It was eleven o'clock one morning in the middle of September, 1869, when Joseph Blount Cheshire stepped into a classroom to teach a course in Latin. Before him sat six boys, several of them older than himself. He was only nineteen years old, and he was about to begin his first job. The school was St. Clement's Hall at Ellicott City, Maryland, and the assignment for that day was one in Sallust. About all young Cheshire could recall of that particular passage was its being one of the most difficult he had ever tried to translate. He was faced with the alternative of bluffing his way through or frankly confessing to the boys that he was thoroughly unprepared to teach the assignment. So, boldly facing his class, he declared: "Young gentlemen, it is many years since I last looked into Sallust, and this passage, Caesar's speech, I remember as the most difficult passage in this book. I am not prepared to deal with it today, but I will endeavor to be ready for you tomorrow."

This was a rule of life which he followed consistently, to deal frankly and honestly with every situation, no matter what it might cost him personally. Complete fearlessness was one of Bishop Cheshire's most pronounced characteristics. In his announced views on public questions, in the administration of his diocese, and in his historical writings, his courage was often manifested. His was not, however, a character which could be described in a few striking phrases. The man can best be understood by observing his deeds as they developed from early youth until the end of a long life of four score and two years.

In the mid-nineteenth century the quiet little town of Tarboro, North Carolina, was like many other small towns to be found in the Old South. It was one of the oldest places in the state, having been founded in the colonial period and given the distinction of a borough town. Tarboro contained a fairly large number of old established families and a few persons of some prominence in the state. Not the least of these was the Rev. Joseph Blount Cheshire, Rector of Calvary Episcopal Church, a man who exemplified in his life and work the best traditions of the Episcopal clergy.

Dr. Cheshire came of an old North Carolina family which for several generations had lived in the Albemarle section. One of his ancestors was Joseph Blount, who was a member of the first vestry of St. Paul's parish, Edenton. His parents, John Cheshire and Elizabeth Blount, lived in Edenton, where he was born in December, 1814. He received his education at the Edenton Academy and at the Episcopal School for Boys. The latter school had just been founded by Bishop Ives and was located in Raleigh on the site where now stands St. Mary's Junior College. After completing his course at the Episcopal School, he took up the study of law in Raleigh under the supervision of Thomas P. Devereux. In 1836 he was admitted to the bar, but he evidently did not find the law congenial to his tastes, for he soon abandoned it. He decided to enter the ministry, and in 1838 began his studies for that field of work under the direction of Bishop Ives.

During his preparation for the ministry he made the acquaintance of the botanist and clergyman, Dr. M. Ashley Curtis. The interest which Dr. Curtis stimulated in him for plants and flowers bore abundant fruit. The beautiful grounds surrounding Calvary Church stand today as a living expression of his love for flowers and shrubs.

By February, 1840, Dr. Cheshire had advanced sufficiently far in his theological studies to be ordained deacon by Bishop Ives. The Bishop placed him in charge of the parishes at Halifax and Windsor. The next year he was ordained priest and was given Calvary Church, Tarboro, in addition to his other work. Shortly after taking over this work he organized a mission at Scotland Neck, which in time became Trinity parish. Three parishes and a mission was a large assignment for a young clergyman, but Dr. Cheshire was not daunted by the extent of his duties. From the first his chief interest was in the work at Tarboro. In consequence of this and the desire of the Calvary Church people for more of his time, he gave up the church at Halifax in 1848 and the one at Windsor the following year. He retained his work at Scotland Neck, however, until 1869. His pastorate at Calvary Church continued for more than half a century. During this long rectorship a beautiful new church was built, to which he himself contributed generously.

Dr. Cheshire will probably be best remembered in the history of the American Episcopal Church for the part he played in healing the breach between the northern and southern branches of the church following the close of the Civil War. He waged a determined fight in the diocesan convention of 1865 to send deputies to the General Convention to be held that fall in Philadelphia. The advocates of reconciliation were successful, and Dr. Cheshire was elected one of the deputies to the General Convention. At Philadelphia he used all his influence in helping to bring about the reunion of the church.

Two years after he took charge of Calvary parish, Dr. Cheshire was married to Elizabeth Toole Parker, daughter of Theophilus Parker, his senior warden, and Mary Toole Parker. The next most important event in his life was the birth of his son and namesake, Joseph Blount, who was born on March 27, 1850. In the course of time Dr. and Mrs. Cheshire had five other children, Theophilus Parker, John, Elizabeth, Annie Gray, and Katherine Drane. John and Elizabeth, however, died in their second year.

