North Carolina Newspapers

V ^Hi^orical Sketches of Wfflces Published by John Croiid (Continued from peg* 8, Sec. 5) ment of Northern Virginia, of April SOtk. and of Instructions fron MaJoc Qeneral J. E. B. Stu- «(t, e*»siandlng .cavalry, you aw to proce^ without delay wS^fdnr eonsmaad to the rietn- 11^ of Shady Grove, where yon vrilf hoactfatrato foor hrig»^«nd retort for further orders to Ma jor Qoneral Stuart. 1 am directed hy Major Qeneral Haapt^ coatmunlcatlng the above orders, to eapreBe to you, and through you to your whole brigade, the anrpiise with which he has re ceived the orders and the pain It causes him to execute them. He Indulges the hop© that his wlshj es may be consulted, and that a new assignment ma.v be made as Boon as the present emergency . 'jhall have pawed, which will re- march Into Richmond ^■m your brigade to his division and give him hack the troope to - whom he has become so attached jtinA whom he has learned to n^gt In times of danger and trial. "Indulging this hope, he re frains from saying farewell, but will watch the performance of af- ff and men In the approaching conteet. with the game anxious interest as It they were under his •own command, confident that if your regiment should be eventual ly returned to him they will bring hack unsullied banners and a record of glory Increased and il lustrated iby new achievements in Ihe coming campaign. I am, Gen eral, very respectfully Your obedient servant, ‘‘THEO. G- B.^RKER, ■"Major and Assistant Adjt. Gen." At the battle of the Wilderness Gordon’s Brigade did valiant service. He was continually riding and walking along the lines of his ll#mount©d regiments. On the return of the Confeder ate forces from Mine Run to [pottsylvania C. H. Gordon’s brl- made the whole distance of atxty-six miles in 23 hours, wilh- g^vout rest or sleep, reaching Spotts- • iflvanla about sunset. Immediately he*was ordered to attack the en emy's right. He responded and succeeded in driving the enemy •back before he or his men slept. In the famous retreat from Petersburg to Appomattox when the Confederates came to Sailor’s creek they found the bridge burn ed The enemy was close behind the Confederates were in a perilous situation. The enemy was held in check by Gordon’s regi ments until the bridge was re- ed an attack that General Stuart had said saved the trains of the Confederates. Gordon’s ibrigade, and of aftlWiiry Johnaon'e battery and a section of Hart’s. All told not over 4,- 000. By forced marche* the two brigades of Pit* Lee succeeded In getting In Sheridan’s front at Yellow ’Tavern on the Brook tum- early In the morning of the 11th, and began the battle of Tel- JOMJtMrtL Aboat the same time fetwlously. The Pederals burned Gordon’s forces attacked his rear the Ground Squirrel bridge over the Sonth Anna river but OM’don found an old ford, almost Imposs ible to pass on, where he and his men croesed, rushed up the hill and drove the enemy beck In con fusion. While Sheridan claimed the victory at Yellow ’Tavern It was about such a victory as Corn wallis won at Guilford Court House. It was Sheridan’! aim to oh the 11th, and had It not been for Gor don and his gallant men the cap ital of the confederacy would have fallen Into the hands of the Yankees that day. On the 12th came the tight at Brook Church. Gordon was In Sheridan’s rear. He had ordered some artillery from Richmond which came in due time and fired upon the enemy. Immediately one or more of Sheridan’s guns were turned upon It. Gordon was furi ous. He raved and begged, and called It "band box artillery,’’ but his men stayed In the trenches. He became disgusted and went In a gallop right into the fire down that military road, and there he received his death wound. He was taken to the hospital but six days later he died. General Stuart also received his death wound at Brook Church, and when at last he was sorely pressed and his squadron broken, just before his death, his last words were: "Would to God, Gor don were here." But Gordon, too, had received his death wound. Gordon’s remains were -brouglrt home and buried in the Episco pal cemetery in Wilkesboro. His last resting place is marked by a beautiful monument, and the ev ergreens and flowers that grow a- bout his grave show the lasting admiration of his comrades, friends and relatives. Wllkea is glad that the whole country glor ies in the achievement of her no ble son, but his fame, his glory, and his tomb are all her own. In his history of the 5th N. C. Cavalry, Ool. Paul B. Means has this'to say: "Our great loss at Brook church was the gallant and glorious James B. Gordon. very great muiy In the army inih..; of the Potomac, Of course. It was often spoken and written of as Gordon’s and sfteirwards Bar ringer’s Brigade. ‘Gordon was a genius of war 0(». Wm. K. BARBER ’These paetnr^e^^be . has WM. niu. n. .feori accepteWy an^'awSegsfnUy ’The subject of this'Sketch'^ up predent time. He bom Jfju 24th, 1824. He enllat- recrived eeveral call# tc good ed In the 27th N. d Reglmont awf ^^mrehes in other to^s li tSle — „ on Ito erganlmtton at High Point, State hot hkA.unlfotihtT dsellhed veritable god of battle.' He did jiov. 20th, 1221, he was electe* them, j Under- hte etoosatt ser- more than any other one man to tdeutenantwColonel of the mhidatrr^ the make his brigade what It was, nont. ’ and had he lived hie brigade |Cburches 1b the two Wilkeehoror and Bad ne uvea qis ongaoe xt JhlsselPa^-MlU. lane's Bri-i. I^ve enjoyed a moat gratifying would have placed hto name #a led by Ost Barbef, r«eaif«rand ateady growth. Nor doaa hla sTnrft, r.F»iin.’a mil tbo ContedeTato entioneh*, influence cease at the tmrders of _ ..a a i a Ota A 0 l» ^ ■> ii ta asO — — — ' SWM # high on North Carollna’e roll of a,-™ honor as that of any Cwifederate. msnts, which bad been lost' by the two towns, hut reaches out If not higher. At Brook church other Confederate troops, on the over the county, throughout on the 12th of May, 1864, he re- —^ •- which ha l. wall knenim Ha ls»U ceived a wound ■which proved On May 9. 1861. Sheridan be gan his raid on Richmond. He had with him his whole corps, three visions of cavalry, at least 12,000 mounted men and one brigade, and six batteries of ar'-illery. To contend with this great invading force Stuart could command but three brigades—Lomax and ■Wick ham’s. Pitz Lee’s division, and mander during the Gettysburg campaign and as his entire bri gade did for his splendid courage and merit in all respects. He wa.s the Murat of the army of North ern Virginia, and had he lived he would have added increased lus tre to our North Carolina Caval ry.” Of him Gen. Julian S. Carr said: "On the 2Sth of Sept., 1863, James B. Gordon, Col. of the 9th, was commissioned Brigadier Gen mortal within » week- THE “BUZZARD BOOST" In the early days of WUkee county the bottoms along the Yadkin and Reddies River at the junction of the rivers was heavily timbered with tall cedars. The buzzards of all the adjacent country would gather there to roost In those cedars. The bot toms were cleared by the late John Finley and were so produc tive that the name "huszard roost,’’ was very appropriate, and as long as Mr. Finley lived the bottoms were known as “John’s buzzard roost." GENERAL JAMES WELLBORN In his day General James Well born was probably the most prom inent man In the county. He mar ried Rebecca Montgomery, one of the two heirs to the large tracts of land known as the Moravian surveys. James Wellborn was appointed General of the militia about the close of the Revolutionary war. Prom the year 1798 to 1835 Gen eral Wellborn served In the State Senate thirty years. Ho^ served In succession from 1796 to 1811, from 1817 to 1821, In 1823 and 1824, in 1828 to 1829, In 1832 and in 1834 and 1835. Prior to 1835 members of the General As sembly were elected each year, so Wellibom was elected thirty times in thirty-nine years.,, ’The fact that a man can stand so popular for thirty-nine years is honor enough for one man. I doubt if the world can furnish a like example. During his terms In the Senate General Wellborn mad^ strene- ous feforts to have the State build a turnpike u'oad from the moun tains to the sea, but he failed. That was before any railroads were built in. North Carolina and the turnpike would have been a "^CEICBRATIOMS We Welcome U • U’ll Welcome Our Special Reductions On Beauty Work 57.50 Oil Permanent Wave for $5.00 $5.00 Oil Permanent Wave for $3.50 Above Prices Good A Short Time Only . Modem Equipment — Expert Operators Get Ready To Celebrate! Phone Early For Appointment Mayflower Beauty Parlor Pheme 189 Mrs. Jake Church, Prop. Stokes, was twice elected to the United States Senate and once elected as Governor of the State. He was buried on his planta tion about 3 miles west of Wil kesboro. HON. .ANDERSON MITOHELL Anderson Mitchell ■was at one time a distinguished citizen of Wilkes: he was born in Caswell county In the year 1800; was edu cated at the Bingham School and at the State University at Chapel Hill where he graduated in 1821. He read law under George Hen derson and was admitted to the bar in 1823. Mitchell located in Jefferson. Ashe county, to practice his pro fession. In 1827, and 2'8 and 29 he represented Ashe county in the lower branch of the Legislature and In 1838 he was elected to the State Senate. In 1840 he moved to Wllkeaboro «and the same year was elected to the State Senate from Wilkes. In 1842 he was elected to /Congress but resigned In 1843 to devote his entire time to the practice (rf law. In 1859 he removed to States ville. In 1866, he was appointed Judge of Superior