been in a measure
isolated. Material prosperity, far in excess of the homely comforts
which her people have always enjoyed, will inevitably be the heritage of
her children.

CHAPTER XV

EDENTON IN THE REVOLUTION

From the day when the war cloud of the Revolution first began to gather
upon the American horizon, until the storm was spent and peace descended
upon the land, the little coast town of Edenton played a conspicuous and
heroic part in the struggle which for seven weary years wrought ruin and
desolation throughout the thirteen Colonies.

As early as 1765, when the oppressive rule of England reached its
culmination in the iniquitous Stamp Act, Edenton joined with the other
Carolina towns in adopting resolutions expressing the strong indignation
of her citizens at this act of tyranny on the part of George III and his
Parliament. In 1773 three of her prominent citizens, Joseph Hewes,
Samuel Johnston and Edward Vail, were appointed on the Carolina
Committee of Correspondence which wrote to the other colonies that North
Carolina was ready to join them against the King and Parliament. When
England put into operation the famous Boston Port Bill and that sturdy
little New England City was on the verge of starvation, Joseph Hewes, a
merchant of Edenton, who was later to play a prominent part in
Revolutionary events in North Carolina, joined with John Harvey, of
Perquimans, in collecting supplies and provisions from the patriotic
people of Albemarle, which they sent in the sloop Penelope to their
distressed compatriots in far away Boston. Gratefully was the donation
received by the inhabitants of that city, and a letter of thanks from
the Boston committee amply repaid the donors for their generosity.

One of the earliest, and certainly one of the most interesting events in
the Revolutionary annals of Edenton, was the far-famed Edenton Tea
Party, held at the home of Mrs. Elizabeth King, on October 25, 1774.
This famous gathering of the Edenton women was convened for the purpose
of protesting against the tax on tea, which England had lately begun to
extort from the colonies, and also for heartily endorsing the work of
the first people's Convention, which, at the call of John Harvey, had
met at New Bern in August, 1774.

Before the meeting adjourned these brave and patriotic women had drawn
up resolutions firmly declaring their intention to drink no more of the
taxed tea, and to uphold and encourage in every pos