Misplaced Pages

Lewis Freeman House

Article snapshot taken from Wikipedia with creative commons attribution-sharealike license. Give it a read and then ask your questions in the chat. We can research this topic together.
#561438

94-449: Lewis Freeman House is a historic home located at Pittsboro , Chatham County, North Carolina . The original section was built between about 1811 and 1837, and expanded through the 1890s. It is a one-story, three bay frame cottage with Queen Anne style design elements. The original one-room structure represents the modest home of Lewis Freeman, a free black settler in Pittsboro. The home

188-485: A bedroom community for the nearby cities of the Research Triangle region. Pittsboro was established as a town in 1785. The Chatham County Court House was built on land belonging to Mial Scurlock, but in 1787 the legislature declared that a town could not be established on Scurlock's land. The town's trustees instead purchased adjacent land belonging to William Petty and laid out the town. That same year, Pittsboro

282-526: A landslide , further strengthening its majority in parliament. When parliament met, however, he made no secret of his feelings. Ignoring Robinson, Pitt made frequent and vehement attacks on Newcastle, although still continuing to serve as Paymaster under him. From 1754, Britain was increasingly drawn into conflict with France during this period, despite Newcastle's wish to maintain the peace. The countries clashed in North America, where each had laid claim to

376-645: A second British attempt to capture Louisbourg succeeded. However, Pitt's pleasure over this was tempered by the subsequent news of a significant British defeat at the Battle of Carillon . Toward the end of the year the Forbes Expedition seized the site of Fort Duquesne and began constructing the British-controlled Fort Pitt (which later grew into the city of Pittsburgh). This gave the British control of

470-439: A boy of turbulent disposition but would not do where there was any gentleness". It was at school that Pitt began to suffer from gout . Governor Pitt died in 1726, and the family estate at Boconnoc passed to William's father. When he died the following year, Boconnoc was inherited by William's elder brother, Thomas Pitt of Boconnoc . In January 1727, William was entered as a gentleman commoner at Trinity College, Oxford . There

564-535: A commission of 1 ⁄ 2 % on all foreign subsidies. Although there was no strong public sentiment against the practice, Pitt completely refused to profit by it. All advances were lodged by him in the Bank of England until required, and all subsidies were paid over without deduction, even though it was pressed upon him, so that he did not draw a shilling from his office beyond the salary legally attaching to it. Pitt ostentatiously made this clear to everyone, although he

658-458: A faction of discontented Whigs known as the Patriots who formed part of the opposition. The group commonly met at Stowe House , the country estate of Lord Cobham , who was a leader of the group. Cobham had originally been a supporter of the government under Sir Robert Walpole, but a dispute over the controversial Excise Bill of 1733 had seen them join the opposition. Pitt swiftly became one of

752-525: A failed attack was made on the South American port of Cartagena that left thousands of British troops dead, more than half from disease, and cost many ships. The decision to attack during the rainy season was held as further evidence of the government's incompetence. After this, the colonial war against Spain was almost entirely abandoned as British resources were switched toward fighting France in Europe as

846-404: A household in the town was $ 35,800, and the median income for a family was $ 42,391. Males had a median income of $ 29,500 versus $ 26,719 for females. The per capita income for the town was $ 16,863. About 19.2 percent of families and 18.3 percent of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.3 percent of those under age 18 and 13.7 percent of those age 65 or over. Once home to textiles,

940-541: A number of issues to become more acceptable to George, most notably the heated issue of Hanoverian subsidies. To force the matter, the Pelham brothers had to resign on the question of whether he should be admitted or not, and it was only after all other arrangements had proved impracticable, that they were reinstated with Pitt appointed as Vice-Treasurer of Ireland in February 1746. George continued to resent him however. In May of

1034-405: A robbery/murder case. Harriet Finch was one of four black women to be lynched in the state. They also took and hanged John Pattishall, who was awaiting trial for two other unrelated robbery/murders. A white mob broke into the Pittsboro jail and seized a 16-year-old boy, Eugene Daniel . He was lynched and then had his body riddled with bullets on September 18, 1921. Violence continued during

SECTION 10

#1732884033562

1128-574: A small printing company there. This article about a property in Chatham County, North Carolina on the National Register of Historic Places is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Pittsboro, North Carolina Pittsboro is a town in Chatham County, North Carolina , United States. The population was 3,743 at the 2010 census and 4,537 at the 2020 census . It is

