USA > North Carolina > History of North Carolina: North Carolina biography, Volume V > Part 91
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Mr. Rose is president and a director of the Rock Fish Cotton Mills, a director in the National Bank of Rocky Mount and the Underwriters Fire Insur- ance Company. He was formerly president of the Rocky Mount Brick Company, and has important connection with other enterprises and industries. His offices are located on Rose Street, a thorough- fare named in his honor, and his beautiful and com- modious residence is situated on Lexington Street. His record as an office holder is confined to mem- bership on the board of aldermen from 1899 to 1901, but in numerous ways he had done his part in assisting the city in its civic progress. Frater- nally he is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias, and he holds membership also in the Sagamore and Durand Island clubs.
Mr. Rose was first married October 5, 1892, to Miss Anna Woodall, of Smithfield, North Carolina, and they had three children: Lucille, Ira Woodall and Vera Durham. Mrs. Rose died June 25, 1899, and he was again married April 4, 1900, to Vara Benton, of Smithfield also, and they have had one child: Dillon Jeptha, born August 14, 1903.
Ira Woodall Rose, elder son of David J. Rose, was born at Rocky Mount September 25, 1895. He attended the graded and high schools of Rocky Mount, Bingham Military Institute, and the Agri- cultural and Mechanical College, Raleigh, and since that time has been associated with his father in contracting and building. He is accounted one of the enterprising aud progressive business men of the younger generation, upon whom will rest the responsibility for the future development of this prosperous and growing community.
WILLIAM SEMORE SHITLE, a prominent North Carolina educator, has been connected with a num- her of different schools, and is now serving his fifth consecutive term as superintendent of educa- tion for Henderson County.
Mr. Shitle was born in Rutherford County, North Carolina, July 12, 1869, son of Jerry and Melissa (Nelon) Shitle. His father was a farmer
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and the son grew up in a country district, being educated in the public schools and in the Bun- combe County Institute. For a number of years he combined other vocations with teaching school in Buncombe County during the winter time. He was clerk in a general merchandise store and for two years was in the postoffice at Fairview, North Carolina. For one year Mr. Shitle taught the Baptist School at Sylva in Jackson County, for one year was with the Fruitland Institute in Henderson County, had charge of the grade schools at Flat Rock a year, and resigned that office to accept his present position as superin- tendent of education for Henderson County in 1909. Mr. Shitle has given the closest study to all problems arising in his work, has done much to develop and improve the personnel and the material equipment of the county schools, and the record of school work done in Henderson County at the present time stands in vivid contrast to the conditions existing when Mr. Shitle first became superintendent. He now has the supervision of a staff of teachers in the county including ninety white teachers and twelve colored.
Mr. Shitle is a member of the North Carolina Teachers Assembly and the Henderson County Teachers Association. For nine years he served as secretary of the County Board of Health. He is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Woodmen of the World, and has been active in the Baptist Church, serving for- merly as deacon and also as superintendent of the Sunday school. Mr. Shitle still retains a modest interest in the agricultural affairs of North Caro- lina, owning a small farm.
He married for his first wife Miss Arizona Free- man, of Chimney Rock, Rutherford County. She died September 23, 1903. On September 6, 1911, Mr. Shitle married Janie Catherine Sinclair, of Gerton, Henderson County. Mr. Shitle has three children, William Woodrow, James Ravanell and Janie Catherine.
THOMAS M. BARNHARDT. For many years Thomas M. Barnhardt has been connected with the upbuilding of Charlotte, and he has just rea- son to be proud of the fact that to his efforts can be traced many a substantial enterprise or ad- vancement contributing greatly to the growth and prosperity of this section of the state. In every sense he is a representative citizen and a business man of marked ability. It is to the inherent force of character and commendable am- bition and the unremitting diligence of Mr. Barn. hardt himself that he has steadily advanced in the business world until he now occupies a leading place among the active and leading men of Meck- lenburg County.
