Charles Eden (politician)
Governor of North Carolina | |
---|---|
In office 28 May 1714 – 26 March 1722 | |
Monarchs | |
Preceded by | Thomas Pollock (acting) |
Succeeded by | Thomas Pollock (acting) |
Personal details | |
Born | 1673 County Palatine of Durham, England |
Died | 26 March 1722 (aged 48) Bertie County, North Carolina |
Resting place | St. Paul's Church, Edenton 36°03′40.6″N 76°36′31.8″W / 36.061278°N 76.608833°W |
Spouse | Penelope Golland |
Charles Eden (1673 – 26 March 1722) was a British colonial official who served as the second
Governor of North Carolina
Eden was appointed governor of North Carolina on 28 May 1714. He is best known for his connections with various locally based
In 1719 prominent North Carolinian Edward Moseley accused Governor Eden of profiting from Blackbeard's crimes. Moseley was arrested and fined for his accusations. Eden's secretary of the governor's council, Tobias Knight, was implicated when a letter written to Teach was found on the pirate's body at his death and by the fact that the cargo taken from a ship captured by Teach was housed in Knight's barn. Knight's letter mentioned the governor's desire to meet with Blackbeard and this was considered sufficient evidence that Eden colluded with the pirates, but no further proof was forthcoming. Four of Blackbeard's crew stated in depositions following their capture that they "went from Ocacock in a periange with Edward Thache to the house of Tobias Knight Secty of North Carolina and carried in the said periangor three or foure Caggs of Sweet meets Some Loaf Sugar a bagg of Chocolate and Some boxes the Contents of which they did not know that they got to the sd Knight house about Twelve or one a Clock in the Night."[1] Eden presented an account of his dealings with Blackbeard to the provincial council, which accepted his pleas of innocence. Nevertheless, Eden's reputation has long been clouded by his connections to Blackbeard.[2]
Eden died of
Personal life
Eden's step-daughter Penelope married Gabriel Johnston, the sixth governor of North Carolina. His great-grandson through that marriage was United States Congressman William Johnston Dawson.
In popular culture
Eden was featured as a character in the
References
- ^ "Minutes of the North Carolina Governor's Council, including a deposition, a remonstrance, and correspondence concerning Tobias Knight's business with Edward Teach". Documenting the American South. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
- ^ Drane Nash, Jaquelin. "Eden, Charles". NCpedia. Retrieved 7 July 2016.
- ^ Elizabeth Van Hoore and Catherine Cockshutt (February 1975). "St. Paul's Episcopal Church and Churchyard" (PDF). National Register of Historic Places - Nomination and Inventory. North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
- ^ "Blackbeard - TV Mini Series - 2006". IMDb. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
Further reading
- Woodard, Colin. The Republic of Pirates. Harcourt, New York, NY. (2007).