USA > North Carolina > History of North Carolina: North Carolina biography, Volume V > Part 27
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The head of the next generation was his son Wil- liam Gilreath, who was born on the old homestead south of Wilkesboro. He spent his entire life there, and his remains are buried on the old estate. The family plantation is now known as the Oakwood
Farm. William Gilreath reared four sons, named Hilary, Henry, Hardee and Hugh.
Henry Gilreath, who was born three miles south of Wilkesboro, was the great-grandfather of the Wilkesboro lawyer. He bought a plantation about two miles from his birthplace and during his active career operated his fields with slave labor. He married Lavina Parks, who was born at Roaring River in Wilkes County. Both lived to a good old age. Their three sons were named Hugh, Thomas and William.
Hugh Gilreath, the grandfather, was born three miles southwest of Wilkesboro, and in time bought a farm near Moravian Falls. To the cultivation of his land he gave the best of his energy and died there at the age of sixty. He married Elizabeth Barker. Her father, Joel Barker, came from Eng- land with his parents and married a Miss Steven- son, of the prominent Stevenson family of Iredell County. Mrs. Hugh Gilreath died when eighty- three years of age. Their two sons were named Thomas J. and James Pervis, and their two daugh- ters were Elizabeth and Martha.
Thomas J. Gilreath, father of Charles G., was born on a plantation on Rocky Creek in Iredell County in 1831. He was liberally educated, having the instruction of two noted schoolmen, Professor Hall and Dr. Brantly York. When a young man he began teaching, and that was his life's occupa- tion. He became one of the founders of Movarian Falls Academy and continued his work as a teacher for forty years. He also bought a farm two miles from Moravian Falls, and that furnished him a home and occupation for his leisure until his death at the age of seventy-seven. Prof. Thomas J. Gil- reath married Keziah Kesler. She was born at Monbo, North Carolina. Her father, Samuel Kes- ler, was born in Rowan County, and her grand- father, Cornelius Kesler, was of Holland nativity and always talked and read the Dutch language. Cornelius Kesler married a Miss Wallace. Samuel Kesler was owner of a farm along the Catawba River in Iredell County, and before the war had slaves. The maiden name of his wife was Matilda Miller. She was born in Iredell County, a daugh- ter of John and Catherine Miller, both natives of Pennsylvania. The Millers in 1808 made the long journey south from Pennsylvania, traveling with wagons and bringing all their earthly possessions. John Miller lived on a farm between Monbo and Troutmans in Iredell County. There he and his wife spent their last years. Mrs. Thomas J. Gil- reath died at the age of sixty-nine. Her eight children were named James E., Alice, William S., Franklin H., Clarence H., Thomas Cicero, Charles G. and Florence.
Mr. Charles G. Gilreath was born at his father's home at Moravian Falls in Wilkes County and dur- ing his youth attended the Moravian Falls Acad- emy. When he was twenty years of age he fol- lowed the example of his father as a teacher and continued the work of the school room for seven years. His leisure had been devoted in the mean- time to the study of law and eventually he entered Wake Forest College under Professor Gully, and was licensed to practice on September 1, 1903. He opened his office at Wilkesboro and has been steadily prospering and gaining prestige in the pro- fession for the past fourteen years. Since 1907 he has been associated with Hon. R. N. Hackett, and between them they command a large share of the best law business in the county.
Mr. Gilreath was married December 20, 1903,
John J. George
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HISTORY OF NORTH CAROLINA
to Mary Fidelia Moore, who was born near Brushy Mountain in Wilkes County, a daughter of Enoc C. and Alcy (Hendren) Moore. Mrs. Gilreath died in 1914 and Mr. Gilreath subsequently married her sister, Ola. There are two children of the first marriage: Fred Gully and Grace Moore. Mr. Gilreath is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, while his wife is a Baptist.
JOHN J. GEORGE. What is now the flourishing industrial village of Cherryville, Gaston County, received an important addition to its citizenship in 1892 when John J. George began his work as one of the teachers in the local schools. Mr. George left the educational profession a few years later, and for nearly fifteen years has been looked upon as one of the most conspicuous business men of the county. He has done much to build up the industrial resources of Cherryville and sur- rounding territory, and is associated with other large capitalists in ownership and operation of several cotton mills and other business organiza- tions.
