25 Famous People who are Buried in North Carolina

25
Famous People
who are Buried in
North Carolina
Andy Flowers
www.theNCexplorer.com
Copyright 2014 by Andy Flowers
All rights reserved
Printed in the United States of America
Published by The NC Explorer
Clayton, NC
This publication is designed to provide accurate information with regard to the subject
matter covered. All information appears on as-is basis and the publisher is not liable for
any errors or omission of information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its
display or use.
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North Carolina is a beautiful state with the majestic Appalachian Mountains,
rolling hills of the piedmont, and the unique outer banks of the coast. Not
only is North Carolina a scenic state but it carries with it a rich history. Many
fascinating people have called the shores of North Carolina home. The
following pages contain just a small sample of biographies of the people that
influenced North Carolina and in many ways the world. Not all of them were
born in or even raised in North Carolina, but they all were honored to choose
North Carolina as their final resting place. Many of the gravesites are in a
public cemetery and you can visit them yourself. As you look at the
tombstone you will notice the date of birth followed by the date of death; such
as, June 1, 1926 – July 3, 2012. The dash between the dates represents the
time that person was alive and Kirk Dearman recorded a wonderful song
called, “The Dash” (you can find the link at www.theNCexplorer.com and
listen to the song for free). Some of the following 25 famous people chose to
use their time acting, playing music, inventing, performing heroic acts during
war, or just raising a family. I just wonder what you will do with your dash.
Enjoy as we go on a journey through history and look at the lives of 25
Famous People who are Buried in North Carolina.
Photograph by Hugh Morton North Carolina Collection, UNC-CH.
Probably the most famous television/movie star associated with the state of North
Carolina is Andy Griffith. Andy Samuel Griffith was born in Mount Airy, North
Carolina as the only child born to parents Carl Lee and Geneva Nann Nunn Griffith.
Andy grew up in a poor family and he was a shy kid throughout high school. After
graduating Mount Airy High School on May 30, 1944, he enrolled that fall at the
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His goal was to become a Moravian
preacher. However, after struggling with classes he changed his major to music. While
in college he joined the drama club called, the Carolina Playmakers. In 1946 Andy
joined the cast of the outdoor historical drama "The Lost Colony", which was held on
Roanoke Island in Manteo, North Carolina. Andy graduated college in 1949 and soon
married his first wife, Barbara Bray Edwards. They moved to Goldsboro, NC and Andy
was hired as the assistant drama
coach at Goldsboro High School. He
would teach there for three years.
Then he joined the Raleigh Little
Theatre and it was there that he
developed his comedy monologues.
His success led him to New York
where he would star in the Broadway
play, No Time for Sergeants, and
meet his soon to be friend, Don
Knotts. Andy's motion picture debut
was in, A Face in the Crowd, in 1957.
In January 1960, the filming began
for the pilot episode of The Andy Griffith
Show which aired on The Danny Thomas
Show. Andy moved to California and on
October 3, 1960 The Andy Griffith Show
premiered on CBS. The show would use
North Carolina as the location of the
fictional town of Mayberry. In many
episodes you will hear real North Carolina
towns; such as, Siler City, Charlotte,
Raleigh, and Asheville referenced. The
show was a huge success and re-runs are
still aired today. In remembrance of The
Andy Griffith Show, Andy's hometown of
Mount Airy host's the Mayberry Days
festival each year. Andy would go on to
star in other TV and movie rolls such as
Matlock. Andy and Barbara adopted two
children a son, Andy Samuel Griffith, Jr.
Andy Griffith and Julie Adams
and a daughter, Dixie Nann Griffith. Andy
and Barbara were divorced in 1972 and his second wife was Solica Cassuto. Andy and
Solica were married from 1973 till 1981. On April 12, 1983 he married his third wife
Cindi Knight. Andy returned and retired in his home state of North Carolina after
enjoying a successful career as an actor. Also, Andy was known for his singing skill and
he recorded a number of gospel and Christmas songs.1 Andy Griffith died of a heart
attack at his home in Manteo, NC on July 3, 2012 at the age of 86. He is buried at the
Griffith family cemetery on Roanoke Island.2
Josephus Daniels was a newspaper editor and political figure. He was born in
Washington, North Carolina in 1862; however, his father was not present because he was
working in Wilmington in the Navy Yard. Josephus had an older brother named, Frank,
and Josephus was named after his father. In the spring of 1864 the Daniels family
moved to Ocracoke Island where Josephus youngest brother, Charles, was born. In
1865, Josephus's father was mistakenly shot by confederate troops and later died from the
wounds. Josephus's aunt invited the
Daniels family to move to Wilson, NC in the
spring of 1865. While in Wilson, NC his
mother opened a small woman's hat and
dressmaking store. Then later she was
appointed post mistress at the post office in
Wilson. Josephus helped his mother in the
Wilson post office and he loved to read,
especially the newspapers. At the age of
18, Josephus became the editor of the
Wilson Advance newspaper and later bought
the paper. He helped his brother, Charles,
buy the Kinston Free Press newspaper.
Also, Josephus was part owner of the Rocky
Mount Reporter. Josephus went to school
at Wilson Collegiate Institute and he studied
law at UNC-Chapel Hill. After obtaining
his law degree in October 1885, Josephus
moved to Raleigh to work at the State Chronicle newspaper which he had bought. Later
in 1894, Josephus bought the News and Observer newspaper which absorbed the State
Chronicle. The News and Observer is still in circulation today and became the first
newspaper in the world to have more subscribers than the population of the city in which
it was based.3 While in Raleigh he meet the Bagley family and fell in love with their
daughter Addie Worth Bagley. They were married in Raleigh, NC on May 2, 1888.4
Josephus loved politics and was a strong supporter of the Democratic Party. Also,
Josephus was a personal and political friend of Woodrow Wilson. After Woodrow
Wilson was elected President of the United States in 1912, Josephus was appointed as
Secretary of the Navy from 1913 till 1921. Then Ambassador to Mexico which he
resigned from in 1941 and returned to North Carolina to continue as editor of the News
and Observer. Josephus had four sons: Josephus, Worth Bagley, Jonathan Worth, and
Frank A. II. Josephus Daniels died in Raleigh on January 15, 1948 and is buried in
Historic Oakwood Cemetery.5
Ava Gardner was a famous movie star beginning in the 1940's. Ava was born in the
farming community near Smithfield, NC. Her parents were Jonas Bailey and Mary
Elizabeth Gardner. Her dad was a tobacco farmer; which is a common crop grown in
eastern North Carolina. Ava had six siblings
and her family struggled financially farming.
