Page Four
THE TAR HE E L
Saturday, May 25, 1999
Masons to Erect. Marker at
Grave of Gov. Ben J.
imith
Colorful Career of 'Former '''Gov
ernor Recalled by Plans of
North Carolina Masons; Un
veiling Next Month.
Ex-Goieriior
By HENRY L. ANDERSON
The glamour and romance of an
age long past recall themselves vivid
ly with the announcement that the
Masons of the state are to erect a
marker at the long obscured grave
of Governor Benjamin Smith down in
historic old Brunswick County.
Soldier, governor, fifteen times
State Senator, thrice Grand Master
of the Masons this briefly sums up
the brilliant public career of Gov
ernor Smith. He was one of the
first group of trusteesrf the Uni
versity, and his gift of 20,000 acres
of land marked him among the most
generous. He is often referred to
as the University's first benefactor.
Yet, when he died, he was penniless
and a debtor. His body was stolen
when his creditors held the remains
for payment of his debts, and as a
result his burial place was long a
mystery.
It was a brilliant and varied ca
reer. His poverty' resulted from un
failing generosity and trustfulness in
endorsing notes for unworthy friends
and reflects no discredit save that of
a nature too kind and trusting. His
name is an illustrious one, and the
honor the Masons are now ( to be
stow is regarded as a fitting tribute
to the great North Carolinian.
'Unveil Marker Next Month
The unveiling of the tomb will
take place in Old St. Phillips Chapel
the middle of June. The marker will
be a two or three foot wall surround
ing his grave with a marble slab
resting on the wall bearing the in-
scription "To the Memory of Benja
min Smith Soldier and Statesman
Born' 1747 Died 1826'
It will be a fruition of Governor
Smith's wishes. In his will he re
quested that if he died in North
Carolina he be buried in Brunswick
and that a tombstone similar to the
one over his wife's parents' graves
at Brunswick be u erected over , his.
'Governor Smith's body when it5 was
located, was' reinterred with Masonic
rites at the old chapel and now the
erection of the marker will complete
.the carrying out of Governor Smith's
last wish.
Aide-de-Camp to Washington
Even in youth, Benjamin Smith
was outstanding. His impetuousness
led him into many quarrels, and his
desire tor adventure ana romance
caused him to enter military life at
an early age. He served heroically in
the Revolutionary War and was
raised to the rank of Colonel. He had
the distinction of being personal
aide-de-camp to Washington "and was
at his side at the memorable re
treat from Long Island. , Because of
his outstanding valor and distinction
in the quest for American Independ
ence, he was awarded certain lands in
Tennessee which he gave to the Uni
versity of North Carolina in 1790 at
the first meeting of the Board of
Trustees, of which he was a mem
ber. This land was later sold, by
the authorities of the University, for
?14,000. f
When war was threatening with
France in 1796, he arose, sword in
hand, and with his fiery tongue
aroused the men of his home county,
Brunswick, to flock to his banners.
As a single unit and under Smith's
command, the militia of Brunswick
offered their services to the- distin
guished "Washington.
Elected Governor in 1810
Not only in a military way did he
serve his state, but time after time
he was elected to represent his
county in the State Senate. After
having been-elected fifteen times as
Senator from1' Brunswick he was
chosen to the highest state office of
Governor in 1810. He served his
people well, and deserved well the
titles of General, Governor, and the
affectionate "Mars" Ben.
In 1852, many years after his death,
the Board of Trustees of the, Univer
sity of North Carolina paid tardy
honor to his memory by naming
Smith Hall in his honor. This build
ing at one time housed the Univer
sity Library, later the School of
Law, and is now. used as the home
of the Carolina Playmakers.
He was a typical gentleman of the
. Cape Fear, open and free handed,
highminded and chivalrous, and was
noted for his generosity. There is
an old story which is told of his
kindness to some officers of a stranded
vessel. These men returned, several
years later, and presented him with
a grape vine which today bears the
. name of his lovely wife, Isabella.
, Had Many Verbal Combats
His fiery nature often led him into
many verbal combats which resulted
in duals. In all of these, we are
told, "he conducted himself with
courage and magnanimity." In one
of these duels he was wounded by
Jacob Leonard a noted politician of
r
. i
.r-K,.
m
x
Grads Of 1879 To Meet
Latest Grads Of U. N.
C.
Brunswick, and as a result carried a
pistol ball in his hip for the remain
der of his life.
The natives of the County of Bruns
wick thought so much of their dis
tinguished representative that they
named the capitol of their county in
his honor, Smithville. Later, because
of the influence of a northern rail
way interest, the name was changed
to Southport. However, Governor
Smith's name still survives in a bleak
island which juts its triangular shape
into the ocean at the mouth of North
Carolina's greatest rigev This
island is known as Smith's Island.
