USA > North Carolina > History of North Carolina: North Carolina biography, Volume IV > Part 10
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Thomas Maslin made the most of his early opportunities to obtain an education, attending the public schools of Baltimore and also the Balti- more City College. He was just twenty-one years of age when he came to Winston-Salem and imme- diately accepted the position of bookkeeper in the Wachovia Loan and Trust Company. He gained a thorough and fundamental knowledge of banking with that company and was one of its trusted employes until 1910, when he resigned and put his experience and his self confidence to test in the organization of the Merchants National Bank, which is now one of the strongest and best known financial institutions of Forsyth County. From its organization Mr. Maslin has served as vice president and cashier, and is now president.
He was married in September, 1906, to Miss Martha Murfree Maney. Mrs. Maslin was born in Nashville, Tennessee, a daughter of Thomas H. and Ida (Morris) Maney. The four daughters born to their union are named Martha Maney, Anne Rhea, Virginia G. and Cornelia. Mr. and Mrs. Maslin are members of the First Presbyterian Church.
CHARLES S. LAWRENCE, M. D. During his pro- fessional experience in Winston-Salem, which covers a period of seven years, Doctor Lawrence has been best known by his exceptional skill as a surgeon. He brought to his profession a thorough training acquired both in this country and abroad, and he took up the study of medicine after a long and varied service in the United States Regular Army and its medical corps.
Doctor Lawrence is a native of Quaker Gap Township, Stokes County, North Carolina. His grandfather, James Lawrence, was born in Vir- ginia, and on coming to North Carolina located in Quaker Gap Township, where he followed farming until his death. William A. Lawrence, father of Doctor Lawrence, was born on a plantation in Stokes County, grew up on a farm and after reach- ing manhood bought a place near the old home. He lived there until 1885, when he removed to Eldora Township in Surry County and again bought land and continued its operation as a farmer until his death in 1914, at the age of sixty- four. He married Matilda Christian, who was born in Stokes County, North Carolina, daughter of Charles and Matilda (Page) Christian. Mrs. William Lawrence is still living in Surry County. Her family consisted of five sons and one daugh- ter : Robert, James, Charles S., Willis F., Hartie and Inther.
Doctor Lawrence was educated in the rural schools of Surry County and in Siloam Academy in the same county. His first important experience, and one which gave him a large knowledge of the world, came in 1897 when he enlisted in the Fifth Regiment, United States Artillery. He was with that regiment for three years, and during that time the Spanish-American war occurred and the Philippine insurrection. He spent two years in the Philippines, and also went with the United States Army to China and took part in the Allied expedition to put down the Boxer uprising. After his honorable discharge from the regular service he enlisted in the Medical Department of the
army, and that experience opened up to him his permanent vocation.
On leaving the army Doctor Lawrence entered the medical department of the George Washington University of Washington, D. C., where he was graduated M. D. in 1908. Returning to his native state, he practiced two and a half years at Mount Airy and then came to Winston-Salem, where he has specialized in surgery. Several post-gradu- ate courses have enlarged his view and knowledge, and in 1914 he went abroad and visited clinics in the leading hospitals of European cities. He re- turned to this country at about the outbreak of the European war.
Doctor Lawrence was married in 1909 to Alice George, a native of Stokes County and a daugh- ter of Robert W. and Margaret (Hatcher) George. Doctor Lawrence is a member of the Forsyth County and the North Carolina State Medical societies and the American Medical Association. Fraternally he is affiliated with Winston Lodge No 167, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, Winston Chapter No. 24, Royal Arch Masons, Piedmont Commandery No. 6, Knights Templar, and Oasis Temple of the Mystic Shrine at Charlotte. In his home city he is a member of the Twin City and the Forsyth Country Club.
At the outbreak of the war between the United States and Germany Doctor Lawrence was com- missioned captain in the Medical Reserve Corps and was assigned to duty as captain in the Red. Cross Ambulance Company No. 31, a volunteer nnit organized by the Red Cross Chapter at Greens- boro, North Carolina. Its members are composed of young men in this section of the state. Later the company was assigned to the National Army and the number changed to No. 321.
WAVERLY BLACKWOOD STRACHAN of Salisbury has had a long and successful experience in rail- roading, real estate and banking affairs. For the past eight years he has been cashier of the First National Bank of Salisbury and is well known among North Carolina bankers.
