USA > North Carolina > History of North Carolina: North Carolina biography, Volume V > Part 103
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As manager and superintendent of the High Shoals Cotton Mill, Mr. Kale has carried heavy responsibilities for over a quarter of a century, during which time changes and improvements have been made but the status of the mill has always been the same, one of the leading cotton mills in the entire South, under all circumstances. It is capitalized at $362,000, is equipped with 550 looms, and 16,224 spindles. Sheetings and knit- ting yarns are manufactured, and at no time in its history has business been heavier. Great credit is due Mr. Kale for the harmony that has pre- vailed at High Shoals when many other industrial sections have been variously disturbed. He is fortunate, however, in the possession of certain
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qualities of leadership that enable him to exer- cise executive powers when necessary, and at the same time, through justice tempered by sincere good will, to win confidence, obedience and re- spect from his army of employes.
REV. MARTIN MCQUEEN came from a noted fam- ily who had settled in Robeson County, North Carolina, about the close of the Revolutionary war. The history of this family has been well written by Mrs. Bettie McElyea in her book "The McQueens of Queensdale."' Mrs. McQueen 's paternal grand- father was a native of Scotland and died in Robe- son County, North Carolina. Kate Robeson Mc- Queen was a descendant of Gen. Thomas Robe- son, of Revolutionary fame, for whom Robeson County in this state was named.
Rev. Martin McQueen was a saintly man whose life was given to the ministry, and from 1864 to 1888 was pastor of old Union Presbyterian Church. The history of this branch of the McQueen family is closely interwoven with that of Union Church, one of the oldest and most historic churches in this section of the state. It was organized in 1797 by Rev. W. D. Paisley, under direction of the Orange Presbytery. This church is still a flourish- ing congregation.
The tenth pastor of the church was Rev. Mar- tin McQueen, who was born in Robeson County, September 26, 1823. He graduated with honors at Davidson College in 1851 and from Columbia Theological Seminary in 1854. He was licensed by the Fayetteville Presbytery in September, 1853, and served churches in the eastern part of the Presbytery for ten years before taking up his work at Union. He entered upon the pastorate at Union and Carthage in September, 1864, and continued the work until his death, March 24, 1888.
The historian of Union Church has had much to say of the life work of this mighty man of God, who consecrated his high talents and tireless en- ergy to the service of Him he loved so well. A local citizen once said: "When I came to Car- thage in 1880 there were three things of note and public conversation, the Moore County court house, Union Church and Father McQueen."
Union Church experienced many changes during Mr. McQueen's ministry. Many of its former members withdrew, the negroes early organizing a church to themselves, while in 1879 the Cameron Church was organized, taking most of its members from Union, and in 1881 other members constitut- ed a church at White Hill and in 1886 Union gave still others to the new church at Culdee. Not- withstanding these losses Union continued to grow in membership. It became crowded for room and the congregation erected the present commodious building in 1880, and it was dedicated to the wor- ship of God in 1882.
Rev. Mr. McQueen has been characterized as a specially gifted evangelist, and he held a number of successful meetings in his churches. It is said that he received 300 members into churches he served before he came to Union and 400 in the Union Church, besides 500 in the Carthage, Buf- falo, Bethesda, Cameron and Culdee churches. In a sermon which he prepared a short time before his death but never delivered he wrote: "Most of those who were here when I came twenty-four years ago have gone to the grave and soon others must follow them. We baptize now the children of those we baptized in infancy. We have grown into one large family bound together by many ties of friendship and Christian love. With a
common Father and Savior, Jesus Christ, with one common hope of a blessed immortality, surely we share many reasons for fighting together this fight of faith."
In a memorial adopted by the synod are these words: "Mr. McQueen was a man possessed of many excellent traits of character. He was genial and cordial in his disposition, warm hearted in his friendship and constant in his attachments. As a preacher he was impassioned and eloquent. He preached Christ and his gospel as the power of God into salvation. He might properly be called an evangelist. His preaching was with power and demonstration of the spirit, and multitudes were converted under his ministry who shall be stars in the Redeemer's crown for ever and ever."'
