USA > North Carolina > History of North Carolina: North Carolina biography, Volume VI > Part 35
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Alexander S. Hanes, his son, is a native of Wins- ton-Salem, was educated in the local public schools, and prepared for college at Horner Military In- stitute at Oxford. He then became a student in the University of North Carolina. and left. that institution to go to work in his father's hosiery mills in the offices. He mastered the details of the business, finally became manager and held the office of president and treasurer of the Sham- rock Hosiery Mills Company until 1916. He then resigned the executive position in order to organ- ize the Hanes Rubber Company, and is now giving all his available time to this new and important industry.
Mr. Hanes was married in 1906 to Marv Lee Robinson of Elizabeth City, daughter of Charles H. Robinson. They have three children: Elizabeth, Charles and Alexander, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Hanes are members of the West End Methodist Church and he belongs to the Twin City and the Forsyth Country clubs.
J. WADE SILER, a younger representative of the prominent family that founded the progres- sive little City of Siler City in Chatham County, has done much to upbuild and promote the com- mercial activities and improvement of that com- munity.
Mr. Siler was born at Siler City in 1882. His grandfather, Samuel S. Siler, was born in Al- bright Township of Chatham County, where he owned a farm and where he was a planter with slave labor before the war. Before a railroad was built through this section of the county he bought some land and laid it out in lots now a part of Siler City. However, he never removed to the town but spent his days on the farm. Sam- uel Siler married Margaret Wood. Both lived to a good old age, and she was an active member of the Methodist Protestant Church.
Cincinnatus Siler. father of J. Wade Siler, was born on a farm four miles from Siler City in 1854. He was educated in the rural schools and was engaged in farming until 1879, when he re- moved to Siler City and engaged in general mer- chandising. He was a merchant here until his death in 1884. He married Miss Brower, daughter
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of George Washington and Nellie (Kime) Brower, and granddaughter of Abraham and Lydia (Scott) Brower. Her maternal grandparents were David and Mrs. (Clapp) Kime. Mrs. Cincinnatus Siler is still living in Siler City.
J. Wade Siler, an only child of his parents, was educated in Siler City and also in the Liberty Normal College. After leaving school he was en- gaged in the hardware business, then for six years was interested in the High Point Bending and Chair Company, following which he took up and prosecuted actively the real estate business. In 1914 Mr. Siler installed the electric light plant in this city, a property that he owns and which has done much to raise the standards of Siler City as a progressive community.
In 1906 Mr. Siler married Berta Olivia Jor- dan. She was born at Siler City, daughter of Adol- phus C. Jordan, who was born in Matthews Town- ship of Chatham County, son of Harris and Win- nie (Lane) Jordan. His grandfathers were Wil- liam Jordan and John Lane. Adolphus C. Jor- dan was reared on a farm and after his marriage settled on the plantation of his father-in-law, including a part of Siler City. He lived there until his death at the age of seventy years. He married Miss Cattie Matthews, who was born on the present site of Siler City, daughter of Capt. William Matthews. Captain Matthews was born in Randolph County, North Carolina, son of Thomas and Charity (Wood) Matthews. He was an only child, and after the death of his parents he sold the old farm and removed to Chatham Coun- ty and bought land a part of which is now included in Siler City. Before the railroad was built he kept a country store and the place was then known as Matthews Cross Roads. He lived in this community until his death at the age of sev- enty-nine. Captain Matthews married Margaret Check, a native of Randolph County and daugh- ter of Josiah and Jennie (Womble) Cheek. The wife of Captain Matthews died at the age of seventy-two. Mrs. Siler was one of six children: Eulalia, wife of Cadman Bray; Berta Olivia; Ed- ward T .; Elma, who married Rev. W. J. Bannon; Vivian; and Willle, wife of V. B. Elkin. After the death of his first wife Mr. Siler married her younger sister, Vivian.
NORMAN FANNING STEPPE, whose work as an educator has brought him high commendation and many responsibilities in North Carolina, where he is now county superintendent of schools for McDowell County, has also had an extensive business experience and for a man of his years his life has been unusually filled with service and accomplishment.
