USA > North Carolina > History of North Carolina: North Carolina biography, Volume V > Part 33
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HISTORY OF NORTH CAROLINA
Oh, sing of sweet Caledonia the sacred place, It's home the child should learn to love, It brings love and tenderuess to dear ones
Whose toils and anxiety have woru them away. -Benjamin Franklin Keith.
HOWARD M. ROWE, who is serving his second term as sheriff of Wilson County, was born at Wilson, North Carolina, September 3, 1867. His parents were Thomas Jefferson and Edith Jane (Barnes) Rowe. During the war between the states Thomas Jefferson Rowe enlisted for mili- tary service, becoming a member of the Forty- second North Carolina Confederate Volunteer In- fantry and later served in the cavalry under Gens. Hoke Smith and Wade Hampton. In the Battle of Burgess Hill, near Richmond, Virginia, Mr. Rowe was seriously wounded in the leg and through the cruel neglect that left him uncared for on the battle field for three days his leg had to be am- putated. No one of a younger generation can think calmly of the agonies that their fathers endured during that long struggle because of medical and surgical lack of knowledge and be- cause lagging science had not yet discovered the marvelous methods and ameliorations of today. Mr. Rowe passed away Easter Sunday, 1901. He was one of Wilson's honored citizens. In 1870 he was elected register of deeds for Wilson Coun- ty and served continuously for five terms and then declined, re-election.
Howard May Rowe was primarily educated in the Maggie Hearne Private School, where he was prepared for college and in 1884 entered the University of North Carolina. He afterward be- came identified with the Southern Express Com- pany and was messenger at Norfolk, Virginia, for two months and later was stationed at Rich- mond, Raleigh, Hamlet and Charlotte, his last station being at Atlanta, Georgia. In 1903 Mr. Rowe embarked in farming and continued a tiller of the soil until in July, 1908, when he was ap- pointed deputy sheriff, in which office he served for five years. In 1913 he was elected sheriff of Wilson County and he has been in office ever since but still, to some degree, is interested in farming. Sheriff Rowe has made a fine official record and the people of Wilson County have proved that they are appreciative.
Sheriff Rowe was married November 18, 1890, to Miss Esther Virginia Ury, who was born at Concord, North Carolina, and is a daughter of Andrew Jackson and Esther (Young) Ury. Her father is interested in merchandising and farm- ing and is an old resident of the county.
Sheriff Rowe has been active in the ranks of the democratic party and has ever been loyal to its principles and candidates. He is identified with the leading fraternities and is a member of numerous other organizations such as attract a man of sterling character and social instincts. He is a Knight Templar Mason and belongs also to the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and to the Junior Order of the United American Me- chanics. He belongs to the Sons of America, a patriotic order, to the Wilson Country Club and to the Commonwealth Club.
LIEUT. ROSWELL A. WOMMACK. The title which precedes his name Mr. Wommack won by valiant and courageous service as a Confederate soldier during the war between the states. More than half
a century has passed since that great conflict, and that time the lieutenant has filled in with work as a planter and in commercial lines, and for a num- ber of years has been one of the most widely known and most popular citizens of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County.
Mr. Wommack is a native of North Carolina and was born at Lexington, July 26, 1837. His paternal ancestors were early settlers in Prince Edward County, Virginia. His grandfather, James Wommack, was born it is thought in that part of Rowan County, North Carolina, now in- cluded in Davidson County. He owned and operated a plantation near Lexington, where he spent his last years. The maiden name of his wife was Mary Wiseman, who probably spent all her life in the vicinity of Lexington. She was a woman widely known in the community. She had made a special study of obstetrics and in her community she assisted in bringing many children into the world.
Wilson W. Wommack, father of Lieutenant Wommack, was born on a plantation two miles below .Lexington in 1811. As a youth he learned the trade of hatter, serving his apprenticeship at Lexington. In Lexington he built a home which is still standing and is now used as a parsonage of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. He died at Lexington when thirty-five years of age. He was twice married. By his first marriage he had a daughter named Elizabeth. The mother of Lieutenant Wommack was Rebecca Romminger. She was born teu miles south of Salem, daughter of Cornelius and Rosa (Clouse) Romminger. After the death of her first husband, Mr. Wommack, she married John Mickle, of Clemmons Township, Forsyth County. She lived to be very old, passing away at the age of eighty-six. Her children, all by her marriage to Mr. Wommack, were six in number: Roswell A., Sarah C., Mary Jane, James C., Wesley W. and Wilson.
