Charlotte:
Priceless historic notes hidden in Waightstill Avery’s diary
The North Carolina state archives sequester surprises for Masons digging for Masonic life in Revolutionary times. Witness these excerpts from the diary of Waightstill Avery, North Carolina’s first attorney general, who came from New England to Charlotte to become one of the most important Masons in North Carolina history:

1768. New Bern to Salisbury.
April 5 1769. Dined with the governor (Dobbs) & his lady.
April 23. Heard the Rev. Wm. Alexander.
1769, April 28. Crossed the Catawba River, met McMalley at Hopewell and heard him preach. After which rode home with Hezekiah Alexander with whom I, the next morning, agreed for a year’s board at the rate of 12 pounds for 8 months, making allowance if I should not be there for long in the year.
April 29. Met Dunn and Martin.
May 17. Rode to Caudle Crooks. Lodged at Ogburns.
May 18. Visited Brevards.
May 19. Went to Caruth’s Vanduo.
May 20. John Dickin’s.
May 21. Rev. M. Little Balch.
May 22. Went to my quarters in Mecklinburg.
May 28. Mecklinburg Sunday. Heard the Rev. Wm. Joseph Al.
May 29, 30, 31. Spent reading law; close at home.
June 5. To Tryon with Ezekial Polk, the clerk of that county. Lodged at Col. Neal’s.
July 2. Spent week reading Voltaire’s History of Europe.
July 27. Convicted a man of Sabbath breaking.
July 30-31. Confined with the ague and fever. I wasn’t home.
September 26. Meck’g. Went to David Rees’s.
September 27. Plotted a piece of land for him.
September 28. Wrote a deed from him to his son.
September 29. Went to James Wylie’s the high sheriff of the county.
September 30. Got home.
October 16. Came home to breakfast & then to Meck’g court.
November 22. Swam Rocky River and got home.
November 26-27. Col. Harris twice. Heard James Caldwell preach.
December 1. Went with James Caldwell—heard him preach. Adam Caruth Brown’s.
December 3. Sermon at Steelcreek and lodge at John Price’s.
December 5. I went to Providence 15 miles on my way to Charleston.
December 8. Santee, SC. Lodged at Miss James.
December 9. Dined and stayed Col. Richardson’s.
December 24. Dined Given’s & lodges Thomas Harris.
December 25. “Got home and went to Charlotte.”
May 1, 1776. Came home from the Congress.
August 29. Came home with --. Took physuk (sic) same day.
September 5. Set out for Salisbury with Squire Alexander where we found the council sitting.
November 1, 1776. Conference: Waightstill Avery, Hezekiah Alexander, John Phifer, Mot+Ewyn and Sacheus Wilson, esquires. Chosen by inhabitants of this county to serve them in Congress or General Assembly for 1 year—approve the declaration of 13 united colonies free and independent states.
June 9, 1779, travelled homeward.
June 10 to July 2 reading Neal’s History of the Puritans.
September 1-3. Lay at home reading.
September 17. Set out for Mecklinburg. 18 got home.
October 15. Sunday. Set out for home and lodged at Phillips.
October 29. Sunday. Went to sermon and from thence home.

Produced by the public relations committee of the Grand Lodge AF&AM of Masons in North Carolina,
2921 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh, NC 27628 MMVIII
Author/editor: Walter J. Klein wklein(at)carolina.rr.com