled on broken and the limp came tumbl- the waters of Roaring River, then directly upon the ground in Rowan, later Surry, and a few ^here Cleveland but a tew jno- years later Wilkes county. Here mente before had lam. They pull- Cleveland raised stock and devot-, ed the linA and that its ed much of his time to hunting. P^ngs had penetrated into the Some time later he located on the earth to the dep.h of fourteen m- noted tract on the north bank of.^^es. Stringer congratulated his the Yadkin, near Ronda, where Dr. James Hickerson now resides, known as the “Round About,” tak ing its name from the horse-shoe shape of the land, nearly surround ed by the river. Cleveland’s Kentucky Experience Daniel Boone, on one of his visits from Kentucky, gave such charm ing description of the “Dark and Bloody Ground”—that land of cane and pea vines, abounding with deer and buffaloes—its wild charm, its rich soil, and its teem ing game—that Cleveland could not resist the temptation. In the summer of about 1772, in com pany with Jesse Walton, Jesse Bond, Edward Rice and William Hightower, he set out to visit the hunting grounds of Kentucky. When they had safely passed Cum berland Gap, and entered upon the borders of the famous Kentucky, with cheerful hopes and glowing prospects, they were unexpectedly met and plundered by a band of Gherokees, who relieved them of their gruns, horses, peltry, and all that they possessed even to their hats and shoes. An old sorry shot gun was given in turn; with two loads of powder and shot, when they were threateningly ordered to leave the Indian hunting grounds. Thera was nothing else they could do. On their way home they kept theip ammunition as long as possi ble; with one load they killed a small deer—the other was spent with effect They were so for tunate as to catch a broken-wing ed wild goose, and at last had to kill their faithful little hunting dog. In after years Cleveland said that this dog, owing to the circum stances, was the sweetest meat he ever ate. With this scanty sup ply, and a few berries, they man aged to hold out till they reached the settlements, but in a nearly famished condition. Several months afterwards Cleveland, with a party of chosen men wended his way to the Chero kee towns, determined to recover the horses that had been taken from him and his associates. Cleve land applied to a noted Cherokee chief, known as Big Bear, who told him that the Indians, who had his horses would be likely to kill him as soon as they should learn the object of his visit. Big Bear sent an escort with Cleveland to sev eral towns to aid him in recover ing his property. He succeeded without much dificulty except in the last place. The Indian having the horse showed fight, raised his tomahawk and Cleveland cock ed his rifle, when his friendly es cort intorrputed, and saved his red brother from a fatal shot by throwing him to the ground; but not before he had hurled his bat- tle-axe at his antagnoist, which did no harm than cutting away the bosom of Cleveland’s hunting shirt. Then Cleveland, at the in stance of the Indian guide, mount ed the horse which was at hand and was riding away when the enrag ed Indian fired at him wounding the horse in triumph. Sdme Hunting Experiences Reuben Stringer was a noted woodsman of the upper Yadkin Valley, and was often Cleveland’s associate in his hunting adven tures. They took an elk hunt to gether in the month of August, when these animals were in their prime. The elks were large and very wild, and gradually retired before the advancing settlements., A few years before the Revolu- TfMtU for Th* Testa Jamas. Ceyla and Joha BrP^i* two Botorio*M Totj piamitmk, passed tbsoosb Lincoln connly and robbed hoofe of Major GMrge WiJfong of every ttdng they coqU carry away and tbortpade with a couple of his horaes, oaiiig the clothes Tins for halters.Major Wilfnog with a party followed the culprits, overtaking them near Wilkesboro, recovering the horses, bat the ruffians made good their escape. Major Wilfong' left the halters made of his clothes line with Cleveland, witti which to hang the rascals, should they ever be captured. Not long after, as^they were returning to Ninety Six, they were captured by some of Cleve- lai^’s scouts and brought to Wilk esboro and Colonel Cleveland had them hung with WUfong’s clothes line, on the oak .tree that is yet standing jnst'north of the court house in Wilkesboro. Captured By Tories; Hte Timely Rescue On the South fork of New river in the extreme southwestern por tion of Ashe county (formerly a Ctataln, pNbaUy from Cnr-Jkno«hir of the aipbosi^^Mj^ birth’s MtUeoM rs^lriiiag