USA > North Carolina > History of North Carolina: North Carolina biography, Volume IV > Part 46
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His ability as a commanding officer was widely recognized. One of the generals of the Confed- erate Army has been quoted at saying: "It was reported and firmly believed throughout the Army of Northern Virginia that General Lee had said that General Pender was the only officer in his army that could fill the place of Stonewall Jack- son. ''
In the spring of 1917 the deeds of this gallant soldier were recalled when his portrait was pre- sented to the Hall of History by members of the family, in presence of Daughters of the Confed- eracy and veterans from Tarboro, General Pender's old home, and many other citizens of the state. The speech of presentation was made by Judge W. A. Montgomery, who in the course of his ad-
dress said: "The picture will serve the three- fold purpose of enabling the visitor to look upon the features and the personal appearance of one who performed valiant and noble deeds for his state and who met a glorious death in her service. The greatness of General Pender is not affected by stone or picture because his accomplishments and the activities of his life were outside such mementoes and his true memorial is found and felt in the hearts of his countrymen and in the written pages of the history of the times in which he lived. His fame as a distinguished military officer is secure, although the only monument that has been erected to his memory is a pile of cannon balls upon the mound above his mortal re- mains-as modest and unpretentious as was his character-in a quiet spot in the churchyard of Calvary at Tarboro."
JAMES PENDER is-in point of continuous service one of the oldest members of the bar of Tarboro, in which city he was born and where he has spent practically all his life except the time he was in school at Baltimore.
Mr. Pender comes of a very notable family of North Carolina. He was born September 25, 1858, son of Robert H. and Emeralda (James) Pender. His father was a planter and merchant. James Pender was educated for three years in the high class preparatory school at Baltimore conducted by Dr. Robert Atkinson. During 1877-79 he worked in his father's store, and in 1879-80 was a stu- dent in the law department of the University of North Carolina, from which he received his. LL. B. degree.
Since his admission to the bar Mr. Pender has. been at work handling a large general practice at Tarboro. He served four years as chairman of the Board of Education, was mayor six terms from 1901 to 1907 and has been president of the Recorder's Court since it was organized in 1909. For seventeen years he was a United States Com- missioner in this district, and for one year, 1883- 84, was deputy register of deeds. Mr. Pender is a member of the township school board.
April 12, 1887, he married Miss Sallie Pippen, daughter of William M. Pippen, a prominent merchant and farmer. They have two children: Katharine Marriott and Ella Banning.
RICHARD BEVERLY RANEY. The City of Raleigh owes much to the late Richard Beverly Raney, not only for his substantial services as a prominent business man during his lifetime, but also for in- fluences which he set in motion and which con- tinue to exercise their beneficent results today and will for years to come.
He was born February 7, 1860, at his father's county home, "Retreat," in Granville County, North Carolina. He had not quite rounded out fifty years of life when he died on December 8, 1909. His parents were Thomas Hall and Eliza Partridge (Baird) Raney. His father was a suc- cessful planter and farmer. On his maternal side, Richard Beverly Raney was a lineal descendant of James Speed who came to America from South- ampton, England, and settled in Virginia about 1695. James Speed was the grandson of John Speed who was born in 1552 and was a historian and scholar of note, whose writings were held in high estimation in his day. He wrote a number of things, the chief being a history of "Great Brittaine," including sixty-six maps and many cuts of seals, coats of arms, coins, etc. His first
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publication was a tabulated account of the Serip- ture genealogies which were later published in the first edition of King James' translation of the Bible. King James gave John Speed a patent se- curing the property in these tables to him and his heirs. This love of scholarly pursuits and the writ- ing of books has been shown in a number of John Speed's descendants.
Richard Beverly Raney was liberally educated, attending public schools and Fetter Academy at Kittrell, North Carolina. To this he added a love of reading and travel, in later life making a tour of the world and writing a most interesting diary during that journey.
At eighteen, like many other Southern young men of his generation in the days following the war between the states, he left home to make his fortune in life. He came to Raleigh where by remarkable industry, attention to detail and busi- ness acumen, united to stern perseverance, traits which marked his career through life, he soon made a place for himself. Later he became state agent of the Penn Mutual Life Insurance Com- pany, director of the Commercial National Bank, president of the chamber of commerce and affi- iated with many business and social organizations of the city. He was a deeply religious man, a member of the Protestant Episcopal Church and a vestryman of Christ Church for a number of years.
