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A 1949 image of Regulators and Gov. Tryon having “stormy meetings.” This image is now held by the N.C. Museum of History

On June 6, 1765, George Sims published the “Nutbush Address.”  The document, entitled “An Address to the People of Granville County,” set forth in graphic language the abuses of power that the people of the Piedmont region were forced to suffer under colonial rule. The address specifically mentioned excessive taxes, high rents, unfair fees, and fraudulent accounting of public funds. Its particular target was Samuel Benton, political kingpin of colonial Granville.

Sims was a schoolteacher living in that portion of Granville County known as Nutbush. Nutbush was roughly what is now Vance County. With wide circulation of the Nutbush Address, public temper in the “Granville District” became increasingly agitated. Regulator leader Herman Husband quoted from the address and used it to his advantage when he later wrote about the Regulator movement.

One historian wrote that the Nutbush Address represents “the first recorded mutterings of the troubles that grew into the War of the Regulation.”

Visit Alamance Battleground in Burlington this weekend for family fun on a War of Regulation battlefield. The event will feature period costumed interpreters.

Other related resources:

• Alamance Battleground State Historic Site
• The Regulator Movement on NCpedia
• Farming Dissenters: The Regulator Movement in Piedmont North Carolina from North Carolina Historical Publications

For more about North Carolina’s history, arts and culture, visit Cultural Resources online. To receive these updates automatically each day, make sure you subscribe by email using the box on the right, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

ncpedia: The Gatling Gun was the "deadliest weapon of the time" in the mid 1800s. http://t.co/SKXGUl5yQI

An autographed image of O. Henry held by
the State Archives

On June 5, 1910, writer William Sidney Porter, known to the world by the pseudonym O. Henry, died.  Born in 1862 in Greensboro, Porter was raised by an aunt who educated him until he turned 15, when he began work in his uncle’s pharmacy. In 1882, Porter left Greensboro for Texas, where worked as a rancher, an experience that would later manifest itself in his writing.

Over the next 14 years, Porter worked various jobs in Austin, Texas, including stints as a bookkeeper, draftsman and bank teller, all the while writing short stories, sketches and humorous pieces for several newspapers.

In 1896, Porter moved to Houston for a newspaper job. Once there, he was indicted by an Austin court on charges of embezzlement stemming from his tenure as a bank teller. He fled to Honduras but subsequently was arrested, convicted and ordered to serve five years in prison. While incarcerated, he had time to engage in serious writing and by the time he was released for good behavior in 1901, Porter had several works published. In 1902, he moved to New York, and wrote more than 100 stories in less than two years. He moved to Asheville in 1907 where he lived until his death.

Other related resources:

• The North Carolina Literary Trails, including the entry on High Point, Centre and Greensboro
• The North Carolina Arts Council
• Images of O. Henry from the State Archives
• The O. Henry Festival on NCpedia

For more about North Carolina’s history, arts and culture, visit Cultural Resources online. To receive these updates automatically each day, make sure you subscribe by email using the box on the right, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

ncpedia: RT @dpla: June 4, 1783: Montgolfier brothers launch hot air balloon in France and the "air age" begins… http://t.co/AdzUPUTNnj @smithsonian…

ncpedia: RT @NCCollection: Happy 80th b-day to @ourstatemag. We've got a personalized look back at the magazine's history. http://t.co/TN0u0yGMyK