landed in the streets of Raleigh, not knowing one human being in North Carolina, and not having fifty dollars. But Ruffin and others to whom my letters were directed, gathered around me. That noble court, Taylor, Henderson and Hall, repeated my license. Badger, Archibald Henderson and Gaston honored me with a friendship that lasted during their lives. They are now no more, and with Manly and Guion, and a number more known afterwards, now, although of different denominations, all fill christian graves. Soon collections that had been given me in Petersburg, brought me to old Stokes, and at the County court at Germanton, I found the same reception from John Morehead, Thos. Settle, Augustine H. Shepperd, Nicholas L. Williams, and others, now all gone except the last He was my fate; through him I became acquainted with his niece, then a small girl, but of a family famous for excellent wives. Her uncle Lewis Williams was in Congress with my uncle William Irving, of New York, and in process of time she became my wife."
Mr. Dodge was a member of the Episcopal church, and as a delegate to the Episcopal Convention that elected him, voted for Bishop Ravenscroft. During his life he filled many places of honor and trust, as Solicitor of the Superior Court for the Lincolnton district; for twelve or fourteen years Clerk of the Legislature; and also for many years Clerk of the Supreme Court in Morganton. He was married to Miss Susan Williams on May 24th, 1826, and resided in Wilkesboro' for eight years. After he was elected Solicitor he removed to Lincolnton, where he resided four years. He was succeeded by his old friend Hamilton C. Jones, as Solicitor; and "then, upon consultation with my sympathizing and truly pious wife, we retired to the banks of the Yadkin, our cottage and farm. She managed at home, and I labored night and day at Court, at Raleigh and at Morganton. At home we were always happy; care or trouble never entered our door, and these years were far the happiest of my life. After many years of toil had passed, I well remember the look of my old friend Ruffin, then Chief Justice, when I handed to my old friend Jacob Ramsour $700.00, which was the last debt I owed on earth. He was paid, and it is still the last."
"The moral of this sketch is, persevere and do not look back, and our apparent misfortunes may be blessings in disguise."
ROWAN COUNTY.
In a dispatch from the Royal Governor, Arthur Dobbs, now on file in the Rolls Office, London, dated 1754, the population of Rowan County is stated to be 1,416 whites and 54 blacks. He states:
"Salisbury, then just laid out, had seven or eight log houses. We have fixed on a place for a fort, (called Fort Dobbs,) on Third Creek where it falls into the Yadkin." Col. Docs. 125
Judge Murphey, (Uni. Mag. 293,) states:
"The first settlers of Rowan, near Salisbury, before 1751, were Paul Biffle and John Whitesides, on Grant's Creek to the north; John Dunn, John Gardiner, Alexander Douglas, on Crane Creek to the south; Matthew Locke, Francis Locke, John Brandon, Alexander Cathey and James Graham on the west. James Carter and Hugh Foster owned the land upon
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