Newspapers / The News-Herald (Ahoskie, N.C.) / Aug. 17, 1939, edition 1 / Page 17
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a BENJA5IIN BRODIE WINBORNE Laxoyer, legislator, judge, and political leader duri)ig iJie troublesovie Reconsiruction times, the subject of this sketch also iurole history for a hobby; and, through his efforts and research, aided, of course, by his luide personal ktiowledge of local county affairs axid large family connections, a published history of Hertford County from its earliest Colonial days until jQofi has been available since 1906. Subsequent re- .searchers and historians have used ^Vinborne's “Colonial and Slate History of Hertford County” as a basis for their xvork, and. it has been an invaluable aid for those -who sought ac curate .source material for articles regarding the life of Hertford County, and, also, for study or leisurely reading. “Jiidgs’’ IVinborne, as he -was best kno-wn and familiarly called, died at his home in A'lurfreesborn Fe.ruary 2.[, 1919. Jn addition to his History of Hertford County, he xvas author of a biography of the Winboxme family, a publication -which antedated his other work. From his research in family records developed the idea of prej)aring the county history. ^Stanley Winborne, Utilities Commissioner of Xorth Carolina, and- B. B. JViiiborne, Jr., who still resides in Murfreesboro, are the sons of the author, and from them the publishers of this neiv.spaper secured permission to reprint the chapter from his history entitled “Hertford County’s Li.st of Officers.” Judge Winborne, in his publi.shed work on his family his tory, lorote his autobiography, as folloxes: The eldest son of .Samuel 1). Winborne -was born ou April 1^. at the family' homestead, Cedar Hill, in Maney's Seek, Hertjord County. Xorth Co-roUna. At the lime of hi.s- birth his uncle. Dr. R. H. Wiborne. was attending lectures at the University of Virginia, and at the suggestion of the latter he xvas named Benjamin Brodie, in honor of a distinguished English surgeon, for'xohom T)r. ]Vinborne had great admira tion. In youth he attended Buckhorn Academy, a flourishing classical school, of which Capt. J. H. Picot, a graduate of Co lumbia College, of Xexo York, xvas principal. In 1871 he en tered Whike Forest College, xvhere he remained for one year, and thereafter conlinued his studies in Columbian University in W'^ashinglon, 1). C., receiving from the latter the degree of B.L. in June. 1874. He then studied for one year in the office of Judge TI’. A'. H. Smith and Ho)i. George. Strong, of Raleigh, X. C., and began the practice of law in June, 1875, in Winton, X. C., having received- his license from the .Su preme Court of the State the preceding February and before he had attained his majority. Fie soon won his xvay to the front rank of his profession, and for a number of years has been one of the leading and most successful members of the bar in the eastern part of the State. In 1877 he xvas elected Solicitor of the Inferior Court of Hertford County—a court of limited criminal jurisdiction—and serxied in this capacity for a number of years. In 1891 this court xvas abolished, and a criminal court of general jurisdiction xvas established in its stead. At the earxicst solicitation of the citizens of his county, he accepted the judgeship of this latter court, and served for a term of si.x years, except for a .short intex-val -when he resigned to sex~ue in the Legislature of being reappointed judge after its adjournment by Governor Carr. From 1878 to 1894 he .served as chairman of the Demo cratic Executive Committee of Hertford Comity, and it xvas xinder his management that the ascendancy of the Re.jmblican Parly in the county xvas overcome. Fie was one of the thirty- three Democrats in the .Slate, elected to the Hon.se of Repre sentatives in the fall of 1894, and in the Legislature of 1895, he took an active and leading part. In 1896 he xvas one of the Xorlh Carolina delegates to the Xational Democratic Conven tion in Chicago. He xvas again elected a member of the Legis lature, and served in the session of 1905. In this body he xvas chairman of the Democratic caucus, chairman of the Judiciary Committee, and of other important legislation, and took a leading part in the debates of the session. On Decexnber 23, 1879, he xnarried Miss Xellie H. Vaughan, n daughter of Col. Uriah Vaughait, of Murfreesboro, X. C., and a lady of excep tional beauty and rare loveliness of character. They xvere bles.sed xviih the foUoxving children: Uriah Vaughan W'inborne, born May 13. 