USA > North Carolina > History of North Carolina: North Carolina biography, Volume IV > Part 37
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surance and bonds, this company finally being in- corporated as the Culpepper-Griffin-Old-Grice Company, of which he was president until Janu- ary, 1917, when he disposed of his interests and retired from the company.
At the present time Mr. Grice's interests are large and important. Among other connections he is secretary and treasurer and general manager of the Norfolk & Carolina Telephone and Tele- graph Company, vice president of the Elizabeth City Electric Light Company, vice president of the Elizabeth City Water and Power Company, and a director in the Shorber & White Hardware Com- pany. He is a York Rite and Scottish Rite Mason and a Shriner, and is well and favorably known in club and fraternal life. In the promotion of the civic interests of his native place he has always taken an active and leading part.
On January 31, 1900, Mr. Grice was united in marriage with Miss Mary Alice Kramer, of Eliza- beth City.
HON. PRITCHARD SYLVESTER CARLTON. Note- worthy among the talented and eneregtic citizens of Salisbury who have gained distinction at the bar, and a position of influence in public circles, is Hon. Pritchard Sylvester Carlton, who is well adapted to his profession not only by his natural gifts, but by his legal learning and skill, while his deep convictions and strong beliefs on public questions of importance have made him a leader in political matters. He was born on a plantation lying three miles south of Warsaw, Duplin County, North Carolina, a son of Sylvester M. Carlton, Esq., whose birth occurred on the same large plan- tation, but about one mile further south, June 6, 1850.
His paternal grandfather, John Lewis Carlton, was born January 30, 1819. He and his two brothers, A. Wright Carlton and Royall Carlton, were prominent planters of Duplin County, carry- ing on farming with slave labor. He died June 23, 1884, on the plantation which he had improved. He married Bathsheba Mathis, who was born September 17, 1816, and died January 20, 1867. They reared three sons and four daughters: John Wright, who served in the Confederate Army dur- ing the Civil war, was killed in battle, May 30, 1864; William Chauncey also served in the Con- federate Army; Sylvester M., father of the subject of this sketch; Susan M. married O. P. Middle- ton; Jemima married L. R. Carroll; Celistia mar- ried W. H. Middleton; and Emma married Dr. James Nicholson.
Receiving excellent educational advantages when young, Sylvester M. Carlton, Esq., entered Wake Forest College, but before completing the course of study was stricken with a fever and forced to leave the institution. After recovering his health, he married, and having erected a house on his father's plantation embarked in agricultural pur- suits, first as a general farmer, and later as a truck farmer, or market gardener, after he became owner and proprietor of the "Willowdale Farm." Finding the occupation both pleasant and profit- able, he resided on the farm until his death, Sep- tember 25, 1911. Although never an office seeker, he served several years as justice of the peace. He was a prominent member of the Baptist Church, to which his wife also belonged, being a deacon in the church, which was located in War- saw, and for upwards of twenty years served as superintendent of the Sunday school, holding the
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position until failing health compelled him to re- sign.
The maiden name of his wife was Virginia Emeline Wells. She was born on a farm lying six miles west of Magnolia, in Duplin County, October 4, 1849, and died March 22, 1908. She was a daughter of James W. and Sarah Wells, and sister of John R. Wells, a planter and former treasurer of Duplin County; Ellis D. and Chauncey Graham Wells, both ministers of the Baptist Church and now located in South Carolina, and James D. Wells deceased.
To Sylvester M. Carlton and his wife, Virginia Emeline, were born four sons, one of whom, Chauncey Graham Carlton, born January 14, 1888, died May 23, 1891. The three living are John William, Pritchard Sylvester and James Delaney. John William Carlton was graduated from Wake Forest College, after which he entered the dental department of the University of Maryland, and since his graduation from that institution has been actively engaged in the practice of dentistry at Spencer, although he lives in Salisbury. He mar- ried Pearl Kern, a daughter of Thomas M. and Dora M. Kern, and they have one son, Thomas Kern Carlton. James Delaney Carlton attended Wake Forest College, and later was graduated from the dental department of the University of Maryland. He immediately began the practice of his profession in Salisbury, where he is meeting with satisfactory success. He married Meta May Winstead, a daughter of William Robert and Martha King Winstead, of Nash County.
