History Topics – Page 17 of 155

Court System of North Carolina Before the Revolution

In studying the development of a people nothing is more helpful than a correct understanding of their system of judicature, for here we not only learn their methods of administering justice, but, at the same time, we get an insight into their conception of justice itself. There is no question of government more vital to the individual than the mode in which the authority of that government is to be administered. There is hardly another function of government that touches the citizen at a point quite so delicate as the institution, which passes judgment upon his deeds and intentions. Hence … Read more

North Carolina Courts in the Royal Period

Such in general were the courts in North Carolina at the end of the proprietary government, and such they continued for several years thereafter. The change of the Colonial government from proprietary to royal had very little effect upon the courts. Only such changes were made from time to time as circumstances demanded. It now remains for us to note a few of the more important of these changes that were made prior to the beginning of the Revolution. The first one of importance occurred in 1738. An act was passed “by his Excellency Gabriel Johnston, Esq., Governor, by and … Read more

Chancery, Admiralty And Slavery Courts in NC

The three courts above mentioned constituted the chief agencies for the administration of justice, but there were three other courts of secondary importance. These courts, it would seem, were instituted not so much because of any actual need of them, as because similar courts existed in the mother country, but because of the additional fact that they furnished more offices to be filled by the friends and kinsfolk of the Lords Proprietors. The first of these to be mentioned is the Court of Chancery. This was, as in England, a Court of equity. Its duties do not seem to be … Read more

Indians of the Pike’s Peak Region

Including an Account of the Battle of Sand Creek, and of Occurrences in El Paso County, Colorado, during the War with the Cheyenne and Arapaho, in 1864 and 1868 For the most part this book is intentionally local in its character. As its title implies, it relates principally to the Indian tribes that have occupied the region around Pike’s Peak during historic times. The history, habits, and customs of the American Indian have always been interesting subjects to me. From early childhood, I read everything within my reach dealing with the various tribes of the United States and Mexico. In … Read more

Clergymen born in Pictou Town

Below are the names of the clergymen born in Pictou Town with place of birth and brief reference to those who are dead, and the present addresses of those who are still living. A few of the ministers mentioned in this chapter were not born in the county, but came into it when quite young, and were brought up and educated in it. The ministers belonging to denominations other than Presbyterian are so indicated. Robert S. Patterson, M.A., Pictou; Died in 1882. He was minister of the congregation at Bedeque, P. E. I., fifty-six years and six months. This is, … Read more

Ministers Born in the McLennan’s Mountain Section

Wm. Fraser, D.D., McLennan’s Brook; Died 1892. Dr. Fraser was born at McLennan’s Brook, May 19, 1808. He received his academic and theological education at Pictou Academy of which Dr. McCulloch was then the head. At the age of twenty-six he was sent as a missionary to Upper Canada, and a year later, was settled at Bond Head, Ontario, his first and only pastorate. Here he labored most faithfully for forty-six years until his retirement in 1881 when he removed to Barrie. He was active in educational work; an earnest advocate of temperance and always a close attendant on church … Read more

Educators of Pictou County, Nova Scotia

Bayne, Herbert A., Heidelberg, (Ph. D., 1876), F.R.S.C. Professor of Chemistry, Royal Military College, Kingston, Can. Died 1886. Cameron, James S., M.Sc., Mcgill University. A member of the staff of The Technical Institute, Montreal. His home was Stellarton. Campbell, Donald F., M.A., Ph.D. Son of George and Ellen (Gunn) Cameron; born in 1867; Educated Dal. Univ., (B.A., 1890, and Harvard Univ., Ph.D., 1898), married Miss Lou R. Bates, Davidson, Conn., 1906; Instructor in mathematics, Lawrence Science School of Harvard Univ., 1897-1901; Prof. of mathematics and head of the Mathematical Department in the Armour Institute of Technology, Chicago, Ill., since 1903; … Read more

