History, NC, Mecklenburg, 1740 to 1900 THE HISTORY Of Mecklenburg County From 1740 to 1900. BY. J. B. ALEXANDER, M. D., Charlotte. N. C. 1902. CHARLOTTE. N. C.: OBSERVER PRINTING HOUSE. 1902. Page 1 of 355 History, NC, Mecklenburg, 1740 to 1900 COPYRIGHT 1902 BY J. B. ALEXANDER, M. D. Page 2 of 355 History, NC, Mecklenburg, 1740 to 1900 Table of Contents Preface...................................................................8 CHAPTER I...................................................................11 Early Settlement.........................................................11 Early Recollections of Charlotte.........................................13 Physicians...............................................................15 CHAPTER II..................................................................20 Monument To Signers......................................................20 May 20, 1775.............................................................21 Instructions for the delegates of Mecklenburg county...................27 A Historical Fact Not Generally Known..................................36 CHAPTER III.................................................................40 The War of 1812-1814.....................................................40 Seventh Company........................................................40 Eighth Company.........................................................41 Ninth Company..........................................................42 Muster Roll............................................................43 Mecklenburg County Troops – First Regiment.............................43 Mecklenburg County – Second Regiment...................................44 CHAPTER IV..................................................................49 The County Officers and the Time They Served.............................49 Sheriffs Of Mecklenburg County.........................................49 County Treasurers......................................................50 Register Of Deeds......................................................51 Clerks Of The County Courts............................................51 Superior Court Clerks..................................................53 CHAPTER V...................................................................54 Rev. Alexander Craighead.................................................54 Dr. D. T. Caldwell.......................................................57 CHAPTER VI..................................................................58 Maj. John Davidson.......................................................58 Hezekiah Alexander.......................................................60 John Mcknitt Alexander...................................................61 Abraham Alexander........................................................65 Dr. Ephraim Brevard......................................................66 CHAPTER VII.................................................................68 Some of the Bar One Hundred Years Ago....................................68 Hon. Samuel Lowrie.....................................................68 Joseph Wilson, Esq.....................................................69 James W. Osborne.......................................................70 J. Harvey Wilson.......................................................70 President James Knox Polk..............................................70 William Davidson.......................................................71 Governor Nathaniel Alexander...........................................72 Maj. Green W. Caldwell.................................................72 The Opinion Of The Ladies..............................................73 Matthew Wallace and George Wallace.....................................74 Extract From The Writings Of Alexander Wallace.........................74 Adam Alexander.........................................................76 Page 3 of 355 History, NC, Mecklenburg, 1740 to 1900 Samuel Snead...........................................................77 Humphrey Hunter........................................................78 CHAPTER VIII................................................................83 Hopewell Church and Graveyard............................................83 CHAPTER XIV.................................................................85 The Part Mecklenburg Took In The War With Mexico.........................85 CHAPTER XV..................................................................86 Banks and Banking........................................................86 Prominent Citizens in the First Half of the Nineteenth Century...........87 The Champions of the Northern and Southern Parts of the County...........88 Blind Dick...............................................................89 CHAPTER XVI.................................................................90 Negroes Before the War Between the States................................90 The State Laws in the First Half of the Nineteenth Century...............93 CHAPTER XVII................................................................95 Biographical Sketches....................................................95 Gen. George Graham.....................................................95 William Lee Davidson...................................................95 Patrick Johnston.......................................................97 Louis Jetton...........................................................98 Hugh Torrance..........................................................98 Margaret Alexander Lowrie..............................................98 Samuel J. Lowrie, Esq..................................................99 Capt. John Walker.....................................................100 James Davis...........................................................101 W. J. Yates Editor And Printer........................................103 Sheriff Marshall Alexander............................................103 Dr. J. M. Strong......................................................104 Judge Shipp - Born November 19, 1819, Died 1890.......................105 Col. William Johnston.................................................105 Dr. Isaac Wilson......................................................107 William Maxwell, Esq..................................................109 Funeral Of Mr. Maxwell................................................109 The Fifth Register Of Deeds...........................................110 Sugar Dulin...........................................................110 Dr. Samuel B. Watson..................................................111 Rev. Dr. T. H. Pritchard..............................................113 Robert Davidson Alexander.............................................114 Hon. R. P. Waring.....................................................116 Adam Brevard Davidson.................................................117 Patrick Harty.........................................................118 The Campbell Family Of Mecklenburg....................................119 W. F. Phifer..........................................................120 Martin Phifer.........................................................120 Col. Zebulon Morris...................................................122 Gen. William H. Neal..................................................125 The Garrison Family...................................................125 Brawley Oates.........................................................126 Dr. David R. Dunlap...................................................127 Rev. W. W. Pharr, D. D................................................129 Dr. W. A. Ardrey......................................................130 Page 4 of 355 History, NC, Mecklenburg, 1740 to 1900 Dr. Charles Harris....................................................131 Sketch Of Gen. D. H. Hill Taken From “The News”.......................132 Brem, Johnston And Alexander..........................................133 Dr. J. P. Mccombs.....................................................135 Dr. Robert Gibbon.....................................................135 Adam Todd And Family..................................................136 CHAPTER XVIII..............................................................137 The Central Hotel.......................................................137 The Charlotte Hotel.....................................................138 CHAPTER XIX................................................................139 Rufus Barringer, of Cabarrus and Mecklenburg............................139 Gen. Paul Barringer.....................................................141 Rufus Barringer.........................................................142 CHAPTER XX.................................................................147 The Great Commoner, Z. B. Vance.........................................147 Calvin Eli Grier........................................................155 Matthew Wallace and His Family..........................................157 Captain John Randolph Erwin.............................................159 Hon. James W. Osborne...................................................162 Rev. John Hunter........................................................163 The Hunter Family.......................................................164 CHAPTER XXI................................................................166 The Descendants of Famous Men