Rev. Mr. McQueen was buried by the side of his devoted wife in the cemetery at Union. His biographer says that though the rain fell in tor- rents during the day of his burial it is doubtful if Union Church will ever again see as large a con- course of people within her walls as gathered there that day to pay their last tribute of affection to their beloved pastor. Amid the tears of a heart- broken people was laid to rest one who had waged a noble and winning fight for righteousness during a pastorate of twenty-four years.
CHARLES F. LONG for a number of years covered a large territory as a traveling salesman for fur- niture, and for the past five years has been permanently identified with the manufacturing in- terests of High Point. He has helped develop the Southern Mirror Company to one of the largest industries of its kind in the South.
Mr. Long was born on a plantation in Bushy Fork Township of Person County, North Carolina, a son of Joseph and Nannie Elizabeth (Hurdle) Long. His grandfather, William Long, had an extensive plantation and many slaves in the days before the war. He reared ten sons and two daughters. The sons were named Aleck, George, William, Joseph, Reuben, Zachariah, Daniel, John, Elijah and David. The six oldest all served as Confederate soldiers. Reuben was severely wounded in one battle and died from the effects. All the others married and reared families.
Joseph Long was in the Confederate Army four years, and when the struggle ended he resumed civil life as a farmer near his birthplace. He is still living on the old farm, and he and his wife have reared seven children: Charles F., Oscar, Lillian, James, John, Herbert and Alwyn.
Charles F. Long grew up on his father's farm and was early trained to habits of industry. He attended district school, and at the age of four- teen left the farm to work as clerk in a general store kept by William H. Long at Bushy Fork. During the next five years, which might be called his apprenticeship, he was paid $100.00 a year and board. Seeking a larger field, he went to Durham and was clerk for W. A. Slater, and during that year was paid $400.00 and boarded himself. The next year he clerked for his cousin, J. A. Long, at $400.00 a year and board.
This gave him a very thorough and systematic training as a merchant, and with that experience he went on the road as a traveling salesman sell- ing notions, and five years later took up a furni- ture line. As a furniture salesman he covered territory all the way from New York to San An- tonio, Texas, and visited the retail dealers in all the important cities east of the Mississippi River. In 1913, on leaving the road, Mr. Long, with Frank
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Char A Long
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Wineski, organized the Southern Mirror Company; and is now president of the corporation. The company has two factories, one at High Point and the other at Winston-Salem. Mr. Long now gives all his time and attention to the growing business of this company, which is an important auxiliary line of manufacture to the great furniture indus- try of the state.
In 1901 Mr. Long married Miss Mina Alexander, a native of High Point and daughter of Harrison and Sarah Alexander. They have two daughters, named Helen and Mary Elizabeth. Mr. Long is a member of the Wesleyan Memorial Church and he is on its board of stewards. Fraternally he is affiliated with Numa F. Reid Lodge No. 344, An- cient Free and Accepted Masons, at High Point, Chapter No. 70, Royal Arch Masons, Knight Templar Commandery No. 24, and Oasis Temple of the Mystic Shrine. He also belongs to High Point Lodge No. 208, Benevolent and Protective Order Elks, and High Point Commercial Club.
THOMAS JOSEPH ROBERTSON, proprietor and ed- itor of the Madison Messenger, is a veteran printer and newspaper man, and is well known among a number of communities both in North Carolina and Virginia, where he has been connected with the local press.
Mr. Robertson was born at Bachelor's Hall in Pittsylvania County, Virginia. His grandfather, Joab Robertson, according to the best of infor- mation, was a native of Caswell County, North Carolina. He served as a soldier in the War of 1812, and after that war bought 1,000 acres of land in Pittsylvania County, Virginia. He was an extensive operator and planter with the aid of slaves, and realized his ambitions to give each of his six sons a good farm besides a num- ber of slaves. He lived to be ninety-four years of age. His six sons all fought for the Southern cause in the Confederate Army.
John M. Robertson, father of Thomas J., was born in Pittsylvania County and prior to the war had taken possession of the farm given him by his father and was busily operating it with the aid of his slaves. When the war began he entered the artillery forces of the Confederate Army and saw much active service until the close of hostilities. In the meantime his slaves had been freed, his stock had been taken away, and he resumed civil life face to face with the stern necessities of battling for existence. He continued to live in Pittsylvania County until 1876, when he sold his property and removed to North Caro- lina, locating near Kernersville in Forsyth County. He was a farmer there a number of years, but finally moved his home to Kernersville and went on the road as a traveling salesman. He died at the age of sixty-eight. He married Susan Brown, a native of Pittsylvania County, Virginia, daugh- ter of Thomas Brown, a wagon manufacturer. Mrs. Susan Robertson died in September, 1916. She was the mother of two children, the only daughter, Mollie, being the wife of D. A. Boden- hamer.