1222-537: A town manager to administer daily operations of the city; the current town manager is Jonathan Franklin. Pittsboro holds elections for the Mayor and three seats on the Board of Commissioners every four years in the off-year after each midterm election. Two Pittsboro Commissioners are elected in the off-year after each presidential election. Pittsboro Police is directed by Chief Shorty Johnson. Serving Pittsboro's 4,000 residents,

1316-573: A victory that ultimately solidified Britain's dominance over world affairs. He is also known for his popular appeal, his opposition to corruption in government, his support for the American position in the run-up to the American Revolutionary War , his advocacy of British greatness, expansionism and empire, and his antagonism toward Britain's chief enemies and rivals for colonial power, Spain and France . Marie Peters argues his statesmanship

1410-515: Is 14,000 acres (5,700 ha) of surface and provides water for Raleigh and the towns of Cary and Apex . According to the United States Census Bureau , the town has a total area of 4.2 square miles (10.8 km ), of which 4.1 square miles (10.7 km ) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km ), or 0.86%, is water. As of the 2020 United States census , there were 4,537 people, 1,841 households, and 1,044 families residing in

1504-540: Is being developed by Storyliving by Disney in Pittsboro. William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham , (15 November 1708 – 11 May 1778) was a British Whig statesman who served as Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1766 to 1768. Historians call him " Chatham " or " Pitt the Elder " to distinguish him from his son William Pitt the Younger , who also served as prime minister. Pitt

1598-514: Is evidence that he was an extensive reader, if not a minutely accurate classical scholar. Virgil was his favourite author. William diligently cultivated the faculty of expression by the practice of translation and re-translation. In these years he became a close friend of George Lyttelton , who would later become a leading politician. In 1728, a violent attack of gout compelled him to leave Oxford without finishing his degree. He then chose to travel abroad, from 1728 attending Utrecht University in

1692-459: Is known through tax records that Freeman owned four town lots and had acquired two more by 1815. The 1815 tax record also mentions that one of these six lots was improved in some way. The original sixteen by sixteen foot Lewis Freeman House is thought to have been this improvement. In 1830, the federal census described Lewis Freeman as a free black man between fifty and sixty years old who lived with his wife, Creecy Freeman, and two children. By 1837,

1786-552: Is one of four remaining dwellings from the town's initial settlement. Due to the lack of records during the early 1800s, little is known about the first residents of the area. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. It is located in the Pittsboro Historic District . The Lewis Freeman House was built sometime between 1811, when Lewis Freeman began to buy town property, and 1837, when it

1880-478: The Dowager Duchess of Marlborough died leaving him a legacy of £10,000 as an "acknowledgment of the noble defence he had made for the support of the laws of England and to prevent the ruin of his country". The inheritance was probably as much a mark of her dislike of Walpole as of her admiration of Pitt. Reluctantly the king finally agreed to give Pitt a place in the government. Pitt had changed his stance on

1974-608: The Duke of Cumberland 's Army of Observation was retreating across Hanover following the Battle of Hastenback . In October Cumberland was forced to conclude the Convention of Klosterzeven , which would take Hanover out of the war. The French Invasion of Hanover posed a threat to Britain's ally Prussia, which was now vulnerable to attack from the west by the French as well as facing attack from Austria, Russia , Saxony and Sweden. Although it

SECTION 20

#1732884033562

2068-505: The Dutch Republic , gaining a knowledge of Hugo Grotius and other writers on international law and diplomacy. It is not known how long Pitt studied at Utrecht; but by 1730 he had returned to his brother's estate at Boconnoc. He had recovered from the violent attack of gout, but the disease proved intractable, and he continued to be subject to attacks of growing intensity at frequent intervals until his death. On Pitt's return home it

2162-571: The Ohio Country , which had been the principal cause of the war. In Europe, Brunswick's forces enjoyed a mixed year. Brunswick had crossed the Rhine , but faced with being cut off he had retreated and blocked any potential French move toward Hanover with his victory at the Battle of Krefeld . The year ended with something approaching a stalemate in Germany. Pitt had continued his naval descents during 1758, but

