EDITORIAL COMMENT

Out of curiosity the other day, I asked a number of Kinstonians a simple question: "Who was Richard Caswell?"

Their answers varied:

"Wasn't he the founder of Caswell Center?" one young fellow asked in return.

"He did something in Kinston. I think he built that Civil War boat," a young lady answered.

"I'm not sure," another admitted.

"He was in a war or something," said another, who then asked, "Isn't there a Caswell Street in Kinston?"

Yep, sure enough, there is a Caswell Street. Richard Caswell was a hero in a very important war, but he had nothing to do with the Civil War.

And as I suspected, judging from my informal poll, most Kinstonians are not aware of Richard Caswell's connection to Kinston, the state of North Carolina and the Constitution of the United States.

Richard Caswell was one of Kinston's most important citizens. He moved to Dobbs County (now Lenoir County) from Maryland. He was elected to the colonial assembly (Royal Colonial government) in 1754, a post he held for 17 years.

In 1762, while a member of the assembly, Caswell introduced a bill which established the town of Kingston, in honor of young King George III (now Kinston -- the "g" was dropped after Caswell helped drive the British out of North Carolina during the Revolutionary War).

Also that year, Caswell purchased lots along with other founders of Kinston and laid out the streets of Kingston.

Caswell commanded the right wing of North Carolina Royal Governor William Tryon's army to squelch a rebellion by a group called "Regulators." By the way, most everyone knows about Tryon Palace, the residence of Governor Tryon and the location of colonial assembly meetings. It was burned down in 1798 and reconstructed in 1950 from the original architect plans. Today, it's a great tourist attraction in New Bern.

When relations between the American colonies and England became strained in 1774, Caswell was elected to the Continental Congress, which plotted secretly to drive the British from American soil.

Caswell participated in the Continental Congress in Philadelphia, the body that eventually drew up the American Constitution, a document which is today so important in all our lives.

When fighting broke out, Caswell commanded the Patriot forces at the Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge near Wilmington in 1776. There Caswell's forces soundly defeated the British, throwing them into retreat.

As a result of that important battle, the Patriots were able to drive the British out of North Carolina and eventually completely out of the colonies.

Because of his popularity and dedication to independence, Richard Caswell became the first Constitutional Governor of North Carolina on January 16, 1777.

That's right, one of Kinston's founders named Richard Caswell became the first constitutional governor of North Carolina. After his election, Caswell continued to serve Kinston, North Carolina and his country well.

He died from a stroke in 1789 while presiding over the State Senate in Fayetteville.

Nathaniel Macon, who received his first training in statecraft under Richard Caswell, said of him: 'Governor Caswell of Lenoir County was one of the most powerful men that ever lived in this or any other country.' As a statesman, his patriotism was unquestioned, his discernment was quick, his judgment sound; as a soldier, his courage was undaunted, his vigilance untiring, his success triumphant."

After Caswell's death, his son Dallam was declared the sole surviving executor of his will. Unfortunately, Richard Caswell had given so much of himself to this country that he had neglected his personal affairs and finances, and his estate was deeply in debt.

After Dallam finished paying all the bills, he was forced to ask the state of North Carolina to forgive taxes owed on one remaining tract of land. The state refused. The tax was not forgiven.

Nothing much has changed since then. A monument built in Kinston to honor Richard Caswell was destroyed in a fire during the 1800s. It was rebuilt, but in the 1930s when the state was paving over the antique bricks on Queen Street, they demanded that the memorial be moved from its location in the center of the road at Queen and Caswell Streets. When city workers tried to move it, it was knocked over and destroyed.

Some 40 years later, local historian Jake West found part of the monument in the city dump, and it was moved to a Caswell Memorial Park off Vernon Avenue. That park was created by the Daughters of the American Revolution on land that was once owned by Caswell. There is a cemetery there where his daughter is buried, but no one seems to know exactly where Richard Caswell is buried. Moreover, even though there is a portrait supposedly of Richard Caswell, no one is sure it is him, and no one can find any artifacts that belonged to him.

There is now question as to whether Harmony Hall, supposedly Richard Caswell's home and Kinston's most historical landmark, ever even belonged to Richard Caswell. Some North Carolina historians say that house existed one block over, south of Harmony Hall.

To trounce further upon Governor Richard Caswell's memory, the state of North Carolina changed the name of Richard Caswell Memorial Park to "CSS Neuse State Historic Site and Governor Richard Caswell Memorial." This year, although the park has absolutely no historic connection to the Civil War, Betty McCain, Secretary of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources, erected a hideous metal barn to house the Civil War relic CSS Neuse right smack dab in the middle of the once picturesque park that was built to honor Governor Caswell. And it's not out of the question that when the contractor was drilling the poles for the barn, he may have dug right into Richard Caswell's grave.

Is there any wonder why Kinstonians know so little about Kinston's most historic figure?