Thomas J. Robertson attended rural schools while his father lived on a farm, and was also educated partly in the Kernersville Academy. He has had experience in practically no other trade or profession than printing or newspaper work. At the age of seventeen he began an apprentice- ship in the Kernersville Printing Office. In 1888 he became foreman of the Burlington News office, remaining there three years, after which he re-
turned to Kernersville and bought the News. After publishing that a year he leased the North Wilkes- boro News for three years, and in 1896 established the Hustler, which live and popular journal he published ten years. In 1906, having sold out, he went to Southern Virginia and established the South Hill Enterprise. This also prospered under his management for four years, and on selling the property he returned to North Carolina and es- tablished the Advance at North Wilkesboro. After a year he became proprietor of the Morganton Messenger at Morganton, and was its publisher for four years. His fortunes have been identified with Madison since 1915 and he is founder of the Madison Messenger which is published weekly and is a paper devoted to the best interests of the people of the community.
Mr. Robertson married in 1904 Minnie MeMil- lan. She was born in Grayson County, Virginia, daughter of Frank B. and America (Parks) Mc- Millan. Their only child died in infancy. Mr. Robertson is a member of the Presbyterian faith, while his wife is a. Baptist. He is affiliated with Dan River Lodge No. 249, Ancient Free and Ac- cepted Masons.
ERNEST S. WILLIAMS. Ever since 1892 Ernest S. Williams, office deputy United States marshal for the Western District of North Carolina, has been the incumbent of an official position at Char- lotte. He has been a resident of the city during a period of forty-five years, and in this time has as- sisted in the growth and development of the com- munity, both officially and as a private citizen, exerting a beneficial influence and displaying a fine public spirit.
Mr. Williams was born at Portsmouth, Vir- ginia, in 1853, his parents being James Avery and Adeline (Cornell) Williams. He had the misfor- tune to lose both of his parents in the great yellow fever epidemic of Norfolk in 1855-one of the most terrible scourges ever known in Amer- ica. His grandfather lost in this epidemic by death his wife and seven sons, and altogether in the Williams family there were thirty-eight deaths in nineteen days. The grandfather of Mr. Wil- liams, whose name was also James Avery Williams, was a shipbuilding mechanic and was nota- ble for having been master mechanic of the Con- federate shipyards where the famous Confederate ram Merrimac was built and which, before she was sunk by the Monitor, wrought such havoc among Federal gunboats on the James River, in- cluding the destruction of the Congress, the Cum- berland, the Minnesota and others. Although a very young boy at the time, Mr. Williams still remembers witnessing, from where he stood at Pinner's Point, the last fight and the sinking of the Merrimac.
The Williams family is of English origin and one of the very old families of the historic City of Portsmouth, Virginia. Seven generations (in- cluding members of the present generation now living there) have lived in the old Williams home on Court Street, at Portsmouth, in which city the family had located long before the War of the Revolution.
Ernest S. Williams learned the trade of ma- chinist and while still a youth went to New York City and worked in the shipyards of John Roach, the great shipbuilder, whose yards were later es- tablished at Chester, Pennsylvania, Mr. Williams working at that point until 1872. On April 16 of that year he arrived at Charlotte, and this
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city has been his home continuously since that time, he having witnessed and taken part in the great growth of Charlotte during that period. He came here to take a position in the Mecklenburg Iron Works, under the proprietorship of the late Capt. John Wilkes, and for forty years had charge of the shops of that concern. His long, intimate and most pleasant association with Cap- tain Wilkes and family made him closely at- tached to them, and they to him.
