USA > North Carolina > History of North Carolina: North Carolina biography, Volume IV > Part 41
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106
Senator Bassett has been prominently before the people of this county as an able leader of the state democracy for more than a quarter of a century. In 1892 he was elected a member of the Democratic Central Executive Committee, which had in charge the campaign of that year in Edgecombe, this being the year of a magnificent democratic victory, not alone in Edgecombe but in North Carolina and the nation, Grover Cleve- land being elected President for the second time and Elias Carr governor of North Carolina. Ever since that time Senator Bassett has been growing in ability, in usefulness, and in the respect and admiration felt for him by all the people of the county and this section. During recent years his reputation has become statewide as a safe and use- ful legislator and a sane and effective leader in the North Carolina Senate. Elected first in 1908, he at once took rank as one of the really big men in that body, whose views were always profoundly considered and whose opinions when expressed were always potent in the deliberations of the chamber. Re-elected in 1910, his influence in the Senate of 1911 was an accentuation of his promi- nence in the previous Senate, and he was regarded as one of the most potential of the group of democratic leaders who shaped the important legislation of the General Assembly of 1911. He was chairman of the democratic caucus of the Senate and was also chairman of the democratic joint caucus of the Senate and the House, this position carrying with it the formal leadership of the Legislature. It is a very unusual occurrence for any one senator to receive the honor of both these chairmanships. Chairman Bassett was also chairman of the committee on the revisal and a member of the judiciary committee; of the com- mittees on appropriations and finance, the next two ranking committees of the Senate; of the committees on counties, cities and towns, legisla- tive appointment, constitutional amendments, insurance and of the conference committee on the part of the Senate to consider and adjust the differences between the two houses as to the pro- visions of the revenue and machinery acts. Sen- ator Bassett was also chairman of the calendar committee, this being a position of the very great- est responsibility, in that it is the province of this committee (and most of the work devolves upon the chairman) to sift the wheat from the chaff in the last days of the Legislature, when it is too late to refer the hundreds of bills awaiting passage to the various committes in regular order. The stamp of approval or disapproval put upon any bill by the calendar committee at this stage almost invariably means the life or death of such bill. It is a splendid tribute to the great respect and regard in which Senator Bassett was held by his colleagues in the Senate that he was made chairman of this powerful committee; for none but the most trusted and capable leaders ever receive this honor. He left the Senate in 1912, but this by no means ended his usefulness to the public and to this state, for he was appointed by Governor Craig as a member of the commission on
IV. C. Nam
153
HISTORY OF NORTH CAROLINA
revision of courts and court procedure, serving with Chief Justice Walter , Clark, of Raleigh, W. J. Adams, of Carthage, judge of the Superior Court, William P. Bynum, of Greensboro, W. A. Graham, of Raleigh, commissioner of agriculture, and W. S. Wilson, of Raleigh. In 1916 he was further honored when he was offered a seat on the bench of the Superior Court by Governor Craig, but did not accept this offer. He has been a member since its organization in 1901 and is now secretary of the board of trustees of the graded schools of Rocky Mount. Fraternally he is identified with the Masons as an influential member of Corinthian Lodge No. 230, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, is a trustee of the Masonic Temple, and belongs to the Sagamore Club. In connection with his profession he be- longs to the North Carolina and American Bar associations. He is president of the Rock Mount Bar Association, being its first president and member of the United States Army Commission of 1918. During his career as a lawyer he has become identified with a number of business or- ganizations, and at this time is president of the New South Development Company. At Rocky Mount, Senator Bassett is an active force in Sun- day school work, and has performed faithfully and diligently the full duties of true manhood and fine citizenship. His forceful personality is enlisted in favor of every proper cause as it is given him to see it.
REV. WILLIAM CAPERS NORMAN. Consecrated in early life to the Master's service, the late Rev. William Capers Norman, for many years a prom- inent member of the Methodist Episcopal Confer- ence, was an ardent believer and up-holder of the truths of the Holy Scriptures, his pure and blame- less life having been a testimony to his strong and loving faith. A native of North Carolina, he was born, in 1847, in Davidson County, a son of Rev. Alfred and Mary (Rucker) Norman. His father, born in Plymouth, Washington County, North Carolina, was converted when young, and after joining the North Carolina Conference held pastorates in several different places, in each serv- ing the full period of time then allotted by the Methodist discipline.
