USA > North Carolina > History of North Carolina: North Carolina biography, Volume IV > Part 59
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HISTORY OF NORTH CAROLINA
made bookkeeper and stenographer in the offices of the Eureka Trouser Company. He had many other duties beside the stenographic work and bookkeeping in connection with that company, and was with it until it failed in business. Having acquired a considerable knowledge of its details, he then bought the equipment, borrowing the money for the purpose, and with that as a nucleus has gradually developed a very successful and growing concern, the production now being 500 per cent more than when he took the business over. He paid off all the old indebtedness on the plant and is operating a high class business.
In 1904 Mr. Siceloff married Miss Georgia Ma- lena Lindsay. She was born in Midway Township of Davidson County, daughter of James H. and Almeda (Tise) Lindsay. The four children of Mr. and Mrs. Siceloff are named James Lumsden, Le- land Pledger, David S., Jr., and Everett Alexander.
From about the time of his majority Mr. Siceloff. has taken an active interest in politics and public affairs. He has been a member of the town board of Lexington and in 1912 was elected one of the county commissioners of Davidson County and by re-election has been retained in these duties to the present time. He and his wife are active mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and for several years he has been a member of the board of stewards, and at the beginning of this confer- ence year was elected chairman of this board. He has served as secretary and treasurer of his church and also as temporary superintendent and assistant superintendent of its Sunday school. Mr. Siceloff is affiliated with Lexington Lodge No. 71, of the Knights of Pythias, and Lexington Council of the Junior Order United American Mechanics.
ROBERT WILLIAM DAVIS. It is scarcely possible, in these modern days, for a mau to be successful in the domain of the law without also being a man of broad learning and of solid acquirements. Often the youth who feels the inspiration that ulti- mately leads him into the legal profession, finds difficulty in making progress because of lack of encouragement, opportunity or capital, and when these drawbacks are overcome, through personal effort, battles have been won that make firm the foundations of character. Among the men now prominent in the legal fraternity in Southeastern North Carolina, one who has fought his own way to the forefront is Robert William Davis, of South- port, junior member of the firm of Cranmer & Davis. When he entered upon his career his only possessions consisted of ambition, determination and an inherent predilection for the profession which he has made his life work. Out of these he has evolved a fine and worth-while success.
Mr. Davis has been a lifelong resideut of South- port, Brunswick County. Here he was born July 18, 1874, being a son of John Dun and Anna Eliza (Sellers) Davis. His father, a seafaring man, spent his entire active life on the waters of the Atlantic and was a man of modest means, who furnished his family with a comfortable home and gave his children ordinary educational advantages. Robert W. Davis attended the public schools of Southport until he was thirteen years of age, and at that time displayed his industry by accepting a position as clerk in a store at Southport. He was not satisfied, however, with his meager educa- tion, and after he had completed his clerical tasks each day, would attend the classes of a night school, where was bred the ambition to enter the law. Thus he passed his youth in dividing his
time between working industriously and studying faithfully. In 1895 he was made postmaster at Southport, which added to his income and gave him more time to study, and this position he re- tained until 1912, giving the people of his city excellent mail service. In the meantime, in Febru- ary, 1901, he had passed the examination and been admitted to the bar, and at once entered upon the practice of his calling. He formed a partnership with another Southport attorney, Mr. Cranmer, and they have since continued as Cran- mer & Davis, this being known as one of the stroug legal combinations of Brunswick County, of which Southport is the county seat. Mr. Davis is a member of the North Carolina Bar Association and the American Bar Association. He is a re- publican in his political views, and, having always taken an interest in civic and public affairs, is one of the leaders of his party in his locality. In 1915 he was the republican candidate for Congress and made a good run, carrying two counties, but the normal democratic majority was too much for him to overcome. In his profession, Mr. Davis is a man of whom it may be said that he has chosen well. He possesses the abilities necessary for suc- cess in the law, and his thorough knowledge thereof, as evidenced in a number of important cases, has made him a most formidable and greatly-feared opponent. Fraternally, Mr. Davis is affiliated with the Masons, the Junior Order United American Mechanics and the Woodmen of the World, in all of which he has numerous friends. He is a member of the board of stewards of Trin- ity Methodist Episcopal Church of Southport.