He was born in Henderson County, North Caro- lina, August 27, 1882, a son of Rev. James G. and Martha (Steppe) Steppe. His father was a farmer and a local minister. The son gained his early education in public schools and the Blue Ridge Academy, and after leaving that institution went North, was at Cincinnati, Ohio one year and after that at Pittsburgh, where he was chiefly engaged in the coal business. Returning to his native state he entered the University of North Carolina, and prepared for his chosen career. After leaving university Mr. Steppe was for four years principal of the high school at Dysortville, North Carolina, was superintendent of schools at Old Fort for five years, and on July 1, 1917, was chosen county superintendent of schools for MeDowell County.
He is a member of the North Carolina Teachers'
Assembly and of the Superintendents' Association. Fraternally he is affiliated with the Masonic Order and the Junior Order of United American Me- chanics.
February 16, 1911, Mr. Steppe married Miss Annie Laurie Fordham, of Sampson County, North Carolina. Four children have been born to their marriage: Norman Fanning, Jr., Clarence Mad- drey, Ralph Montgomery and Annie Laurie.
PHILIP HENRY BOOE was for many years one of the prominent business men of Forsyth County. As a member of the N. D. Sullivan Tobacco Com- pany at Walkertown, he was a factor in building up a large local industry, and some of his capable children have followed him in the same line of business.
Mr. Booe was born in Davie County, North Caro- lina, a son of Alexander and Sarah (Clement) Booe. His great-grandfather was, it is thought, of German parentage or ancestry, and was a farmer spending his last years in Davie County. The grandfather, Philip Booe, was a farmer, own- ing and occupying a place near old Dutch Meet- ing House, where he and his wife Caroline both died.
Alexander Booe, father of Philip H., was born five miles south of Mocksville near the old Dutch Meeting House on January 4, 1821. When he was a boy his father died and he went to live with his uncle, Ben March, on Dutchman Creek. He learned how to make tobacco, and after his marriage be- came a tobacco manufacturer at Mocksville. This industry was continued until after the war and then at Salisbury for a number of years. He finally sold his business and after that devoted his time to the management of his farm on Dutch- man's Creek, though his home was in Mocksville. He died in March, 1895.
December 19, 1843, Alexander Booe married Sarah Clement. She was born on a farm near Mocksville, August 9, 1823, and died in 1889. Her grandfather, Henry Clement, was a native of Germany and an early settler in what is now Davie County, buying a large tract of land near Mocks- ville and cultivating it the rest of his years. Sarah Clement's father was Henry Clement, Jr., who was born on a farm about three miles east of Mocks- ville and for many years operated the old home plantation with slave labor. He married Rosa Sain, who survived him and both are buried in the Clement Cemetery. The children of Alexander Booe and wife were five in number, Philip, Sallie, Maggie, Alice and Ruth. Sallie married Philio Hanes and has seven children; Maggie is the wife of William W. Miller and has six daughters; Alice married T. W. Woodruff and has two children; Ruth is unmarried.
Philip Henry Booe was well educated for his time and when a young man took up the manu- facture of tobacco. He was first a member of the firm of Booe, Payne & Lunn. For a time he was connected with the bank at Winston, but after his marriage became associated in business with his father-in-law at Walkertown. This relationship he continued until his death in 1912, at the age of fifty-nine.
Mr. Booe married Sally Sullivan, daughter of Nathaniel D. and Elizabeth (Moir) Sullivan. Con- cerning her father, who was for so many years a leader in the tobacco manufacturing industry of Forsyth County, a more complete sketch appears on other pages. Her mother, Elizabeth Moir, was a daughter of Robert Moir, who was born at
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Forres, Scotland, September 15, 1796. When a young man he came to America and located at Leaksville in Rockingham County, North Carolina. There he acquired land, developed a plantation, had numerous slaves, and at the time of the Civil war owned about fitty negroes. Robert Moir mar- ried Elizabeth Perry Porter. She was born in Madison County, Virginia, May 10, 1801. The children of Robert Moir and wife were: Margaret, who married Berle Roberts; Jeannette; Elizabeth, who married Nathaniel D. Sullivan; DeWitt Clin- ton, who died young; Penelope G., who married and died without children; Tabitha, who married Charles Ogburn; Lucy J., who became the wife of Stephen Hodgin; Robert Alexander, who married Sally Allen; and James Stuart, who married Mel- vina Van Hay.
