USA > North Carolina > History of North Carolina: North Carolina biography, Volume VI > Part 23
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James T. Coats was born in Grove Township of Johnston County, North Carolina, in 1847, a son of William Henry and Martha (Smith) Coats. His family is of English ancestry. It was founded in North Carolina from England about 115 years ago by Elder Coats' great-grandfather, William Coats, who on coming to this state settled in Johnston County. Elder Coats' grandfather, Wil- liam Coats, was born in that county. As a fam- ily they have always been planters and farmers.
Elder Coats grew up on a farm and at the age of seventeen he and his twin brother, Wil- liam Benjamin Coats, - now deceased, went into the Confederate army, joining Company C, Sec- ond North Carolina Junior Reserves. They served about a year, until the end of the war. For a time they were in Virginia, but most of the time in Eastern North Carolina.
It was in 1875 that James T. Coats moved to Grove Township of Harnett County and bought for farming purposes something over 700 acres, on which he has lived ever since. Part of this land was utilized for the establishment of the Village of Coats, and thus he has the distinc- tion of being its first citizen. Coats is located on the Durham & Southern Railway. For several years after the town was started and after the rail- road was built Mr. Coats conducted a general country store, and this enterprise indicated an eligible point of location for a new town.
For forty years he has been one of the leaders in the Primitive Baptist Church, of which he be- came a member in 1876. He was ordained as elder in 1882, and has been a regular minister since that time. At Coats he built at his own expense and donated to the congregation the Primitive Baptist Church Building, known as Gift Church. Besides his work as elder in this church he is also moderator of the Little River Primitive Baptist Association, which embraces twenty-one flourishing congregations.
Elder Coats still owns a number of town lots and adjoining farming tracts, is a director of the Bank of Coats, and has given farms to each of his children. His life has exemplified so much sterling honor, integrity and personal lovableness that it is easy to account for the universal esteem in which he is held.
Elder Coats married Miss Isabella Turlington, member of the old and prominent Turlington fam- ily of Harnett County, elsewhere referred to in this publication. Mr. and Mrs. Coats have six chil- dren: Robert Metzger, Andrew D., William Thomas, Carrie, Octavus and Ida.
ANDREW COLUMBUS HUNEYCUTT. In the de- grec that an individual proves the broadness and sincerity of his character and his sense of the responsibilities devolving upon him, both relative to his private interest and those of the public, does he achieve and deserve worth-while success. Without a sane, sound outlook upon life, no man can hope to produce upon others that impres -. sion so desirable in order to establish permanent prosperity, a fact that some individuals never learn. Others recognize it from the start and their careers are filled with big accomplishments and public-spirited actions that lend themselves
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to producing the light in which the community regards such citizens. In this latter class is found Andrew Columbus Huneycutt, a leading member of the Stanly County Bar and one of the most public-spirited citizens of Albemarle. Still a young man, his achievements as a citizen have given him a foremost position among those who are accomplishing big things for their communi- ties and their fellow-men.
Mr. Huneycutt was born in the western part of Stanly County, North Carolina, in 1882, and is a son of E. M. Huneycutt. His father, also a native of Stanly County, is still residing in this county, where he is the owner and operator of a farm, and is a Confederate veteran of the war between the states, in which he was a lieu- tenant of his company and at times acted in the capacity of captain. Andrew C. Huneycutt was reared on the home farm and received his educa- sion in that year at Albemarle, the county seat College, finishing his law studies from the latter in 1904. He began the practice of his profes- sion in that year at Albermarle, the county seat of his native county. Mr. Huneycutt is a suc- cessful practitioner, with a representative prac- tice of general law business in all the courts, state and federal. While his practice has been large and important, demanding a great deal of his attention, he has always been found among the prominent forces of the young element that are accomplishing great things in bringing the great advantages and resources of Albemarle as an industrial city to the attention of the world. He is also of great activity in connection with other public-spirited enterprises of the city.
