History of Buncombe County North Carolina United States of America

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Zebulon Baird Vance, senator, was born in Buncombe county, N.C., May 13, 1830; son of David Vance. He was named for Zebulon Baird, a Scotchman, who immigrated to New Jersey, removing thence to North Carolina previous to 1790, and taking with him the first wagon seen in Buncombe county. Zebulon B. Vance attended Washington college, Tenn., and the University of North Carolina, 1851-52; was admitted to the bar in 1852, and began practice in Asheville. He served as solicitor for Buncombe county, 1852; was a member of the state legislature, 1854; was a representative from North Carolina in the 35th congress, having been elected to complete the unexpired term of Thomas L. Clingman, elected U.S. senator; and was re-elected to the 36th congress, serving from Dec. 7, 1858, to March 3, 1861 He raised a company in the 14th North Carolina regiment in May, 1861; was appointed captain; was promoted colonel of the 26th North Carolina regiment in August, and served throughout the Peninsular campaign. He was governor of North Carolina, 1862-66, and during his administration, through the purchase of a foreign steamship fitted out as a blockade runner, he provided both the state troops and the Confederate government with clothing, arms and general supplies. In consequence of his position as governor after the occupation of the state by the U.S. troops, he was arrested in May, 1865, taken to Washington, D.C., and was soon after released on parole. He was pardoned by President Johnson in April, 1867. He was a member of the Democratic national convention of 1868; re-elected to the U.S. senate in November, 1870, but was refused admission, resigning in January, 1872, and in the same year was the defeated Democratic nominee for senator, although congress had removed his political disabilities. He practised his profession in Charlotte, N.C., until his re-election as governor of the state in 1876, and was elected U.S. senator without opposition in 1878, and again in 1884 and 1890, serving from March 18, 1879, until his death. He introduced the sub-treasury bill in the 51st congress, and at the time of his death was a member of the committees on privileges and elections, finance, national banks, the University of the United States, and woman suffrage. He was succeeded by Thomas Jordan Jarvis. He has been classed with Murphy and Macon as one of the three great statesmen produced by the state of North Carolina. He was married, first, to Harriet Newell, daughter of the Rev. Thomas Empsy, who died, Nov. 3, 1878; and secondly, in June, 1880, to Mrs. Florence (Steele) Marten, daughter of Samuel Steele of Kentucky, who survived him. The honorary degree of LL.D. was conferred upon him by Davidson college, in 1867. Senator Vance died in Asheville, N.C., April 14, 1894.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Alexander Hamilton Jones, representative, was born in Buncombe county, N.C., July 21, 1822; son of George and Nancy Jones. He was educated at Emory and Henry college, Va., and engaged in hoteland farming business. In 1861 he joined the Federal army, and was commissioned by General Burnside to raise a regiment of North Carolinians loyal to the union. While thus engaged he was taken prisoner in East Tennessee by Confederate troops and imprisoned at Camp Vance, Camp Holmes and in Libby prison. While a prisoner he was drafted into the Confederate army, but made his escape in November, 1864. After the surrender he returned to his native state, and was a delegate to the state constitutional convention in 1865. He was a Republican representative in the 40th and 41st congresses, 1867-71, and in 1870 was an unsuccessful candidate for the 42d congress. He was later a merchant in Asheville, N.C., until 1884, and edited the Pioneer and the Skyland Herald, 1885-86.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Joseph Lane, soldier, was born in Buncombe county, N.C., Dec. 14, 1801; son of John and Elizabeth (Street) Lane; grandson of Jesse Lane, and a descendant of Sir Ralph Lane, who came to America with Sir Walter Raleigh. His great uncle, Joel Lane (1740-1795), was one of the first settlers of Wake county, a member of the Provincial congress that met at Hillsborough in 1775, and a member of the general assembly which was held at his own house in 1781. On April 4, 1782, he sold to the general assembly one thousand acres of land, upon which the city of Raleigh was built. Joseph removed with his parents to Kentucky in 1810, and settled in Henderson county, where he was educated. He removed to Vanderburg county, Ind., and there was employed in the office of the clerk of the county court, and divided his time between selling goods in Audubon's store and writing in the clerk's office. He was married in 1820 to Polly, daughter of Robert Layton, of Henderson county, Kentucky, and settled on a farm in Vanderburg county. He was a representative in the Indiana state legislature, 1822-46; enlisted in the 2d regiment of Indiana volunteers as a private in 1846, was commissioned colonel a few weeks later and was appointed brigadier-general in June, 1846. He participated in the battle of Buena Vista, Feb. 23, 1847, where he was wounded; the battle of Huamantla, Oct. 9, 1847, receiving the brevet of major-general for gallantry; was in command at Atlixco; took Matamoros, Nov. 22, 1847; captured Orizaba in January, 1848, and fought the robber-chief Jaraura, in June and July, 1848. He was appointed governor of Oregon by President Polk, serving 1849-50, and a second time by President Pierce, in 1853, but resigned the same year to become a candidate for delegate to congress. He was a Democratic delegate from Oregon Territory to the 32d and 35th congresses, 1854-59. He commanded the settlers in the campaign against the Rogue Indians in 1853, and at the battle of Table Rock defeated them, but was himself severely wounded. Upon the admission of Oregon as a state, Feb. 14, 1859, he was elected U.S. senator and served, 1859-61. He was nominated for Vice-President of the United States on the ticket with John C. Breckinridge for President in 1860, and after the election he retired from political life. He died in Roseburg, Ore., April 19, 1881.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of Buncombe County North Carolina

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