He was born at Snow Hill in Greene County, North Carolina, and of old and prominent Virginia ancestry on both sides. His father, Dr. Joseph B. Strachan, was born in Petersburg, Virginia, was educated in Lexington Military Institute and took his medical course in Jefferson Medical College at Philadelphia, from which he graduated. He began practice at Snow Hill, North Carolina, afterwards moved to Johnston County, and from there to Princeton, where he practiced for many years and where he died in 1910. Doctor Strachan married Minnie Ruffin, who is still living at Princeton, North Carolina, and she is a member of the dis- tinguished family of Ruffin which was represented by her remote ancestor, William Ruffin, in Isle of Wight County, Virginia, as early as 1666. Robert Ruffin, Sr., a son of this Virginian, was the pioneer founder of the Ruffin name in Surry County, North Carolina. From Robert Ruffin, Sr., to Mrs. Doctor Strachan the line of descent is through the fol- lowing: Robert and Elizabeth Watkins Ruffin, Col. John and Polly (Hawkins) Ruffin, Thomas and Susan (Harris) Ruffin, and Thomas and Maria (Wilson) Ruffin, the latter being the parents of Mrs. Doctor Strachan. Doctor and Mrs. Strachan had one son and two daughters, Hattie and Min- nie. Hattie is the wife of J. H. Herbert of Rocky Mount, North Carolina, and Minnie is the wife of Paul C. Duncan of Clayton, this state.
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HISTORY OF NORTH CAROLINA
Waverly B. Strachan besides the early advantages obtained at his father's home was a student under a noted educator, Prof. Alphonso Smith, principal of the high school at Selma, Alabama. As a boy he learned telegraphy and his first regular em- ployment was with the old Richmond and Danville Railway as telegraph operator. He remained with that road when it was taken over by the Southern Railway Company and was continuously faithful and efficient in its service until 1901. During that time he served as station agent at Salisbury and was also traveling auditor and in the law department. He finally resigned his position to take up real estate and insurance and in 1910 was elected to his present responsibilities as cashier of the First National Bank of Salisbury.
Mr. Strachan served four years as a member of the board of aldermen and during that time was chairman of the finance committee. He is affiliated with Andrew Jackson Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons; Salisbury Chapter, Royal Arch Masons; Salisbury Commandery No. 13, Knights Templar. Mrs. Strachan is an active member of the Salisbury Presbyterian Church. Mr. Strachan married in 1901 Miss Henrietta Mc- Neeley, who was born at Salisbury, daughter of Julius and Henrietta (Hall) MeNeeley. Mr. and Mrs. Strachan have one daughter, Mildred.
JUNIUS DANIEL GRIMES. Seemingly designed by nature for the law and in his preparation and early practice enjoying unusual advantages and opportunities, Junius D. Grimes, one of the able members of the Washington bar, has in his pro- fessional capacity won a solid reputation.
Mr. Grimes was born at Grimesland, North Caro- lina, October 31, 1878, a son of Bryan and Charlotte E. (Bryan) Grimes. Mr. Grimes received part of his early training in a private school at Ra- leigh, and in 1899 graduated A. B. from the Uni- versity of North Carolina. He took his law course in the law school at Georgetown, District of Columbia, receiving his LL. B. degree in 1902. Admitted to the bar the same year, he began practice at Washington and since 1905 has been member of the well known firm of Ward & Grimes. Mr. Grimes served for several years as city at- torney of Washington, and has shown great ability in handling the increasing complexities of an im- portant practice.
He is a member of the school board, a trustee of the State Normal School at Greensboro, a di- rector of the Savings & Trust Company of Wash- ington, trustee of the Washington Tobacco Warehouse Association and a director of the Washington Cotton Storehouse Association. He belongs to the North Carolina Bar Association.
September 27, 1904, Mr. Grimes married Miss Ida K. Wharton, of Clemmons, Forsyth County, North Carolina, daughter of Albert C. and Eliza A. (Hill) Wharton. Her father was a farmer. Mr. and Mrs. Grimes have four children: Bryan, Eliza Hill, Charlotte Emily and Junius Daniel, Jr.
WILLIAM A. LEMLY was for over forty years one of the active figures in banking circles at old Salem and in Winston-Salem. He becamea banker almost as soon as the war closed, in which he had played a gallant part as a boy soldier. Mr. Lemly is now enjoying a vigorous old age, and has many interests and associations with his home city.