Mr. Raney first married Olivia Blount Cowper, daughter of Pulaski and Mary Blount (Grimes) Cowper. Mrs. Olivia Raney died May 4, 1896. The Olivia Raney Library, which Mr. Raney built and gave as a free public library to the City of Raleigh was in memory of her. The library is housed in a beautiful three story pressed brick building, and it was opened to the public with appropriate ceremonies on January 24, 1901. Every detail of its construction and furnishing was personally supervised by him and he added to the 5,000 volumes given with the library some of its books from his personal library and coins and other things gathered on his foreign travels.
On April 28, 1903, he married Katherine Whit- ing Denson. Mrs. Raney survives and still resides at Raleigh, and is widely known in social circles at the capital. She is a daughter of Capt. Claudius Baker Denson and Matilda Cowan, his wife. Her father was captain of the Confederate Grays of Duplin, North Carolina, Volunteers, and later an officer in the Engineer Corps of the Confed- erate States Army. He was for many years a prominent educator, a speaker and writer and served the state as secretary of the State Board of Public Charities for fifteen years. Mr. and Mrs. Raney had three children, Margaret Den- son, Richard Beverly, Jr., and Katherine Baird. From early youth Mr. Raney bore in his heart the conscious desire to do something for his fellow man,'' as he expressed it. His gift of the library to the citizens of Raleigh was the beautiful frui- tion of this desire. Truly may it be said that, "he died wearing the white flower of a blameless life.''
EPHRAIM LASH GAITHER. In the annals of Davie County, no name shines with brighter lustre than that of Ephraim L. Gaither, a well-known attor- ney of Mocksville, and president of the Bank of Davie, who is distinguished not only for his legal and financial powers, but for the honored lineage from which he is descended. many of his ances- tors having figured prominently in the public life of the state. A native of Mocksville, he was born
April 30, 1850, of pioneer stock being a descendant in the eighth generation of John Gaither, the immi- grant, his line of descent being as follows: John, John, Benjamin, Edward G., Basil, Gassaway, Ephraim, and Ephraim Lash.
The first John Gaither came, with his young wife, Joan, to America in the good ship "Assurance" in 1635, and settled in Virginia, near Norfolk, where he lived for many years acquiring consid- erable property for those early days.
His son, John, was but a boy when he came with his parents to this country. Like his fa- ther, he became active in business circles, and the name of "John Gaither" appearing sixth on the list of the incorporators of James City belongs to either him or his father. He married Ruth Morley, a daughter of Joseph Morley, and sub- sequently removed to Anne Arundel County, Mary- land, where he became an extensive landholder.
Benjamin Gaither was born on the home planta- tion in Maryland, and spent his entire life in his native state. He married Sarah Burgess, daughter of Capt. Edward and Sarah (Chew) Burgess. Their son, Edward G. Gaither, married Eleanor Whittle, and, as far as is known, was a life-long resident of Anne Arundel County, Maryland.
Basil Gaither was born, bred and educated in Maryland. He enlisted as a soldier in the Rev- olutionary war, and on August 30, 1777, re- ceived his commission as a lieutenant in Captain Briscoe's Company, and a few days later, on September 12, of the same year, he had the honor of being made captain of his company. Cap- tain Gaither married Margaret Watkins, daughter of Col. Nicholas Watkins, of Revolutionary fame. In 1781, accompanied by his brother, Burgess Gaither, he came to North Carolina, and settled in that part of Rowan County now included in Davie County, while his brother located in Ire- dell County. Basil, a man of great ability and strong personality, soon became active in public affairs, representing Rowan County either in the House of Commons or the Senate from 1788 until 1802. He owned a valuable plantation of 500 acres on Elishas Creek, and there he and his wife spent their last years. They reared seven children, Nicholas Walter, Gassaway, Basil, Betty, Nathan, and Nellie.
Gassaway Gaither, a native of Davie County, was extensively engaged in agricultural pursuits during his active career, his large plantation hav- ing been located on the Wilkesboro road, 11/2 miles from Mocksville. He operated it successful- ly, and there resided until his death. Either he or his father donated the land for the Joppa Church and the grave yard in which the remains of Daniel Boone's parents now repose. He mar- ried Mary Smoot, and they became the parents of five children, namely: Ephraim; Burgess; Ellen, who married Elisha Gibbs; Elvira married Henry Austin; and Mary, who married Col. William March.
