GOVERNOR DRUMMOND AND SIR JOHN YEAMANS.
A. D. 1663 TO 1667.
1. King Charles II., who thus bestowed this vast dominion upon a
few of his friends, was in marked contrast, as a sovereign, to
Queen Elizabeth. He was a gay, dissolute, shameless libertine,
who despised all that is valuable in human duties, and spent his
life in the paltriest amusements. He could be polite and
entertaining in conversation, but abundantly justified Lord
Rochester's remark that "he never did a wise thing or said a
foolish one."
2. Under instructions from the other Lords Proprietors, Sir
William Berkeley, in 1663, appointed William Drummond the first
"Governor of Albemarle." He was a Scotch settler in Virginia,
and was a man who deserved the respect and confidence of the
people whom he governed. He was plain and prudent in his style
of life, and seems to have given satisfaction to the people who
had been previously uncontrolled by law or magistrate.
3. After a stay of three years, Governor Drummond returned to
Virginia. A great trouble arose in Virginia at this period,
known as "Bacon's Rebellion." A brave young man, Nathaniel
Bacon, was at the head of a force resisting the presumption and
illegal authority of Governor Berkeley. William Drummond, seeing
the justness of the resistance, warmly supported Bacon's cause.
Mrs. Sarah Drummond, wife of the Governor, nobly sustained her
husband. Bacon died before the close of the "Rebellion," and a
large number of the leaders were put to death. Governor Drummond
was, by order of Berkeley, hanged within two hours after his
capture. The entire property of Mrs. Drummond was confiscated
and herself and five children were turned out to starve.
4. This tragic culmination of Berkeley's ruthless cruelties was
the occasion of the bitter censure by the king, already recorded.
After the death of Berkeley, Mrs. Drummond brought suit against
his wife, Lady Frances Berkeley, for recovery of her property,
and a verdict in her favor was given by a Virginia jury.
Governor Drummond is commemorated by the lake in the Dismal Swamp
which still bears his name.
5. It was discovered soon after the king's grant to the Lords
Proprietors, that a belt of land extending southward from the
present Virginia boundary to a point on a line with the month of
Chowan River, and extending indefinitely west, was not included
in that charter; so, in 1665 another charter was granted joining
this strip of territory to North Carolina.
6. In 1663 there was an expedition formed in the island of
Barbadoes, which came to the shores of Carolina and explored to
the distance of about one hundred and fifty miles the courses of
the northeast branch of the Cape Fear River. This expedition was
under command of an experienced navigator named Hilton, who was
assisted by Long and Fabian, and returned to Barbadoes in
February, 1664.
7. Among the planters who had fitted out this expedition was John
Yeamans. He was a young man of good connections in England. His
father had been Sheriff of the City of Bristol during the war of
King Charles I. with Parliament, and was put to death by the
order of Fairfax on account of his stubborn defence of his city
in the king's behalf.
1666.
8. Yeamans had emigrated to Barbadoes, hoping to mend his broken
fortunes, and being pleased with the report of Captain Hilton's
expedition, he determined to remove to Carolina. He went to
England to negotiate with the Lords Proprietors and receive from
them a grant of large tracts of land, and at the same time he was
knighted by the king in reward for the loyalty and misfortunes of
his family. Returning from England in the autumn of 1665, he led
a band of colonists from Barbadoes to the Cape Fear, and
purchasing from the Indians a tract of land thirty-two miles
square, settled at Old Town, in the present county of Brunswick.
The settlement was afterwards known as the "Clarendon Colony."
This village, which was called Charlestown, soon came to number
eight hundred inhabitants, and they occupied their time in
clearing the land for cultivation and preparing lumber, staves,
hoops and shingles for shipment to Barbadoes. The colony greatly
prospered under the excellent and prudent management of Sir John
Yeamans, but was afterwards deserted, when Yeamans was ordered by
the Lords Proprietors to the government of a colony on Cooper and
Ashley Rivers, South Carolina.
9. There had been, as early as 1660, a New England settlement for
the purpose of raising cattle, on the Cape Fear; but this colony
incurred the resentment of the Indians, it is said, by kidnapping
their children under the pretence of sending them to Boston to be
educated; and the colonists were all gone when the men from
Barbadoes visited the Cape Fear. Whether the New Englanders were
driven from the settlement by the Indians, or left because their
enterprise was unprofitable, is not known with certainty. These
men left attached to a post a writing discouraging "all such as
should hereafter come into these parts to settle."
1667.
10. During Governor Drummond's stay in Albemarle there was entire
satisfaction manifested by the people with his rule, and also
with that of the Lords Proprietors. He exerted himself to
arrange matters so as not to disturb the titles acquired in the
time previous to the king's grant; and there was full sympathy
between him and the class represented by George Durant.
11. This sturdy Quaker had, some years before, bought from the
Yeoppim Indians the place known as "Durant's Neck," on Perquimans
River; and he was a leader in wealth and influence among the
settlers. He was prosperous in his affairs, and largely
controlled the views of the people belonging to his religious
sect.
12. The rivers were full of fish every spring, and with little
trouble large supplies were caught in the nets and weirs. Indian
corn, tobacco and lumber were sent in vessels to New England and
the West Indies. In return sugar, coffee and rum were brought to
Albemarle, and an active trade grew up, which was almost wholly
conducted by the New England vessels.
13. These vessels all passed through the inlet at Nag's Head,
where, as late as 1729, twenty-five feet of water was found upon
the bar. This afforded entrance to ships of considerable
size. Cape Hatteras was then, as now, a place of great peril to
ships, and many were wrecked upon the terrible outlying sand
bars; but this did not deter the brave mariners from the trade
which they found was growing each year more profitable.
QUESTIONS.
1. What was the character of King Charles II. ? What was said of
him by Lord Rochester?
2. Who was appointed the first Governor of Albemarle? What kind of man was he?
3. How long did Governor Drummond stay in North Carolina? Can
you tell something of "Bacon's Rebellion"? What part did
Governor Drummond take, and what was the result? What can you
tell of Mrs. Sarah Drummond?
4. What further is said of Mrs. Drummond? How is Governor Drummond's
name commemorated in the State? Point out this lake.
5. What additional piece of land was given to the Lords Proprietors in 1665?
6. What expedition came to Carolina in 1663?
7. What is said of Sir John Yeamans?
8. What was the object of Yeamans' visit? What colony did he form in 1665?
Where was it located? What is the history of this colony?
9. What previous settlement had been made in this same vicinity? Why was it deserted?
10. How had the people of Albemarle been pleased with the administration. of Governor Drummond?
11. Who was George Durant? Point out "Durant's Neck "on the map.
12. Give some account of the prosperity of Albemarle. What vessels conducted the trade?
13. Through what inlet did vessels enter the sound? Describe the neighborhood of Cape Hatteras.