He represents that sturdy Moravian stock which so largely populated and developed Western North Carolina in early times. Mr. Lemly was born on a farm near Bethania, North Carolina, a son of Henry A. Lemly, who was born at Salisbury, North Carolina, in 1812, a son of Samuel Lemly. Samuel Lemly was for many years a merchant at Salis- bury, but subsequently moved to Jackson, Missis- sippi, where he and his wife, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Furr, spent their last years. Henry A. Lemly was reared and educated in Salisbury, and also became a merchant. When a young man he moved to Bethania, married there, and soon located on his father-in-law's farm. This place he operated with the aid of slaves for several years, but eventually removed to Salem in order to give his children the advantages of the fine schools of that town. In Salem he passed his later years and died at the age of seventy-four. He married Amanda Conrad, who was born near Bethania. Her father, Jacob Conrad, a native of Berks County, Pennsylvania, came to North Caro- lina with three brothers, Isaac, John and Abraham. Jacob and Abraham located near Bethania, while Isaac and John found homes in the Yadkin River Valley in what is now Yadkin County. Besides the farm near Bethania which he developed and owned Jacob Conrad also had a store. He married Elizabeth Lash. Her father, Christian Lash, was born near Bethania and, according to the family record, was a son of Jacob Loesch, whose name figures prominently in the early history of the Moravian colony, of which he was business man- ager for many years. The Conrads and Lashes were all active Moravians. Mrs. Henry A. Lemly, who died at the age of ninety-four, reared six chil- dren: Elizabeth, Laura, Ithiel T., Henry R., Wil- liam A. and Samuel C. Several of the sons had distinguished careers. Henry was for twenty years in the regular army, finally retiring with the rank of captain and is now a resident of Washington, District of Columbia. Samuel C. was Judge Advo- cate General of the United States Navy for twelve years, and is now deceased. Ithiel is a farmer near Asheville.
Mr. William A. Lemly was educated in the Boys' School at Salem, but at the age of seventeen gave up his studies to enter the Confederate army as a musician in the Twenty-sixth Regiment, North Carolina troops. Going to the front, he joined the army of Northern Virginia and was with his com- mand through all its service until in the early days of April, 1865, he was captured by the enemy near Petersburg. Taken to Point Lookout, Maryland, he remained a prisoner of war until the following June, when he was released and returned home.
With the organization of the First National Bank at Salem toward the close of the year 1865 this young soldier, then in his nineteenth year, was elected cashier. With fidelity and untiring industry he performed the duties of this position for thirteen years. Upon the death of his uncle, Israel G. Lash, president of the bank, its affairs were wound up. The First National Bank was followed by the immediate organization of the Wachovia Bank, and in this new institution Mr. Lemly again assumed the responsibilities of cashier. With the death of the bank's president Wyatt F. Bowman, Mr. Lemly was elected his suc- cessor, and he continued to give his service to the executive management of this institution until ill health finally compelled him to resign, For forty-
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HISTORY OF NORTH CAROLINA
two years he had been continuously identified with banking, and as much as any other man he was responsible for the strength and integrity of the great bank of which he was president.
Since he gave up the work which had employed him for so many years and which brought his breakdown in health, Mr. Lemly has completely recovered his strength and vigor, and now employs his time in looking after his private affairs. He has interests in several industrial corporations, and also owns much farming land. He is one of the esteemed members of the Twin City Club and the Forsyth Country Club and he and his wife belong to the Home Moravian Church.
He first married, in 1874, Bertha C. Belo, a native of Salem and a daughter of Edward and Carolina Amanda (Fries) Belo. Mrs. Lemly died in 1883. In 1884 he married Emily Louisa de Schweinitz, also a native of Salem, and daughter of Emil Adolphus and Sophia Amelia (Hermann) de Schweinitz.
Mr. Lemly has two sons, William B. and . Frederick H. William B. is now serving with the rank of lieutenant colonel in the United States Marine Corps, and by his marriage to Adelaide von Windegger, of St. Louis, who died in 1916, he has two sons, William C. and Frederick Von Windegger. The second son, Frederick H., gave five years of service in the United States Navy, was promoted to paymaster, but resigned and returned home to assist his father during the lat- ter's ill health. He was an active farmer in the spring of 1917, in Charles County, Maryland. He joined the reserves and is now assistant paymaster on the Von Stuben. Both sons are now in France. The older son, William B., was in the Quarter- master Department in the Philippines and was wounded at Teusems. He was all through the cam- paign during the Boxer uprising in China. Mr. William A. Lemly's brother, Samuel C., was with Schley during his expedition in the North.