Although Colonel "Benny" Smith
was ably fixed for bestowing the
bounteous gift upon the University of
North Carolina in 1790, he was a
pauper at his death. No dishonor is
reflected upon the name of this gal
lant Carolinian by mention of this ;
rather it raises him higher than ever
in popular esteem. For his poverty
came as a result of the endorsement
of notes of friends. With his gener
ous spirit he had cared for others
better than for himself; and when,
in his 79th year, the old warrior was
laid 1 id - fist, I "he:- who! had given a
princely territory to the State Uni
versity hardly had where to lay his
head."
Body Claimed for Debts
An interesting legend is connected
with his burial. Because of his debts
and . in accordance with the law of
that day it became necessary for the
deputy sheriffs to remain in posses
sion of his body until his friends
could satisfy his creditors. His re
mains were .to be removed to some
house inhabited only by the minions
of the law, but by some device, his
friends managed to lure the author!
ties temporarily from the body. Upon
their return the coffin had disap
peared. They searched high and low
but no coffin could they find.
According to ah old story, two
negroes had been hired for five dol
lars apiece to bury Governor Smith's
body in Old St. Phillip's churchyard
in Brunswick. As the story goes,
these negroes received the body, in a
boat on the Cape Fear river at the
witching hour of midnight. As time
elapsed and one of the negroes died,
the other, also near death, confessed
to his sins. According to his tale, af
ter they had received the body and
started down the river, they recon
sidered their offer of five dollars for
the burial. Thinking that the "hants"
made the graveyard at" that time of
night no place for a "nigger," i
carefully eased the "Guvnor" into the
waters of the Cape Fear. For many
years no trace' of the body of Gov
ernor Smith was found and this story
was accepted as authentic.
Later Miss Mary Stuart of South
port disproved this theory by the
discovery of Governor Smith's grave
near Southport. Much investigation
proved that this was the real grave
of Governor Smith, as the pistol bal
which he carried m his hip was
found among the ashes.
(Continued from first page)
a retired jurist and author. Francis
D. Winston, of Windsor, is a jurist
and former Lieutenant-Governor.
William L. Hill, of Warsaw, is a
business man and truck shipper. Dr.
Richard B. Henderson, of Franklin
ton, is an expert physician. Alva C.
Springs, of Charlotte, is a railroad
manager and broker.
The class entered the University
43 strong and many of those who did
not graduate are expected back for
xne reunion. Among, tnese are:
Frederick P. Barrow, of Portsmouth,
Va., cotton business; A. W. E. Capel,
of Troy, retired manufacturer; L. C.
Clifton, of McKinney, Texas; Robert
H. Davis, of Louisburg, merchant;
Captain Isaac Emerson, of Baltimore,
manufacturer; M. R. Griffin, of Eliza
beth City, banker; C. W. Hunter, of
Enfield; F. G. James, of Greenville,
lawyer; Henry Lloyd, of Selma, Ala.,
hotel man; R. B. Parker, of Enfield,
farmer; J. H. Sherrod, of Hamilton,
farmer; H. T. Spears, of Lillin'gton,
banker; E. D. Steele, of High Point,
lawyer; and Harry W. Stubbs, of
Williamston, lawyer.
Many interesting sidelights of the
days of '79 are expected to be told
during the commencement. Judge
Francis D. Winston is to deliver the
reminiscence address, and alumni who
have been hearing Judge Winston's
I commencement addresses in the past
have come to regard them as an in
stitution on, the program. The judge
has promised to out-do himself at this
fiftieth year reunion? Judge James
S. Manning is to preside over the '79
ceremonials. 1
(Continued from page one)
ond ranking dean at Rutgers. He is
o direct a large program of exten
sion and expansion of the institu
tion which is located on the edge of
the greatest industrial center in the
country.
A native of Boston, where he was
born forty-four years ago, Professor
Daggett was educated at the Boston
English High School and Phillips
xeter Academy and at Harvard,
where he was graduated in 1907. He
R. B. House to Talk
To Philosophy Club
R. B. House, Executive Secretary
of the University of North Carolina
will address the Philosophy Club in
the Bull's Head Bookshop next Mon
day evening at 7:15. The topic of this
discussion will be Benedetto Croce'i
"Philosophy of History." '
The public is cordially ;invited to be
present at this meeting.
Y. M. G. A. To Hold
Hillside Meeting Sunday
The annual Hillside meeting of the
Y.M.C.A. cabinets will be .held tomor
row in Kenan Stadium at 4:30.
All officers and heads of committees
of, the past year will be expected to
have reports on the activities of the
year. Every member of the three
cabinets are requested to be present.
H. Daggett To Become
Dean Of Engineering
At Rutgers University
was assistant in the Electrical Engi
neering Department at Harvard in
1908 and an engineer with the
American Telephone and Telegraph
Company the following year.
He came to the University in 1910 j
as associate professor of electrical
engineering, being appointed full pro
fessor and head of the department in
1913. He was Acting Dean of the
School of Applied Science in 1915-16
and Acting Dean of the School of
Engineering during the fall quarter
of 1924.