Mr. George was born in Lexington County, South Carolina, in 1866, son of Nelson B. and Isabel (Shealy) George. His father was a South Carolina farmer, and during the war between the states did gallant service as a Confederate soldier. He was in Company C of the Third South Carolina Regiment and altogether participated in twenty- seven battles and was seven times struck by enemy bullets.
Mr. George has always been grateful to those who guided the fortunes of his youth because of the excellent education he received. He first at- tended the Mitchell High School in Lexington County, South Carolina, a school noteworthy for the thoroughness of its teachers. It was a pre- paratory school for college, and after attending this school and spending one year in Professor Dreher's School at Lexington, he entered Newbury College. This college, a denominational school of the Lutheran Church, he attended one year and completed his literary education in two other Lutheran colleges, first at Concordia College at Conover, North Carolina, where he spent 11% years, and in 1892 graduated from Lenoir College at Hickory, North Carolina.
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Mr. George was a young college man when he came to Cherryville and for six years was identi- fied with this community as a teacher in its local schools. With the exception of seven years when he had business interests that required his residence in Bessemer City in Gaston County, Mr. George has been a resident of Cherryville since 1892.
Mr. George first made his big mark in the busi- ness world as a bond salesman. For five years ending in 1918 he was in the bond business, rep- resenting one of the oldest and best known municipal bond houses in the Middle West, the firm Sidney Spitzer & Company of Toledo. This organization, with branch offices in half a dozen large cities, had no stronger man on its sales force than Mr. George. He sold $20,000,000 worth of bonds and loans for his house, and earned both for himself and the Spitzer Company a great deal of money.
Mr. George was well prepared for the changes necessitated by war conditions, when all bond houses operated under severe handicaps. In 1917 he engaged actively in the cotton mill business at Cherryville, an industry with which he had been more or less intimately connected financially for several years. With his associates in November,
1917, Mr. George bought the Vivian Cotton Mills at Cherryville. He is the principal stockholder and president and active manager of the mills, which manufacture skeins and tubes, 10's to 16's. There was an almost instant change for the bet- ter when Mr. George took personal management of the property. He gave it a thorough overhaul- ing, installed new and improved machinery, con- structed a large addition to the general plant, and increased the number of spindles from 3,100 to 5,200. Mr. George also has a large interest in another cotton mill at Cherryville, the Cherryville Manufacturing Company, which is the pioneer cotton mill of the town. It manufactures warp and skein yarns. The president of this mill is Mr. D. E. Rhyne of Lincolnton, while Mr. George is its vice president.
An important new enterprise in the spinning industry of the country, organized in March, 1918, and of which Mr. George is one of the promoters and is second vice president of the company, is the Mauny-Steel Company. This organization at the present time represents twenty-one mills and sells the yarn products of these mills direct to hosiery mills and other knitting and weaving in- dustries. The company began with a capital stock of $155,000. By May, 1918, subscriptions to the amount of $223,000 had been made and the capital is to be increased to $250,000. In the six weeks ending at the middle of May, 1918, the company had transacted more than a million dol- lars' worth of business, a record seldom passed even by the essential war industries. The main offices of the company are at Philadelphia, while Mr. George has charge of the southern branch at Cherryville.
Other business connections of Mr. George are as a stockholder in three of Gaston County's banks, the First National at King's Mountain, the First National at Cherryville, and the Bessemer City Bank.
A man of his enterprise and energy means much to the well being of any community. He has al- ways shown a willingness to take a responsible share in civic and community affairs, and as a cotton mill operator has been deeply interested in the welfare of his operatives and is keenly con- scious of the responsibility devolving upon him in making his mill village a social and human as well as a commercial factor. This mill village at Vivian has received many improvements in the way of san- itary equipment for the cottages, the improvement of streets and lawns, the construction of a new park, and besides these comfort facilities Mr. George has also liberally encouraged everyone in matters of thrift and industry.
In the many years of his residence at Cherry- ville a remarkable transformation has been effected in the town. When' he first located there Gaston County had only one bank and three cotton mills. At the same time there were forty licensed distil- leries and any number of "blockade" distilleries in the county. Mr. George was one of the pio- meers in working for temperance and prohibition. He is highly gratified at the total absence of liquor factories at present, these institutions being supplanted by the thirteen banks of the county and more than eighty cotton mills, with promise of many other substantial industries to follow.