Thomas M. Barnhardt was born at Pioneer Mills, Cabarrus County, North Carolina, in the year 1862, and he is a son of Col. Jacob C. and Jane Adeline (Melchor) Barnhardt. On other pages of this work, in the sketch of Hon. John A. Barn- hardt, a brother of Thomas M. Barnhardt, will be found details concerning the parentage and an- cestry of the subject of this review. As a boy Mr. Barnhardt attended the old Rocky River Acad- emy, an adjunct of Rocky River Church, in Cab- arrus County, where he received a good ground- work of education under the able preceptorship of Professor Curtis, a scholarly teacher of high attainments. Subsequently he was matriculated as a student in the famous Bingham Military School at Mebane, conducted by Col. Robert Bing-
ham. He received his training for business life in his father's store at Pioneer Mills, the same being known under the name of J. C. Barnhardt & Son, where he spent ten years. This was one of the largest and most successful country stores of its time and it enjoyed a lucrative trade from a rich territory adjacent to Pioneer Mills. The business was built up by Colonel Barnhardt upon principles of the highest honor and upon adher- ence to the highest ethics of merchandising-a business that was a source of great pride to him in his lifetime and a splendid heritage to his children.
On leaving Pioneer Mills Mr. Barnhardt came to Charlotte. This was in 1891, and for a few years he was here engaged in the wholesale pro- vision and grain business, representing Armour & Company.
About 1900 he became interested in the cot- ton manufacturing industry, aud he was the founder of the present Barnhardt Manufactur- ing Company, of which he is the principal owner and the managing official. At the plant of this company in Charlotte is manufactured various valuable products from all sorts and grades of waste cotton from cotton mills-"what the other mills throw away"- as Mr. Barnhardt expresses it. For the purpose of this output he has had designed and built special machinery and devices for cleaning, separating and scouring every par- tiele of waste product that comes into the plant. The building up of this important industry to its present importance has been brought about by ceaseless study and energy on the part of -Mr. Barnhardt, and he may well be proud of the splen- did success achieved. It is an industry that ful- fills the modern need for thoroughness, efficiency and perfect system in industrial practice and for conserving and utilizing every possible waste material. The plant is favorably located on the Sea Board Air Line Railway and is housed in well-built and commodious structures. The prin- cipal products manufactured are cotton batts and mattress felts, rolled batts, etc., for manufac- turers of mattresses, furniture, vehicles, quilts and caskets. He has designed and is now manu- facturing in large quantities a special rolled batt for automobile upholstery, the same to take the place of hair, which has been generally used for this purpose. Through his intelligent edu- cational work among automobile manufacturers he has succeeded in opening up a splendid mar- ket for this product, which gives promise of great future development. A humble but none- the-less important by-product of this plant is a fine fertilizer that is in great demand by the farmers of this locality. Large quantities of waste for machinery-cleaning purposes are also turned out. This factory gives employment to a great number of men and women in this sec- tion and it is one of the foremost industries of Charlotte.
In 1900 Mr. Barnhardt married Miss Carrie Harper, of Caldwell County, a daughter of Mr. F. S. Harper and a niece of Major G. W. F. Harper, a distinguished character of Caldwell County, a sketch of whose career appears else- where in this edition. Mr. and Mrs. Barnhardt have a family of five interesting and attractive children, whose names are here entered in respective order of birth: Thomas M., Jr., Mary Gwynn, Jacob C., James and Nellie. The Barnhardts are devout members of the Second Presbyterian Church, in which he is an elder.
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Mr. Barnhardt is one of the leading and influ- ential business men of Charlotte, where he has valuable property interests in addition to his factory. His interest in political questions is deep and sincere and he gives an earnest support to Democratic principles, believing that the plat- form of that party contains the best elements of good government. In every movement pro- jected for progress and improvement he is a leading light and he is a liberal contributor to local charities.
MARTIN STEVENSON WILLARD. Some men delay their service to the public until they are satisfied with their position in business life. Often times they wait too long and consequently society fails to receive from them its proper meed of service and influence. Martin Stevenson Willard has been constant in doing for the public good all the while he has been active in business. He is still in business, and he is also still doing all he can for the advancement and uplift of his home city of Wilmington.
