USA > North Carolina > History of North Carolina: North Carolina biography, Volume IV > Part 75
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For many years one of Mr. Pittman's chief in- terests has been the church and Sunday School. An important early influence that accounts for this was doubtless his very devout and religious mother. He has been a leader in the Baptist denomination of the state, has served as vice president of the State Convention of North Caro- lina, has been active in Sunday School work and has served as vice president of the American Baptist Historical Society. He has held the position of vice president for the Tar River Baptist Association Food Conservation Commis- sion, chairman of the executive committee of the Tar River Baptist Association, chairman of the board of deacons of the First Baptist Church, and member of the Building Committee of the church at Henderson. He is an honorary member of the Wake Forest Alumni Society.
Mr. Pittman has been chairman of the Soldiers Business Aid Committee of Vance County, was for three terms member of the North Carolina His- torical Commission, has been vice president of the North Carolina State Bar Association, chairman of the Judiciary and member of the Legislative Committee of the Carolina Municipal League, has been vice president and member of the Executive Committee of the State Literary and Historical Association, member of the Vance County Demo- cratic Executive Committee, and member of the Congressional Executive Committee of the Fourth District.
It is only a question of a short time until North Carolina will fall into line with other progressive states in adopting the Torrens System of the regis- tration of land titles. When that time comes, Mr. Pittman will deserve and will no doubt receive full credit for the splendid work he has done in advocating the system and working indefatigably for its introduction. In 1909 he was appointed a member of the Legislative Committee to investi- gate and report upon the Torrens System. favorable report was made to the General Assembly in 1911, following which Senator Cotton sought to procure the passage of an act to establish the system, but withont success. From that time forward Mr. Pittman has borne the burdens of the effort to give effective legislative form to the Torrens plan. In June, 1911, he delivered an ad- dress on the Torrens System before the North
David Lewis Whiteodlo, u.l.
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Carolina Bar Association at Lake Toxaway. This led to an alignment of the bar on the side of the movement. A committee with Mr. Pittman as chairman was appointed to make a thorough in- vestigation of the subject and to report at the next meeting a draft of a bill to be recommended to the General Assembly. This bill was prepared by Mr. Pittman under the direction of the eom- mittee and adopted almost unanimously by the association. But the General Assembly of 1913 saw fit to mutilate the measure and the aet that was finally adopted was anything but satisfactory. Subsequently the State Council of the Farmers Union, after a conference with Chief Justice Clark, attorney general, now governor, Bickett, its own attorney, Mr. E. R. Preston, and Mr. Pittman, requested that Mr. Pittman prepare such a re- vision of the act as would render it practicable. Still later the State Bar Association reconsidered the matter, appointing a committee headed by the Chief Justice and ineluding Mr. Pittman, to formulate a perfected measure. After a joint conference between that committee and the State Council of the Farmers Union, Mr. Pittman was directed to undertake the formulation of the measure, which he did to the satisfaction of both organizations. The bill with some changes was adopted by the Senate with one dissenting vote, but was tabled in the House. At this writing the matter is still in the hands of the same com- mittee of the bar association to be pushed at the next favorable opportunity.
Mr. Pittman is recognized as one of the leading students of local and state history in North Caro- lina, and has delivered many addresses and written numerous papers which not only bear the stamp of authoritative research but a literary charm that en- hances their value as permanent contributions to the history and literature of the state. The best known of his productions was the oration on "Nathaniel Macon" delivered at the Guilford battle ground on July 4, 1902. This address has been printed and reprinted six or seven times. Perhaps next in importanee to that was the address delivered at Richmond, Virginia, in 1911, before the National Municipal League on the "Problems of Small Cities, Partieularly in the South." This is an important contribution to the literature on a comparatively new subjeet in American econo- mie discussion, and his address was widely eom- mented upon throughout the country. His article on the life of Governor Holden in "Biographical History of North Carolina"' is probably the most notable publication from his pen. Sketches of John Penn in "North Carolina Booklet" and address on John Porter and the Cary Rebellion before summer school of the Agricultural and Me- chanieal College are among the best of his works. A few other papers and addresses have been: In- dustrial Life in Colonial North Carolina, North Carolina Booklet July, 1907; A Voice from the Pew, address before the North Carolina Ministers' Conference at Shelby, North Carolina, December, 1912; History of Crime and Punishment in North Carolina, before the North Carolina State Literary and Historical Association, December, 1916. His study on North Carolina 1832-42 has been placed among the Julian S. Carr prize essays.