Joseph Blount was born in the house built many years before by his grandfather, Theophilus Parker. His father and mother had lived in it since their marriage and had come into its possession after the death of his grandfather. When Joseph was born his parents' household consisted of themselves, his grandmother, an aunt, and two cousins. With the subsequent births of his brothers and sisters his family was indeed a large one. The give and take of a large family probably played some part in the development of the tolerant and unselfish character which so distinguished him in manhood.

Young Cheshire received his earliest education under the direction of his mother, who taught him reading, writing, and something about numbers. He did not attend a formal school until he was nine years old. However, he found himself to be "quite as far advanced in the knowledge of books as the most forward" of his companions. The school he first attended in Tarboro was taught by Rev. and Mrs. Owen. It was while attending this school that he and Richard Lewis met one another and formed a friendship which grew and continued for more than three-score years.

In the fall of 1861 Cheshire entered the Tarboro Male Academy, whose sole teacher at that time was Mr. Frank S. Wilkinson, a graduate of the University of North Carolina. In this school Wilkinson took boys of every age, from beginners to those preparing for college. Cheshire later tells us that Wilkinson was devoted to the profession of teaching, laboring "faithfully to interest his pupils, and give them the best that he had himself." The school usually numbered between thirty and thirty-five boys, but when it included as many as forty, Wilkinson engaged an assistant. During Cheshire's attendance at the Academy, Mr. William Henry Johnston was employed as an assistant. He was also a graduate of the University and, as Cheshire says, "a very good scholar after the standards of the day." In this small school, which never boasted more than two teachers at any one time, Joseph Cheshire prepared himself for college.

Since the summer climate of Tarboro did not agree with Dr. Cheshire's health, he purchased in 1850 a home in Franklin County, about four miles from Louisburg. This place was named Monreath and on it stood an old, well-built house surrounded by one hundred and sixty acres of land. Here the Cheshires spent their summers. These pleasant vacations at Monreath caused Joseph to lose about two months of school each year, since the fall term began the middle of July. Therefore, in the summer of 1864 he asked his father if he could not attend the Louisburg Academy from July to September. His father readily agreed, and each day young Cheshire walked the four miles into Louisburg to conjugate Latin verbs and pursue the other fields of learning which made up the curriculum of the average classical school of that day.

During the Civil War the Cheshires did not suffer from molestation by the enemy or from severe deprivation as did many southern families. They gave shelter and comfort to many refugees from the eastern part of the state, which was occupied by federal troops. Writing of his impressions of the war years, Cheshire observed: "It is strange that almost all my memories of those tragical days seem to be of bright and happy experiences. I do not remember any atmosphere of gloom or depression. The spirit of all was brave and buoyant."[1] The abolition of slavery did not greatly affect the economic status of his family, since his father owned only a few domestic servants whom he had inherited.

Cheshire's religious education began, of course, at home. Every Sunday afternoon he and his brother stood before their mother with the Negro children and repeated their assigned part of the catechism. He did not attend Sunday school until after he had learned all the catechism, that is, all but the "Desire." He later remarked that he never learned it "so as not to forget it," and that it was the only thing he ever tried to remember and failed.

By the fall of 1865 Cheshire was ready to enter college. It had been originally planned that he should go to the University of North Carolina. But when the time arrived his father did not have the money to send him. Dr. Cheshire, however, had already decided not to send his son to the state University; he did not think the environment there would be suitable for a boy of fifteen, for a good many young soldiers, fresh from the careless life of the army, were entering the University that fall. Cheshire's best friend, Dick Lewis, and several others of his class-mates went in the fall of 1865 to Mr. Graves' school in Granville County. He was left in a class by himself at the Tarboro Academy, where he continued his studies under the direction of Mr. Wilkinson.

During this period of study at the Academy Cheshire wrote an amusing and original essay on the subject of honesty. Launching into his subject with the statement that there had already been so much written upon it that it was about worn out, he declared that he chose the topic for want of a better one. This introduction was succeeded by the following:

"I have been thinking for a long time what else to say about 'Honesty,' but can't think of a single thing which some other boy has not said in his composition since I have been going to school: and I think that I had better practice what I have here attempted to preach, and tell you, Mr. Wilkinson, that it is Monday morning, and that composition never entered into my head Saturday, and so you need not expect much. Instead of a composition I will give you an account of my doings Saturday evening, which I hope you will take as an equivalent."