Mr. George married Miss Frances Pearl Mauney, daughter of Hon. S. S. Mauney. Her father is a brother of Hon. W. A. Maunev and Mr. J. S. Mauney of King's Mountain. The Mauneys are an old and historic family in this part of the
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state and reference to the individual members is found more in detail on other pages. Mr. George and family are members of the Lutherau Church and he is a member of the board of trustees of Lenoir College. To him and his wife were born tent children: Linchen, Kerne, Prentiss, Catharine, Delmas, Howard, Reba, Marjorie, Garcie and Ruth.
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN HALL is president of Hall & Pearsall, Incorporated, wholesale grocers at Wilmington. Though seventy-six years of age, he is still a busy business man. He has devoted nearly half a century to the achievement of what he modestly terms a moderate business success, though it is one of the leading wholesale houses of the state. Such a career has a distinct value apart from the material results. When a boy, preparing for college, Mr. Hall responded to the call of duty, and spent four years with the Confederate army.
He was born January 29, 1842, near Hallsville in Duplin County, North Carolina. His parents were Thomas Pearsall and Susan Eliza (McGowen) Hall. His grandfather, William Hall, came in early life from Virginia, settling in Duplin County, and founding the Village of Hallsville. He died December 26, 1825, in his eighty-fourth year. Thomas Pearsall Hall was born February 6, 1796, and died September 7, 1844, when Ben- jamin F. Hall was only two years of age. Susan Eliza McGowen was born December 5, 1808, and died May 23, 1894. Her father, William McGowen, died in 1859, when about ninety-six years of age. The family ancestry also introduces two other well known names, Pearsall and Dixon. Thomas P. Hall and wife had seven sons, Benjamin F. being the youngest. Three died in childhood. David died in 1857, at the age of twenty-two. The other three, Edward James, Jeremiah Pearsall and Ben- jamin Franklin, all enlisted in the. North Carolina State troops in March, 1861. Jeremiah died of disease in 1862. Edward James died in 1867 as a result of wounds received at the Battle of Drury's Bluff in May, 1864.
Benjamin F. Hall had ancestors who were sturdy and most of them long-lived, and thus began life with an inheritance of qualities such as no man could despise. Owing to various circumstances he received only a limited education. He attended primary schools and the Grove Academy near Kenansville, where he came under the instruction of Rev. James M. Sprunt, D. D., Hon. B. F. Grady and Mr. Samuel Clement. Instead of entering the University of North Carolina in 1861 as he had planned, he entered the Confederate army, and served through the war in the Twelfth and Forty- third North Carolina regiments, finally surrender- ing at Appomattox. He enlisted in March, 1861, in Company C of the Duplin Rifles, a part of the Twelfth Regiment. This term of enlistment was for six months. In April, 1862, he re-enlisted in Company A of the Duplin Rifles, Forty-third North Carolina Regiment. He served as corporal of Company C in the Twelfth Regiment, and as first sergeant of Company A of the Forty-third Regiment. The further details of his military record will be found in "Clarke's North Carolina Regiment, " Vol. 1, page 608, Vol. 3, pages 1 to 18, and Vol. 5, page 497.
Though he was an active and loyal soldier dur- ing the four years of trying conflict between the North and South, Mr. Hall has a sincere conviction that war should be the last resort of civilized people; and cites the present world war as an
example of its fearful reaction upon the nations that provoke it, and expresses his views in the following words: "Prussianized Germany, under its autocratic government, controlled by a military oligarchy, has brought upon the world the greatest disaster of all ages in its mad attempt to bring free nations under its dominion. The vast military machine built up through a generation at enormous expense needed to justify its cost in a war of con- quest, lest the people should refuse further to bear the burden.
"By this mad effort, Germany has provoked the undying animosity of all free people, and ce- mented the purpose of the more powerful nations to relieve the world of further menace to its peace from Prussian militarism. When this is accom- plished, as there is good reason to believe it will be at no distant date, we can hope for a league of the sane and peaceful nations of the earth under such laws as will preserve the peace of the world without vast military and naval establishments."