As a young man, William C. Norman mani- fested decided religious tendencies, and after com- pleting his early education at Old Trinity College he entered the ministry, being ordained at the Methodist Episcopal Church in Greensboro, North Carolina Conference. He was at first associated with the North Carolina Conference, but later be- came actively identified with the East North Caro- lina Conference, and served acceptably as a minister in various cities and towns of this state. Among the more important pastorates which Mr. Norman held we may mention the following named : the First Methodist Episcopal Church at Raleigh, of which he had charge two terms; the Second Methodist Episcopal Church of that city; the Cen- tenary Church at Winston, where he remained four years; and Grace Church, Wilmington, North Caro- lina, four years ; he also served four years at Lewis- burg, North Carolina; and the pastorate of the Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church at Durham. He died in 1902, during the session of Conference at Wilmington, North Carolina. Of Rev. Mr. Norman it can well be said that he bore fitly the name of Christian, and also that he possessed the true charity, benevolence and sympathy that won the love of all who knew him.
Mr. Norman married in 1877, Miss Sallie Har- grave. She was born in Lexington, North Carolina, at the old Hargrave home, which then occupied the site of the present Post Office building. Mrs. Norman is a daughter of Jesse Hamilton and Martha (Clement) Hargrave; grand-daughter of Jesse and Elizabeth Jane (Lindsay) Hargrave; and great-grand-daughter of Robert Lindsay, who married a Miss De Vane, and whose father, John Lindsay, was one of the very early pioneers of Guilford County, North Carolina. On the maternal side, Mrs. Norman is a grand-daughter of Jesse and Malinda (Nail) Clement. Mrs. Norman is now living in Lexington, her native city, coming back here after the death of her husband in order to be near her brothers and sisters.
CHARLES EARL JOHNSON. More than forty years ago Charles Earl Johnson was a student of law. On account of the death of his father he had to give up his ambition to become a lawyer and find means to support himself. Thereby his energies were directed into the broad field of commerce, while for many years he has been a recognized power in North Carolina. It is said that Mr. Johnson has done as much to develop water power in this state as any other indi- vidual, and his influence and management are potent in many of the large banking, industrial, and other business affairs of Raleigh and in di- verse parts of this state and South Carolina.
A native of Raleigh, where he was born August 13, 1851, Charles Earl Johnson during his youth gained the equivalent of a liberal education. He attended Lovejoy's Academy at Raleigh, was also under the instruction of Rev. Dr. R. S. Mason, and under his own father's tuition gained an ac- quaintance with both secular and religious stu- dies.
At the age of seventeen he was working as clerk in a dry goods store. During 1874-75 he served as assistant secretary of the North Carolina Sen- ate, and at that time he was diligently pursuing the study of law. In 1876 his father died, and forced him to other fields. He entered the cotton business, became connected with a large cotton firm and in 1876 established a business of his own, which for years has been the C. E. Johnson & Company, one of the largest firms of the kind in the South.
Mr. Johnson was instrumental in building the first cotton compress at Raleigh, and one of the first in the interior part of the state. This com- pany has furnished large quantities of cotton to the mills in the state and its export trade aver- aged about 150,000 bales a year.
With his success as a cotton merchant his influ- ence rapidly spread to many other important lines of business. For years he was a director of the Seaboard Air Line Railroad. Since 1898, when the Mechanics Bank of Raleigh was established, he has served as its president, for years was vice president of the National Bank of Raleigh, is now president of the Raleigh Banking and Trust Com- pany, president of the Carolina Ice Company, and the Hamlet Ice Company, is president of the Caro- lina. Light and Power Company, the Yadkin River Power Company, the Asheville Light and Power Company, the Atlantic Fire Insurance Company, and is associated financially or otherwise with many other local and state organizations.