1884, xcho died in infancy on August .7. 1884. HISTORIC /I L EDITION Hertford County Herald PAPER WORTH WHILE’’ THE AHOSKIF. ERA OF HFRTFORD COUXTY 1889-1909 IN THE YEAR J939 AHOSKIE, NORTH CAROLINA SECTION A—{I PA(;ES Eminent historians, each a leader in thought and action during his time, ivrote and published their ivorks before Ahoshie, tvhich celebrates its Golden Anniversary this year, had attained any place in the life and affairs of Hertford County. Tn'o of them had passed away before AhosJtie, as a town, had entered the picture, and the other, Judge Winborne, com pleted his historical work only fourteen years after the postoffice ivas established and before Ahoskie had got ten beyond the baby stage. Consequently scant refer ence is made to the town; the name, in its several spell ings, denoting either a ^‘ridge” lying next to a swamp and extending all the way from the present totvn to the village of St. Johns, the swamp itself, or the Bap tist Church, which teas organized and built 85 years before there was a post office at Ahoskie and 89 years before the town ivas incorporated. Hertford County has been the native home of of- ficial North Carolina historians for almost a century. Wheeler s and Moore’s histories have at various times and for many years been approved textbooks in North HERTFORD COUNTY COURTHOUSE 1 -ti’if. V. il i. J It hasn’t changed much since the turn of the century. The above photograph was taken about a quarter of a century ago. Other views of the courthouse—before and since this one—appear in other sections of this issue. Carolina schools. Both of these men were born in the county. Short sketches of each are given on another page of this edition. These two men, and Judge Win borne, have given the county an unofficial ranking as breeder of historians. Volunteer historians who have prepared articles for this newspaper entered into their work with the knowledge that they had a record to ‘"shoot at" and. though the time for material gathering and writing w'as limited to a few weeks, or months, they have pro duced sketches that should command wide reading, and all of them have contributed neic and interesting facts about their toicns and sections. There has been no attempt by any of them—nor were they expected— to write detailed local histoides. (Sketches, or brief review's, irere asked for.) From the material gathered here, it is to be hoped that some future historian—maybe, one of the con tributors to this edition—may gather data, facts, and leads for a future historical work on Hertford County and its people, bringing up to date the history by Judge Winborne. To do that, se.i:eral years and many dollars will be prime necessities. W hat has been done by the contributors to this edition was voluntary and ivitiwut compensation. HERTFORD COUNTY’S LIST OF OFFICERS ^ HERTFORD’S CONGRESSMEN 1802-07—Gen. Thomas Wynns, near Winton. 1813-17—^IVilliam Hai'dy Murfree, Murfreesboro. 1839-45—Kenneth Rayner, near Harrellsville. 1859-61—W. N. H. Smith, Mui'freesboro. 1875-81—Jesse J. Yeates, Murfreesboro. CONFEDER.4.TE CONGRESS January, 1862-April, 1864—W. N. H. Smith. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS 1801—Gen. Thomas Wynns. 1809—Gen. Thomas Wynns. 1848—Kenneth Rayner. I860—John W. Moore. MEMBERS OF GOVERNOR’S COUNCIL Col. James Jones, Col. Matthias Brickie, Gen, Thomas Wynns, John A. Anderson, Maj. Jesse J. Yeates. CONSULS AND MINISTERS. 1855—John H. Wheeler, Minister to Nicaragua. 1885-89—Thos. R. Jernigan, Consul to Japan. 1895—Hunter Sharp, Consul to Japan. 1893-97—Thos. R. Jernigan. Consul to Shanghai, China. ]'932—Thad A. Eure. MISCELLANEOUS 1831—Clerk of the Board of Commissioners under the Conven tion with France: John H. Wheeler. 1837—Superintendent of U. S. Mint at Charlotte: John H. Wheeler. 