Buncombe County

by Moser, Artus Monroe. Junius Greene Adams, attorney and cattleman, was born in Statesville, the son of Joseph Shephard Adams and Sallie Greene Adams, a native of Greensboro. They were descendants of a long line of English [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Spence, Thomas H., Jr. Robert Campbell Anderson, Jr., Presbyterian minister and son of the Reverend Robert Campbell and Justina Caroline Armistead Anderson, was born near Martinsville, Va. He was graduated from [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Cecelski, David S. Betty Ballew grew up in one of the most beautiful valleys by the Blue Ridge Parkway: the North Fork, just north of Black Mountain. Earlier this century, thousands of Appalachian families were [...] (from Listening to History, News and Observer.)

by Smythe, Andrea. Bauer, Rachael Blythe by Andrea Smythe, September 2023 May 15, 1870 – January 9, 1897 See also: Bauer, Adolphus Gustavus Rachael Blythe Bauer, stenographer and typist,  was a [...] (from Government & Heritage Library, State Library of North Carolina.)

by Baker, James Thomas. Lemuel Nelson Bell, doctor and Presbyterian layman, the youngest child of James H. and Ruth McCue Bell, both of Scot-Irish descent, was born in the house of the superintendent of the Longdale Mining [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Steelman, Bennett L. Robert Bingham, headmaster of Bingham School and educational advocate, was born in Hillsborough, the fourth child of William James Bingham, then principal of Hillsborough Academy, and his wife, [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Simpson, Marcus B., Jr. Edwin August Björkman, journalist, literary critic, and translator, was born in Stockholm, Sweden, the son of Anders August and Johanna Elizabeth Anderson Björkman. He attended South-End Higher Latin [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Dry, David. Borne, Willis Gustavus "Billy" by David Dry, copyright 2019. Published with permission. For personal educational use and not for further distribution. 22 July 1884-19 May 1944 Willis [...] (from Government & Heritage Library, State Library of North Carolina.)

by Simpson, Marcus B., Jr. Charles Lawrence Boynton, botanist and zoologist, was born in Vineland, N.J., of Scot-Irish ancestry. His father, Charles A. Boynton, was a descendant of John Boynton, who arrived from England in [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Gainor, Samuel M. James Jefferson Britt, educator, lawyer, and U.S. congressman, was born six miles from Johnson City in Carter County, Tenn. His father was James Jefferson Britt, a farmer and mechanic, who served in [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Brown, Dick. Brock, Ignatius Wadsworth by Dick Brown, 1979; Revised March 2022 12 Nov. 1866–8 Nov. 1950 Ignatius Wadsworth Brock, photographer and painter, was born near Comfort in Jones County, the son [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Powell, William S. John Brown, congressman and land speculator, was born in Kishacoquilla Valley and later lived in Lewistown, Pa., where he attended local common schools. In 1800 in Lewistown he began grist and [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Johnston, Frontis W. John Evans Brown, land developer, was born in Lewiston, Pa., the son of William John Brown (1803–84). He attended school in Wilmington, Del., and afterward studied medicine and law until ill health [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Woodard, John R., Jr. William Albert Gallatin Brown, Baptist educator, was born in Blount County, Tenn. His father was Jonathan Brown and his mother Rebecca Bowers Brown. When he was twelve years old, his father moved to [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Carraway, Gertrude S. Charles Shepard Bryan, army officer and financier, was the son of James Augustus Bryan and Mary Spaight Shepard, grandson of Congressman Charles Biddle Shepard and Mary Spaight Donnell, [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Pickens, Donald K. Edward Burleson, Texas politician and Indian fighter, was born in Buncombe County. After moves to Tennessee and Alabama in 1814, he went to Missouri, where he commanded a company of Howard County [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Smith, Claiborne T., Jr. Jarvis Buxton, Episcopal clergyman and educator, was born near Washington, N.C., the son of the Reverend Jarvis Barry Buxton, also an Episcopal minister. A few years later his father became rector of [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Green, C. Sylvester. John Cameron Buxton, attorney and banker, was born in Asheville, the son of Jarvis and Anne Cameron Buxton. He obtained his preparatory education in the local schools and at St. Clements Hall, [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Simpson, Marcus B., Jr. John Simpson Cairns, ornithologist, was born in Lawrence, Mass., the son of John and Agnes Simpson Cairns. In 1855 his parents moved from Scotland to the United States, where the elder John Cairns [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Whisnant, David E. John Charles Campbell, educator and social reformer, was born in La Porte, Ind., to Gavin and Anna Barbara Kipp Campbell. He spent his youth in Wisconsin, where he was graduated from Stevens Point [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Whisnant, David E. Olive Dame Campbell, founder of the John C. Campbell Folk School, was born to Lorin Low and Isabel Arnold Dame in Medford, Mass. She married John C. Campbell on 21 Mar. 1907 and moved to the [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Spence, Thomas H., Jr. Robert Fishburne Campbell, Presbyterian clergyman, was born the son of John Lyle and Harriet Hatch Bailey Campbell at Lexington, Va., where his father was a member of the faculty of Washington [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Mcfarland, Daniel M. Carson, Samuel Price by Daniel M. Mcfarland, 1979 22 Jan. 1798–2 Nov. 1838 Samuel Price Carson, congressman and secretary of state of Texas, was born at Pleasant Gardens, Burke County, the [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Kearney, H. Thomas, Jr. Thomas Lanier Clingman, antebellum political leader, Civil War general, and propagandist for Western North Carolina development, was born at Huntsville in Surry (now Yadkin) County. His grandfather, [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Caldwell, Martha B. Burnham Standish Colburn, banker, bridge builder, and real estate developer, was born in Detroit, Mich., to William Cullen Colburn and his wife, Mary Augusta Standish Colburn. A Mayflower ancestor [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Powell, William S. Ceasar Cone, industrialist and philanthropist, was born in Jonesboro, Tenn., the son of Herman and Helen Guggenheimer Cone. The parents were natives of Bavaria, born about ten miles apart but [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Powell, William S. Moses Herman Cone, industrialist and philanthropist, was born in Jonesboro, Tenn., the son of Herman and Helen Guggenheimer Cone, natives of Bavaria. For further details of the life of Moses Herman [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Copeland, J. Isaac. Franklin Coxe, industrialist, banker, and railroad executive, was born in Rutherfordton, the son of Francis Sidney and Jane McBee Alexander Coxe. An ancestor, Daniel Coxe, had settled in New Jersey [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Ham, Marie Sharpe, Blake, Debra A., Morris, C. Edward. Craig, Annie D.M. Burgin by Marie Sharpe Ham, Debra A. Blake, and C. Edward Morris. Excerpted from North Carolina's First Ladies, 1891-2001, copyright 2001. Reprinted with permission [...] (from North Carolina's First Ladies: 1891-2001, North Carolina Historical Publications.)

