USA > North Carolina > History of North Carolina: North Carolina biography, Volume VI > Part 58
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His original ancestor went out of Normandy into England at the same time with William the Conqueror. His name was Ritch-Art. This name in process of usage and pronunciation was grad- ually changed to Ritchartson and was finally writ- ten Richardson. The first American ancestors of the family came to this country and settled along the eastern shore of Virginia about 1679.
Mr. Richardson's grandfather, Joseph Richard- son, a son of William Richardson, came to North Carolina about 1760, settling on a plantation in Johnston County near Little River, about twenty- five miles from Goldsboro and twenty-five miles east of Raleigh. He had three sons, Clement, Pharaoh and Lunsford. Clement died in early boy- hood. Pharaoh and Lunsford settled in Johnston County on the three plantations given them by their father. Their only sister, Millie, married Thomas J. Hadley, who lived in Wilson, North Carolina.
Pharaoh and Lunsford Richardson married two sisters. Polly and Laurinda Vincent, daughters of James Vincent, a planter living on the west side of the Neuse River near Smithfield, the county seat of Johnston County. The wife of Lunsford Rich-
ardson, Sr., was Laurinda Vincent, the younger of the two sisters. They had four sons and two daugh- ters. The oldest, Joseph, died in infancy. Those to follow him in order of birth were Martha Ann Ruth, William, Clement, Rozetta and Lunsford. Martha married Thomas H. Atkinson, a planter of large holdings on the Neuse River near Golds- boro. William married Miss Mary E. Atkinson, and Clement married Miss Nannie E. Atkinson, nieces of Thomas H. Atkinson.
The homestead where Lunsford Richardson, Jr., was born was located half way between Raleigh and Goldsboro and thirteen miles east of Smith- field, among the foothills about three-quarters of a mile from the Little River. The locality was known as Richardsan's Mills and the postoffice was Lunsford. The second plantation of the Richard- son family bordered Cattail Creek, while the third plantation bordered Little River and was very level and free from rocks. Lunsford Richardson, Sr., had a sawmill, grist mill and flour mill op- erated by water power from Little River. He also owned a large number of slaves. Lunsford, Sr., war drowned in the Little River during a freshet at the age of forty-eight years. He was a devout Methodist and the main support of Rose Place Methodist Episcopal Church, located 21/2 miles from his home.
Lunsford Richardson after graduating from Horner School and Davidson College in 1875 was a teacher for four years, and in September, 1880, engaged in the drug business. His two sons are now associated with him in the Vicks Chemical Company at Greensboro and they have made this one of the large and flourishing enterprises of the city. Mr. Richardson is an elder in the First Presbyterian Church of Greensboro and has ac- tively participated in both the church and civic affairs. He has been a Sunday school worker either as superintendent or teacher for more than forty years. His contributions to home and for- eign missions have always been liberal, and he is vice president of the Board of Public Welfare, a benevolent institution that has effected much good among the otherwise neglected poor of Greens- boro. Mr. Richardson is also responsible for estab- lishing the Armstrong Sabbath School, which is an institution among the colored people of the city. He personally pays the expense of an experienced colored nurse to minister to the worthy poor of that class.
Mr. Richardson married Miss Mary Lynn, daugh- ter of Dr. J. Henry Smith, a Presbyterian min- ister of Greensboro. Mr. and Mrs. Richardson were married August 28, 1884, and their children are J. H. Smith Richardson, Laurin V., Mary Nor- ris, Lunsford and Mary Lynn, all now living. J. Henry Smith married Grace Jones, of Danville, and their two children are Grace Stuart and Mary Keene. Laurin V. is the wife of Dr. C. J. Carl- son and has three children. Mary Lynn, Carl and Beda. Mary Norris married William Y. Pryer and has a son named William Y., Jr.
JAMES MERRITT SHARP. During the past ten years Mr. Sharp has been engaged in steadily in- creasing activities and responsibilities as a capable lawyer, and is one of the leading men in the law and in public affairs at Reidsville, though he has rather avoided the field of practical politics and office holding. Many also associate his name with a former excellent educational institution, Sharp's
yours Sincerely,
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Institute, which he established and through which he rendered a splendid service for the education of young people for several years.