Mr. Davis married Miss Aunie Ray Mayer, who was born in Wilmington, North Carolina, a daugh- ter of Charlie and Kate Mayer. At her death Mrs. Annie Davis left two children: Katherine and Elizabeth. Mr. Davis was then married to Miss Minnie Alice Blackwell. aud they have two children: Minnie Ray and "Bobbie" Blackwell. Mrs. Davis is a native of Townsville, Vance County, and a daughter of J. P., Jr., and Sallie G. (Wortham) Blackwell, the father born in Vance County, and the mother in Warren County.
CHARLES EDWARD WADDELL of Asheville has beeu among the first both in time and achieve- ment among the hydro-electric engineers of North Carolina. His services in that field have made him widely known all over the South. His record as an engineer adds no unimportant chap- ter to the history of a family long prominent iu North Carolina, the most couspicuous early meui- ber of which was Col. Hugh Waddell, whose serv- ices as a colonial soldier are told briefly on other pages.
Charles Edward Waddell was born at Hillsboro, North Carolina, May 1, 1877, son of Fraucis Nash and Anne Ivy ( Miller) Waddell. His mother was a daughter of Thomas C. Miller of Wil- mington. Francis Nash Waddell as a captain in the Confederate army was an active partici- pant with the land battery in the battle between the Merrimac and the Monitor. James Iredell Waddell, a brother of Francis Nash, was com- mander of the famous Confederate cruiser "Shen- andoah."'
Mr. Waddell graduated from Bingham Mili- tary School in 1894, at the age of seventeen, and forthwith entered the service of the General Elec- tric Company and secured his technical education in the shops of that institution. Thus for over twenty years he has been engaged in electrical en-
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HISTORY OF NORTH CAROLINA
D gineering. During 1895-96 he was an assistant engineer in the electrical system of Bangor, Maine, but since that date his headquarters and most of his work have been in his native state. In 1897 he served as electrician of the Asheville Street Railway system, and he built and oper- ated the Asheville & Biltmore Street Railway line.
In 1901 he entered the services of the late George W. Vanderbilt to supervise the engineer- ing work in the construction of "Biltmore." He remained for eight years one of the officers of the estate, but retired in 1909 and has since had his offices in Asheville as a consulting engineer.
Mr. Waddell designed and built most of the engineering works at Biltmore, and he regards as one of the most notable of his performances the electric heating plant at Biltmore House. At the time of his construction this heating plant was regarded as daringly original and was eas- ily the largest of its kind in the world.
Mr. Waddell designed and built the North Car- olina Electrical Power Company's system, this being one of the pioneer hydroelectric systems of the South, embracing transmission lines to cities and towns of Western North Carolina, together with hydraulic plants on various streams. Aside from this he has been intimately associated with all of the larger power systems of the South, and has built a number of steam and hydraulic plants along the eastern seaboard. Besides his active services as designer and constructor of such plants, Mr. Waddell is a widely sought tech- ยท nical adviser to financial interests in financing public utility properties throughout the country.
Mr. Waddell is a member of various technical societies, including the American Society of Civil Engineers, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and is a fellow of the American Insti- tute of Electric Engineers. For many years he was an active worker in the American Institute, contributing technical papers to its transactions, serving on committees, and it was only through impaired health that he relinquished these activi- ties in 1913. His last service to the society was as representative of the society's president from the Southern States at the Panama Convention of 1912.
Mr. Waddell has served as a member of the board of directors of the Clarence Barker Me- morial Hospital at Biltimore. He is member and past president of the Pen and Plate Club of Asheville, and is member, and from 1906 to 1912 was, a vestryman of All Souls Episcopal Church at Biltmore.
At Louisville, Kentucky, April 19, 1904, Mr. Waddell married Eleanor Shepard Belknap, daugh- ter of M. S. Belknap and Mary Dumesnil Bel- knap. Her father was a prominent civil engineer, a graduate of the Ecole des Ponts and Chauses of Paris. For years he was engaged in rail- road building throughout the South and in Old Mexico. Mr. and Mrs. Waddell have two chil- dren, Eleanor Belknap Waddell, born in 1905, and Charles E. Waddell, Jr., born in 1908.