od iBformattm, shAmiBftaiy as ^ hbfi and ptaMd him '^r guard. eoarmM^ evidcBtly fttSF Descea^ tha rivw to c^yg^qaaneea almaM sta per end of tiie Old Ffalda dittili^ the at Jde Joeph and Timothy Perldns lived—entrap him. His three associata about a mOe above Duncan'a—on erifih (Heveland some Htrie bothof vriwmwisreabieiitin'rorjill^jjy^ Mro, Perktaa stiil # service. Riddle learned from their f(Gloving and letardiiig him by her women that Cleveland waa btft abort distnnee away, at Duncan’s -with only his servant. ' Duncan, impilrta. As those in eroased .the fence which adjoined the thicket, the Tories fired firom and one dr two of the Callaway I place of concealment, one family there. Every Tory in the'^n^n^ at Oeveland, who, thou|h country knew full well that Cleve- distance in the rear, waa land was probably their worse ene-! y^j. within range of their guns, my; how pnmiinentiy he bad fig- gm they generally shot wild—on- ured at-King’s Mountain, and hadjiy gi„,t, that of Zachariah given his influences for the Toryj'^ggy,^ aimed at Callaway, executions at BickerstafFs and caused the summary hanging of Coyle and Brown at Wilkesboro. Riddle thought that soch a prison proving effectual, breaking Ua thigdb when he fell helpless by tha fence, and waa left for dead. Dun can and Shirley, escaped. Clevo- er would be a valuable prize to of- i^nd from his great weight—fully ter to his British at Ninety-Six, or three hundred pounds—knew he it would be a crowning honor to the Tory cause to rid the country of probably their worst enemy. 'The prospect was too tempting and he at once set about to cap ture Cleveland. His force was too part of Wilkes) with a large small to run any great risk, so he boundary of land that was clear concluded to resort to strategy. He of timber and heavily set in grass. ^ resolved to steal Cleveland’s horse These lands—called '.the “Oldjin the quite of the night, judging Fields,” and known by that name that .the Colonel would follow their to this day—belonged to Colonel' trail the next morning, supposing Cleveland, and served as a grazing j they had strayed off, when he place for his stock in peaceful would ambu&h him at some suita- days. ble place, and thus take “Old In 1781, having occasion to visit Round About,” as he was called, his New River plantation, Colonel unawares ,and at a disadvantage. Cleveland rode there accompanied The horses were taken that night, only by a negro servant, arriving land a laurel thicket, just above at Jesse Duncan’s, his tenant, on Perkins’ house, selected as a fitt- Saturday ,the ,14th day of April, ing place to waylay their expect- Unfortunately for the Colonel, ed pursuers. During Saturday, Captain William Riddle, a noted Richard Callaway and his brother- Tory leader, son of Loyalist Rid dle, of Surry county, was ap proaching from the Virginia bor der with Captain Ross, a jWhig Captive, togelJier with his servant, now enroute for Ninety Six, where. in-law, John Shirley, went down from the neighboring residence of Thomas Callaway to Duncan’s to see Colonel Cleveland, and appear to have remained there over night. Discovering that the horses comrade on his fortunate awaking *and removal, “for” he added, “in one minute miore, you would have been inevitably killed.” “Ah Reu bin,” said Cleveland, “I always told you that no man would die till his appointed time: and when it comes there can be no possible es cape.” His War Record Begins In 1776, when Cleveland’s neighbors and friends had occas- sion to g;o to Cross Creek to sell their su»'plus products and buy salt, iron, sugar and other neces saries, they were compelled, before they were permitted to buy or sell, _ to take the oath of allegiance to. the King. When Cleveland heard’ of these tyrannical acts, and at tempts to forestall the politics of the people, he swore roundly that he would like nothing better than tc dislodge those Scotch scoundrels at Cross creek. Soon an oppor tunity was given him. In February 1776, the Highland Tories of that locality raised the British stand ard, when Captain Cleveland mar-, ched down from the mountains, with a party of volunteer rifle-' men: and tradition has it that he reached the front in time to share; in the fight and in the suppression' of the revolt. He scoured the; country in the region of Wake For est, captured several outlaws, some of whom he hung to trees in the woods, one of whom was Capt. Jackson, who was executed within half a mile of Ransom Souther land’s homestead, whose house and | merchandise Jackson had caused to be laid in ashes a few days af ter the battle of Moore’s Creek Bridge. “I don’t