LSP - Miscellanea: Tar Hill Sketch-Book (Session of 1879)

TAR HEEL SKETCH-BOOK A BRIEF BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF THE LIFE AND PUBLIC ACTS OF THE MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA SESSION OF 1879. BY J. S. TOMLINSON. RALEIGH: RALEIGH NEWS STEAM BOOK AND JOB PRINT. 1879. [abstracts for native assemblymen of the Roanoke-Chowan region] [footnoted text added by David Powell]

[pp. 5 & 6]

SENATE.
FIRST DISTRICT [...] GEORGE HENRY MITCHELL,
WINTON, HERTFORD COUNTY, N. C., Was born in Bertie county, in that part which was formerly known as the Snake-bite District, on the 8th of September, 1828. His father, James L. Mitchell, died, leaving him and a younger brother when very small. He now owns a very fine farm in Hertford county, near St. John's known as the "Roswell Castle," and does an extensive business at farming. He was married to Miss Martha M. McGlohon in July, 1852, and the fruits of this union were three children, the oldest of which died in 1870, at the Murfreesboro Baptist Institute¹. Her name was Georgiana Mitchell. Martha L. Mitchell, is still living; the youngest, a son, Dr. J. H. Mitchell, is also living. His wife died in December, 1863, and he was again married in December, 1864, to Mrs. Nancy Vann, a sister of his first wife, by whom he had two children, Mary Emily and James Arthur Luke. His second wife died in November, 1873. He then married Miss Nancy A., daughter of James Northcott, Esq., on the 22nd of December, 1874, by whom he has one child. Mr. M. was elected captain of a military company when only 18 years old, after which he was promoted to Lieut. Colonel of a Militia Regiment and soon afterwards to Colonel. Did not go into war --furnished a substitute. He carried the mail by contract for three years during the war, and furnished provisions for the Confederate army. Since the war he has served a number of years as Justice of the Peace, by appointment and by the popular vote, of the people. Was a candidate for a seat in the Constitutional Convention of 1875, but defeated by Hon. J. J. Yeates. Was elected to his present seat in the Senate by a large majority. He has always been a farmer, and has been keeping hotel in Winton for several years past. Committes --Insurance, State Debt, Magistrates and Public Buildings. A very quiet and attentive member. --Republican.
¹ in Murfreesboro's weekly paper "The Albemarle Enquirer" the editor, E. L. C. Ward, on Thursday, May 8, 1879 reprinted this sketch, in which he substitued the institutes proper name, Chowan Baptist Female Institute.

[pp. 8 & 9]

THIRD DISTRICT GEORGE DOSSY HOLMAN,
JACKSON, NORTHAMPTON COUNTY, N. C., Born March 4th, 1828 in Hertford county. Married first to Elizabeth Beale, of Northampton county; the second time, to Sarah F., daughter of Rev. William Boone; his third wife was Mary A., daughter of Lemule H. Boyce, Esq. Has nine children living. His occupation is that of a farmer and gunsmith. During the war he served as a Captain of a Militia Company. Been Magistrate four years and County Commissioner two years. Elected to the State Senate for the sessions of 1872--'73 and 1873-'74, and re-elected to the present by about 500 majority. Mr. H. is a quiet and peaceable citizen at home, he having never been sued, indicted or warranted on his own account in his life. This shows a record worthy of imitation. --Republican.

[HOUSE.]

[pp. 53 & 54]

BERTIE COUNTY WILL. CHERRY ETHERIDGE,
COLERAINE, N. C. Was born in Bertie county July 17th 1856. Attended Trinity College until he passed through the Junior Class. Left there in 1874, and went to Washington Lee University, where he graduated with class of 1876. He was a candidate for the Legislature in the summer of 1876, but on account of the county being largely Republican he was defeated. But feeling that he was the exponent of a party that would finally triumph he ran in 1878 and was elected over his negro opponent by 500 majority. He is the first Democrat from Bertie county since the war, and is the youngest member in the General Assembly, he being only about 22 years old. It is a proud record that one so young should so gain the confidence and esteem of the people of the county as to be honored with such a place of trust. He serves on the Judiciary and several other committees. He is a brilliant speaker for his experience and has taken an active part in great many prominent measures before the House. --Democrat.