2256-506: The Ohio Country . A British expedition under General Braddock had been despatched and defeated in summer 1755 that caused a ratcheting up of tensions. Eager to prevent the war spreading to Europe, Newcastle now tried to conclude a series of treaties that would secure Britain allies through the payment of subsidies, which he hoped would discourage France from attacking Britain. Similar subsidies had been an issue of past disagreement, and they were widely attacked by Patriot Whigs and Tories. As

2350-681: The Raid on Rochefort , took place in September but was not a success. The centrepiece of the campaign in North America, an expedition to capture Louisbourg , was aborted due to the presence of a large French fleet and a gale that scattered the British fleet. In 1758 Pitt began to put into practice a new strategy to win the Seven Years' War, which would involve tying down large numbers of French troops and resources in Germany, while Britain used its naval supremacy to launch expeditions to capture French forces around

2444-585: The War of the Austrian Succession had broken out. The Spanish had repelled a major invasion intended to conquer Central America and succeeded in maintaining their trans-Atlantic convoys while causing much disruption to British shipping and twice broke a British blockade to land troops in Italy, but the war with Spain was treated as a draw. Many of the underlying issues remained unresolved by the later peace treaties leaving

2538-522: The county seat of Chatham County. The town was established in the late 18th century, shortly after the American Revolution , as the county seat for the newly formed Chatham County. In the years leading up to the American Civil War , the economy was dominated by small-scale farms that relied heavily on enslaved labor. In the aftermath of the civil war, racial tensions were high, and the town

2632-631: The ongoing European war , which he believed was in violation of the Treaty of Vienna and the terms of the Anglo-Austrian Alliance . He became such a troublesome critic of the government that Walpole moved to punish him by arranging his dismissal from the army in 1736, along with several of his friends and political allies. This provoked a wave of hostility to Walpole because many saw such an act as unconstitutional —that members of Parliament were being dismissed for their freedom of speech in attacking

2726-461: The Bedchamber as a reward. In this new position Pitt's hostility to the government did not in any degree relax, and his oratorical gifts were substantial. During the 1730s Britain's relationship with Spain had slowly declined. Repeated cases of reported Spanish mistreatment of British merchants, whom they accused of smuggling, caused public outrage, particularly the incident of Jenkins' Ear . Pitt

2820-437: The British government was pushed toward declaring war with Spain in 1739. Britain began with a success at Porto Bello . However the war effort soon stalled, and Pitt alleged that the government was not prosecuting the war effectively—demonstrated by the fact that the British waited two years before taking further offensive action fearing that further British victories would provoke the French into declaring war. When they did so,

2914-577: The Civil War and emancipation , whites used violence and other means to enforce white supremacy and suppress the freedmen's vote. The Ku Klux Klan and other supremacist groups were active in the county. Pittsboro was the scene of a notorious mass lynching of four African Americans in 1885, including a woman. The event earned statewide condemnation. Those lynched were tenant farmers. A masked mob took Jerry Finch, his wife Harriet, and Lee Tyson from jail, where they were being held after arrest as suspects in

Lewis Freeman House - Misplaced Pages Continue

3008-588: The French trading settlements in West Africa . In April 1758 British forces captured the ill-defended fort of Saint-Louis in Senegal . The mission was so lucrative that Pitt sent out further expeditions to capture Gorée and Gambia later in the year. He also drew up plans to attack French islands in the Caribbean the following year at the suggestion of a Jamaican sugar planter William Beckford . In North America,

3102-562: The Pitt family until the collapse of the South Sea Bubble , a disaster that engulfed the government. William Pitt was born at Golden Square , Westminster , on 15 November 1708. His older brother Thomas Pitt had been born in 1704 and they had five sisters: Harriet, Catherine, Ann, Elizabeth, and Mary. From 1719, William was educated at Eton College along with his brother. William disliked Eton, later claiming that "a public school might suit

3196-524: The Southern Department , and Leader of the House of Commons under the premiership of the Duke of Devonshire . Upon entering this coalition, Pitt said to Devonshire: "My Lord, I am sure I can save this country, and no one else can". He had made it a condition of his joining any administration that Newcastle should be excluded from it, which proved fatal to the lengthened existence of his government. With

3290-550: The Spanish Treaty and the continental subsidies, which he had violently denounced when in opposition was criticised by his enemies as an example of his political opportunism . Between 1746 and 1748, Pitt worked closely with Newcastle in formulating British military and diplomatic strategy. He shared with Newcastle a belief that Britain should continue to fight until it could receive generous peace terms, in contrast to some such as Henry Pelham who favoured an immediate peace. Pitt

