arduous duties of the office for a series of years in a manner that commanded the admiration and gratitude of his contemporaries." A clear perspicuity of mind, methodical accuracy and pertinency of argument, a pleasing, impressive and natural eloquence, distinguished his legal efforts. He soon arose to eminence. In 1798 was called to the bench of North Carolina; the next year he was appointed by the President one of the Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States. He held the elevated position for six years, with credit to himself and satisfaction to his colleagues and the nation. His health failing he resigned. He died in 1810 at the house of Major Waddell, in Bladen County, aged 55. His private life was equally as interesting as his brilliant public career. His manners graceful and winning, threw a charm over his domestic circle. His brilliant wit and his varied accomplishments, his gentle courtesy and unstinted hospitality, has, in the language of Mr. Davis, "handed his memory down to posterity as a finished model of a North Carolina gentleman."
Judge Moore married Susan Eagles, and left four children; Maurice, colonel in war of 1812; Alfred, with whom we opened this sketch of Brunswick County; Anna, who married Hugh Waddell, senior, son of General Hugh Waddell, of the Regulation war; Sally, unmarried.
The best evidence of the high appreciation of the name and fame of Judge Alfred Moore, by the people of the State, is at this time, 1878, there are two members of Congress, and hundreds of others in North Carolina, who proudly bear his name as their patronomic, and who reverence his memory and virtues.
The genealogical diagram printed in the Appendix will explain the branches and descent of this distinguished family, and has been compiled with some care from historical documents, by aid of Mrs. Harvey, one of the descendants.
The capital town of Brunswick County preserves the name of Benjamin Smith, who was governor of the State in 1810, and a sketch of whom may be found in the history of North Carolina, vol. II, p. 49.
Governor Smith was at one time immensely wealthy, having large possessions on the Cape Fear river. His liberal donation to the University in 1789, of 20,000 acres of land, proves his friendship for learning.
His temper, "sudden and quick in quarrel," involved him in several duels. In one of them, with a man by the name of Leonard, he received the ball of his adversary in his hip, which he carried to his grave.
He died in Smithville in February, 1829, entirely penniless, and was buried the same night he died by Major Wilson and Captain Frazier, of the United States army, under the cover of the night, to prevent the sheriff from levying upon the dead body for debt, which was allowable in those days, that when a ca. sa. was levied, once levied on the body it could be kept out of the grave in order to force the friends to redeem it by satisfying the claim in hands of the sheriff.*
* Letter from Woodsides
hotel, Smithville, to the "Observer," Raleigh, October 4, 1878.
There are many other names connected with the early history of this county, as Thomas Allen, Archibald McLaine, Roger Moore, William Lord, Thos. Leonard, William R. Hall, Parker Quince, John Rowan, and others, well deserving of our remembrance and record.
It is hoped that some son of Brunswick will gather together the rich materials before they are forever lost, and present their lives and services to posterity. A recent and graphic sketch of Gov. Smith, from the polished pen of President Battle, is well worth preserving.
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