Roswell A. Wommack, as a boy, attended school at Clemmonsville. When thirteen years of age he entered an apprenticeship under E. A. Vogler to learn the jeweler's trade. He served about three years. He then made up for some of the early deficiencies of his educational opportunities, at- tending high school at East Bend two years. Going to Salisbury, Lieutenant Wommack worked at his trade two years, and then returned to his mother's farm and was busily engaged in the work of the fields when the tocsin of war souuded.
April 9, 1861, Mr. Wommack enlisted in Company A, of the Twenty-first Regiment, North Carolina troops. In the following May he was promoted to first sergeant, and in August of the same year to second lieutenant. In the meantime he had followed his command in its various maneuvers and cam- paigns, participated in numerous battles and was part of that heroic body of Confederates led by Stonewall Jackson. Lieutenant Wommack still has the stirrups from a saddle which was presented to him by General Jackson. After his promotion to second lieutenant he served mostly in detached duty. Part of the time he was in charge of an ambulance corps, and for two years had charge of ordnance train, and was also in command of various foraging parties. He was on a foraging excursion in Eastern North Carolina when the news came of General Lee's surrender. At that news, with his comrades, he started to join President Davis, whom he found at Charlotte. Mr. Davis advised his loyal followers to return home. Lieutenant
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HISTORY OF NORTH CAROLINA
Wommack then selected two good mules and rode back with them to the plantation of his father-in- law in Lewisville Township of Forsyth County. A few days later there came along a party of Yankee soldiers. They took away one of the mules and also a gray horse. Lieutenant Wommack was not the type of man to sit quietly by when an in- justice was done him. Going to Salem, he called on Major Felkin of the Tenth Ohio Regiment, then in command at Salem. He told of the taking of the horse and mule and explained that according to the terms of surrender he was entitled to his property. Major Felkin said that if he could assure him of his loyalty to the United States Government his property would be restored. Lieu- tenant Wommack replied that he had proved his loyalty to the Confederacy by fighting the Union four years and that if such unjust treatment was to be meted out to him and his people as had been since the surrender he would be glad to fight four years more. The major, pleased with this spirited reply, said that he liked the man not afraid to express his sentiments and at once wrote an order, handing it to Mr. Wommack, permitting him to take possession of any horse or mule which he might claim as his own.
Following that war, Mr. Wommack resumed work on his father-in-law's farm, remaining there one year, and then built a cotton mill in Yadkin County. He operated this mill a year and then took a commission with a Baltimore wholesale house as a traveling salesman. He has continued as a commercial traveler, over his native state and various sections, for the greater part of the time since the Civil war. He has a large acquaintance and is one of the most popular traveling salesmen in the state.
Lieutenant Wommack first married Georgia P. Hart. She was born in Halifax County, Virginia, daughter of Henry Hart, a native of the same state. Henry Hart came to North Carolina and settled in Lewisville Township of Forsyth County, where he acquired a large plantation, operating it with slave labor until the war. He remained there until his death. Mr. Wommack's first wife died in 1863, while he was away in the army. For his second wife he married Letitia Lehman. Mrs. Wommack was born in Forsyth County, daughter of William E. and Catherine (Miller) Lehman. To their marriage have been born six children: James E., Mary, Paul L., Roswell A., Jr., Bessie and Ralph L. James married Sallie Belle Jack- son, daughter of T. J. Jackson, of Wilmington, North Carolina. Mary is the wife of James A. Thomas, chief of police, Winston-Salem. Paul L. married Bertha Hancock, Danville, Virginia, and has a daughter named Letitia Frances. Mr. and Mrs. Wommack are active members of the First Baptist Church at Winston-Salem. He has been identified with the Masonic order for fifty years and his membership is in Winston Lodge No. 167, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons. His interest has always been keen for his old army comrades of the Confederacy and he sustains that interest by membership in Norfleet Camp of the United Confederate Veterans.
EVERETT WEBSTER CATES. Distinguished not only for the honored ancestry from which he traces his descent, but for his own life and works, Everett W. Cates, of Thomasville, cashier of the People's Bank, is well known in financial circles as a man of ability, and is held in high esteem
throughout the community. A Virginian by birth, he was born in Danville in May, 1859, of sub- stantial English ancestry, being a direct descend- ant in the seventh generation from the immigrant ancestor, the line of descent being as follows : Joshua, Joseph, Joseph, Barnard, David H., Peter, and Everett Webster. Joshua Cates emigrated from England to America in 1715, locating in North Carolina, and casting his lot with the Elizabeth City Colony.