3384-526: The capital and all the chief towns voting him addresses and the freedom of their corporations (e.g., London presented him with the first ever honorary Freedom of the City awarded in history). Horace Walpole recorded the freedoms of various cities awarded to Pitt: ... for some weeks it rained gold boxes: Chester , Worcester , Norwich , Bedford , Salisbury , Yarmouth , Tewkesbury , Newcastle-on-Tyne , Stirling , and other populous and chief towns following

3478-490: The center of Chapel Hill and the University of North Carolina , and south 17 miles (27 km) to Sanford . U.S. Route 64 bypasses Pittsboro to the north and leads east 34 miles (55 km) to Raleigh and west 16 miles (26 km) to Siler City . U.S. Route 64 Business passes through the town as West Street and East Street, crossing US 15/501 at the traffic circle that surrounds the historic Chatham County Courthouse in

3572-472: The center of town. North Carolina Highway 87 leads northwest from Pittsboro 32 miles (51 km) to Burlington . Near the geographic center of the state, Pittsboro is 150 miles (240 km) from Wilmington at the coast and the same distance from Boone in the Blue Ridge Mountains . Jordan Lake is 8 miles (13 km) east, providing recreation, fishing, boating and scenic panoramas. The lake

3666-487: The consequence of a war in America; whoever gains, it must prove fatal to her  ... is this any longer a nation? Is this any longer an English Parliament, if with more ships in your harbours than in all the navies of Europe; with above two millions of people in your American colonies, you will bear to hear of the expediency of receiving from Spain an insecure, unsatisfactory, dishonourable Convention? Owing to public pressure,

3760-540: The county along the Haw River, Rocky River, and Deep River provided new manufacturing jobs to workers who had lost farm holdings due to economic depressions of the 1870s and early 1880s. It was the beginning of industrialization around Pittsboro. On March 25, 2010, the Chatham County Courthouse , while undergoing a $ 415,000 exterior renovation, caught fire. Smoke was first reported in the area around 4:15 pm;

3854-407: The county seat, Pittsboro has been a center of trade and local government, including the courts. Many farmers would come into town on the weekend for trade. In 1881 a new county courthouse and jail were built in Pittsboro. The area did not have large plantations, but farmers also depended on slave labor. In 1860 nearly one-third of the county population was made up of enslaved African Americans. After

Lewis Freeman House - Misplaced Pages Continue

3948-412: The department comprises 8 patrolmen, 1 community police officer, 1 lead investigator and 1 lieutenant. The town is served by five local schools and a Central Carolina Community College campus: Pittsboro is located east of the center of Chatham County. U.S. Highways 15 and 501 run concurrently through the center of the town as Hillsboro Street and Sanford Road, leading north 17 miles (27 km) to

4042-403: The disaster at Cartagena, Walpole finally was forced to succumb to the long-continued attacks of opposition, he resigned and took a peerage . Pitt now expected a new government to be formed led by Pulteney and dominated by Tories and Patriot Whigs in which he could expect a junior position. instead, Walpole was succeeded as prime minister by Lord Wilmington , although the real power in

4136-453: The downfall of Walpole, to which he had personally contributed a great deal. After the dismissal of Carteret, the administration formed by the Pelhams in 1744 included many of Pitt's former Patriot allies, but Pitt was not granted a position because of continued ill-feeling by the king and leading Whigs about his views on Hanover. In 1744, Pitt received a large boost to his personal fortune when

4230-440: The example. Exeter , with singular affection, sent boxes of oak. After some weeks' negotiation, in the course of which the firmness and moderation of " The Great Commoner ", as he had come to be called, contrasted favourably with the characteristic tortuosities of the crafty peer , matters were settled on such a basis that, while Newcastle was the nominal, Pitt was the virtual head of the government. On his acceptance of office, he

4324-592: The faction's most prominent members. Pitt's maiden speech in the Commons was delivered in April 1736, in the debate on the congratulatory address to George II on the marriage of his son Frederick, Prince of Wales . He used the occasion to pay compliments, and there was nothing striking in the speech as reported, but it helped to gain him the attention of the House when he later took part on debates on more partisan subjects. In particular, he attacked Britain's non-intervention in

