NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY

1979 SESSION

 

 

CHAPTER 1257

HOUSE BILL 696

 

 

AN ACT TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS FOR THE PRESERVATION AND RESTORATION OF THE RICHMOND HILL LAW SCHOOL IN YADKIN COUNTY.

 

Whereas, Richmond Mumford Pearson was one of the great legal minds produced in North Carolina, occupying such positions as Superior Court Judge from 1837 to 1848, Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court from 1848 to 1858, and as Chief Justice from 1858 to 1878; and

Whereas, Judge Pearson established in 1847-48 a law school at his home above the Yadkin River, called Richmond Hill; and

Whereas, from 1848 to 1876 Justice Pearson conducted at Richmond Hill one of the State's best known private law schools of the day, educating there three Governors, six Supreme Court Justices, more than a dozen Superior Court Judges, three Congressmen of the United States, and one Confederate Congressman, numerous State Legislators, and various Ambassadors, Cabinet Officers, and other luminaries; and

Whereas, Judge Pearson's ca 1860 home at Richmond Hill has been placed in the charge of the Historic Richmond Hill Law School Commission, which with local, foundation, State and federal funds has stabilized and restored the exterior of this structure; and

Whereas, federal funds have been used to develop the surrounding 24 acres as an historic nature park maintained by Yadkin County; and

Whereas, the Law School Commission is about to begin the interior restoration of the house and has need of additional funds to supplement those already raised; Now, therefore,

 

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

 

Section 1.  There is hereby appropriated from the General Fund to the Division of Archives and History, Department of Cultural Resources, for the 1980-81 fiscal year the sum of five thousand dollars ($5,000) for the purpose of interior restoration of Judge Pearson's home at Richmond Hill, provided an amount of five thousand dollars ($5,000) is raised by the Historic Richmond Hill Law School Commission.

Sec. 2.  Funds appropriated in this act shall be expended only in accordance with G.S. 121-11 and G.S. 143-31.2.

Sec. 3.  This act shall become effective on July 1, 1980.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the 25th day of June, 1980.