History of Caswell County North Carolina United States of America

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Benjamin James Lea, jurist, was born in Caswell county, N.C., Jan. 1, 1833; son of Alvis G. and Nancy (Kerr) Lea. He was graduated from Wake Forest college in 1852; taught school in Haywood county, Tenn., 1852-56; and practised law at Brownsville, Tenn., 1856-76. He was a representative in the state legislature, 1859-61, and entered the Confederate army in 1861; was commissary, with the rank of major, and became colonel of the 52d Tennessee regiment, serving until he was captured in 1865. In 1876 he was appointed by Governor Porter judge of the supreme court of Tennessee, to take the place of Judge Freeman. He was attorney-general and reporter for the state of Tennessee, 1878-86, and during that time published sixteen volumes of reports. He was state senator, 1889-90, and president of the senate. In 1890 he was made judge of the state supreme court to fill the vacancy caused by the death of W. C. Folkes, and in April, 1893, he was elected chief justice in place of Horace H. Lurton He died in Brownsville, Tenn., March 15, 1894.

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

Charles Caldwell, physician, was born in Caswell County, N. C., May 14, 1772. He graduated at the University of Pennsylvania M.D. 1793, was brigade surgeon under Lee 1791-94, and professor of materia medica in Transylvania University in 1819. He edited the Port-Folio in 1814, and Cullin's Practice of Physic 1816, and is the author of Life and Campaigns of General Greene (1819); Memoirs of Horace Holley (1828). He died in Louisville, Ky., July 9, 1853.

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

John Kerr, representative, was born in Caswell county, N.C., Aug. 14, 1782; son of John and Mary (Graves) Kerr, and grandson of Alexander and Martha (Rice) Kerr. Alexander Kerr was one of several brothers who came to America from Scotland in the seventeenth century and settled in Pennsylvania and North Carolina, Alexander settling in that part of Orange county set off as Caswell. John Kerr, Jr., engaged in teaching school and was licensed as a Baptist preacher in 1802. He made extensive preaching tours, visiting South Carolina and Georgia, where he addressed large assemblies. He settled in Halifax county, Va., in 1805, and was a Democratic representative from Virginia in the 13th and 14th congresses, 1813-17. On his return to Halifax county he preached in the churches at Arbor and Mary Creek, and in March, 1825, removed to Richmond, Va., and took charge of the First Baptist church in that city. He resigned the charge in 1832, not agreeing with the teachings of Alexander Campbell, and devoted himself to evangelistic labors. In 1836 he removed to a farm near Danville, Va., and still continued to work among the feeble churches. He presided over the Dover association and the general association of Virginia. He married Mary Williams. He died near Danville, Va., Sept. 29, 1842.

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

Bedford Brown, senator, was born in Cas-well county, N. C., in 1795. In 1815 he was elected to the North Carolina house of commons, and was re-elected in 1816, 1817, and 1823. In 1828 he was made a state senator, serving a second term by re-election. He was elected to the United States senate in 1829, as successor to Senator Branch, who resigned to accept the portfolio of the navy in Jackson's cabinet. He was re-elected in 1835, and, resigning his seat in 1840, because of his inability to conscientiously obey the instructions of the general assembly of North Carolina, was elected to the state senate in 1842, and in 1843 was an unsuccessful candidate for U. S. senator. For a time he resided in Missouri, but afterwards returned to Caswell county, N. C., where he died Dec. 6, 1870.

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

History of Caswell County North Carolina

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