HON. FRANK W. HANES. Identified with a pro- fession that always demands as the price of suc- cess a large amount of veritable talent, and a willingness to labor hard and long, Hon. Frank W. Hanes, a well-known attorney of Yadkinville,
has graciously met all requirements of that na- ture, and is now filling a well-deserved position among the sueeessful members of the Yadkin County bar. A native of North Carolina, he was born on a farm in Deep Creek Township, Yadkin County, which was also the birthplace of his father, Alfred M. Hanes, who first saw the light of this world in 1840. John Hanes, his paternal grand- father, was a planter and tanner in that township, and both he and his wife, Rebecca (Chinn) Hanes, spent their last years on the home farm, she dying in middle life, and he living to a ripe old age.
Brought up on the parental homestead, Alfred M. Hanes became a tiller of the soil from choice, and soon after attaining his majority bought land near his old home, and immediately began its im- provement. Full of energy and enterprise, always ready to take advantage of every offered opportu- nity for enlarging his operations, he installed a tannery on his farm, and in addition to tanning the leather that he manufactured into shoes and harnesses, he kept a general store, and as his farm was nine miles west of Yadkinville he was well patronized by the neighboring farmers, and built up a large trade in general merchandise. During the Civil war, being a manufacturer, he was exempt from military duty, but served in the Home Guards. A man of strong mental and physical powers, he continued actively engaged in business affairs until his death, March 27, 1909. He married Lucy Jane Foote, who was born on the line of Iredell and Davie counties, a daughter of Henry and Polly (Wright) Foote. She sur- vived her husband, and still resides on the home farm. She reared five children, as follows: Viola, who died at the age of eighteen years; John H. lived but fifteen years; Minnie, who married Wil- liam Miller, died at the age of thirty years, leaving three children; Frank W., with whom this sketeh is chiefly concerned; and Grace. Graee Hanes, the youngest child, married first Doetor Stanford, who died in early manhood, leaving her with one son. She married for her second husband Claude Tom- lin, of Iredell County, and they have two sons.
Acquiring his elementary education in the rural schools of his native township, Frank W. Hanes subsequently attended the Cana High School, and the Yadkinville Normal School, after which he took a special course at Wake Forest College, in 1899 being there graduated from its law depart- ment. Mr. Hanes then began the practice of his chosen profession in Mitchell County, being asso- ciated with Judge Bow for a year, and there gaining valuable legal knowledge and experience. Coming from there to Yadkinville, Mr. Hanes formed a partnership with John T. Benbow, and- the firm thus established has sinee built up a large and remunerative legal patronage, and in addition have been extensively engaged in the buying and selling of real estate, their transactions in that line covering a large territory.
Mr. Hanes was united in marriage, in 1909, with DeEtte Kapp. She was born at Kapps Mills, Surry County, North Carolina, a daughter of John and Alice (Cockerham) Kapp. Mr. and Mrs. Hanes have one ehild, a son, named John Alfred Hanes. Religiously Mr. Hanes is identified by membership with the Presbyterian Church, while Mrs. Hanes is a worthy member of the Baptist Church.
Since casting his first presidential vote for Wil- liam Mckinley, Mr. Hanes has been an ardent supporter of the principles of the republican party. He has ever evinced an active and intelli-
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gent interest in public affairs, and was elected to the State Legislature in 1907, and honored with a re-election to the same body in 1909. In 1916 he was chosen as presidential elector on the re- publican ticket. At the present time, in 1917, he is rendering the city efficient service as mayor. Fraternally Mr. Hanes is a member of Lone Hick- ory Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted Order of Masons.
L. E. NORFLEET, M. D., of Tarboro, who has been a member of the medical profession for over a quarter of a century, was born June 22, 1864. He studied under F. S. Wilkinson and graduated in medicine from Columbia University, New York, in 1888. For a year he had charge of the Sloane Maternity Hospital of New York, and also did service in the Roosevelt Hospital and Vanderbilt Dispensary. He has practiced at Tarboro for twenty-eight years. His practice is now practi- cally limited to office work. He served several terms on the Sanitary Board of Edgecombe County.
April 27, 1897, he married Mabel Curtis, daugh- ter of M. A. and Mary S. (Nash) Curtis. They have four children: Ashley Curtis, Mabel, Robert and Mary Nash.