by Meehan, James. Locke Craig, governor and legislator, was born in Bertie County of Scottish heritage. His paternal ancestors had come in 1749 from Ireland to Orange County, where they played an active role in the [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Hill, Michael. LOCKE CRAIG Governor: 1913-1917 by Michael Hill Research Branch, NC Office of Archives and History, [...] (from Research Branch, NC Office of Archives and History.)

by Lanning, E. Kaye. Walter Julius Damtoft, forester and business and civic leader in western North Carolina, was born in Southport, Conn., the son of Knud Julius and Dagmas (Jacobi) Damtoft. He received a bachelor of [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Johnson, Elmer D. Olive Tilford Dargan, writer, was born at Tilford Springs in Grayson County, Ky., the daughter of Elisha Francis and Rebecca Day Tilford. About 1879 her schoolteacher father moved the family to [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Joyce, Janis Bridges. Allen Turner Davidson, lawyer, Confederate congressman, and member of the Council of State, was born in Haywood County, the son of William Mitchell, a Burke County farmer, and Betsy Vance Davidson. [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Wright, David C., III. Davidson, Theodore Fulton by David Calep Wright III, 1986; Revised by SLNC Government and Heritage Library, July 2023 30 Mar. 1845–11 June 1931 Theodore Fulton Davidson, lawyer and [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Massengale, William F. W. John Augustus Dickson, teacher, minister, and physician, was born in Charleston, S.C., the son of Samuel and Mary Neilson Dickson. Both parents were strict Presbyterians of Scottish descent who had [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Turberg, Edward F. Douglas D. Ellington, architect, was born in Clayton, the eldest of three sons of Jesse and Sallie Williamson Ellington. His father was from Clayton and his mother from Suffolk, Va. Educated at [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Willis, F. Craig. Robert Corpening Finley, musician, attorney, and judge, was born in Marion, the son of Robert Sylvester, a pharmacist, and Willie Corpening Finley. He and his brother, Frank A. ("Buzz"), were reared [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Franke, Matthew. Roberta Flack is a Grammy-winning singer, songwriter, and pianist renowned for her smooth, "velvety" voice. Born in Black Mountain in Buncombe County on February 10, 1937, she was one of four [...] (from NCpedia.)

by Barger, Kimberly P., Howe, Richard D. George Nathaniel Folk, lawyer and president of his own law schools, was born in Isle of Wight County, Va., the son of William and Annie Folk. He was educated at the College of William and Mary and at [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by London, Lawrence F. Roma Coxey Fortune, Episcopal priest, son of John L. and Mary Coxey Fortune, was born in Black Mountain. Having lost his hearing at age eight after a severe case of scarlet fever, he received his [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Yearns, W. Buck. Robert McKnight Furman, editor and state official, was born in Louisburg to William H. and Rebecca Furman. Despite the fact that his father was a tailor of modest means, Robert attended the Louisburg [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Pitman, Louise L. Frances Louisa Goodrich, artist, teacher, and craftsman, was born in Binghamton, N.Y., the daughter of the Reverend William Henry and Mary Prichard Goodrich. She spent her early years and was [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Kemp, Amy. Billy Graham is a noted Evangelical pastor, speaker, and evangelist. He has been dubbed ‘America’s Pastor,’ and has remained an influential voice in international Christianity and politics. He has [...] (from Government & Heritage Library, State Library of North Carolina.)

