USA > North Carolina > Historical and descriptive review of North Carolina, volume 1 > Part 9
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CARY, on the North Carolina and Raleigh and Augusta Air-Line Railroads, eight miles west of Raleigh, is a prosperous village, and noted for its enterprising business men, its manufac- tures, its excellent schools, its healthfulness and steady habits.
APEX, on the Raleigh and Augusta Air-Line Railroad, 14 miles from the county seat, is a thriving village, with several manufacturing establishments, three churches, a good academy and a number of stores.
HOLLY SPRINGS, in Buckhorn township, is a small and prosperous village, with a post office, church, academy, and number of stores.
ROLESVILLE, is a village in Wake Forest township, four miles from the Raleigh and Gaston Railroad. It has three churches, a number of stores, two steam cotton gins and wood and blacksmith shops.
FORESTVILLE is a village on the Raleigh and Gaston Railroad, 14 miles from the county seat. It has a church, an academy, two stores and a plow factory.
MORRISVILLE, on the North Carolina Railroad, 12 miles from the county seat, has a flourish- ing female school, six stores, two churches, one steam gin, wood and blacksmith shops. Its population is about 150.
GARNER'S is a new and prosperous village, six miles east of Raleigh on the North Carolina Railroad.
REPRESENTATIVE HOUSES AND PROMINENT MEN -OF- RALEIGH, N. C.
HON, WM. HENRY DODD,
MAYOR.
A review of the lives of successful self-made men, prominent in public life and honored in social circles, is both pleasant and profit- able; it is an admonition pressed home to the hearts and minds of the young with the triple power of precept, example and re- ward-a demonstration of the possibility of the pleasure and of the glory of honorable achievements.
William Henry Dodd the present chief executive of the Capital City of North Car- olina was born in Raleigh, 18th May, 1836; received his education at Lovejoys Academy and commenced life as drug clerk to P. F. Pescud. From this his career seems to have been a barometer of the city's progress: his success was her success, her misfortune also influencing his fortune, until now, at the summit of her greatness, she has chosen him for the highest honor she can bestow.
He served his first master five years, was two years with the drug house of E. Burke Haywood, and then opened in the confectionery business on his own account at what is now 114 Fayettevillestreet, the firm being known as Dodd & Scheibe. He afterwards was per- suaded to return to the employ of his first master and was with him till the war broke out. He first served as hospital steward at camp near Raleigh, then was translated to the State Treasurer's department as coupon signer having sometimes to write his name 5,000 to 6,000 times a day. He was also clerk of the Confederate States Depository in this town, and later mailing clerk for the "Advance," and when the war was over was appointed to the Federal Transportation Department.
In the Summer of 1866, in a small store at the corner of Wilmington and Hargett streets, he entered into the important line of grocery and commission business, and commenced a career that has been ever since a rapidly progressive one, and he has tended greatly to advance the interests of this city as a trading centre. The firm was first known as Holleman, Upchurch & Co .; Mr. Dodd being third partner. Six months later they moved a few doors from the first location, the firm of Upchurch & Dodd was formed, who continued a flourishing career till 1873, and were latterly the leading house of the town. They built in 1867 the premises now occupied by Latta & Myatt, which they were in until January 1st, 1869, when they completed their building now Mr. Ellis' store, one of the principal structures on the street, where they were till the firm dissolved.
Mr. Dodd became, however, so intimately connected with the general business of the street, that like the smoker he found it impossible to lay aside the pipe of mathematical finance he had become so wedded to. He has always had his office with Mr. Ellis, engaged largely in handling cotton, but now confines his attention to Scotch snuff. He is the State agent for W. G. Parson's famous article, which has an immense sale throughout North Caro- lina: in fact there is very little of any other make sold in this part of the country.
Mr. Dodd was 8 or 9 years president of the Cotton Exchange, retiring in 1884. His bril- liant success as a business man was chiefly occasioned by his following out the precept
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" honesty is the best policy." His career in public and social life has been equally marked. Three years ago he was mexpectedly asked to become candidate for the mayoralty, ren- dered vacant by the death of Major B. O. Manly, and was elected in May, 1882. He has made himself popular in this position; has been re-elected every succeeding year. In his reign the city has taken great strides. New school houses have been built; gas has taken the place of oil : the streets have been numbered; buildings and sanitary ar- rangements have been improved; the fire and police departments are in good order and there is very little work for the Mayor's court.