Doctor Norfleet's father, Robert Norfleet, was descended from James Norfleet, who left the North of England and settled in Edenton, North Carolina, where he died in 1732. His grandson, Abraham, was senior warden for St. John's at Edenton for many years up to the Revolution. His sister Cora was a member of the Edenton Tea Party. His son Isaac settled near Tarboro during 1803 on land now owned by Doctor Nor- fleet through his father.
Doctor Norfleet's mother, Margaret P. (Wil- liams) Norfleet, was descended from Lawrence Toole, a Scotch Irishman, who with his wife, Sa- bra Irwin, a sister of Lieut. Col. Henry Irwin, killed at Brandywine, came from Hampton, Vir- ginia, and was an incorporator and trustee of the Town of Tarboro, where he died a year after the town was founded. Colonel Irwin was killed fighting with General Nash, who was an ances- tor of Mrs. Norfleet, and 100 years later their descendants met and married.
JOHN WILLIAM HARPER. As one of the original thirteen states of the American Union, North Car- olina may be called one of the cradles of Ameri- canism. There are families in the Old North State who can trace direct ancestry back to days before the Revolutionary war. Many of these families set- . tled in the fertile, undulating regions of the east- ern part of the state and many others chose homes on the sandy coast, and lived by fishing, the oppor- tunities for which, even to the present day, are unrivaled. This low coastline, however, is indented with many dangerous inlets and for many years the United States Government has provided protection to mariners through the services of brave and ex- perienced men, accustomed to the sea, and thereby has made secure the lives and property of voyagers along this attractive Carolina beach. Perhaps no more competent man was in the service than the late Captain John William Harper, who filled the office of commissioner of navigation and pilotage of the Cape Fear River and harbors.
John William Harper, who died in September, 1917, was born in New Hanover County, North Car- olina, November 28, 1856. His parents were Wil- liam Riley and Henrietta (Lloyd) Harper, the for-
mer of whom was born in Lenoir County, North Carolina, and the latter in Onslow County in the town of Richland. The father engaged in agri- cultural pursuits. The youth remained on the same place and attended private schools until he was sixteen years of age, when he turned to the sea, a maritime life presenting more attraction to him than farming. He began at the bottom of the ladder, working at first as a deck hand but with so much enthusiasm and energy that he quickly learned sea craft and by the time he was nineteen he had become a licensed master. For the next fifteen years as master of numerous vessels he voyaged along the Carolina coast and at one time owned a vessel of his own. For a considerable period he was master of the well remembered steamer Under- hill, a passenger and freight vessel plying in Wil- mington Sound. He was one of the prime movers in bringing about the development of the Carolina beach, in 1886, and was the organizer of the New Hanover Transit Company for this specific pur- pose. In 1892 he established the Harper Steamship Line, which covered the distance of twenty-five . miles between Wilmington and Southport, North Carolina, and commanded the steamship Wilming- ton.
Captain Harper was married first to Miss Julia Foley, who was born at Baltimore, Maryland, and they had three children: Louise, who is the wife of J. B. Fox; Fred, who is first lieutenant on a United States transport; and John William. The second union of Captain Harper was with Miss Ella Stroupe of Wilmington, who was born at Salem, North Carolina, and to this marriage three children were born: Catherine, Ella (deceased) and James Stroupe.
Perhaps no sea-faring man up and down the coast was better known than Captain Harper, and at the time of his appointment to the position of captain his friends and the Carolina coast people were greatly pleased. No one who has sailed these waters can question the absolute necessity of hav- ing an experienced sailor at the head of a bureau of navigation and pilotage here. The wrecks that formerly strewed the coast when a "norther" swept the angry sea up the inlets and covered the treacherous shoals were evidence enough that the Government should call to the front such a brave, hardy, resourceful and experienced sailor as Cap- tain Harper. Personally Captain Harper was bluff, hearty and genial and it was more entertaining to listen to his stories of sea-faring life since, as a boy, he took to the water, than to read any sea romance ever written. He maintained his home at Wilmington and was numbered with the construc- tive citizens of this city, for through his business enterprise he was very useful commercially, while as a private citizen he co-operated in all movements that have been started to advance the best interests.
