As Bladen county/ mother of grand mother of Harnett cohnty'and 5* oth er North Carolina coimtieV-£fe-*®i^ja ting its 200th saalriaWsar.f;;: it seems fitting to publish the brieft sketch of the county’s histor^Vf^sttgn.iby .Hec tor H Clark for the Bi-Centennial edi- ,„ tion of tlio-a-JBftWHf^Toiirnal. . it fol- " lows, but only that' part which is* of more general interest: - dhe,Cape lV«nliiiw!i^,i|p4s*toi' In o-Bhriy Setti<**ents { Bladen county's.? sett-leinerit^p^s^i-, and development are bound ,as that of + all other sections, iq modes of trans portation and comnttuikation. .In the day of settlement of the county, riv ers were the only means of carrying commerce in quantkies^and to any ap predable distance. The movement of all products was towards>4»me water course. Hence the settlement of Bla- .. den along Cape Fear aiql ■ South riv- , ers. The-Onlie Fear being much dagg er. attracted more o fthe early settlers, hut along both rivers the early set tlers patented lands,* developed plan tations, bnilt their colonial homes, owned slaves and came to. be what we revere as the aristocracy.' The; peo ple who lived some considerable; dis tance from the rivers were said to live in the "backwoods.” j Attempts were made in 1732 in the General Assembly to erect two new "precincts”. Onslow, and; Bladen, real ly equivalent to counties. These at tempts as well as others in 1733 were unsuccessful. When the: matter was brought before the’council in Edentou it was again declined and it was said "In Bladen there are not over three freeholders, Nathaniel1 Moore,. Thomas Jones and Richard Singletary, andnot over 30 families, including these free holders.” The proposal was h finally - passed November lltli,. 1934, and sign ed by the Governor March 1st, 1735. „ At the same time it was provided that land grants might be paid to the Crown in commodities at prices ftxed - some 'of which are: Rice 10 shillings 'f. per 100 pofihdsv to be fit for the Euro pean market; well' dressed deer skins, 2 shillings find 6 pence per .pound; to- •* bacco at 8 -pencemndi 4 .shillings . per j Kumd, (the latter from Albemarle -. county only.) ... A letter addressed by a missionary of the Church of England td the Bis- v hop of London is indicative ' of the - character and disposition of'the early settlers of Blftden. He urged "that “thirty pounds'- be :paid ■ to.; some "sober clergyman to be ‘sent- over to Bladen , precinct, where. the;‘Governor is. settled at Brunswick (now. Brunswick coun ty ) and where he tells me in liis rteigh lw.rhood are people well disposed to join with him in making up a hand some maintenance.’* The requirement " that the-clergyman be sober, and the disposition to contribute probably ac- > counts for the ■ type of citizenship , which the county ias-always boasted of. Krsf Court! HoUse In 1738 the first court house1 was located in Elizabeth. r If is1 said!that the location was 'about 3 miles' up the river from the. ipnwtent site -of Eliza hethtown!at a pla-ce -wnien • « known as Court House Landing Whether this is true. I. do not know, hut Mrs. John1 McDowell has. a large key, evidently very old', and it is re l>ute"‘T>bnbtles& the "town was" laid out for the convenience off the people up country who hithled their ’ produce to • the nearest pdint=where it could be shipj^d-by water tO) av«oap»rt. Court’ 'Hofrs^Mofod ^i Tbe-;: General -of 1174 -named commissioners to build a court house at Elizabeth and ito .’remove the • ;ea*»ty court to the county town. It may be that his was . the first action • taken ’’toward the removal .of the court house to which I have referred. In April 1778 the Assembly ordered1 that a court house be ' built at ^Ibfcrð Town' after it was found that the Com missioners-appointed to this -.duty in 1774 had failed to discharge their trusts. William - Salter, Abraham Barnes and James Clardy. were named . to let the contract. ' •SOS': At Oafpture Although’ Bladen was sparsely i set tled when the Revolutionary War came in. July, 1775, there were 800 of the Bladen Militia in the capture of Fort Johnson below Wilmington. They Witnessed the departure of the last Royal Governor* J6siah: Martin; when he found refuge ’aboard a British ves sel. Details of’the Battle of Eliza bethtown and other - engagements: in which Bladen county patriots fought heroically will be. written by some Other. Members House Commons The* ’ Bladen members of the House of- Commons of 1 the General - Assem bly: in -the colonial period from 1034- , 35 -to It75 were:2 Hugh ? \ Blanning John Dolleson,-Sic’Richard E^erharg,-; William Forbes, - William oBartram, t Thomas RobesOn. Joseph Clark, Isaac H J0nes (who dedicated, the land of,* Elfe&ttettftown) Robert Howe) Hiigh Waddell,1’ ’ Joseph *" Williams, William :t+ McRee;1 John Gibbsf 'Thomas Thomas Robeson,’-John Btirgln,1 W«1 jam Salter and James’ Wbite.