Ephraim Gaither was born, December 13, 1808, in that part of Rowan County now known as Davie County, and died at his home in Mocksville at the advanced age of eighty years. For many years he was prosperously engaged in mercantile pursuits in Mocksville, at the same time superintending the work on his plantation. Just prior to the Civil war, he represented Davie County in the State Legislature, and during the progress of the war he served as clerk of the County Court. When, just at the close of the war, Stoneman passed
E. L Gaither
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through Mocksville, he was made prisoner, and taken out into the country about five miles, but he made his escape and returned home.
Ephraim Gaither married Sarah Hall Johnstone, who was born in Rowan County, North Carolina, a daughter of Lemuel Dickey and Ann (Hall) Johnstone, and granddaughter of William John- stone, a pioneer of that county. Her great-grand- father, Robert Johnstone, the great-great-grandfa- ther on the maternal side of Ephraim Lash Gaither, came from Pennsylvania with his family to North Carolina about 1750. Locating in Rowan County, he entered land on the South Yadkin River, and on the farmn which he cleared from the wilderness he and his wife, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Smiley, spent the remainder of their lives. Born in Pennsylvania, William Johnstone was but a child when he came with his parents to this state. He succeeded to the occupation to which he was reared, and as a planter was quite successful. Public spirited and patriotic, he enlisted for service during the Colonists struggle for independence and received a commission as an officer in the army. His wife, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Dickey, was born and bred in South Carolina.
Lemuel Dickey Johnstone, the maternal grand- father of Mr. Ephraim L. Gaither, spent his entire life of sixty-three years in Rowan County, where he was profitably engaged in agricultural pursuits. He married Ann Hall, who was born in Iredell County, this state, of pioneer stock, having been a lineal descendant of James Hall, who came to America, a poor orphan boy, in 1720, settling in Pennsylvania. Industrious and energetic, James Hall soon became used to the customs of his adopted country, and in course of time won a posi- tion of note among his fellow-men. He was speci- ally active in religious matters, and was one of the founders of the Conewago Presbyterian Church. In 1751, accompanied by his wife, Prudence (Rod- dy) Hall, and their children, he migrated to North Carolina, settling as a pioneer in Iredell County, where he was one of the organizers of the Bethany Presbyterian Church. Nine children were born of the union of Ephraim and Sarah H. (Johnstone) Gaither, two sons dying in infancy. The others are William Henry, who served during the Civil war in the Forty-second Regiment, North Carolina Troops, and was killed at the Battle of Chancellorsville, he having been the fifth child- in succession of birth; Thomas Hall; Lemuel; G. Ephraim Lash; Mary Ellen, wife of Dr. R. W. Woodruff; Sarah Eliza, wife of James P. Hampton; and Janie, who married Sanford A. Woodruff. The mother died at the age of seventy-four years.
Ephraim Lash Gaither acquired his preliminary education in the public schools of Mocksville, sub- sequently continuing his studies under the tuition of Prof. Jacob Eaton, a prominent educator: In September, 1868, he entered Davidson College, and there won such a good record for scholarship, and became so popular, that at the Commencement, in June, 1871, he was elected president of the Phil- anthropie Literary Society. During the summer of 1872, Mr. Gaither suffered a stroke of facial paralysis, and was advised by his physicians not to resume his studies. In the fall of that year, how- ever, he returned to college, and there graduated with the class of 1873. From that class of twenty- six members, he had the distinction of being se- lected to deliver the philosophical oration. And here it may be well to mention that at the Com- mencement, in June, 1876, Mr. Gaither delivered,
upon invitation, the annual literary address before the Philanthropie Literary Society.
