James Davis was twenty-eight when he came to New Bern in 1749. Settled,
apparently possessing some money, and with a five-year contract as official
printer to the colony, he established himself in the town. One of his first
acts was to acquire property. When the Governor and Council met in April,
1749, and again that fall, Davis was among those applying for land. He was
granted 200 acres in Johnston County and the same amount in Craven County.18
Then he obtained several lots in New Bern itself; one on the southwest
corner of Broad and East Front Streets where after March, 1752, he moved his
printing office from its first location on Pollock Street.19 While thus
providing for his economic future, Davis at the same time assured himself a
domestic future; he married a local widow, Prudence Hobbs, the daughter of
William Carruthers of Beaufort County.20
=================
Earlier:
" William Parks provided North Carolina with more than just a good
newspaper. From his shop in Williamsburg this colony acquired its first
printer, James Davis. After some years of indecision, North Carolina's
Assembly agreed to authorize a revision of its laws and then, in 1749,
decided to establish a public printing office to print this revision. James
Davis was named to that office at a salary of £160 proclamation money. He
arrived in New Bern and set up his press June 24, 1749.9
Not much is known about the early life of James Davis. He was born in
Virginia, October 21, 1721; where is not known. But in 1745 he was living in
Williamsburg.10 Whether he received training in his art from William Parks
is also not clear. Davis, however, was a skilled printer"
================
http://www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/sections/hp/colonial/Nchr/Subjects/elliott.htm
===================
New Bern
is the second oldest town in North Carolina. It was founded in 1710 by Swiss
and German colonists, led by Baron Christopher deGraffenried. Named for
deGraffenried's former home of Bern, Switzerland, New Bern quickly grew to
be a thriving seaport.
Ships traveled the Neuse and Trent rivers to bring treasures from Europe and
the Orient. New Bern was a vital port along major shipping routes. Today,
sailboats and
yachts float in New Bern's marinas, but some of the town's families
still possess furnishings and artwork that were imported from those exotic
lands.
During those early days, New Bern's central coastal location served as a
convenient meeting place for the North Carolina colonial assembly. In 1770
Royal Governor William Tryon completed his estate, and the city became North
Carolina's first permanent capital. Tryon Palace, so nicknamed by
nineteenth century historians, was hailed in its day as one of the most
beautiful and distinguished buildings in colonial America. It served as
both a colonial assembly hall and the governor's residence. Tryon Palace is
one of North Carolina's leading tourist attractions. President George
Washington visited New Bern in 1791. The town's "exports consist of
tobacco, pork, but principally of naval stores and lumber," he wrote during
his two-day stay. He commented on the town's "exceedingly good lodgings"
and the hospitality shown by the townspeople who staged "a public dinner and
... a dancing assembly in the evening."
Founded in 1710 at the confluence of the Trent and Neuse rivers, New Bern
was settled by Swiss and German adventurers led by Baron Christopher de
Graffenried from Bern, Switzerland. New Bern is the second oldest town in
the state. Royal Governor William Tryon made this seaport his colonial
capitol and residence, Tryon Palace, was built in 1770.
A major port and trading center in the 1800's, New Bern was captured and
occupied by the Union Army after a fierce battle on March 14, 1862.
New Bern has three historic districts with homes, stores, and churches
dating as far back as the early 18th century. In fact, there are 36
individual listings and more than 150 sites included in the National
Register of Historic Places. History abounds around every corner, with over
150 landmarks -some dating to the 18th century- representing a variety of
architectural periods.
Religion has always played an important role in city history, and church
graveyards chronicle the lives of the early settlers. Christ Church parish
was established in 1715, and the first church building was constructed in
1750. King George II of England gave the church a silver communion service,
a prayer book, and a Bible in 1752 that are still in use. The second church
was destroyed in a fire that swept away several buildings in the late
1870's, and today's church was built on the old foundations. Stones in the
graveyard date back before 1800. First Presbyterian Church, established in
1817, was used as a hospital and lookout during the Civil War. The belfry
still shows carved names and initials of Union soldiers. One of the founding
members of the church was an African American woman. Cedar Grove Cemetery
has the graves of Confederates who died in the Battle of New Bern, and the
National Cemetery holds the remains of Union soldiers and veterans of later
wars.
http://66.102.7.104/search?q=cache:V9620xT6-QMJ:www.c21zr.com/naboutnb/nn...
======================
http://66.102.7.104/search?q=cache:V9620xT6-QMJ:www.c21zr.com/naboutnb/nn...
New Bern
Historic Homes
And Historical Sites List
===================
Barry
Barry Wetherington