Pritchard Sylvester Carlton prepared for col- lege at the Warsaw High School, and in 1899 was graduated from Wake Forest College with the degree of A. M. During his senior year in college he was elected orator by the Philomathesian Literary Society, senior speaker by the faculty and was awarded the senior orator's medal. Ac- cepting a position then in Elizabeth City, he taught Latin and Greek in the Atlantic Collegiate Institute for three years, after which he continued his studies in the law department of Wake Forest College. In February, 1903, Mr. Carlton was licensed to practice law, and in July of that year settled in Salisbury, where he has since built up a substantial and remunerative patronage.
A democrat in politics, Mr. Carlton cast his first presidential vote for William J. Bryan. In 1912 he was elected to represent Rowan County in the State Legislature, and in 1914 he was elected judge of Rowan County Court. Religiously he is an active member of the Baptist Church, of which he was for many years a trustee, and the treasurer, while for the past ten years he has served as super- intendent of the Sunday school.
Fraternally Mr. Carlton is a member of Rowan Lodge, No. 100, Knights of Pythias; of Cordon Lodge, No. 168, Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows; and of Winona Council, No. 18, Junior Or- der of United American Mechanics. Socially he belongs to the Old Hickory Club, and a number of other social, civic, business and religious or- ganizations.
Mr. Carlton married, August 28, 1917, Beulah Mary Kern, the youngest daughter of Thomas M. and Dora M. Kern. She was born on the farm of her father about six miles northeast of Salisbury, but moved with her parents to Salisbury in 1904. Mrs. Carlton is an active member of the Lutheran Church and a member of the leading social and book clubs of the city.
WILLIAM STEPHEN LINVILLE has for many years been actively identified with business affairs at Kernersville as a general merchant. With the aid of his two enterprising sons he has built up a large establishment, a completely stocked depart- ment store, and along with good business judg- ment he has displayed much public spirit in the advancement of that community.
Mr. Linville is of an old family in this section of North Carolina. He was himself born on a farm in Belews Creek Township in Forsyth Coun- ty. His Linville ancestors are said to have come to America with the William Penn Colony. His great-grandfather, from the best of information at hand, was a native of Pennsylvania and from there came to North Carolina and was a pioneer settler in Belews Creek Township. When he reached there he was on the outermost fringe of civilization, and the wilderness was filled with game, wild Indians and other obstacles to cultiva- tion and settled life. He hewed a farm from out the woods and lived there quietly and prosperously until his death.
Fuell Linville, grandfather of the Kernersville merchant, was born in Belews Creek Township and also took up the vocation of agriculture. He bought land in his native township and spent his entire life in that community. He married Eliza- beth Hallbroak, who was also probably a life-long resident of that township. She and her husband were active members of the Missionary Baptist Church.
Moses Linville, father of William S., was born in Belews Creek Township in 1831. After he was grown he bought some land in the township, but after a few years sold it and secured a tract of land in the northern part of Kernersville Town- ship. He possessed the industry and thrift re- quired for a successful career as a farmer, and he lived in his community honored and respected until the age of eighty-four years. During the war be- tween the states he served as an officer of the Home Guards. Moses Linville married Elizabeth Hester. She was born in Belews Creek Township, daughter of Stephen and Mary (Linville) Hester. Her grandfather, John Hester, at one time had a home in Granville Township, where his father had spent his entire life. Mary Linville's father was Henry Linville, a soldier in the War of 1812 under General Jackson, and he died while in the service at New Orleans. Mrs. Moses Linville lived to be seventy-eight. She was the mother of only two sons, William Stephen and Newton. Newton is now a resident in Walkertown.
William S. Linville grew up in this section of North Carolina, which had been completely trans- formed since his great-grandfather settled there. His early environment was the farm, his first training came from the district schools, and after- ward he attended Kernersville Academy. At the age of eighteen he was a teacher, and for twenty years he followed teaching part of each annual season, while the rest of the year was spent as a farmer. Between these vocations he alternated with usefulness to himself and others until 1891, when he removed to Kernersville and invested his modest capital in a stock of general merchandise.' That business has grown and flourished, and he now has his sons, Addison N. and James A., as his associates. They have a large store, and their stock includes all staple provisions, drugs, men's furnishings, dry goods and a large line of farm implements.