Ava's big break came in the summer of 1940
when she went to visit her sister Bappie in
New York. Bappie's husband was a
photographer and he took photos of Ava and
placed them in the window of his studio. An
employee of MGM's legal department saw
the photo and expressed interest in her. Ava
was brought in for a screen test and in 1941
she arrived in Hollywood to sign a contract
with MGM studios. As Ava was adjusting
to her new life in Hollywood she soon met
Mickey Rooney and a courtship began.
They were married just six months after Ava
arrived in Hollywood.
Mickey helped get Ava's career going and she got her first speaking part in Kid Glove
Killer. Ava loved the nightlife and soon divorced Mickey Rooney in 1943. Ava would
go on to marry a second and third time to Artie Shaw and Frank Sinatra, respectively.
Ava starred in many movies; such as, The Killers, The Hucksters, The Snows of
Kilimanjaro, Mogambo, The Barefoot Contessa, and The Night of the Iguana.6 Ava
Gardner enjoyed a successful career as an actress and at age 67 she died of pneumonia at
her London home. Ava is buried in Sunset Memorial Park in Smithfield, NC. 7 Also, the
Ava Gardner Museum is located in Smithfield which hosts an annual Ava Gardner
festival.
Thomas Clayton Wolfe is considered by many to be a great American author. Thomas
was born in Asheville, NC on October 3, 1900. His parents were William Oliver Wolfe
and Julia Westall Wolfe. His father was a stonecutter (his business was located near
Pack Square in downtown Asheville), and his mother ran a boarding house. Thomas had
seven siblings: Leslie, Effie, Frank, Mabel, Ben, Grover, and Fred. Thomas went to
North State Fitting School and then entered the University of North Carolina at Chapel
Hill in 1916. While at Chapel Hill, Thomas would sharpen his writing skills. He
became the editor of The Daily Tarheel and The Tar
Baby, UNC's newspaper and literary magazine. He
joined the Carolina Playmakers and wrote plays for
them, his most famous is The Return of Buck Gavin.
After graduating UNC in 1920, Thomas enrolled at
Harvard to get his master's degree. Thomas wanted
to complete the 47 Workshop taught by George
Pierce Baker and become a great playwright.
However, his plays were not accepted because they
were too long, so he taught at New York University
after graduating from Harvard. Thomas took his
first trip to Europe and returned with the ideal for his
first novel, Look Homeward, Angel. This novel is
about Tom's childhood and the city of Asheville is
given the name Altamont.
Scribner’s published a number of Tom's novels and short stories; however, the year
before Tom died he switched from Scribner’s to Harpers. Tom travelled a great deal and
in the summer of 1938 after touring the national parks, Tom was hospitalized in Seattle
for pneumonia. Tom was transferred to Baltimore and later died after an operation at
Johns Hopkins Hospital.8 Thomas Wolfe is buried at Riverside Cemetery in Asheville,
NC. Also, the Old Kentucky Home where Tom grew up is a North Carolina State
Historical Site.9
Wolfman Jack was a famous disc jockey of the 1960s and 1970s. His real name is
Robert Weston Smith but everybody called him Bobby in is childhood. Robert was born
in 1938 and his parents lived in New York City. His father was a businessman and
talented writer; also, Robert had a sister named, Joan. During his childhood, Robert’s
parents divorced so Robert moved in with his
sister, her husband, and kids. Robert would
chase his nephews yelling the wolfman is
coming to get you in an effort to scare them.
Saying “Jack” was a cool way to end your
sentences back in the day, “That’s a nice car,
Jack.” That is where Robert got his new
name: Wolfman Jack. He loved R&B music
and disc jockeys throughout his early life.
Wolfman Jack graduated in 1960 from the
National Academy of Broadcasting in
Washington, D.C. Then he began his radio
career at WYOU in Newport News, Virginia.
In 1961, Wolfman Jack married Lou Elizabeth
Lamb who was from eastern North Carolina.
Wolfman Jack would go on to expand his radio career.10 He has appeared in many
television shows; such as, the Midnight Special and the feature film, American Graffiti.
Wolfman Jack moved to Belvidere, NC in 1989 where he would spend the rest of his life
with his wife Lou. On July 1, 1995 Wolfman Jack died of a heart attack. He is buried
in Belvidere, North Carolina.11
Photograph by Hugh Morton North Carolina Collection, UNC-CH.
Ruth Graham was the wife of the famous evangelist Billy Graham. Ruth was born in
China as her father was a medical missionary. She lived in China for 17 years and then
later meet her future husband at Wheaton College which is west of Chicago. Ruth had
plans to enter the mission field in Tibet, but God would direct her to marry Billy Graham.
Ruth did not say yes to Billy's marriage proposal on the spot. Instead she thought it over
and later sent Billy a message when he was away in
Florida. In that letter she wrote, "I'll marry you". They
were married on August 13, 1943 at Montreat, North
Carolina. God led Ruth and Billy Graham around the
world preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. Billy and
Ruth made their home at Montreat, North Carolina.
After acquiring some land, Ruth gathered logs and
lumber from deserted cabins and homes set for
demolition. These logs would form their new home in
the mountains of North Carolina that she called "little
piney cove". The Grahams lived a very public life and
their home was a great place for privacy. Billy and
Ruth had five children; Gigi, Anne, Ruth, Franklin, and
Ned.
Billy and Ruth Graham
Ruth stayed home with the children while her husband was away for sometimes months
at a time. However, Ruth was committed to her marriage and her husband’s ministry.12
During her life she wrote and co-wrote many books. After spending her life raising a
family and serving God, Ruth died on June 14, 2007. Ruth Graham is buried at the Billy
Graham Library in Charlotte, North Carolina. The epitaph on her tombstone reads, "End
of Construction - thank you for your patience."13
David Marshall Williams was a famous firearms inventor better known as, Carbine
Williams. David's parents were James Claud Williams and Laura Kornegay. James
was a successful farmer and large landowner in Godwin, NC. David's interest in
firearms developed from an early age, making wooden guns to play with as a child.
David spent a short time in the Navy and in Military School, then in 1918 he married his
childhood sweetheart, Margaret Isobel Cook. After growing weary of the long hours and
hard work while working for the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, David decided to enter the
whiskey making business. David was very successful in his new business and hired
several employees; however, making whiskey was illegal. On July 21, 1921 the police
raided a still David was operating at the time. Some shots were fired and David escaped
into the woods not knowing that Deputy Sheriff Al J. Pate had been shot and killed.
David turned himself into the Sheriff two days later and went to trial for murder. On
October 17, 1921 a mistrial was declared because one juror would not convict David of
murder and give him the death penalty. However, David was retried on the lesser charge
of second-degree murder. David was convicted on November 25, 1921 and sentenced to
thirty years hard labor.
Prison life was difficult, consisting of farm labor, road construction, and other jobs. If
orders were not obeyed then the prisoners would be whipped with a leather strap, and
there was the danger of getting into fights with the other prisoners. David served time in
prison at the Cary Prison Farm, then he was transferred to Topton in the mountains of
North Carolina where he meet Captain H.T.