In the fall of 1873 Mr. Gaither entered the law school of Chief Justice R. M. Pearson, of Rich- mond Hill, North Carolina, and in 1875, at the June term of the Supreme Court, obtained his li- cense to practice. Locating in Mocksville, his legal skill and ability, as well as his comprehensive knowledge of law, soon became evident, and soon after his marriage he was admitted to partner- ship with his father-in-law, John Marshall Clement, oue of the keenest and brightest lawyers in the country, the copartnership lasting until the death of Mr. Clement, in 1886. The firm of Clement & Gaither thus established became very active and
prominent, appearing in many of the more im- portant civil and criminal cases of the country. One of the more noteworthy cases was that of an old Confederate soldier, who was charged with murder, but after an extended and hard-fought trial was acquitted by the jury. The case, how- ever, which gave Mr. Gaither greater satisfaction than any other was that of a tried and trusted negro, a former slave of his father and grand- father. This negro had been charged with larceny by a white man who had never been a slave owner. During the trying days of the Civil war, he had been loyal to his young master and to his master's family. Mr. Gaither pleaded the case with force and eloquence, and after a long trial the ex-slave was acquitted. Chief Justice Furches, who well knew all of the parties concerned, congratulated Mr. Gaither upon his successful efforts, and com- mended him for kindness to the old and faithful servant. Subsequently Mr. Gaither bought for this old negro a home in Statesville, and in it supported him as long as he lived.
On December 1, 1880, Mr. Gaither was united in marriage with Miss Florence Adelaide Clement, daughter, as previously mentioned, of John Mar- shall and Mary J. (Hayden) Clement. Cultured, accomplished, and possessing rare traits of char- acter, Mrs. Gaither has been a true helpmeet and companion to her husband, her interest, sympathy and advice having been an inspiration to him in his work, being almost as important factors in win- ning him success as were her father's wise coun- sels and sound judgment. Mr. and Mrs. Gaither have four daughters, namely: Adelaide Marshall, Sarah Hall, Jane Hayden, and Dorothy Sophie. Adelaide M., the eldest daughter, married Rufus B. Sanford, and they have three sons, Lash Gaither, Rufus B., Jr., and Marshall Clement. The four daughters are all finely educated, having been graduated from Salem College, their mother's and grandmother's alma mater.
In politics Mr. Gaither is a stanch democrat. He has ably and faithfully filled various offices of responsibility and trust. When the Superior Court of Davie County was established he was elected solicitor, and in 1890, Davie County unani- mously instructed its delegates for him, and his name was presented by them to the Judicial Con- vention, which was held at Wilkesboro. In 1900, Mr. Gaither was his party's nominee for rep- resentative to the State Legislature, but, owing to ill health, he declined the nomination. He has ever evinced a warm interest in everything per- taining to the welfare of city, county and state, and has been among the foremost in the estab- lishment of beneficial enterprises.
Early in life Mr. Gaither united with the Pres- byterian Church, in which he has served as a
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deacon, while for many years he has been an elder in the Mocksville Church of that denomina- tion. In May, 1906, the Concord Presbytery sent him as a delegate to the General Assembly, which convened that year in Greenville, South Carolina. Mr. Gaither is a man of good financial ability, and is now one of the directorate of the Wachovia Bank and Trust Company of Winston-Salem, and is giving efficient and appreciated service as presi- dent of the Bank of Davie County.
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GEORGE WASHINGTON WATTS has been a resident of Durham forty years. He came here to handle a part interest in the great tobacco manufacturing industry which afterwards was incorporated as W. Duke Sons & Company. While he was one of the most efficient in the group of men who built up that industry as one of the greatest to- bacco houses in America, his interests have for many years not been consigned along one line, and his ability and capital have entered into much that constitutes the greatness and prosperity of this city.
Mr. Watts was born at Cumberland, Maryland, August 18. 1851, a son of Gerard S. and Ann E. (Watts) Watts. He was reared at Baltimore, attended the public schools there, from 1859 to 1868, and from 1868 to 1871 was a student of civil engineering in the University of Virginia. However, it has been along manufacturing and in- dustrial lines that his career has been made. His father was an extensive wholesale tobacco dealer, and from college the son went on the road as a salesman for G. S. Watts & Company.
In the meantime Mr. Watts had been traveling for the tobacco house of G. S. Watts & Company from 1871 to 1878. In the latter year he came to Durham, and at once used his ideas and his enterprise to stimulate the growth of the Duke firm and subsequently aided in organizing and in- corporating W. Duke Sons & Company, in which he became a stockholder and secretary and treas- urer. This business joined the American Tobacco Company in 1890.
It would be a difficult matter to describe fully and adequately all the many activities and influ- ences that have radiated from Mr. Watts since he took up his residence at Durham. In 1884, when the Commonwealth Club of Durham was or- ganized. he was elected its first president. This club under his presidency collected the capital and furnished the faith and enthusiasm which brought about the building of the Lynchburg and Durham Railroad, the Oxford & Durham Railroad, and the Durham and Northern Railroad. These railroads gave Durham what is most required, adequate transportation facilities, and insured for all time the substantial prosperity of the city as a com- mercial center.
