All honor to his memory!
The writer of this sketch wishes hereby to gratefully acknowledge his indebtedness to Heman W. Chaplin, Esq., of Boston, for no inconsiderable portion of the materials drawn from in its preparation.
THE DICKSON LETTERS.
In “The Dickson Letters,” compiled and edited by James O. Carr, Esq., of the Wilmington, N. C., bar, appears a comprehensive sketch of the Dickson family, and “An act to erect and establish an academy in the County of Duplin,” the text of the act being as follows:
Whereas, the establishing an academy in the said County for the education of Youth, will be attended with great advantages to the State in general and the County of Duplin in particular:
1. Be it therefore enacted by the General Assembly of North Carolina, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, that Thomas Routledge, James Kenan, Joseph Dickson, Thomas Gray, William Dickson, David Dodd, John James, Israel Bordeaux and James Gillespie, Esquires, be and they are hereby constituted and appointed trustees with full power and authority to receive into their hands and possession all monies and other property which have been or hereafter may be subscribed for the purpose of erecting an academy on the lands lately purchased of Nicholas Hunter in said County, by name of Grove Academy; and the said trustees and their successors shall be able and capable in law to ask for and demand, receive and possess of the several subscribers all sums by them respectively subscribed, and in case of refusal of any of them to pay the same, to sue for and recover by action of debt or otherwise, in the name of the trustees, the sum which such person so refusing shall have subscribed, in any jurisdiction having cognizance thereof; and the monies when collected and received, to be applied by the said trustees or a majority of them towards paying for the lands already contracted for, and erecting thereon a suitable and convenient house, to contract with and employ a tutor or tutors, and to perform every act or thing that they or a majority of them shall think necessary and expedient for the advancement of the said academy and the promotion of learning therein.
2. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that the trustees hereinbefore mentioned, shall, previous to their entering on the execution of the trust reposed by this Act, give bond to the court of the County, payable to the Chairman and his successor, in the sum of One Thousand Pounds specie, with condition that they shall well and faithfully account for and apply all gifts, donations, bequests and monies which they may receive of and by virtue of this act for the purposes aforesaid.
3. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that if any of the trustees by this Act appointed shall die, refuse to act or remove away that he cannot attend the duties of his appointment, the remaining trustees may appoint another in his stead, who shall exercise the same powers as trustees appointed by this Act: and when met together within the said County shall have power and authority to elect and constitute one or more tutor or tutors, and a treasurer, and also to make and ordain such rules and regulations, not repugnant to the laws of this State, for the well ordering of the students, their morals, studies and academical exercises, as to them shall seem meet; and to give certificates to such students as shall leave said academy, certifying their literary merit; in general they shall or may do all such things as are usually done by bodies corporate and politic, or such as may be necessary for the promotion of learning and virtue; and the said trustees, or a majority of them are hereby empowered, and shall have lawful authority to remove the tutor or tutors, treasurer or any of them if they shall find it necessary, and on the death, resignation or refusal to act of any of them, to appoint and elect others in the stead of those displaced, dead or refusing to act.
4. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that the trustees by this Act appointed, or a majority of them, and their successors, shall meet annually on the first Friday of March in each and every year, or at any other time they may find more convenient, and elect a proper person out of their own body to preside for the term of one year, who may convene the trustees at any time he may find it necessary. Provided always that he shall give ten days previous notice of such meeting and that the President and Treasurer shall be chosen on the said first Friday of March unless in cases of unavoidable accidents.