The end of the war between the states found Mr. Hall, as it did thousands of other southern- ers, without means, and in a country depleted in its resources, and without settled plan of develop- ment. At this time he began teaching school, and followed that occupation for two years in Duplin County. He had previously taught in the fall terms of 1858-59-60 in the same county. In 1868 Mr. Hall came to Wilmington, and was soon en- gaged in the wholesale grocery and provision busi- ness, which has grown up under his management to one of the largest concerns of its kind in this city. From 1869 to 1876 he was a member of the firm of Edwards & Hall, and in 1876 established the firm of Hall & Pearsall. In 1901 the business was incorporated as Hall & Pearsall, Incorporated, and since that date Mr. Hall has been president of the company. From time to time he took part in other local business affairs, serving several years as director of the First National Bank of Wilming- ton, of the Wilmington Savings & Trust Company, and as director of the Wilmington Sea Coast Rail- road.
Mr. Hall has been a democrat, though without personal aspirations for the honors of politics. He has exerted what influence he could in behalf of the cause of good government, both locally and in the state and nation, and a number of letters appeared under his signature advocating the elec- tion of Woodrow Wilson. Since 1879 Mr. Hall has been ruling elder of the First Presbyterian Church of Wilmington. He served as trustee of Union Theological Seminary in Virginia from 1884 to 1916.
On April 12, 1871, at Wilmington, he married Miss Margaret Tannahill Sprunt. Mrs. Hall was horn October 20. 1844, and died April 26, 1914. She was born at Port of Spain, Island of Trinidad, a daughter of Alexander and Jane (Dalziel) Sprunt, who came from Scotland. At the time of her birth her father was junior partner in the firm of Reed, Irving & Company of London and Port of Spain. Later, he and his brother, James M. Sprunt, moved to North Carolina. There were five generations of ruling elders in the Sprunt family. Mr. and Mrs. Hall had the following chil- dren: James Sprunt, M. D., who was educated at Davidson College, married Edith Kirkpatrick, and now makes his home at Los Angeles, California. At the date of this sketch he is first lieutenant, as a volunteer, in the Medical Reserve Corps of the United States army. Alexander McDonald, who also completed his education in Davidson Col-
ful
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HISTORY OF NORTH CAROLINA
lege, married Margaret Hargrave, and lives at Wilmington. Louis Edward, who was educated in the University of North Carolina, married Eleanor Williams, and resides at Wilmington. John, edu- cated at Davidson College, married Katharine Hoke, and lives at Wilmington. At this date the three last named sons are engaged in business in the City of Wilmington, A. M. Hall is president of the Wilmington Grocery Company, and John and Louis as officers in Hall & Pearsall, Incorpo- rated. The three daughters all completed their edu- cation in Wellesley College in Massachusetts. Susan Eliza is now a missionary teacher in the mountain schools; Jessie Dalziel is a foreign mis- sionary in China; Jane Sprunt is a social worker, both in the City of Wilmington and in the moun- tain districts.
LOUIS EDWARD HALL. The name Hall has been one of prominence in business circles of Blooming- ton for a great many years. Louis Edward Hall, representing the second generation of the family, is a man of university training, and on leaving college he entered the old established wholesale grocery house with his father, and is now vice president and general manager of Hall & Pearsall Company, Incorporated.
He was born at Wilmington, North Carolina, August 4, 1877, and is a son of Benjamin Frank- lin and Margaret Tannahill (Sprunt) Hall. His father engaged in the wholesale grocery business fifty years ago. Louis E. Hall was educated in Cane Fear Academy and in Amy Bradley School, and finished in the University of North Carolina. He then became associated with his father in the wholesale grocery business.
For one term Mr. Hall served in the city coun- cil. For several years he was vice president of the local Chamber of Commerce and was its presi- dent in 1914-15. He is also former president of the Wilmington Association of Credit Men, which is affiliated with the National Credit Men's As- sociation. Mr. Hall is a member of the Carolina Yacht Club, Cape Fear Country Club and the Cape Fear Club. He was an active member of the First Presbyterian Church until the organization of the Church of the Covenant in 1917. This con- gregation has its home in the beautiful building at Fifteenth and Market erected by Dr. James and W. H. Sprunt as a memorial to their parents, who are the grandparents of the subject of this sketch. Mr. Hall was made a deacon in this church and is active in its work. For eight years he served as second lieutenant of Company C. the Wilmington Light Artillery, in the Second Regiment of the State National Guard, and is now on the reserved list.
On April 21, 1908, he married Miss Eleanor Wil- liams of Red Springs, North Carolina. They have two children: Margaret Tannahill and William Fitzhugh.
