History of Halifax County North Carolina United States of America

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John Milton, soldier, was born in Halifax county, N.C., in 1740; son of John and Mary (Farr) Milton, and, according to tradition, a descendant of Judge Christopher Milton, brother of John Milton, the poet. His father was born in England, and came to North Carolina about 1734. He joined the Revolutionary army as an ensign in the 1st Georgia regiment, Jan. 7, 1776; was promoted 1st lieutenant; and was taken prisoner at Fort Howe, Ga., in February, 1777, with Lieut. William Caldwell, on the surrender of that place, held as a hostage, and imprisoned in the castle at St. Augustine, Fla., until November, 1777. He was promoted captain, Sept. 15, 1777, and on his release returned to the army and served until the end of the war, retiring Sept. 15, 1782. He was secretary of the state of Georgia in 1777, 1781-83 and 1789, and on Dec. 6, 1778, at the approach of the British, removed the public records to Perrysburg by order of the governor. He engaged in planting after the war, and received the two votes of the Georgia electors for first President of the United States in 1789. He was a charter member of the (Georgia) Society of the Cincinnati. He was married to Hannah E. Spencer, and of their children, Gen. Homer Virgil Milton , was an officer in the war of 1812. He died at Milton plantation, near Louisville, Ga., about 1804.

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

John Branch, statesman, was born in Halifax county, N. C., Nov. 4, 1782. He was graduated at the University of North Carolina in 1801, was admitted to the bar, and soon rose to eminence in his profession. He became judge of the superior court, was elected to the state senate in 1811, and re-elected each year until 1817, when he became governor of North Carolina. Upon the expiration of his term he was again returned to the legislature, and in 1823 was elected to the United States senate, whore he remained until 1829, when he was appointed by President Jackson as secretary of the navy. On the dissolution of the cabinet in 1831, Mr. Branch was elected as a representative from Carolina, to the 22d Congress, and in 1834 was again elected to the state senate. In 1843 he was appointed governor of the territory of Florida, and after serving until the election of a governor under the new state constitution, he retired to private life. He died at Enfield, N. C., Jan. 4, 1863.

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

John Haywood, jurist, was born in Halifax county, N.C., March 16, 1762; son of Egbert Haywood, an officer in the American army in the Revolutionary war; and a nephew of Col. John Haywood, colonist, a native of Barbadoes, W.I. He possessed an ungainly physique and an unpleasant voice. He educated himself, and by his indomitable will he became a successful lawyer. He was attorney-general of the state, 1791-94, and judge of the superior court, 1794-1800, when he resigned his office to become attorney for Col. James Glasgow, seeretry of state of North Carolina, from whom he accepted a fee of $1000 to defend him, and when his client was convicted of fraud in issuing land-warrants, Judge Haywood incurred so much odium for defending him that he was obliged to leave the state. About 1810 or 1811 he settled at "Tusculum," an estate seven miles from Nashville, Tenn., and took high rank as an advocate. He was presiding judge of the supreme court of Tennessee, 1812-26. He is the author of: A Manual of the Laws of North Carolina (1801); Haywood's Justice and N.C. Law Reports, 1789-1806; Haywood's Tennessee Reports (1816-18); Statute Laws of Tennessee, in conjunction with R. L. Cobbs (1831); The Civil and Political History of Tennessee from Its Earliest Settlement to 1796 (1823); Natural and Aboriginal History of Tennessee (1823) in which he undertook to prove the descent of the American Indians from the ancient Jews; and Christian Advocate in which he discussed the power of water-witches and various occult subjects. He died in Nashville, Tenn., Dec. 12, 1826.

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

John Crowell, representative, was born in Halifax county, N.C., about 1785. He was a cousin of Gov. William Rabun of Georgia. In 1817 he had a temporary residence at St. Stephens, Ala., and was elected March 4, 1818, by the first territorial legislature, a delegate to the 15th congress. In the 16th congress he served the state as its first representative, 1819-21. He was agent for the Creek Indians, 1821-36. He died at Fort Mitchell, Aia., June 25, 1846.

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

History of Halifax County North Carolina

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