[pp. 79 & 80]

GATES COUNTY. JOHN JACOB GATLING,
GATLINGTON, N. C. Was born near Reynoldson, Gates county, N. C., January 18th, 1843, and is 36 years of age. He was educated at the Reynoldson Academy, then known as Chowan College, studied no profession. Is a farmer by occupation. Left school at the age of eighteen years, and enlisted in the "State Guards," the first military company raised in the county, and among the first raised in the State. This company was assigned as company "B," to the 5th Regiment of N. C. State troops, which enlisted, from the outset, for the war, and was at first commanded by Col. D. K. McRae. On the 12th of May, 1862, he was promoted to the position of Regimental Sergeant Major, by order of Col. McRae, and r[e]mained at the Colonel's Headquarters acting as secr[e]tary for him. In the early part of 1863 was promoted to be Second Lieutenant of Company G, of the 5th Regiment, and as such commanded his company through some of the hottest battles of the war --the Captain, J. M. Taylor, being absent, wounded, and the First Lieutenant a prisoner of war. In 1864 was made Acting Adjutant of the regiment and in the capacity served until the 19th day of September, 1864, when in the desperate and disastrous battle fought between Gen. Jubal Early's army and that of Gen. Phil. Sheridan, upon the bloody heights of Winchester, Va., he was taken prisoner of war in company with some six hundred others. After his capture was taken to the Fort Delaware Military Prison, and there kept nine months and until after the war. He was engaged in all the great battles of the late war, in which his regiment took part, up to the date of his capture, except those of Cold Harbor and Mechanicsville. Since the war he has held a good many important public positions. Was township clerk unti[l] 1875, when he resigned to accept the nomination to the House of Representatives made vacant by the death of the Hon. R. H. Ballard, to which position he was elected without opposition. He was for some time one of the county examiners for teachers, has been public administrator for Gates county ever since that has been an office, and is now a Justice of the Peace. In 1876 he was nominated by the Democratic Convention for House of Representatives but declined. In 1878 was again nominated for same position, accepted, and was elected over his Republican opponent by about 282 majority. Mr. Gatling was married to Miss Emily G. Whitley¹, daughter of John Willey, Esq., deceased on the 20th of November, 1870, and has now living four children, three boys and one girl. Committees: Finance, Salaries and Fees. --Democrat.
¹ When editor E. L. C. Ward reprinted this sketch, on May 15, 1879, he substitued Willey for Whitley for Gatling's wife. An inspection of the marriage register for Gates County tells us that this was the proper thing to do as Gatling was the son of Riddick and Edith Gatling, and his wife, as Emily G. Willey, was the daughter of John and Penina Willey. They were married at home on Nov. 10, 1879.

[p. 86]

HERTFORD COUNTY. JORDAN JONATHAN HORTON,
ST. JOHN, N. C. Born near Winton, Hertford county, April 21st, 1815. Both his parents were natives of the same county. Was first married Nov. 19th, 1840, to Miss Anna Harrell, daughter of Powell Harrell, Esq. married second time Sept. 20th, 1842, to Miss Jane Willerford, daughter of Richard Willerford, Esq. By his first wife he had one child and by his second fourteen children --all dead but two, one son and one daughter. He was married the third time, March 27th, 1867, to Mrs. Permelia Bishop, daughter of George Cox, Esq. All his wives were natives of Bertie county. He has held the office of Justice of the Peace for five years, and that of School Committee for twenty years. Served as Treasurer for Hertford county for four years. Was elected to the Constitutional Convention of 1875, and in 1876 was elected to the House of Representatives, but on account of the informality of the vote at Winton he was unseated by his contestant, C. H. Madrey¹. Was elected to his present seat in the House of Representatives by upwards of 300 majority. He serves on Committees, Private Bills and Claims. Has been a member of the Baptist Church for 37 years. Has never sued or warranted any one and has never been sued but once, and that time it was for a Confederate debt. He is far the largest man in the General Assembly --his weight is 360 pounds. --Republican.

¹ Henry Carter Maddrey

[p. 101]

NORTHAMPTON COUNTY. JAMES WILLIAM GRANT.
GARYSBURG, N. C. Born in Northampton county, November 16th, 1823. Farmer. Married November 23rd, 1846, to Miss Martha A. Boone, by whom he has seven children living. Was appointed magistrate under the Provisional Government of Holden. Been county commissioner ten years and chairman all the while except one term. Is now Public Administrator of the county. Received only a common English education. Elected to the House by 133 majority over Paul Haily, a negro, the Republican nominee. Committees: Propositions and Grievances, Corporations, and Agriculture. An observant member. --Democrat.

[The following sketch was not re-printed by Ward in the ENQUIRER, as it pertained to a Halifax delegate, but I think the delegate being a Hertford County native, and a former Northampton delegate, warrants inclusion -dp]

[p. 83]

HALIFAX COUNTY. JOHN THOMAS REYNOLDS,
ENDFIELD, N. C. Born at Murfreesboro, N. C., March 28th, 1848. Was educated at Shaw University in Raleigh. He also assisted some in teaching at this Institution. In October, 1875, he married the daughter of Rev. William Warrick, late of Philadelphia. In public life he has had a very fair amount of experience. His first term in the State Legislature was in 1868, he then being the Representative from Northampton County. In 1870 he was elected a Commissioner for the county. In the year 1873 he moved from that county to Halifax. Was elected to represent that county in the House of Representatives for the term of 1876-'77, at which session he was appointed magistrate. Was elected to the present House without opposition. Committees: Finance and Education. He seems to have taken much interest in the educational matters that have been before the Assembly. By occupation he is a mechanic. --Republican.
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