Post by LongBlade on Aug 29, 2005 11:23:42 GMT -6
Sore loser challenged Senator to a duel
By JEFFERSON WEAVER, Staff Writer
Bladen Journal
(Bladen County, North Carolina)
8/26/05
www.bladenjournal.com/articles/2005/08/26/news/focus%20on%20bladen%20history/duel.txt
While losing candidates today turn to the courts if they don't like vote totals, Bladen County's only governor looked to the dueling ground.
John Owen served as North Carolina's governor from 1828 to 1830. A slight, cultured man, he was also somewhat hot-headed.
In the 1800's, advancing from the state house or senate to the governor's mansion then on to the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives was almost considered a right. Most candidates who were successful in one of the races were assured of moving on up the ladder.
Nine governors since the American Revolution had taken advantage of this job security, being reelected time and again by their constituents.
Indeed, the Owen family was well-known in the state political circles.
John Owen's father Thomas Owen was a prominent member of the Provincial congress, fought in the Revolution, and served at the first Constitutional conventions. He served six terms in the General Assembly.
Governor Owen's brother James served in the legislature and in 1817 was elected to Congress.
For John Owen, however, political office wasn't such an easy road.
Owen hosted political gatherings and socials at his plantation near the present-day intersection of Owen Hill Road and West Broad Street. He was also rumored to have a dueling ground on the plantation.
Although duels were made illegal in the early 1800's, it wasn't uncommon for disagreements to be settled with swords, pistols or daggers, even in North Carolina, as late as 1840.
When Owen lost the race for U.S. Senate to Willie P. Mangum in 1831, he made what became a well-publicized challenge to his successful opponent. Cooler heads prevailed, and the former governor and the senator-elect never actually fought.
Owen's second challenge, though, has had nowhere near the publicity of the first.
The former governor came home to Elizabethtown's Owen Hill and decided to run for the only office left, the state Senate seat he held until 1827.
But as so often happens, while the career politician is away, a local dark horse was gathering votes and gaining popularity.
Robert Melvin was a large, strong man, a farmer in the Ammon community.
According to a 1971 State magazine article by a descendant, Lionel Melvin, the elder Melvin became very well-known locally as a farmer and a leader. It was natural he should try his hand at politics, and was handily elected to the state Senate seat once held by Gov. Owen.
Not only had Owen lost the U.S. Senate seat considered to "belong" to a sitting governor, he couldn't even gather enough votes to regain the seat he'd held previously. Since North Carolina only allowed single terms for governors until the late 20th century, Owen was out of the political spotlight-and angry about it.
Once again, he issued a challenge. While Mangum was from a well-to-do family and had likely learned the niceties of swordfighting and other duelling techniques, Melvin was a farmer from the piney woods. Owen probably figured he had an easy way to remove what he considered a blight on his honor.
Melvin could do nothing more than accept the challenge; even though dueling was against the law, the damage done to his reputation would be irreparable if he backed down.
Under the rules of duelling still observed at that time, the recipient of a challenge got to choose the weapons.
Melvin not only knew nothing about fancier swordplay, but had likely never held a foil or rapier; being a farmer and outdoorsman, he was likely much more comfortable with a shotgun or squirrel rifle than a dueling pistol.
Then Melvin (or possibly a friend and ally) had an idea.
He accepted the challenge from the crack shot, sword wielding would-be dueling governor-and as weapons he chose something which he knew intimately: a broadax.
Broadaxes were used for hewing tree trunks square; others were used to chop down trees deemed too large for felling axes (tools which are similar to their modern cousins).
The heads on some broadaxe artifacts weigh fifteen pounds, and five to eight pounds is common for a broadaxe of the early 19th century. The edges can be as wide as ten inches, and as much as a half-inch thick.
This was the weapon Melvin wanted to use for the duel over the state senate seat.
Owen declined the challenge, and Melvin went on to serve until his death in 1846. Melvin died in office, representing Bladen, Columbus and Brunswick counties.
Sen. Melvin's son, Robert Phillip Melvin, eventually settled at White Lake. He served as one of Bladen County's most popular sheriffs. His home still stands on White Lake Drive near the Municipal Building.
Owen never held another political office. He died in 1841 while visiting friends in Pittsboro, and is buried there.