Names who entered the legal profession from Pictou County, Nova Scotia

Bell, Isaac, New Glasgow; Winnipeg, Man. Son of late Hon. A. C. Bell. Blanchard, Hiram, Hon., Pictou; Died 1874. Premier for the province. Brown, Robert, Saltsprings; California. Brownrigg, Wm. H., Pictou; Deceased. Cameron, John Mckinlay, Scotch Hill; Calgary, Alta. Dickson, Wm. A., K.C., Pictou; Pictou, N. S. Douglas, John C., B.A., LL.B., Stellarton; Glace Bay, C. B. Member of the Legislative Assembly. Doull, John, L.B., New Glasgow; New Glasgow, N. S. Elliott, Geo. H., Pictou; Deceased. Mr. Elliott was the son of the Rev. Charles Elliott, the first Episcopal minister in Pictou. Born in 1842, admitted to the bar in … Read more

Physicians of Pictou County, Nova Scotia

Anderson, Alexander, M.D., Pictou; Harvard Univ., 1864; Petaluma, Cal. Anderson, Smith, M.D., Pictou; Univ. N. Y., 1892; Pictou, N. S. Anderson, Walter, M.D., Pictou; died in Vallejo, Cal. Physicians And Surgeons Arbuckle, James, M.D., Merigomish; deceased. Bailey, Cameron, V., M.D., New Glasgow; McGill Univ. 1909; Montreal, Can. Bailey, William J., M.D., New Glasgow; Univ. Penn., 1895; Connellsville, Pa. Bell, John, M.D., C.M., New Glasgow; McGill Univ., 1898; New Glasgow, N. S. Benvie, Robert McLean, M.D., C.M., Saltsprings; McGill Univ., 1907; Stellarton, N. S. Bruce, James Garfield, M.D., C.M., Barney’s River; Dal. Univ., 1908; Westville, N. S. Burns, Samuel Wesley, M.D., … Read more

Seneca Indian Village Site of Kanadesaga

From Canoga the warriors headed north to the Great Trail and then west to the City of Geneva. At Geneva, Mr. Robert Breed, a member of the Geneva Historical society and a friend of the Indian People, personally took the warriors to several ancient Seneca village sites and memorials among which were the following: At the White Springs Farm they visited the site of the main village of the Senecas known as Ganechtage. Here they saw the ancient Indian Springs known as The White Springs. This water supply was the reason for the location of this old village. As the … Read more

An Account of the McGillivray Family, The Revolutionary War

History of Alabama and incidentally of Georgia and Mississippi, from the earliest period

War had now raged between the mother country and her colonies of North America for more than three years. It had become fierce and sanguinary along the Atlantic. But the people of West Florida, whose government was composed chiefly of military dependencies, had hitherto enjoyed peace. They were mostly loyal subjects of the King. But now, even in this remote region, the contest began to be felt. The Creek Indians were relied upon, mainly, by the British authorities, to harass the Whig inhabitants of Georgia and Carolina. They had stationed at Hickory Ground, the site of the lower suburbs of … Read more

The Cherokee Nation

It has been seen that De Soto passed over a portion of the country of these Indians in the territory which embraces Northern Georgia. The name Cherokee is derived from Chera, fire; and the Prophets of this nation were called Cherataghe, men of divine fire. The first that we hear of the Cherokees, after the Spanish invasion, is their connection with the early British settlers of Virginia. A powerful and extensive nation, they even had settlements upon the Appomattox River, and were allied by blood with the Powhattan tribe. The Virginians drove them from that place, and they retreated to … Read more

The Choctaw Nation

It is scarcely necessary to remind the reader that the Chickasaws were living in the upper part of Mississippi when De Soto invaded it, and that they fought him with great courage. Now, as to the Choctaws, according to tradition, came with them into this country, and were a portion of the same family; it is reasonable to suppose that the Pafallayas, the brave allies of Tuscaloosa, were the Choctaws— especially when taken in connection with the collateral evidence in our possession. Period unknown: The tradition of the migration of the Chickasaws and Choctaws from the Mexican empire has been preserved … Read more