Mr. Sharp was born in New Bethel Township of Rockingham County, and is descended from some of the early Irish stock in that county. His great-grandfather was born in Ireland and coming to America a young man spent his last years in Rockingham County. Adolphus Archer Sharp, grandfather of Mr. Sharp, was born in North Carolina, and owned and occupied a plantation in Mayo Township, having a number of slaves to operate it. He lived there until his death. The maiden name of his wife was Margaret Joyce, who was also of Irish ancestry. Both lived to a good old age and were members of the Methodist Epis- copal Church.
The father of James M. Sharp was James Mar- shall Sharp, who was born in Mayo Township, Rockingham County. Soon after the breaking out of the war between the states he entered the Con- federate service in Company F of the Forty-fifth North Carolina Infantry. The record of that gal- lant regiment is practically his individual record as a soldier. At the battle of Gettysburg he was severely wounded, but recovered and rejoined his command and remained with it until near the close of the war. He was then captured and spent the last weeks of the period of hostilities in a northern prison. After his parole he returned home and started life with practically no capital and in the devastated and poverty stricken condi- tions of the time. He managed to secure a tract of wooded land in New Bethel Township, and un- dertook the task of clearing it and doing real pioneer work. His first home was a very small house, but in the course of time an extended acreage came under cultivation and he had good buildings erected and his last years were spent in comfort. He died there in 1912. James Marshall Sharp married Eliza Ann Garrett, a native of Huntsville Township, and daughter of Bowling Garrett. Her parental grandfather was born in County Kent, England, and settled in North Caro- lina when a young man. Mrs. James Marshall Sharp is still living at the old homestead. Her family of children consisted of William W., Adol- phus A., Robert M., John B., James Merritt, Bertha A., Joseph A. and Calvin Russell.
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James Merritt Sharp spent his youth in a good home, though not one of luxury, and was encour- aged to make the best of his opportunities. Above the district schools his education was acquired largely through his own efforts. He attended Whitsett Institute and later Wake Forest College. At the age of eighteen he taught his first term of school in Madison Township. In 1900 Mr. Sharp established Sharp's Institute. For its accomino- dation he had a large frame building, conveniently arranged and equipped, erected and completed in the fall of that year, and his school opened under auspicious circumstances October 22d. He was president, principal and sole owner of the school, and its preparatory and academic work soon brought it a generous patronage and a more than local reputation for thoroughness and efficiency. Its graduates were freely admitted to a number of colleges and universities without examination. In 1907 the building and all equipment were de- stroyed by fire.
Happily Mr. Sharp was prepared for the emer- gency in his affairs which this loss created. He had for several years devoted his spare time to the
study of law and had also attended the law depart- ment of Wake Forest College. In the spring of 1907 he was licensed to practice, and since then has been accumulating honors in his profession. The first two years were spent at Stoneville, three years at Madison, and since then his home and office have been at Reidsville.
In 1906 Mr. Sharp married Annie Brett Black- well. She was born in Vance County, North Caro- lina, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Pomfret Blackwell. Mr. and Mrs. Sharp have five children : Susie, Sallie, Annie Hill, Thomas Marshall and Louisa W.
Mr. Sharp is of the Primitive Baptist faith while his wife is a Methodist. He is affiliated with Stoneville Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, and is especially prominent in the Junior Order of United American Mechanics, being a past counsellor of Carolina Council No. 9 and a former member of the state judiciary of the order. He is also dictator of Reidsville Lodge No. 1390, Loyal Order of Moose. Some of his civic and patriotic activities are indicated by the fact that he is now president of the Reidsville Chamber of Commerce and is chairman of the War Savings Stamp committee. He is a regular democratic voter, but beyond voting his aspirations do not go.
JOHN ELDON CARLYLE was a representative of the splendid citizenship of Robeson County and it was an expression of complete community esteem when at the time of his death he was called one of its best citizens.
Mr. Carlyle was born in Robeson County, Novem- ber 3, 1855, and died at his home five miles west of Lumberton March 4, 1918, in his sixty-third year. The Carlyles have lived in Robeson County for a number of generations. One of the promi- nent members of the family was the late Professor John B. Carlyle, a man of rare scholarship who held the chair of Latin at Wake Forest, North Carolina. John Atlas Carlyle, father of John El- don, was for many years one of the substantial planters of Robeson County. John Eldon Carlyle was born on the Raft Swamp, about three and a half miles northwest of the home where he died. In that section of Robeson County he spent his career. beginning life as a farmer and making that his chief occupation. For some years, however, he was quite extensively engaged in the turpen- tine and naval stores business, representing James Sprunt & Son of Wilmington. He conducted this business at his home five miles west of Lumberton on the Seaboard Air Line Railway, and at Lumber- ton, where he had a switch for shipping purposes. He was also a director of the Planters Bank and Trust Company of Lumberton.