by Pollitt, Phoebe Ann. Originally published in "North Carolina Nursing History." Republished with permission. For personal educational use and not for further distribution. Please submit permission requests for other uses [...] (from Appalachian State University.)

by Powell, William S. Edwin Wiley Grove, proprietary drug manufacturer and Asheville developer, was born in Whiteville, Hardeman County, Tenn., the son of James Henry and Mary Jane Harris Grove. Both of his parents were [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Cocke, Eugene R. Hezekiah Alexander Gudger, lawyer, educator, diplomat, and jurist, was born in Madison County, the son of Joseph Jackson and Sarah Emeline Barnard Gudger. He was educated in the public school system [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Pleasants, Julian M. James Madison Gudger, Jr., congressman, state senator, and attorney, was born in Madison County of Scot-Irish ancestry, the youngest son of Joseph Jackson and Sarah Emeline Barnard Gudger. Gudger's [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Pollitt, Phoebe Ann. Originally published in "North Carolina Nursing History." Republished with permission. For personal educational use and not for further distribution. Please submit permission requests for other uses [...] (from Appalachian State University.)

by Levy, Suzanne S. George Way Harley, Methodist missionary, physician, blacksmith, geographer, anthropologist, and researcher, was born in Asheville to George Gamewell (1862–1925) and Lillie [Lily] Way (1871–1959) [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Massengale, William F. W. Reuben Rivers Harris, educator, was born in Unionville, Ky. After briefly studying law, he turned to teaching and for fourteen years was principal of the public schools in Decatur, Ala. Having [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Walser, Richard. James Hay, Jr., journalist and novelist, was born in Harrisonburg, Va., one of two sons of James and Constance Tatum Hay. Besides his brother William, he had two half sisters from the second marriage [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Russell, Mattie U. Hubert Harrison Hayes, actor, author, producer, promoter, and folklorist, was born in Asheville, the son of Ernest L. Hayes, a master mechanic, and Elizabeth Ingle Hayes. In 1922–23 he attended [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Stephens, George M. Francis James Heazel, lawyer and civic leader, was born in Page County, Va., the son of James F. and Catherine Morrisey Heazel. After attending Mount St. Mary's College in Emmitsburg, Md., he [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Wall, James W. Hinton Rowan Helper, abolitionist author and lecturer and consul to Argentina, was born on the Squire Boone homesite two miles west of Mocksville, the son of Daniel J. and Sarah Brown Helper. He was [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Hughes, Nathaniel C., Jr. James Holland, Revolutionary officer, legislator, and congressman, was born in either Pennsylvania or present-day Anson County, N.C., to which his parents moved about the time of his birth. He was [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Ham, Marie Sharpe, Blake, Debra A., Morris, C. Edward. Holshouser, Patricia Ann Hollingsworth by Marie Sharpe Ham, Debra A. Blake, and C. Edward Morris. Excerpted from North Carolina's First Ladies, 1891-2001, copyright 2001. Reprinted with [...] (from North Carolina's First Ladies: 1891-2001, North Carolina Historical Publications.)

by Powell, William S. Junius Moore Horner, Episcopal bishop, was born in Oxford, the son of James Hunter and Sophronia Moore Horner. After attending the Horner School, Oxford, and the University of Virginia, he received [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Green, C. Sylvester. Jeffress, Edwin Bedford, Sr. by C. Sylvester Green, 1988 20 May 1887–23 May 1961 Edwin Bedford Jeffress, Sr., journalist, was born in Canton, the son of Charles James and Maria Love Osborne [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Reidinger, Martin. Johnston, Thomas Dillard by Martin Reidinger, 1988 1 Apr. 1840–23 June 1902 Thomas Dillard Johnston, lawyer, legislator, and congressman, was born at Waynesville in Haywood County, the son [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Alexander, Roberta Sue. Alexander Hamilton Jones, newspaper editor and Republican congressman, was born in Buncombe County near Asheville where he received his early education. He explained that during his youth he taught [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Jones, H. G. William Henry Jones, educator, was born in Caswell County, the son of Thaddeus Cornelius and Rebecca Jane Roberts Jones. He attended rural schools in Caswell and Rockingham counties and was graduated [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Green, C. Sylvester. Amos Isaac Justice, Baptist clergyman, was born in the Edneyville section of rural Henderson County. No record has been found identifying his parents, although it is known that his family moved to [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Case, Steven. A native of Asheville, Justice acquired his nickname in the Navy, into which he was drafted in 1943. Seeing him dodge tacklers for the Bainbridge Naval Training Center team, an officer remarked, "He [...] (from Government & Heritage Library, State Library of North Carolina.)