The Migration of Alabama and Muscogee Indians East

It has been seen that the Indians living in that part of Alabama through which De Soto passed, were the Coosas, inhabiting the territory embraced in the present counties of Benton, Talladega, Coosa, and a portion of Cherokee; the Tallases, living upon the Tallapoosa and its tributary streams; the Mobilians extending from near the present city of Montgomery to the commercial emporium which now bears their name; the Pafallayas or Choctaws, inhabiting the territory of the modern counties of Green, Marengo, Tuscaloosa, Sumpter and Pickens; and, in the present State of Mississippi, the Chickasaws, in the valley of the Yalobusha; … Read more

The Indians of Alabama, Florida, Georgia and Mississippi

The Indians of Alabama, Florida, Georgia and Mississippi were so similar in form, mode of living and general habits, in the time of De Soto and of others who succeeded him in penetrating these wilds, that they will all be treated, on the pages of this chapter, as one people. The color was like that of the Indians of our day. The males were admirably proportioned, athletic, active and graceful in their movements, and possessed open and manly countenances. The females, not inferior in form, were smaller, and many of them beautiful. No ugly or ill-formed Indians were seen, except … Read more

The Second Connecticut Heavy Artillery

It was in November, 1863, that the War Department orders were issued changing the Nineteenth Infantry to a regiment of heavy artillery, which Governor Buckingham denominated the Second Connecticut. Artillery drill had for some time been part of its work, and the general efficiency and good record of the regiment in all particulars was responsible for the change, which was a welcome one, as the artillery was considered a very desirable branch of the service, and the increase in size gave prospects of speedier promotions. Recruiting had been necessary almost all the time to keep the regiment up to the … Read more

Encampment in Virginia

Washington in September, 1862, while relatively secure from the easy capture which would have been possible in the summer of the previous year, was not in a situation of such safety as to preclude anxiety, for Pope had just been beaten at Bull Run and Lee’s army was north of the Potomac in the first of its memorable invasions of the loyal states. On the very day of his check at Antietam, September 17th, the Nineteenth Connecticut Volunteers reached the capital, and the next day moved into the hostile state of Virginia, bivouacking near Alexandria. In this vicinity the regiment … Read more

The Call to Arms for Litchfield County, CT

Presentation of colors, September 10th, 1862

In spite of the labors of unnumbered chroniclers, it is not easy, if indeed it is possible, for us of this later generation to realize adequately the great patriotic uprising of the war times. It began in the early days of 1861 with the assault on Fort Sumter, which, following a long and trying season of uncertainty, furnished the sudden shock that resolved the doubts of the wavering and changed the opinions of the incredulous. Immediately there swept over all the northern states a wave of intense national feeling, attended by scenes of patriotic and confident enthusiasm more noisy than … Read more

The First Battle of the County Regiment

Charge of the 2d Connecticut Heavy Artillery at the Battle of Cold Harbor, Virginia.

The movements of both armies were bringing them steadily nearer to Richmond, and but one chance now remained to achieve the object of the campaign, the defeat of Lee’s army north of the Chickahominy and away from the strong defenses of the Confederate capital. The enemy, swinging southward to conform to Grant’s advance, finally reached the important point of Cold Harbor on May 31st. Cavalry was sent forward to dislodge him, and seized some of the entrenchments near that place, while both armies were hurried forward for the inevitable battle. The Sixth Corps, of which the Second Artillery was part, … Read more

Ranald S. Mackenzie Takes Command

Immediately after receiving news of the action of June 1st, Governor Buckingham had sent a commission as colonel to Lieutenant-Colonel James Hubbard. He, however, was unwilling to assume the responsibility of the command; this had been his first battle, and he “drew the hasty inference that all the fighting was likely to consist of a similar walking into the jaws of hell. He afterwards found that this was a mistake.” Upon General Upton’s advice, therefore, the officers recommended to the Governor the appointment of Ranald S. Mackenzie, then a captain of engineers on duty at headquarters, and this recommendation being … Read more