4418-477: The fire was dispatched to the Pittsboro Fire Department around 4:45 pm. By 5 pm, smoke was reported to be rising from out of the clock tower, which was surrounded by scaffolds. The building was evacuated safely. The building suffered severe damage to the clock tower and the third floor. It was reported that the fire had destroyed all the computers and records, but there were offsite copies and

4512-472: The first had enjoyed only limited success and the second ended with near disaster at the Battle of St Cast and no further descents were planned. Instead the troops and ships would be used as part of the coming expedition to the French West Indies . The scheme of amphibious raids was the only one of Pitt's policies during the war that was broadly a failure, although it did help briefly relieve pressure on

4606-510: The four acre block on West Salisbury Street was recorded as "the Lot on which said Lewis Freeman now lives & embracing the whole square with the exception of the Tanyard Lot." Lewis Freeman died in 1843; leaving to his wife the home, sixteen town lots, twenty acres of land, a cow, a horse, and all household furniture. Creecy Freeman died shortly after and under the provisions of Lewis Freeman's will,

4700-452: The globe. Following the capture of Emden he ordered the dispatch of the first British troops to the European continent under the Duke of Marlborough , who joined Brunswick 's army. This was a dramatic reversal of his previous position, as he had recently been strongly opposed to any such commitment. Pitt had been lobbied by an American merchant Thomas Cumming to launch an expedition against

4794-479: The government came under increasing attack, Newcastle replaced Robinson with Fox who it was acknowledged carried more political weight and again slighted Pitt. Finally in November 1755, Pitt was dismissed from office as paymaster, having spoken during a debate at great length against the new system of continental subsidies proposed by the government of which he was still a member. Fox retained his own place, and although

SECTION 50

#1732884033562

4888-438: The government, something protected by Parliamentary privilege . None of the men had their commissions reinstated, however, and the incident brought an end to Pitt's military career. The loss of Pitt's commission was soon compensated. The heir to the throne, Frederick, Prince of Wales , was involved in a long-running dispute with his father, George II, and was the patron of the opposition . He appointed Pitt one of his Grooms of

4982-400: The information was recoverable. On March 26, 2010, at approximately 1:30 am, the clock tower collapsed onto the main building, but the building as a whole was damaged only on the second floor. Damage in the rest of the building was from water and smoke effects. Overall 11 fire departments participated in the fire efforts. The fire marshal's investigation into the fire determined that it

5076-753: The island of Menorca ill-defended so that the French would seize it, and Newcastle could use its loss to prove that Britain was not able to fight a war against France and sue for peace. When in June 1756 Menorca fell after a failed attempt by Admiral Byng to relieve it, Pitt's allegations fuelled the public anger against Newcastle, leading him to be attacked by a mob in Greenwich . The loss of Menorca shattered public faith in Newcastle, and forced him to step down as prime minister in November 1756. In December 1756, Pitt, who now sat for Okehampton , became Secretary of State for

5170-416: The king unfriendly, and Newcastle, whose influence was still dominant in the Commons, estranged, it was impossible to carry on a government by the aid of public opinion alone, however emphatically that might have declared itself on his side. The historian Basil Williams has claimed that this is the first time in British history when a "man was called to supreme power by the voice of the people" rather than by

5264-400: The king's appointment or, as the choice of Parliament. Pitt drew up his plans for the campaigning season of 1757 in which he hoped to reverse Britain's string of defeats during the war's opening years. In April 1757 Pitt was dismissed from office on account of his opposition to the continental policy and the circumstances surrounding the court-martial and execution of Admiral John Byng . He

5358-463: The largest clothing label mill in the world, and poultry, the town now depends on commuter income, retail stores and a developing business in genetics . Housing developments provide relief from loss of industry as the town adjusts to a new economy. The water supply is abundant, derived from the Haw River . In the future, Jordan Lake will provide much of the water supply. In 2010, the wastewater allotment

5452-399: The new government was divided among Lord Carteret and the Pelham brothers ( Henry and Thomas, Duke of Newcastle ). Walpole had carefully orchestrated this new government as a continuance of his own, and continued to advise it up to his death in 1745. Pitt's hopes for a place in the government were thwarted and he remained in opposition. He was therefore unable to make any personal gain from