by Martin, Robert F. Howard Anderson ("Buck") Kester, clergyman, educator, and social reformer, was born near Martinsville in Henry County, Va. He was the youngest of three children of Nannie Holt, of Lynchburg, Va., and [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Bursey, Maurice M., Thomason, Sallie Carter. John Kimberly, chemist and educator, was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., the son of David and Elizabeth Ferris Kimberly. After receiving the B.A. from Yale and the M.A. from the Harvard Science School, he [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Walser, Richard. Winifred Margaretta Kirkland, writer, was born in Columbia, Pa., the oldest child of George Henry and Emma Matilda Reagan Kirkland. After attending Packer Institute in Brooklyn, she received the A.B. [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Meehan, James. Joseph Lane, soldier, U.S. senator, governor of Oregon, and vice-presidential candidate, was born in a double log cabin on Beaverdam Creek, four miles north of Asheville. During the same year his [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Walker, Philip A. Virginia Terrell Lathrop, author, journalist, and longtime member of the governing boards of The University of North Carolina, was born in Raleigh, the daughter of George Sumter and Lovie Park [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Davidson, Chalmers G. Edward Dilworth Latta, industrialist, was born in the South Carolina summer resort village of Pendleton, the oldest of three sons of James T. and Angela Wetherell Lott Latta. He attended Pennington [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Gatton, T. Harry. Luke Lea, newspaper editor and publisher, U.S. senator, financier, attorney, and World War I hero, was born at the family ancestral home in Nashville, Tenn., the son of Overton and Ella Cocke Lea. [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Powell, William S. Charles Cochrane Lee, teacher and Confederate officer, was born in Charleston, S.C., the son of Stephen and Carolina (Lee) Lee. His father attended the U.S. Military Academy and was an instructor in [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Powell, William S. Lee, Stephen by William S. Powell, 1991 7 June 1801–2 Aug. [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Sims, Anastatia. Thomas Bailey Lee, lawyer and judge, was born in Mocksville, the son of the Reverend William Drayton, M.D., and Sarah Ann Bailey Lee. He attended the Bingham School in Mebane and was graduated with [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Taylor, A. Elizabeth. Helen Morris Lewis, pioneer in the woman suffrage movement in the South and organizer of the first woman's rights association in North Carolina, was born in the Vander Horst mansion on Chapel Street [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Thorp, John Mercer, Jr. Lewis, McDaniel by John Mercer Thorp, Jr., 1991 24 Feb. 1894–13 Aug. 1978 McDaniel Lewis, investment banker, civic leader, and supporter of various cultural and historical projects, was [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Garcia, Brittney. Lipinsky, Solomon By Brittney Garcia, North Carolina State University, 2013 February 23, 1856-1925 Solomon Lipinsky was a civic leader and prominent Jewish businessman [...] (from NCpedia.)

by Inscoe, John C. Lyon, John by John Inscoe, 1991 1765?–14 Sept. 1814 John Lyon, botanist and plant [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Riley, Jack. Hugh MacRae, mining engineer, developer, and industrialist, was born in Carbonton, Chatham County, of Scottish and English descent. He was the son of Julia Norton and Donald MacRae, who served as [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Bingham, Warren L. Mainer, James Emmitt by Warren L. Bingham, 1991 20 July 1898–12 June [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Branch, Paul, Jr. James Green Martin, Confederate officer and lawyer, was born at Elizabeth City, the oldest son of William and Sophia Scott Daugé Martin. His father, a prominent planter and shipbuilder, had served in [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Casada, Jim. Masa, George by Jim Casada, 1991 1882?–21 June 1933 George Masa, Japanese photographer and cartographer, for whom the Great Smoky Mountains were an adopted home, was [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Mccain, Paul M. Louis Burgin McBrayer, physician, medical administrator, and pioneer in the fight against tuberculosis, was born near Wolf Top Mountain in Buncombe County, the only child of Adolphus and Lou A. Case [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Clarke, Dumont, IV. McClure, James Gore King, Jr. by Dumont Clarke IV, 1991 28 Oct. 1884–17 June 1956 James Gore King McClure, [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Topkins, Robert M. William Wallis McDowell, merchant, Confederate soldier, and banker, was born at Pleasant Gardens in present-day McDowell County, the grandson of Revolutionary War hero Major Joseph McDowell and the [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Bell, John L., Jr. Augustus Summerfield Merrimon, lawyer, U.S. senator, and chief justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court, was born in Transylvania County at Cherryfields, the home of his maternal grandparents. He [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Wodehouse, Lawrence. Frank Pierce Milburn, architect and designer of numerous structures in most states south of the Mason-Dixon Line, was born in Bowling Green, Ky. His father, Thomas Thurmond Milburn, was a building [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Bardill, Mark D. Banner Isom Miller, meteorologist, geophysicist, and an authority on tropical storms, was born in Lansing, Ashe County, in the northwestern corner of North Carolina. He was graduated from high school [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Johnson, Elmer D. Helen Topping Miller, novelist, was born in Fenton, Mich., the daughter of Isaac Wallace and Maria Augusta Chipman Topping. She was the niece of John Dewey, the philosopher. Helen began writing [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Hill, Michael. With years of experience on the bench, Dan K. Moore (1906-1986) brought to the Governor’s Office during the turbulent 1960s a calm, judicial temperament and a moderately conservative approach to [...] (from Research Branch, NC Office of Archives and History.)