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Socially, perhaps, Mr. Dodd has endeared himself still more to the people of this city. He was many years President of the Phil- harmonie Society; he is a Mason, Knight of Pythias, belongs to the Royal Arcanum and the American Legion of Honor. He is a. prominent member of the First Baptist Chuch and the leading spirit of the Sabbath school. He justly takes a high pride in hav- ing for 15 years been not only Superintendent of the infant class of some 100 pupils, rang- ing between the ages of 3 and 10, but in hav- ing made them so remember him that later they have always looked back with pleasure on the Sunday mornings spent under his tui- tion, when he imparted to them in a simple and impressive manner truths, all of which they did not understand then, but which came to have more influence than anything else on their later life.
In the philosophy of life it is reasoned that as we grow older we are less prone to outward influence and that the rapidity of this decrease of sensibility is excessively rapid at the stage when the child is passing to the woman or the man. How intense then must the percep- tion of chiklren be, and how great, converse- ly, must be the effect of one matured mind on so many in the initial stage of develope- ment. How important then-deducing the inference-must the influence of the Superin- tendent of the Infant class of the First Baptist Church of the City of Raleigh be on the moral and social working of our city and State. Powerful, we believe; beneficial, we know.
Mr. Dodd married in 1861 Miss Upchurch, of Raleigh.
He is a man, it will be surmised, of great breadth of mind, who takes liberal views of life and finds his greatest happiness in mak- ing others happy. Personally he has that easy and interested manner which makes friends and captivates strangers, and for his appearance we would say the accompanying photograph is a good likeness.
JNO. W. HINSDALE,
COUNSELLOR-AT-LAW, CITIZENS BANK BUILDING.
The science of law is one of the oldest pro- fessions and it is not to be wondered at that the men that follow its practice eonjointly
form the most enlightened and influential class in any country, and this seems to be not by reason only of their attainments in this special science, but as the first book of Euclid is the basis from which all mathematical problems are solved, so it seems that the knowl- edge of law gives to the mind a comprehen- sive grasp of the great principles of the moral, social, govermental and commercial worlds that it could not otherwise possess.
Prominent among those who have made themselves marked in the practice of this im- portant profession in this State, the eurrent of events, past and present, calls upon us to note the well known name that forms the cap- tion of this sketch.
John W. Hinsdale, son of Samuel J. Hins- dale, Esq., a prominent and respected citizen of Fayetteville, and great-nephew of the Hon. Geo. E. Badger, one of North Carolina's most distinguished statesmen and profoundest jur- ists, was born February 4th, 1843. He was educated at the district school in Fayetteville and later at the University of North Carolina, (Chapel Hill) where he won first distinction in his classes. After three years study here, he joined the army at the age of 18, and for three years served the Confederate cause. He was first on the staff of his uncle, Lieut. Gen. Holmes, whom he joined at Manassas; when Gen. Pettigrew was promoted and as- signed to command of a brigade he served with him as his Adjutant General. At the battle of Seven Pines, while with Gen. Pet- tigrew, he had a Horse killed under him. He served as Gen. Pender's Adjutant General thro' the Seven Days fight around Richmond. Soon after he was assigned to the Trans-Mis- sissippi Department, and served on the staff of the Commanding General, first as Adjutant General and after as Inspector General. Dur- ing the last year of the war he was Colonel of
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the 72dl North Carolina, which he commanded in the concluding battles of the war fought at Kinston and Bentonsville, finally surrender. ing with Gen. Joseph E. Johnson's command at High Point. He was perhaps the youngest Colonel commanding a regiment in the Con- federate Army.
The war over he entered himself as a stu- dent at Columbia College Law School in New York, diligently acquired a knowledge of the fundamental rules of the science and was ad- mitted to the bar in that State in 1866.
He was the same year admitted to prac- tice in North Carolina, and later in the U. S. Supreme Court, where he has successfully conducted several important cases. The Col- onel first commenced practice at Fayetteville. but ten years ago removed to the Capital City. From Raleigh as a Centre his clientage has greatly increased, and in North Carolina, without invidious comparisons, we might say he stands at the head of his profession, as one of the ablest attorneys and most learned conn- sellors of our State.
