History of Chapel Hill, (Madison County) North Carolina United States of America

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Biographies:

John De Berniere Hooper, educator, was born in Smithville (Southport), near Wilmington, N.C., Sept. 6, 1811; second son of Archibald Maclaine and Charlotte (De Berniere) Hooper. He attended school at Wilmington, N.C., and was graduated at the University of North Carolina in 1831 with highest honors, being assigned the Latin salutatory. He taught in the Episcopal school for boys near Raleigh, N.C., 1831-35; was tutor at the University of North Carolina, 1835-38, and professor of Latin and French, 1838-48. He removed to Warren county, N.C., in 1849, and opened a private school for boys. He was in charge of the Fayetteville Female academy, 1860-66; principal of the Collegiate institute for young ladies, Wilson, N.C., 1866-75, and upon the reorganization of the University of North Carolina he was professor of Greek and French languages, 1875-85, and a trustee of the university, 1875-81. He was married, Dec. 30, 1837, to his fourth cousin, Mary Elizabeth, daughter of the Rev. William Hooper, of North Carolina. Of their children, Helen became the wife of James Wills, of Chapel Hill; Fanny, the wife of Spier Whitaker of Raleigh, afterward judge of the superior court of North Carolina; Julia, the wife of Professor Graves, of the University of North Carolina; and Henry resided in Edenton, N.C., and was married to Jessie Wright of that town. The data used in preparing the sketches of the Hooper family which appear in this work were furnished by Mrs. Spier Whitaker, a careful student of the annals of the family. Professor Hooper died at Chapel Hill, N.C., Jan. 23, 1886, and was buried in Oakwood cemetery, Raleigh.

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

Abraham Rencher, statesman, was born in Wake county, N.C., Aug. 12, 1793; son of John Grant and Ann (Nelson) Rencher. His father came to America from Ireland, and was for many years high sheriff of Wake county, and his mother was a near relative of Lord Nelson. He was graduated from the University of North Carolina in 1822, received the degree of A.M. in 1831, and having obtained a license he formed a law co-partnership with Francis Lister Hawks . He made his home in Pittsbore and soon rose to distinction. He was a Whig representative in the 21st-25th congresses, 1829?39, and in the 27th congress, 1841?42, declining re-election to the 26th and 28th congresses on account of ill-health. Under President Tyler's appointment he served as U.S. minister to Portugal, 1843?47. In 1852, as an elector on the Pierce and King ticket, he made a brilliant and effective campaign of the state. He declined the portfolio of the navy offered by President Buchanan, and served as governor of New Mexico, 1857?61. In 1836 he was married to Louisa Mary, daughter of Col. Edward and Elizabeth (Mallett) Jones, granddaughter of Peter and Eunice (Curtis) Mallett and great-granddaughter of Jeremiah Curtis of Stratford, Conn. They had four children: John Grant and William Conway both served in the Confederate army; Sarah married Col. Latham Anderson, U.S.A., and Eva married Robert Winston of Franklinton, N.C. Governor Rencher died at Chapel Hill, N.C., July 6, 1883.

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

David Lowry Swain, governor of North Carolina, was born in Buncombe county, N.C., Jan. 4, 1801; second son of George and Caroline (Lane) Lowrie Swain. His father, of English descent, born in Rexboro, Mass., 1763, was a hatter by trade; settled in Wilkes county, Ga.; was a representative in the Georgia legislature five years, and a member of the state constitutional convention. He removed to Buncombe county, N.C., for his health, in 1795, and was postmaster of Asheville. The son prepared for college at Newton academy, Asheville; was a student at the University of North Carolina, four months of 1821; read law under Judge Taylor of Raleigh, 1822, and was admitted to the bar in December, 1823. He was married in 1826, to Eleanor H., daughter of William White of Raleigh, and granddaughter of Governor Caswell. He represented his county in the state legislature, 1824-29; was state solicitor of the Edeston circuit, 1829; judge of the superior court, 1830-32; governor of the state, by yearly elections, three terms, 1832-35; member of the convention to revise the constitution of the state in 1835, and president of the University of North Carolina, 1835-68. He was a delegate for North Carolina, to the convention at Montgomery in 1861, that organized the Confederate States government. He was the founder of the State Historical society and of the University Magazine. As governor he had an immense influence and great personal popularity with all classes. As president of the university his success was remarkable, the institution growing, under his administration, from less than one hundred to over four hundred and fifty pupils. After assuming the presidency Mr. Swain mastered the branches which he taught in the department of international law, moral science, political economy, and English literature, from the study of which he had been deprived by his early environments, and by his rapid advance in the public service. In 1865 he was appointed by Governor Vance a member of a commission to visit General Sherman, whose army was approaching Chapel Hill, to petition him to spare the state capitol and the university. He was a trustee of the University of North Carolina, 1831-1868, being president of the board, 1832-35, and visited the North in the interest of the university after the war. President Johnson appointed him a visitor to the U.S. Military academy, and in May, 1865, he visited Washington and conferred with the President in reference to the reconstruction of the Union. His knowledge of the history of North Carolina and of her public men was unequalled. His acquaintance with unwritten family history, his memory of persons, servants, and his familiarity with biography in all countries and all ages were extraordinary. Swain county, N.C., was named in his honor in 1871. He received the degree of LL.D. from the College of New Jersey, Princeton, in 1841, and from Yale in 1842. His son, Dr. Richard Caswell Swain (1837-1872), University of North Carolina, A.B., 1858, was the last living male representative of the name. Gov. Zebulon B. Vance wrote a sketch of Governor Swain's life for Peele's "Lives of Distinguished North Carolineans" (1898). He died at Chapel Hill, N.C., Aug. 27, 1868.

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

John Manning, educator, was born in Edenton, N.C., July 30, 1830; son of Capt. John (U.S.N.) and Tamar (Leary) Manning; and grandson of Capt. Joseph and Sarah Long (Heugten) Manning. He attended the Edenton academy, the Norfolk Military academy and was graduated at the University of North Carolina, A.B., 1850, A.M., 1853. He cruised in the U.S. brig Bainbridge, Capt. John Manning, off the coast of South America, but disliked the sea and was sent by his father back to Norfolk in the U.S. sloop St. Louis. He studied law in Pittsboro, N.C., and was admitted to practise in 1853. He was married, June 5, 1856, to Louise J., daughter of Dr. Isaac Hall and granddaughter of Judge John Hall, of Pittsboro. In 1861 he enlisted in the Chatham Rifles, was made 1st lieutenant, and he also served as a delegate to the secession convention, where he opposed secession. He became adjutant of his regiment, the 15th N.C. volunteers. He was detached from the army by President Davis to act as receiver under the sequestration acts and held the position until the close of the war. He was a representative from the fourth North Carolina district in the 41st congress, 1869-71; a member of the constitutional convention of 1875; a trustee of the University of North Carolina, 1875-99; a representative in the North Carolina legislature, 1880, and chairman of the judiciary committee. He secured an annuity of $5,000 for the University of North Carolina and he was one of the three commissioners to revise the statute laws of the state, resulting in the Code of North Carolina (1883). He refused appointment to the superior bench and also to the office of secretary of state offered by Governor Jarvis. In 1881 he accepted the professorship of law in the University of North Carolina made vacant by the death of William H. Battle in 1879 and increased his class from 7 in 1879 to 87 in 1898. He received the honorary degree of LL.D. from the University of North Carolina in 1883. He died at Chapel Hill, N.C., Feb. 12, 1899.

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