WILLIAM THOMAS RAINEY. A prominent figure in the business life of Rowan County, William Thomas Rainey, of Salisbury, cashier of the Morris Plan Bank, has been actively associated with va- rious enterprises, and in whatever capacity he has served has invariably won the respect, confidence and good will of the people with whom he has come in contact. A son of William Rainey, he was
born in 1858, in the city where he now lives, and which he has always claimed as home.
Born and reared in Rowan County, William Rainey served an apprenticeship at the cabinet maker's trade when young, and followed it suc- cessfully several years. On August 27, 1861, re- linquishing his trade, he enlisted in Company K, Seventh Regiment, North Carolina Troops, with which he remained until 1862, when he was trans- ferred to the Fourth Regiment, North Carolina Troops. A brave and gallant soldier, he continued in service until he was killed in battle near Win- chester, Virginia, while yet in manhood's prime. The maiden name of his wife was Louisa Coughen- hour. She was born on a farm lying three and one- half miles from Salisbury, being a daughter of Capt. Jack Coughenhour, a life-long planter of Rowan County, who married a Miss Smithdeal. Mrs. Rainey was left a widow in early life, with two small children, William T., the subject of this sketch; and Fannie Louisa, who married G. T. Mowery.
Leaving school while yet a lad in his teens, Wil- liam T. Rainey entered the employ of J. Allen Brown, then a dealer in forage, lime and cement, and later was for seventeen years clerk in a grocery store. Mr. Rainey was then appointed assistant postmaster by Col. A. H. Boyden, and after serving in that capacity for four years was for eight years transfer clerk for the Southern Railroad Company. Embarking then in mercantile pursuits, he was engaged in the retail shoe business until 1915, being quite successful in the venture. In May, 1915, Mr. Rainey assisted in organizing the Morris Plan Bank, and having been elected its cashier has since devoted his time to the affairs of the institution, performing the duties devolving upon him ably and efficiently. This bank was the first established on the Morris plan in North Caro- lina, and the twenty-first one organized in the United States.
Mr. Rainey married, in 1891, Miss Julia Marvin. She was born in New York City, a daughter of Joseph Minor Marvin, a member of the well known Marvin family of whom an extended history has been published. Mr. and Mrs. Rainey have two children, namely: William T., Jr., and Louise. Mr. Rainey was reared in the Methodist Episcopal faith, but is now a member of the Presbyterian Church, to which Mrs. Rainey also belongs. Prom- inent in public affairs, he has served eight years as city treasurer, and is now city clerk. Frater- nally Mr. Rainey is a member of Salisbury Lodge No. 24, Knights of Pythias.
SAMUEL WINBOURNE FINCH, present postmaster of Lexington, and for fully thirty years has been actively associated with that city in business and civic affairs.
His birth occurred on a plantation in Conrad Hill Township of Davidson County. For four or five generations the Finch family have lived in North Carolina and have borne their share of all responsibilities connected with the industrial and civic progress of the state. His first American ancestor was John Hester Finch, a native of Eng- land, who came to America in colonial times, living for a while in Virginia and from there removing to Person County, North Carolina. He was one of the pioneers in that region and spent the rest of his days there. His two sons were named Pettis and Richard. Pettis removed to Randolph County, North Carolina, and some of his descendants are still found at Thomasville.
George W. Track
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HISTORY OF NORTH CAROLINA
Richard Finch was born at Clinton in Person County, North Carolina, and located permanently in Conrad Hill Township of Davidson County, where he bought land and gave the best years of his life to agricultural pursuits. He married a member of the Winbourne family, whose name is carried by the subject of this sketch.
John H. Finch, grandfather of Samuel W. Finch, and a son of Richard Finch, was born in Davidson County, grew up on a farm, and made planting and agricultural operations his chief pursuit. A successful man in a business way he acquired a large amount of land and operated it with the aid of his numerous slaves. His death occurred at the age of sixty-three. His wife, whose maiden name was Martha P. Harris, a woman of consid- erable intelligence, lived to be ninety-one. There were three sons in their family: Samuel J., John Wesley and Frank H., and one daughter, Martha P., who married A. H. Kearns, and is now a resi- dent of Randolph County.