The late Mr. Carlyle was one of the oldest Masons in the county and was buried with Masonic honors. His funeral services were conducted by the pastor of the Raft Swamp Baptist Church, one of the oldest and most historic Baptist Churches in the state. He had been an active member of that denomination for about thirty-five years, and a large part of that time he served as deacon and was also church treasurer.
Mrs. John Eldon Carlyle, who died in December, 1915. bore the maiden name of Etta May Andrews. She was born near what was formerly known as Ash Pole, now Fairmount, in Robeson County. Mr. and Mrs. Carlyle were survived by six children. The two daughters are Miss Flora, who lived with her father, and Mrs. J. M. Powell, whose home is near the old Carlyle homestead. The four sons
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arc: Alexander, of Raleigh; Zeb V., connected with the National Army at Camp Jackson; John A., and Rowland, who lived with his father.
John Atlas Carlyle, oldest son of the late John Eldon Carlyle, was born aud reared at the Carlyle home, and his career has been chiefly identified with farming, though for a time he was connected with the Seaboard Air Line Railway at Raleigh. For fifteen months ending in January, 1918, he was superintendent of the Masonic Orphanage Farm at Oxford, North Carolina. He then returned to his farm, which adjoins his father's old place, and is now diligently engaged in cultivating and man- aging about fifty acres of that rich and prosperous agricultural section. John A. Carlyle married Josephine Roberts, of Robeson County. They have three children: Atlas Eldon, Margaret Belle and Mary H.
HON. AMA RIAH MCPHAIL. Of the young members of the Richmond County legal fraternity who have won success and recognition, one who has not only gone far in his chosen calling but has rendered valuable service to his community in official position is Hon. Ama Riah McPhail, of Rockingham. Engaged in practice here since 1908, he has realized that modern business conditions have opened up new fields for the attorney, and has turned his attention to particular branches, specializing along certain lines, and is best known in the direction of civil cases and land litigation.
Mr. McPhail was born in 1883, in Sampson County, North Carolina, and is a son of J. R. and Martha Ann (Westbrook) McPhail, both born in the same county. His father, a general business man of Wayne County, who has attained success in his career, is a believer in education and has given all his children good advantages. The fam- ily is of pure Scotch ancestry, and the original set- tlers in this country made Cumberland County, North Carolina, their place of residence. Ama Riah McPhail and two of his brothers became resi- dents of Richmond County some years ago. They are of three different professions. The eldest of the three is Dr. L. D. McPhail, a graduate of the University of Maryland and a successful practicing ' physician and surgeon of Rockingham; the young- est is Isaiah McPhail, D. D. S., a graduate of the University of Virginia Dental College and a prac- ticing dentist of Hamlet; while Ama Riah McPhail is a lawyer. These three able young men are un- usually well equipped and successful in their sev- eral fields.
Ama Riah McPhail was educated at Horner's Military School at Oxford, Trinity College at Dur- ham, and the University of North Carolina. He studied law in the latter institution and was ad- mitted to the bar in 1908, in which year he began practice at Rockingham, which has since been his home and the scene of his success. Although he is a general practitioner in the various state and federal courts, his work is largely in civil cases and land litigation. In 1912 Mr. McPhail was elected a member of the North Carolina Legislature, Lower House, from Richmond County, and served in the session of 1913 and the extra session. While he took an active interest in general legislative mat- ters that came up in those sessions, his principal efforts were toward eliminating and preventing useless and superfluous measures being passed. Mr. McPhail is a member of the Methodist Church. Fraternally he is affiliated with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Masons, the Modern
Woodmen of America and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
Mrs. McPhail was formerly Miss Lily Lyon, the daughter of Rev. J. T. and Fannie (Small) Lyon, the latter a sister of Congressman J. H. Small of North Carolina. Mr. and Mrs. McPhail have two daughters: Frances and Lillie Elizabeth.