David H. Cates, grandfather of Everett W. Cates, was born in Hillsboro, Orange County, this state, and as a young man served au apprentice- ship at the shoemaker's trade, all shoes at that time having been made to order, and by hand. Both he and his wife, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Morris, spent their last years in Thomas- ville.
Peter Cates was born in Hillsboro, North Caro- lina, in 1826. Working in his father's shop, he learned the trade of a shoemaker, which he sub- sequently followed for a few years in Danville, Virginia. Returning to North Carolina in 1861, he located in Thomasville, which, on account of its many shoe factories, was then known as "Shoe Town,"' or the "Lynn of the South." A few years later the shoe shops were superseded by chair factories, and Thomasville was rechristened "Chair Town" or the "Garden of the South." After settling here Peter Cates was for a while employed in the factory of the Shelley Brothers, and was afterward with the firm of C. M. & G. Lines until the business was closed out. Subse- quently, in partnership with his son, he was en- gaged in mercantile pursuits under the firm name of P. C. Cates & Son until 1890, when he had the misfortune to be burned out. From that time until his death, in 1903, he lived retired from active business.
The maiden name of the wife of Peter Cates was Margaret Elizabeth Adams. She was born at Chapel Hill, North Carolina, a daughter of Thomas Adams, who married a Miss Hunt. She was of distinguished New England ancestry, having had for her immigrant ancester the same Eng- lishman as did two of the presidents of the United States, John Adams and John Quincy Adams. She died in January, 1907, leaving two children, Harriet Augusta and Everett W.
Everett W. Cates was fitted for college at Pro- fessor Wright's school, which was located two miles south of Thomasville, and later attended Old Trinity in Randolph County. During his earlier life he was associated in business with his father, as above mentioned, being junior member of the firm of P. C. Cates & Son. In 1900, in company with F. S. and J. W. Lambeth, Mr. Cates organized the Standard Chair Com- pany, No. 1, and later the Standard Chair Com- pany, No. 3. In 1906 he disposed of his interest in the chair business, and in 1910 became treas- urer of the Bard Lumber Company, chair manu- facturers. This position Mr. Cates resigned at the end of a few months, and in 1911 embarked in the mercantile business with his former clerk, C. A. Boggs, and as head of the firm of Cates & Boggs carried on business until the death of the junior member of the firm in May, 1913. A year later Mr. Cates sold out, and in 1916 he organized the People's Bank, of which he has since been the cashier, a responsible position, for which he is eminently qualified.
D.E. Duque
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HISTORY OF NORTH CAROLINA
In June, 1889, Mr. Cates was united in mar-
riage with Miss Blanche Bailey Pendleton. She was born in Margarettsville, North Carolina, a daughter of Arthur S. and Amanda (Bailey) Pen- dleton. She is a direct descendant of the paternal side of Biram Pendletou, a native of England, and one of the first settlers of New England, and on the maternal side she is related to two of the more prominent families of Springfield, Massa- chusetts, the Chapins and the Days. Mr. and Mrs. Cates have two children, Margaret and Everett W., Jr. Religiously both are members of the Episcopal Church. Fraternally Mr. Cates is a non-affiliated member of the Masonic fra- ternity, having taken all the degrees up to and including the Shrine.
DANIEL EDWARD HUDGINS rounded out a quarter of a century of experience and achievement as a member of the Marion bar, and these have been . years filled with the duties and obligations of the successful lawyer and also numerous business and civic responsibilities.
Mr. Hudgins was born at Warrenton, North Carolina, October 9, 1869, son of a merchant and farmer, Patrick Henry Hudgins and his wife Jen- nie Diggs Hudgins of Anson County. As a boy at Warrenton he attended the local academy and in 1892 graduated from the law department of the University of North Carolina. Soon afterward he located at Marion and from that year to the present has been engaged in a growing and in- fluential general practice. He is a director and attorney for the First National Bank, is president of the Cross Cotton Mills, is executor for the W. P. Jones Estate in McDowell County, and is one of the organizers and director and attorney for the McDowell Building and Loan Association and an organizer and director of the Marion In- surance and Trust Company.
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Mr. Hudgins has always been a devoted friend of education and for twelve years served as chair- man of the McDowell County Board of education. He is a member of the North Carolina Bar Asso- ciation, is a Mason, past chancellor of the Knights of Pythias, a member of the Woodmen of the World, and is a steward of the Methodist Episco- pal Church.
September 28, 1898, he married Miss Josephine Carter of Marion, but a native of Buncombe County, North Carolina. They have five children, Mary Douglass and Sara, both students in Ran- dolph-Macon College in Virginia; Carter, Frank Edward and Mildred, who are students in public and local schools.
