Balfour's house, and warned him of the danger. Balfour had hardly got out of his house, before he saw Fanning galloping up. He ran, but one of Fanning's party (named Authrey) fired at him and broke his arm. He returned to his house and entered it; his daughter and sister clung to him in despair. Fanning and his troop immediately entered, tore the women away with violence, and threw them on the floor, and held them under their feet till they had shot Balfour. As he fell Fanning shot him through the head, and he died instantly. An indictment was found against Fanning, at the Superior Court at Hillsboro', for this murder, but he was never apprehended."
A sketch of this desperado (Fanning) is recorded on page 112.
His sister and her aunt Margaret went to Salisbury to reside; Mrs. Balfour, who had not come from Rhode Island as yet to join her husband, with her two little children, now came to this State and joined them; their misfortunes met with cordial sympathy from the kind people of that place. In a few years an arrangement was made, by the influence of Gen. Steele, to appoint her post-mistress, the profits of which yielded a comfortable support. The duties of this position she discharged with fidelity and satisfaction for many years His daughter, Tibby, married John Troy, and had John Balfour Troy (in Legislature from Randolph in 1827), and Rachel, who married Lewis Beard, now of Mississippi.
Col. Balfour's son, Andrew, married Mary, daughter of John Henly, who was a member of the Society of Friends, and had nine children --all of whom removed west, except Eliza. wife of Col. Drake, of Asheboro'.
The third and only remaining child of Col. Balfour, Margaret, married Hudson Hughs, of Salisbury, one of whose daughters married Samuel Reeves.
Herman Husbands, who resided for a long time on Sandy Creek, in this County was conspicuous in the Regulation troubles. (See page 1.)
He was a native of Pennsylvania and is said to have been a relative of Benjamin Franklin. He was a man of indomitable firmness, great shrewdness, and of strong native intellect. He enjoyed the confidence of the people, who often elected him to the Legislature before the Revolution. But his independent course rendered him obnoxious to the friends of Royalty.
I extract from the Journals of the House of Assembly at New Berne: "20 Dec., 1770. On motion the House resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole, to take into consideration the conduct of Herman Husbands, a member of this House."
After some time spent therein the Chairman reported:
"1. That Herman Husbands is one of the Regulators and principal mover in the late seditions--and is unworthy of a seat in this House, and that he be immediately expelled. This resolution was agreed to by the House and whereupon Husbands appeared at the bar of the House, and the Speaker pronounced the said sentence."--Colonial Doc.174.
The same day the following resolution was passed: "Thomas Pearson is charged by Mr. McKnight as guilty of extortion and usury, and unworthy of a seat in this House. Maurice Moore and Mr. Locke, and others appointed a committee to enquire into the facts."
"--25 Jan. Resolved that Richard Henderson, who appeared as prosecutor of several charges against Thomas Pearson, pay all costs"
--"31 Jan. Husbands arrested by order of Gov. Tryon for a libel and put in the New Berne jail.--Ib. 175.
After the battle of Alamance (16 May 1771)
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