His career began at Washington, North Caro- lina, where he was born January 17, 1858, a son of Albert Alfonso and Mary H. (Stevenson) Willard. His father for many years was a merchant at Washington, North Carolina. The son had the best of advantages in the private schools of Wil- mington and also in schools at New Haven, Con- necticut. When it came time to make choice of a vocation he found position as clerk in an insurance office and remained there ten years. In 1883 Mr. Willard engaged in the insurance business for him- self, and since 1906 has given all his time to his duties as secretary and treasurer of the Carolina Insurance Company. He was one of the organizers of that company in 1889, and was the first man elected secretary and treasurer. Another im- portant business connection is as president of the Willard Bag and Manufacturing Company.
To give a detailed account of his public service would require several paragraphs. While he was a member of the Legislature he fathered the law establishing the Insurance Department of North Carolina, also helped revise the tax laws, and was author of the bill which compelled the fencing and enclosing of livestock. In 1912 he was elected chairman of the board of county commissioners and it was due to his leadership that the present handsome county building was erected, a concrete reenforced structure costing $40,000.
Public health officials and sanitarians frequently take Wilmington as an example of one of the most progressive southern cities in the matter of safe- guarding the public health. Those who know how this reputation was accomplished say that the major credit should be given to Mr. Willard, who was chairman of the Board of Public Health when the city was thoroughly cleaned up and the health department put upon a basis of efficiency.
Mr. Willard formerly served on the Board of Management of the James Walker Memorial Hos- pital, is former president of the Civil Service Com- mission, is a member of the Chamber of Commerce, and in recent years has devoted much of his seri- ous study to the problem of handling and manag- ing the convicts of the state. His studies are directed with a view to enlightening the conditions of treatment of these unfortunates and bringing about conditions which will inspire them with new ideals of manhood. He is treasurer of the First Presbyterian Church in Wilmington, is a member of the Cape Fear Golf and Country Club, has
been grand commander of the Knights Templars and also officially connected with other branches of the York. Rite Masonry.
On December 5, 1885, Mr. Willard married Elizabeth Getting Oliver. Mrs. Willard, who died November 9, 1914, was the daughter of William H. and Hannah (Attmore) Oliver. Her father was a prominent merchant at Newbern. On October 25, 1916, Mr. Willard was married to Margaret Glendy Martin of Salem, Virginia.
JOHN EARLY LOGAN, M. D. During the latter half of the nineteenth century the people of Greensboro and Guilford County who did not have substantial evidence of Dr. John Logan's abilities as a physician at least knew and loved him for his character and the uprightness of his citizen- ship. He was one of the old time physicians whose name and memory should not be allowed to lapse in a community which he served so long and faith- ' fully.
Doctor Logan was born at Greensboro July 14, 1835. His father, Gen. John Logan, was a native of Ireland, was well educated in Londonderry, and in young manhood came to America and settled at Greensboro. For many years he was a man of prominence in the local life of the city and county and for a long time held the office of clerk of courts of Guilford County. He lived there until his death in 1857. He married Elizabeth Ambler Strang.
John Early Logan grew up in an environment which was calculated to bring out the best powers of his mind and character. He prepared for col- lege in the high school at Greensboro and in 1857 graduated from the University of North Carolina. For a year he studied medicine under Dr. Strud- wick, and then completed his preparation in Jef- ferson Medical College at Philadelphia, where he was graduated with the class of 1859. Before taking up private practice he served a year as interne in a hospital at Philadelphia, and had already made promising progress toward the acqui- sition of a successful practice at Greensboro when the war broke out between the states. In Novem- ber, 1861, he accepted the rank and the duties of assistant surgeon of the Fourteenth Regiment North Carolina Infantry, and was with his com- mand faithfully performing all his duties, often under fire from the enemy's guns, until the close of the war. His name is on the official list of those paroled at Appomattox on April 10, 1865.
From the war he returned unbroken in spirit to resume private practice at Greensboro, and con- tinued his work among an enlarging circle of patrons and friends almost to the last. The death of this honored physician occurred at Greensboro March 31, 1902.