5546-415: The past few months Britain had been virtually leaderless, although Devonshire had remained formally prime minister, but now Pitt and Newcastle were ready to offer stronger direction to the country's strategy. By summer 1757 the British war effort over the previous three years had broadly been a failure. Britain's attempts to take the offensive in North America had ended in disaster, Menorca had been lost, and

5640-434: The population. There were 855 households, out of which 29.0 percent had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.9 percent were married couples living together, 18.7 percent had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.4 percent were non-families. 32.3 percent of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.7 percent had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size

5734-530: The post. It was widely believed that Newcastle had done this because he feared the ambitions of both Pitt and Fox, and believed he would find it easier to dominate the inexperienced Robinson. Despite his disappointment there was no immediate open breach. Pitt continued at his post; and at the general election that took place during the year, he even accepted a nomination for the Duke's pocket borough of Aldborough . He had sat for Seaford since 1747. The government won

SECTION 60

#1732884033562

5828-604: The potential for future conflicts to occur. Pitt considered the war a missed opportunity to take advantage of a power in decline, although later he became an advocate of warmer relations with the Spanish in an effort to prevent them forming an alliance with France. Walpole and Newcastle were now giving the war in Europe a much higher priority than the colonial conflict with Spain in the Americas. Prussia and Austria went to war in 1740, with many other European states soon joining in. There

5922-539: The prime minister, out of Treasury funds in an attempt to secure the support of Pitt's brother Thomas in Parliament. Alternatively, the fee may have been waived by the commanding officer of the regiment, Lord Cobham , who was related to the Pitt brothers by marriage. Pitt grew close to Cobham, whom he regarded as almost a surrogate father. He was stationed for much of his service in Northampton , on peacetime duties. Pitt

6016-566: The property of Boconnoc in Cornwall , which gave him control of a seat in Parliament . He made further land purchases and became one of the dominant political figures in the West Country , controlling seats such as the rotten borough of Old Sarum . William's mother was Harriet Villiers , the daughter of Edward Villiers-FitzGerald and the Irish heiress Katherine FitzGerald . William's father

6110-479: The property was left to an unrelated white man named John Thompson. Thompson was the legal executor of Freeman's will, leaving room for speculation as to why the property did not go to Lewis and Creecy Freeman's surviving son, Waller Freeman. For years afterwards the Lewis Freeman House exchanged hands frequently and many additions and changes were made. In 1980 the house was purchased by Jane Pyle who operated

6204-448: The public, but earned him the lifelong hatred of the King, who was emotionally committed to Hanover, where he had spent the first thirty years of his life. In response to Pitt's attacks, the British government decided not to pay a direct subsidy to Hanover, but instead to pass the money indirectly through Austria—a move that was considered more politically acceptable. A sizeable Anglo-German army

6298-535: The same year Pitt was promoted to the more important and lucrative office of paymaster-general , which gave him a place in the Privy Council , although not in the cabinet . There he had an opportunity of displaying his public spirit and integrity in a way that deeply impressed both the king and the country. It had been the usual practise of previous paymasters to appropriate to themselves the interest of all money lying in their hands by way of advance, and also to accept

6392-461: The stress of economic hard times at the end of the century and into the early 20th century, when the state disenfranchised most blacks . This political exclusion lasted until after 1965 and passage of the Voting Rights Act . In 2019, a statue erected in 1907 of a Confederate soldier outside the Chatham County Courthouse in Pittsboro was taken down. Textile mills in the north-central area of

6486-403: The town. The Census of 2010 shows a population of 3,743, 68% growth since 2000. The racial makeup of the town was: 72% White , 19% African American , 4% some other race alone, 2% two or more races. Almost 9% of the population was Hispanic or Latino . 54% of the population is female and 46% male. As of the census of 2000, there were 2,226 people, 855 households, and 535 families residing in

6580-480: The town. The population density was 663.1 inhabitants per square mile (256.0/km ). There were 939 housing units at an average density of 279.7 per square mile (108.0/km ). The racial makeup of the town was 64.38 percent White , 27.54 percent African American , 0.49 percent Native American , 0.67 percent Asian , 0.04 percent Pacific Islander , 4.99 percent from other races , and 1.89 percent from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.81 percent of

6674-404: The two men continued to be of the same party, and afterward served again in the same government, there was henceforward a rivalry between them, which makes the celebrated opposition of their sons, William Pitt the Younger and Charles James Fox , seem like an inherited quarrel. Pitt's relationship with the Duke slumped further in early 1756 when he alleged that Newcastle was deliberately leaving

