1796, he was appointed by General Washington first Comptroller of the Treasury, which he held throughout the remainder of Washington's administration, all of Adams', and resigned in 1802, in opposition to the wishes of Mr. Jefferson. In 1806, he was again in the Legislature, and that year succeeded Gen. Davie as Commissioner to adjust the boundaries between North and South Carolina. This delicate, protracted and difficult negotiation was managed by him with singular address and ability. In 1811--12 and 13, he was again elected to the Legislature and in 1811 was Speaker of the House. On Aug. 14th, 1812, he was again elected, and on that day he died.
From the varied and important positions held by General Steele from his early manhood, to the day of his death is seen the warm attachment and confidence of his countrymen for him, and their high appreciation of his services and ability.
He married in 1783, Mary Nesfreid, who survived him many years, by whom he had (I) Ann, who married Jesse A. Pearson; (II) Margaret who married Dr. Stephen L. Farrand; (III) Eliza, who married Col. Robert Mac-Namara.
A daughter of Dr. Ferrand, married to A. Henderson, recently died. Their son, John S. Henderson has entered the theatre of public life, enjoying the confidence and hopes of a large circle of admiring friends. He is quite young; being born June 6th, 1846. He has been liberally educated, at Dr. Wilson's Academy and the University. At the age of eighteen he entered the army as a private in company B, 10th North Carolina Regiment and served as a private to the close. He was elected as the conservative candidate to the Constitutional Convention of 1871, though the Convention was not held. He was elected to the Convention of 1875, and took a leading position. He was elected to the House in November 1876, by 1006 majority.
[At the election held November 4th, 1884, he was elected to the House of Representatives from the seventh Congressional District, receiving 14,262 votes, against 10,851 for Mr. Ramsay.--Ed.]
William Kennon appears among the leading patriots of the County. We regret that the records of the County give so little information as to his life and services.
The proceedings of the Committee of Safety for Rowan County, of which he was often chairman prove his vigilance and activity in the cause of independence. He was a member of the Provincial Congress, which, in opposition to the Royal Government, met at New Berne in August 1774, and also in the same place in 1775. He was one of the Convention or Committee, that met at Charlotte on May 20, 1775. The memorial of John Dunn shows that he, (with Adlai Osborne, Samuel Spencer, and Mr. Willis, Kennon's brother-in-law,) were active in apprehending said Dunn and expatriating him. He resided in Salisbury and was an attorney.
Dunn, as shown by his memorial was a man of ability, and of character, but of mistaken views. Murphey tells us "that he was a native of Ireland, and in consequence of some private feud, suddenly left his native land, and came to America, where he settled on Reid's Creek, and married Mary Reid. He followed, for a livelihood, teaching and shoe-making. He studied law and removed to Salisbury where he practiced with much success. He was the Colonel of the Rowan Militia, and in 1771 marched to Hillsboro' to protect the Court against the intimidations of the Regulators.*
After the war was over, Dunn returned to Salisbury where he ended his days, and lies buried
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