CHARLES MICHAEL BROWN is one of the oldest active business men of Washington, where he has been identified with mercantile, banking and other affairs for upwards of half a century ..
Mr. Brown was born at Salisbury, North Caro- lina, October 15, 1848, and is a lineal descendant of that Charles Michael Brown or Braun who was one of the pioneers of this section of North Car- olina in 1759 and established a large frame house near Salisbury which long stood as a landmark. Mr. Brown is a son of Jeremiah M. and Char- lotte (Verble) Brown. His father was a general contractor in the building of residences and other construction, served with the rank of colonel in the State Militia, and for many years held the office of justice of the peace.
Charles M. Brown received his education in the
public schools and in the private school of S. H. Wiley. He early learned and took up the trade of pharmacist, and iu 1869 he opened at Wash- ington the first exclusive drug store in the place. He continued as a merchant until 1880, and since that year has been prominently connected as a banker.
He first established Brown's Banking House, a private institution. In 1892 he organized and became president of the Beaufort County Bank and iu 1895 organized the First National Bank, with which the Beaufort County Bank was merged. Mr. Brown continued as vice president of the First National Bank fifteen years and then be- came president.
His connection with local affairs includes va- rious honors and responsibilities, such as mayor of Washington for four years and member of the county board of commissioners six years. He is a ruling elder of the Presbyterian Church, is a trustee of the Theological Seminary at Richmond, Virginia, and a trustee of Peate Institute at Ra- leigh. Mr. Brown is a Mason and former grand warden of the Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows.
On November 19, 1871, he married Miss Mary Martin, of Washington, daughter of Edwin and Elizabeth (Cooper) Martin. Her father was a well known Washington merchant. They are the parents of three children, two sons and one daugh- ter. Edwin Martin, the oldest, is a successful physician. Charlotte Caroline is the wife of Frank C. Kugler, a prominent lumber manufacturer in this part of North Carolina. Charles Michael, Jr., the youngest, is in the lumber manufacturing busi- ness.
EDWIN MARTIN BROWN, M. D., a prominent physician and surgeon of Washington, is a son of Charles M. Brown.
Doctor Brown was born at Washington, North Carolina, May 10, 1873, was educated in the pub- lic schools and the Bingham School and studied medicine in the Bellevue Medical Hospital Col- lege of New York, where he was graduated in March, 1896. He has now lived at Washington for over twenty years and has a large clientage and well established reputation. He has served the community as health officer, is a member of the staff of the Washington Hospital and be- longs to the Beaufort County, the North Caro- lina State, the First District and the Seaboard Medical societies. He is also affiliated with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and the Knights of Pythias.
Doctor Brown married for his first wife Jessie Burbank, of Washington, now deceased. Their three children are Dorothy V., Harriett Olivia and Jessie Burbank. On November 18, 1915, Doctor Brown married Ruth Butler, of Lynchburg, Vir- ginia. They have one child, Edwin Martin, Jr.
ELMER F. McNEER. Intimately associated with the advancement of the mercantile prosperity of Surry County, Elmer F. McNeer, of Elkin, has met with signal success as a hardware merchant, winning a high position among the leading business men of his community, and being everywhere re- spected as a man of sterling integrity and worth. A son of William R. and Laura C. McNeer, he was born in Monroe County, of honored ancestry, and reared in Lynchburg, Campbell County, Vir- ginia. His grandfather, John MeNeer, was born in
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HISTORY OF NORTII CAROLINA
West Virginia, of Scotch parentage, and continued a resident of this state during his entire life, having been a planter by occupation.
Born near Mouroe, West Virginia, William R. MeNeer was educated at Emory & Henry College, in Emory, Virginia. During his earlier life he was principal of classic schools in Maryland and Virginia, but is now a resident of Lynchburg, Vir- ginia. He married Laura C. Anderson, a daughter of Jno. Anderson and America Anderson, of Fin- castle, Virginia, and to them six children were born and reared, as follows: Elmer F., with whom this sketch is chiefly concerned; Preston W., first lieutenant United States Navy; W. Stanley, a soldier in the Canadian army, is now in France; Harry G., deceased; Ruby, wife of W. P. Dillion; Eula, single, of Lynchburg, Virginia, and Cordelia, wife of Julian W. Brown.