Mr. Johnson has never failed to extend a liberal hand to every movement designed to promote the
154
HISTORY OF NORTH CAROLINA
prosperity and welfare of the capital city and the state at large. For over twenty years he has been treasurer of the Diocese of North Carolina, and is active in the work of the Episcopal Church. Governor Glenn appointed him a member of his staff with the rank of colonel. He is a member of the Capitol Club and the Country Club at Ra- leigh, and belongs to various clubs in New York City, Richmond and Norfolk, Virginia. On De- cember 7, 1876, he married Mary Ellis Wilson of Charlotte, North Carolina. Mrs. Johnson's father was Joseph H. Wilson, a prominent attorney. They have three children: Mary Wilson, wife of Frank M. Kimbark, Toronto, Canada; Charles Earl, insurance and stockbroker, thirty-five years of age, and first lieutenant Company G, Fifty- second Infantry; Fanny Hines, wife of Morris Harriss; Wilmington, North Carolina.
WILLIAM SYDNEY WILSON. One of the very im- portant departments of the state government at Raleigh is the legislative reference department, presided over by William Sydney Wilson. Mr. Wilson is a lawyer by training and profession, and has had a long and active relationship with public and governmental affairs at Raleigh, and conse- quently has at his command a great volume of experience and information in addition to the records of his office which are thus made available to the members of the Legislature in their work as lawmakers, as well as furnishing much material and information to the public.
A native of North Carolina, born in Caswell County December 29, 1873, William Sydney is a son of Robert Peyton and Virginia Adelaide (Travis) Wilson. His father was a farmer, a na- tive of North Carolina, while his mother was born in Virginia. Reared on a farm, educated first in the public schools and afterwards in the Danville Military Institute, William S. Wilson received his higher education in the University of North Caro- lina, where he graduated in June, 1899. He was given his license to practice law in September, 1900. In August preceding he was elected a mem- ber of the Legislature, serving one term. Follow- ing that for fourteen years Mr. Wilson was chief clerk to the secretary of state, and then with this unusual experience took charge of the legislative reference department in 1915 and was elected state librarian in 1918.
As a business man he is also a factor in the City of Raleigh, being secretary of the Raleigh Improvement Company, vice president of the Raleigh Building and Loan Association, and one of the organizers and since secretary, treasurer and manager of the Suburban Water Company. He has served as secretary, vice president and president of the Raleigh Country Club, and is a past exalted ruler and past district deputy of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.
On June 8, 1909, Mr. Wilson married Mary Walker Strong of Raleigh, daughter of Judge George B. and Anna (Cowan) Strong.
WALTER GWYNN MACRAE. One of the survivors of the war between the states, Walter Gwynn Mac- Rae of Wilmington, has been no less a fighter of the battles of peace; and during his active career has enjoyed many positions of responsibility and trust in his native state.
He was born in Wilmington, North Carolina on the 27th of January, 1841, in the house where he still resides. He is of Highland Scotch ances-
try. The Highlanders of the state have borne conspicuous parts in North Carolina history from colonial times to the present. Captain MacRae's grandfather was born in Kintail, Ross Shire, Scot- land. His parents were Alexander and Anna Jane (Martin) MacRae, his father a native of Cumberland County and his mother of Wilming- ton. A man of prominence and action in business affairs, the father at one time was president and superintendent of the Wilmington & Weldon Rail- road.
Mr. W. G. MacRae was given a liberal education in keeping with the circumstances of the family. He was educated in private schools at Wilming- ton later graduated at the English High School, Boston, Massachusetts, receiving the Franklin medal, and from there entered the Dane Law School of Harvard University. While in that school the Civil war began and all the southern students returned home. Henry MacRae, a brother, became major of the Eighth North Caro- lina Infantry and died in service. Robert B. MacRae became major of the Seventh North Carolina State Troops; was twice desperately wounded and died shortly after the close of the war. William, a third brother, became a brigadier general in Lee's army. Roderick was a lieuten- ant in the Eighteenth North Carolina Infantry. Still another brother, who died a short time before the outbreak of the war, was Archibald, a captain commander in the United States Navy.
W. G. MacRae first enlisted in the Eighteenth North Carolina Infantry. He was then assigned to duty in the heavy artillery at Fort Fisher, and following that was with McNeill's Company of Partisan Rangers in the cavalry branch. With that troop he participated in a number of skir- mishes in North Carolina. His hardest service he saw as lieutenant of Company C of the Seventh North Carolina Infantry, Lane's Brigade, A. P. Hill's Division, Jackson's Corps, in the Army of Northern Virginia. With his company he was in the battle of Mine Run, Fredericksburg, Chan- cellorsville and Gettysburg. In the last moment of the fight at Gettysburg he was wounded, taken to the hospital at Richmond, Virginia, and later home; and after recovery rejoined his com- mand and was promoted to captain of Company C. During the last battle of the Wilderness Cap- tain MacRae was captured by the Federal troops. He was sent to Fort Delaware prison, and from that fortress he was one of the six hundred Con- federate prisoners who were taken to Morris Island and put under fire from their own batteries in retaliation for alleged mistreatment of some of the northern prisoners.