Mrs. Philip H. Booe died in 1904. There are six living children, named Nathaniel Sullivan, Sarah Clement, Elizabeth Moir, Lucy Hodgin, Philip H. 2d, and Alexander M. These sons and daughters occupy the old homestead at Walkertown. It is a commodious frame house, built in modern style and has the comforts and setting of a magnificent country seat, affording many advantages and most of the conveniences found in the best city homes. The son Nathaniel is now secretary and treasurer of the Nathaniel D. Sullivan Tobacco Manufac- turing Company. He is also secretary and treas- urer of the Inverness Cotton Mills Company at Winston-Salem.
JOHN McMILLAN MCIVER. The most successful lives in every generation have been those in which action and achievement have gone hand in hand with and been guided by a character of unim- peachable probity and honor. It is the character of the man as much as the incidents of his work that makes the career of John McMillan McIver of Gulf, Chatham County, so notable and worthy of inclusion in this publication.
Mr. McIver, who has been merchant, planter, manufacturer and in early life an educator and always a leader in church, was born November 6, 1838, near Carbonton in Moore County, close to the Chatham County boundary and within the bounds of the old Euphronia Presbyterian Church. His great-grandfather, Donald McIver, was one of three brothers who came to Scotland in 1772, two of them settling in North Carolina and the other in South Carolina. Mr. McIver's father, Alexander McIver, was a farmer, and was an elder in the Euphronia Presbyterian Church. The maiden name of the mother was Ann Gordon, daughter of Langston Gordon, of Virginia. He is thus descended from a long line of Scotch an- cestors in the paternal line and is of English stock through his mother.
Some years ago when Mr. McIver had attained a maturity of character and achievement an inter- esting sketch of his life was prepared by Mr. P. R. Law for publication, and what his biographer said concerning his early environment and youth is worth quoting not only as an individual interpre- tation but as a description of the conditions from which many great men have risen to eminence.
There were but few environments better calcu- lated to form character than those found in the atmosphere among the hills of his birthplace where the parish schools hard by the kirk in the father- land had been transplanted and religiously fos- tered. He was born into that way of life which might be called in other lands the middle class, but happily in our country character and capacity
make their own level. He was neither of the richest nor of the poorest, neither proud nor humble. He knew no hunger he was not sure of satisfying and no luxury which could enervate mind or body. His parents were sober, God-fearing people, intelligent and upright. Without pretension and without self- effacing, he grew up in the company of boys. who worked on the farm like himself-wholesome, hon- est, self-respecting. They looked down on nobody, they never felt it possible they could be looked down upon. Their houses were the homes of probity, piety, patriotism. They learned from the inspiring traditions of their fathers and at the feet of teachers of sound Christianity and en- nobling patriotism the lessons of heroic and splen- did life which came down from the past.
"His father died when he was only one year old. The loss was great; but his mother proved a wise and capable counsellor, and her care and training molded him into manly excellence. His earliest recollection of his mother was seeing her kneeling in prayer with her three little children around her. A comfortable patrimony fell to him from his father's estate. In early life he had a strong de- sire for an education." His school training was begun in some of those local schools and academies which were part of the community established in North Carolina by descendants of the Scotch Pres- byterian pioneers. He attended Melville Academy in Alamance County, where he came under the in- struction of a celebrated teacher, Dr. Alexander Wilson. In 1858, in his twentieth year, he entered the State University, but left promptly in 1861 to enter the army. His service as a soldier was de- ferred on account of an attack of sickness, and he returned to the university for an interval and in 1862 graduated with the degree A. B. Imme- diately on terminating his university carcer he joined the cavalry company of Rev. James H. Mc- Neil, this company being made up mostly of de- scendants of Scotch Highlanders. He served in Eastern North Carolina until the opening of the Gettysburg campaign in 1863, when he was part of the Sixty-third North Carolina Regiment. He was all through the war and surrendered with his command at Appomattox in 1865. On every occa- sion and under every condition he was a brave and conscientious soldier.
The war over, he became a school teacher, teach- ing at Buffalo Church in Moore County in 1865, and afterward continuing his work in Bladen County and at Waynesville in Haywood County. Some of his pupils afterward became prominent as officers of the state and have testified to his in- fluence upon them in the training of their char- acter as well as their minds.