One of the chief matters in which Mr. Huney- cutt takes a justifiable pride is his connection with the Albemarle Normal and Industrial In- stitute, of which he is secretary and treasurer and a member of its executive committee. This institution was established in 1893 by Miss Frances E. Ufford, of New Jersey, and Miss Helen J. Northrup, of Minnesota, and is now under the control of a board of trustees elected by the Mecklenburg Presbytery. The aim of the institution is to prepare young women for the actual duties of life in the home, the church, the school and the busines world, or for entrance to higher institutions of learning; seeks to place within the reach of every worthy girl the op- portunity to obtain an education, and constantly endeavors to train for a larger service those who have been deprived of school advantages, and to do it at such a reasonable cost as to place it within the reach of all. While scholarship is an important requisite in the teacher, personal traits of character have an even more lasting effect upon the pupil, and the ladies of the faculty have been selected with a view to obtain- ing the very highest type of Christian woman- hood. The faculty at this time consists of Miss Frances E. Ufford, dean; Mrs. Elva C. Harris, superintendent ; Miss Eva Rupert, Bible and mis- sions; Miss Clara C. Giddings, history, English and literature; Miss Ruth Gill, English, science, mathematics and physical culture; Miss Isabel Grier, history, mathematics and English; Miss Mary Bangle, music; Miss Mary Melton, super- intendent of domestic department; L. Freeland Magruder, M. Ph., M. D., physiology and hy- giene; and Miss Elizabeth Hendricks, infirmary and practical sewing. As the chief aim of the institution is the development of Christian char- acter, the religious life of the student is an
important feature. The student body maintains a Young Women's Christian Association, a Young People's branch of the Woman's Chris- tian Temperance Union, and a Sabbath School. Discipline is strictly but kindly maintained. The school has an industrial department, two literary societies, a large library and a laundry, and lectures are regularly given. There are three courses of study, the preparatory, normal and college preparatory. The institution is practic- ally philanthropic, as the very low tuition fee of $100 pays a girl's expense for tuition, board, etc., for a full year, the object being, of course, to afford these advantages of the school to poor girls only, who could not secure them in any other way. They not alone receive literary education, but are thoroughly trained and instructed in all the arts of the household-cooking, sewing, laun- dering and everything that enters into the duties ' of the wife and mother. It is in reality the highest form of philanthropy and will result in more good to the human race than any other enterprise that could be thought of.
Mr. Huneycutt has devoted a great deal of time to the success of this institution, and espe- cially, beginning in 1915, when the finances of the institute were lagging and its future seemed problematical, he went to work vigorously to arouse interest in the work and have the school brought to a point in standing where its benefi- cent career would be assured for the future. It was due to his efforts, in great measure, that this object was accomplished by the end of the summer of 1916. A campaign was carried on to raise money, with the result that $10,000 in cash was raised, in addition to a donation of a valua- ble tract of land, and with these encouraging results the building of a new $20,000 dormitory is assured, this having been the chief need of the institute up to this time. The institution is also now officially and strongly endorsed and backed by the Mecklenburg Presbytery .
Mr. Huneycutt is a member and a deacon in the Presbyterian Church. He is worshipful mas- ter of the local Blue Lodge of Masons, and is variously active in the affairs of the city. He served two terms as mayor of Albemarle, and his excellent services did much to add to the city's improvements. Mr. Huneycutt married Miss Mary Efird, daughter of J. W. Efird, and niece of Mr. J. S. Efird, both of whom are wealthy and prominent business men of Albe- marle and leading factors in the cotton mill industry, they having been, with their father, the late I. P. Efird, the pioneers in cotton mill con- struction in Stanly County. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Huneycutt; Juanita and Vance Efird.
SAMUEL A. GRIER, M. D. A physician and surgeon greatly loved for his service and sympa- thetic ministrations, Doctor Grier has been in active practice more than forty years, and a large part of the time in Cabarrus County. His . present home is at Harrisburg in that county.
Doctor Grier is of old and prominent pioneer ancestry of Mecklenburg County. In his family relationship are the names Grier, Barringer, Neal and Spratt, all of distinction in this part of the state for more than a century.
The first of the Grier family in North Carolina was Doctor Grier's paternal grandfather, Thomas Grier. The great-grandfather, James Grier, was a Scotchman, born in the north of Ireland, where
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HISTORY OF NORTH CAROLINA
some o the original farmly still live. James Grier came with his family and settled in Lan- caster County, Pennsylvania, in 1772. In 1780 he moved to North Carolina, first stopping in Steele Creek Township, Mecklenburg County.