by Carroll, Grady L. E., Sr. Mouzon, Edwin DuBose by Grady L. E. Carroll, 1991 19 May 1869–10 Feb. [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by London, Lawrence F. Francis Johnstone Murdoch, Episcopal clergyman, teacher, and manufacturer, was born in Buncombe County, the son of William and Margaret Nixon Murdoch. His parents immigrated to America from Ireland [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Cecelski, David S. Loraine Carter Nelson recently sent me a lovely memoir recalling her childhood growing up with eight brothers and sisters in the Blue Ridge Mountains. That was near the village of Democrat, 17 miles [...] (from Listening to History, News and Observer.)

by Freeman, Bertha. George Newton, educator and Presbyterian minister, was the youngest of seven children of Ebenezer Newton and his wife of Shrewbury District, York, Pa. The family moved to North Carolina before the [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Meehan, James. Edgar Wilson (Bill) Nye, journalist and humorist who spent his last years near Asheville, was born in Shirley, northern Maine, the oldest of three sons of Franklin and Elizabeth Loring Nye. His [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Meehan, James. George Willis Pack, lumber merchant and benefactor of the city of Asheville, was born in Fenner, Madison County, N.Y., of English ancestry. His forebears had settled in New Jersey in 1664 and for [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Powell, William S. Paine, Sidney Small by William S. Powell, 1994 26 Feb. 1887–29 Dec. 1972 Sidney Small Paine, cotton manufacturer, was born in Boston, Mass., the son of Sidney Borden and Mary Adams Small [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Thorp, John Mercer, Jr. Thomas Pasteur, career army officer, was from Halifax and perhaps was a brother of Charles Pasteur. On 15 July 1777 he was commissioned an ensign in the Fourth Regiment of the North Carolina [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Bowman, Charles H., Jr. John Tyrant Patrick, journalist and resort developer, was born in Wadesboro, the youngest of six children of William H. and Margaret A. Campbell Patrick. The Civil War interrupted his formal [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Burhoe, Agnes R. James Washington Patton, contractor and merchant, was born in Wilkes County to James, an Irish immigrant and pioneer to the Yadkin River area, and Anne Reynolds Patton of Wilkes County. When James [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Eagles, Brenda M. Richmond Pearson, legislator, congressman, and diplomat, was born at Richmond Hill, the Pearson family home in Yadkin County. His parents were Richmond Mumford, chief justice of the North Carolina [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Conway, Robert O. Thomas Pearson, international economic adviser, was born at the family home, Richmond Hill, in Asheville, the son of Richmond and Gabrielle Thomas Pearson. His grandfather was Richmond Mumford [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Carroll, Grady L. E., Sr. Peele, William Walter by Grady L. E. Carroll, 1994 26 Nov. 1881–1 July 1959 William Walter Peele, Methodist clergyman and educator, was [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Jones, H. G. William Dudley Pelley, journalist, novelist, promoter of mystical and political teachings, and founder of the Silver Shirt Legion and the Christian party, was born in Lynn, Mass., the son of William [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Bandel, Jessica. Penland, Anne By Jessica Bandel, 2016; Kelly Agan, 2019 Research Branch, NC Office of Archives and [...] (from Research Branch, NC Office of Archives and History.)

