1810 and in 1811, and this district in Congress in 1817. He attended a ball at Washington City in the dead of winter; the exposure brought on diptheria, and December 31, 1815, it terminated his life. He was succeeded by Hon. Charles Fisher.
The progenitor of the Pearson family was Richmond Pearson, born 1770, died 1819, who was a native of Dinwiddie County, Virginia, and came, when only nineteen years old, to North Carolina and settled in the forks of the Yadkin.
When the Revolutionary war came on, he joined the army and was appointed a Lieutenant in Captain Bryan's Company; the first muster that occurred after the Declaration of Independence. Pearson requested some of his men to load their guns. Bryan came on the ground and ordered those men into ranks. Pearson declined, and tendered his resignation to Bryan, who immediately ordered his arrest, which was resisted. They then came to a parley, and as Bryan advocated the cause of the Loyalists, and Pearson the rights of the people, it was finally agreed by all parties, that on a day fixed, the question between the opinions should be settled by a fair fist fight, and whichever whipped, the company should be commanded by the victor. They met, they fought, the lieutenant was conquered; so the "Fork' company was for liberty, and Bryan's party on Dutchman's Creek, was for the King. This circumstance was narrated to me by Chief-Justice Pearson, and shows by what slight circumstances, events of magnitude are often influenced. Captain Pearson and his company did good service in harrassing the advance of Cornwallis' columns, and was at the passage of the Catawaba on July 1, 1781, when General Davidson was killed. He was a successful planter and an enterprising merchant. He died in 1819, leaving one daughter, Betsy, who married Judge John Stokes, a Colonel in the Revolutionary war; severely wounded at Buford's defeat, where he lost an arm. He was appointed United States District Judge in North Carolina by General Washington. He was the brother of Governor Montford Stokes. Stoke County was called in honor of him. He died in Fayetteville, October, 1790.
Jesse A. Pearson, the son of Richmond, represented this County in the House of Commons in 1808, '9,-'14 and '15. He commanded a regiment in 1814, in General Graham's brigade, and moved against the Charokee nation, to repress their hostilities; afterwards he was elected Major-General of the militia of the State. He was a soldier, "sudden and quick in quarrel;" he fought a duel with General Montford Stokes, near Salisbury, in which Gen. Stokes was wounded.
He married first a daughter of General Steele, and second Mrs. Wilson, whose daughter, by a former husband, married Archibald G Carter, of Davie County. He died in 1823 and left no issue.
Joseph Pearson, also a son of Richmond, was a native of Rowan County. He was a lawyer be profession and a politician. He represented the borough of Salisbury in 1804 and '5 and this District in the 11th, 12th and 13th Congresses, 1809-'15. Like his brothers he was ready to make good his words by his acts. About 1811, whilst in Congress, he fought a duel on political grounds, with Hon. John J. Jackson, of Virginia. He died in Salisbury on Oct. 27th, 1834. He was thrice married, first to Miss McLinn; second Miss Ellen Brent; and third Miss Worthington of Georgetown, D. C.
Richmond Pearson, son of Richmond, and brother to the above was active and enterprising, but never in public life. He was devoted to agriculture and the internal improvements of the State. He, with George Fisher, in a boat, passed the falls of the Yadkin.
By his second marriage he left:
I. Sarah, who married Isaac Croom.
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