at Union Academy, he read law with Judge Pearson, and settled at Mocksville. He was a emmberof the Constitutional Convention in 1865, and '66. He removed to Staterville and was once a candidate for Congress, but was defeated by Major Robbins. He was made Judge, August, 1875, to fill the vacancy occasioned by the resignation of Judge Mitchell.

CHAPTER XXXVI.
JOHNSTON, JONES AND LENOIR COUNTIES.

        The same spirit of resistance to the illegal exactions of authority, which subsequently terminated in the battle of Alamance, was early evinced by the bold men of this county.

        I extract from the Public Records in London, the following, contained in a dispatch from General Tryon to the Earl of Hillsboro:

"BRUNSWICK, N. C., Dec. 24, 1768.

        I will mention another affair which happened in August last. A body of about eighty men came to the Court in Johnston County, with the intention to turn the Justices off the bench, as had been done in the spring before, in Anson County. The Justices thought it prudent (although the first day of the court) to adjourn the court for the term. Upon the notice of their approach they collected some gentlemen who were friends to the Government, and attacked the insurgents with clubs; and after a smart skirmish drove them from the field."

        William A. Smith resides in Johnston county. He has only an old field school education, but possesses such force of character and common sense that has enabled him to attain positions of importance and power. He was born in Warren County, January 9, 1828; worked on the farm till fourteen years of age, when he engaged as a hand on the Raleigh and Gaston Railroad. Hoping to better his fortunes, he went to Louisiana, and settled at Shreveport, but he soon returned to his native State and settled in Johnston County. The people soon discovered his merits. In 1861 he became a member of the (Secession) Convention. In 1864 elected to the Legislature. In 1865 he was a member of the Convention called by Governor Holden. In 1868 he was chosen President of the North Carolina Railroad. In 1870 he was elected by the people a member of the Senate, of the Legislature, but was unseated. He was elected to represent the Raleigh district in (the 43rd) Congress (1873-75). After serving in Congress for one term he declined a re-election.

        Nathan Bryan represented this, the Newbern District in (the 4th and 5th) Congress 1795-99, and was a man of great usefulness and piety. He was prominent in the Baptist denomination. He died while in Congress, at Philadelphia, in 1798, and was succeeded by Richard Dobbs Spaight, Sr. Moore says that he was wealthy and talented.

        Hardy B. Croom (born 1798--drowned October, 1837) was long a resident of Lenoir County. He was born 1798; educated at the University, where he graduated in 1817, in the same class with John M. Morehead and others. He read law with Judge Gaston, and was distinguished as a scholar and a gentleman. He represented this county in the Senate in 1828. He married Miss Smith of New MoselyBerne. On a voyage from New York, on the steamer "Home," he and his family were drowned, October 9, 1837.

        An interesting question of law arose from this

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