Cheshire then gave an interesting description of a delightful horseback ride he had had with a young lady. He concluded his essay by saying: "I hope this will be taken as a composition. If it is not I hope you will return it as there is enough clean paper on it to write another one."[2] The composition is not only worth quoting for its originality, but also because it brings out a pronounced characteristic of the later man. Complete honesty with himself as well as others, under all conditions, was one of his most outstanding qualities.

Joseph continued his studies under Mr. Wilkinson until February, 1866. By that time Dr. Cheshire had secured sufficient funds with which to send his son to college. He was still opposed to sending him to the University for the reason already mentioned and because he felt the fate of that institution at the time was most uncertain. He decided, therefore, to send Joseph to Trinity College at Hartford, Connecticut. Trinity was an excellent school, under the management of the church, and Dr. Cheshire was personally acquainted with its president.

Before his son left home for college, Dr. Cheshire told him that he must decide while in school what he wished to do for his life's work. He explained that since he had other children to educate, he would not be able to help him after graduation. His father went on to say that it would be a great happiness to him if his son should decide to go into the ministry, but that was something he must determine for himself. Cheshire later remarked that this was the only time in his memory that his father ever spoke to him of the possibility of making the ministry his life's work.

In late February of 1866 young Cheshire left home for Hartford. An inexperienced boy, having traveled little beyond his section of the state, he now set out to enter a strange school among people with whom, less than a year ago, his people had been at war. Such a prospect would have filled an older heart with trepidation. He traveled as far as New York with a stranger who had been in Tarboro on business, and from thence he went alone to Hartford.

Cheshire was allowed to enter the Freshman class with conditions only in Greek and Latin composition, which was a tribute to the work done under Mr. Wilkinson that fall. He learned upon arriving at school that he was the first man from the Confederate States to enter Trinity since the close of the war. He was treated kindly by his fellow students, and never complained of any hostility or unfriendliness on the part of the northern boys. His closest friends, however, were among a group of students from Maryland.

Shortly after he entered college, his father wrote to President Kerfoot asking him to suggest someone on the faculty who would be willing to act as an advisor and friend to his son. Dr. Kerfoot proposed Rev. William W. Niles, Professor of Latin at Trinity, who gladly took Cheshire under his care. In time the two became fast friends. Professor Niles and his wife often entertained him and always made him feel at home in their house. Under Professor Niles' direction Cheshire was prepared for confirmation, and in May, 1866, he was confirmed in the college chapel. In later years he said of the Nileses: "I can never be sufficiently grateful to Professor Niles and his good wife.... I enjoyed from that time—from my Freshman days in college to the end of their lives, the friendship and confidence of these most admirable people."[3]

Dr. Cheshire had a good deal of difficulty in maintaining his son at college. The years immediately following the war were hard ones for almost all southerners, and the Cheshire family was no exception. When Cheshire came home for the Christmas holidays of 1867, his father told him that he would be unable to send him back to college. He accepted this decision as final, and wrote his roommate, Robert F. Bixby, that he was not returning to college after the holidays. Not long afterwards, Dr. Cheshire received a letter from Professor Pynchon, a member of the Trinity faculty, who informed him that a friend, who wished to withhold his name, would be happy to advance the necessary money for his son's monthly board if that would be sufficient to make his return to college possible. After talking the matter over with his son, Dr. Cheshire accepted the generous offer, since he believed he would be able to repay the full amount by the end of 1868. In this way young Cheshire was able to resume his work at Trinity, receiving each month through Dr. Pynchon the money for his board. As he had anticipated, Dr. Cheshire was able to repay the whole debt at the end of 1868. Although he never knew, Cheshire suspected that the money, so badly needed at the time, came from the father of his friend, Robert Bixby.

During his first two years at Trinity, Cheshire had come to know Rev. John Williams, Bishop of Connecticut and one-time Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, who often visited the college. When school closed in June, 1868, Cheshire found that he was not financially able to go home for the summer vacation, and that he would have to remain in Hartford. Bishop Williams heard of his plans and thereupon invited him to his old home in Deerfield, Massachusetts, for a month. The Bishop said that he could serve as his secretary, and on this condition Cheshire gladly accepted the invitation. As it turned out, he had very little to do. He spent the month most delightfully, meeting many interesting people and visiting near-by historical places. After leaving Bishop Williams, he spent a pleasant month in Maryland visiting two of his college friends. Thus most of the summer passed rapidly, and he returned to Hartford greatly refreshed, ready to begin the last year of his collegiate work.