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Mr. Linville was married in 1871 to Mary Vance, a native of Kernersville. Her parents were Martin and Hepsey (Smith) Vance. Mr. and Mrs. Lin- ville have reared eight children, named Addison N., William C., James A., Elizabeth, Ed M., Mary, Walter and Frannie. William C. studied medicine in the University of North Carolina and in the University of Maryland at Baltimore, where he was graduated, and is now a successful practition- er. Elizabeth is the wife of Gideon H. Hastings. Mary married Clyde A. Holt. Frannie is the wife of William H. Morton. Mr. and Mrs. Linville are active members of the Methodist Protestant Church. He is affiliated with Kernersville Council of the Junior Order of United American Me- chanics.
JOSEPH J. KORNER is a carpenter and contractor and resident of Kernersville in Forsyth County. His family have many interesting associations with that locality.
It is said that King Charles the First divided the province of North Carolina into eight districts, granting each of them to a personal friend. One of these grantees was Lord Granville. His dis- trict included many thousands of acres, part of which was the present site of Kernersville, North Carolina. The tradition is that a man named Caleb Story, an Irishman, bought 400 acres, in- cluding the town site, and paid four gallons of rum for the land. He held it only a short time, then sold to Nathaniel Shober, of Salem, North Carolina, and the latter passed it on to William Dobson, and for a time the place was known as Dobson's Corners. Dobson sold to Joseph Körner, grandfather of Joseph J. Körner. During his ownl- ership the locality became known as Körner's Corners or Cross Roads.
This Joseph Körner was born in the Black Forest of Germany March 13, 1763, a son of Peter and a grandson of Jacobus Körner. Joseph Körner learned the trade of clock maker and in 1783, came to America, working at his trade a short time in New York and Philadelphia and then coming South into North Carolina selling clocks. He located at Friedland (a Moravian church), which was his home until 1817, when he bought the 400 acres above noted, including the site of Kernersville. His house was on the main road from Salem to Greensborough. That house he used as a tavern for a number of years. He was a very successful man in a business way and acquired other lands until his ownership extended to 1,100 acres. He died in 1830. This pioneer married Christina Cost- ner, who was born at Friedland. They reared three children: John F., Phillip and Sarah. John inherited that part of his father's estate lying west of the Salem Road. Phillip acquired that portion lying between the Greensborough and Dan- ville Road, while Sarah, who married Apollos Harman of Connecticut had all the land between the Greensborough and Salem Road.
Phillip Körner, father of Joseph J., was born at Friedland in 1805. He sold his inheritance to William Penn Henley, of Lexington, North Caro- lina, who in turn sold to Levi Bodenhamer, the latter sold to Dr. J. B. Sapp, who left the place to his son, Carey Sapp, and the latter in turn sold to David Bodenhamer, the present owner.
Phillip Körner sold his part of the ancestral domain in 1848 and then bought a farm two miles to the west. There he engaged in farming until his death in 1875. His wife was Judith Gardner, a native of Kernersville. Her father, William Gardner, was a native of Nantucket, Massachu-
setts, but came to North Carolina when a young man and located in what is now Forsyth County, where the rest of his days- were spent. William Gardner married Abigail Weisner, a native of For- syth County. Judith Gardner Körner died in 1853, and Phillip Korner subsequently married Sally Gibbons, who is still living at the age of ninety- one. By his first wife he had the following chil- dren: Florina Eliza, Antoinette Marie, William Gaston, Sally Harmon, Joseph John, Medora Cor- nelia and J. Gilmer. By the second marriage there were two children, Henry C. and Consin.
Joseph J. Körner was a native of Kernersville, grew up and attended the high school there and subsequently took a course in the Normal School at Lebanon, Ohio. When a young man he learned the trade of carpenter and now for many years has been a successful building contractor. He has not only built but has sold many residences in his section of the state.
Mr. Körner married- Virginia Elizabeth Doggett, a native of Guilford County, North Carolina. Her parents were James Doggett, of English ancestry, and Mary Ann (Lambeth) Doggett. Her mother was the daughter of Rev. John and Mildred (Flack) Lambeth, of Virginia. Mr. and Mrs. Körner have three children: Cullen Leggett, Rus- sell DeLessep and Estelle Gertrude. Cullen is a traveling salesman, and married Pearl Link, their only child dying at the age of four years. The son, Russell, was a traveling salesman but is now 'in the navy at Newport, Rhode Island. Estelle Gertrude is a graduate of Guilford College and is now principal of the school at Guthrie. Mr. Körner was reared in and has always held to the faith of the Moravian Church. He is a well known citizen as well as business man, and formerly served as county treasurer of Forsyth County.
