USA > North Carolina > History of North Carolina: North Carolina biography, Volume IV > Part 9
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The early environment of Walter Reade Johnson was his father's farm. He attended the dis- trict schools, and while still a schoolboy gained his first practical knowledge of commercial life. His father having given him the use of a small tract of land, the boy planted a crop of tobacco, and after it had been cut he took it to Winston. Here he had a transaction which showed his judgment. The dealer offered him fifteen dollars and also one-half of all above that figure that the tobacco would bring at auction. The lot sold for fifteen dollars and forty cents, showing that the first price was a fair estimate of the real value. After a few terms in the district school Mr. Johnson attended the Mountain View Institute and later Dalton Academy.
When nineteen years old he taught a term of school at Corinth but soon went on the road as a traveling salesman. He sold goods over his terri- tory until 1906, and while he made a good living at this he was not satisfied to continue it indefi- nitely. With what he had earned he entered the University of North Carolina, where for a time he devoted himself to special studies, and then took un the regular law course. He was graduated in 1909, and in the same year opened his office in Winston-Salem.
In 1910 Mr. Johnson married Miss Lou Milhol- land. Mrs. Johnson was born in Statesville, Iredell County, North Carolina, daughter of Newton and Ella ( Edwards) Milholland. Mr. and Mrs. John- son have three children: Gretchen, Dorothy and Walter Reade, Jr. They are active members of the Brown Memorial Baptist Church of Winston- Salem, whilo Mr. Johnson is affiliated with Winston
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Lodge No. 167, Ancient Free and Accepted Mason, and Winston Chapter No. 24, Royal Arch Masons. In politics he is a democrat.
WILLIAM H. MARLER came to Winston-Salem when a young man, was a mercantile clerk for a number of years, got into business on his own account, and has been steadily building up a busi- ness house in proportion to the growing importance of Winston-Salem. He is now one of the leading wholesalers in Western. North Carolina.
Mr. Marler was born in Jonesville in Yadkin County, North Carolina. His father, Hon. John G. Marler, was a native of Virginia, was liberally educated, and on coming to North Carolina became principal of the Van Eaton School at Jonesboro. He rapidly gained prominence in public affairs, and in 1870 was elected a member of the lower house of the State Legislature, was re-elected in 1872, and in 1874, was elected a member of the State Senate for the Thirty-third District, includ- ing Yadkin and Surrey counties. His public serv- ice both in the House and Senate was given in the stirring times of Reconstruction days. When partisanship was at its height, when passion and bitterness were controlling factors, he showed a serene and unruffled spirit and proved of inesti- mable value to the constructive work of the Legislative body. In 1876 he was re-elected to the Senate, and his sudden death in 1877 occurred while the Senate was still in session.
Senator Marler married Sallie Stimpson. She was born in Virginia in 1844 and died in 1915. They reared five children: William H., Mamie, Blanch, Dr. J. J. and Sallie.
William H. Marler had the advantages of the public schools of Yadkin County, including the Whittington School at Jonesboro taught by Prof. T. H. Whittington. He was eighteen years of ago when he came to Winston, and he learned business in a practical fashion as clerk in the retail store of J. F. Gilmer. The six years he spent in that capacity were years of hard work, of faithful attention to his duties and a growing responsibility and capacity. At the end of that time he became a partner, under the name Gilmer & Marler. Five years later Mr. Gilmer's sons were admitted to the firm, which took the new title of Gilmer, Marler & Company. The business became both retail and wholesale. After a few years Mr. R. E. Dalton was admitted to the firm and not long afterward the Gilmer brothers sold their interests, and the house was incorporated. with Mr. Marler as presi- dent and treasurer. In July, 1915, Mr. Marler sold his interest in that concern and in January, 1916, established himself in the wholesale busi- ness, chiefly as a jobber, selling direct to the trade from the factories. His house now handles the products of several local mills, and his salesmen cover a territory over several southern states.
Mr. Marler was married June 5, 1886, to Miss Ella George. Mrs. Marler was born in Winston- Salem, daughter of Peter and Martha (Bowman) George. They have reared five children, named William G., Grady, Evelyn, Robert and Ralph. Mr. Marler is one of the stewards of the West End Methodist Episcopal Church, South. He is affili- ated with Winston Lodge No. 167, Ancient Freo and Accepted Masons.