THOMAS DAVIS WARREN. While Mr. Warren has been an active member of the North Carolina bar for twenty years much of his time has been di- verted into business and civic affairs, and he is officially identified with several of the largest cor- porations and business organizations at Newbern.
He came to mature life with the freshness of at- titude developed by a youth in the country, sup- plemented with a thoroughly liberal education. Mr. Warren was born on a farm in Chowan County, North Carolina, January 21, 1872, and is a son of William Young and Fannie ( Badham) Warren. Hc attended the Edenton High School, the Horner's Military School at Oxford, and then entered the University of North Carolina with the class of 1895. The next three years he continued his studies in the law department and was gradu- ated LL. B. in 1898. During part of the year 1897 he taught at Horner's Military School, and during his senior year in university was an in- structor in the law department.
After his admission to the bar Mr. Warren be- gan practice at Trenton in Jones County, and re- mained there ten years, during which time he built up a large and flourishing law business and was again and again honored with public position. In 1908 he removed to Newbern and has handled a general practice together with his many business interests.
Mr. Warren is president of the Trenton Land & Lumber Company; secretary of the Jones-Onslow Land Company; secretary of the Southern Realty Company; was elected president in 1914 of the Atlantic and North Carolina Railroad; is a di- rector of the Newbern Banking & Trust Company; and he organized the Bank of Jones County and served as its president from 1906 to 1908, when he removed to Newbern.
Mr. Warren represented the Seventh District, comprising six counties, in the State Senate from 1901 to 1903 and was member of the House of Representatives from Jones County in 1905. While in Jones County he served as county at- torney, and held a similar office in Craven County four years. For the past six years he has been chairman of the Craven County Board of Educa- tion and for eight years has been a trustee of the Newbern graded schools and a member of the Board of Trustees of the University of North Carolina. He has done much to strengthen the democratic organization in his section of the state and has been chairman of the State Demo- cratic Executive Committee since March, 1914.
He was married June 8, 1904, to Mary A. Ste- venson, of Kinston, North Carolina. Their two children are Thomas Davis, Jr., and Elizabeth Ste- venson.
JULIUS J. HILTON, M. D. The medium of serv- ice by which he has been a factor of good to his native state and for which his name deserves recognition in this publication is the thirty odd years Doctor Hilton has successfully practiced medicine. Throughout nearly all these years he
Julius &. Hilton M.N.
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has lived in Guilford County and his present home and headquarters of practice are at Greensboro.
Doctor Hilton was born in 1860 on a plantation near Hillsdale in Guilford County, a son of James M. Hilton, who was born in the same locality in 1832. The Hiltons are descended from two brothers who came to America in pioneer times. Joseph Hilton, the grandfather, locating in North Caro- lina and the other in Virginia. Doctor Hilton's' paternal grandmother was Patsy (Ozmont) Hil- ton. James M. Hilton grew up on a farm, and after his marriage bought a plantation adjoining that of his father. He left his work in the fields to enlist in the Confederate Army when the war broke out, and was with a North Carolina regi- ment until captured by the enemy. As a prisoner of war he was at Point Lookout, Maryland, and Elmira, New York, until paroled. Following the war he resumed farming, and continued to live near Hillsdale until 1885, when he moved to Rock- ingham County. Though now eighty-six years of age, he still gives active superintendence to his farm near Stokesdale. He has been three times married. The maiden name of his first wife was Nancy D. Harris. She was born near Hillsdale, daughter of Peter and Valencia (Beville) Harris. She died at the age of forty-two years. The sec- ond wife of James M. Hilton was Sarah Stanley, and his third marriage was with Margaret Clapp. The children of his first wife were: Rufus, Julius J., James Cicero, Ellen, William P. and. John Lucius. There were two children by the second marriage, Gaither and Florence, and also two by the third wife, Walter and Edwin.
Doctor Hilton during his youth attended district school, also the Summerfield Academy and Oak Ridge Institute. He did his preliminary work in medicine under the direction of Dr. B. Y. Harris and Dr. J. J. Cox. While still an undergraduate he practiced at Hillsdale and afterwards completed his education in the Maryland University School of Medicine at Baltimore, where he graduated in 1886. On resuming practice he was located at Hillsdale one year, at Winston one year, and then for seventeen years was busied with an extensive country practice in and around Stokesdale. From there he moved to Greensboro and he still enjoys a place of leadership in the medical fraternity of Guilford County. He is an active member of the Guilford County and North Carolina State Medi- cal societies.