^-In’thelProviriclal ; Congresses, 177441776 - i the * (delegates were: William-; Salter, Walter Gibson, , James White, Thomas Owen* Thomas Robeson, Jr., Nathaniel Richardson, . Martin Colville, James Council, Thom as Ainis. ^'Bobesoh Is Cut * Off < In 1780 RobeSOn’ county’waU' formed out of . Bladen* And v im 1788 thO’Great Swamp section was added’ taRobeson. So great a slice was taken by Robe son that it is, now, often ■> calledi the State of Robeson. , In( 1789 a part of Bladen was given to Cumberland. In ‘all parts ur aH of the counties1 of An son, '■Brunswick, Cohitobusf, Cumber land, , ©range - find 1 Robeson. All of them have, produced’ thefifiesfitype’-of citizenship and. have developed .and prospered. They have furnished to. the state and hatiofi, .great statesmen, and Illustrious men and. women. Worthy dafifehters of a noble mother. The Federal census of 1790 ; gave Bladefi 837 free white males fiver1'116 years and'830finder r l6; 11863 ? ifree white females 1 slaves ifc676. Afternwar Chaotic conditions existed1 through out the country after,thp Revolution ary war -principally because ;the., na tional, ^tate and local /.goV^ents had not become Well ordered- tMtil a semblance of orders was obtaifiedund definite policies were advanced there was no progress, and people Wterf{con cerned. not with-development1 but -with existence. When recovery began, gen eranvf Bladen Retired its. fair share and its people depended largely on the production of tar,' pitch;1 turpentine, Staved headings, i shingles and lumber. •The Shipment of these products was by river to Wilmington. . John Oiten, Oiir Governor In 1828 Bladen County furnished its first and only Governor to the state When'John Owen was-elceted- ^ov etnor Owen was *®an of‘great aMUty Addressing the urged better transportation, faculties, Secularly opening of commimmataon ^tween Albemarle Sound and the He laid iefort was being Hone’ in' ?*ew York, "5^WEnsinaa y syg^iia' ;0f economy which held the hands ofour: legislators from estab lishing public Schools. He pleaded foir1 relief against unhealthy conditions ii ■ ■ the eastern counties, a and attributed the , condition, to ; the want of drain** . age. ; His proposed remedy was that ' the state own its own’ slaves and'hse them in cleaning but' the rivers fot iransiilortation dnd- in drafting -*the 'sWthnp-lands < in:i the-- ehst. 'Gdverpor ’*GWen ^ihbsfi have)-deeply* appreciated " the1 Value of rtransportaition in develop 'T.ment. “ Afcrtthafcntiime'ifWhen ’railroads were- new;fhe -proposed that a commis- ■ • sion toe ‘appointed. to ascertain the costs of;-the Fayetteville' and Yadkin ’ Rail road. Two yearsf before the* expiration oif ' iGoVernor! 'OWensiterm he enteredTthe ! “Tac©‘ «gainst > Judges fb&nguTnnforithe ■'* United-; Statesv Senate. *- During, a- bit-' -tercampaignMangum wrote a letter to Owens-, challenging him to a dual. The challenge was later withdrawn and Owens retired from the’thee.' \ Tnforhiation from a reliable source is that ‘the "'challenge of Governor Owens byJUdgd MangUnU was brought: iiabout1 by* John ’Chavis^ a remarkable "negro,- whose-? life (finds nt* parallel. On a wager that a negro could not be educated he was sent. to Princeton University.-, He completed his educa tion and . returned to Granville county near the Wake county1'line. -'He “was licensed to' preach in the Presbyterian church and -preached to both whites and'-blacks. ''At-‘ the ' same .time he -opened a school where; he taught the whites during:the daynand negroes at -night. Among the products of his school one became Governor of the state, another became United States Senator, two of his students were sons of Chief Justice’Henderson. James I. McKay James I. MjcKay of . .