Peoples, the prison superintendent. Finally,
David was transferred to Caledonia Prison
Farm on the banks of the Roanoke River and
Mr. Peoples was transferred as well. At
Caledonia, David's mind was set on making
guns. David worked in the blacksmith shop
and once he completed his prison work he
began working on his gun ideas. David made
his own tools and used scape metal from a ford
tractor to make his first gun. Mr. Peoples
liked and trusted David and he allowed him to
work on his inventions while in prison.
Prison officials did not like the ideal that a
prisoner was making guns; however, Captain
Peoples said he would serve the remainder of
his time if David tried to escape with one of
his guns. So, David was allowed to continue
his work of gun making. David's case was
reviewed and on September 29, 1929 David was given a full pardon from Governor
Angus W. McLean of North Carolina. By this time David had made six guns using his
short-stroke and movable-chamber principles. David returned to his home near Godwin,
NC and continued his work on firearms. David was employed by Colt, Remington, and
Winchester at different times and he would be granted 52 patents for his firearm
inventions. David's most famous invention is the M-1 Carbine which he invented in
1941. This became one of the most popular firearms used by American troops during
World War II. Other famous guns are the Colt .22 Service Ace, the Remington Model
550 .22 rifle, and the Winchester Model 50 shotgun.
MGM even made a movie about David's life called Carbine Williams, which starred
Jimmy Stewart. The world premiere was shown in Fayetteville, NC on April 24, 1952.
David continued to work on firearms from his shop at his farm the remainder of his life.
Before his death David donated his collection of guns as well as his shop to the State of
North Carolina. On January 8, 1975 David Marshall Williams died and he is buried at
the historic Bluff Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Wade, NC. David's preserved
workshop and guns are on permanent display at the North Carolina Museum of History in
Raleigh, NC.14
Lee Petty was a pioneer stock car racer. If you are a NASCAR fan then no doubt you
will recognize the name, Petty. Lee Petty's parents were Jessie Maude and Judson
Ellsworth Petty. Lee grew up in Level Cross, NC which is a small community just south
of Greensboro, NC. Lee worked as a farmer and once owned a trucking business before
he turned to racing. On December 14, 1947 Bill and Anne France formed a new
organization called the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR).
Lee Petty drove in NASCAR's first race; which
was a three-quarter mile dirt track in Charlotte,
NC. In the early days, Lee Petty was his own
crew chief, mechanic, owner, and driver. He
would drive the car to the race with his family,
then change the oil, check the tires, and grease it
then drive the car in the race. Once the race was
over he would drive back home in the race car.
That was the beginning days of Petty Enterprises;
which Lee formed with his two sons Richard and
Maurice, and they were on their way to success.
Probably the most famous race for Lee Petty was
the opening of the Daytona International
Speedway on February 20, 1959. Lee Petty
drove a '59 Oldsmobile (#42) for the two hundred lap race. Lee Petty and Johnny
Beauchamp were the front runners on the final ten laps. Then off of turn four of the final
lap Lee Petty, Johnny Beauchamp, and Joe Weatherly headed for the finish line side by
side. After crossing the finish line, Johnny Beauchamp was declared the unofficial
winner but Lee Petty filed a formal complaint. At the time there was no photo-finish
camera at the finish line. So, photos and movies taken by the press and people in the
stands were reviewed for three days. Then Bill France declared Lee Petty as the
winner.15 Lee went on to become a successful driver, becoming the first to capture three
championships in what is now called the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. At the time Lee
won the most races, 54, until his son Richard Petty passed that record. Richard would
become NASCAR's all-time race winner and is known as the King of NASCAR.16 Lee
Petty died on April 5, 2000 at the age of 86 after undergoing surgery for a stomach
aneurysm. On May 23, 2011 Lee Petty was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
Lee Petty is buried at the Level Cross United Methodist Church Cemetery in Randleman,
NC.17
Photograph by Hugh Morton North Carolina Collection, UNC-CH.
Charles Bishop Kuralt developed a love for journalism from an early age growing up in
eastern North Carolina. On September 10, 1934 Charles was born in Wilmington, NC as
the first child to Wallace and Ina Kuralt. Charles's father, Wallace, began a career in
social work by attending graduate school at UNC Chapel Hill. While his mother, Ina,
taught home economics. The Kuralt family moved several times due to Wallace's job
promotions. They lived in Stedman, Salisbury, and Washington, NC. Ina's parents had
a farm near Washington, NC and Charles spent his childhood helping farm tobacco and
fishing on the Pamlico River; fishing would remain a
lifelong passion of Charles. The Kuralt family finally
settled in Charlotte, NC when Charles was almost 11
years old. Journalism started early for Charles because
soon after arriving in Charlotte, Charles began his own
newspaper, The Inquirer. While in junior high school
Charles, at the age of 13, became one of the youngest
radio announcers in the country. He had his own radio
show on WAYS giving the summary for the Charlotte
baseball team, the Hornets, and reporting on local school
sports. In 1951, Charles enrolled at the University of
North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and by his junior year he
became editor for The Daily Tar Heel. At the age of 19
Charles married his first wife Sory Guthery and they
moved to Charlotte. Charles took a job with the Charlotte News in the summer of 1955
without graduating UNC Chapel Hill. However, ten years later the university modified
graduation requirements and awarded Charles a bachelor of arts in history degree. In
1957, Charles won the Ernie Pyle Memorial Award for his writing in the Charlotte News.
This caught the attention of CBS news division and they offered Charles a job, which he
accepted. Charles started CBS as a writer and then became host of the Eyewitness to
History series, which required him to travel around the world. Two years after divorcing
his first wife, Charles remarried Suzanna Baird on June 1, 1962. Charles and his new
wife moved to Brazil to work as a correspondent. Then CBS brought him back to the
United States and Charles pitched his idea of the "On the Road" series. The series was
given the green light and in October of 1967 Charles began the "On the Road" series.
The segments were a huge success as Charles traveled to small towns around the country
extracting wonderful stories of Americans.18 The "On the Road" segments lasted for
thirteen years and 650 segments were produced. Also, in 1979, Charles became the host
of the CBS News Sunday Morning show. Charles retired from CBS in 1994 and during
his career he won three Peabody awards and ten Emmy awards for journalism. On July
4, 1997 Charles died, at the age of 62, of complications from lupus. Charles Kuralt is
buried on the UNC grounds in Old Chapel Hill Cemetery in Chapel Hill, NC. 19
Photograph by Hugh Morton North Carolina Collection, UNC-CH.
