Vol. 6. No. 25:
THE OBlfiiilKdCillllgltffiilii
THE ESSAY WHICH WON THE HlfJTOM MEDAL--WRITTEN BY GEORQE
PRIYOTT QPTHE EDENTOH HIOH SCHOOU f r
In the southern part' of the
town of Edenton, near Edenton
gay (a northern indenture- of the
Albemarle Sound), west of Main
street and commanding when it
was built an unobstructed view of
said bay (which many say rivals
the far famed Bay; of Naples) : on
the south, the suburbs of the town
and the rural district on the north,
is so located an old building of
colonial architectural style, corn-
monly known
House.
as
the
Cupola
It does not face Main street, (a
X
as might be supposed, but fronts
the bay, built thus, presumably,
for the reason that at that time
(1758) there was not very much
business transacted by land, but
a large amount was carried on by
water (at that time we had de-
veloped large trade with the West
Indies) of which this position gave
a splendid view, and because a
southern exposure afforded the
advantages of the cool, summer
breezes. ' " - !
It stands 'about the same dis
tance from the water, in - a line
with other noted residences, such
as the Pace Place; Paxtoa House,
the Bond Place andtithers. .
The grounds of the house prop
er, were supposed Jtq have reach
ed originally from the waters' of
the bay on the south to King
street on the north, and were sur
rounded by a tall evergreen hedge
with a high, picket, board fence
Inside the yard and on its border
were all species of flowers and
saruDuery some roots ana snruus
can be seen there now) many of
1 1 1 i l i w.
which, undoubtedly, were plant
ed by its first owner.
This house is square built with
a pointed roof having two main
gables one at each end and a third,
smaller gable, on the south or
front side.
It has three large outside chim
neys, one on the eastern, and two
on the western end. The founda
tion and chimneys are of brick. It
is commonly supposed that these
bricks Were brought on ships
from England ; this however is
exceedingly doubtful, because the
same kind of bricks was used" in
tne construction of the county
court house and St. Paul's Church,
which were built about ther Same
time (1758), and the large num
ber of bricks required for these
buildings, hardly would- have
heen brought across the ocean
when there " was nrfi arn nViiiri
dance of clay here and straw too
lf that should he-used: in making
bricks. The house is of frame
construction, with cypress weath
erboard in g, laid horizontally, like
most modern frame houses, and
with wide cornerboards. The
boards, however, are twice the
thickness of those, usually used
nw. The cupola is boarded in
the shiplap or the flat block de
Slgn, the same as used . onWash
inghton's home at Mount Vernon.
On the south . .side is the only
Porch, thfs has a pointed roof,
suPported by four columns Above
this, mainly to make the house
Proportional, is a gable,: before
. EDENTON
-y'r
ed a gable post or? final ;bearrrig
the inscription, P'C. 1768. The
house contains in all, thirty large
windows, those in.) lower story,
eighteen pnesartdn?th
story, fifteen panes,; while those
in cupola have twelye,aU)laced
symmetrically; -a window on the
-second story offsettingthe door
on the floor below, which: gives it
a" pleasing effect. c ;
- The shutters on the lb wer story
are solid,1 while those'abbye have
. fixed lattice. It : has only two
outside doors, opening, one 'on
the rear the other orr the " front.'
The roof, though "now tinned
was formerly shingled, and with
its valleys and hips was a speci
men of perfect - architecture and
workmanship. Its dimensions
are about thirty feet in width and
forty in length.' Thef cupolaf rom
which the house takes its name,
it being the most conspicuous fea
ture, rising about, eight feet above
the ridge of the main; roof, has a
conical shaped roof surmounted
by a -large metal ball. Us wid
corn ice set off by UttlevTblbcks is
very ornamentsuV It has a window
in each
that isa window in each'alternate
side of the octagon. It is about
eight feet across from one -side
of the octagon to the opposite
side. On the front or southern,
side, the second story projects
beyond the lower by about twelve
inches (this projection supported
by brackets placed equidistant to
relieve the effect) thus giving it a
foot more floor space Each
gable is finished by a small point
ed square post which extends &
bout eight inches above the ridge
of roof. On the rear the house
is plainvnot having a projection
of any kind,- probably because at
that time the slave quarter on
that side hid it from view of the
public.
