USA > North Carolina > History of North Carolina: North Carolina biography, Volume VI > Part 25
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WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON COBB, M. D. There was hardly a more distinguished figure in the annals of North Carolina medicine during the last half century than Doctor Cobb, of Golds- boro. His life was full of professional honors and also those distinctions due to patriotic serv- ice as a soldier and to unusual personal talents and individual ability.
He was born April 3, 1841, at Mount Auburn, in Wayne County, North Carolina, a son of William Donnell and Ann Spicer Cobb. He was of English and Dutch ancestry. His ancestors were among the early settlers of the New World. James Cobb came over in 1613 on the ship Treasurer from Holland. Another ancestor, John Martin Franks, came with other Germans in 1732 to Newbern, North Carolina, and fixed his home on the Trent, twenty miles west of that city. His daughter, Susanna Franks, became the wife of William Heritage, who had settled at Kinston, North Carolina, and from their daughter and heiress, Elizabeth Heritage, who married Jesse Cobb, the Cobb family derived their wealth and lineage.
Dr. W. H. H. Cobb attended the noted Bing- ham School at the Oakes and Colonel Tew's School at Hillsboro, North Carolina. He studied medicine both at the Universities of Virginia and Pennsylvania, and was graduated physician and surgeon from the University of Pennsylvania in 1861.
His graduation almost coincided with the out- break of hostilities between the North and South. On returning home he enlisted as a private in the Confederate army, subsequently was pro- moted to lieutenant, and resigned that office to accept appointment as assistant surgeon of the Second North Carolina Regiment. At the close of the war he was assistant surgeon of the Twen- tieth Georgia Regiment.
Doctor Cobb, after the trying four years of civil conflict, located for private practice as a physician and surgeon in Wayne County. From there he removed to Goldsboro, where he con- tinued his active work until his last illness. Both as a private citizen and as a physician, his work brought him into touch with the larger phases of state life and affairs. For three terms he served as alderman of the City of Goldsboro, was a director of the Atlantic and North Caro- lina Railroad Company, was surgeon for the At- lantic Coast Line Company, was state medical examiner for the Royal Arcanum seventeen years, was district referee of the Mutual Benefit Life Insurance Company, and by appointment from the governor was delegate to the Pan-American Medical Congress at Washington, D. C. He was formerly a member of the State Board of Med. ical Examiners, vice-president North Carolina State Medical Society, president North Carolina State Medical Society, one of the founders of the Southern Surgical and Gynecological Society, an honorary fellow of the Tri-State Medical So- ciety, including the Carolinas and Virginia, of
which he was twice president and had formerly been a member of the Americal Medical Asso- ciation. He served as Grand Dictator of the Knights of Honor.
Doctor Cobb was an uncompromising demo- crat and loyally aided that party whenever pos- sible. He was a steward in St. Pauls Methodist Episcopal Church, South. On December 27, 1866, at Goldsboro, Doctor Cobb married Miss Hen- rietta Wright, daughter of Council Wright of Mississippi. There were four children: Dr. William H. Cobb, of Goldsboro; Mrs. Mariana Gareissen, Miss Nellie W. Cobb and Miss Leila M. Cobb.
WILLIAM HENRY COBB, M. D. Only son of the late Dr. W. H. H. Cobb, one of North Caro- lina's distinglished physicians, Dr. William Henry Cobb has proved a worthy successor of his honored father and for many years has en- joyed both professional distinction and success in Goldsboro.
A native of Wayne County, he was born Feb- ruary 2, 1868, spent his youth in Goldsboro, where he attended the public schools, and began his medical studies in the University of Mary- land, but subsequently entered the Jefferson Medical College of Philadelphia, where he com- 'pleted the course in 1889. Since that year he has been in active practice at Goldsboro with the exception of three and a half years spent as assistant physician at the State Hospital at Raleigh. He led the class and stood first before the State Board of Medical Examiners of North Carolina in 1889 and received the Appleton prize for this distinction.
He has been very active in public health work, having formerly served as county health officer and city physician. He is now surgeon for the Atlantic Coast Line Railway and is a member of the staff of physicians and surgeons of the Goldsboro Hospital. He is a member of the Wayne County and North Carolina State Med- ical Societies, is a director of the Wayne Na- tional Bank, belongs to the Masonic Order, the Algonquin Club and St. Paul Methodist Episco- pal Church, South. He is chairman of the Med- ical Advisory Board, Fourteenth District, State of North Carolina.