6768-491: Was Robert Pitt (1680–1727), the eldest son of Governor Pitt. He served as a Tory Member of Parliament from 1705 to 1727. Both William's uncles Thomas and John were MPs, while his aunt Lucy married the leading Whig politician and soldier General James Stanhope . From 1717 to 1721, Stanhope served as effective First Minister in the Stanhope–Sunderland Ministry , and was a useful political contact for

6862-420: Was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.97. In the town, the population was spread out, with 22.9% under the age of 18, 7.3 percent from 18 to 24, 28.7 percent from 25 to 44, 19.6 percent from 45 to 64, and 21.5 percent who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 80.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 75.0 males. The median income for

6956-471: Was a fear that France would launch an invasion of Hanover , which was linked to Britain through the crown of George II . To avert this, Walpole and Newcastle decided to pay a large subsidy to both Austria and Hanover, in order for them to raise troops and defend themselves. Pitt then launched an attack on such subsidies, playing to widespread anti-Hanoverian feelings in Britain. This boosted his popularity with

7050-450: Was a leading advocate of a more hard-line policy against Spain and he often castigated Walpole's government for its weakness in dealing with Madrid . Pitt spoke out against the Convention of El Pardo that aimed to settle the dispute peacefully. In the speech against the convention in the House of Commons on 8 March 1739 Pitt said: When trade is at stake, it is your last entrenchment; you must defend it, or perish  ... Sir, Spain knows

7144-685: Was also known as " the Great Commoner " because of his long-standing refusal to accept a title until 1766. Pitt was a member of the British cabinet and with a brief interlude in 1757, its informal leader from 1756 to 1761, during the Seven Years' War (including the French and Indian War in the American colonies ). He again led the ministry, holding the official title of Lord Privy Seal , between 1766 and 1768. Much of his power came from his brilliant oratory. He

7238-609: Was based on a clear, consistent and distinct appreciation of the value of the Empire. The British parliamentary historian P. D. G. Thomas argued that Pitt's power was based not on his family connections, but on the extraordinary parliamentary skills by which he dominated the House of Commons . He displayed a commanding manner, brilliant rhetoric and sharp debating skills that cleverly used his broad literary and historical knowledge. Scholars rank him highly among all British prime ministers. Pitt

7332-608: Was caused by a soldering torch that ignited wood near the soffit . Workers attempted to extinguish the blaze, but were unsuccessful. On March 31, 2010, the Chatham County Commissioners voted to rebuild the courthouse. It reopened on April 20, 2013. The mayor of Pittsboro is elected at-large . The current mayor is Kyle Shipp. The town's five members of the Board of Commissioners are also elected at-large . They are Pamela Baldwin, J.A. (Jay) Farrell, John Foley, John Bonitz, and James Vose. The Board of Commissioners hires

7426-417: Was chosen member for Bath . A coalition with Newcastle was formed in June 1757, and held power until October 1761. It brought together several various factions and was built around the partnership between Pitt and Newcastle, which a few months earlier had seemed impossible. The two men used Lord Chesterfield as an intermediary and had managed to agree a division of powers that was acceptable to both. For

7520-414: Was destined to be relatively short. His elder brother Thomas was returned at the general election of 1734 for two separate seats, Okehampton and Old Sarum , and chose to sit for Okehampton, passing the vacant seat to William who, accordingly, in February 1735, entered parliament as member for Old Sarum. He became one of a large number of serving army officers in the House of Commons. Pitt soon joined

7614-573: Was expanded. The town is 15 miles (24 km) and 25 miles (40 km) from major power plants. Major corridor highways, US 15-501 and US 64, a four-lane divided highway, intersect there. Pittsboro is home to the Chatham County Government, the Chatham County Justice Center, and many non-profit agencies and other social service organizations. Pittsboro is also a Certified Retirement Community. A new community called Asteria

7708-640: Was first recorded that he lived there. The single-room house was home to Pittsboro's first recorded and most successful black settler. The town records support the evidence that free black people played a large role during early development of North Carolina towns. Prior to the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863, manumission was a somewhat practice that allowed freed black people definite rights—including land ownership, transfer, and descent of property. While his trade remains unknown, Lewis Freeman established himself by investing in real estate. By 1811, it