James Augustus Hunter was born in Hertford, NC. He was the youngest of ten children
(two died at birth) to Abbott and Lillie Hunter. His father was a tenant farmer in
northeastern North Carolina. Growing up on the farm, Jim developed a love for hunting,
fishing, farming, and baseball. Jim's father was a hard-working man and instilled in Jim
to give a 100 percent in whatever task was at
hand. Jim enjoyed sports and he played
baseball, football, and ran track while attending
Perquiman High School. While there he meet
his sweetheart, Helen Overton, and they later
married on October 9, 1966. In High School Jim
excelled at baseball, helping his team win the
Class AA title his junior year. However, in his
senior year on Thanksgiving Day in 1963 he went
with his brothers on a hunting trip. While
walking home Jim's brother, Pete, accidently fired
his shotgun and shot Jim's foot. His little toe
was gone and shotgun pellets remained in his
foot. Many thought his baseball career might be
over but not Jim. His senior year Major League
scouts were watching Jim and they were
impressed with what they saw. Charlie Finley
wanted Jim, so he signed him with the Kansas City A's for $75,000. Charlie Finley
loved promoting baseball, so he made up a tale that Jim had ran away from home as a
child to go fishing. His parents found him that evening after Jim had caught some
catfish. From this tall-tale Mr. Finley told is how Jim got his nickname, Catfish. Jim
was sent to the Mayo Clinic were surgeons worked on his foot. After his foot was fully
recovered, Jim made his pitching debut on May 13, 1965. The rest is history as they say,
Jim would enjoy a successful fifteen year career playing major league baseball with the
Kansas City A's, Oakland A's, and New York Yankees. Jim pitched a perfect game in
1968 against the Minnesota Twins, which was the only regular season perfect game in the
American League in sixty-five years. Later in 1974, Jim won the Cy Young Award and
later that year became the first true free agent in baseball history. Jim then signed with
the New York Yankees and stayed there until he retired in 1979. Along the way, Jim
won 224 regular season games, was one of four pitchers to win 200 games by the age of
thirty-one. Jim was selected eight times for the All-Star team, won seven division
championships, and won five out of six World Series. After retiring, Jim returned to his
family and farm in Hertford, NC. In 1987, Jim "Catfish" Hunter was inducted into the
National Baseball Hall of Fame.20 In 1998, Jim was diagnosed with ALS, also known as
Lou Gehrig's disease. Just a year later Jim died and is buried in the Cedarwood
Cemetery in Hertford, NC.21
There was a time when the only way Americans became informed of news was by
reading the newspaper or listening to radio. Then David Brinkley became part of history
by becoming one of the early pioneers of
television news programs. David
Brinkley was born in Wilmington, NC to
parents William and Mary. Also, David
had two sisters and two brothers with
David being the youngest. David spent
his childhood watching ships enter the
dock, walking on shell roads near the
beach, and reading under the streetlight.
A shock came when David's father died of
a heart attack when David was just eight
years old, but the family pulled through
the struggle. David loved to read and
write and he won his first essay contest
from a local radio station when he was
twelve. Later that same radio station gave
David his first job, reading the news for
five minutes. At New Hanover High
School, David had an English teacher that
saw David's growing skill of writing and encouraged David to be a journalist. David
was able to do an internship at the local newspaper, Star-News. In 1940, David enrolled
at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill but changed his mind and entered the
Army. He was placed into the nearest National Guard unit as a supply sergeant. About
a year later he was discharged and returned to the Star-News. In 1942, David was
offered a job for the United Press in Atlanta, GA; which he accepted. World War II was
raging and the draft made it hard for the United Press to keep its offices manned. So,
David was promoted and moved to Nashville, TN and then again moved to Charlotte,
NC. After about a year at Charlotte, David persuaded his director to see if CBS News
had a job for him at the Washington, D.C. office. CBS did have a job for David so he
headed to Washington and upon arriving, CBS said they never heard of him and did not
have a job for David. David was angry, so he walked four blocks over to NBC News
and was hired in ten minutes. David would work for NBC News for the next thirty-eight
years. In the mid-1940s, the first television camera arrived at the NBC News office. It
was a difficult transition from radio to television. The newscaster had to learn not to tell
the viewers what they could easily see for themselves on the television screen.
However, David got his "big break" while reporting on the 1956 Republican and
Democratic conventions. Afterwards, the New York Times critic wrote a favorable and
flattering article about David's performance. This launched David's career as a
television newscaster and on October 29, 1956 The Huntley-Brinkley Report first aired.
Later in 1970, the name was changed to NBC Nightly News. David enjoyed a long
career delivering the news of elections, the first man on the moon, presidents, wars, and
many other events. David won many awards and in 1992 was awarded the Presidential
Medal of Freedom.22 David Brinkley retired in 1997 and later in 2003, he died at his
home in Houston, TX. David Brinkley is buried at Oakdale Cemetery in Wilmington,
NC.23
William Sydney Porter was a famous writer that is better known by his pen name, O.
Henry. O. Henry was born in Greensboro, NC to Dr. Algernon Sidney and Mary Jane
Virginia Swaim Porter. His mother died just three years after O. Henry was born. O.
Henry enjoyed reading and was known as a great story teller. Miss Evelina Maria Porter
was O. Henry's aunt and she taught O. Henry during his childhood until he was fifteen.
Then O. Henry went to work as a clerk in
his Uncle Clark Porter's drug store, and
later was licensed as a pharmacist. Also,
O. Henry was a talented artist and while
working at the drug store O. Henry would
draw life-like sketches of the customers.
Then in March 1882, O. Henry was
invited by Dr. James K. Hall to move to
Texas. So, O. Henry accepted the
invitation in hopes that the change in
environment would help his persistent
cough. While in Texas, O. Henry lived
on a sheep ranch for two years. Then he
moved to Austin, Texas and remained
there until October, 1895, when he moved
to Houston to be a reporter. While in
Austin, O. Henry took a number of jobs; including, bookkeeper, draftsman in a land
office, bank teller, and editor. One of the happiest moments of O. Henry's life in Texas
was his courtship and marriage to Athol Estes. However, Athol's parents objected to the
marriage because Athol was sick with tuberculosis. This did not stop the couple and at
midnight O. Henry borrowed a carriage and drove to Dr. R. K. Smoot, the Presbyterian
minister, and O. Henry and Athol were married on July 5, 1887. Later in 1889 their
daughter, Margaret Worth Porter, was born. To help support his family O. Henry began
writing articles. However, O. Henry's life changed while working in Houston. O.
Henry was summoned back to Austin to stand trial for alleged embezzlement of funds
while working at the First National Bank of Austin. O. Henry boarded a train for Austin,
but he changed trains in Hempstead and headed for New Orleans. Then from New
Orleans O. Henry traveled to Honduras in Central America. In 1897, O. Henry received
news that his wife was ill, so he returned to Austin, TX to be with his wife and face the
trial. On July 25, 1897 Athol died of tuberculosis and after standing trial for
embezzlement O. Henry was found guilty. On April 25, 1898, O. Henry was sent to
Ohio Penitentiary in Columbus, Ohio. O. Henry was sentenced for five years but
because of good behavior he was released after three years and three months. Since O.