Mr. McIver established himself in business at Gulf in Chatham County in 1870. He has been a highly successful business man, but his success has not been due to speculation, but to a conservative, hard working and conscientiously rendered serv- ice, for which his prosperity has been only a modest reward. The basis of his business career has been flour milling, and he was one of the first in that section of the state to install a modern roller process mill. From milling he turned some of his proceeds into broad acres of fertile land and de- veloped it to excellent and productive farms, and has also been a director and stockholder in the Bank of Fayetteville, stockholder, director and vice president of the Sanford Cotton Mills, a stock- holder in the Columbia Manufacturing Company at Ramscur, and in the Elmira Cotton Mills at Bur- lington, and has enjoyed throughout the esteem
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of his business associates as a hard-headed, con- scientious and strictly honorable business man. A lawyer friend once said of him: "He is one man who never forgets his God in his business."
His former biographer gave the following word picture of his character: "One who lives largely not for himself but for others; and whose pleas- ure and happiness consists to an exceptional de- gree in contributing to the happiness of others. A man of singularly sweet and amiable disposition and retiring in his habits, and yet, surprisingly, a successful business man even in this day of strenu- ous life and activity. One who can be depended upon at all times and never found wanting. Of martyr spirit to suffer at the stake for conscience's sake, and what he believed to be right. Ever ready to aid liberally in any and every movement in church or state for the good of his fellows."
Mr. McIver has always been a loyal democrat, though averse to holding office. He has been fond- est of home and of home influences and of those institutions which are a part of the religious and moral life of his community. His record as a churchman has been one of work and devoted serv- ice and most of his public honors have come in that field. He was one of the founders of his church at Gulf, was its first elder, and at one time con- stituted its session. The session never had any other clerk nor the Sunday school any other super- intendent. He has represented his church at the Presbytery, and has been its moderator, and twice has been elected commissioner to the General As- sembly. He was chairman of the committee in charge of the Elders and Deacons Institute, and was also one of the two ruling elders on the Synodical Committee in charge of the Twentieth Century Million Dollar Educational Fund.
Mr. McIver has six children, three the children of a former marriage to Miss Mattie Lee Morrison, of Asheville, and three the children of his present marriage to Miss Lois Anderson, of Davidson.
DAL FLOYD WOOTEN. The record of Mr. Woo- ten as a business man and citizen at Kinston has been of sturdy upward progress and has been marked by increasing responsibilities in the busi- ness field and also by the capable performance of public duties. His family have been identified with Lenoir County for a long period of years, and his individual achievements have contributed additional dignity and prestige to the name.
Mr. Wooten was born in Lenoir County June 5, 1866, a son of John Franklin and Mary (Chris- tian) Wooten. His father was for a long term of years a member of the Lenoir County bar. The son after completing his education in the Kinston Collegiate Institute chose more practical lines of effort than those followed by his father, and for seventeen years was a farmer. He was finally called to the county seat by appointment to the office of sheriff, which he filled with characteristic fidelity from 1902 to 1906. For a brief time he was connected with a general supply house and then became cashier of the First National Bank of Kinston. This post he still holds. He was also a director of the Kinston Cotton Mill, and is a member of the board of trustees and chair- man of the executive committee of Caswell Train- ing School and is on the finance committee of the Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Wooten is affiliated with the Masonic Order, the Woodmen of the World, and the Junior Order of United American Mechanics, the Knights of Pythias and the Knights of Harmony. He and his family are active in St.
Mary's Episcopal Church at Kinston and he is a member of the vestry.
Mr. Wooten was married December 26, 1888, to Miss Laura Pugh, of Wilmington, North Carolina. Eight children have been born into their house- hold, their names being Mary Catherine, Paul Deems, Floyd, Ray, Cecil W., Thelma, Dorothy and Alton.
JOHN GILMER DAWSON. A leading member of the bar at Kinston, North Carolina, and equaily prominent in other directions, John Gilmer Daw- son is a member of a very prominent law firm of this city, which, in addition to large individual and firm interests, acts as attorneys for important banking and other corporations. Mr. Dawson is a member of an old and well-known family of North Carolina whose members have contributed in appreciable degree to the growth and develop- ment of the commonwealth and have been found in prominent positions in various avenues of hu- man endeavor.
