DIED

PHILEMON HAWKINS.

            At his residence, in Warren county, North Carolina, January 28, 1833, Philemon Hawkins, the last of the signers of the Constitution of the State of North Carolina in 1776. He was born on the 3d December, 1752; and, at the early age of sixteen, was sworn in as Deputy Sheriff for the county of Granville, and performed the whole of the duties of that office for his principal.

            He belonged to the troop of cavalry at the battle of the Allemance (sic), which was fought on the 16^th of May 1771, and for the distinction he merited on that occasion, was presented by the commander-in-chief, Governor Tryon, with a beautiful rifle.

            Before he was of age, he was elected a member of the general assembly for the county of Bute. [Bute County was subsequently divided into Warren and Franklin Counties.] He continued as a member of the legislature, mainly from the county of Granville, with the intermission of two years only, for thirteen years. The last term of his service was at Fayetteville [Cumberland County], in the year 1789.

            He raised the first volunteer company in the cause of American independence, that was raised in the county of Bute, and which consisted of 144 men. In the year 1776, he was elected a colonel of a regiment by the convention at Halifax, and in that command performed many services; but ultimately left the army, and continued to act as a member of the legislature.

            He was a member of the convention which ratified the Constitution of the United States, and frequently a member of the executive council. He was a man of strong mental powers, which he retained to the last, and possessed an accuracy of recollection, which enabled him to be the living chronicle of his times.

[The American Register by Joseph Blunt, 1835.]

POLITICS AS USUAL?

            ANY Democrat in Bertie couny, two years ago, if asked what was the paramount issue in Bertie county and in North Carolina, would have, without any hesitation, answered; “The maintenance of the present system of county government.” Now these same men, Democrats then, Third party people now, speak lightly of the present system of county government and are running candidates against Democrats pledged to its maintenance, …

            The Thirdites say that public lands, transportation and money are the only questions to be talked in the campaign. There is not a foot of government land in Bertie county. There is only a small portion of the county crossed by railroads. Nobody in the county has any money. If we confine ourselves to the text of the Thirdities we will talk about things we haven’t got and if we follow their advice, which we will never have.

[Windsor ledger Windsor, NC) 5 Oct 1892]