KIMBRO M. THOMPSON. Noteworthy among the esteemed and respected residents of Jonesville, Yadkin County, is Kimbro M. Thompson, who
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HISTORY OF NORTH CAROLINA
for many years was an important factor in promot- ing the mercantile and business interests of the community in which he now lives. A native of Surry County, he was born, February 1, 1859, on a farm lying four miles southeast of Mount Airy, North Carolina. His father, Columbus Thompson, was born on a farm in Surry County, about ten miles west of Dobson, and his grandfather, Elijah Thompson, was born in the same locality.
Joseph Thompson, the great-grandfather of the subject of this sketch, married Isabella Henderson, of Albemarle County, Virginia, and with his bride came to North Carolina, settling as a pioneer in Surry County. In 1780 he erected a substantial frame house, the boards used being whip sawed, while all of the nails were hand wrought. With the assistance of slaves he cleared and improved a good farm, on which he and his wife spent the remainder of their years.
Elijah Thompson learned the trade of a tan- ner when young, and also acquired proficiency as a farmer while living with his parents. Subse- quently buying land on Mitchell's River, three miles below the parental homestead, he operated, with slave labor, a tannery, and his farm. He served as a soldier in the War of 1812, but other- wise resided on his plantation until his death, at the age of seventy-four years. He married Martha Cleveland Franklin, a daughter of Shadrach and Judith (Talliferio) Franklin, and granddaughter of Bernard and Mary Franklin. Eight children were born of their union, as follows: Benjamin, Columbus, Kimbro, Sally, Shadrach, Mary F., Bettie, and Kittie L.
Columbus Thompson became an expert tanner and farmer under his father's wise training. Soon after attaining his majority, he bought a farm four miles southeast of Mount Airy, and there established a tannery which he operated in con- nection with general farming, during the progress of the Civil war being detailed to furnish leather and other supplies to the army. He lived to the ripe old age of eighty-nine years, dying on the home farm. The maiden name of his wife was Mary A. Cockerham. She was born in Surry County, Mitchells River, a daughter of Joseph and Polly (Marshall) Cockerham. She died in 1868, leaving three children, Mary Jane, Kimbro M. and Benjamin H. Mary Jane, married Columbus F. McMickel; to this union four children .were born: John, Addie, Kittie and Sallie; John married Mal- lie Cornett of Virginia, Kittie married Peter Beamer of Mount Airy, North Carolina; Sallie married Frank Thompson of Kapps Mills, Surry County. Benjamin H. married America Bryan, daughter of Gen. John Q. A. and Martha Bryan, of near Traphill, Wilkes County, North Carolina. To this union was born two children, B. Harton and Mary Atholene.
Acquiring a practical education in the district school, Kimbro M. Thompson, while assisting his father, became thoroughly familiar with the vari- ous branches of agriculture, and also with the tanner's trade. When he had attained the age of twenty-one years, his father gave him land lying on Mitchells River, about two miles from the farm on which his great-grandfather once lived. Mr. Thompson had learned surveying when young, and subsequently for twelve years he served as county surveyor in Surry County. Superintending the work of his farm, he lived upon it until 1900, when he sold that estate, and settled in Yadkin County. Purchasing property in Jonesville, Mr.
Thompson embarked in mercantile pursuits, and continued in business as a merchant until 1916, meeting with success in his operations.
On September 4, 1887, Mr. Thompson was united in marriage with Emma Frances Bryan. She was born in Alleghany County, North Caro- lina, a daughter of Francis and Bettie (Moore) Bryan, and granddaughter on the paternal side of Thomas and Nancy (Baugus) Bryan, natives of Wilkes County, this state, while on the ma- ternal side she was a granddaughter of Benjamin and Susan (Barber) Moore. The Bryan, Moore and Barber families were among the pioneer set- tlers of the northwestern part of North Carolina and Southern Virginia.
Mr. and Mrs. Thompson have four children, namely: Alonzo A., Grove L., Mabel A., and Rosa E. Alonzo A. married Lizzie Burgess of Ten- nessee; Grove L. married Mabel Finney, daughter of Wesley and Mary (Adams) Finney, and they have one child, Dorris Lee. On October 1, 1917, Grover was drafted into the National army. He was sent to Camp Jackson, but after staying there awhile, was selected as an expert machinist to go to Camp Hancock, Augusta, Georgia, after remain- ing there two months he was sent to Camp Mer- ritte, New Jersey, sailing for France on February 20, 1918. Mabel A. married Wonderfer A. Finney, son of Franklin and Laura (Martin) Finney. Rosa E. married Richard C. Minnish, son of Wil- liam and Annie L. (Brendle) Minnish, to this union three children have been born, Iris Evelyn, Russell Bryan, and Mabel Frances.