FRANKLIN WILLS HANCOCK, JR. One of the able younger members of the Oxford bar is Frank- lin Wills Hancock, who has been in active practice in this city since he was admitted to the bar. His talents as a lawyer have been well tested within this time and his handling of some very interesting and complex legal problems, has been highly approved of by the older members of the profession who do not hesitate to predict a steady advance to leadership in his profession.
Franklin Wills Hancock was born at Oxford, North Carolina. November 1, 1894. His parents are Dr. Franklin Wills and Lizzie (Hobgood)
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Hancock, the former being a well known physician and pharmacist at Oxford.
In the excellent public schools of his native city, Mr. Hancock completed his high school course and also was a student in the Warrenton High School before entering Hower Military Institute. Subsequently he took both an academic and a law course in the University of North Carolina, and was admitted to the bar on August 28, 1916. He immediately opened a law office at Oxford and already has built up a satisfactory practice. In addition to his general and professional prepara- tion, Mr. Hancock has another almost necessary qualification for early success at the bar, and that is a pleasing personality and a manner that in- spires confidence.
Mr. Hancock was married at Oxford, May 12, 1917, to Miss Lucy Osborne Landis, who was born at Oxford and is well known in the city 's pleasant social life.
Mr. Hancock has not taken any very active part in politics but his good citizenship is determined and on any public question his friends know that his influence will be for the right and his support be given to further worthy enterprises. He is identified fraternally with the Masons and the Junior Order of United American Workmen and he belongs also to the Royal Arcanum and still maintains his interests in his old college fraternity, the Kappa Alpha. He was reared in the Baptist Church.
DARETT M. REECE. A thorough student from his college days, and a man of scholarly habits, Darett M. Reece, of Yadkinville, is well versed in the intricacies of law, to which he is devoting his attention, and through his professional knowledge and skill has gained a place of note among the successful attorneys of Yadkin County. He was born, June 12, 1862, in Booneville Township, Yad- kin County, the place in which the births of his father, Joel D. Reece, and of his grandfather, Joel Reece, occurred, and where his great-grandfather, Daniel Reece, spent his last years.
Born and reared in Booneville Township, Joel Reece grew to manhood on a farm, and during his entire life was engaged in agricultural pursuits, operating his land with slave help. To him and his wife, whose maiden name was Nannie Green- wood, four sons were born and reared, Samuel, Lewis, Daniel, Joel D., and Thomas W.
Joel D. Reece was born on the parental home- stead in Yadkin County, in 1832, and was a life- long farmer of Booneville Township, being exceed- ingly prosperous. He inherited a part of his father's farm, and having met with success in his labors, he bought adjoining land, becoming quite an extensive landholder before his death, which occurred in the eighty-first year of his age. He married Sarah D. Caudle, who was born in what is now Surry County, North Carolina, a daughter of Aaron and Melinda (Groos) Caudle. Her father was of German ancestry, and during his earlier life lived and farmed in Surry County. In 1867, he moved with his wife and five of their children, Jacob, Abraham, Nancy, Mary, and Bet- tie, to Union County, Iowa. Of the union of Mr. and Mrs. Joel D. Reece five children were born, namely: Cornelia S., who married N. C. Dobbins ; Darett M., the subject of this brief sketch; Mary M., wife of C. S. Dobbins; Joel W .; and Lucy J., who married L. J. Watkins. The mother died at the age of about seventy years, having lived a long and useful life.
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After leaving the district schools, Darett M. Reece continued his studies under the tutelage of Prof. R. L. Patten, a well known educator, first in the Booneville High School, and later at Table Rock and Globe, where the professor was an in- structor. Thus prepared, Mr. Reece entered the University of North Carolina, and after spending a year in the literary department continued his studies in the law department for thirteen months, Dr. John Maning being his instructor. In 1885 Mr. Reece was licensed to practice, and imme- diately located in Yadkinville, where his legal tal- ent and ability was soon recognized, and where he has since built up a large and lucrative prac- tice, and has gained a commanding position in his profession.
Mr. Reece married, in 1887, Mary S. Robertson, who was born in Surry County, North Carolina, a daughter of Doctor Robertson, a native of Vir- ginia. Mr. and Mrs. Reece have three children, namely : James Thaddeus, a graduate of the Uni- versity of North Carolina, is now serving as su- perintendent of the Yadkin County schools; John D., a traveling salesman; and Stella, who married D. B. Anderson, and has one son, Stiles Thaddeus Anderson. Mr. Reece is a faithful member of the Baptist Church, and the family have been reared in the same religious faith. Politically Mr. Reece cast his first presidential vote for Grover Cleveland, and has been a loyal supporter of the principles of the democratic party He has been his party's candidate for the Legislature, and was chosen presidential elector in 1912.