Henry was a licensed pharmacist, he worked as the drug clerk while in prison and he
spent his spare time writing. Prison changed O. Henry because it was while in prison
that he started using his pen name and focused more on writing short stories. After
being released from prison, O. Henry moved to New York City in 1902 and spent all of
his time writing. O. Henry is famous for his many short stories; such as, The Gift of the
Magi, The Ransom of Red Chief, The Cop and the Anthem, and A Retrieved Reformation.
In 1907, O. Henry married again to Sarah Lindsey Coleman in Asheville, NC.24 Then on
June 5, 1910 O. Henry died in New York City of cirrhosis of the liver, diabetes, and an
enlarged heart. He is buried in Riverside Cemetery in Asheville, NC.25
If you are a fan of bluegrass and folk music,
then you probably have heard of Doc
Watson. Doc was a famous guitarist, singer,
and songwriter of such music. Doc Watson
was born and raised in Deep Gap, NC by his
parents Annie Greene and General Dixon
Watson. Doc developed an eye infection
and lost his eye sight before turning one year
old; however, this event would not hinder
Doc's determination in pursuing his musical
career. Western North Carolina has had a
rich history of folk song and lore. The
Watson family continued that history by
singing songs and ballads at home and
General led the singing at the local Baptist
church. Doc learned to play the harmonica
starting at age six. His first stringed
instrument was a fretless banjo his father
built for him at age eleven. Doc entered the
Governor Morehead School for the Blind in
Raleigh, NC and while there he learned to play the guitar. Later he bought his first
Stella guitar and learned to play the old time mountain tunes. At fourteen his father put
Doc to work cutting wood with a crosscut saw. This inspired Doc that though he was
blind he could still be useful. Doc started playing on the streets for tips and this led to an
invitation to play at amateur contests and fiddlers' conventions. One such show was
being broadcast on radio when Doc was eighteen and the radio announcer thought Doc's
real name of Arthel was too long. So, a young woman in the crowd said, "Call him
'Doc'." That was when he got his nickname and it stuck. Doc became good friends to a
fiddler name Gaither Carlton and Doc fell in love with Gaither's daughter, Rosa Lee.
Later in 1947, Doc and Rosa Lee were married and they had two children. A son named
Eddy Merle born in 1949, and a daughter named Nancy Ellen born in 1951. Doc got a
job playing the electric guitar in Jack Williams' country and swing band. This band did
not have a fiddle player most of the time, so Doc learned to flatpick fiddle tunes on his
guitar for the square dance songs. Doc got his big break when he played at the Newport
Folk Festival in 1963. The following year he recorded his first solo album and his son
Merle started performing with Doc.26 Doc travelled the nation performing bluegrass and
folk music with his unique flatpicking skills. He was very successful winning seven
Grammy awards and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. However, tragedy stuck
in 1985 when Doc's son Merle died in an accident on the family farm. However, the
family pulled through and Doc continued his musical career the remainder of his life.
Every April the Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, NC host a music festival
called MerleFest, named after Doc's son Merle. The event is very popular for folk,
bluegrass, and old-time music drawing over 50,000 fans each year. Doc Watson died in
2012 at the age of 89 of complications following surgery. He is buried in the Merle and
Doc Watson Memorial Cemetery in Deep Gap, NC.27
You may not recognize the name Caleb Bradham, but if you enjoy the carbonated soft
drink Pepsi then you have Mr. Bradham to thank for its invention. Caleb was born in
Chinquapin, NC to parents George Washington and Julia McCann Bradham in 1867.28
Caleb graduated from the University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill and headed to the University
of Maryland to study medicine around 1890.
However, his father's business was going bankrupt
so Caleb dropped out of medical school and returned
to North Carolina. Caleb taught public school for
about a year in New Bern, NC. Shortly thereafter
he opened a drug store called Bradham's Drug
Company on the corner of Middle and Pollock
Streets. Most drug stores of the time had a soda
fountain and Caleb enjoyed experimenting with new
flavor combinations. In 1893, Caleb blended a
combination of carbonated water, sugar, pepsin, kola
nut extract, vanilla and rare oils to form his new soda
called, "Brad's Drink". In 1898, Caleb changed the
name of his soda to Pepsi-Cola, referring to two
ingredients: the digestive enzyme pepsin, and kola nuts used in the recipe. Caleb
believed his drink would aid in digestion and increase energy. In 1902, Caleb launched
the Pepsi-Cola Company and the year before he married Charity Credle. Caleb and
Sarah had three children: Mary, Caleb, Jr., and George. Caleb moved Pepsi-Cola from
his drugstore to a rented warehouse in 1903 and that year sold 7,968 gallons of syrup.
He used the marketing line, "Exhilarating, Invigorating, Aids Digestion." The following
year, Pepsi was sold in six-ounce bottles and sales jumped to 19,848 gallons of syrup. In
1905, two franchises were awarded in Charlotte and Durham, NC and by 1910 there were
250 franchises in 24 states. Caleb enjoyed success for many years, but in 1923 PepsiCola went bankrupt. Caleb believed sugar prices would continue to rise after World War
I so he bought a large supply, but the price fell drastically. So, assets were sold to the
Craven Holding Corporation for $30,000, and Caleb returned to his drug store. 29 Also,
Caleb served as an officer in the naval reserve for 25 years and retired as a rear admiral.
In addition, he was president of the People's Bank of New Bern.30 Caleb Bradham died
in 1934 and is buried in Cedar Grove Cemetery at New Bern, NC.31
Chang and Eng Bunker were the original Siamese twins. They were born in 1811 in
Siam, now known, as the country Thailand in
Asia. The twins were born with their bodies
joined together at the sternum. They sold duck
eggs during their childhood for extra income for
the family. In 1829, a Scottish trader, Robert
Hunter, and a New England sea captain, Abel
Coffin, paid their family to let the twins be
exhibited during a world tour. The twins
learned English and traveled the world giving
lectures, performing acrobatic stunts, and
showing their physical strength. In 1832, the
twins ended their contract with Coffin and
started managing their own tours throughout the
United States. The shows were very successful
and the twins became wealthy. While in New
York, they meet Dr. James Callaway of
Wilkesboro, NC, and Callaway invited the twins
to visit North Carolina. The twins did just that
and fell in love with the quiet and peaceful countryside. In 1839, they moved to Wilkes
County and opened a general store in Traphill. Also, they bought land and started
farming. In order to become naturalized American citizens the twins needed a surname,
so they chose the name of a friend, Bunker. Shortly after retiring to North Carolina, the
twins meet two sisters, Adelaide and Sarah Yates. Later in 1843, the couples were
married and moved to Surry County. Eng married Sarah and later had ten children.