7802-418: Was formed that George II led to victory at the Battle of Dettingen in 1743, reducing the immediate threat to Hanover. Many of Pitt's attacks on the government were directed personally at Walpole, who had now been prime minister for twenty years. He spoke in favour of the motion in 1742 for an inquiry into the last ten years of Walpole's administration. In February 1742, following poor election results and

7896-535: Was in fact following what Henry Pelham had done when he had held the post between 1730 and 1743. This helped to establish Pitt's reputation with the British people for honesty and placing the interests of the nation before his own. The administration formed in 1746 lasted without major changes until 1754. It would appear from his published correspondence that Pitt had a greater influence in shaping its policy than his comparatively subordinate position would in itself have entitled him to. His support for measures, such as

7990-551: Was late in the campaigning season when he had come to power, Pitt set about trying to initiate a more assertive strategy. He conspired with a number of figures to persuade the Hanoverians to revoke the Klosterzevern Convention and re-enter the war on Britain's side, which they did in late 1757. He also put into practice a scheme of Naval Descents that would make amphibious landings on the French coast. The first of these,

8084-402: Was necessary for him, as the younger son, to choose a profession and he opted for a career in the army. He obtained a cornet 's commission in the dragoons with the King's Own Regiment of Horse (later 1st King's Dragoon Guards ). George II never forgot the jibes of "the terrible cornet of horse". It was reported that the £1,000 cost of the commission had been supplied by Robert Walpole ,

8178-407: Was noted for a number of lynchings and other racial violence in the late 19th century. Industrialization came to the community in the late 19th century, as a number of rivers cross the area providing locations for mills and factories. Economic and population growth would continue into and throughout the 20th century. As industry moved away from the community, it has in the 21st century transitioned into

8272-479: Was officially named the county seat. Although Chatham County is named for William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham , Pittsboro is named for his son, William Pitt the Younger . Pittsboro was once considered as a site for both the University of North Carolina and the state capital. The university was established in Chapel Hill , beginning in 1789. The state capital is Raleigh , 34 miles (55 km) east of Pittsboro. As

8366-441: Was out of power for most of his career and became well-known for his attacks on the government, such as those on Walpole 's corruption in the 1730s, Hanoverian subsidies in the 1740s, peace with France in the 1760s , and the policy toward the American colonies during the 1770s. Pitt is best known as the wartime political leader of Britain during the Seven Years' War, especially for his single-minded devotion to victory over France,

8460-596: Was particularly frustrated that he had not been tested in battle since Britain had not entered the War of the Polish Succession that began in 1733 owing to Walpole's isolationist policies. Pitt was granted extended leave in 1733 and he toured France and Switzerland. He briefly visited Paris, but spent most of his time in the French provinces, spending the winter in Lunéville in the Duchy of Lorraine . Pitt's military career

8554-545: Was saddened when his friend and brother-in-law Thomas Grenville was killed at the naval First Battle of Cape Finisterre in 1747, however, this victory helped secure British supremacy of the sea that gave the British a stronger negotiating position when it came to the peace talks that ended the war. At the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle in 1748 British colonial conquests were exchanged for a French withdrawal from Brussels . Many saw this as merely an armistice and awaited an imminent new war. In 1754, Henry Pelham died suddenly and

8648-409: Was succeeded as prime minister by his brother, the Duke of Newcastle. As Newcastle sat in the House of Lords , he required a leading politician to represent the government in the House of Commons. Pitt and Henry Fox were considered the two favourites for the position, but Newcastle instead rejected them both and turned to the less well-known figure of Sir Thomas Robinson , a career diplomat , to fill

8742-401: Was succeeded by the Duke of Devonshire who formed the 1757 Caretaker Ministry . But the power that was insufficient to keep him in office was strong enough to make any arrangement that excluded him, impracticable. The public voice spoke in a way that was not to be mistaken. Probably no English minister ever received in so short a time so many proofs of the confidence and admiration of the public,

8836-503: Was the grandson of Thomas Pitt (1653–1726), the governor of Madras , known as "Diamond" Pitt for having discovered a diamond of extraordinary size and having sold it to the Duke of Orléans for approximately £135,000. This transaction, as well as other trading deals in India , established the Pitt family fortune. After returning home the governor was able to raise his family to a position of wealth and political influence: in 1691 he purchased

#561438