DENNIS LUTHER Fox, M. D. Hundreds of fam- ilies in Randolph County have come to appreciate the ability and splendid services of two genera- tions of the Fox family as physician. Dr. Dennis Luther Fox is in practice at Randleman, and his present standing in the profession is the result of nearly twenty-five years of active experience. His father before him was an old time country doctor and a man really eminent in his profession and as a splendid type of citizen.
The late Dr. Michael L. Fox was a son of Chris- tian Fox, who owned and occupied a farm on Sandy Creek in Liberty Township of Randolph County. On this farm Michael grew up, enjoyed a good education, and as a youth taught school for a time. He began the study of medicine under Doctor Black and later entered Jefferson Medical College at Philadelphia and earned his degree from that great institution. Returning home, he took up practice, and soon had a patronage that taxed his great energy and perseverance. He practiced in the days before automobiles and improved high- ways, and traveled for miles in all kinds of weather and both night and day. His usual method of reaching his patients was by horseback, though he also used a two-wheeled gig. He lived in that one locality and served it faithfully and well with the exception of 11% years at Conover in Catawba County, where he lived for the purpose of giving his children the benefit of the schools. His death occurred in his old home township in 1885, at the age of sixty-three. He married Sarah Lutterlow, who also died at the age of sixty-three. They had seven children, named: William Alexander, Lewis M., Sally A., Cora M., Thomas I., Dennis Luther and Junius Claudius.
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Dennis Luther Fox was born on his father's farm in Liberty Township of Randolph County, and in his generation had many of the experiences which were common to his father. He attended Liberty Academy and Conover College and at the age of twenty began teaching. As a teacher he had one term at Black Schoolhouse in Liberty Township, one term in the Coble School in Guilford County, and one term at New Salem. His early medical studies were directed by his brother, Dr. William Alexander Fox, and he supplemented these by attending Vanderbilt University Medical College at Nashville, Tennessee. He graduated in 1894, and since then has been a busy man in his profession. For three years he practiced at Ram- seur, at Worthboro two years, and since then at Randleton. Doctor Fox is a member of the Ran- dolph County and North Carolina Medical societies, and the American Medical Association.
THOMAS PINCKNEY JOHNSTON. Of the many enterprising and prosperous agriculturists and esteemed citizens of Rowan County, Thomas P. Johnstou, of Salisbury, is a worthy representative, his life record being creditable to himself, and also to his good mother, who reared him in the paths of industry and integrity, instilling into his youthful mind those lessons of truthfulness, hon- esty and justice that have been his guiding prin- ciples through life. A son of J. Sloan Johnston, he was born in Salisbury, September 8, 1845. His father, and his grandfather, Lemuel D. Johnston, were both born on Beaver Dam Creek, in Scotch Irish Township, Rowan County, on the farm where his great-grandfather, William Johnston, settled in pioneer days. A soldier in the Revolutionary war, William Johnston took an active part in the engagements at Guilford Courthouse and at Ala- mance. His last years were spent in Rowan County, on his home plantation, on Beaver Dam Creek. He married a Miss Dickey, who, like himself, was of Scotch ancestry.
Lemuel D. Johnston succeeded to the ownership of the home farm, and was there engaged in agri- cultural pursuits during his entire life, carrying on his work with slaves until his death, in 1852. He also had a country tanyard. The maiden name of his wife was Nancy Hall.
Born about 1816, J. Sloan Johnston grew to manhood in his native township, and having been crippled in his right side and arm in early life, being scholarly inclined he received a good education. Locating in Salisbury as a young man, he purchased property on the west corner of Lee and Fisher streets, and there engaged in the manufacture of carriages and wagons. He also purchased, and occupied as a home, the house that once stood on the corner of Inniss and Church streets, the site now occupied by the Marble U. S. Postoffice Building. Going security for friends, he lost his entire property prior to his death, which occurred in 1868. He filled various public offices, having served as coroner, magistrate, and registrar of deeds. His wife, whose maiden name was Sarah Reeves, was born in Salisbury, March 22, 1822, being a daughter of Samuel aud Mary Ann (Hughes) Reeves, and grand-daughter of Col. Andrew Balfour, of Revolutionary fame.