1842-44—Treasurer of the State: John H. Wheeler. U. S. Senate from Arkansas: April, 1848-53—Solon Borland, a Murfreesboro boy. Solicitor of First District: 1849-58—W, N. H, Smith; 1860-66— Jesse J. Yeates. Chief Justice of the State: January, 1878-November, 1889—W, N. H. Smith. Judge of Criminal Court: 1891-97—B. B, Winborne. Chairman of Judiciary-Committee in House of Assembly: 1800— Robert Montgomery; 1905—B. B. Winborne. First Comstitutional Convention of November 12, 1776: Delegates— Lawrence Baker, William Murfree, Robert Sumner, Day Ridley, and James Wright. Hillsboro Convention of 1788, to consider the adoption of U. S. Constitution: Delegates—Ma,i. Geo. Wynns, Gen. Thomas Wynns, Rev. Lemuel Burkitt, Maj. Wm. Little, and Maj. Samuel Harrell. Fayetteville Convention of 1789, which adopted the U. S. Con stitution: Delegates—Gen. Thomas Wynns, Robert Montgomery, Col. Hardy Murfree, Henry Hill, and Henry Baker, Constitutional Convention of 1835: Kenneth Rayner. Secession Convention of 1861: Kenneth Rayner. Constitutional Convention of 1865: R. G. Cowper. 'Constitutional Convention of 1868: Jackson B. Hare. Constitutional Convention of 1875: Jordan J. Horton, ASSEMBLY REPRESENTATIVE Hertford County was represented in the Colonial Assembly and in the Senate and House of the General Assembly of North Carolina from the time it became a sovereign State in December, 1776, up to the present time, as appears below. Its Colonial representatives were as follows; 1762-63—Henry Winborne and William Murfree. 1764-65—Benj. Wynns and Robert Sumner, 1766-68—Benj. Wynns and Matthias Brickie. 1769-70—^Peter Wynns and Edward Hare. 1771-72—•'Benj. Wynns and Edward Hare. 1773-74—Benj. Wynns, Sr., and Benj. Wynns, Jr. 1775-76—William Murfree and George Wynns. After Noj;th Carolina declared her independence of the British Government and adopted its first Constitution, Hertford’s represent atives in the General Assembly of the State have been as follows: 1777— Senate, Robert Sumner; House, Jos. Dickinson, James Garrett. 1778— Robert Sumner; Wm. Baker, James Maney. 1779— Robert Sumner; William Wynns, Nathan Cotton. 1780— Pleasant Jordan; William Wynns, John Baker. 1781— John Baker; Lewis Brown, Thos. Brickie. 1782— John Brickie; William Wynns, Thos. Brickie. IT WAS THE COUNTY HOME Stanley U'iiiborne, born August 2.',, 1886, and noxv a young man of bright promi.se and a student at the. University of Xorlh Carolina. He xvas named for Judge Stanley Matthexvs, zvhose intellectual and legal ability his father greatly admired. Benjamin Brodie Winborne, Jr., born Xovember 10. 1889. and noxv attending .school in Mnrfree.sboro, X. C. Micajah Winborne, born February 3, 1896, died June G, 189G. A more comprehensive sketch of the subject hereof xvill be found in the Biographical History of Xorth Carolina, pub lished in 1905. —R. TT'. II'. For many years prior to 1938, this group of buildings served as the Hertford County Home for the aged and infirm. It is now the site for one of the State’s modern prison camps, having been sold in 1937; and the county home was at that time transferred to Winton, adjoining the courthouse property. The former county home property shown here is located on the suburbs of the village of Uirion. 1783— John Baker; Lewis Brown, Thos. Brickie. 1784— John Baker; William Hill, Thos. Brickie. 1785— Robert Sumner; James Maney, Robert. Montgomery. 1786— Robez't Sumner; William Hill, Thos. Brickie. 1787— Robert Sumner; Thos. Wynns, Robt. Montgomery. 1788— Robt. Montgomery; Henry Baker, Henry Hill. 1789— Robt, Montgomery; Henry Hill, Henry Baker. 1790— Tho.s. Wynns; Robt. Montgomery, Henry Hill. 1791— Thos. Wynns; Robt. Montgomery, Henry Hill. 1792— Thos. Wynns; Henry Hill, James Jones. 1793— Thos. Wynns; Jethro Darden, Henry Hill. 1794— Thos. Wynns; Jethro Darden, Robt. Montgomery. 1795— Thos. Wynns; Henry Hill, Robt, Montgomery. 1796— Thos. Wynns; Jethro Darden, James Jones. 1797— Thos. Wynns; Jethro Darden, James Jones. 1798— Thos. Wynns; Robt. Montgomery, James Jones. 1799— Thos. Wynns; Robt. Montgomery, James Jones. 1800— Thos, Wynns; Robt. Montgomery, James Jones. 1801— Robt. Montgomery; James Jones, Abner Perry. 1802— Robt. Montgomery; James Jones, Abner Perry. 1803— Robt. Montgomery; James Jones, Abner Perry. 1804— Robt. Montgomery; James Jones, Abner Perry. 1805— Robt. Montgomery; Jas. Jones, Wm. H. Murfree. 