THOMAS FULLER SOUTHGATE. Through a long period of years the name Southgate has been sug- gestive of the insurance business at Durham, and the work has been successfully carried on through three generations.
The third generation is represented by Thomas Fuller Southgate, who was born at Durham July 22, 1889, a son of James Hayward and Kate (Fuller) Southgate. After completing his edu- cation in the Fishburne Military School at Waynes- boro, Virginia, and in the Bingham School at Asheville, North Carolina, Mr. Southgate en- tered the Fidelity Bank, where he had some val- uable experience for a year, following which he joined the firm o1 James Southgate & Son, and in this old established insurance agency learned the business and took an active part. Upon the death of his grandfather, senior member of the firm, in 1914, he became active partner with his father, and that association still continues. Mr. Southgate is also president of the Durham Land and Security Company.
He is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Ma- sonic Order, is a member of the Country Club and is a steward of Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church. On November 15, 1912, he married Miss Lula McDonald, of Raleigh, North Carolina, daughter of Charles Chalmers and Lula (Troy) McDonald. Her father is well known in Raleigh as a stock and bond dealer. Mr. and Mrs. South- gate have two children, Thomas Fuller, Jr., and Lula McDonald.
ARTHUR ALEXANDER BUNN was admitted to the North Carolina bar in February, 1912, six months before he was twenty-one years of age. He has justified his choice of profession and the confidence and anticipations of his friends, and now enjoys a very substantial position in the Henderson bar.
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He was born in Vance County near Henderson August 11, 1891, son of Robert and Kate (Mars- ton) Bunn. His father is a contractor and builder. Mr. Bunn was educated in the Henderson High School, and graduated with the class of 1912 from Wake Forest College, in both the literary and law departments. Soon after his admission to the bar he returned to Henderson and has since been en- gaged in building up a general practice. He is also chairman of the democratic executive commit- tee of Vance County, and a member in good stand- ing of the North Carolina Bar Association.
June 27, 1917, Mr. Bunn married Miss Mary Hilliard Lamb of Henderson, daughter of George C. and Anna (Hyman) Lamb.
RICHARD C. PURYEAR. An active and promi- nent member of the Yadkin County bar, Richard C. Puryear, of Yadkinville, is a man of versatile talent and vigorous mentality, and well worthy of the high distinction he has attained in his pro- fession. He was born January 21, 1848, in Little Yadkin Township, Yadkin County, a son of Hon. Richard C. Puryear.
His paternal grandfather, John Puryear, was born in Mecklenburg County, Virginia, and there spent his earlier years. Coming with his wife and child to North Carolina about 1811, he settled at, or near, Brookstown, in what is now Forsyth County, and died soon after coming.
Born in Mecklenburg County, Virginia, in 1801, Hon. Richard C. Puryear was but ten years old when he came with his parents to North Carolina. He acquired a good education, but instead of adopt- ing a profession he turned his attention to agricul- ture, for which he had a strong predilection, first buying a tract of land in Yadkin County and later buying another tract in Forbush. With 700 acres of land in his two plantations, he carried on gen- eral farming with slave labor, obtaining satisfac- tory results. A man of strong personality, popu- lar and influential, he became prominent in public affairs, representing Surry County in the State Legislature two terms; later serving two terms in Congress; and subsequently being a member of the Provisional Congress of the Confederate States.
The maiden name of the wife of Hon. Richard C. Puryear was Elizabeth Ann Clingman. She was born at Huntsville, Yadkin County, a daughter of Jacob and Jane (Poindexter) Clingman. Her maternal grandfather, Capt. Francis Poindexter, the descendant of one of the earliest settlers of Yadkin County, served in the Revolutionary war as captain of a company of brave soldiers. Captain Poindexter married Mrs. Jane (Patillo) Lanier, whose father, Rev. Henry Patillo, was a Presby- terian minister, and the author of Patillo's Geography. Mrs. Elizabeth Ann (Clingman) Puryear died at the comparatively early age of thirty-six years, in 1850, leaving six children that grew to years of maturity, as follows: Jane A., Sarah E., Henry S., Elizabeth P., Richard C., and Thomas L.
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