Thomas Grier was about eighteen years of age when, preceding his father, he came to North Carolina from Pennsylvania. The Revolutionary war was then in progress, and in 1778 he enlisted in Mecklenburg County and served as Commissary of Issues. He was a fine patriot, and did a worthy part toward the success of the Revolution. Toward the close of that war he went to South Car- olina, near Waxhaw, in what is now Union County, North Carolina. While there he accidentally met with his parents, who had left their first location in Mecklenburg County not knowing where their son was. Subsequently all the family returned to Mecklenburg County and thereafter their home was in Steele Creek Township.
Until the time of the war between the states the Griers were mostly planters by occupation. One notable exception was Dr. Samuel A. Grier, a physician. Grandfather Thomas Grier in his time was one of the chief land owners in Steele Creek Township.
Thomas Grier married a Miss Spratt. Her fam- ily was one of special prominence. The first white child born in Mecklenburg County was a Spratt. Its members were also the first to cross the Yad- kin River into Western North Carolina.
A nephew of the Revolutionary soldier Thomas Grier was General William Henry Neal, of Steele Creek Township, a man of great prominence in his day, a general of the North Carolina Militia and an extensive planter and land owner. He was the son of Samuel Neal and grandson of Captain Henry Neal, an officer of the Continental Line in the Revolutionary war. Captain Henry Neal was the son of William Neal, a Scotchman, who came to what is now Mecklenburg County, Penn- sylvania, some time between 1715 and 1725 and was thus one of the earliest settlers in that sec- tion of the state.
Dr. Samuel A. Grier was born in Upper Steele Creek Township of Mecklenburg County in 1841, a son of Andrew and Margaret (Barringer ) Grier. His mother was a sister of the late General Rufus Barringer, one of North Carolina's distinguished officers in the Confederate army. General Rufus was a son of General Paul Barringer. The history of this family appears elsewhere among the biogra- phies contained in this publication. It should also be noted that Doctor Grier's grandfather, Thomas Grier, was one of the escorts who accompanied Lafayette when the great French general visited North Carolina in 1825.
Thus Doctor Grier grew up among constant associations with honored family names and honored achievements. He acquired his early schooling at the old Melville School under the cele- brated Doctor Wilson of Alamance. Prior to the war he started the study of medicine under a private preceptor, Doctor Gregory, in Charlotte. These studies were interrupted by the outbreak of hostilities and at the very beginning he volun- teered, joining Company B of the First North Carolina Infantry. He and his comrades fought at Bethel, the first battle of the war. When his term of enlistment with this regiment expired he returned to Charlotte and joined a cavalry com- pany under Captain J. R. Irwin, attached to the Fifth North Carolina Regiment of Cavalry. This regiment was part of a brigade of cavalry com-
manded by Gen. Rufus Barringer, Doctor Grier's uncle. His first work with this organization was in the eastern part of the state, whence they went into Virginia. During the important cavalry engagement at Upperville, while Lee's army was on the way to Gettysburg, Doctor Grier was wounded by a bullet in the arm. On account of this disablement he did not take part in the sub- sequent three days' fighting. Later he rejoined his regiment, but on December 9, 1864, at Bell- field, Virginia, was again wounded. Toward the end of the war, on April 3, 1865, at Namozine Church, Virginia, he was captured, was taken to Washington, where he was quartered as a prisoner on the night that President Lincoln was assassin- ated, and from that city was removed to Johnson 's Island in Lake Erie, where he remained until the following June or July, at which time he was re- leased and came home. -
For ten years or so after the war Doctor Grier gave most of his time to looking after his farm on Steele Creek Township. In the meantime he carried on his medical studies, and in 1876 began the regular practice of his profession at Lenoir in Caldwell County. For a number of years he had all the general practice he could attend to in the country districts of that county. Since 1883 his home has been in Cabarrus County and here some of his most burdensome labors as a physician have been carried on. Until 1907 his home was at Rocky River, but at that date he moved to Harrisburg. His services as a physician have been of inestimable value to the people of all the surrounding country. He is one of the greatly esteemed professional men, possesses a fine genial presence, a kind and sympathetic heart. Like his ancestors, he is a member of the Presby- terian Church.