Fraternally Mr. Thompson is a non-affiliating member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Order of Masons, and of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
ADDISON GUY RICAUD. The position of Addi- son Guy Ricaud as a member of the Wilmington bar is tersely and well set forth in an endorsement signed by a large majority of the most prominent members of the Wilmington bar urging Mr. Ricaud's appointment to the vacancy on the bench of the Eighth Judicial Circuit in 1915. A para- graph of this endorsement reads as follows: "Mr. Ricaud is a lawyer of wide and varied experience in the practice of his profession; is a man of marked ability; a gentleman of high character; is in the prime of life; and we believe, if ap- pointed, he will discharge the duties of the high office with great ability to himself and to the state."'
Another candidate was given the preference in the appointment as judge of the Super or Court, but the opinion entertained by his eminunt fellow lawyers of his ability has made him nore the less valuable as a citizen of Wilmington ard his po- sition as a lawyer has long been assure 3.
He was born in Washington, North Carolina, December 11, 1858, a son of Thomas Page and Anna M. (King) Ricaud. His father was a prom- inent minister of the Methodist Church, and for over fifty years, beginning about 1845, was con- nected with the North Carolina Conference.
Mr. A. G. Ricaud obtained his early education in the Albermarle High School, in Olin College, and pursued the study of law under the late Governor D. L. Russell. Upon his admission to the bar in January, 1879, he formed a partnership with Governor Russell, and they were associated on terms of mutual agreeability and profit for ten years. For a time hi's partner was Solomon C.
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HISTORY OF NORTH CAROLINA
Weill. Mr. Ricaud in 1898 moved to New York City, and during the ten years spent there had a wide and varied metropolitan experience as a lawyer. Since 1908 he has resumed his place in the bar of Wilmington, and handles a large gen- eral practice.
He has always been active in the interests of the democratic party, which was the partisan faith of his ancestors, and has rendered valuable service to his home municipality. He served as mayor of Wilmington from 1891 to 1893, and was also an alderman for two years.
On September 11, 1900, he married Mrs. Marion M. (Murrell) Palfrey, of Louisville, Kentucky.
.ELLIS H. SPAINHOUR, M. D. Winston-Salem has had one of its most capable physicians and sur- geons in the person of Doctor Spainhour, who came to this city during the calamitous times of the smallpox epidemic some fifteen or sixteen years ago. He rendered a notable service at the time in effectively controlling the epidemic and has ever since been advantageously situated as a physician and as a public spirited citizen.
Doctor Spainhour represents one of the very old families of Western North Carolina. He is descended from one of two brothers, Avon and Joseph, who were pioneers of Stokes County. The name at different times was spelled in different ways. The first record shows that John Spoen- hauer came to North Carolina in 1755. In the first United States census of North Carolina, taken in 1790, the name is spelled Spanehaur.
Doctor Spainhour was born on a farm in old Richmond Township of Forsyth County, North Carolina. His grandfather, Solomon Spainhour, was a native of Stokes County and the father, William Windom Spainhour, was born near Dalton in Stokes County. Grandfather Spainhour kept a stage station near Dalton, also operated a farm, and as was true of many of the early settlers operated a distillery. He married a Miss Conrad, also of pioneer stock. Both lived to a good old age. They reared three sons, Theophilus, William W. and Wesley, and daughters named Harriet and Amelia. Theophilus settled a few miles from the homestead on the Little Yadkin River, while Wes- ley went out to Iowa.
William W. Spainhour grew up on the old farm in Stokes County, acquired knowledge of agricul- tural pursuits, and after leaving home bought land about four miles from his father. There he engaged in general farming, but with his brother Theophilus he also owned and operated a custom flour mill. In that locality, with growing honor and prosperity, he lived until his death at the advanced age of seventy-nine. He married Pamelia Grabbs. She was born at Bethania, then located in Stokes County. Her father was John Grabbs and her mother a Miss Shore, both being of early German ancestry. Pamelia Grabbs had a brother Edwin and two sisters, Felicia and Gelina. Pamelia died at the age of seventy-nine. Mr. and Mrs. W. W. Spainhour reared nine chil- dren: Eben F., Ellen, John S., Edward G., Seaton B., Laura F., William W., Ellis H. and Alice C., the last two being twins.