For an account of this see Clark's History of North Carolina Regiments, volume 4, page 712.
On returning to Wilmington he took up the threads of civil life as an employe of the Weldon railroad. For a time he was ticket agent, pay master on the road and had charge of the supply department; later he was promoted to general freight agent for the Wilmington & Manchester Railroad, and also helped survey the line, which was a short cut between Wilson and Florence. Later he was in charge of survey and construction of the Nashville branch from Rocky Mount to Nashville, North Carolina. Part of the time after the war he spent as treasurer and superintendent of the Wilmington Cotton Mill. This was the first plant in the South to manufacture 64x64 cot- ton print cloth.
Captain MacRae in 1898 was elected sheriff of
&G. H. Mitchell
155
HISTORY OF NORTH CAROLINA
New Hanover County. Later he served as mayor of Wilmington, and for several years was presi- dent of the Board of Managers of the James Walker Memorial Hospital. He is a member of the Episcopal Church and a member in good stand- ing of St. John's lodge Ancient Free and Accepted Masons.
Though this record is brief, it is sufficient to indicate Captain MacRae's honored position and service during a lifetime of more than three quarters of a century in his native state.
HON. JOHN GIDEON HILL MITCHELL. The Mitchell family in western North Carolina have always been identified with those substantial in- terests and vocations which make a prosperous and contented state and community. Mr. Mitchell, who now lives at Walnut Cove in Stokes County, has had a very long and active career, much of the time spent in public affairs, and also as a farmer and farm manager.
He was born on a farm in Beaver Island Town- ship of Stokes County October 22, 1839. The Mitchells are largely of Scotch ancestry. His grandfather, Hugh Mitchell, was so far as known a life long resident of Stokes County, had a large plantation, and before the war employed numerous slaves to cultivate it. He married Annie Davis, whose father, James Davis, was a wealthy Stokes County farmer.
Hon. William A. Mitchell, father of John G. H. Mitchell, was born in Stokes County in November, 1796. He was reared in a time when not so much thought was given to public education as in modern times, but he made the best of his opportunities and for a number of years was a successful teacher. He early became interested in public life, served as justice of the peace a number of years and was elected to represent Stokes County in the Legislature in 1842 and 1844. He bore an in- fluential part in the Legislature of that interesting epoch in North Carolina's history. By inheritance he had three hundred acres of land, and subse- quently added to that by purchase and became a very successful farmer. He owned slaves and he continued to live on his farm until his death in his eighty-second year. William A. Mitchell mar- ried Elizabeth Wilson, who was born in Stokes County in 1798. Her grandfather, William Wilson, was a native of Ireland but of Scotch ancestry and married Prudence Hamilton, a native of Scotland. They came to America in Colonial times, landing at Norfolk, Virginia, subsequently locating in Patrick County of that state, and from there com- ing to Stokes County, North Carolina. Elizabeth Wilson's father was Elder John L. Wilson, who owned and occupied a farm in Beaver Island Township, where he lived until his death at the age seventy-eight. He was an elder in the Primitive Baptist Church and was very active and influential in upholding the cause of religion and morality in his community. He married Rebecca Vaughan, who died when upwards of seventy years. William A. Mitchell and wife reared ten children: Ann Eliza, Rebecca, Nancy Jane, Martha, William, Benjamin, Mason, Minerva, John G. H. and Mary. The only survivors of this family are Mason and John G. H. Mason was lieutenant in Company H of the Twenty-second Regiment, North Carolina Troops, in the war between the states, and in the battle of Seven Pines was severely wounded. He carried the hullet in his ler for about forty years. He was also wounded at Gettysburg.
