William Gaston (1778–1844)
New Bern, Craven County, North Carolina
Marker Inscription
William Gaston 1778 1844. Justice of N.C. Supreme Court, 1833-44; lawmaker. An advocate for state's Catholics. Wrote state song, "The Old North State." Lived 1 block N.
Erected by North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources
The Story
William Gaston served as a justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court from 1833 to 1844 and was a leading lawmaker of the early republic. A Roman Catholic in an era of legal disabilities against them, he championed religious liberty for the state's Catholics. He also wrote the words to "The Old North State," later adopted as the official state song.
Why it matters
Gaston's career links the fight for religious freedom to the shaping of North Carolina's laws and identity, showing how minority rights advanced through the courts and legislature.
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Related people
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Themes & tags
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