Chang married Adelaide and later had eleven children. Both couples lived in the same
house for nine years, but as the family grew the wives began to quarrel. Two separate
houses were built for each family and Eng and Chang took turns visiting every three
days. They continued this routine the remainder of their lives. The twins lost some
land as a result of the Civil War and they returned to public exhibitions but these were
not as successful as before. They returned home in 1870 and Chang had a stroke. As
their health declined the twins quarreled more and more. They wanted a doctor to
separate them but could not find a doctor that was willing to perform the operation. On
January 17, 1874 Chang died in his sleep. Eng awoke and found his brother died and
feared he would die soon. A doctor was called to separate them but Eng died before the
doctor arrived. Chang and Eng Bunker are buried in White Plains Baptist Church
Cemetery near Mount Airy, NC.[32][33]
The modern day motion pictures rarely feature the Western genre. However, during the
1930's, 40's, and 50's the Western movies were a very popular genre. If you love old
Western movies, then the name Randolph Scott will quickly come to mind. George
Randolph Scott was born in Orange County, Virginia and raised in Charlotte, North
Carolina. His parents were George Grant
Scott and Lucille Crane Scott. Randolph
was the second of six children born to the
Scott family. During childhood Randolph
went to Woodberry Forest School, a private
school. Randolph was athletic and he loved
football, baseball, horse racing, and
swimming. Randolph joined the United
States Army when he was nineteen and
served in France as an artillery observer
during WWI. After leaving the military in
1919, Randolph enrolled at Georgia Tech
with the desire of becoming a football
player. However, after a back injury he
transferred to UNC-Chapel Hill, but soon
dropped out and went to work as an
accountant in the textile firm where his
father was employed. Randolph became interested in acting and made his way to Los
Angeles in 1927. Randolph's father knew Howard Hughes which allowed Randolph to
get a small part in a 1928 film called Sharp Shooters. Randolph continued to get work
as an extra and to gain more experience he started performing stage plays for the
Pasadena Playhouse. In 1932, he played in a play called Under a Virginia Moon, and his
performance got the attention of major movie studios. Randolph signed a contract with
Paramount Pictures for $400 per week. Paramount gave Randolph the lead role in
Heritage of the Desert in 1932, which established him as a Western star. In 1936,
Randolph married Marion duPont but they divorced just three years later. Later in 1944,
Randolph married Patricia Stillman and they adopted two children. Randolph made
several films for Paramount until his contract ended in 1938 and then he began
freelancing. Randolph played in crime dramas, comedies, musicals, and adventure tales.
However, his most famous image is that of the Western hero. In 1946, Randolph played
in Abilene Town and from that point on his starring roles, except for two films, were
Westerns. Randolph appeared in more than 100 films and in 1962 he made his final film
appearance in Ride the High Country. Randolph also made real estate investments and
retired a very wealthy man. At the age of 89, Randolph Scott died of heart and lung
issues in Beverly Hills, CA. He is buried at Elmwood Cemetery in Charlotte, NC.34
Don Gibson was a songwriter and singer of country music. Donald Eugene Gibson was
born in Shelby, NC. His parents were Solon and Mary Gibson, and Don was the
youngest of five children. His father was a railroad worker and he died when Don was
two years old. His mother would remarry and Don grew up farming but hated it. He
also hated school and dropped out after the second grade. One thing he did love though
was music. At 14, he bought a guitar and begin learning to play and sing. He formed a
band with friends called, the Sons of the
Soil.35 The band got the chance to play on
the Shelby radio station WOHS in 1948.
The following year, Don made his first
recording with them called, "Automatic
Mama." By 1952, Don got a job on
Knoxville’s radio station WNOX and he was
recording for Columbia. Don was
developing his songwriting skills and by
1955 he had written his first masterpiece,
"Sweet Dreams." The song got the
attention of Acuff-Rose Publications and
they signed Don to a songwriter's contract
and recording deal with MGM. In 1957,
Don went to Nashville to work with
producer Chet Atkins and there he recorded "Oh Lonesome Me" and "I Can't Stop
Loving You." Eventually "I Can't Stop Loving You" would be recorded more than 700
times by a variety of music genre singers and sell more than 30 million records
worldwide. For "Oh Lonesome Me" they decided to form a new sound featuring only
guitars, a piano, a drummer, upright bass, and background singers instead of the
traditional steel guitar and fiddle. This new sound would be called the Nashville Sound
and won Don a #1 hit. Don enjoyed success during the 1960's while enduring personal
problems and drug abuse. He made a fresh start in 1967 after he married Bobbi
Patterson and joined Hickory Records. He was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters
Hall of Fame in 1973 and in 2001 the Country Music Hall of Fame.36 Don Gibson died of
natural causes on November 17, 2003. He is buried in the Sunset Cemetery in Shelby,
NC.37
Frances Elizabeth Bavier is most famous for her television role as Aunt Bee on The Andy
Griffith Show. Frances was born in
New York City in 1902. She had
plans of becoming a teacher but her
dreams soon turned to acting. In 1925,
Frances graduated from the American
Academy of Dramatic Arts and started
working on Broadway. She played in
the stage comedy The Poor Nut and got
her big break performing in On
Borrowed Time. She also starred with
Henry Fonda in the play Point of No
Return. Frances travelled to
Hollywood and made her first movie
appearance in the film The Day the
Earth Stood Still in 1951. Also,
during the 1950's she appeared in
television shows such as the Lone
Ranger, Perry Mason, and The Eve
Arden Show. Later she was cast as a
widow for the pilot episode of The Andy Griffith Show. Her performance was loved and
the writers created the character of Aunt Bee in 1960. Frances played Aunt Bee for eight
seasons and she was the only original cast member to join the spin-off Mayberry R.F.D.;
which she played in for two seasons. While working on The Andy Griffith Show,
Frances was easily offended and felt her dramatic talents were overlooked. However,
she stayed with the show and won the Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Performance
by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Comedy in 1967. Later in 1972, she retired from
acting and chose North Carolina has her new home. She fell in love with the beautiful
scenery of North Carolina and bought a home in Siler City. Frances never married or
had children and she retired away from the fame of Hollywood. Also, she was a
member of the Studebaker Drivers Club because she enjoyed Studebaker cars. On
December 4, 1989, Frances Bavier died of a heart attack and she is buried at Oakwood
Cemetery in Siler City, NC.38
Vernon Adair Benson was a player, coach, scout, and interim manager in Major League
Baseball. Vern was born in Granite Quarry, NC to parents William Luther and Ruth
Elizabeth Foster. His father was a brick mason and his mother was a homemaker.