1806— Robt. Montgomery; James Jones, Abner Perry. 1807— Robt. Montgomery; Lewis Walters, Abner Perry. 1808— Thos. Wynns; Lewis Walters, Abner Perry. 1809— Thos. Wynns; Boone Felton, Abner Peri-y. 1810— Thos. Wynns; Boor^.Felton, Lewis Walters. 1811— Thos. Wynns; Boone Felton, William Jones, 1812— Thos. Wynns; Wm. H. Murfree, Jethro Darden. 1813— Thos. Wynns; Boone Felton, William Jones. 1814— Thos. Wynns; Boone Felton, William Jones. 1815— Thos. Wynns; Thomas Deans, William Jones, 1816— Thos. Wynns; Thomas Deans, William Jones. 1817— Thos. Wynns; Boone Felton, Thomas Maney. 1818— Boone Felton; Jno. Hamilton Frazier, B. J. Montgomery. 1819— Jno. H. Frazier;'B. J. Montgomery, Isaac Carter. 1821— Thos Deans; Jas. Copeland, Jas. D. Wynns. 1822— David E. Sumner; Isaac Carter, Lewis M. Jeggitts. 1823— David E. Sumner; James Copeland, John Vann. 1824— James Copeland; John Vann. Isaac Carter. 1825— James Copeland; John Vann, Isaac Carter. 1826— Elisha H. Sharpe; B. J. Montgomery, Leonard Martin. 1827— David O. Askew; B. J. Montgomery, John H. Wheeler. 1828— David O. Askew; B. J. Montgomery, John H. Wheeler. 1829— B. J. Montgomery; Elisha A. Chamblee, John H. Wheeler, 1830— Jacob Hare; Isaac Carter, John H. Wheeler. 1831— B. J. Montgomery; Elisha A. Chamblee, Godwin C, Moore.' 1832— B. J. Montgomery; Isaac Carter, Thos. V. Roberts. 1833— John Vann; Isaac Carter, Sipha Smith, 1834— Geo. W. Montgomery; Isaac Carter, Sipha Smith. 1835— John Vann; R. C. Borland, Kenneth Rayner. The amendments to the Constitution in 1835 I'educed Hertford’s representation in the House to one member and made the sessions biennial. 1836— Geo, W. Montgomery; Kenneth Rayner, 1838—Thomas B. Sharpe; Kenneth Rayner. 1840—B. T. Spiers; Wm. N. H. Smith. 1842—Godwin C. Moore; Starkey Sharpe. 1844—Richard G. Cowper; Jacob Sharpe, 1846—Richard G. Cowper; Kenneth Rayner. 1848—William N. H. Smith; Kenneth Rayner, 1850—D. V. Sessoms; Kenneth Rayner. 1852—Richard G. Cowper; W. L. Daniel, 1854—Kenneth Rayner; W. L, Daniel. 1856—Richard G. Cowper; Joseph B. Slaughter. 1858—Richard G. Cowper; W. N. H. Smith. 1860- 61—J. B. Slaughter; Jesse'J. Yeates. 1861- 62—J. B. Slaughter; Jesse J. Yeates. 1862- 63—J- B. Slaughter; Jesse B, Vann. 1863- 64—J. B. Slaughter; Jesse B, Vann. 1864- 65—James M. Wynns; John A. Vann. 1865- 66—R. G. Cowper; W. N. H. Smith. 1866- 67—James C. Barnes; Godwin C..Moore. 1867- '68—James C. Barnes; Godwin C. Moore. In 1868 a Constitutional Convention was held in North Carolina to alter the fundamental law of the State. The delegates to the conven tion w'cre composed chiefly of “Carpet-Baggers” from the most vicious element of the Northern army and its sympathizers, who, after the cessation of hostilities, remained in the South, to I'ob and plunder the Southern States. But few of the true and loyal sons of the State were allowed to participate in the deliberations of the political bodies of those times. Jackson B, Hare was the delegate from Hertford County. The Constitution prepared by this posthumous or illegitimate conven tion was submitted to a portion of the people of the State for ratifica tion, at an election held on the 21st, 22nd and 23rd days of April, 1868. The ex-slaves voted three days. A large per centum of the best and truest citizens of the State were disfrancised and not allowed to vote, and in their places the recent slave negro men were armed with the ballot and allowed to vote at the election as directed by these “Carpet Baggers” and the native traitors to our State. General Canby, the military potentate of North and South Carolina, sitting in Charleston, S. C., declared the Constitution ratified by the voters of the State. The chivalrous and proud people of the State had no alternative but to. submit to the indignities heaped upon them by such cowards as Thad. Stevens and W. H. Stewart, the haters of the South, and its own Benedict Arnolds. Under the Constitution of 1868, Bertie and Hertford counties formed the Fifth Senatorial District, and were given one senator in the General Assembly. The terms of office of the members of the As sembly began with their election and continued for two years. The General Assembly met annually on the third Monday in November. The Fifth Senatorial District was represented as follows: 1868- 69—J. W. Beasley, R., Bertie County. 