attempts of Charles Edward (commonly called the
"Pretender") to ascend the English throne, and by the Irish, after the
rebellion of the Earls of Tyrone and Tyrconnell, who were offered
their pardon on condition of their emigrating to America and in
assisting to colonize the English possessions there. The staid
prudence of the German, the keen sagacity of the Scotch, and fiery
ardor of the Irish commingled on American soil, and were fit materials
to form the elemental foundations of an _industrious, progressive_ and
_independent_ nation.

The early history of Rowan, and of her distinguished sons, affords of
itself ample materials to fill an instructive volume. Within her
borders resided such venerable patriots as Matthew Locke, Moses
Winslow, Griffith Rutherford, John Brevard, William Sharpe, Samuel
Young, William Kennon, Adlai Osborne, Francis McCorkle, James Brandon,
James McCay, and many others, all true and constant friends of
liberty; but alas! how little of their eminent services has been
preserved. Even yet, it is believed, some one of her gifted sons might
do much in collecting from traditional sources, and from her musty
records a rich store of historical facts, hitherto unwritten,
illustrative of the fair name and fame of her Revolutionary career.

In the struggles of the Regulators against the extortions of Governor
Tryon and the crown officers, the spirit of the people of Rowan was
plainly manifested. In March, 1770, Maurice Moore, one of the Colonial
Judges, attended Salisbury to hold the Superior Court. He reported to
Governor Tryon at Newbern that "from the opposition of the people to
the taxes, no process of the law could be executed among them."

Upon this information Governor Tryon repaired in person to Salisbury.
In his original journal, procured from the archives of the State Paper
office in London by the Honorable George Bancroft, late our envoy at
that Court, we can see his actions, and admire the spirit of a Captain
Knox, who refused to join him with his troops. Violent as were the
acts of the Regulators, the subsequent oppressive measures of the
crown officers justified their conduct. The Clerk of Rowan county
(Thomas Frohock) was allowed to charge _fifteen dollars_ for a
marriage license. The effect of this official extortion was such as to
constrain some of the inhabitants on the head-waters of the Yadkin
river to "_take a short cut_," as it was termed in uniting their
conjugal ties for "bet