. Lives of distinguished North Carolinians . had two sonsand a daughter, of whom the Judge was the second son. Theelder brother died young; and before the subject of thissketch was three years of age he lost his father in a mannerdeeply tragical. He was shot by a band of Tories, who, inthe year 1781, surprised the town of New Bern, and singledout the doctor, who was an ardent and active Whig, as anespecial object of their vengeance. It is said that the fatalinstrument of death was fired over the head of the agonizedwife, while she was imploring, as only a woman can implore,the life of her husb
. Lives of distinguished North Carolinians . had two sonsand a daughter, of whom the Judge was the second son. Theelder brother died young; and before the subject of thissketch was three years of age he lost his father in a mannerdeeply tragical. He was shot by a band of Tories, who, inthe year 1781, surprised the town of New Bern, and singledout the doctor, who was an ardent and active Whig, as anespecial object of their vengeance. It is said that the fatalinstrument of death was fired over the head of the agonizedwife, while she was imploring, as only a woman can implore,the life of her husband. The Judge was then doubtless tooyoung to appreciate all the horrors of the scene, but that itmade a deep impression upon him in subsequent life we arewell assured. Many years afterwards, while he was a memberof Congress, upon being charged, in an exciting party debate,with a want of proper American feeling, he indignantly re-pelled the imputation by the eloquent exclamation, I wasbaptized an American in the blood of a murdered WILLIAM GASTON. WILLIAM GASTON. 151 That same incident was alluded to with thrilling effect in theconvention called to amend ilu- Constitution in 1^>.> by thedistinguished and venerable president of that body. Thedeath of his father threw upon his mother the entire careand responsibility of rearing and educating her infant chil-dren. Her situation was peculiarly beset with death of two brothers, with whom she had come to thiscountry, followed by the loss of her husband, left her withoutany other relatives in America than her two children. Buthappily for them, she was a woman of great energy of char-acter, of singular prudence, and of devoted piety. It imme-diately became a leading object of her life to train up her sonto usefulness and honor. AVe may be well assured from itsresults, that her course of discipline was eminently , the Judge has been heard to declare that what-ever succes> and distinctio
Size: 1546px × 1616px
Photo credit: © Reading Room 2020 / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bo, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, bookidlivesofdistingui00peel