JAMES B. WHITTINGTON, M. D., received a long and careful preparation for his chosen profession, and is now successfully identified with his calling at Winston-Salem.
Doctor Whittington was born in the Town of East Bend in Yadkin County, North Carolina, a son of James Madison and Bettie (Benbow) Whit- tington. Further reference to the family history is made on other pages, but it should be noted that in the maternal line Doctor Whittington is a grandson of Dr. Evan and Bettie Benbow, great- grandson of Thomas and Ann (Mendenhall) Ben- bow, while Thomas Benbow was a son of Thomas and Anna (Stanley) Benbow and a grandson of Charles and Mary (Colver) Benbow, all consti- tuting one of the notable families of North Caro- lina.
Doctor Whittington attended school in his home vicinity of East Bend, also in the Salem Boys' School, and took the literary course of Guilford College. He studied pharmacy in the University of North Carolina, and in 1911 finished his course and received the M. D. degree from the North Carolina Medical College. Before taking up active practice he spent two years as an interne in the Sheltering Arms Hospital at Charleston, West Virginia, and then located at Winston-Salem, where he has rapidly attained a reputation among the leading practitioners. He is a member of the Forsyth County and North Carolina State Medical societies and the American Medical Association,
Doctor Whittington married in 1914 Lisa Madi- son Shepherd. She was born at Orange, Virginia, and is a grandniece of President James Madison. Doctor Whittington is affiliated with Salem Lodge No. 289, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, Win- ston Chapter No. 24, Royal Arch Masons, Pied- mont Commandery No. 6, Knights Templar, and also Salem Lodge No. 56, Knights of Pythias and the East Bend Lodge of Odd Fellows.
JOHN S. MCKEE, M. D., took his degree in medicine from the medical department of the Uni- versity of Maryland in 1907. He spent one year in hospital work there and since his return to his native City of Raleigh has been in active general practice. In 1913 he was appointed city physician and since 1914 has been physician to the Confed- erate Soldiers' Home and St. Luke's Hospital. He is also visiting physician to the Rex Hospital and physician to the Carolina Power and Light Company.
His early training was of the best, his associa- tions since beginning practice have been with those institutions and organizations that are among the most prominent in the state and city, and on these grounds and in the general esteem of his fellow practitioners he is one of the leaders of his pro- fession today.
He was born July 16, 1878, a son of Dr. James McKee. His early education was acquired in the Raleigh Male Academy, in the Horner Military Academy, in the Fayetteville Military Academy, and in the literary department of the University of North Carolina. After his university course he entered the medical department of the Uni- versity of Maryland. He is now a member of the Raleigh Academy of Medicine and the North Carolina Medical Society, belongs to the Raleigh Chamber of Commerce and the Country Club, the Junior Order of United American Mechanics and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Young Men's Christian Association. Doctor Mc- Kee married Miss Elizabeth Dudley Purnell of Raleigh. They have one son, John S., Jr.
WILLIAM HYMAN ELLISON is one of the men who have supplied much of the energy and busi- ness judgment to the prospering commercial affairs of Washington in recent years. He is the execu- tive manager of a wholesale grocery house, has various other business interests, and has taken a public spirited part in local affairs.
Mr. Ellison was born at Washington, North Carolina, December 24, 1882, a son of Charles Franklin and Emma (Rosenthal) Ellison. His father was a farmer near Washington and when William H. was eleven years of age the family moved to Kinston. The latter attended private schools, later the public schools, and for two years had instruction in business courses under Prof. R. H. Lewis. Some of his preliminary business experience was with a manufacturing concern at Baltimore, Maryland, and on returning to Wash- ington, his birthplace, he was bookkeeper for the Old Dominion Steamship Company, later with a wholesale hardware house, and in 1907 organized' the Ellison Brothers Company, wholesale grocers. This is now a leading enterprise of the kind and has business connections all over the eastern half of the state. Mr. Allison is secretary, treasurer and manager of the corporation, and is also secre- tary and treasurer of the Pamlico Brick and Tile Company. He is chairman of the Township Road
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HISTORY OF NORTH CAROLINA
Committee and vice president of the Chamber of Commerce and is past exalted ruler of the local lodge of Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.
On March 30, 1909, Mr. Ellison married Mary M. Blount, daughter of the late Dr. William A. Blount, of Washington. They are the parents of four children: William Blount, John Gray, Hyman and Catherine Masters.
HON. GARLAND E. WEBB has been a business man and resident of Winston-Salem for a long period of years. He has formed many prominent and in- fluential business associations, and in one way or another has done much to promote the betterment and general improvement of his home city.