In 1881 Doctor Hilton married Nellie Meinung. She was born at Salem, North Carolina, daughter of Edward and Clemmie (Pfohl) Meinung. Mrs. Hilton's people were Moravians and she was reared in the faith of that church and has always kept up her membership. Doctor and Mrs. Hilton reared four children: Charles MeLean, James Edwin, Florence and Minnie. They now have several grandchildren. The son Charles married Alta Wysong, and his three children are Adelaide, Edwina and an infant. James Edwin died at the age of twenty-three. Florence is the wife of John H. Flynt, and is the mother of four children, Mary Frances, John, Edwin, and an infant. Minnie is the wife of Douglas Hayworth, and her son and daughter are named Julius and Louise.
CHARLES LUCAS DUNCAN, M. D. Though one of Beaufort's most successful physicians, and a spe- cialist in children's diseases, Doctor Duncan is almost equally well known as a factor in business affairs. He is an official member of several of the
leading corporations and business concerns of that city, and is one of the busiest and hardest working men of the community.
Doctor Duncan was born in Beaufort, where his professional career has been passed, on June 22, 1872. He is a son of Thomas Lucas and Auna (Perry) Duncan. His father was a well known merchant of the city. Doctor Duncan was liberally educated, his father having been a prosperous mau. He attended private school, took his literary train- ing in Trinity College, and in 1900 graduated M. D. from the University of North Carolina. The next two years he spent in further study and preparation for his chosen work in the University of Maryland, and had two years of hospital ex- perience in Baltimore. After this thorough train- ing Doctor Duncan returned to Beaufort and speedily gained a fine practice in the city of his birth. For a number of years he has given special attention to diseases of children and in that field he excels. He is a member in high standing of both the county and state medical societies.
Among the business interests which claim a part of his attention Doctor Duncan is vice president of the Beaufort Banking and Trust Company; is president of the Beaufort Drug Company and the Beaufort Ice Company ; is secretary and treasurer of the Diamond Back Terrapin Company; and see- retary of the Cape Lookout Land Company.
Doctor Duncan and family are members of the Ann Street Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and he is a member of its board of stewards and a trustee. He was married September 2, 1900, to Miss Virginia Clyde Mason, of Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Their three children are Ann Virginia, Grace Wilson and Clyde Mason.
DAVID VERGER DIXON. The career of Mr. Dixon has been one of steady progress from small be- ginnings, limited capital, with a record of over- coming of many obstacles, until he is now one of the most substantial merchants and citizens of Kinston.
Born in Greene County, North Carolina, August 26, 1856, he finished his education in the Carolina Seminary in his native county. At the age of nine- teen he was working in a general store at Hooker- ton. Growing experience and a small capital which resulted from his thrift enabled him by 1881 to buy an interest in the store of Patrick and Dixon. In 1888 he had become sole proprietor of the busi- ness, and the firm D. V. Dixon & Company was one of the largest at Hookerton.
In 1898 Mr. Dixon came to Kinston, and after two years of business association with J. W. Grain- ger, established the present hardware house of D. V. Dixon & Son. This firm has an ample capital, carries a large stock of general hardware and im- plements, and its trade territory covers a wide sec- tion of country around Kinston. Mr. Dixon is also a director of the Caswell Cotton Mill Company and a director of the National Bank of Kinston.
An inspiration to his business activity was his family and he has reared some verv capable sons and daughters. He was married in May, 1879, to Miss Corrine Bryant Patrick, of Greene County, North Carolina. Their married life continued for over thirty-five years until interrupted by the death of Mrs. Dixon on September 21, 1914. The oldest of their children, Errol Patrick Dixon, who died December 3, 1916, was for a number of years actively associated with his father in the hardware business. David Lloyd, the oldest of the children
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now living married Martha Stanton Hines, of Kinston. He enlisted in the Quarter Masters De- partment and is now stationed at Palo Alto, Cali- fornia. The other children still living are Hattie Lucile and William Thomas, both of whom are still at home. Five other children are deceased: Janie Mabel, who died in February, 1907; Lizzie Patrick, who died at the age of twelve; John Mon- roe, who died when seven years old; Lillie Saun- ders, who died at the age of five; and Harry Thompson, who died when three years of age.
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