Of late years he has become an authority and given his attention more particularly to railroad, insurance and corporation law. cases which generally involve large sums of money.
Among the important cases that he has successfully managed may be remembered that of Seymour v. The Western R.R. Co .. which involved $250,000, and which grew out of a railroad construction contract.
The case of Hawkins v. Devereux was another successfully argued by him. by brief, in the U. S. Supreme Court; it involved the construction of a will of over $50,000 worth of property.
In the State courts he has conducted very many important cases, among which is that of Fowle v. Kerchner, involving a large sum of money; in which it was held that a person who made a contract on behalf of another when he had no principal and this fact was known, the other contracting party was not per- sonally bound upon the contract.
Col. Hinsdale has a large practice in the U. S. Circuit Court, and at the last term won an important victory in the case of Bennett v. Covington, where the validity of dealing in cotton futures was upheld. An important case in which he represents the plaintiff is that of the Raleigh & Gaston R.R. v. the Commissioners of Wake county. involving a yearly tax of $12,000; this case is now pending in the U. S. Supreme Court upon writ of error. He also appears for nine Insurance Companies against whom actions are pending in the U. S. Circuit Court for the recovery of $25,000.
Col. Hinsdale enjoys one of the largest Su- preme Court practices in the State. He is at- torney of the Raleigh & Gaston R. R. Co. and of the Raleigh & Augusta Air-Line R.R. Co., and the regular attorney of several In- surance Companies.
His law library is one of the best selected and most extensive in the South, consisting of upwards of 3,500 volimes.
In 1878 he puplished a new edition of Win-
ston's North Carolina Reports, annotated by himself, thus adding to a reputation already well earned as a sound and discriminating law- yer.
Among his professional brethren the Col- onel holds a respected position: combining with fine natural gifts a well disciplined mind and varied attainments, he is a forcible advo- cate and conscientious counsellor, and well merits the high place he holds in the confi- dence of a large and increasing clientage.
Confining his energies closely to his profes- sion, he has never entered political life nor sought political preferment in any way. tho' he has always been a pronounced and ardent democrat.
He married in 1869 a daughter of Maj. Jno. Devereux, of Raleigh, and grand-daughter of Hon. Thos. P. Devereux, a distinguished and able lawyer. He is a member of the Episco- pal Church, and has a family of six. He is a man with whom it is advantageous to come in personal contact with and we are assured that no name does more honor to these pages or will be more acceptable to our readers than that of this well known lawyer of the "Old North State."
THOMAS T. HAY, INSURANCE AGENT.
GENERAL AGENT FOR THE VIRGINIA FIRE AND MARINE AND THE ROCHESTER GERMAN.
The subject of insurance is one the advan- tages of which to a community daily becomes more and more apparent, and we might well say, to the commercial world the insurance agent is the most useful adjunct, for by his aid how many millions of property are pre- served, and how often does it happen that men neglecting the opportunities he offers, become financially ruined, and behold circling in a cloud of smoke the noble results of a lifetime's toil!
Raleigh, as the central point of North Caro- lina, naturally has some very important agen- cies, the largest among which is that of the gentleman in question, who has an experience in this line that makes him a fitting represen- tative of the extensive business and capital he is the personation of.
Mr. Hay commenced business as a clerk in a local office in this city in 1875, and two years later obtained the agency for the Liver- pool, London and Globe, and thus started for himself a business that has since grown to tremendous proportions.
He took up in order, in 1878, the Virginia Fire and Marine, one of the oldest and solid- est Southern companies, for which he is gen- eral agent for North Carolina, and which under his able management has taken the lead in premium receipts in this State. This company has had an existence of over half a century, during which entire period it has paid its shareholders 11 per cent. annually. and no company stands higher in public con- fidence.
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Next he took the Royal of England, London and Lancashire, and in '81 the Rochester German. This company's shares have a net book value of $168.66. which is higher than a great majority of the largest companies in the world. It is growing rapidly in popularity over the States of North and South Carolina and Georgia, where he is its general agent; then the Phoenix of New York: the Northern Assurance, and last but not least, the oldest fire insurance association in the globe, the Sun Fire office of Lon- don.