Court, and In 1872 was elected, without opposi tion, to succeed himself as Judge and he served until his death In 1876 when Governor Brogden ap pointed D. M. Furchea to sue- ceed him. On Dec. 24th, 1876, he died and was buried In the cemetery in Statesville. Judge Mitchell’s conduct dur ing the Kn Klux era In North Carolii;ia has won for him lasting fame. In his district there was bo such thing as Kn-Klnx allowed; . . . ■- ■ ■ ,y, ,. . . T - era! and topk rommand of the {fear or favor. Our distingulstied |oofc efiatgei o thg Brigade. Un4sr‘Oansral Gordon It county man Anderson MltehMI etjllocavkui 2%l!s, made famous It# name of "The 'Vannoy was named after him North Carolina Cavalry Brigade,’’ was s close companion of. lu i.iu> U0aiu7^^dg!i(ui> and was Urns to the. end of the Judge until his death, tflteh^f ij^ovsl to this 'dophty .H. took war widely known thimghout the was an aM« lawyac, an ex^le# J^lh^ge^f th%Baptis4 i^nre^ at army of Northern Virginia and by Judge, and a great and nobtji: Wjlieaboro andr^Jforth .•^Ikea- X. I..---. m, 8 pace oaven .Ths Hiiattar.Aaj Ms4w >s2«Mly advanoo* ment and now has a firm hold on ttie people of North WUkealiO^ and the tbnnty.. The e^tor and owner. T. J. i^hertson. was bom In Pittsyl- 'tula sonnty, Va.. Feb. 27, 1826. iiir 1877 his parents moved to Keme(hvlll«k> N. 0.,'where be re eved aa;ecedemlcal edumUion. He came to North Wilkeeboro In 1826 and was editor of the North WDksabofo News nntll 1892 when he established The Hnstler. Hie Ctawnlele, WUkeMwro The’ Chronicle was eetaMlshed OtUkyr VUltktsUOi VI wyo. vfss VIS9 - -- » ^ Darbytown road In the presence Pblch he is well known. He la al- of General R. E. Lee. At Gravely 8> * Prominent personage on the Hill helped the regiment In a hot f'®®r of the Baptist State Conven- flght and was wounded In the en- and occasionally electrifies it with his bursts of eloquence, le often referred to as the Boy Orator of the Mountains.” — Pure in life and chaste, in de- Moss Neck and Col. Barber was meanor, he is yet the stem and chosen to present the presents uncompromising enemy of evil in which he did In a neat and grace- every form, especially of the ful speech. liquor evU. He is prominently con- Col. Barber was engaged in the nected with the educational In- battle of Fredericksburg and per- terests of the county. gagement. the officers of Lane’s brigade l8j>ften refemd^to as^ presented their leader with sword and a General’s sash at formed jhla duty bravely. At Chancellorville ho grappled 'with the enemy bravely and drove them hack hut he described the fight by his regiment as the bloodiest battle he ever saw. He was wounded in the fight at Jones’ farm near Petersburg on Sept. 30th, 1824, and died from the wounds on the 3rd of the fol lowing October. His remains Were brought to Wilkesboro and buried in the Episcopal cemetery. LEE CARMICHAEL Lee Carmichael was a promi nent man in Wilkes before the Civil war. Ho was a fine lawyer and was a candidate for Congress against General Thomas L. Cling- man. He represented the county in the Legislature a number of times. He died about the close of the war. OOL. THOMAS C. LAND ’Thomas C. Land Is one of the landmarks of the county. He was born March 18, 1828, and was raised on a farm, attending the old field schools a few weeks for part of the v. .nters. He attend ed old Beaver Creek Academy for a short time while High Stokes was principal. At the outbreak of the war he joined Col. Sdney Stokes’ com pany as a prvate and served dur ing the war. He was appointed commissary and later corporal. In the Seven Days Fight around Richmond he was wounded and neither irag there any necessity class of '92. The following fall for such, for all the ylolatora of ho assumed the prtnelpalshlp of the law were punished without Moravian Palls Academy and >lso NEWSPAPERS The Hostler, North Wilkesboro The Hustler was established In July, 1896, iby T. J. Robertson, the present owner and editor. It was a three column, 8 page paper. On January 2, 1898, the entire outfit ■was destroyed by fire and not a cent of insurance on the plant. Mr. Robertson assumed the proportions of the name of his paper and In two weeks* a new re-appeared in an enlarged form at Lenoir by H. S. Blair tn 1287. hut'a month or so later was moved to Wilkesboro, and has been published continnonsly ever since. Soon after the paper moved to Wilkesboro R. A. Deal bought It and has owned and conducted It ever since. In'1899 he bought the Mountain Breece and the two offices were consolidated. Robert Avery Deal, editor and owner of The Chronicle, was horn in Caldwell connty Dec. 6, 1863, and was raised on the farm, at tending the public schools a part of the sessions. He attended Ruth erford College under Prof. R. L. Ahemethy for about two years, gong in debt for hia