While his life work has been in towns and con- nection with professional affairs, Doctor Spain- hour grew up in a rural atmosphere. He attended district schools, also the Dalton Institute and the Pinnacle Academy, located a few miles from Dal- ton, and on seriously beginning the preparation
for medicine he entered the Baltimore Medical College, of Baltimore, Maryland. Doctor Spain- hour satisfactorily completed his course and was given his degree in 1898. For a year or so he practiced at Oldtown, but in 1900, upon the break- ing out of smallpox in Winston, he came to this city and accepted the dangerous and difficult posi- tion of city health officer. The duties of that position having been satisfactorily discharged he remained at Winston in general practice.
He is a man of broad interests and generous sympathies. He is affiliated with the Forsyth County Medical Society, the North Carolina State Medical Society, the Southern Medical Society and the American Medical Association. He also belongs to the Sociological Congress. Fraternally he is a member of Winston Lodge No. 167, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, Salem Lodge No. 36, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Salem Encamp- ment No 20, of the Odd Fellows, and Evangeline Rebekah Lodge No. 27.
JAMES ORR COBB is one of the most progressive and energetic of the younger business element at Winston-Salem, where he is officially identified with several of the well-known business organizations.
He was born in Greensboro, North Carolina, Oc- tober 12, 1892, a son of James S. Cobb, a native of Caswell County and a grandson of Henry W. Cobb. Henry W. Cobb, who was of English ances- try, had a plantation in Caswell County and died there in the prime of life, leaving his son James S. and four other sons to assist the widowed mother in the management of the farm. James S. Cobb spent his early life on the plantation, acquired a good business education, and subsequently re- moved to Greensboro to engage in the business of buying and selling leaf tobacco. That busi- ness he has continued to the present time, and now has charge of the purchasing department of the Liggett Myers Company of St. Louis. James S. Cobb married Nannie Orr, who was born in Caswell County, daughter of Ezekiel and Annie (Forrest) Orr of Scotch ancestry. Mr. and Mrs. James S. Cobb. have four children: James Orr, Annie Forrest, Mary Howard and John B. .
A liberal education preceded Mr. James O. Cobb's entrance into business affairs. He attended public school at Greensboro, Winston-Salem, Rich- mond, Virginia, and Durham, North Carolina, and is a graduate with the degree of bachelor of sci- ence from Davidson College. Following that he took post-graduate courses in economics at the University of Pennsylvania.
Mr. Cobb located at Winston-Salem' in the fall of 1913, and at once entered the real estate busi- ness. He is now an official member of the fol- lowing organizations: President of the Leake- Cobb Company, real estate; president of the Serv. ice Insurance Company; president of the Standard Improvement Company of Winston-Salem; vice president of the Citizens Building and Loan Asso- ciation; president of the Corner Building Com- pany; president of the Home Agency Company of Durham; vice president of the Jas. T. Catlin & Son Co. of Danville, Virginia; vice president of Bar- ber & Cobb, Inc., Winston-Salem; and president of the Mecklenburg Spring Company of Mecklen- burg County, Virginia. Mr. Cobb is also well known in social and club life and is a member of the Twin City Club and the Forsyth Country Club. In 1918 Mr. Cobb expects to enter the army.
Vol. IV-3
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HISTORY OF NORTH CAROLINA
HON. JOHN HENRY CLEMENT of Mocksville was born on a farm four miles from that town in Davie County October 1, 1828. While now suffer- ing the infirmities of old age, he deserves a tribute as one who played a prominent part in his active career.
His father, Godfrey Clement, was a native of the same locality and his grandfather, Henry Clem- ent, was born in Germany and was one of three brothers to come to America. Henry Clement bought land a mile south of the present site of Mocksville, and was an extensive planter with the aid of slaves until his death. He reared four sons named John, Henry, Godfrey and Jesse, and two daughters, Polly and Sallie. Godfrey Clement spent his life as a farmer in what is now David County, and died about 1831, when John H. was three years of age. The mother, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Brown, survived her husband only a few years.
John H. Clement attended the rural schools during his youth and ill health compelled him to forego the privileges of a college education. In May, 1862, he went into the Confederate army as a member of Company F, Forty-second North Carolina troops, and was with that regiment in its many battles in Virginia until the close of the war. Mr. Clement reached home on May 10, 1865, and then lived on the old homestead farm until his marriage to Mary Emily Foster, daughter of Berry and Emily Foster. Mrs. Clement died in November, 1915. She was the mother of six chil- dren, Mary, John H., Foster, Abram, Fred and Sarah.