In 1868 Doctor Grier married Miss Mary Jane Gilmer. Her father was a physician, Dr. James F. Gilmer, of Sugar Creek, Mecklenburg County. Mrs. Grier died in 1908, forty years after their mar- riage. The names of the living children are: Claudia L., who married Rev. J. N. Blain, and both are now serving as missionaries in China; Samuel Andrew, Jr., of Barium Springs; Elizabeth Esther, widow of C. N. G. Butt, of Charlotte; Margaret Barringer, wife of W. G. Hall, of States- ville; Miss Mary Gilmer Grier; Evelyn Altona, wife of George H. Richmond, of Concord; Lieu- tenant L. T. Grier, now with the National Army; and Miss Anna Burwell Grier.
LITTLETON TATE BARBER is a citizen of Guilford County, especially prominent at the present time as a member of the Board of County Commission- ers and long identified with the Gibsonville com- munity as a farmer and merchant.
Mr. Barber was born in Washington Township of Guilford County, and his people have been worthily identified with the life and affairs of this state for upwards of a century. His great- grandfather, Joseph Barber, was born either in Scotland or in Ireland, of Scotch, ancestry. After his marriage he brought his wife to America and they settled among the pioneers of Alamance County, North Carolina, where he secured land and improved it into a farm. That was the scene of his activities until his death. James T. Barber, grandfather of Littleton T., was born on a planta- tion bordering Stony Creek in Alamance County in 1825. From the scenes of his birth he moved to near the line of Guilford County, buying a farm, and its superintendence engaged a large
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part of his time and attention, though he was also a contractor for bridge building. He died when about seventy years old. His wife was Hepsey Kernodle, who was born in Alamance County. She died at the age of eighty-four, and reared five children, named John, David R., George, Jane and Margaret. David R. Barber was born in Washington Township of Guilford County in 1850, was reared on a farm, and several years after his marriage bought a place of his own in Alamance County. That farm he still occupies, and he has been one of the diligent and respected members of the community for years. He married Mary A. E. Michael, a native of Alamance County. Her parents were Peter and Margaret (Boone) Michael and her grandfather was David Michael. Peter Michael was a very prominent planter of Alamance County and a county commissioner for seventeen years. He cast the deciding vote for the first steel bridge built in Alamance County. Mrs. Mary Barber died in 1891.
Littleton Tate Barber had rural surroundings during his youth, was taught his first lessons in a country school, and afterwards attended for a time Elon College. After about three years as a teacher he satisfied his spirit of adventure by going into the northwestern country and taking up a home- stead in South Dakota. In what was then a bar- ren and bleak region he built a house, dug a well, broke and fenced part of the land, planted trees and lived the typical existence of a Dakota farmer until 1908. In that year he leased his land and returning to his native state entered the hardware business at Gibsonville. He has sold goods to a large community surrounding that village for the past ten years and he also conducts the farm he owns and occupies about two miles from the town.
Mr. Barber was appointed a county commis- sioner of Guilford in 1916 to fill an unexpired term. He is affiliated with Tabasco Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, and Gibsonville Council of the Junior Order of United American Me- chanics. He and his wife are active members of the Gibsonville Methodist Episcopal . Church, South, and he is on its board of stewards and su- perintendent of its Sunday School. In 1913 Mr. Barber married Bertha Jones, daughter of former Sheriff B. E. Jones. They have one daughter, Elizabeth.
WILLIAM KILPATRICK LANE was one of the most notable citizens of Wayne County during the middle period of the last century. He was born in Wayne County December 27, 1810, a son of Samson and Charity Lane, and he died at Golds- boro December 28, 1868, aged fifty-eight years and one day. For a number of years he followed the business of planting and was also state tax collector.
In the files of the old Goldsboro Daily Messen- ger is recorded a tribute paid to him, and two paragraphs from that paper of half a century ago are herewith quoted :
"He held many important public positions and acquitted himself with credit in all. He several times represented Wayne County in the Senate of the State Legislature. Was for many years clerk of the Superior Court. Was several times a candi- date for Congress in a district in which the party majority against him was so large and, though defeated, ran largely ahead of the strength of his own party. He was for a great while chair- man of the county court of this county, and it was universally admitted by the bar and the pub-
lic that he had no superior as a presiding justice. He was one of the best and most correct and reliable business men in the state.