by Hawkins, Michael. Louise Anderson Merrimon Perry, ophthalmologist and malacologist, was born in Asheville, the daughter of Emory H. and Rachel Augusta Hendrick Merrimon. From a large and prominent family, she was [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Kelly, Charles B. Gifford Pinchot, forester and politician, was born in Simsbury, Conn., the eldest son of James W. and Mary Jane Eno Pinchot. James was a wealthy manufacturer and partner in the firm, Pinchot, Warren [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Queen, Louise L. Alva Washington Plyler, Methodist minister and editor, was born in Iredell County, the son of Robert Conrad and Mary L. Kimball Plyler and the identical twin of Marion Timothy Plyler. He married [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Cherry, Robert L. George Moore Pritchard, congressman, district solicitor, and state legislator, was born in the community of Ivy, near Mars Hill, in Madison County, of Irish and Welsh ancestry. His father was Jeter [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Morgan, Joe L. Jeter Conley Pritchard, senator and judge, was born in Jonesboro, Tenn., the son of William H. and Elizabeth Brown Pritchard. Although he was seven years above the top age for enlistment in the [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Cowles, Mary. Claude Swanson Ramsey, newspaper executive and political writer, was born in Burlington, the son of S. Clay and Lucy Pinckard Ramsey. As a youth he moved to Asheville with his family and began his [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Riley, Jack. Darley Hiden Ramsey, editor, newspaper manager, historian, and scholar, was born in Gretna, Va., the son of Simeon Clay and Lucy Pinckard Ramsey of Ferrum, Va. In 1903 the family moved to Asheville, [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Bivins, Caroline Holmes. William George Randall, artist, was born near Table Rock in Upper Creek Township, Burke County, to John and Susan Webb Randall. John was from Buncombe County, where he and Susan lived for some time [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Mason, Rebecca S. John Edwin Ray, educator, was born near Neuse in Wake County, the son of Joseph and Mary Justice Ray. He was graduated from Wake Forest College with an A.M. degree in 1875. For ten years he served as [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Powell, William S. John Robert Ray, labor organizer, printer, and newspaperman, a native of North Carolina, was probably born in Raleigh. Since his mother, Mrs. Rachel T. Ray, was identified in Raleigh city directories [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Powell, William S. James William Reid, broadcaster, public relations officer, sports director, banker, and mayor, was born in Asheville, the son of Bessie Perkinson and William Ernest Reid. In the early 1900s Mrs. [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Fox, Charlesanna L. Alonzo Carlton Reynolds, educator, was born in the Sandy Mush community of Buncombe County, the son of John Haskew and Sarah Ann Ferguson Reynolds. After attending local schools and Weaver College, [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Pleasants, Julian M. Robert Rice Reynolds, U.S. senator and attorney, was born in Asheville, the son of William Taswell and Mamie Spears Reynolds. Reynolds was descended from a distinguished pioneering family. Colonel [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Corkran, D. H. Rice, John Andrew by D. H. Corkran, 1994 1 Feb. 1888–17 Nov. 1968 See also: Black Mountain College John Andrew Rice, educator and founder of Black Mountain College in Black Mountain, was [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Jones, H. G. Joseph Hampton Rich, editor and promoter, was born in Davie County, the son of Samuel Chase and Betty Carolina McMahan Rich. He was graduated from Wake Forest College in 1898. For a short time he was [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Powell, William S. Edward Gallatin Roberts, attorney and public official, was born in Flat Creek, Buncombe County, the son of Mary Elizabeth Buckner and Jacob R. Roberts. He attended Weaverville College, Washington [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Williams, Max R. Harold Frank Robinson, plant geneticist and university administrator, was a native of Mitchell County, the son of Fred H. and Geneva J. Robinson. As a towheaded youngster growing up in the village of [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Cross, Jerry L. Kiffin Yates Rockwell was born in Newport, Tennessee, on September 20, 1892. He was the son of James Chester Rockwell, a Baptist minister, and Loula Ayers Rockwell. His name reflected his father’s [...] (from Tar Heel Junior Historian, NC Museum of History.)

