Richmond Hill
Yadkin County's Historic Richmond Hill Nature Park is the home of the late North Carolina Chief Justice Richmond Pearson. Pearson (1805-1878) was North Carolina's fifth State Supreme Court Chief Justice.
Pearson operated a law school here from 1848-1878. Over the course of those thirty years, over 1000 students attended. Six future state Supreme Court Justices, three U.S. representatives, and three future North Carolina Governors attended here. The law school was in a small building near the home, and students either lived in log cabins or boarded with nearby families.
Pearson, a slaveholder, opposed succession. Under the Confederacy, Pearson was against conscription laws and often issued writs of habeas corpus for deserters or those who avoided the Confederate draft. His actions angered the Confederate government and North Carolina Governor Zebulon B. Vance. Undeterred by the Governor or the Confederacy, Pearson continued to issue writs of habeas corpus, declaring, "Let justice be done though the heavens fall."
The law school operated until Pearson's passing in 1878. The home, built in 1861, was restored in the 1970s and, along with 30 surrounding acres, is now part of Historic Richmond Hill Nature Park. The home is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is also part of the North Carolina Civil War Trail.
Sources & Links:
- Richmond Hill ---Mount Airy Museum of Regional History
- Richmond Hill ---The Historical Marker Database
- Richmond Hill ---NCHistoricHundred.com
How To Get There:
Comments