Hardly any trace of its original
oaintiner remains on account of
f . o
the destructive effect of time arid
weather, though it is said to have
been painted white1 with green
blinds; the boarding, and in fact
all the timbers of the house seem
to be perfectly preserved. To
the northwest corner outside of
the housey is attached a bell;
twith wires running to each' room
for. accessibility in calling the
servants from their -quarters near
by. ' Though this is not as; con
venient as modern electric fix
tures, in old times it was so con
sidered and was indeed a luxury.
. M -
Having viewed the premises
and the building from : the out
side, we ascend the steps to the
front oorch, with a sense that,
wef too, some day will be old,
but we hope, ; never so antique,
and from the brch , opening the
large carved paneled 'door, ithp and glassware
its brass
nocjeer, sug-
cestiVe of foitne luxury (espec
ly when the brfss is clean and
bright) wejenter
hallwhicli :extinsp lengtrrpf
the house, and
a 'survey of
interior
r ; We find the threshold 'scarcely
wotfemany feettljije:
passed over itl ' TheVflborrn
Weanf;Thalls3fa
ptd&icrea coiuposea Ot 0
time
ini brtar, made of lime, sifrd?;and
hp'ghthefpftc
Mghttetfd-haihillSr
mouldhwheTe: itbinK:rn1e
ing. v 1 -p-p'; :
On either side anbe seen? two
theSwbfinarhelrt
ryery beautiful v carving'
hilethosewafllheear5pt
plaipaeled ; hn! theestjside
of the xehter of the i'hallee
an 1810 piano whicu was fbrmer
ly iiv the drawing pm
stood where it iahdw-z they" say;j
over seventy-five years. In the
rear of the halV the winding stilr?
way, with itimlhbigany ail
close set bauisters, begins. PasV
ing through the first door ?on the
left we arl- in - a- squareHshaped:
room, with its antique moulding
and furniture. - On the angles ; is
a mbuWrng six inchesj wide con
necting the ' chairbbard to the
moulding at the ceiling: The?
moulding is especially noticeable
because of its superb vrarting
having a three inch indentation
wherever there is a window; " 'A-
five inch washboard, painted sd
as to represent marble runs! fa-?
round the room. The fiwt thine
we see when we enter is a lUtf
fire place with maritel ' of obli
finelyicarved;' a with ar marble
hearth.' : Theymantel together
with the fireplace;' reaches nearly
toSHeirtg;!
stands ia the riOrthtoest Corner,
and is probably one hundred and
fifty years, old. A Colonial tilt
table is in the center, with Chip
pendale side, and corner chairs a-
bput the room. In one corner is
a Chippendale tea table with a
raised rim or boarder, built about
1760. A Sheriton sideboard,
formerly in the dining, but now
in the drawing room is one hun
dred and forty years old. It is
a reproduction of Norfolk Board
built by Thomas Sheriton in Lon
don. On the walls are pictures
of Colonial clife and the ' Dickin-f
sons.
Throttglr avdoor on" the north
side we pass from the drawing
room into a bed room. This'1 is
just a plain square room, neither
the mantel nor the door being
carved.
Crossing the hall we go into
the former dining room. This
is on the-right lower floor, oppo
site' the drawing r66m and is the
same shape and size as it. The
walls are completely paneled.
There are large portraits of the
former owners hanging on the
walls. The fireplace' here is even
mofe elaborate tnan tne one we
have just lett, oemg aoout seven
feet wide and reaching to the
ceiling. The carving over the
mantel is made to represent the
gable of a hbjise. A mirror, with
the picture of George Washihg
ton in the same " "frame hanjgs
on the southern wall and has been
tfiere over a hundred "years. On
the rnbrth tencl is a woodeil cKTna
closet, containing ""pretty but
Ii is four feet from the floor, set
with the wall and has plain
wooden doors, we see a qucK
foot tea' table, which1 formerly
occu
a corner,
but
re-
moved..to' the drawing room; this
Wasbuibetweefl
Ari bid CotoQial difrTngTtable built
as early as; 1725,, . is here also.
Ort cati 'side'of-the tchinacloset
11,
irtrifrm
not Je.ry interesting having -i no
disirlctive features. T.' r V-
rear3bf the hall nder
iiignc oi steps is a; smau
panwyosedf for storing wood.