by Tucker, Glenn. Kiffin Yates Rockwell, American aviator in World War I and pioneer in aerial combat, was a charter member of the Lafayette Escadrille, an American volunteer squadron formed on 20 Apr. 1916, [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by McIntyre, Pattie B. Schenck, Carl Alwin by Pattie Bartee McIntyre, 1994 25 Mar. 1868–15 May 1955 See also: Biltmore Forest [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Wilson, Paul F. Schloss, Simeon Archibald by Paul F. Wilson, 1994   See also: Opera Houses. 10 Oct. 1865–22 Dec. 1913 Simeon Archibald Schloss, predominant figure in theatrical management in [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Seely, Fred L., Jr. Fred Loring Seely, pharmaceutical manufacturer, newspaperman, architect, and developer, was born in Fort Monmouth, N.J., the son of Colonel Uriah, a Union officer disabled by wounds at the Battle of [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Johnson, Elmer D. Muriel S. Earley Sheppard, writer, was born in Andover, N.Y., the daughter of Florence Eliza Stephens and Crayton I. Earley. In December 1909, when she was eleven, her father had a local printer [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Powell, William S. William (Willie) Ewen Shipp, army officer, was born in Asheville, the son of Judge William Marcus and Catherine (Kate) Cameron Shipp. The family moved to Lincolnton in 1862. His mother died when [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Powell, William S. Shuford, George Adams by William S. Powell, 1994 5 Sept. 1895–8 Dec. 1962 George Adams Shuford, lawyer, congressman, and judge, was born in Asheville, the son of George A. and Julia E. Dean [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Sloan-Farmer, Maryann. Jacob Siler, western North Carolina pioneer, state legislator, and Cherokee Indian agent, was born in South Carolina's Pendleton district, of German and Irish ancestry. His grandfather, Plikard [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Massengale, William F. W. James Burges Sill, Episcopal priest, was born in New York but grew to love the land and people of western North Carolina. From a family of divines, his father, Thomas Henry, served a Manhattan parish [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Sink, M. Jewell. H[arvey] Hoyle Sink, jurist, was born in the Tyro community, Davidson County, a son of Thomas Franklin and Martha Anne Lanning Sink. The Sink (Zink or Zinck) family emigrated from Germany to [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Inscoe, John C. Mary T. Martin Sloop, physician, educator, and reformer, was born in Davidson, where her father, William Joseph Martin, was a professor of geology and chemistry at Davidson College. Her mother was [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Shaber, Sarah R. George Henry Smathers, Asheville attorney and expert on land titles in western North Carolina, was born in Turnpike, Buncombe County, one of thirteen children of John Charles and Lucilla E. Smathers. [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Shaber, Sarah R. Smathers, William Howell by Sarah R. Shaber, 1994; Revised December 2021 7 Jan. 1891–24 Sept. 1955 William Howell Smathers, attorney, jurist, and U.S. senator, was born in Waynesville, the [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Powell, William S. Conaro Drayton Smith, clergyman, geologist, and author, was born in Buncombe County, the son of Samuel and Mary Jarrett Smith. The family moved in 1820 to land the elder Smith bought that year when [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Lee, James Daniel. Forster Alexander Sondley, attorney and scholar, was born at Montrealla, his maternal grandfather's home in Alexander, a community ten miles north of Asheville. As an adult he most often referred to [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Cotten, Alice R. Lillian Exum Clement Stafford, legislator and attorney, was born near Black Mountain in Buncombe County, the sixth child of George Washington and Sara Elizabeth Burnett Clement. Young Exum Clement [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Moser, Artus Monroe. Walter Benjamin Stephen, master contemporary artistic potter who discovered new glazes and techniques for producing some of the finest art pottery in America, was born in Clinton, Iowa, the son of [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Massengale, William F. W. Stephens, George Myers by William F. W. Massengale, 1994 19 July 1904–20 Dec. 1978 George Myers Stephens, [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Littleton, Tucker Reed. James Alexander Stewart, missionary, evangelist, and author, was born in Glasgow, Scotland, the third of six children. His parents were John and Agnes Jamieson Stewart, both of whom had moved from [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Barnett, Richard C. Thomas Stradley, Baptist clergyman, was born in Woolwich, England, the sixth child of John, a junior constructor of carriages at the Royal Arsenal in Woolwich, and Sarah Wheeler Stradley. At age [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Underwood, Evelyn. Lamar Stringfield, composer, conductor, and flutist, was born near Raleigh, the son of the Reverend Oliver Larkin and Ellie Beckwith Stringfield. He was the sixth of seven children. In 1902 the [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Parker, John M., III. Jasper Leonidas Stuckey, geologist, college professor, and state administrator, was born on a small farm in eastern Johnston County. The oldest of seven children, he was the son of John Haywood, a [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Spence, Thomas H., Jr. Tenney, Samuel Mills by Thomas H. Spence, Jr., 1996 25 Oct. 1871–23 Dec. 1939 Samuel Mills Tenney, minister and curator, was born at Crockett, Tex., the son of Samuel Fisher and Sarah Mills [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Lutzweiler, James. Torrey, Reuben Archer by James Lutzweiler, 1996 28 Jan. 1856–26 Oct. 1928 Reuben Archer Torrey, evangelist, author, and Fundamentalist, was born in Hoboken, N.J., the son of Reuben Slayton [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by London, Lawrence F. Harold Leonard Trigg, educator and college president, was born in Lynchburg, Va., the son of Frank and Ellen Preston Taylor Trigg. After attending Princess Anne High School, Md., he earned a B.A. [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Stroupe, Henry S. George Washington Truett, clergyman, was born on a farm near Hayesville, Clay County, the seventh child of Charles Levi and Mary Rebecca