Doctor Logan married Miss Frances Mebane Sloan, who was born in Greensboro, daughter of Hon. Robert M. and Sarah (Paisley) Sloan. A brief sketch of her honored father will be found on other pages. Mrs. Logan was educated at Edge- worth Female Seminary, where she studied art, music and the languages. She has always been a lover of the beautiful in life and in the artistic surroundings of her comfortable home she sometimes modestly points out a landscape painting that hangs on the walls and which was the work of her brush when she was only fifteen years old. Another vivid experience and recollection of her girlhood was when she visited her uncle, then a member of Congress, at Washington in 1861 and attended Lincoln's inauguration as president. Mrs. Logan
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now occupies her Grandfather Paisley 's home- stead, one of the handsome old landmarks of Greensboro. It is in the third block from the juuction of Elm aud Market streets and ouly one block from the new courthouse. The house is set in the midst of large grouuds surrounded with fruit and shade trees. Mrs. Logan has made it a practice for a number of years in the summer months to entertain as host to large parties of childreu. She is an active member of the First Presbyterian Church.
HON. ROBERT MODERWELL SLOAN. This is a name that serves to recall some of the oldest and most prominent families of North Carolina, of colonial and Revolutionary lineage, of ardent patriotism and of great and varied usefulness iu public and private life. Robert M. Sloan was for a long period of years a business man at Greens- boro, where some of his family still reside.
He was born at Lexington, Rock Bridge Couuty, Virginia, in 1812. His father, John Sloan, was a native of County Donegal, Ireland, was reared there and when a young man came to America, being the only member of his father's family to locate in the New World. In Rockbridge County, Virginia, he set up a mercantile business at Lex- ington and also owned a farm nearby, operated with slave labor. Though born a British subject he fought with American troops in the War of 1812. He married Mary Shields, who was a life- long resident of Rockbridge County. They reared seven children, named Alexander, James, Robert, Mary, Rachel, John and Martha.
Robert Moderwell Sloan had his early advan- tages in the schools of Lexington. In 1827, when he was fifteen years of age, he came to Greens- boro, North Carolina, where his uncle, James Moderwell, was at that time a successful mer- chant. The boy became a clerk in his uncle's store but after a few years he and his brother James succeeded to the business and continued it prosperously. Later Mr. Sloan was engaged in other lines of business. He always took an active interest in city affairs, and one time served as mayor.
His home was the old Paisley homestead of Greensboro, in which he died in 1905, at the age of ninety-three.
His wife, Sarah Paisley, was born in Orange County, North Carolina, in 1816. Her grand- father, Colonel John Paisley, a native of Ireland, on coming to America located near Lancaster, Pennsylvania, but in a short time moved south to North Carolina and acquired land in the eastern part of what is now Guilford County. With the aid of negro slaves he cleared up and developed a plantation there. He was one of the ardent colonists who believed in liberty and independence and when the revolution came on he accepted the rank of an officer in the Colonial Army and was with General Greene in some of his historie cam- paigns through the Carolinas. Colonel Paisley married Mary Ann Denny, and both spent their last days on that plantation.
Rev. William Paisley, father of Sarah Paisley, was born on a plantation eight miles east of Greensboro October 26, 1770. In early youth he was converted, joining the Presbyterian Church, and after a period of study under Dr. David Cald- well, an eminent early divine of that church, he was licensed to preach by the Orange Presbytery in 1794. His first sermon was delivered at Buf- falo Church. Soon afterward he was sent as a
Presbyterian missionary to the scattered settle- ments of Tennessee and remained there, enduring all the hardships his mission entailed, until 1800. On returning to North Carolina he served the Haw- field and Cross Roads churches, but in 1820 re- moved to Greensboro, where he organized a school for boys. In 1824 he organized the First Presby- terian Church of Greensboro, which is today one of the most flourishing churches of that denomina- tion iu the state. Wheu Rev. Mr. Paisley came to Greensboro he found a mere hamlet, the greater part of the present city being either farm land or covered with brush and timber. He himself pur- chased a cousiderable tract of land on what is now West Market Street, three blocks west of Elm, and there built a house in the midst of commodious grounds, and in those pleasing sur- roundings spent his last years. He died March 10, 1857. The old Paisley homestead is now owned and occupied by his granddaughter, Mrs. Frances Sloan Logan.
