Sketches of Western North Carolina, Historical and Biographical: Illustrating Principally the Revolutionary Period of Mecklenburg, Rowan, Lincoln and Adjoining Counties, Accompanied with Miscellaneous Information, Much of It Never before PublishedHunter, C. L.
History
Sketches of Western North Carolina, Historical and Biographical: Illustrating Principally the Revolutionary Period of Mecklenburg, Rowan, Lincoln and Adjoining Counties, Accompanied with Miscellaneous Information, Much of It Never before Published
Hunter, C. L.
Burke County (N.C.) -- History; Cabarrus County (N.C.) -- History; Cleveland County (N.C.) -- History; Gaston County (N.C.) -- History; Iredell County (N.C.) -- History; Lincoln County (N.C.) -- History; Mecklenburg County (N.C.) -- History; North Carolina -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783; Rowan
Several years previous to the Revolution, there also came over from
the north of Ireland to America, at least two brothers of the name of
Jack, distant relatives of Patrick and Charles Jack, and settled in
western Pennsylvania. When the county town of Westmoreland
(Hannastown) was burned by the Indians in 1783, one of this family
distinguished himself by saving the lives of the women and children.
After the burning of that place, the name of the town was changed to
Greensburg, and a new location selected on land donated by William
Jack, who had become quite wealthy, and one of the Associate Judges of
Westmoreland county. He had five sons, four of whom died bachelors;
the elder married, but none of his descendants are now (1876) living,
except a grand-son, (William Jack,) who resides near Greensburg, Pa.
The only daughter of Judge William Jack, married _John Cust_, who fled
from Ireland soon after the rebellion in 1798.
About 1760, animated with the hope of more rapidly improving his
worldly condition, Patrick Jack joined the great tide of emigration to
the Southern colonies, and shortly after his arrival in North Carolina
purchased a tract of land between Grant and Second Creeks, in the
Cathey settlement (now Thyatira) in Rowan county. After remaining
there for about two years, he sold his land and moved to the adjoining
county of Mecklenburg. Here, by strict economy and industry, he was
"blest in his basket and his store," and enabled to make more enlarged
possessions. This improvement in his pecuniary condition and
prosperity may be inferred from the fact that in 1775, and a few years
subsequently, he and his eldest son, Capt. James Jack, who, about this
time united in business with his father, became the owners of some of
the finest lots, or rather blocks, in Charlotte. Among the valuable
lots they are recorded as owning, may be briefly named: No. 25, the
present Irwin corner; No. 26, the Parks lot; No. 27, the whole space,
or double block, from the Irwin corner to the Court House lot; No. 29,
the space from the Parks lot to the corner embracing the Brown
property; and several lots on Trade street, opposite the First
Presbyterian Church. On one of these last named lots (the old Elms
property, on the corner next to the Court House) Patrick Jack and his
son Capt. James Jack, resided when the delegates from the militia
districts of the county assembled, on the 19th and 20th of May, 1775,
and kept a public house of entertainment. Here Patrick Jack, on
suitable occasions, was accustomed to "crack" many an Irish joke, to
the infinite delight of his numerous visitors; and by his ready wit,
genial good humor and pleasantry, greatly contributed to the
reputation of his house, and inculcated his own patriotic principles.
The house soon became the favorite place of resort for the students of
the collegiate institute known as "Queen's Museum," and of other
ardent spirits of the town and country, to discuss the political
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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