Professor Daggett s president of
the North Carolina Society of Engi
neers and of the Nortn Carolina State
Engineering Council. He was presi
dent of the National Council of State
Boards of Engineering Examiners in
1925-26. He has been a member of
the State Board of Registration for
Engineers and Land Surveyors since
its organization in 1921 and secre
tary since 1925. He is a member of
the administrative board of the Uni
versity Graduate School and was for
many years a member of the execu
tive committee of the' faculty.
During the war Professor Daggett
served as Acting Educational Director
for the . Southeastern District of the
Students' Army Training Corps, be
ing appointed to that position follow
ing the death of the late President
Edward K. Graham, who often sought
the counsel of Professor Daggett and
considered him one of the most
valuable men on the faculty.
Professor Daggett's hobby is
music, and he is that rare combina
tion of engineer and musician. He
has written the score and composed
the lyrics for several musical come
dies staged by University students
and has published two Harvard foot
ball songs.
Phi Kappa Delta announces the
pledging of W. A. Sherril of Granite
Falls. ,
College Art Group
Announces Awards
(Continued from page one)
gurn and Miss Eleanor Freer of Bar
nard. Another popular subject was
'.'The Sources of Rodin's Style," se
lected by four contestants: Mr. John
G. Phillips, Jr., of Harvard, Miss
Elsie 'Traunstein of Barnard, Miss
Janet Townsend of Smith, and Miss
Helen Hays, of Radcliffe. "Buddha
and Christ: The Development of their
Artistic Representations" was .taken
as subject for the essays of Miss Ade-j
laide Hammand of Radcliffe and Mr.
Phillip R. Adams of Ohio State.
"Renaissance Movements in Art" was
taken by Mr. Perry B. Cott of Pince
ton and Miss Edith Bozyan of Smith
College. "The Greek and Roman
House" was chosen by Mr. F. W.
Robinson and Mr. H. L. Jenkins, both
of Princeton.. Miss Catherine Quig
ley of Oberlin wrote on "Lombard and
Toulousian Schools of Romanesque
Sculpture," Miss Carol Simons of
Chicago on "English Landscape
Painting in WStercolor," and Miss
Elizabeth Packard of Bryn Mawr on
"The Development of Church Facade
Design in the Italian Renaissance."
The general and factual examina
tions were given in April and the
Reading and Examining Committee
has just held its meeting for final
determination of the awards. It re
ported a tie between the two students
standing highest in the competition,
namely, Miss Esie Traunstein of Ber
nard and Mr. L. P. Roberts of Prince
ton, between whom, therefore, the
first and second prizes will be evea.
ly divided. In addition, honorable'
mentions were awarded to Mr. Perry
B. Cott of Princeton, Miss Ruth S.
Magurn of Barnard, and Mr. F. y
Robinson of Princeton.
DR. R. R. CLARK
DENTIST
Office Over Bank of Chapel Hill
Telephone 385
EYES CORRECTLY FITTED
W. B. SORRELL
FANCY ICES SHERBETS
Durham Ice Cream Co., Inc.
"BLUE RIBBON BRAND"
Ice Cream
Special Color Schemes for Sorority and
BLOCKS
Fraternity Affairs
Dial L-963, Durham, N. C.
PtfNCH
Mr.McMuri
Waxes Poetic
over Tobacco
Carrollton, Texas
May 15, 1923
Lams & Bro. Co.,
Richmond, Va.
Gentlemen:
Having been a user of Edgeworth
vfor over eight" years, I can truthfully
say that it is the best .on earth. I am
enclosing a little ditty that I believe
expresses my sentiments entirely:
Old Man Joy and Old Man Trouble
Went out for a walk one day.
I happened to pass, when they met
on the street
And I overheard them say,
Said Old Man Trouble, "She's as
wrong as she can be,
There ain't no fun in anything to
me, why
I was just talking' to Old Man
Sorrow,
And he says the world will end
tomorrow."
Then Old Man Joy he started to
grin,
And I saw 1 him bring out that
OLD BLUE TIN,
Then OLD JOHNNY BRIAR was
next on the scene,
And he packed him full from the
OLD BLUE TIN,
And I heard him say as he walked
away,
"You have to have a smoke screen
every day.
When a man gets the blues, and he
v needs a friend,
He can find consolation in the OLD
BLUE TIN,
And I jist don't believe on all this
earth
There's a thing that'll match good
old EDGEWORTH."
Yours very truly,
F. H. McMurray
Edgeworth
Extra High Grade
Smoking Tobacco
cc
W H
ii
rumen cllsie Sua Ifilyflmig I
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Formerly Dean of the U. S. Army's School for
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'Tor many years a Supervisor of Training at the
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U. Leigh Wade,- D.S. Af. Legion of Honor, Order of
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Round -the-World Flyer. Pilot.of the history
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Lt. Thomas J. Kelly, U. S. Army Air Corps Reserve
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For many years the Army's foremost authority
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