While at Trinity Cheshire became a member of the Phi Kappa fraternity, now the Alpha Delta Phi. He was the only member of his class who belonged to this fraternity. Consequently, Cheshire modestly explains, whenever an honor fell to a Phi Kappa of his class he was the only one to receive it. Whether this was the reason or not, he was made president of the Senior class, and was elected a marshal for the commencement of 1868. As for class and college prizes, he never entered a contest until his last year. At this time he entered the competition for the "Tuttle Prize," which was an award of thirty dollars for the best essay by a senior on a subject to be chosen by the faculty. The topic selected for Cheshire's class was "The Causes of the French Revolution." Cheshire submitted a paper of forty-eight foolscap pages. Much to his gratification, and somewhat to his surprise, his essay won the prize. With the money he purchased "Pratt's Complete Works of Bishop Hall" in ten volumes as a gift for his father. For himself he bought a set of Chaucer's works in eight volumes and a few other books. Indeed, he seems to have made his prize money go far and to much advantage.

In June, 1869, Cheshire's college days came to a close. During his three and one-half years at Trinity he made many close friendships which continued throughout his life. He was not an outstanding student, but did creditably in all his courses. At the commencement exercises he delivered an original address, which was required of all graduates. He chose as the subject of his senior oration "The Strength of Republican Governments," a topic characteristic of that period. Cheshire had been influenced in the choice of this subject by De Tocqueville's Democracy in America, in which he had become interested. Following his graduation he returned to North Carolina, where he spent the summer of 1869 with his family at Monreath. This was his last long vacation. He was soon to take over his first position and to begin earning for the remainder of his life his own way.

In the course of graduation week at Trinity, Cheshire had the good fortune of making the acquaintance of Rev. John Avery Shepherd of Maryland. Dr. Shepherd had organized a few years before a private school, which he called St. Clement's Hall, at Ellicott City near Baltimore. Being favorably impressed with Cheshire's personality and his record at Trinity, Dr. Shepherd offered him a position in his school teaching Latin and Greek for the scholastic year 1869-70. His salary was to be six hundred dollars a year in addition to board and lodging. Cheshire gladly accepted the position, since he wished no longer to be a burden on his father. His younger brother was then ready to enter college and was only waiting for him to finish.

In the middle of September Cheshire left Monreath to take up his duties at St. Clement's Hall. Before he left home his father gave him fifty dollars to aid him until he should receive a part of his salary. This was the last time he ever gave him any money, that is, from a feeling of responsibility for his son's support.

At St. Clement's Cheshire was given all the upper classes in Latin and Greek, and in addition taught some arithmetic and algebra. In consequence of his rather poor beginning in Latin and Greek at the Tarboro Academy, he never became a scholar in these fields. While teaching Latin he became more interested in this subject and read rather widely in Tacitus and other Latin authors. In the course of his busy life of teaching he found time to continue "a kind of study" of Blackstone which he had begun in his senior year at Trinity. He also read through Kent's Commentaries and a good deal of English poetry.

Cheshire came to know a number of people in the neighborhood of the school who helped to make his life at St. Clement's more interesting and pleasant. He spent a good many week-ends in Baltimore with some of his Trinity friends. When his oldest and best friend, Richard Lewis, came to Baltimore to study medicine in the fall of 1870, his visits became more frequent. On the whole, his life at St. Clement's was happy, and the experience he gained, worth while. He never, however, became fond of teaching, but he enjoyed his students and took a warm personal interest in them. After two years at St. Clement's he decided to abandon teaching for the law profession, which he thought would be more congenial to his tastes.

When Cheshire returned to North Carolina in June, 1871, he went with his family to Hillsboro to spend the summer. Here he began the study of law under the eminent lawyer, William K. Ruffin, son of Chief Justice Thomas Ruffin, who coached law students since he was too crippled to do much active practice. Ruffin was a "devotee" of the common law and always gave his students a thorough drilling in it. He made Cheshire devote almost all the summer to the study of Second Blackstone and Cruise's Real Property. When he left Hillsboro in September, Ruffin made him promise that he would secure an old folio edition of Coke's Commentaries on Littleton and read it carefully. Some time later Cheshire bought a copy of this work in Baltimore and read it from cover to cover as he had promised. He once remarked that he believed he was the last man in North Carolina to have completely read the old folio edition. Cheshire found Mr. William Ruffin "a most interesting man as well as a stimulating and helpful teacher."[4]

Upon returning to Tarboro Cheshire continued his study of law, now in the office of Howard and Perry. In this office he "read law," for he says that Judge George Howard would not agree to give him any instruction. Cheshire, however, maintained that he learned much law from Judge Howard, and "a good deal of sound practical wisdom."