WILLIAM OSCAR HOWARD. A Tarboro lawyer with twenty-five years of active experience, Wil- liam Oscar Howard has frequently been honored with the more important offices of county and city and has a well secured reputation among the law- yers of that section of the state.
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He was born in Edgecombe County November 19, 1871. son of James T. and Margaret L. (Page) Howard. His father was a well to do farmer at Conetoe, North Carolina.
He received his education in the public schools, in the Davis School conducted by Col. A. C. Da-
vis, and took his college work in Wake Forest College, where he was graduated in 1891. He studied law in the University of North Carolina and was admitted to the bar in February, 1893. Since then he has been looking after a large gen- eral practice at Tarboro.
Mr. Howard was elected to the North Carolina Legislature in 1895. In his home city he served as mayor two terms, as city attorney for a num- ber of years, and also as county attorney. He is a member of the Tar Heel Club and is a steward in the Methodist Episcopal Church.
November 6, 1901, he married Miss Kate Tay- lor, of Mount Airy, North Carolina. They have two children, Katherine and Margaret Page.
WILLIAM ARCHIBALD MCGIRT. Good roads, both in the county and state, every movement connected with the betterment and welfare of the City of Wilmington, the success of the democratic party, and an important business which has grown up under his hands in real estate and insurance, are the more important varied interests which require the time and energies of this prominent Wilming- ton citizen.
He began his career early. In fact he was only fourteen when he left public schools and began working in a wholesale dry goods house as a clerk. He continued that employment until he was nine- teen, and then was connected with a general com- mission firm and later in business for himself. In 1914 Mr. MeGirt established his office for real estate and insurance, and he makes a specialty in the handling of farm and timber land, and repre- sents a number of life, fire and other insurance companies.
He was born at Wilmington, December 30, 1884, a son of Archibald Gilchrist and Mary E. (Bu- ford) McGirt. His father was a merchant.
Outside of his private business affairs perhaps no other thing appeals more strongly to Mr. Me- Girt than the subject of good roads. He is a member of the Good Roads Commission of North Carolina, serving on its executive board, and has worked in and out of season for the cause of good roads in New Hanover County and in behalf of state highway construction. An object of his personal interest is the Wilmington-Goldsboro Highway. the Wilmington-Charlotte Highway and the Wilmington-Federal Highway.
Mr. McGirt was only fifteen years of age when he began talking and working in the interests of the democratic party and in behalf of prohibition. In 1912 he was elected county commissioner, in 1914 was made chairman of the board, and in 1916 was re-elected. He is also at the head of both the county and city boards of health. In 1912 he was president of the Woodrow Wilson Club of Wilmington, and was chairman of the committee which raised $10,000 in the city for the campaign fund. Fraternally he is a Thirty-Second Degree Scottish Rite Mason and a member of the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows.
Mr. McGirt is president of the Food Conserva- tion Commission of New Hanover County, is ou the executive committee of the War Savings, also a member of the executive committee of the Red 'Cross of New Hanover County, is chairman of the Rural Campaign committee, and by appoint- ment by the Government, a four-minute man and is very active in all affairs pertaining to the war.
FRANK DOBBIN HACKETT. Prominent in the legal circles of Wilkes . County, Frank Dobbin
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Hackett, of North Wilkesboro, occupies an honor- able position in the ranks of his chosen profession, and as a public-spirited and progressive citizen is active and influential in city, county and state affairs. He was born June 14, 1857, on the Hackett homestead three miles below North Wilkesboro, a son of Charles Carroll Hackett, whose birth oc- curred on the same farm in 1828. His grand- father, James Hackett, was a native of Charleston, South Carolina, where his father, Robert Hackett, settled on coming to this country from Ireland.
Born and educated in Ireland, Robert Hackett became an extensive land owner and a man of influence. Becoming an apostle of revolutionary doctrines, he was one of the promoters of an up- rising against the government, and, with one of his brothers, was arrested, convicted and sentenced to death. His wife bribed the jailer, and he was allowed to escape. Embarking on a sailing vessel, he crossed the ocean to Charleston, South Carolina, and after a brief stay in that place located in the wilds of North Carolina, in the western part of the state. A patriotic citizen, loyal to the in- terests of his adopted home, he joined the colonists in their fight for freedom and participated with his comrades in the battle at King's Mountain. He subsequently met with an accidental death, being drowned in the French Broad River. The maiden name of his first wife, great-grandmother of the subject of this sketch, was Margaret Sloan.
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