Rev. William Paisley married Frances Mebane. Her father, Alexauder Mebane, was born in Penn- sylvania November 26, 1744, and was one of the early settlers of Orange County, North Carolina. He achieved special prominence in colonial and early state affairs of North Carolina. He was a member of the Provincial Congress which met in Halifax December 16, 1776. He was also a mem- ber of the Hillsboro Convention called to ratify the Constitution. From 1783 to 1793 he repre- sented his county in the State Legislature and finally achieved the special dignity of being sent to represent his district iu the first Congress of the United States. He was re-elected but died before beginning his second term, on July 5, 1795. He married for his first wife Mary Armstrong, a native and lifelong resideut of Orange County. Mrs. William Paisley died in 1859.
The wife of Robert M. Sloan died in 1884, having reared seven children, named Jolin Alex- ander, Frances Mebane, Mary Virginia, Julia Paisley, Sarah Roberta, Mollie Moderwell and Ida Louise. The son, John Alexander, was a Con- federate soldier, fighting with the Twenty-seventh Regiment of North Carolina troops. The members of the Sloan family have always been active in the First Presbyterian Church and the late Robert M. Sloan served it as an elder.
WILLIAM J. HUTCHISON. A member of one of the old-established families of Mecklenburg County, William J. Hutchison is an excellent representative of the leading agricultural class of this region, aud a promoter and exponent of advanced educatiou. His present home is located six miles north of Charlotte, on the Statesville Road, and is one of the model farms in a com- munity which has no dearth of good agricultural properties. Mr. Hutchison was born in the com- munity where he has ever since lived, and two miles from his present residence, in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, in 1854, being a son of Willian M. and Esther (McClure) Hutchison.
This is one of the oldest families of Mecklen- burg County and is of Scotch-Irish origin, having come from Pennsylvania before the Revolutionary war and located at Charlotte in Mecklenburg County. The grandfather of Mr. Hutchison was Taylor Hutchison, whose home was a farm in what is now almost the heart of Charlotte, being not far from the Southern Railway, and situated on what is now Clarkson Street. The land em- braced a large amount of territory, including
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MRS. ROBERT M. SLOAN
ROBERT M. SLOAN
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that now occupied by the city cemetery, and a good deal more that is now included within the city limits, and, of course, most valuable. The great-grandfather of Mr. Hutchison was William Hutchison, who lived at Charlotte when the large city was still a small hamlet.
Because of the ravages of war and the equally trying times of the reconstruction period, William J. Hutchison grew up in a very poor period and was deprived of the advantages and educational opportunities that are now so plentiful. He is essentially a self-made man, for, beginning with nothing, he has worked his way into the owner- ship of land and property and the possession of prominence as a citizen that must be very grati- fying to him. When a young man he bought a piece of land on credit and began farming on his own account; his father had died when William J. was only a few months old, and he was compelled from boyhood to make his own way and to prepare his own opportunities. He lived for many years on the place near to that on which he was born; and two miles south of his present home place. The latter is a splendid farm of 183 acres, beautifully situated on the Statesville Road, six miles north of Charlotte. He purchased this property several years ago, and within recent years has built his present residence, a modern two-story structure equipped with a water system and possessing every com- fort and convenience of the modern home. This is a fine farm and is one of the show places along the Statesville Road. In addition to this farm Mr. Hutchison owns two other tracts two miles south, one of which is the original home place referred to above, and altogether he owns nearly 600 acres of rich and highly-cultivated agricul- tural land. He carried on farming under the advanced methods of the present day, and the property and interests that he has accumulated solely from farming show that he is an excellent tiller of the soil.
Mr. Hutchison is a member and deacon of the Williams Memorial Presbyterian Church, which is situated about a mile from his home, located on the Beatty's Ford Road, which is one of the highly historic thoroughfares of Mecklenburg County. He has for many years taken a leading part in the affairs of this splendid country con- gregation. In 1914 he was elected a member of the County Board of Education and in the election of 1916 was chosen to succeed himself. His political views make him a stanch democrat.
Mr. Hutchison married Miss Elizabeth Coch- ran, and they have had seven children: L. L., a member of the firm of Hutchison, Sehorn & Sipp, of Charlotte; Olin Parks; Roy, W. Bruce, Mrs. Irene Gray, of High Point; Mrs. Jonsie Surratt, of Charlotte; and Miss Louise, who resides at home.
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