Doctor Cobb was married November 15, 1893, to Miss Georgia Borden, of Goldsboro, daughter of William H. Borden. He has two sons: Wil- liam Borden, who recently graduated A. B. from the University of North Carolina, and is now serving his country in France in the gas de- fense division, and Donnell Brownrigg, a student in medicine in the University of North Carolina.
JOHN HENRY VERNON is a lawyer at Burlington, and is enjoying a splendid practice. He was meni- ber of the Generaly Assembly of 1915, and chair- man of the County Democratic Executive Commit- tee, 1912-14.
He was born at Winstead, North Carolina, in Person County, November 15, 1883, son of Charles R. and Corrina (Henry) Vernon. His father was at one time a successful teacher but spent most of his mature years in farming. John Henry Vernon spent his boyhood on a farm, attended district school, the Wake Forest High School, and com- pleted his education in Wake Forest College, from which he took his A. B. degree and later his LL. B. degree. He was admitted to the bar in 1906, at the age of twenty-two, and at once removed to Bur-
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lington to open his office. He has been engaged in a general practice and for several years has served as attorney for the City of Burlington and for Alamance County. He is a member in good stand- ing of the North Carolina Bar Association, is chairman of the board of deacons and superin- tendent of the Sunday school of the First Baptist Church, and is affiliated with the Masonic Order, Knights of Pythias, and Junior Order of United American Mechanics.
December 28, 1909, he married Miss Sallie Cates, of Burlington. They have two children, John Henry, Jr., and Sarah Elizabeth.
William Summey Coulter, Jr., who is junior part- ner of the law firm of Vernon & Coulter at Bur- lington, was born at Newton, North Carolina. August 28, 1886, son of John S. and Sarah Ann (Herman) Coulter. He was reared on a farm, attended country schools and Newton College, graduated A. B. from the University of North Carolina, and after finishing the work of the law department was admitted to the bar in February, 1914. Since then he has been located at Burling- ton in general practice with Mr. Vernon. Mr. Coulter is affiliated with the Masonic Order.
WILLIAM CALVIN STEELE, M. D. With more than a quarter of a century of experience behind him, Doctor Steele has grown in capabilities and in esteenì as a physician and surgeon steadily, and during the many years he has practiced at Mount Olive has made his profession a medium of a multi- tude of personal services to his fellow men.
Doctor Steele was born in Mooresville, Iredell County, North Carolina, September 16, 1867, a son of Thomas Newton and Mary (Query) Steele. His father was a farmer, and Doctor Steele grew up on a farm. He attended the public schools in his native district and in Mooresville, and also had his higher literary training in Davidson Col- lege. The University of Maryland Medical De- partment has a number of capable representa- tives in the medical profession in North Carolina, and Doctor Steele was graduated from that school in 1891. He began practice with Dr. John R. Irwin in Mecklenburg County, where he remained two years, and for another two years he was in Cabarrus County. Since January, 1895, Doctor Steele has had his home and practice at Mount Olive. He handles a general practice and for a number of years he has had all that his time per- mits him to look after. He is local surgeon for the Atlantic Coast Line Railway, is a former county health officer and has been on the board of health of Wayne County for a number of years. He is a member of the North Carolina Medical Society, and the Tri-State Medical Society. Doctor Steele is a thirty-second degrec Scottish Rite Mason and a Mystic Shriner. He is an elder and active worker in the Presbyterian Church.
On December 7, 1898, Doctor Steele was mar- ried to Kate Southerland, of Mount Olive, daugh- ter of Robert J. and Anna (Witherington) South- crland. Doctor and Mrs. Steele have three chil- dren: Mary Southerland, Wyeth Christian and Kate Wilhelmina.
WILLIAM THOMAS YELVERTON. Many times in the history of the world have the practical busi- ness man of a community proved a saving reserve in seasons of financial stringency or public calam- ity, and from that stable and sturdy class have, more than once, been called men to power who have proved invaluable to the nation. The busi- ness interests of Goldsboro cover almost every
line of commercial trade, and to the energy, in- telligence and alert shrewdness of the men who have built up and still ably manage their pros- pering concerns the general public is much in- debted. Good judgment that includes intelligent foresight, commercial knowledge, reasonable in- dustry, and the recognition of the rights of com- petitors as well as customers make honorable business men, and in no part of the United States will more of these be found than in North Car- olina. Among the representative men of Golds- boro may be named William Thomas Yelverton, for many years identified with merchandising and since 1881 identified with the hardware line.