"The death of such a man is a calamity to the state and particularly to this section in which he was so well known and so much honored and respected. He was a kind neighbor, an affection- . ate husband and father, and a devoted and un- selfish friend. This feeble tribute to his memory is by one who long enjoyed his confidence and friendship and after his immediate family no one more sincerely regrets his death."
He was twice married. His first wife, Susan Green, of Goldsboro, lived only a few years. June 5, 1838, he married Penelope Munford, daughter of Bryan and Mary ( Harrison) Munford. To this marriage were born the following children: Mary Olivia, who died unmarried; Bryan Alexander Lane, who died unmarried; William Penn Lane, who married Harriet Cobb and is now deceased; Charity Maria Lane, who married Frank Glasgow Whitfield; Penelope Lane, deceased, who married Benjamin Brock; Sarah Elizabeth Lane, who mar- ried Hugh Humphrey and is deceased; Samson Lane, deceased; Virginia Louise Lane, and Susan Lane, who both died unmarried; and James and John Lane, twins.
CHARLES AYCOCK HUMPHREY is one of the younger business men of Goldsboro, and comes of old and prominent family stock of North Car- olina.
He was born in Wayne County, North Caro- lina, August 20, 1889, a. son of Hugh and Sarah Elizabeth (Lane) Humphrey. His father was a prominent man and at one time served as mag- istrate and United States Commissioner. Mr. Humphrey's mother was a daughter of William K. Lane, whose career will be found on other pages.
C. A. Humphrey had a public school education. As a young man he learned telegraphy, and was employed as a telegraph operator for several years. He now has a successful business, handling type- writers and supplies at Goldsboro. He is affiliated with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and is a member of the Algonquin Club. On March 31, 1914, he married Miss Bessie Griffin Edwards, of Goldsboro. They have one daughter, Mary Elizabeth.
HON. GEORGE M. ROSE. A life is valuable to the world both for its service and its character. On the score of service few men could desire a better record than that of George M. Rose, for half a century one of the foremost lawyers of the Fayetteville bar. Throughout a busy lifetime, be- ginning as a soldier in the war, various public honors and the widespread esteem of his fellow citizens attest the quality of his manhood and the breadth and uprightness of his character.
Mr. Rose was born at Fayetteville June 5, 1846, son of John M. and Jane (McNeill) Rose. He is of Scotch ancestry on both sides. His grandfather, Duncan Rose, was during the decade of the '30s clerk of the Superior Court of Person County. John M. Rose was born in Person County, and about 1840 moved to Fayetteville in Cumberland County. In the maternal line Mr. Rose is identi- fied with several families whose names are prom- inent in North Carolina history. His mother was born in Cumberland County, daughter of George McNeill. The wife of George McNeill was a sis- ter of Chief Justice Ruffin. Mrs. Jane McNeill
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HISTORY OF NORTH CAROLINA
Rose was a first cousin of James C. Dobbin of Cumberland County, who served as secretary of the navy in the cabinet of President Fillmore. One of her brothers, Rev. George McNeill, Jr., was the first editor of the North Carolina Presby- terian, now the Presbyterian Standard. Another brother was Rev. James H. McNeill, who was colonel of the Fifth North Carolina Cavalry and was killed in action March 31, 1865. The family are also related to the Camerons and the de Roul- hacs of Hillsboro.
George M. Rose was reared in Fayetteville, at- tending Donaldson Academy and from there en- tering Davidson College, where he was a student two years. From Davidson he went to Virginia Military Institute. He was one of the famous class of young boys who went out from the school in 1864 and engaged in the battle of Newmarket. In the Confederate army Mr. Rose became adju- tant of the Sixty-sixth North Carolina Regiment. He surrendered at High Point, North Carolina, May 2, 1865. He was one of the youngest sol- diers and officers of the war between the states.
The war over, he resumed his education in the University of North Carolina, finishing his lit- erary course and taking his law there under Judge Battle. He was graduated from the university in 1867 and in the same year began practice at Fay- etteville. During the years that have followed Mr. Rose has attained distinctive leadership in the profession of North Carolina. In the famous campaign of 1876, when Vance and Suttle were rival candidates for governor, Mr. Rose was elected to the Legislature from Cumberland County. He thus took part in the restoration of the democratic party as the governing factor in North Carolina. He was again a member of the Legislature in the session of 1881 and was speaker of the House in the session of 1883.
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