--Bladen was elected to the, United States Congress in -1834. He became chairman-rof;,the Uohimitfcie: of Ways and' Means,. :and 3vas an acknowledged tariff expertaHis. tariff act prepared with Bobt. J., Wal ker,? Secretary jof'.the Treasury .became an,? administration’measure. ,So satis ; factory was it that *no 'effort Wa'^tifade -for? -fifteen James I. McKay’s claim to* Tiigh’ philanthropic purposes^ .and broad1 Ms-s ion Cari be gained’by'ifefbreiice. to his wilt,'which was hdifiitted to^probate-• -1^1855. = Itt'One'itemlre'’ UeviaediBell- r font rpjh ntation-^-1400 iae4Ps near Eiiza bethtown-HtfeU his Vrife, i‘EBa>za. Ann’ Mc ~®ayr duEfaig herTwidoWhood ’then ‘“in . trusts forthe eountyof, BladetfoU the express -condition that the saidMpfehta . tion shall .be used as an exptfri&ental " farm, and that the poor of the About this tfthe it. tieW form of trans ports tiomwatfb popular. It. ■rwasridestlnedithe * change* would trend the: growth and t development of the counties. Especially did . it effect’Bla den in halting growth along the rivers. Railroads were building. The1'-Wilm ington, Charlotte and Rutherfdrd Rail way was' chartered in? 1853. . ( Building -Started from 'Charlotte and (the road * reached1 ' the point- to’ ‘where a town was' located, ‘s This' town is ' Abbotts r burg’ and ? is •umitfed' imhonor of Jo seph XL-Abbotts, who came along With the railroad in 1863 and established a ; large lutfibef business.'t Almost at once I: AbbottSbarg-became the largest!ttown in. Bladen-*county. .‘ For-’several years ; the: -railroad company, .maintained.. its shops there. .They were removed after ’ the line reached Wilmington in 1873. "After ! the railroad came’ through ('other -towns* grew‘Hp!ralbng "the line. ‘ (Imshort->order7 Blfedenboro, ”€larkton, Council and ‘other towns begad to grow, s The f-. railroads ( attracted t freight-rand ^passenger ■ transportations from 'the ! rivers. ? During, the. next fifty 'years the people looked on the railroads as the arteries of commerce. Consequently uthe towns along-the fftilroads grew •l gnd 'the'' surrounding ’cdtmty was1 de ' veioping ’rapidly.' ' ' « ^ Archie* MeL* Gr»ham.~"iEte:,4& known ^ to ills thousands aM-rien®! as 'I'&rdbie'’ Graham. Apart from his successful can didacy a few years ago for represen tafive fromSampson county to tho General Assethbly, he' has never be ■ iforesoughtplidearpreferment. *How f etef, he has been’ distinguished as a lOn^-tftne laeihbe^'W^hn^B^iiirtaifl^n 3 * TBbard;'Which 'hPItorticmed'th fir-state's - school"'funds amOng’thev'i&rtfotfeis 'And - districts under the fSSrttfei?‘; as a ..member of . thepresent Sfefieol * CommissionywMcfe haswimostrabsolafco control over the ^State's school funds i under ;the mew regime." As a member of both bbdles/he'has's^teytSSftfiMaftly, \ and shown a high'' degrecH of \ri|bod ‘ 'Mhorse^Sense. • Congressional-race rofrthe 5Mrd;di*- > t trict; ia a son of the date rn&st highly , esteemed Dr. Graham, who-praetioed : __ for decades at Wallace, Duplin county. His mother was one of the ' dis tinguished Murphy family of Pender •1 boiriity:L His h&idehce' as' a' "lawyer :■ has -been: Clinton. 'He isl-fhertfOro -State tftrfi&rtity. be adjudged from the fact tbsftrh^is ; ki I«d#ardit5Wthfcui ' -awst rtiintimstely^ (Associated'’-Ifttli^the three ;weete*niB0st *i' „ The. intellectuality. oifr MriVGisaham, so far as heredity determines, it. may, ^Afahie”; ia a-frlenfllj^ f^lW^Hguts ftoiPno* **&•$; riftrtceS: no ' grethWoiur. to ‘ r P iiO#ery i)tt^orj*/^t ’ ‘is ft ‘8d'Wdfi£ht worker. . The editor of The ¥i#C* knowse A-rohitf <3htahaffi^ithdi’feboW#!$!fafc _ „he. iS( 30iofc»»ghly'->d«pBiKHIble. 1 ; was . no . trouble.' about*- eoHectlngl Pfor ..the hundreds;jof.elfij5al. advertisaiB®jito • published for. him in the oli'-SatephOB ^DetnoWat. 'When he, got ready tg pay, . -he‘#(rtlid ^we’tntd1 tlie’ioffice;' daft fo* * J’the1 «book,; ci&diif’ these- '‘cfta,i£e& hb'lli* ! t^ttdedl i to pay^ dhd ’*uitt H*rerftl>h& *#fi4 vrwtitfc. a efcieh:ifl* AhO—total. f'llr'tbafe •respect tiheshas^ewl^tmetaHUtscii' , writer V^xperieHcei and thairda^W^ito . er a.of Eittsbero.- , T^ey‘jfljftitt * whether! they• had collected or' not—• not leaving, as some lawyers; do, der ‘■Shite’ail-sense Uf.jdStlce,1 the'plipbrsto -lose 'Ittem^'fof 'whleltthe TawjPertdi&dl Uaott **tSeir1 ‘ clients4 had1 CNARE£S*'&OSS ] ©minty - rtDwiHWft fta—y^^nne 8/HM84 u.Mr.nBosS'*>y nature? -amPtrnhJHig ha« the , qualities .of head-end heart "which will insnre the maintenance o| the high .standards the people, of th$ *■ - Fourth '3udfciaflttsfrict' are 'acctt*