Mr. Clement was for many years prominent in public affairs. He represented his party in the Legislature in 1866-67 and in the Senate in 1876-77. He has also served as a county commissioner. He and his wife long had an active part in the Metho- dist Episcopal Church, South.
JOSEPH WALLACE LITTLE. A large fund of sound natural ability plus a very energetic appli- cation to his preliminary work brought Joseph Wallace Little to membership in the North Caro- lina bar before he was twenty-one years of age. He was admitted to the bar in February, 1907, and his twenty-first birthday was April 30 of the same year. His early education was received in the public schools and the North Carolina Military Academy at Red Springs, and also a business college course at Richmond, Virginia. He earned his own living ' while studying the law privately, being employed as a stenographer, and thus be brought to his practice a thorough train- ing in self reliance. In the past ten years he has come to a very secure position as one of the mem- bers of the bar of Wilmington, and has also formed some important business relations.
Mr. Little was born in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, a son of Junius Warren and Eliza- beth S. (Mckenzie) Little. His father was a farmer, and the son spent his early years at the old homestead.
Mr. Little is now vice president of the Home Savings Bank of Wilmington, president of the Wilmington Printing Company, president of the Pythian Castle Hall Corporation, secretary and treasurer of the Progressive Building & Loan Association. He is also prominent in politics, having served as chairman of the New Hanover County Democratic Committee and as a member of the State Democratic Committee, and in 1916
was candidate for Congress from the Sixth Con -. gressional District.
He is the New Hanover County chairman of the National War Savings Committee, a member of the North Carolina Bar Association, the American Bar Association, the Cape Fear Club, the Cape Fear Country Club, the Carolina Yacht Club, and fraternally is identified with the Knights of Pythias, the Junior Order of United American Mechanics, the Woodmen of the World, the Royal Arcanum. He is a deacon in the First Presbyterian Church.
November 16, 1909, Mr. Little married Miss Grace Creelman Turlington, of Wilmington. She is a daughter of William H. and Grace (Creel- man) Turlington. Her father was a Wilmington merchant.
THOMAS MASLIN has been a resident of Winston- Salem since he was twenty-one years of age, and has become an important factor in financial circles, being now president of the Merchants National Bank of that city.
He has a very interesting ancestral line and is himself a native of the City of Baltimore, Mary- land. His ancestors originally lived in Belgium, where they spelled the name Malines. They were Protestants, of the Huguenot class, and on account of religious persecution fled from Belgium, went to Dieppe, France, and from there emigrated to England. Stephen Malines was for forty-nine years at the head of the Queen's customs and his son Victor was also in the customs service. The founder of the family in America was Mr. Maslin's great-grandfather, who was probably born in England and came to America in colonial times, locating in Virginia. He was a planter, and spent most of his life at Gerardstown in what is now West Virginia. Hon. Thomas Maslin, grandfather of the Winston-Salem banker, was born at Gerards- town, and subsequently located at Moorefield in what is now West Virginia, becoming a successful breeder of cattle, which he fattened for the for- eign markets. He was in that business long before railroads became the favorite method of trans- portation, and he drove many herds of his fat stock across the mountains and over the high- ways to market at Philadelphia, from which port they were shipped to Liverpool. He was also a man of prominence in the public eye, and was a member of the Virginia convention which passed the ordinance of secession at the beginning of the war. His death occurred at Moorefield at the age of seventy. His wife was Catherine Seymour, of English ancestry and the descendant of Jane Seymour. She died at the age of sixty years, hav- ing reared nine children: William H., James M., Jennie R., Thomas, George C., Julia, Ella, Lelia and Sadie.
William Hanson Maslin, father of Thomas Maslin, was born in Moorefield, West Virginia, November 21, 1842. He was educated in Moore- field Academy, but left at the age of nineteen to enlist in the Confederate army. He was a loyal and hard fighting soldier until the close of the war, and then went to Chillicothe, Ohio, where he had the advantages of higher studies in an academy and while there made his home with Thomas Woodrow. After completing his education he engaged in the wholesale dry goods business as member of the firm of Henry, Maslin & Company of Baltimore, Maryland. His career was success- ful though brief, and his death occurred at the
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HISTORY OF NORTH CAROLINA
age of thirty-eight. He married Alice Virginia McConky, who was born at Baltimore, daughter of James M. McConky. She is now living at Winston- Salem, the mother of three children: Thomas, Edna G. and William Hanson, Jr.
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