THE OLD BRICK HOUSE--A TRUE HISTORY OF THE HISTORIC DWELLING REPUTED TO
BE THE HOME OF THE FAMOUS PIRATE
Local tradition claims that the old brick house described in the
foregoing chapter, was once a haunt of the famous pirate, Edward Teach,
or Blackbeard, as he was commonly called.
Wild legends of lawless revel and secret crime have grown up about the
old building, until its time-stained walls seem steeped in the
atmosphere of gloom and terror which the poet Hood has so graphically
caught in his "Haunted House":
"But over all there hung a cloud of fear--
A sense of mystery, the spirit daunted,
And said as plain as whisper in the ear,
'The house is haunted.'"
It is said that the basement room of the Brick House served as a dungeon
for prisoners taken in Teach's private raids and held for ransom.
There are darker stories, too, of deeds whose secret was known only to
the hidden tunnel and unrevealing waters below.
But tradition has been busy with other occupants of the old house. It is
said to have been in colonial days the home of a branch of an ancient
and noble English family.
[Illustration: "THE OLD BRICK HOUSE," ON PASQUOTANK RIVER]
To the care of these gentlefolk their kinsmen of old England were said
to have entrusted a young and lovely girl in order to separate her from
a lover, whose fortunes failed to satisfy the ambition of her proud and
wealthy parents.
The lover followed his fair one across the seas, and entered in disguise
among the guests assembled at the great ball which was given at the
Brick House in honor of their recently arrived and charming guest. The
young lady's brother, who had accompanied her to this country,
penetrated the disguise of her lover.
"Words of high disdain and insult" passed between the young men, a duel
followed, and the lover fell, leaving on the floor dark stains which are
said to remain to this day, in silent witness to the tragedy of long
ago.
Many years after, in a closet of the old house, a faded pink satin
slipper was found which tradition naturally assigns to the fair but
unhappy heroine of the old tale of love and death.
So much for tradition.
The story of Teach's occupation of the Old Brick House has not been
received without question, but in default of more accurate knowledge, it
has been accepted.
Recently, certain facts have come to light concerning the ancient
building which are briefly given below.
The information referred to was given by Mr. Joseph Sitterson, a
prominent resident of Williamston, North Carolina.
According to Mr. Sitterson, the Old Brick House was the property of his
great grandmother, Nancy Murden. This lady was a descendant of Lord
Murden, who in 1735 sent out an expedition in charge of his eldest son
to make a settlement in the New World.
The party obtained, whether by grant or purchase is not known, the land
on which the Old Brick House now stands. A sandy ridge extends into
Camden County, and is known to this day as Murden's Ridge.
Young Murden had brought with him from England the brick and stone, the
carved mantel and paneling, which entered into the construction of the
new home he now proceeded to build.
It is thought that the house was intended to be entirely of brick; but
the end walls of the massive chimneys having exhausted the supply, the
building was finished with wood. The house was planned with the greatest
care for defense against the Indian raids; hence the sliding panels, and
the roomy and secret spaces in which the family plate and jewels
brought from the old country could be quickly concealed, in case of
sudden attack.
With the same end in view, there were built in the basement, from the
rich timber of the adjoining woods, stalls of cedar, the narrow windows
of which can still be seen. In these stalls the ponies were kept for
fear of Indian raids.
It is believed that in the troubled times preceding the American
Revolution, Lord Murden's son succeeded to his father's large estates
and returned to England to claim his inheritance.
After the Revolution, his American lands were confiscated and became the
property of the State.
Shortly after the war two brothers of the Murden family came to North
Carolina, entered the old property and took charge of it.
These brothers married sisters, the Misses Sawyer. In time the Old Brick
House came into the possession of Nancy Murden, a descendant of one of
the brothers Murden.
At her death she left the property as follows: One-third to Isaac
Murden, one-third to Jerry Murden, one-third to Nancy Murden, her
grandchildren.
This will is recorded in the court-house at Elizabeth City, North
Carolina.