John Gilmer Dawson is a native son of the lo- cality in which he now resides, having been born April 19, 1882, in Lenoir County, North Caro- lina, a son of John Henry and Annie E. (Daly) Dawson. His great-grandparents were John and Sallie (Henning) Dawson and his grandparents, Thomas Henning and Hulda Truitt (Daniel) Dawson, all natives of North Carolina and all members of the agricultural class. They passed their lives in the peaceful pursuits of farming, reared their children to lives of honesty and in- dustry and, passing away, left their descendants the heritage of a good name and a legacy of example of God-fearing and useful lives. The grandparents had a family of nine sons and one daughter, and among these children was the sec- ond son, John Henry, who was born November 29, 1848, in Lenoir County, where his parents had resided for some years. John Henry Dawson was given good educational advantages in his youth, being sent to private schools, and when he was. ready to start on his independent career adopted farming for his life work, a vocation in which he had been trained in his youth and one to which his forebears had given their attention. For a long period he continued as a tiller of the soil in Lenoir County, and through native in- dustry and good management accumulated a hand- some property and became one of the substantial men of his community. So well did he labor, in fact, that he was able to retire from active pur- suits when he had reached the age of fifty years, and since that time has given his attention to other matters. Mr. Dawson has always been rec- ognized in his community as a man of sound worth, integrity and public spirit, the kind of a man needed for participation in public affairs as an official. He was the incumbent of a number of township offices prior to 1892, in which year, while he was still actively engaged in farming, he was elected county treasurer of Lenoir County. He served continuously in that office until 1896, and then retired for eight years, but in 1904 was again the people's choice for this position. He has since been elected each two years, and is now the holder of the office, his present term expiring in 1918. He has given his county con- scientious and faithful service and has done much to assist in the financial betterment of Lenoir. Mr. Dawson has also served as magistrate two years, and is a deacon in the Primitive Baptist Church. He is highly estcemed throughout the
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community in which he has made his home for so many years and where has done so much to advance the prosperity and welfare of the people. Mr. Dawson was married November 30, 1871, to Miss Annie E. Daly, of Lenoir County, North Carolina, and to this union there have been born children as follows: Selma Anna, who is now Mrs. James S. Mehegan, of Tarboro, North Caro- lina; Henry Thomas, who is deceased; Alma Hulda, who is the wife of P. A. Hodges, of Kins- ton; Mamie Leona, who is the wife Clarence Oettinger, engaged in the real estate business at Kinston; Hannah Meniza, who is the wife of Fred L. Hart, of Suffolk, Virginia; John Gilmer, of this notice; Wilber Truitt, also of Kinston; Bessie Laura, who is the wife of Marshall E. Gray, of Kinston; Roland, a daughter, who is now deceased; Martha Susan, who resides with her parents, and another child who died in infancy.
John Gilmer Dawson was reared on his father's farm, on which he assisted in the work during the summer vacation periods, the remainder of his boyhood being passed in attending private schools. He was subsequently sent to high school, and, having expressed a liking for the law, became a student at the University of North Carolina, from the law department of which in- stitution he was duly graduated with his degree in 1908. In August of the same year he was admitted to the bar and almost immediately began practice at Kinston, and, as the people recognized his ability and earnestness, it was not long ere he had built up a good and prosperous practice. Mr. Dawson continued alone until August, 1915, when he became associated in a legal partnership with A. J. Loftin under the firm style of Loftin & Dawson, now recognized as one of the strong combinations of Lenoir County. The firm rep- resents in a legal way three banking houses and a number of large corporations and has been exceptionally successful in its handling of cases in all the courts. Mr. Dawson has served as city attorney of Kinston since 1910 and has taken care of the city's legal business in a masterly manner. He belongs to the various organizations of his calling, including the North Carolina Bar Association and the American Bar Association, and holds a high place as a legist who respects the ethics of his calling. As a lawyer he has met with success, pursuing his profession quietly and industriously, and bringing to it the highest in- tellectual qualities and attributes of character. His individual practice has been notably hon- orable and as a member of his firm his name has given assurance, were this necessary, that no undue advantage would ever be taken of clients, whether powerful or indigent. As a business man Mr. Dawson has also been successful, and now has a number of important interests, these in- cluding connection with the Southern Drainage and Construction Company, of which corporation he is vice president, and the Carolina Land and Development Company, of which he is a member of the board of directors He is interested in fraternal matters also, being a Knight Templar and Shriner Mason, and a member of the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows, the Junior Order United American Mechanics, and the Kappa Sigma college fraternity.
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