William Thomas Yelverton was born Decem- ber 21, 1848, in Wayne County, North Carolina. His parents were George Teaberry and Edith (Farmer) Yelverton. The father was a planter and lived on his own estate until the close of his life. In this section when William T. Yelver- ton was a boy there were no public schools but there were many excellent private schools, often taught by college graduates, and these Mr. Yel- verton attended until he was old enough to put his acquired knowledge to practical use.
Business life rather than agricultural pursuits interested Mr. Yelverton, and as proprietor of a country store he carried on a satisfactory busi- ness until 1874, in which year he was elected clerk of the Superior Court. His acquaintance over the county was wide and his personal as well as political friends numerous, and he was twice re-elected to this office, at the close of his last term declining to serve again. The record of his official life is one of honorable efficiency. In 1881 Mr. Yelverton embarked in the hardware business at Goldsboro, in which line he has ever since continued, carrying a complete stock in- cluding the old standards of the trade and new articles and devices that have proved desirable inventions.
Mr. Yelverton was married April 18, 1872, to Miss Sarah Jane Sauls, of Wayne County, North Carolina, and they have five children, namely : Edgar Bayard, who is associated with his father in the hardware business; Paul, who is also in business with his father; Eugene Leslie, who is the third son in the business; Glennie, who is deceased; and Emmor Harrison, who is in the government service.
Mr. Yelverton has additional business inter- ests, being on the directing board of the National Bank of Goldsboro, and also of the Wayne Agri- cultural Works. For twelve years he has been a member of the Board of Education of Golds- boro and on many occasions has served on other civic boards of importance. He belongs to the Chamber of Commerce at Goldsboro, and has long been identified with the Masonic fraternity. As one of the older citizens he has been a witness of Goldsboro's marvelous growth and in every way has done his part in promoting the same. He belongs to that noble class of men who recognize responsibility and is ever willing to co-operate in giving encouragement to laudable public en- terprises and to forward justifiable benevolent movements.
J. RANKIN THOMAS is president of the Ameri- can Realty and Auction Company of Greensboro and a business man whose solid interests rep- resent and are the reflection of unusually varied accomplishments and abilities.
Mr. Thomas was born on a farm in the north-
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HISTORY OF NORTH CAROLINA
east part of Guilford County, son of John W. and Fanny (Andrews) Thomas, grandson of John Thomas and on the maternal side of Jerry Andrews. His mother died in 1913. His father is now a retired resident of Greensboro. There were eleven children in the family, eight of whom are living: Robert T., Capers E., Billy, J. Rankin, John C., Irving R., Ada and Mamie. Ada married Thomas L. McLean, secretary and treasurer of the Van Story Clothing Company, while Mamie is the wife of Ed Brockman.
J. Rankin Thomas was reared and educated in Guilford County. As a youth he was trained in habits of industry and this, together with a resolute purpose, has carried him far in a busi- ness way. During his younger years he was engaged in general teaming and contracting. In 1905 he began to give the most of his attention to real estate auctioneering and under his leader- ship his extensive interests in those lines have been concentrated in the organization of the American Realty and Auction Company, the busi- ness of which now extends to practically every state of the Union. The company not only sells on commission, but is ready at all times to in- vest in any proposition that offers the proper safeguards of security and income. Mr. Thomas is a premier in the auction field, and has those personal qualities as well as the sound business judgment which make for success in that pecul- iarly difficult vocation.
Were his business interests not so extensive in other ways, Mr. Thomas might be classed as one of the leading farmer citizens of North Carolina. He owns and occupies Springdale Farm on the High Point Road three miles from Greens- boro. This is a highly developed place, noted for its high average of general crop production, but especially as a home of thoroughbred regis- tered Poland China and Duroc hogs.
· Mr. Thomas has been twice married. His only son, Guy, is the son of his first wife, whose maiden name was Mattie Apple. Guy is now connected with the American Realty and Auction Company. Mr. Thomas' second wife was Mar- garet Young.
Mr. Thomas is affiliated with Greensboro Council No. 3 of the Junior Order of United American Mechanics, with Greensboro Lodge No. 602, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and Eno Tribe No. 61 of the Improved Order of Red Men.
ROBERT N. HADLEY is one of the live and enter- prising business men of Greensboro, and also spent a number of years as a teacher and educator in commercial lines. He held a number of responsible and important positions in this work.