(Thanks to James Melvin for providing some of the material used in this story.)
By JEFFERSON WEAVER, Staff Writer
Bladen Journal
(Bladen County, North Carolina)
8/26/05
www.bladenjournal.com/articles/2005/08/26/news/focus%20on%20bladen%20history/duel.txt
While losing candidates today turn to the courts if they don't like vote totals, Bladen County's only governor looked to the dueling ground.
John Owen served as North Carolina's governor from 1828 to 1830. A slight, cultured man, he was also somewhat hot-headed.
In the 1800's, advancing from the state house or senate to the governor's mansion then on to the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives was almost considered a right. Most candidates who were successful in one of the races were assured of moving on up the ladder.
Nine governors since the American Revolution had taken advantage of this job security, being reelected time and again by their constituents.
Indeed, the Owen family was well-known in the state political circles.
John Owen's father Thomas Owen was a prominent member of the Provincial congress, fought in the Revolution, and served at the first Constitutional conventions. He served six terms in the General Assembly.
Governor Owen's brother James served in the legislature and in 1817 was elected to Congress.
For John Owen, however, political office wasn't such an easy road.
Owen hosted political gatherings and socials at his plantation near the present-day intersection of Owen Hill Road and West Broad Street. He was also rumored to have a dueling ground on the plantation.
Although duels were made illegal in the early 1800's, it wasn't uncommon for disagreements to be settled with swords, pistols or daggers, even in North Carolina, as late as 1840.
When Owen lost the race for U.S. Senate to Willie P. Mangum in 1831, he made what became a well-publicized challenge to his successful opponent. Cooler heads prevailed, and the former governor and the senator-elect never actually fought.
Owen's second challenge, though, has had nowhere near the publicity of the first.
The former governor came home to Elizabethtown's Owen Hill and decided to run for the only office left, the state Senate seat he held until 1827.
But as so often happens, while the career politician is away, a local dark horse was gathering votes and gaining popularity.
Robert Melvin was a large, strong man, a farmer in the Ammon community.
According to a 1971 State magazine article by a descendant, Lionel Melvin, the elder Melvin became very well-known locally as a farmer and a leader. It was natural he should try his hand at politics, and was handily elected to the state Senate seat once held by Gov. Owen.
Not only had Owen lost the U.S. Senate seat considered to "belong" to a sitting governor, he couldn't even gather enough votes to regain the seat he'd held previously. Since North Carolina only allowed single terms for governors until the late 20th century, Owen was out of the political spotlight-and angry about it.
Once again, he issued a challenge. While Mangum was from a well-to-do family and had likely learned the niceties of swordfighting and other duelling techniques, Melvin was a farmer from the piney woods. Owen probably figured he had an easy way to remove what he considered a blight on his honor.
Melvin could do nothing more than accept the challenge; even though dueling was against the law, the damage done to his reputation would be irreparable if he backed down.
Under the rules of duelling still observed at that time, the recipient of a challenge got to choose the weapons.
Melvin not only knew nothing about fancier swordplay, but had likely never held a foil or rapier; being a farmer and outdoorsman, he was likely much more comfortable with a shotgun or squirrel rifle than a dueling pistol.
Then Melvin (or possibly a friend and ally) had an idea.
He accepted the challenge from the crack shot, sword wielding would-be dueling governor-and as weapons he chose something which he knew intimately: a broadax.
Broadaxes were used for hewing tree trunks square; others were used to chop down trees deemed too large for felling axes (tools which are similar to their modern cousins).
The heads on some broadaxe artifacts weigh fifteen pounds, and five to eight pounds is common for a broadaxe of the early 19th century. The edges can be as wide as ten inches, and as much as a half-inch thick.
This was the weapon Melvin wanted to use for the duel over the state senate seat.
Owen declined the challenge, and Melvin went on to serve until his death in 1846. Melvin died in office, representing Bladen, Columbus and Brunswick counties.
Sen. Melvin's son, Robert Phillip Melvin, eventually settled at White Lake. He served as one of Bladen County's most popular sheriffs. His home still stands on White Lake Drive near the Municipal Building.
Owen never held another political office. He died in 1841 while visiting friends in Pittsboro, and is buried there.
(Thanks to James Melvin for providing some of the material used in this story.)