Andingbe windin stair
welcome to fa . hall . clpsefy re
sembling the 1q werenfy $pt
Jciri "eaefcend as ia theftower
ey are very large windows.
Iibbkirig down the hall wese ari
MjMbhial secretary. Opposite
it, 6ri the western side is a clothes
about 1750. - On this
flbor there are four rooms used
asdrVjorns. They are shaped
downstairs though the
carvujg is notrprominent Some
ojfpjie; interestihg"? things : to rbe
are:- Two v Colonial wash-
stsihds Colonial behest of "drawers
usoU mahogany built .about 1800)
Ibid -dresses "worn
by- Mrs."
Margaret
Dickinson and Miss
Continuing up the; stairway we
corne to the third story. Here,
thre are three garrett rooms used
mostly as catchalls or turned into
bedrooms when giving a .. house-
party.or a-ball. Here there is
no hall. .The posts and columns
tht support the cupola come
dowa from the roof and rest on
e thirdAjor sills. The - stair?
?lis completely "enclbsed "but
bjp opejning a door gointo a
scnthUhdsnftl
trap door we reach the cupola.
The color ot the v walls here
hardly can be ascertained on ac
count of the many autographs of
distinguished visitors, though,
originally, they were supposed to
be of the same color and compo
sition as the lower walls. We
ook through the windows but
cannot see now, the balustraded
veranda that once surrounded
his cupola, to which access was
had by a door opening to the
south. At the time the house
was built, no doubt this was a
fine scheme for taking a view of
the surrounding landscape, but
since then other buildings erected
nearby obstruct the view.
Having investigated the build
ing, furniture and grounds, and
finding so much of interest, we
desire to know something of their
original builders, owners and oc
cupants, and upon inquiry we
le'ar'rf that this house was planned
and 'Constructed here by Francis
Corbin, who was the land agent
for Lord Granville, one of the
eight Lord Proprietors.
Corbin being a shrewd, active
man, soon oecame a leaain citi
zen of the community, having;
come to North Carolina a land
agent as early as 1744, which
position he held until his death.
He was chosen commander in
chief of Fort ' Grranville and in
1752 was appointed "a member Of
the State Council. Because fcotd
Granville was ih r far away ' Eng
land," Corbin,'beirig ambitious; and
exercising supreme '.power, soon
tiecame a noted extbrtiorier," even
going so'far as to reclaim "land
after havin? sold it. Thomas
Childs, Edward M6seley "and
others who succeeded these, were
also land agents' arid . coo
with Corbin at this time Colonel
In iies, a . prominent landowner
whom r Corbihsteprelidl
who was" a member Bf the Stat
Council; soon- became intimate
f riehdslXbrbirf being a- frequent
mtnSolorie
aha" becim e 'greatly, i n fat ual ed
wJlhheY After lonei; 1
dfefchcbihaffieiWe- widow;
(ITBlSLovinhiswife intense
1'heferrrlirre
taes hhad taken and part of
estate"'" of I which lie
came ii possession; to biuld, ari
elegafit hbme for her, exceedi ng
in size and appointments any
dwelling inthe colony. He em-
plojtffthe best masons, carpen
ters, 'Carvers "-andi "painters ; ;and
soon had; the edifice, above . de-
. - , -
dcribed that sufpassel-anything
the colonists had ever seen. He
here entertained all the i promi
nent men of :the colony the Gen
eral Assembly once meeting here
and it is reported the Prince of
Wales once danced here. "
- Shortly after occupying their
new home, Mrs; Corbin died and
her husband suffered great men
tal agony, because he loved her
so fondly.
During this .time the. land a
gents stilled carried on their ex
tortions. Twenty men whom
they had wronged and who could
endure V them no longer, J came
from Edgecomb county to Eden
ton. As they : came through the
town, and. their mission was
learned, a large body of Eden
ton iaiis joined them. "That night
Corbin and his secretary : were
iintheffajr
3:Iatthejgate5fc
secretary rushed "but through ; tne
back door an d escaped bu t Cor
bin seeing there was; not sufficient
time for him," ran up the stairs,
pushed open the trap door to the
cupola, and climbed out on the
rbof, As it was night, the mob
had torches and part of them
While going around to the rear
discovered him there. - The. next
day they took him to his office
at Enfield, Sdgecomb county,
and forced him to give bond for
his appearance at the next term
of court. A Short 4 while after
this, on account of his nan atten
dance, he was removed from the
Office of State Council. Broken
in spirit by the death of his wife
and from loss of influence among
the colonists, and appreciating
that he had not developed a very
enviable character, he "took some
thought for tomorrow" and re
formed in some measure; later,
he was again respected by a great
many citizens of the town.