A native of North Carolina and of an old fam- ily here, he was born on a farm near Pittsboro in Chatham County. His grandfather, William P. Hadley, owned and operated a large estate in Chatham County and spent all his life there. He married Hannah McPherson, and both the grand- parents lived to be eighty-five years old. They were active members of the Methodist Protestant Church.
William C. Hadley, father of the Greensboro business man, was born on a farm at Hershey Mountain, Chatham County, in 1834. The out- break of the war between the states found him busily engaged as a farmer, but he gave up that vocation to enter the Confederate army and though wounded in battle was in service until the close
of hostilities. He then resumed farming, and after a time moved from Pittsboro to Greene County, buying a farm and was engaged in its general operation until his death in 1880. He married Emily Carter. She was born in Randolph County, daughter of Brice Carter, who afterwards moved from Randolph to Alamance County and lived on a farm there until his death. Mrs. Emily Hadley died in 1912, at the age of seventy-one. She reared three sons and two daughters named: Edgar, Rufus, Robert N., Maggie and Florence.
Robert N. Hadley completed his public school education in the Siler City High School. Later he was a student of various commercial arts and methods in the Atlanta Business University at Yadkin College, at the Rome Business College, Rome, Georgia, and the Bryant & Stratton Busi- ness College at Baltimore. He also taught in the Atlanta Business University. For a time he had charge of the commercial department of the Lit- erary and Commercial Institute at Rochelle, Georgia. Later he was in Florida, as a teacher at Apalachicola and Tampa, and for nine years was director of the commercial department of the University of Florida.
After this long and active experience in com- mercial education Mr. Hadley finally resigned and coming to Greensboro organized the Columbia Laundry Company, of which he is secretary and treasurer. He has shown much capacity in build- ing up this business, and is now widely known among the laundrymen of the state. He is a mem- ber of the National Association of Laundrymen and of the American Association of Master Dyers and Dry Cleaners, also secretary and treasurer of the Goose Grease Company, and secretary and treasurer of the Hill Chemical Company.
In 1898 Mr. Hadley married Miss Mary Peebles. She was born near Yadkin College in Davie County, North Carolina, daughter of Captain N. A. and Mary Lowe Peebles. Mr. and Mrs. Hadley are members of the First Presbyterian Church. He is also well known socially in Greensboro, is a mnem- ber of the Rotary Club, Greensboro Lodge No. 164, Independent Order of Odd Fellows; Greens- boro Lodge No. 80, Knights of Pythias; and Greensboro Lodge No. 602 of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.
PARRAN JARBOE, M. D. After an unusual wealth of training and experience acquired in some of the best institutions of the country Doctor Jarboe came to Greensboro a few years ago and has de- voted himself with steadily rising success to the practice of surgery and special diseases. He is accounted one of the leading members of the medical profession in North Carolina.
Doctor Jarboe was born on a plantation near Leonardstown in St. Marys County, Maryland. He is descended from French Huguenot ancestors, who spelled the name Jarbeau. His great-grandfather, Mathew Jarboe, was probably a lifelong resident of St. Marys County. The grandfather, Mathew Jarboe, was born in that locality and owned and operated a plantation near Leonardstown. He owned a large number of slaves. That was his chief form of wealth and of course when the war came on and freed his negroes he was left prac- tically without means. During the war he fought as a Confederate soldier. After the war he man- aged to accommodate himself to new conditions and continued to superintend the plantation and make a living from the land until his death.
Joseph Benedict Jarboe, father of Doctor Jar-
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HISTORY OF NORTH CAROLINA
boe, was born on the Maryland plantation and he removed to Kinston, served as superintendent much of his youth was passed during the war . of the Kinston Cotton Mills until 1908 and then times and his opportunities to acquire an educa- built the Caswell Cotton Mills, and since they were in operation has been vice president and general manager of the plant and the company. The Caswell Cotton Mills are spinners of high grade hosiery yarn and the industry is one of the most important in the City of Kinston. The other officers of the mills are: J. E. Hood, presi- dent ; F. C. Dunn, treasurer; and L. M. LaRoque, secretary. tion were consequently limited. He made for him- self a good business education, and inheriting a portion of his father's estate, has steadily occu- pied it ever since and is accounted one of the suc- cessful farmers and stock raisers of that vicinity. His chief farm product is tobacco. He married Mary Hazel, who was born in St. Marys County, daughter of Zachariah T. and Mary Ann. Hazel. To their marriage were born seven children: Par- ran, Mae, Jennie, Matthew, Josiah Benedict, Roberta and Elsie.
