| Summary |
As a young man Benjamin Smith left his native Charleston and came to Brunswick County where he made his home along the sluggish waters of the Cape Fear River. Here he became wealthy, influential, and powerful. Here, likewise, he found defeat, poverty, and sorrow. No man has ever played such a varied role in the development of this county as did the planter-politician of "Belvidere" plantation. Today the name of Benjamin Smith lives only in legend and tale. Few natives of Brunswick County or of southeastern North Carolina are familiar with this unique figure from the past; and, with minor exceptions, these few individuals have only a badly distorted image of a vain, high-living, duel-fighting, old man who died, bound in prison chains. Writers of Cape Fear history apparently have been satisfied to perpetuate the many traditions which have developed relative to the life of Benjamin Smith without attempting to ascertain their validity. The true character of Benjamin Smith has never been portrayed; a documented study of his life has never been attempted. For this reason I undertook the almost impossible task of collecting material relevant to the life and times of Benjamin Smith. As work progressed I found it necessary to confine my work to the political interests and public activities of my subject. Time has robbed the researcher of much valuable material which would have given a clearer insight into the many activities of a life which is now cloaked in, the da rime ss of one hundred and fifty forgotten years. |