Kimsey Truett. His father, a native of Buncombe County, was of [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Eagles, Brenda M. Tucker, Glenn Irving by Brenda Marks Eagle, 1996 30 Nov. 1892–26 Oct. 1976 Glenn Irving Tucker, author and historian, was born in Tampico, Ind., to William W. and Bertha Clark Tucker. Reared [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Mcfarland, Daniel M. Robert Brank Vance, physician and congressman, was born on Reems Creek, near Asheville in Buncombe County, one of eight children of David (1745–1813) and Priscilla Brank (1756–1836) Vance. His father [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Reidinger, Martin. Robert Brank Vance, Confederate general and politician, was born at the family home at Reems Creek, near Asheville in Buncombe County. He was the son of Captain David (1792–1844) and Mira Margaret [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Barrett, John G. Zebulon Baird Vance, Confederate soldier, governor of North Carolina, congressman, and U.S. senator, was the third child and second son of David and Mira Baird Vance. He was born in the old homestead [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Morgan, Joe L. Vanderbilt, George Washington by Joe L. Morgan, 1996 14 Nov. 1862–6 Mar. 1914 See also: Biltmore House; Biltmore Forest School; Biltmore Industries George Washington Vanderbilt, heir [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Powell, William S. Von Ruck, Karl by William S. Powell, 1996 10 July 1849–5 Nov. [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Stephens, Eleanor Waddell. Charles Edward Waddell, civil and electrical engineer, was born at Moorefields near Hillsborough, the son of Francis Nash and Anne Ivie Miller Waddell and a descendant of Colonel Hugh Waddell. With [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Folmsbee, Stanley J. Felix Walker, soldier, politician, and pioneer, was born in Hampshire County, Va. His grandfather, John Walker, emigrated from Derry, Ireland, in 1720 and settled in Delaware. His father, John [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Johnston, W. Lee, Jr. Lindsay Carter Warren, lawyer, legislator, congressman, and comptroller general of the United States, was born in Washington, Beaufort County, the son of Charles Frederic and Elizabeth Mutter Blount [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Powell, William S. Joseph Howell Way, physician, was born in Waco, Tex., the son of Charles Burr and Martha Julia Howell Way. Ancestors on his father's side had emigrated from England to Connecticut and Massachusetts [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Antone, George P. Willis Duke Weatherford, educator, religious leader, writer, and social pioneer, was born near Weatherford, Tex., the son of Samuel Leonard and Margaret Jane Turner Weatherford. His family was part [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Stafford, Garland R. Charles Clinton Weaver, Methodist clergyman, educator, and church administrator, was born in Ashe County of Scots-Irish ancestry, the son of James Harvey and Jennie Burkett Weaver. His mother was a [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Bradford, M. E. Richard Malcolm Weaver, Jr., intellectual historian, rhetorician, and political philosopher, was born at Asheville in Buncombe County, the son of Richard Malcolm (1870–1915) and Carolyn Embry Weaver, [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Rhoades, William Weaver, Rhoades, Verne, Jr. William Trotter Weaver, pioneer in furnishing electric power to western North Carolina, was born in the Reems Creek valley near Weaverville, the youngest son of James Thomas and Hester Trotter [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Morgan, Thomas S. Zebulon Weaver, congressman and North Carolina legislator, was born on a farm near Weaverville in Buncombe County to William Elbert and Hanna E. Baird Weaver. His lineage included two prominent [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Cowles, Mary. Charles Aurelius Webb, newspaper publisher, attorney, legislator, and teacher, was born in Warrenton, the son of Alexander S. and Anabelle Moore Webb. His father, whose family was long prominent in [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Moser, Artus Monroe. Thomas Cogdell Wetmore, clergyman and educator, was born in Lincolnton, the son of the Reverend William Wetmore, rector of St. Luke's Episcopal Church, Lincolnton, and Mary Bingham Wetmore. There is [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Powell, William S. Edward Maxwell Whitson, cartoonist and illustrator, was born in Asheville, the son of William Roberts and Ida May Keith Whitson. In 1915–16 he attended The University of North Carolina, where he drew [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Powell, William S. Winters, Sellie Robert by William S. Powell, 1996 21 Sept. 1888–26 July 1953 Sellie Robert Winters, writer, was born near Hester in Granville County, the son of William and Mollie Harris [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Meehan, James. Julia Elizabeth Westall Wolfe, mother of Thomas Wolfe, was born on a farm near the Swannanoa River nine miles east of Asheville. She was the fourth of eleven children (Henry Addison, Sam, Sally, [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by . Thomas Wolfe was born in Asheville in 1900. In public schools and later in a private academy, he observed carefully the life around him. He stored away in his mind the ten thousand  impressions [...] (from NCpedia.)

by Holman, C. Hugh. Thomas Clayton Wolfe, novelist and short story writer, was born in Asheville, the eighth child of William Oliver, a stonecutter from Pennsylvania, and Julia Elizabeth Westall Wolfe, a native North [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Powell, William S. Hugh Wolstenholme, Anglican priest, teacher, and hermit, was the son of Geoffrey Wolstenholme, of Horsley-Gate, Derbyshire, England, of an ancient family from the north of England. The clan claimed [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Downs, Alan C. John W. Woodfin, lawyer and soldier, was born in the Mills River section of Buncombe County that became Henderson County in 1838, the son of John and Mary Grady Woodfin. Of his eleven brothers and [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Russell, Mattie U. Nicholas Washington Woodfin, lawyer, legislator, and planter, was deeply interested in internal improvements, public education, scientific agriculture, and industrial development. Born in the Mills [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)