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Dr. Parran Jarboe spent his youth on his father's farm. He acquired a primary education under private tutors and was prepared for college at St. Thomas' Academy. For three years he was a student in Loyola College at Baltimore, and from there entered Georgetown University in the 'District of Columbia, where he was graduated in the Medical Department with the class of 1905. Not content to go into active practice with merely his medical diploma, he then entered the Casualty Hospital at Washington, D. C., and was an interne there four years. During that time he had many increasing responsibilities. and handled a large share of the surgical and general medical work of the institution.
With this preparation Doctor Jarboe came to Greensboro and has found here all the oppor- tunities he sought for his talents. Since locating at Greensboro he has spent six months in the New York Polyclinic. In 1907 Doctor Jarboe married Lucile Glenn, daughter of Hon. Harry and Mar- garet (Alexander) Peyton, of Mississippi. Doctor and Mrs. Jarboe have one daughter, named Mar- garet.
Doctor Jarboe is surgeon at St. Leo's Hospital at Greensboro and is also lecturer to St. Leo's Training School for Nurses and consulting sur- geon of Glenwood Paid Sanitarium. He is a member of the Guilford County Medical Society, the North Carolina Medical Society, the Southern District Medical Society, the Tri-State Medical Society and the American Medical Association, and so far as his duties have permitted has taken an active interest and been a regular attendant at the meetings of these organizations. He also belongs to the Greensboro Country Club and the Merchants and Manufacturers Club.
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JAMES WILLIAM BLACK, vice president and gen- eral manager of the Caswell Cotton Mills at Kins- ton, has been identified with the cotton industry all his active career. He grew un in the atmos- phere, learned the business in all its technical details, and has built and superintended several important mills.
He was born at Florence. Alabama, October 2, 1865, a son of William Francis and Priscilla (Dickinson) Black. His father was a manufac- turer of cotton and the son practically grew up in a cotton mill. He was liberally educated, at- tending both the public and private schools. After varied preliminary experience he went out to Denver, Colorado, in 1893. and was superin- tendent of the Cleveland Cotton Mills of that city. While there he also pursued a business course in a business college.
In 1897 Mr. Black came to North Carolina. and became superintendent of the Louise Cotton Mills at Charlotte. He built those mills and operated them as superintendent until 1899. In that year
Mr. Black is a vigorous member of the Cham- ber of Commerce and the Kinston Fair Associa- tion and has shown a public spirit in connection with every matter of local welfare. He is a mem- ber of the First Baptist Church, is affiliated with the lodge, Royal Arch Chapter and Knight Tem- plar Commandery and Mystic Shrine in Masonry, is eminent commander of the Knights Templar, is a past patriarch in the Encampment of the Odd Fellows, and also belongs to the Woodmen of the World.
Mr. Black was first married to Miss Sadie Scott of the State of Maine. She died August 20, 1888, leaving two children, Clovis McDonald, who is a graduate of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Raleigh, and is now superintendent of the Borden Cotton Mills at Goldsboro; and Maie Ella, born July 2, 1888, now Mrs. James H. Lock- wood of Welch, West Virginia.
On February 20, 1906, Mr. Black married Ennis Marquette, of Kinston. They have one child, James William, Jr., born February 23, 1907.
JOHN W. MCGEHEE, M. D. A broad and valu- able service has been rendered the community of Reidsville since Doctor McGehee began practice there in 1905. He has steadily grown in favor as a capable and skillful physician and surgeon, and is also local surgeon for the Southern Rail- way Company and medical examiner for the Rockingham County Exemption Board.
Doctor McGehee was born at Madison in Rock- ingham County, and is a grandson of H. J. McGehee, a native of Virginia, who came to Rockingham County many years ago and bought a farm a mile west of Madison. He was a mer- chant in Madison for many years. Henry J. McGehee, father of Doctor McGehee, was born in Virginia near Farmville, and considering the environment of his youth acquired a good edu- cation. On the outbreak of the war he enlisted in Company H of the Fifteenth North Carolina Infantry. He was with that command and by faithful and soldierly conduct was promoted to the rank of captain. When the war was over he engaged in merchandising in Madison, and remained one of the active citizens of that com- munity until his death. He married Mary Eliza- beth Webster. Her father, Benjamin Webster, was a trader and in the days before railroads bought and sold large quantities of tobacco, traveling by wagon over South Carolina and Georgia. Henry J. McGehee and wife had nine children: Henry Webster, Irene, Richard Al- bert, Benjamin Franklin, Mattie, Sallie Foy, Nannie, Mary Elizabeth and John W.
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