Mr. Williams, as before noted, has been con- tinuously an official at Charlotte since 1892. For twenty years he was an alderman, and in 1912 was elected to his present position, member of the board of water commissioners. During his incumbency of this last-named office the board has built a new plant at a cost of $300,000. In January, 1914, Mr. Williams was appointed office deputy United States marshal for the Western District of North Carolina, with headquarters in the old historie United States Mint Building at Charlotte. Fraternally he is a member of the Charlotte Lodge of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and, like his ancestors before him, is an Episcopalian. He has occupied various po- sitions of prominence in the democratic party, such as chairman of the district committee, mem- ber of the county committees, and delegate to all conventions, etc.
Mr. Williams has a family of which any hus- band and father should well be proud to possess. He has reared eight children to manhood and womanhood, all splendidly educated an trained for the serious business of life. Mrs. Williams was before her marriage Miss Rachel Jarrett, daughter of the late Col. J. M. Jarrett, of Ashe- ville, North Carolina, and their children are as follows: Della, the wife of Capt. R. G. Chest- nut, of Charlotte; Mark Wilkes, James Avery, Clarendon Baker, Clairmont Cornell, Ernest, Rosa Lee and Brevard. Mr. Williams' mother, who met the untimely death above noted, was a lit- erary woman of acknowledged talents in her day. Using the nom de plume of "Agnes Scott," she was a frequent contributor to various periodicals, including Godey's Lady's Book, as the files of that famous old magazine will show.
JAMES R. BENNETT. Successful merchant, well- established banker, hard-working county commis- sioner and prominent and energetic citizen of El- lerbe, James R. Bennett has reached in young manhood a position which many men would be glad to attain after a lifetime of effort. His business career is represented by a period of but eight years of activity, for his initial venture had its inception in 1909, but these years have been ones crowded with activity and characterized by sterling success. He is a native son of the community in which his business prosperity and position have been attained and has passed his entire life in this locality.
James R. Bennett was born at the old Bennett home, five miles north of Ellerbe, Richmond County, North Carolina, in 1884. The Bennett place is on Big Mountain Creek in Steele's Township, and is one of the best known old homesteads in this part of the state. Three generations of the Bennett family have made their home on this plantation. R. H. Bennett, the father of James R., is still residing at the family place, but Mrs. Bennett, who before her marriage was Rosanna Chappell, is now deceased. She was the daughter of the late Hon. Joshua Chappell, who in his day was
.one of Richmond County 's most prominent char- acters in public life, having been a member of the North Carolina Legislature and a political leader of wide influence.
James R. Bennett attended the local schools, Wingate College in Union County and the Agri- cultural and Mechanical College at Raleigh. He established a mercantile business at Ellerbe in 1909, about a year before Ellerbe began to take size and form as a commercial center, and as the pioneer merchant of this thriving community has assisted materially in its growth while adding to his own interests. Old Ellerbe Springs had for a long number of years been noted for the benef- icent effect of its mineral waters, but there was no real town started until the completion of the Norfolk & Southern Railroad in 1910. Since that time it has enjoyed a constant and substantial growth, and now, with splendid business blocks and handsome modern residences, has become one of the best country towns in North Carolina, with excellent prospects of growing into a substantial city. Late in 1916 a company was formed to estab- lish a knitting mill at this point, which, with the already established lumber mill and other indus- tries in prospect, together with the large tribu- tary territory of rich agricultural lands to draw upon, indicates for Ellerbe a most promising future.
Mr. Bennett's mercantile business prospered from the start and has grown rapidly. His estab- lishment is a large general store, recognized by traveling men from the large cities to be one of the best country enterprises in the Carolinas, the structure being a handsome and commodious brick store building, equipped with every modern facility for giving efficient and expeditious service to its patrons. It is the popular trading place for the farmers and planters throughout a large surround- ing territory, as well as for the citizens of Ellerbn. The business is carried on under the corporate name of J. R. Bennett Company and cares for both the wholesale and retail trade.
Mr. Bennett is also president of the Bank of Ellerbe, a flourishing financial institution which was established in 1912. He was one of the promoters and is at present secretary and treasurer of the knitting mill referred to above. In 1914 he was honored by election to the responsible office of county commissioner of Richmond County, representing his part of the county, and was re- elected to this office in 1916. Mr. Bennett is also an extensive and successful farmer, his agricultural interests lying within two or three miles of Ellerbe. Mr. Bennett possesses talents of a business and financial nature unusual in so young a man. He has identified himself in every way with the growth and development of Ellerbe and the surrounding country, and is especially interested in encourag- ing substantial farmers to locate upon and culti- vate the rich farming soil in Ellerbe's territory.