As previously mentioned, J. Sloan Johnston lost his property, and it devolved upon his widow to support her family. Having an excellent educa- tion, she taught school successfully for a number of years. Kind-hearted and sympathetic, she was
widely known for her charity and benevolence, and during the Civil war no soldier, be he Rebel or Yankee, ever came to her for assistance that he did not get it. Her home, which was but a block from the garrison, became the refuge for soldiers of both armies. Hugh Berry, a Yankee soldier from Oshkosh, Wisconsin, being sick, was taken to her home, and there nursed by her until his death, when his body was tenderly laid to rest in her garden. It was while assisting this sick sol- dier that she received from a Confederate a slight bayonet wound. For caring for Hugh Berry and other Yankee soldiers, she, by a special act of Congress, was grauted by the Federal Government a colonel's life pension.
After the war had closed, Mrs. Sarah (Reeves) Johnston moved with her family to Cincinnati, in order that her children might have better educa- tional advantages, and all of the younger mem- bers of her family became teachers. She remained in that city about twenty-five years, but after the death of her youngest child returned to Salisbury, and here spent her remaining days, with her youngest daughter, Mrs. S. D. J. Parker, dying May 13, 1906, having lived a widow for thirty- eight years. She was a woman of much force of character, strong mentally and physically, and re- tained her health and faculties to the last, passing to the life beyond at the venerable age of four score and four years.
She reared two sons, Thomas Pinckney and Wil- liam, and three daughters, Mary Ann, Harriet M. and Sally Dayton. Harriet married William Tubbs; Mary A. married Robert Hendry; Sally D. became the wife of Alexander Parker. William, who entered the United States Mail Service, lost his life in a railway accident at Mingo Junction when but twenty-two years old.
Thomas Pinckney Johnston was educated under the tutorship of Prof. Samuel Wiley. At the out- break of the Civil war, he entered the Confederate service as ordnance messenger, and continued in that capacity for nearly three years. Joining the navy in January, 1864, he went to Halifax, this state, where the Albemarle was built. He assisted in its building, and was on board that boat con- tinuously in all its active service including the sinking of the Federal boats "Bombshell" and "Southfield, " and was aboard the "Albemarle" when it was torpedoed and sunk, making his escape with the remainder of the crew. With others, Mr. Johnston was then ordered to Wil- mington to ship on the privateer "Owl." An accident on the W. and W. Railroad at Tarboro delayed them two days, and the "Owl" sailed without them, Mr. Johnston and the crew were then ordered to Fort Fisher, and assisted in its defense ou December 25 and January 16, when it was captured, he escaping to Wilmington, and retreating from there to Richmond. There, on April 3, 1865, he was in the Presbyterian Church when he saw a messenger deliver to the minister a telegram announcing the surrender of Peters- burg, Virginia, and saw President Jefferson Davis walk out of the church with the whole con- gregation. With some of his comrades, Mr. John- ston left Richmond at four o'clock the next morn- ing, on the last train that left the city carrying Confederate soldiers, who then fired the bridge.
At that time provisions were very scarce in that city, and Mr. Johnston applied at a house for food, being unable to buy any. The woman re- plied that she had nothing but one loaf of bread,
Sarah Re Johnston
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which she offered to divide with him, hoping that some one would treat her boy in the same way. Landing with his companions in Danville, Vir- ginia, Mr. Johnston started with his friends to walk to Greensboro; on the way they met a supply train going north to escape capture. The train crew had not heard of the surrender of Richmond. The boys got something to eat there, and then forced the engineer to take them to the Yadkin River, from which point they walked to Salisbury, seven miles away, Mr. Johnston taking with him a pair of Government blankets which he had se- cured in Greensboro.
After trying farming in the vicinity of Salis- bury for a time, Mr. Johnston went to Cincinnati, where he spent two years, working first as street car conductor, and later as correspondent in the Andes Amazon & Triumph Insurance Company. Returning then to Rowan County, he bought land in Salisbury Township, and on the farm which he improved carried on farming extensively and suc- cessfully for upwards of forty years. As a civil engineer, he formerly did much surveying in and around Rowan County, and served for some time as county surveyor. Industrious and thrifty, he acquired considerable wealth, and in addition to his farm owns much valuable city property.
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