Also, Vern had one brother, William Luther Jr.
Vern enjoyed sports and played baseball and
basketball at Granite Quarry High School. Then
he played baseball at Catawba College in 1942
and the next year Vern played for the Salisbury
Aggies in a local semipro league. He was
scouted by the Philadelphia Athletics and he
signed a contract to join the Major Leagues in
1943 at eighteen years old. Shortly thereafter
the Army drafted Vern and he missed the 1944
and 1945 baseball seasons while he served in
France and Germany. Vern returned to
professional baseball in 1946 and that same year
he married Rachael Lyerly. Together they
would later have two daughters, Bonnie and
Robin. After the 1946 season, Vern joined the
St. Louis Cardinals chain. He spent the next five
seasons as an outfielder and backup third
baseman for the Columbus Red Birds Triple-A team. His career high as a player came
in 1951 when he batted .308 with 18 home runs and 89 RBIs. Vern then moved to
managing in the Minor League from 1956 to 1961 and he returned to Major League as a
coach with the Cardinals in 1962. Two years later, Vern experienced a world
championship with the Cardinals. Then he was on staff with the Yankees in 1965 and
the Cincinnati Reds from 1966 until 1969. Vern returned to the Cardinals as a coach
from 1970 till 1975 and he joined the Atlanta Braves in 1976 and 1977. Through an
unusual event in 1977, Vern was a Major League manager for one game. The Braves
were on a 16 game losing streak when owner, Ted Turner, replaced manager Dave
Bristol. Ted became manager but the Major League President forced Ted out because
managers could not have financial interest in the team. So, Vern became manager on
May 12, 1977 and the Braves won, ending their losing streak. The next day Dave Bristol
was back as manager. After a successful career, Vern later returned to North Carolina as
a baseball scout for the Cardinals'.39 Vern Benson died on January 20, 2014 and he is
buried at Rowan Memorial Park Cemetery in Salisbury, NC.40
Thomas Wilson Ferebee played a pivotal role in ending World War II. Thomas was
born on a farm near Mocksville, NC in 1918. He was the third child out of eleven
children. Thomas graduated Mocksville's High School and attended Lees-McRae
College in Banner Elk, NC. He was
very talented in athletics and he trained
for a position on the Boston Red Sox
baseball team. However, he did not
make the team so he decided to join the
Army. He desired to be in the infantry
but a knee injury prevented that so he
was accepted into flight school. After
two years in flight school, Thomas
became a bombardier and he completed
more than 60 bombing missions. In
Van Kirk, Tibbets, Thomas Ferebee (Right)
1944, Thomas joined the 509th
Composite Group of the U.S. Army Air
Forces which was formed to deliver the atomic bomb. In 1945, Thomas was the
bombardier aboard the B-29 Superfortress called, Enola Gay. They headed for Japan on
August 6th and dropped the atomic bomb, "Little Boy", on Hiroshima. This was the first
time a nuclear weapon was used in warfare. Soon afterwards a different crew dropped a
second bomb on Nagasaki. As a result, Japan surrendered and the war ended. Thomas
remained in the military after the war serving in the Strategic Air Command during the
Cold War and Vietnam. Thomas retired in 1970 as a Master Navigator with the rank of
Colonel. After retirement, Thomas worked as a real estate agent around Orlando,
Florida. He was married to Mary Ann Ferebee and they raised four children. In 2000,
Thomas Ferebee died at his home in Windermere, Florida.41 He is buried at Wesley
Chapel United Methodist Church Cemetery in Mocksville, NC.42
Photograph by Hugh Morton North Carolina Collection, UNC-CH.
George Hege Hamilton IV was a famous country musician. George was born in
Winston-Salem, NC and in time his grandfather introduced him to country music.
George would listen to old Jimmie Rodgers records and The Grand Ole Opry on the
radio. By the age of 12, George was able to
purchase his first guitar from money earned as
a paper boy. During his teen years, George
played for civic luncheons and social events.
Then George enrolled at the University of
North Carolina at Chapel Hill but he never
graduated. In 1956, George recorded a song
called, "A Rose and a Baby Ruth" for Colonial
Records. The single got a national release and
helped launch George's music career. He
began touring with Buddy Holly and the
Everly Brothers performing teen ballads. In
the summer of 1958, George married Adelaide
Peyton and the following year they moved to
Nashville, TN to focus on country music. In
Nashville, George met Chet Atkins and signed
a contract with RCA Records. In 1960,
George became a member of the Grand Ole
Opry. Then in 1963 came his biggest hit song, Abilene, which spent four weeks at No. 1
on Billboard's country singles chart. During the mid-1960's his music showed a folk
influence and George began touring the world. George was given the title of
"International Ambassador of Country Music" when he performed in the Soviet Union
and Prague, since he was the first American country singer to do so. Also, George
hosted several television programs in Britain and Canada. George enjoyed a successful
career with hit songs, Truck Drivin' Man, Early Morning Rain, Canadian Pacific, and
She's a Little Bit Country. Also, George had two sons, Peyton and George V, and a
daughter, Mary. In 2010, George was inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of
Fame.[43][44] Later in 2014, George Hamilton IV died of a heart attack and he is buried at
Salem Moravian God's Acre Cemetery in Winston-Salem, NC.45
Wilbur Hardee was the founder of the fast-food restaurant chain called, Hardee's.
Wilbur was born in Martin County, NC and grew up on his family's farm. Wilbur was
not interested in farming as a career, so he became a musician and later a grill cook.
During World War II, Wilbur joined the United
States Navy. After his uncle died, Wilbur was
given a furlough and he returned to the United
States. Shortly after returning Wilbur met
Kathryn and they married in 1945. Wilbur
became an entrepreneur and he opened his first
restaurants called, the Do Drop Inn, Port
Terminal Inn, and the Silo Restaurant, in North
Carolina. Then in early 1960, Wilbur heard
about a new type of quick serve restaurant.