Mrs. Bennett before her marriage was Miss Mag- gie O'Brien, and is a daughter of Elijah Bascom O'Brien, a prosperous farmer living near Ellerbe. Mr. and Mrs. Bennett have a son and a daughter : James Harold and Lee Ernestine.
C. J. Cox. The interests and activities that make C. J. Cox one of the leading men of Ash- boro are milling and manufacturing. He is one of the oldest prominent lumber men of the state, and has built up a very extensive business in that line at Ashboro.
Mr. Cox was born on a farm in Grant Town-
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ship, Randolph County, where several generations of the family have lived usefully and with the honors paid to good citizenship. His great-grand- father was a farmer and planter of that county, His grandfather, Simon Cox, born on a farm in Grant township, succeeded to the ownership of the home estate, and was always identified with agriculture. He married Ruth Allen, who was born in Randolph County and died at the age of sixty-two. Her parents were Dr. Joseph and Martha Allen, the former a practicing physician. Simon Cox and wife were members of the Society of Friends.
Among their five sons was Nathaniel Cox, who was born on the old farm in Randolph County. During his youth Nathaniel Cox learned the trade of carpenter. From that occupation he turned to lumbering. At that time great quantities of vir- gin timber stood over much of the area of this section of the state, and he was one of the first in Randolph County to convert that resource into building material. He operated a saw mill on Deep River, and also had a portable mill operated by steam power, which he conveyed from place to place according to the local demands. He was active in the lumber business until his death at the age of fifty-five. Nathaniel Cox married Lydia Littler, a native of Davidson County, daughter of Jeremiah and Catherine (Stewart) Littler. Mrs Lydia Cox passed away June 22, 1918.
C. G. Cox received his early training in the rural schools and was also a student in the West Town Boarding School in Pennsylvania. As a boy he learned much of the lumber business around his father's mills, and has shaped and trained all his experiences to the utmost proficiency in that business. About 1892 Mr. Cox eame to Ashboro as a result of his appointment as receiver for the Ashboro Wood and Iron Works. He wound up the affairs of that concern with proper satisfaction to all, and then organized and built the Ether Lumber Company of Ether, in Montgomery County, where for four years he was actively en- gaged in the lumber business. In Ashboro Mr. Cox bought the Crown Roller Mills, and while operating them for the grinding of flour and feed he also continued lumbering. The flour mills he sold in 1905, and then organized the Cox Lumber Company, of which he has since been secretary and treasurer, his executive associates being J. R. Wall, president, and W. L. Wall, vice president. The company has done a large and satisfactory business for over a dozen years.
In 1886 Mr. Cox married Sophronia Spencer, a native of Randolph County and daughter of Nathan F. Spencer. Mrs. Cox died in 1890, leaving one son, Irvin, with whom Mr. Cox is now connected in the cotton manufacturing business in Worth- ville, North Carolina. Irvin received the most of his edueation at Westtown, Pennsylvania, and then took the management of the Riverside Mills in 1913. Two years later he was married to Con- nie Belle Auman, a native of the state, and to whom was born a son, Irvin, Jr. For his present wife Mr. Cox married Vida Millikan. Mrs. Cox was born in Back Creek Township of Randolph County, daughter of Daniel and Almina Ann Mil- likan. Mr. and Mrs. Cox are the parents of eight children, named Isley, Ruth, Annie, Wistar, Rich- ard, Clarence, Leo and Margaret. The parents are members of the Friends Church.
JOHN M. MANESS, M. D. The advent of Dr. John M. Maness at Ellerbe antedated by some years the beginning of the growth and develop- ment of this thriving community, which had its real birth as a center of commercial importance with the arrival of the Norfolk & Southern Rail- road in 1910 .. Prior to this Doctor Maness with foresight and faith in the future of the region had identified himself with a number of enter- prises, and with increased values and business progress has gained a position of independence and importance at Ellerbe. However, his reputa- tion principally rests upon his achievements as a worker in the broad field of medical and surgical science, and few men of his profession in Rich- mond County occupy a stronger place in public esteem and confidence.
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