Mr. Watts erected the Loan and Trust Building of Durham and has been interested in practically every development enterprise of the city in the past thirty or thirty-five years. He is president of the Pearl Cotton Mills, is vice president of the Erwin Cotton Mills, a director of the Sea Board Air Line Railway, vice president of the Golden Belt Manufacturing Company, has interests in the Durham Cotton Manufacturing Company, Mayo Cotton Mills at Mayo Dam, North Carolina, in the Coolemee Cotton Mills, the Golden Belt Bag Manu- facturing Company, the Durham Loan and Trust Company, is a director of the Fidelity Bank, di- rector Virginia-Carolina Chemical Company, Southern Cotton Oil Company, Republic Iron and
Steel Company, and many other companies. He is also president of the Home Savings Bank of Durham.
What he has done to stimulate business growth and enterprise is matched by his public spirited citizenship and his important contributions to the institutions of the city and state. He erected the Watts Hospital of Durham, and has made large contributions to the Orphan Asylum at Barium and the Elizabeth College, also to the Union The- ological Seminary at Richmond, Virginia, he being president of the board of trustees and vice presi- dent of the board of Davidson College. Mr. Watts is an elder in the Presbyterian Church, and has been superintendent of its Sunday school con- tinuously since 1885.
On October 19, 1875, he married Miss Laura Valinda Beall. Their only daughter is the wife of Mr. John Sprunt Hill of Durham. Mr. Watts was married the second time on October 25, 1917, to Miss Sara V. Ecker of Syracuse, New York.
LOUIS WHITLEY NORMAN. Many of the flourish- ing enterprises which serve to make Hertford, North Carolina, a busy business center owe a large measure of their prosperity to the substantial in- terest taken in them at their start by one of the city's leading financiers and public-spirited men. No name in Perquimans or Pasquotank County is held in higher regard than Louis Whitley Norman. For many years he has been identified with busi- ness life at Hertford, where for sixteen years he has been cashier of the Hertford Banking Com- pany, and for twenty years treasurer of Perqui- mans County.
Louis W. Norman was born in Tyrrell County, North Carolina, in a historic year in the history of our country, on August 16, 1861. He is a son of Joseph Robert and Ellen (Brabble) Norman. In the old days his father was an extensive planter and also was a merchant. When he grew to young manhood, the business world appealed to him, and in 1884, in association with his brother Ellis Stuart Norman, he embarked in a general mercantile business at Hertford, under the style of Norman Brothers, and the firm continued for ten years and was one of the sound enterprises of the city.
In 1894 Mr. Norman sold his interest in the above firm and until 1897 was variously engaged in matters pertaining largely to local ventures. In the latter year he entered a private bank at Hertford, and ever since has made the financial field particularly his own. In 1901 he assisted in the reorganization of the bank, at which time it was incorporated as the Hertford Banking Com- pany, and three months later, in May, 1901, he was elected cashier and has continued such to the present. This banking company began with a capital of $15,000, which has been increased as the business has enlarged, to a capital of $25,000 and surplus and profits $35,000, and it is considered one of the stable institutions of the county. Mr. Norman has additional banking and other inter- ests. He is vice president and a director of the Citizens Bank of Edenton, North Carolina, of which he was the organizer; organized the Eliza- beth City Brick Manufacturing Company, of which he is vice president, and the Plymouth Brick Com- pany, of Plymouth, North Carolina, of which he is president. He has been the helpful promoter of many enterprises and the financial backer of numer- ous successful business concerns here and in the neighboring cities. Possessing energy, perseverance, adaptibility and tact, Mr. Norman has become a
DAVID K. CECIL
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leading factor in the life of his city, but he has other qualities also, and these may include high business ideals, sterling integrity and a personality that inspires respect and invites friendly feeling.
Mr. Norman was married at Hertford, North Carolina, September 23, 1885, to Miss Donnie M. Shannonhouse, who died September 14, 1894. Mr. Norman's second marriage took place April 14, 1897, to Miss Josephine Elliott, of Hertford, and they have two children: Mattie Macon, who is a student in Chowan College, Murfreesboro, North Carolina; and Donnie May. Mr. Norman and family are members of the Baptist Church, in which he is a deacon and is church treasurer.
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