Martin County

by Chestnut, Paul I. Asa Biggs, jurist and senator, was born in Williamston, Martin County, the son of Joseph Biggs, a merchant and Primitive Baptist preacher, and his third wife, Chloe Daniel. His grandfather, Joseph [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Johnson, F. Roy. Tom Blunt (or Blount), a head chief and king of the North Carolina Tuscarora Indians, of obscure parentage, lived in the Upper Towns. During his time these numbered seven and formed one of three [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Hutcheson, H. James. Henry H. Bryan, congressman, was born in Martin County and attended local schools before moving to Tennessee. He married Milly Taylor 13 June 1799; they were the parents of a son and a daughter, [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Caldwell, John T. William Claudius Chance, Sr., educator and humanitarian, was born in Parmele. His parents were W. V. and Alice Chance; his grandparents, who reared him, were Bryant and Penethia Chance; all were [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Rives, Ralph Hardee. Annie Moore Cherry, educator, daughter of William Rodney and Elizabeth Eleanor Moore Cherry, was born in Martin County but spent most of her early life in Hobgood and Scotland Neck, Halifax County, [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Cecelski, David S. Before I first visited Velma Coltrain, she let her daughter-in-law send me a long, hand-written description of her life on a farm near the little town of Robersonville, 90 miles east of Raleigh. Mrs. [...] (from Listening to History, News and Observer.)

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

by Creech, William A. Reuben Oscar Everett, attorney and civic and cultural leader, was born at Hamilton, Martin County, the son of Justus and Elizabeth Purvis Everett. Shortly afterwards he moved with his family to their [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Ducey, Mitchell F. Hassell, Cushing Biggs by Mitchell F. Ducey, 1988 14 Oct. 1809–11 Apr. 1880 Cushing Biggs Hassell, businessman, politician, and educational [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Ducey, Mitchell F. Hassell, Sylvester by Mitchell F. Ducey, 1988 28 July 1842–18 Aug. 1928 Sylvester Hassell, educator, scholar, and Primitive Baptist preacher, was born and reared in Williamston, Martin [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Young, James R. Whitmel Hill, Revolutionary officer and government official, delegate to the Continental Congress, state senator, and member of the Council of State, was born into a wealthy family in Bertie County. [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Johnson, Charles. Johnson, Clifton Earl By Charles D. Johnson, North Carolina Central University, 2020 Clifton Earl “Cliff” Johnson was a pioneer African American jurist. He was born in 1941 in Williamston, [...] (from Government & Heritage Library, State Library of North Carolina.)

by Murphy, Eva B. Andrew Joyner, legislator and army officer, was born in Halifax County, the son of Henry (d. 1803) and Menie Troughton Joyner. An able legislator and promoter of internal affairs in state government, [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Noblin, Stuart. Kerr, Washington Caruthers by Stuart Noblin, 1988; Revised by SLNC Government and Heritage Library, July 2023 24 May 1827–9 Aug. 1885 Washington Caruthers Kerr, geologist, was born in [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Flannagan, Clara H. R. Lamb, John Calhoun by Clara Hamlett Robertson Flannagan, 1991; Revised by SLNC Government and Heritage Library, June 2023 21 Dec. 1836–27 May 1864 See also: Lam, Wilson Gray, Jr.; Lamb, [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Davis, Curtis Carroll. Lamb, Wilson Gray, Jr. by Curtis Carroll Davis, 1991 17 Nov. 1842–22 Feb. 1922 Wilson Gray Lamb, Jr., political leader, merchant, and [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Smith, Claiborne T., Jr. John Lewelling, Tory partisan, was born in Norfolk County, Va., into a family of small landowners and boatwrights. He was the only son of William Lewelling, of the western branch of the Elizabeth [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Hickman, Michael Wesley. Martin, Joseph John by Michael Wesley Hickman, 1991 21 Nov. 1833–18 Dec. 1900 Joseph John Martin, lawyer and congressman, was born in Williamston, the son of Wheeler and Caroline Watts [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Stevenson, George, Jr. Joseph Parker, general Baptist (now Free Will Baptist) clergyman, founded churches in Halifax, Pitt, Greene, and Lenoir counties. According to tradition, he was a member and probable pastor of the [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Roff, Carolyn F. Thomas Jenkins Pearsall, legislator, attorney, businessman, and farmer, was born in Rocky Mount, the son of Leon F. and Maryetta Jenkins Pearsall. He was educated in the public schools of Rocky Mount [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Ross, Danforth. James Ross, author, teacher, and farmer, was born on a farm a few miles east of Williamston in Martin County. He was the son of Mildred Yarrell and Elder Reuben Ross, a pioneer Baptist preacher who [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Woodard, John R., Jr. Martin Ross, Baptist minister, was born in Martin County, the son of William and Mary Griffin Ross. His ancestors had emigrated from Scotland to Virginia, and his father moved from there to North [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Flannagan, Clara H. R., Ross, Danforth. Reuben Ross, pioneer Baptist minister in the Cumberland settlements in Tennessee and Kentucky, was born in Martin County a few miles east of Williamston, the ninth of ten children of William and Mary [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Osborn, Dorothy H. Roulhac, Joseph Blount Grégoire by Dorothy H. Osborn, 1994 13 Aug. 1795–23 Jan. 1856 See also: Roulhac, Psalmet Grégoire de Joseph Blount Grégoire Roulhac, merchant, was the first son of [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Howerton, Timothy L. Alfred M. Slade, legislator and diplomat, was the son of Jeremiah and Janet Bog Slade. Jeremiah Slade was a commissioner of Indian Affairs with the War Department in 1803 to deal with Indians in [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Johnston, Hugh B., Jr. John Thomas, religious leader, justice, and militia officer, was born in Nansemond County, Va., the son of John and Mary Lawrence Thomas. Educated locally, he was "bred a Churchman," but after [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Smith, Claiborne T., Jr. Thomas Whitmell, legislator and Indian agent, the son of Thomas and Elizabeth Whitmell, was born in Virginia shortly before the family moved to North Carolina. His grandfather, Thomas Whitmell, the [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Walser, Richard. Whittlesey, Sarah Johnson Cogswell By Richard Walser, 1996 24 Aug. 1824–14 Feb. 1896 Sarah Johnson Cogswell Whittlesey, writer, was born in Williamston, the oldest child of Luman and Elizabeth [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Cecelski, David S. In September of 1957, a Martin County teenager named Willis Williams had the courage to tell the truth about the death of an African-American college student named Joe Cross. His story shocked North [...] (from Listening to History, News and Observer.)

by Smith, Claiborne T., Jr. James Lewis Wilson, Episcopal clergyman. Little is known about Wilson, due in part to the partial destruction by fire of the records of Martin County where he seems to have spent most of his life. At [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Alexander, Roberta Sue. Edward Clement Yellowley, lawyer and politician, was born in Martin County, where his father, Edward Yellowley, settled after emigrating from England shortly following the end of the American [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)