1869- 70—J. W. Beasley, R., Bertie County. 1870- 71—J. W. Beasley, R., Bertie County. 1871- 72—J. w. Beasley, R., Bertie County. The legislation and corruption of the.above sessions of the Gen eral Assembly form the blackest pages of North Carolina’s history. It is a lasting shame and disgrace to the Republican party of the State. It will never be forgotten by the true and honorable people of the State and their descendants. In the summer of 1872 the white people of the State succeeded in electing a large majority of the members of the General Assembly, and that body, by an act ratified January 19, 1372, by a three-fifths vote of all the members, amended the Constitu tion of 1868 in several particulars. One of the amendments was in changing the sessions from “annual” to “biennial.” That same body, by an act ratified February 2, 1872, re-appointed the represent ation of the State, and put Hertford County in the First Senatorial District, with the six other counties east of Chowan River, and they were given two members. The members from the First Senatorial District, thereafter, were as follows: 1872- 74—John L. Chamberlain, R., Camden County; C. W. Gran- dy, R., Pasquotank County. 1874-76—'Wm, B. Shaw, D,, Currituck County; Thomas R. Jerni gan, D., Hertford County. 1876-78—Octavius Coke, D,, Chowan County; W. C. Mercer, D., Currituck County. In 1875 another Constitutional Convention was held in North Carolina, and presided over by Edmond Ransom, of Tyrrell County, who was elected as an independent to said convention. The members of the Republican and Democratic parties were_about evenly divided. The Democrats secured the cooperation of Mr. Ransom by electing him president of the convention. This gave the Democrats one ma jority on the floor. Many important amendments were made in the organic law of the State by this body. Much of the sting of the Canby Constitution of 1868 was eradicated. No man of the majority could afford to be absent from his seat during this all-important ses sion. The devotion of the Democratic members of this' convention was never better shown than during the days of this momentous ses sion of this exciting convention, Hertford County was represented in this convention by Jordan J. Horton, a Republican.' The time for the biennial meetings of the General Assembly was' changed from the third Monday in November next after the election of '‘Reprinted by permission from Wiiiborne’s Colonial and State History of Hertford County, North Carolina. (Continued on page 2, Section A) INDEX TO SECTION A PACIF. 1- Benjaniin Brodie ^Viniior^e, picture, auioliiograpliy. and rejhrinr ol' CJiapicr I'roni lii.s Merd'ord ('.oimiv (iolonial and State History. Hertford County Hi,storian.s, tlirec men IVoni couni\' have contriliuted official works, Hertford Clnunty Courthouse, picture of. in the early 1 poo's. Hertford County Home, picture of former plant at Union. P.AGF. 2- Ilertfovd County Officers, continued from page 1. A. \V. Li]'.psitz, picture and sketch. pac;f ‘5- Hertford Ciountv Ofheers, cotitinued from page 2. Ciensus Figures, for Hertford County and its .subdi\'isi()ns. Basniglu-Carrett., 40" advertisement. Sha^vAV'alkcr Compam', 40" ad\’crtiscmcnt. Old Dominion Paper Company, 12" acKcrtiscment. P.-VGF ,1- Murfreesboro. History of. j^iclttres of street pa\ ing .scene, of Baptist Gburch. Lloyd J. L:nvrencc. picture and liiograjihv. Decennial Report for ip;)!). 'Wynn Pjros.. article descriliing businc.ss operations ami history. Census, contitiued from page 3. PAGF r,- "Wytin r)ros.. page ad\ertiscmcnt. PAGF G- Census, continued from ]:)agc 4. Hertford County Schools, history of. John Horace >roorc. picture and hiogxajdiv. .4hoskic, picture of M;iiu Street from air. and picture of Mitchell Hotel. PAGF 7- Barnes-Satyver Grocery Go., page advertisement. PAGF 8- Flertford County Schools, history of hv .Moore, con tinued. Roanoke-Chowan Netvspapers, picture of staff. ^hrginia Paper Clompany, 40" advertisement. Royal Typewriter Company, 10” advertisement. Griffin Foundry Company, 8” advertisement. Wilson Jones'Co., ly,” advertisement. ■
The News-Herald (Ahoskie, N.C.)
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