tnition. After leaving Rutherford he taught school, and when The Chronicle was established he worked with it until he bought the paper, paying the last of his Rutherford College tuition after coming to Wilkes boro. On Feb. 7, 1900, he was married to Miss Mamie Wallace, by which nnion two children have been bom. Mr. Deal is a man of deep thought, and by close appll- yapUl CkUU XU V VT W FT X7X7CX9' l» uvrvr »**w»*o«*»» '-»'*'** outfit was put in and the paper cation has made a reputation-for ^ ’ -- ” * thoroughness in whatever he un- ... an eariis^'vofiwr'' Jdir having ;served lo#J» of'yean eii C&21 euniitJ execirtlvh JSa wm- »ostiBa«t«r at Wllha«bof» dhttal' Cleveland’s last attob. - ■ ^ TheTellow Jacket Moravin^^, ■?, Falla ' ■--ri;--’’ TM Yellow Jacket vrias sstah' Usieil by K. Don Laws In JuaOb 1812. |a a three cotumn. ttmr paBA * ^dhthly paper. When tb* paper am atarted, oat In t|i« country, aaray frinn any puhUa road and two mllee from the peat- oftise, many people predicted thw thl&t a htilure. Aa the name im plies tbe Yellow Jacket was from the beginning a “warm baby.’’ It dlMUases politics almost excina- ively from a republican stand point. The paper has been en larged from time to time nntU now it is a five column folio and is Issued twice a month. ’The cir culation has built up wonderful ly. The paper now has about 20,- 000 subscribers In every State in the Union. In order to issue the paper in such quantities it waa neceeaary to install new machin ery from time to time. Now, the Yellow Jecket outfit is the beet printing plant in this section of the State. The paper is about t» outgrow Its present equipment and Mr. Laws is making arrango- ments to put in a perfecting press. R. Don Laws, the editor aud proprietor of the Yellow Jacket, was bom in Wilkes county in 1868, add worked on the farm till he was 21 years old. Mr. Lawn printed the follo^wing account of himself in his paper some time ago: (Continued on page four) great thing for the people of the ws» allowed to come home on west, but east had the majority fuilough. During his absence and they knew that the people of from the army he was appointed the west had to come to them for Lieutenant-Colonel of the 53rd their necessities turnpike or no Regiment, which p.jsltlon he as- turnpike, and they were not will- sumed on his return to the army, ing to be taxed to build the road He was wounded at the battle of for the accomodation of the peo- Winchester and a number of oth- ple of the west. It was largely through the ef forts of General Wellborn that h i i er times but not seriously. After the war Col. Land return ed to Wilkes and engaged In >L UCUCltti brother-in-law, Monttord teaching school and farming. In 1870-he went to Oregon and took up land and lived there until 1884 when he returned to Wilkes. In 1891 he again went to Oregon and lived there until 1898 when he returned to Wilkes and where he has lived since. While in the West he engaged In farming, teaching and mining. Col. Land has considerable lit erary talent and is the author of the popular ballad, ‘"The Death of Laura Foster,” and a number of poems. Col. Land has been fond of hantlng and while In the West he had quite a little experience in hunting deer, bear^ and elk. He has the horns of a-large elk that he killed which he prizes very highly. Col. Land Is at present a mem ber of the county Board of Edu cation, the only office he ever held. REV. W. R. BRADSHAW By F. B. Hendren Rev. W. R. Bradshaw, the pas tor of the Baptist church In Wil kesboro and North Wilkesboro respectively, was born In Burke county. N. C., on the 14th of July, 1866. His father was a farmer and young Bradshaw worked on his father’s farm until he was elghtqpn years old. He attended the district school a few months In the winter, and at eighteen years of age he entered Amherst Academy, situated near his fath er’s farm, under the tuition of Rev. R. L. Patton, one of the abl est ministers and educatora In the State. Here he was fitted for col lege and, having deeded to- enter the ministry, matriculated at Wake Forest Collogo In the fall of 1888 and graduated in the /^tELigiiATlOHS 50 Years of Progress Through good timoa and bad, our town and county has maide progress in practically all lines of endeavor, said through united co-operation we will continue to advsmce in our efforts to accomplisli even more in the future. Be Sure to Come Our city has plsmned a great program for this occasion suul wc) urge you to come and share the pleasures. Not only will you be offered amusement in abundance but Joeal buainess firms have plsmned a gigantic BARGAIN ensdiling you to save msmy dollsurs in shipping while at4«^ndingi Ihe Celebration. Be sure to visit us and see what ws^ offer. lie Pbu» ForBargams’ NORTH WILKESBORO. N. C. • ■.!-■>■■ •>' - . .H&iA