At the early age of thirteen years, Elmer F. MeNeer began his active career as a clerk in a hardware establishment in his native city. During the five years that he was thus employed, he gained a knowledge of the details of the business, and subsequently went on the road as commercial traveller, selling hardware to the trade throughout Virginia and North Carolina. In 1897, desirous of starting in business on his own account, Mr. Me- Neer opened a hardware store in Elkin, and in its management has been exceedingly fortunate, hav- ing, through his enterprise, energy, and business sagacity, built up an extensive and lucrative trade.
The business grew rapidly from the start, and 1902 Mr. MeNeer erected the building in which his business is now located, it being a substantial brick structure, 52 feet by 245 feet, and two stories in height. Here he carries a complete stock of hardware, and in addition keeps constantly on hand agricultural implements and machinery of all kinds. With characteristic enterprise, forseeing the demands made by autoists, he opened a garage, and is operating that successfully, too. In 1915 Mr. MeNeer erected, of brick, a tobacco warehouse, 100 feet by 200 feet, and this, like his other building, is practically fire proof. In the super- vision of his different lines of industry he has accumulated valuable city and country property, being the owner of considerable farm land in addition to his city holdings.
On August 11, 1896, Mr. MeNeer was united in marriage with Maude Alma Fields, who was born in Alleghany County, North Carolina, a daughter of William C. and Jennie (Smith) Fields. Her father, a prominent lawyer of Sparta, is active in public affairs, and has represented Alleghany County in the State Legislature. Re- ligiously Mr. and Mrs. McNeer are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. Fraternally, Mr. McNeer is a member of Piedmont Lodge No. 96, Knights of Pythias; and of Elkin Camp, Woodmen of the World. A straightforward demo- crat in politics, he has served acceptably as a member of the Elkin Board of Commissioners.
LINDSAY PATTERSON has been a prominent law- yer at Winston-Salem for over thirty years. He early came into prominence in public affairs, and his work has continually identified him as a high- minded lawyer, a courageous citizen, and a gen- tleman of the finest bearing and character.
Mr. Patterson was born May 16, 1858, at Bland- wood, the residence of former Governor John M. Morehead in Greensboro, North Carolina. Mr. Patterson's mother was a daughter of Governor Morehead.
His grandfather, Samuel Finley Patterson, was born iu Rockbridge County, Virginia, March 11, 1799. At the age of fifteen he moved to Wilkes- boro, North Carolina. He was the founder of this branch of the Patterson family in North Caro- lina. At Wilkesboro he began his career as clerk in the store of Waugh & Finley. He remained there applying himself with diligence to his duties until he reached his majority. For many years he was a well known figure in public life. For fourteen years he was clerk of the Legislature, and in 1835 became chief clerk of the Senate. In the same year he was elected public treasurer of the state and at the same time discharges his duties as treasurer of the State Bank. He retired from this office in 1837, returning to his home in Wilkesboro. In 1840 he moved to Raleigh, hav- ing been elected to the office of president of the Raleigh and Gaston Railroad. This was the first railroad liue completed in the State of North Car- olina. . In 1845 he again retired from the burdens and responsibilities of public life and went back to the Yadkin Valley to supervise his farming in- terests. Soon afterward he was elected chair- man of the Court of Common Pleas and Quarter Sessions, and made that office the immediate ob- ject of his painstaking service until 1868. He was twice elected to represent his county in the Senate. Through his position as a private citizen and in the Legislature he was instrumental in solving many of the complicated questions con- nected with railroad affairs of his home county. Various other positions of local and state respon- sibility came to him and for many years he served as a trustee of the State University. The death of this honored North Carolinian occurred Janu- ary 20, 1874. He was married in May, 1824, to Phebe Caroline Jones, a daughter of Gen. Edmond Jones, and a granddaughter of Gen. William Le- noir. They had two sons, Rufus L. and Samuel L. Patterson.
Rufus L. Patterson, father of Lindsay Patter- son, was born June 22, 1830, ou a farm called Palmyra in the locality designated Happy Valley in what is now Caldwell County. When he was five years of age he went with his parents to Ra- leigh, though his summers were usually spent back in Happy Valley. His primary education was acquired in the Raleighi schools, but after his return to the farm he entered the school of Rev. T. S. W. Mott, a scholarly Episcopal minister, whose home was near the county seat of Caldwell. In 1847 after his preparatory course he entered the State University and was graduated A. B. in 1851. He then pursued the study of law under John A. Gilmer. Following his marriage Rufus Patterson took up his home in Greensboro and while there had considerable experience in bank- ing. Soon afterward he removed to Salem, and in that section of Western North Carolina became owner and manager of three manufacturing en- terprises. For five years he was chairman of the Court of Common Pleas, resigning that office to be elected mayor of Salem.
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