recollect,” said Colonel Southerland in .the Univer sity Magazine for September, 1854, "after Cleveland had done vath them, to have heard much more of those wretches during the war.” First Senator From Wilkes When the British invaded Geor gia in 1778 Colonel Cleveland and his regiment from Western N. C. served with distinction under Gen eral Rutherford. Returning from this service, in 1779, he was chos en to represent |Wilkes county in the State Senate, being the first Senator from the county The year previous he and Elisha Issacs were chosen to represent the county in the House of Representatives, or House of Commons, as it was then called, as the first Representatives of the county. In 1780 Colonel Cleveland marched with his regi ment against the Tories assembled at Ramsour’s Mill, but reached that place too late for service as Colonel Bryan’s band was chasing them from the state. He also scoured the New River settlements, cheeking the Tory uprising in that section, capturing and hanging some of their notorious leaders and outlaws. Cleveland At King’s Mountain Then his King's mountain cam paign—the crowning achievement of his life—the wounding of his brother Larkin Cleveland, while on the way near Lovelady Shoals, near .the Catawba river; and then hurrying to “grapple with the in domitable Ferguson.” The great service of Cleveland at this fight will be given in another chapter under the heading, “Battle of King's Mountain.” Colonel Cleve land had assigned to him one of Ferguson’s war horses which lived to an uncommon old age; he also carried home with him a snare- drum which he kept as long as hej lived, pointing to it with pride as it seems, the British paid a reward were missing on Sunday morning, for Whig prisoners. Riddle, with j immediate pursuit was made. Hav- his party of six or eight men, j ing a /pair of pistols. Colonel reached Benjamin Curbirth’s some i Cleveland retained one of them, teur miles above Old Fields, a fine handing the either to Duncan, old Whig and an associate of Dan-[while Callaway and Shirley were iel Boone, who was just recover-] unarmed. Reaching the Peridns ing from a spell of fever. The place, one of the Perkins women. could not run any great distance, and would only be too prominent a mark for Tory bullets dodged into the house with several Tories at his heels. Now flourishing his pistol rapidly from one to another, they pledged to spare his life and accord his good treatment if he would quietly surrender, which he did. Wells by this time having re loaded bis rifle, made his appear ance on the scene, swearing that he would kill Cleveland; and aim ing his gun, the Colonei instantly seized Abigail Walters, who was present, and by dint of his g;reat strength, and under a high state of excitement dextrously bandied her as a puppet, keeping her be tween him and his would-be assas sin. Wells seemed vexed at this turn in the affair, and hurled his imprecations on the poor women, .threatening if she did not get out of the way that he would blow her through as well. Cleveland got his eye on Captain Riddle, whom he knew, or judged by his appear ance to be the leader, appealed to him if such tratment was not con trary to the stipulations of his surrender. Riddle promptly re plied that it was and ordered Wells to desist from his murderous in tent, saying they would take Cleve- (Continued on page four) E L E B I AT IB N july^ We are glad to have had a part in the growth and prosperity (tf community by having suppliei countless /thousands of baby chicks Xich have bLn m^rk^d at profit to the poultrymen of this .section. And through expanded poultry endeavors continued pro gress will be made, and more money received from outside sources as a result. WHENEVER YOU BUY, and WHEREVER YOU BUY, INSIST UPON PUREBRED Blood Tested Chicks Buy The Best... And M^e More Profit! GET READY NOW FOR THE NEXT BATCH The word “best” is foremost in every transaction concerning our bus iness. It applies to our various equipment; method of handling; eggs hatched; cartons for shipping; and the service rendered. Whatever your requirements in baby chicks, or poultry supplies, it will pay you well to contact us for them. And to raise the best, heal thiest chicks for quick groWth and more profits, use . . . Gambill’s Poultry Feeds If Interested h Poultry Come In For A Talk!! OLDEST HATCHERY IN WILKES COUNTY Wilkes Mr. and Mrs. C. C. GambUl, Props. North Wilkesboro, N. C. POULTRY SUPPUES Hitt
The Journal-Patriot (North Wilkesboro, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
June 27, 1940, edition 1
29
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75