A native of North Carolina, he was born in Mangum Township in that portion of Orange County that is now Durham County. His grand- father was at one time in the jewelry business in the City of Washington and later at Baltimore, where he died The grandmother's maiden name was Elizabeth Desreaux. She was born on the Island of San Domingo. Her father, a Frenchman, had an extensive plantation there but was driven out as a result of one of the periodical insurrec- tions which have marked and stained the history of that island for centuries. Coming to the United States, he located in Baltimore, where he spent his last years. Mr. Webb's grandmother married for her second husband Mr. Louizo, and she spent her last years in Baltimore.
Col. Robert Fulton Webb, father of Mr. Webb, was born in Washington, District of Colum- bia, in 1826, was liberally educated in the schools of that city and in Baltimore, and when twenty- two years of age he formed the acquaintance in Baltimore of Rev. Mr. McMannen, of Orange County, North Carolina. Rev. Mr. McMannen in addition to his duties as a local preacher was a manufacturer of furniture and also published a religious chart. Colonel Webb became associated in this business and that was what brought him to North Carolina. At the outbreak of the Mexi- can war he resigned his business connections and enlisted in the First Regiment of North Carolina Troops. He was commissioned lieutenant of his company, went with the regiment to Mexico, and saw an extended service in that country until the close of hostilities. Coming back to North Caro- lina he again engaged in the manufacture of furni- ture and was also a farmer at Flat River. After about a dozen years of this quiet vocation the war broke out between the states. He immediately raised a company known as the Flat River Guards. He recruited and organized this company on the site now occupied by the railroad shops at the Town of Burlington in Alamance County. The youngest member of this organization, and by virtue of that service the youngest soldier either on the northern or southern sides in the war was Garland E. Webb. The latter was then seven years old. When his father raised the company the boy enlisted as a drummer and during the rallying of the recruits he urged them to patriotic fervor by the rattling of his drum. He also went to the site of the railroad shops and beat the drum during the roll call while the regiment was being organ- ized. That constituted his military experience, his services not being required after that.
The Flat River Guards were attached to the Sixth Regiment, North Carolina Troops, and designated as Company B. Robert Fulton Webb
was commissioned captain of the company on May 16, 1861, and was promoted to major July 11th, of the same year. Subsequently he became lieutenant colonel in the regiment. He was with his command in all its movements back and forth over the Confederacy and was present in some of the most historic battles of the war. In November, 1863, he was captured and was taken north to Johnson's Island in Lake Erie, off Sandusky. He subsequently wrote a very interesting account of the capture and confinement of himself and com- rades on the island, and that account appears in a history of North Carolina Regiments and Bat- talions published by Walter Clark in 1901. Colonel Webb remained a prisoner of war until July, 1865, when he was released and returned home. On resuming the occupations of peace he became a merchant and farmer at Flat River, but in 1877 changed his residence to Durham, where he became a dealer in and exporter of leaf tobacco. Durham was his home until his death.
Colonel Webb married Amanda Mangum. Her father, Ellison G. Mangum, was born in Orange County, North Carolina, and spent his life there, being an extensive planter, a large slave owner and a merchant. An extended account of the Mangum family may be found in Vol. 5 of the Ashe Biographical History of North Carolina. Ellison G. Mangum married Elizabeth Harris, who also spent her life in Orange County. Colonel Webb's wife died in 1872, having reared three children. Catherine married P. T. Conrad and Virginia became the wife of Charles Crabtree.
Garland E. Webb's first important experience in life has already been referred to in connection with the organization of the military company by his father. After that he attended schools and had most of his instruction under private tutors. One of his tutors was Dr. A. W. Mangum, Pro- fessor of English at the University of North Caro- lina. He also had a course in Bryant and Strat- ton's Business College at Baltimore. During his early youth he had some experience clerking in his father's store, and at the age of twenty he removed to Durham and became bookkeeper and salesman for J. F. Freeland, a general merchant. A year later, in 1876, he went to Philadelphia, during the year of the centennial, spent one year in that city, and then returned to Durham. For ten years he acted as auctioneer at the ware- house of E. J. Parish. As an auctioneer he has few peers in the state, and he has followed the business or profession most of his active life. While at Durham his public services began. He was elected clerk and treasurer of the Town of Durham. Mr. Webb has had an extensive expe- rience in North Carolina journalism. He was proprietor and editor of the Durham Recorder.
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