History of Brunswick County North Carolina United States of America

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Alfred Moore, associate justice, was born in Brunswick county, N.C., May 21, 1755; son of Judge Maurice and Anne (Grange) Moore, and a descendant of Roger Moore, a leader of the Irish rebellion of 1641. His first ancestor in America emigrated from the Barbadoes prior to the accession of Charles II. to the throne, and settled in South Carolina. In 1764 Alfred Moore was sent to Boston, Mass., to complete his education, when he learned military tactics and was offered a commission in the army. He was admitted to the bar in 1775, and on Sept. 1, 1775, was appointed captain in the 1st North Carolina regiment, commanded by his uncle, James Moore, and took part in the campaign resulting in the British defeat at Moore's Creek, February, 1776. He was then ordered to assist in the defense of Charleston; engaged in the attack on Fort Moultrie, in June, 1776, and after the repulse of the British at Charleston, drilled his regiment at Wilmington. He resigned his commission, March 8, 1777, on account of the misfortunes of his family in North Carolina, where he recruited a troop of guerillas, and so annoyed the British that Major Craig sent a detachment to his plantation which plundered and burned his house and left him destitute. He was attorney-general of North Carolina as successor to James Iredell, 1779-90, when he resigned and retired to his plantation. He was the unsuccessful Federalist candidate for U.S. senator in 1795; was elected a judge of the state supreme court in 1798, and was appointed by President Washington associate justice of the U.S. supreme court to fill the vacancy caused by the death of James Iredell, Oct. 20, 1799. He resigned in 1804 on account of failing health. He was married to Susan Eagles, and of his children, Alfred, (1783-1837) became a well-known lawyer in Wilmington, and was a representative in the state legislature and for several sessions speaker of the house. Justice Moore died in Bladen county, N.C., Oct. 15, 1810.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

William Henry Hill, representative, was born in Brunswick county, N.C.; son of William and Margaret (Moore) Hill; grandson of Nathaniel Moore, great grandson of Governor James Moore, and a descendant of Sir John Yeamans, governor of North Carolina 1665-74. He was admitted to the bar and became an eminent lawyer in Wilmington, N.C. He was a state senator from New Hanover county, 1794-95, and a representative in the 6th and 7th congresses, 1799-1803. He was U.S. district attorney; a trustee of the University of North Carolina, 1791-1809, and one ef the commissioners who selected the site of the university. He married Elizabeth, daughter of Gen. John Ashe. He died in Wilmington, N.C., in 1809.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Robert Howe, soldier, was born in Brunswick county, N.C., in 1732, of English ancestry. He visited England, 1764-66, and on his return was commissioned captain of Fort Johnson, N.C., by Governor Tryon. He was a member of the Colonial assembly, 1772-73, and a delegate to the Colonial congress, New Berne, N.C., 1774, the assembling of which Governor Martin opposed. Howe replied to the governor's address and his remarks caused the governor to issue a proclamation from aboard the British ship Cruiser, Aug. 8, 1775, denouncing Howe for taking the title of colonel and for calling out and training the militia. On August 21 Howe was appointed, by the Colonial congress which met at Hillsborough, colonel of the 2d North Carolina regiment, and in December, 1775, was ordered to proceed with his regiment to Virginia, where he joined Gen. William Woodford at Norfolk, and drove Lord Dunmore out of that part of the state. He was given a vote of thanks by the Virginia convention and by congress and was promoted brigadier-general. In March, 1776, he joined Gen. Henry Lee and marched his regiment through North Carolina, en route for Charleston, S.C. The people of his state received him with public honors, and on reaching Charleston he was given command of the North Carolina troops and soon after succeeded Gen. James Moore in the command of the entire Southern department. He was made major-general in October, 1777, and in the spring of 1779 led an unsuccessful expedition against Florida and was obliged to fall back to Savannah, Ga., which city he undertook to defend with his decimated force, aided by the militia, against the British forces of General Prevost. He was surprised by Lieutenant-Colonel Campbell and forced to evacuate the place. This disaster led to a court-martial which honorably acquitted him from blame. Gen. Christopher Gadsden, of Charleston, criticised his conduct in a public letter, which resulted in a duel in which neither was hurt, and the incident was the subject of a humorous poem by Major John Andre. Howe's conduct had so displeased the people of South Carolina and Georgia that Gert. Benjamin Lincoln superseded him and he joined Washington's army on the Hudson, where he commanded West Point in 1780 and quelled the mutiny of the Pennsylvania and New Jersey line in 1781. He received for this service the thanks of Washington. In 1783 he quelled another attempted mutiny of the troops in Philadelphia. In 1785 congress appointed him an Indian commissioner, and on his return to North Carolina he was elected to the state legislature, but died before taking his seat. During his absence his plantation had .been raided and his buildings and stock destroyed by order of Lord Cornwallis. He died in Brunswick county, N.C., Nov. 12, 1785.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Maurice Moore, jurist, was born in Brunswick county, N.C., in 1735; son of Maurice Moore (1670-1740), one of the first settlers of the Cape Fear region, who, with his brother James, quelled the Indian troubles in 1713; and grandson of James Moore, governor of South Carolina, 1700. He was an able lawyer, and in 1758 was appointed a colonial judge, with Richard Henderson and Martin Howard, as associates. At the outbreak of the Revolution he published a series of letters signed "Atticus," in which he denounced the action of Governor Tryon. He was consequently recommended for removal, but remained on the bench until the courts were closed. His popularity was so great that during the riots that occurred in Hillsborough in 1770 he was unmolested. He was a member of the house of burgesses, 1775-76, and was a member of the committee organized to draw up an address to the people of Great Britain setting forth the wrongs to the colonies in North America. He died in Wilmington, N.C., Jan. 15, 1777.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of Brunswick County North Carolina

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