Frank H. Finch, father of Samuel W., was born in Conrad Hill Township of Davidson County, ac- quired a substantial education in the common schools and was busily engaged in farming when the war broke out between the states. He entered the Confederate army as a private, and proved a gallant and faithful soldier until the end. At the close of the war he resumed farming at the old homestead, but in 1885 removed to Missouri, buying a ranch in Dent County, where he became extensively engaged in raising horses, mules and cattle. He is still a man of affairs in that state and is head of a banking enterprise of importance. He married Susan A. Goss, who was born in Davidson County, a daughter of Joseph and Susan (Hedrick) Goss. Her death occurred in 1913. She reared seven sons: Edward Franklin, Samuel W., John Hester, Giles G., Joseph C., David and Oscar, and two daughters, Camille, who married John Barnitz; and Bessie, who became the wife of William Cannon. Both parents were active mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. The father was for a number of years prominently known in political circles and held places of trust.
Samuel Winbourne Finch as a boy had his fa- ther's plantation as his environment. The educa- tion begun in rural schools was completed under the late Baxton Craven in Old Trinity College from which he is a graduate in the class of 1883. In addition to other honors while in college, he was the winner of the Wiley Gray medal, an honor much coveted. The next four years he spent teach- ing in Farmington, Davie County, and from there removed to Lexington and with this community has been prominently identified both as a business man and citizen ever since. For a time he was a merchant; later engaged in the grain business, and for a number of years conducted a real estate and insurance business.
As a democrat Mr. Finch is one of the prominent leaders of his party in this section of the state. He took an interest in politics and public affairs as a young man. He has served on the congres- sional district and judicial district state executive committees and for sixteen years was chairman of the county exccutive committee. For two years he gave a splendid administration to the municipal affairs of Lexington as mayor and for several years was member of the board of education and for six years occupied the office of registrar of deeds of Davidson County. Mr. Finch was ap- pointed postmaster of Lexington by President Wil- son in 1915. He and his wife are members of the
Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and the Bap- tist Church. He married at the age of twenty- eight Miss Lily Eleanor Springs. She was born in Davie County, daughter of A. Alexander Springs, a native of Mecklenburg County.
GEORGE W. TRASK. There is one not overly large truck farm near Wilmington from which, on authority of the editor of the Truck Growers Journal of Wilmington, produce to the value of many thousand dollars was sold in the season of 1917. The owner and manager of this farm is George W. Trask left home and with practically the most successful men in his line of business in the state and who has even more extensive inter- ests in another county.
It is necessary to go back only about fifteen years to find Mr. Trask at the beginning of his upward climb to success. And this period prac- tically represents his, mature lifetime. He was born in New Hanover County on Masonboro Sound November 23, 1876. His father is D. W. Trask, a farmer who still lives in this section of the county. D. W. Trask had the distinction of being the first to plant lettuce in the Wilmington vicinity as a commercial proposition, and was the pioneer of an industry that has since assumed large propor- tions and has brought a great deal of wealth to the region. When he was twenty-one years of age George W. Trask, who is without question one of no capital except a sound mind and sound body he undertook the rather discouraging task of clear- ing up a small farm near Winter Park, south of Wilmington on the suburban railway. He cleared up ten or fifteen acres, and started in a small way as a truck grower.
His uncle, Mr. C. H. Heide, who now lives on a farm in Buncombe County near Asheville, at that time had a place on the Castle Hayne Road three miles north of Wilmington. He was plan. ning to sell in order that he might move to the mountainous section of Western North Carolina. While there was no lack of opportunities to sell, he felt enough interest in the farm to cause him to exercise some selection in the purchaser, desir- ing that it should be left in good hands and that its development should be continued on the same high plane as it had been begun. Mr. Heide had been attracted by mne maustrious application and ambition of his nephew, and one day asked the latter why he did not buy the Heide place. At that time Mr. Trask was practically without funds, but was so greatly impressed with the possibilities of his uncle's farm that he determined to assume the big burden and responsibility of purchase. A few days later he secured his father's signature to his note for a thousand dollars and that was the first payment by which he acquired the Heide place of sixty acres. Mr. Heide was an experi- enced truck farmer and gave the young man every encouragement and assistance in getting well started. In fact Mr. Trask pays his uncle a trib- ute of gratitude and says he owes him his start in life and much of his present success.