John Gideon Hill Mitchell grew up on the old
plantation of his father and had all the advantages which a family of means and social position could supply. He attended school regularly in his youth, and at the age of sixteen began a career as teacher. As a teacher he was exempt from military service in the war between the states, his work being con- sidered more useful in that capacity than as a soldier in the ranks. However, he performed much service besides teaching. He was elected justice of the peace, and in 1863 was elected registrar, an office he held two years. In 1865 Mr. Mitchell was elected clerk of the Superior Court, and filled that position three years. In 1870 another public honor came to him when he was elected representative in the Legislature, and he was re-elected in 1872. In 1875 Stokes County chose him as register of deeds, and he was continued in that office by re- election for a period of eleven years.
During all this time he lived at the old home- stead and looked after its management. He suc- ceeded to the ownership of the land formerly operated by his father, and by the purchase of other tracts acquired a splendid estate, which he still owns. In 1912 Mr. Mitchell went to Florida and invested in some of the lands of that state. Since 1913 he has lived retired at Walnut Cove and owns one of the pleasant homes of that town.
Mr. Mitchell was married in 1907 to Nannie Scales, who was born in Rockingham County, North Carolina, a daughter of James and Effie (Webster) Scales. Mrs. Mitchell died in 1913, the mother of four children, named Bessie, Mary, Rebecca and John G. H., Jr. Mr. Mitchell has been almost a life long member of the Primitive Baptist Church.
JOSEPH JAMES LANE MCCULLERS, M. D. With the exception of two years Doctor McCullers has served as county physician and quarantine officer of Wake County continuously since 1900. He still keeps his home at the old family seat of McCul- lers in Wake County, and from that town his services have radiated over a wide territory as a physician and surgeon during the past thirty years.
He was born at the old homestead in Wake County March 18, 1851. His parents were John Joseph Lane McCullers and Willia Richardson (Nauce) McCullers. His father was a Wake County farmer. Doctor McCullers grew up at the old homestead, attended the public schools, and in 1886 graduated from the College of Phy- sicians and Surgeons at Baltimore, Maryland. He at once returned to his old home and began the general practice which has continued steadily since 1886. In 1898-1900 he served as coroner of Wake County, and was then chosen to the official responsibilities which he now holds.
Doctor McCullers organized and served as the first president of the Wake County Medical So- ciety, and since 1886 has been a member of the North Carolina Medical Association. He has been surgeon of the Norfolk and Southern Railway since that line was constructed and also of the Raleigh and Cape Fear Railroad. Besides his large practice and official responsibilities Doctor McCullers owns some fine farming land and gives considerable time to its management and culti- vation. He has always been an active democrat and a member of the Methodist Church.
On February 16, 1881, he married Miss Alice B. Perkinson of Wake County. They are the par- ents of five daughters, all of whom have been
156
HISTORY OF NORTH CAROLINA
college trained. Mary is Mrs. W. B. Hobby, wife of a farmer and stockman at Culpepper, Virginia; Claudia B. is the wife of N. L. Simmons, an at- torney at Washington, North Carolina; Alice is a teacher in this state; Josie is a member of the class of 1917 in the State Normal School at Greensboro; and Evelyn is a member of the class of 1918 in the state normal.
JAMES YADKIN JOYNER. For the past twelve years state superintendent of public instruction in North Carolina, James Yadkin Joyner has long been recognized as one of the men of light and leading in educational affairs in the Old North State. He began his active career as a teacher, turned from it to follow what he believed was his real voca- tion, the law, but after a few years gave it up and returned to his first choice.
Born at Yadkin College, Davidson County, North Carolina, August 7, 1862, he is a son of John and Sallie A. (Wooten) Joyner. His ancestors came from England and from Germany. His grandfa- ther, John Joyner, was a prominent citizen of Pitt County, served in the Senate of the state five terms and was one of the two delegates from that county to the constitutional convention of 1835.
James Y. Joyner prepared for college in the LaGrange Academy, entered the University of North Carolina in 1878, and was graduated Bach- elor of Philosophy in 1881. He was at that time nineteen years of age. He soon afterwards took up public school work, and at the age of twenty was made principal of the LaGrange Academy. He subsequently was superintendent of the public schools of Lenoir County. While thus engaged he took up the study of law in private offices, and in 1886 was admitted to the bar. Mr. Joyner prac- ticed at Goldsboro until 1889, and during that time, from 1887 to 1889, served as chairman of the board of education of Wayne County.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.