These names are the picked insurance or- ganizations of the world; their assets show an enormous surplus; their responsibility is sym- onymous with their long and prosperous ex- istence and comment at our hands would be superfluous.
Having so many rich companies on his books, Mr. Hay can insure any kind of risk to any amount against loss by fire and light- ning.
The comfortable and well furnished office is located in the Citizens Bank Building in Raleigh, and here he has three clerks con- stantly employed attending to the laborious writing and book-keeping that such a volume of insurance exacts. By enterprise, close atten- tion to his affairs, and a studied mathematical correctness in placing risks, Mr. Hay has placed himself in the front rank as an insurance ad- juster and underwriter.
The total premiums received by him for 1884 will aggregate $125,000; $50.000 of this being for the Virginia Fire and Marine. Mr. Hay is a native of Barnwell, co., S. C .. and married in this State a daughter of Seaton Gales. So- cially he is also a weighty factor; is a prominent Knight Templar. Mason, Odd Fellow and member of the Episcopal Church. He is, in fact one of the representative men of the " tar heel " State and he has gained his position by his aptitude for and attention to
business, and by his gentlemenly bearing towards his fellow men.
W. H. & R. S. TUCKER & CO.
WHOLESALE AND RETAIL DRY GOODS, ETC., 123 AND 125 FAYETTEVILLE STREET.
The words " dry goods " in commercial sig- nificance is a term used to imply all articles pertaining to the clothing of the person; it is a term peculiarly American, and its use is confined to this country and Canada. As its name suggests it should be, it is the most uni- versal of all the branches of trade, dealing as its operators do, in articles of necessity as well as of personaladornment: it is the most useful and convenient, and recognizing its univer- sality, more capital is employed in its prose- cution, and more ability enlisted in its man- agement and administration than any other branch of mercantile calling. Immense for- tunes have been made, huge establishments built by merchants in this line, and we doubt if any other branch of business has secured such extensive and far-reaching ramifications and connections as the great dry goods
houses of New York City. It is, therefore, not surprising that we find this rule to hold good in the territory tributary to the city un- der notice and that the largest house therein is one engaged in the dry goods business. This firm, W. H. & R. S. Tucker, whose name is familiar in every hamlet in our State, and without whose goods the smallest North Caro- lina store could not claim its stock to have the first necessities, was established in 1818, and when we think that three generations of patrons have come into existence and like- wise three generations of them have passed away. when we reflect how many little boys going to school for the first time in pants made from Tucker's tweeds have been lions among their comrades, how many girls clothed in Tucker's finest satins have been the envy of their fellows and the admiration of a ball room, how many brides resplendent in the silk procured at this establishment have out-dazzled the trapping of the church and altar, how many a cotter has reflected by his winter fireside made comfortable by Tuckers' carpets brought down in prices so that even
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STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA.
he can have them, how many a husband and a father has had his life turned from a battle against poverty to that of an opulent mer- chant by the discovery that he could clothe his wife and children so much cheaper and better by purchasing at Tuckers, how many indeed of both sexes and all grades have been blessed by procuring the wares of this estab- lishment. When we reflect, we have said, on these phenomena our imagination is lost grappling with immensity and time. .
The house was first known by the name of Rnff & Tucker, who were sncceeded by W. H. and R. S. Tucker to which style imme- diately after the war a company was added, Mr. McGee being the third partner. In 1875 the company was dropped, and on the 1st of February, 1883, when Major Tucker retired from the business the members forming the new firm wisely resolved to continue under a style name, that of W. H. & R. S. Tucker & Co., that had become so well known to the public throughout the State.
The establishment, which may be looked npon as the focal point of retail trading in town, has been since 1866, at 123 and 125 Fayetteville street. It covers a floor 40x120 feet. is palatial in its dimensions and luxuri- ous in its appointments. Below is the base- ment correspondingly extensive used for the storage of the immense stock. This consists of imported and domestic dry goods from the oldest and best looms, of all grades and quali- ties, from the finest French silks and Indian cashmeres to unassuming homespuns, dress goods to suit the varying tastes of the female sex, white goods, latest American and foreign notions, hats in newest Parisian styles, boots
and shoes to fit all feet and pockets, carpeting from Persian rugs to domestic crumb cloths, in fact everything which can possibly be claimed as belonging to this line. These goods are piled on the massive shelves so as to inspire the visitor with that respect due to the immense and arranged on the numerons counters so as to attract attention and expedite business. An army of twenty-one competent and polite hands are employed attending to the ever coming and going crowd of custom- ers. The transactions of the house extend- ing, as before said, over the whole State, foot up annually $250,000.