It was in 1902 that Mr. Trask bought and took control of the Heide farm north of Wilmington. Since then he has made additional purchases and now has about cighty-five acres. His farm is three miles north of Wilmington, and lies between the Castle Hayne Road and the main line of the Atlan- tic Coast Line Railway. It is one big truck gar- den and operated with an efficiency which well justifies the profits and the results above indicated.
However, during the last fifteen years Mr. Trask
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has acquired and now owns and operates a still larger farm, comprising 200 acres near Beaufort in Beaufort County, South Carolina, one of the rich- est trucking distriets in the United States. Many men in that locality have grown wealthy in truck farming. On his Beaufort farm Mr. Trask uses ten teams as horse power, and is an extensive pro- ducer and shipper of lettuce, potatoes, cabbage, beans and on a smaller scale of other trucking crops. He also raises his own meat, and all the corn, hay and other feed stuffs for his farm animals.
Because of this record here briefly stated, and his high character and strict principles of honor Mr. Trask has won the unqualified esteem and con- fidence of the business men, bankers and all with whom he transacts his business affairs. He enjoys the highest commercial standing, solid resources and unimpeachable credit, and all with whom he comes in contact or with whom he has dealings know that both his word and his bond are equally good. Unto as great a degree as can be claimed for any man Mr. Trask has made all that he is and has, earning it by hard work, intelligent, just dealings, and a gift of foresight.
It is perhaps a matter of common knowledge that truck farmers everywhere are exceedingly busy men and Mr. Trask is no exception to this rule. Therefore only recently, in 1918, has he ever allowed his name to be associated as a can- didate for public office. At that time he entered the race for the democratic nomination for county commissioner, with five other aspirants in the field. The primaries were held March 19th. It was a matter of surprise to Mr. Trask and to his friends that, considering the opposition, he was nominated by nearly 500 votes over the next nearest competi- tor and received practically a third of all the votes cast. As the nomination is practically equivalent to election, it means that Mr. Trask's responsibili- ties will be increased in the coming years by a public office, which has much to do with the wel- fare of New Hanover County and the spirit and efficiency that have characterized the management of his private affairs will doubtless appear in his efforts toward the betterment of county roads and all other matters that will come under his official supervision.
Mr. Trask married Miss Emma Borneman of Wilmington. Their family of six children are Neill W., C. Heide, Madeline, George W., Jr., John Morris, and Raiford Graham.
RICHARD GOLD ALLSBROOK has been in prac- tice as a lawyer at Tarboro for the past seven- teen years, has been called upon to render many services to the public both in his professional capacities and as a citizen, and is now solicitor of the Second Judicial District.
Mr. Allsbrook was born near Scotland Neck in Halifax County, North Carolina, December 13, 1874, son of Benjamin Ira and Temperance Della (House) Allsbrook. His father was a farmer and for some years served as sheriff of Halifax County.
Richard G. Allsbrook was educated in private schools, in the Vine Hill Male Academy at Scot- land Neck, and in 1896 graduated from the reg- ular course of the University of North Carolina, and in 1899 received his law degree. He lo- cated at Tarboro in January, 1900. For six years Mr. Allsbrook was chairman of the board of education, served as mayor of Tarboro one
year, and in fall of 1910 was elected solicitor of the Fourth Judicial District, and in the fall of 1914 was elected as solicitor of the Second Judi- cial District for the term of four years, in which he is still serving.
He is an active Mason, being affiliated with Concord Lodge No. 52, Ancient Free and Ac- cepted Masons, and the Royal Arch Chapter No. 5. He and his family are members of the Pres- byterian Church.
February 15, 1911, Mr. Allsbrook married Miss Sallie Roberson, of Edgecombe County, daughter of Thomas Wynn and Penina H. Roberson. Four childern were born to their union: Janie F., Sarah Roberson, Della House and Francis Howard. Sa- rah Roberson is now deceased.
HENRY HYMAN PHILIPS, son of the late Hon. Frederick Philips, a judge of the North Caro- lina Superior Court, who died January 14, 1905, has been a prominent member of the Tarboro bar for over ten years.
He was born at Tarboro August 9, 1884, son of Frederick and Martha (Hyman) Philips. He was educated in the public schools of Tarboro, in the Horner Military Academy graduated Bachelor of Science from the University of North Carolina in 1905 and LL. B. in 1906. Since his admission to the bar he has looked after a grow- ing general practice at Tarboro, though giving much of his time to public affairs.
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