Believing this type of restaurant could be
successful, Wilbur decided to open a quick serve
drive-in. He called his new restaurant, Hardee's,
which he opened on September 3, 1960 in
Greenville, NC. The first Hardee's only had a
few items on the menu, but the 15-cent
hamburgers cooked on a charcoal broiler were a
success. Wilbur soon partnered with Jim
Gardner and Leonard Rawls, and they opened a second Hardee's in Rocky Mount, NC in
1961. However, Wilbur felt he did not have enough control in the company and he soon
sold his portion of the company to his partners, Rawls and Gardner. The company went
public in 1963 and expanded rapidly to the huge success it is today. Wilbur did not get
the chance to profit from the restaurant that bears his name. However, Wilbur remained
in the restaurant business and from 1949-1991 he opened 85 different restaurants.46
Wilbur's wife, Kathryn, died in 1980 and at this point in his life, Wilbur was a heavy
drinker. Helen Galloway was a devout Christian lady and she encouraged Wilbur to
surrender his life to Jesus Christ. In 1985, Wilbur became a Christian by accepting Jesus
as his Savior and he quit drinking. Later that same year Wilbur and Helen got married
and they spent the rest of their lives together.47 Wilbur Hardee died in 2008 at the age of
89 and he is buried in Pinewood Memorial Park in Greenville, NC.48
If you have had a cough lately then you
might have applied some Vicks
VapoRub to your chest. Allowing your
body heat to evaporate the menthol, so
you could inhale those cough
suppressant vapors. However, you
might not know that this medicine was
invented in North Carolina. Lunsford
Richardson was born in 1854 and grew
up on a plantation in Johnston County,
NC. Lunsford was the youngest of five
children and his father died before he
was two years old. Lunsford went on to
graduate from Davidson College in 1875
and taught school for a few years. In
1880, he started working with his
physician brother-in-law, Dr. Joshua
Vick. It was here that Lunsford began
experimenting with the future VapoRub
formula. A few years later Lunsford
married Mary Lynn Smith and in 1890 they moved to Greensboro, NC. He opened a
drugstore in Greensboro and he would patent 21 medicines that were sold under the name
Vick's Family Remedies. It is unknown why he used the name Vick. It could be
because he liked the short name he saw for the advertisement for "Vicks Seeds" or he was
honoring his brother-in-law, Dr. Vick.49 Vicks Magic Salve was the most successful
product, which he first developed in 1894. Later in 1911 with the suggestion from his
son, Lunsford dropped the other products and focused on Vicks Magic Salve and he
changed the name to Vicks VapoRub.50 Sales were good but when the Spanish flu
outbreak of 1918 and 1919 occurred, sales exploded. Lunsford Richardson died in 1919
but his Vicks VapoRub is still being sold today. Lunsford is buried at Green Hill
Cemetery in Greensboro, NC.49
Junaluska was a Cherokee Indian warrior and hero. The date and location of his birth is
unknown but believed to be around 1776 near the head of the Little Tennessee River in
Macon County, NC. Little is known of him until 1813 when he recruited one hundred
Cherokee warriors to join Andrew Jackson's army along with other braves from Georgia,
Tennessee, and Alabama to fight against the Creeks. Junaluska's most famous battle
occurred on March 27, 1814 at Horseshoe Bend, Alabama. Jackson's army attacked the
Creeks from the front while Junaluska and other Cherokee braves crossed the river and
secured the Creek canoes and
rallied at the rear of the Creeks.
The fighting was fierce but the
Creeks were finally overtook
and Junaluska was recognized
for his bravery. After the war,
Junaluska returned to his tribe
in North Carolina. Later
Andrew Jackson became
President of the United States
and, in 1838, Junaluska and
other Cherokees were forced
by Federal troops to leave
Junaluska monument covered with American flags, circa. 1910
North Carolina in the removal to
Oklahoma. It is believed his wife and children died during the journey. Junaluska later
said he would have killed Andrew Jackson at Horseshoe Bend if he knew he would drive
the Cherokee from their home. Several years later Junaluska made the trip back to North
Carolina and he married Nicie. They had three children: Jimmy, Nalih, and Secqueyuh.
In 1847, Junaluska was granted citizenship by the North Carolina legislature and given
337 acres of land near Robbinsville, NC due to his actions at Horseshoe Bend.
Junaluska died in 1858 and later, in 1910, a monument was erected over his grave at
Massey Cemetery in Robbinsville, NC.[51][52]
Eugene was born in Wilmington, NC to parents Eugene Ashley, Sr. and Cornelia Ashley.
Also, Eugene had a sister named, Gertrude Ashley. The family moved to New York
City soon after Eugene was born and he attended Alexander Hamilton High School. In
1950, Eugene joined the Army and he served in the Korean War. Later Eugene
advanced to sergeant first class in Company C of the 5th Special Forces Group
(Airborne), 1st Special Forces while fighting in the Vietnam War. On February 6th and
7th of 1968 Eugene led an assault force to rescue advisors trapped at Camp Lang Vei.
Eugene would lose his life on this mission but he did so with honor and bravery. Such
bravery that earned him America's highest military decoration, the Medal of Honor. His
Medal was posthumously awarded to his family by Vice President Spiro T. Agnew on
December 2, 1969. His Medal of Honor citation reads:
Painting of Eugene Ashley, Jr
"Sfc. Ashley, distinguished himself by conspicuous
gallantry and intrepidity while serving with
Detachment A-101, Company C. Sfc. Ashley was the
senior special forces Advisor of a hastily organized
assault force whose mission was to rescue entrapped
U.S. special forces advisors at Camp Lang Vei.
During the initial attack on the special forces camp by
North Vietnamese army forces, Sfc. Ashley supported
the camp with high explosive and illumination mortar
rounds. When communications were lost with the
main camp, he assumed the additional responsibility
of directing air strikes and artillery support. Sfc.
Ashley organized and equipped a small assault force
composed of local friendly personnel. During the ensuing battle, Sfc. Ashley led a total of
5 vigorous assaults against the enemy, continuously exposing himself to a voluminous
hail of enemy grenades, machine gun and automatic weapons fire. Throughout these
assaults, he was plagued by numerous booby-trapped satchel charges in all bunkers on his
avenue of approach. During his fifth and final assault, he adjusted air strikes nearly on
top of his assault element, forcing the enemy to withdraw and resulting in friendly control
of the summit of the hill. While exposing himself to intense enemy fire, he was seriously
wounded by machine gun fire but continued his mission without regard for his personal
safety. After the fifth assault he lost consciousness and was carried from the summit by
his comrades only to suffer a fatal wound when an enemy artillery round landed in the
area. Sfc. Ashley displayed extraordinary heroism in risking his life in an attempt to save
the lives of his entrapped comrades and commanding officer. His total disregard for his
personal safety while exposed to enemy observation and automatic weapons fire was an
inspiration to all men committed to the assault. The resolute valor with which he led 5
gallant charges placed critical diversionary pressure on the attacking enemy and his
valiant efforts carved a channel in the overpowering enemy forces and weapons positions
through which the survivors of Camp Lang Vei eventually escaped to freedom. Sfc.
Ashley's bravery at the cost of his life was in the highest traditions of the military service,
and reflects great credit upon himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army."53
Eugene Ashley Jr. is buried at Rockfish Memorial Park in Fayetteville, NC.54
NOTES
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2014).
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Image Credits:
Photographs of Andy Griffith at microphone, Ruth Graham, Charles Kuralt, Jim Hunter, and
George Hamilton IV by Hugh Morton, copyright North Carolina Collection, University of North
Carolina Library at Chapel Hill.