It is natural to suppose that the four mem- bers of the firm. Messrs. James Boylan, T. W. Dobbin, Charles McKimmon and George W. Poe, have a business experience and ability commensurate with the greatness of their re- sponsibilities, and neither are we wrong in our surmise as a short interview with one of them will amply prove that they are, so to say, cut out especially for this line. They are all natives of Raleigh with the exception of Mr. Poe who is from Chatham connty, and all many years trusted employees and advisers of the old firm with the exception of Mr. Boylan. They are actively identified with the social welfare as well as with the financial progress of the town, and hold the public's confidence. Mr. Mc- Kimmon being a Deputy Grand Chancellor in the K. of P. This gentleman served during two years of the war in the 1st Regiment North Carolina Artillery, 10th State Troops, and Mr. Poe also served the Confederacy.
In conclusion it is but just to remark that in deference to the many years of usefulness, this house has had that the new association of partners has shown itself capable of pro- pagating the importance of the house and ex- tending its influence as a leading factor in making the name of Raleigh as a commercial centre revered throughout the State and country.
PESCUD, LEE & CO., WHOLESALE AND RETAIL DRUGGISTS.
OPPOSITE THE POST OFFICE.
In every community there are houses which have been so long in existence and have ex- tended their ramifications in so many direc- tions, that a description of them becomes an essential part of the general history of the city with whose interest they have been so long identified and whose progress they have not only shared but materially advanced. Such a house in Raleigh is the one under no- tice. It was originally established as far back as 1840 by P. F. Pescud, who conducted a flourishing trade till the war, and founded his business on a basis broad and deep. When peace returned in 1866, he took his son, the present member of the firm. into partnership, and three years later the present co-partnership of Pescud, Lee & Co. was formed, who have since continued an uninter- ruptedly prosperous career, keeping pace and
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CITY OF RALEIGH.
oven advancing ahead of the general progress of this thriving centre of trade.
They occupy two stores the larger one 30x64 feet in extent on the corner opposite the post office, and a smaller one further up town on the opposite side of the same street. These establishments, especially the former, as it is larger and newor, are fitted up in an expen- sive and luxurions manner with all the latest improvements and conveniences so as to ren- der them attractive in appearance and pleas- ing in effect, and indeed it is often romarked
JOHN S. PESCUD.
they tend to elevate the taste for the beauti- fiul in the unartistic visitor. The stock. aver- aging $20,000 in value, we need hardly say contains everything that an extensive first- class drug establishment is supposed to have, from epsom salts up to the finest medicinal preparations, and also dental and surgical in- struments, garden seeds and fancy articles. Their goods are procured from the best manu- facturers and dealers, are well selected and all tested before put on the shelves for use. The house employs altogether eleven compe- tent hands. Careful attention is given to the prescription department. In their laboratory they manufacture colognes, officinal medi- cines, etc., and their trade, both wholesale and retail, extends through the central portion of the State where their goods are accepted as standard.
The active partners of the firm. Messrs. J. S. Pesend and A. S. Lee, the third partner Dr. Eugene Grissom not being a druggist by profession, are men thoroughly versed in the business, both from long experience and ap- titude for this line. The first is a native of Mecklenburg county, Va., came to this State when eighteen months old, and has been twenty years a practical pharmacist. In the war he served a year with the North Caro-
lina Reserves, and is a member of the Episco- pal Church and of the State Pharmaceutical Association.
Mr. Lee is from Orange co., N. C., has been thirty years in the business, and in the war he served as hospital steward. He belongs to the Methodist denomination, to the State as well as to the National Pharmaceutical So- ciety. Both these gentlemen are Knights Templars, Masons and also Knights of Honor, and there is seldom any beneficiary move- ment set on foot either for the social, moral or material welfare of the public without
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