After surviving his wife a few
years, he died, leaving-the house
and 'premises " to his brother, Bd-
murid Corbin, who in turn sold it
td Dr. Samuel Dickinson in 1777.
Since then his descendants have
been in possession and occupying
this historic homestead.
Though there is no proof Cor-
bins wife is thought to havedied
about? 1763 and he about 1765.
The house is uow occupied. by
Miss Tillie Bond, niece of "Miss
Margaret Bond . V : "
We are indebted to Dr. Dil
lard's "The Vermillion Stage
Coach" in the News and Observer
1908, for some of the data herein
contained.- :
This v interesting investigation
has impressed the -writer with
desire to see such an extraordi
nary andr historic house ' and
grounds perpetuated by convert-
ing i into a puont -iueiy ;
preseryedby thej rmmumtas
its s ister build ings of the tsame
uDscripiJioii; ijuu aiear
- Bobksi
lio wV yourSundailSS :
getting along?,Vi an official rUe :
State-Sanatorium for trttrreut of :t
Tuberpttlpsiswiad?
days ago. , -
uij' ime," :lievr
have more inferiftra 5 a :
better a4n3an
our rpulatioD, - than you folk
haveafc-v hbme.,,f: Coinuniie "
explained at everySunday3f4
tefrjoon, after theiest petiod, the'
convalescing patiehts ' aisemble
in the main lobby' of the Sana
torium where oneuf their nnm
bnsu3ilymin1s1e lormer
rinyhool: worker, leads in
the study of the lesson or in such:,
other devotional exer6is6 'asmay
seem appropriate. - a
V'How about' your Sunday
school equipment?" he was asked;
8 ' ? Weil, you see it really doesn't;
take veryjnach" he replied. "A
generous friend gave, the Institu
tion an organ' snmetime "agow
What we need most now is about
7rT Bibles." "
In this connection he stated'
that nearly all the patients readj
quite a bit, for - inasmuch- as? the!
rest-cure requires that they spendt
la great portion of their fime iff!
ed-and sitting r r6q4i
many improve rheir timbSrlli-
ing. Already," friends ol the In
stitution have contributed? Various:
books to the extebt ; of 'about:
hree hundred. The patients read!
these at the rate of fitty or morel
a week. Bibles, New Testament?
books, f magazine subscHpfions'
song books, and a subscription for
seventy -five to one 'huudrdfeun-"
day-school lesson leaflets or
quarterlies would be of much va
ue to the patients who are wag-
ng the battle of life and death ;
with the Grim White Plague.'
Such books or literature, if sent
by parcel pbst to the' State Sana
orium, at Sanatorium, N. O. ,
will-receive a heaaty "wcomGby
the patients. . '
Amiiidmeots'to iskl of
1905! Bulletins Value
The Legislative Reference li
brary has a limited number of
copies orthe Amendments to the
Revisal of 1$0, passed by- the
Legislature of 1015, which will
be sent free of charge upon re
quest of lawyers, county officers,-
iiistires of the oeiicef arid business-
men who desire tobe' infohried
as to the laws of the otate. ,
Another bulletin containing v
the Amendments to the Revisal
from its enactment to "ahef includ
ing the Extra Session of 1913
will be issued at an., early date.
Persons -desiring . copies - of ; this
bulletin should make application '
of' nnr hs tfi "edition will VKtf
Thftse and futnre bulletins will
be furriislied free of chairgeupon
Address Wj&xtJgii'
laiive Reference Libfariani Ba-
leigh, N.. C.;':p:r;
'C V TWo ma tuia i A4tpV3 Wa vrnrse. -
Weighfcoih
the bloodtrfiulrot
PrieeKim S-l':' e3vt
uuuncu, Dunt out trom. the
roof, from i w1uci$ enrj
is a small dpor "leading int6 tffc
VisitoVln liisom Hes: here