After his summer's work under William Ruffin and some three months' study in Judge Howard's office, Cheshire was ready to try for his license. On January 1, 1872, he went to Raleigh to be examined by the Supreme Court Justices. It was an oral test and, in Cheshire's own words, was "a very slight and superficial examination" in comparison with those given today. The day after the examination he was informed that he had passed and was granted his license.

Shortly afterwards George G. Hooper, a Trinity College friend, wrote Cheshire to come to Baltimore and join him in a law partnership. He did not particularly care to leave North Carolina, but he feared if he remained he might be a burden on his father while establishing himself. He accordingly accepted Hooper's offer, and the two men formed a partnership under the firm name of Hooper and Cheshire. Hooper agreed to pay him a salary for the first year, at the end of which time they would make a new agreement.

Cheshire had not been in the office long before he learned that Hooper had "little real law practice." His work was almost entirely confined to drawing up conveyances and examining land titles. After some fifteen months of this sort of work, Cheshire realized there was little future for him in such a partnership. It was, therefore, with much pleasure that he received, in May, 1873, a letter from his friend, John L. Bridgers, Jr., asking him to return to Tarboro and join him and his father, Colonel John L. Bridgers, in the practice of law. Cheshire readily accepted this proposal, and the following month came back to North Carolina where he was to make his home for the remainder of his life.

Cheshire was happy to be living in Tarboro once again with his family and among his old friends. Thus was formed the firm of Bridgers, Cheshire, and Bridgers. This connection continued until January, 1875, at which time Cheshire was offered the position of secretary and treasurer of the Pamlico Banking and Insurance Company, a corporation organized to solicit fire insurance. He accepted the offer because it gave him an office and a small salary and did not interfere with his law practice. The company's business was not extensive, and required only a few hours of his time each day. While holding this position he was also treasurer of the Tarboro Building and Loan Association. Again this office demanded little of his time, merely requiring that he receive the money from the secretary weekly and pay it out upon his order.

Cheshire continued the practice of law until the early part of 1878. In summing up his work at the bar, he observed: "I made a living and saved a few hundred dollars. I had no very interesting or important cases, so far as I recall."[5] During his last year of practice, however, he made a little over fifteen hundred dollars, which, for a young lawyer of that period, was doing quite well.

Since leaving St. Clement's Hall in June, 1871, Cheshire had not by any means devoted all of his time and thought to the study and practice of law. He accomplished a great deal more in the summer of 1871 than the study of common law under Mr. William K. Ruffin. It was then that he renewed his acquaintance with his cousin, Miss Annie Huske Webb, who lived in Hillsboro. He had seen this cousin but little since her visit to Tarboro in December, 1865. He always remembered the first time he saw her upon her arrival in Tarboro for that visit and described the meeting thus: "When I looked at her, as she came in out of the rain, and lifted the veil from her face, I thought her the most beautiful person I had ever seen. I think that first impression was never effaced."[6]

In the course of the summer spent in Hillsboro Cheshire saw a good deal of his cousin. It was not long before he realized that he was in love with her. While not possessing a particularly romantic nature, Cheshire was a man of deep emotions and fine sentiments. During his courtship of Miss Webb he composed for her this little poem:

A. H. W.

By May, 1872, Cheshire and Annie Huske Webb were engaged; but it was not until 1874 that he felt he was financially able to marry. On December 17 of that year they were married in St. Matthew's Church, Hillsboro. They had a simple wedding with Richard Lewis as his best man. The following day Cheshire and his wife went to Tarboro, where for the next four years they made their home with his family.

With this, the greatest event in his life up to that time, we close the first phase of Cheshire's career. During the period he had grown to manhood, received his scholastic and collegiate education, taught for two years, studied law and practiced it for six years, and had some little part in the business world. All of this training and varied experience gave him a rich background for the great work which lay ahead of him.