History of Hillsborough, (Orange County) North Carolina United States of America

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Biographies:

Frederick Nash, jurist, was born in New Berne, N.C., Feb. 8, 1781; son of Gov. Abner and ?? (Jones) Nash, and a nephew of Gen. Francis Nash . He attended school at Williamsboro and New Berne, and was graduated from the College of New Jersey, A.B., 1799, A.M., 1802. He practised law in New Berne; was representative in the state legislature, 1804-05, 1814-15 and 1827-28; judge of the superior court, 1819-44, and was transferred to the supreme court in 1844, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Judge Gaston. He succeeded Judge Ruffin, resigned, as chief justice of the supreme court, 1852-58, and on his death in 1858, was succeeded by Judge Ruffin, reappointed. The University of North Carolina, of which he was a trustee, 1807-57, conferred on him the honorary degree of LL.D. in 1853. He was married in 1803 to Mary Kollock of Elizabethtown, N.J., and their son, Henry Kollock Nash (University of North Carolina A.B., 1836), was a lawyer and member of the general assembly. Judge Frederick Nash died at Hillsborough, N.C., Dec. 4, 1858.

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

Thomas Burke, governor of North Carolina, was born in Galway, Ireland, about 1747. He came to America in 1764; engaged in the practice of medicine in Accomac county, Va., and subsequently in that of law at Norfolk, Va. He removed to Hillsborough, N. C., in 1774; wrote articles opposing the stamp act and become a speaker on revolutionary topics. He was a delegate to the state constitutional conventions of 1775 and 1776; and to the continental congress, 1776-81. He was elected first governor of North Carolina under its new constitution in 1781, and was shortly after seized by a band of Tories and detained as a hostage on James Island, S. C. He escaped, after four month's imprisonment and resumed his duties as governor. He died at Hillsborough, N. C., Dec. 2, 1783.

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

William Hooper, educator, was born in Hillsborough, N.C., Aug. 81, 1792; son of William and Helen (Hogg) Hooper; grandson of William "the signer" and Ann (Clark) Hooper, and great grandson of William and Mary (Dennie) Hooper. He was graduated at the University of North Carolina, A.B., 1809; A.M., 1812; tutor was there, 1810-17, and professor of ancient languages, 1817-22. He studied at Princeton Theological seminary, 1812-13, one session. He was made a deacon in the P.E. church in ordained priest, 1819, 24, 1822, and was April rector of St. John's church, Fayetteville, N.C., 1822-24. He was connected with the University of North Carolina as professor of logic and rhetoric, 1825-28, and of ancient anguages, 1828-37. He became an adherent of the Baptist denomination in 1831, and was theological professor in the Furman institution, near Winnsboro, S.C., 1838-40; professor of Roman literature in South Carolina college, Columbia, S.C., 1840-46, and president pro tempore for a time; president of Wake Forest college, N.C., 1846-49; teacher of a boys' school, Littleton, 1849-51; pastor of the Baptist church at New Bern, 1852-54; president of the Chowan collegiate institute, Murfreesboro, 1855-61; teacher in the Female seminary, Fayetteville, 1801-65; and associate principal with his son-in-law, J. De Berniere Hooper, of Wilson collegiate seminary for young ladies, 1860-75. He received the honorary degree of A.M. from the College of New Jersey in 1818, that of D.D. from the University of North Carolina in 1857, and that of LL.D. elsewhere. After his father's death his mother was married to the Rev. Dr. Joseph Caldwell, president of the University of North Carolina. He married in December, 1814, Fanny P., daughter of Edward Jones, solicitor-general of North Carolina. Of their children: William, Edward, Mary, Joseph, Thomas, Du Ponceau?the only descendants of William Hooper the signer,?the first, second and youngest sons were physicians; Thomas was assistant and principal of a number of schools in North Carolina; and Joseph was also a well-known teacher. Du Ponceau and Joseph both entered the Confederate army at the outbreak of the civil war in 1861; Du Ponceau was killed at the battle of Fredericksburg, Dec. 13,1862, and Joseph was in 1900 the sole survivor of the family, and resided in Jacksonville, Fla. President Hooper died at Chapel Hill, N.C., Aug. 19, 1876.

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

Thomas Ruffin, jurist, was born in King and Queen county, Va., at the home of his maternal grandfather, Nov. 17, 1787; son of Sterling and Alice (Roane) Ruffin of Essex county, Va., and grandson of Thomas Roane of Newington, Va. He was prepared for college by Marcus George, principal of Warrenton (N.C.) Male academy, and was graduated at the College of New Jersey in 1805. He was a law student under David Robertson in Petersburg, Va., 1806?07, and in 1807 removed with his parents to Rockingham county, N.C., where he continued his law studies under Judge Archibald D. Murphy , and was admitted to the bar in 1808. He was married, Dec. 9, 1809, to Ann, daughter of William Kirkland of Hillsborough, and made that place his home. He was a representative from Hillsborough in the house of commons of North Carolina, 1813?15 and 1816, and was speaker in 1816; judge of the superior court, 1817, resigning in 1818; was reporter of the decisions of the supreme court for one or two terms, and practised law with eminent success, 1818?25. He was judge of the superior court, 1825?28, resigning in 1828, on being elected president of the State bank of North Carolina. In 1829 he removed to Raleigh, and was solicited to accept the candidacy for U.S. senator to complete the term of Senator John Branch, appointed secretary of the navy, but declined, and was elected judge of the state supreme court upon the death of Chief-Justice Taylor. In 1833, upon the death of Chief-Justice Henderson, he became chief justice, serving until 1852, when he resigned, and was succeeded by Frederick Nash. Upon the death of Chief-Justice Nash, Dec. 5, 1858, Judge Ruffin was almost unanimously re-elected chief justice by the legislature of North Carolina, and served until the autumn of 1859, when failing health compelled his retirement to his estate on Haw river, in Alamance county. He opposed secession, but at the meeting of the state convention of 1861, voted for the measure when he found opposition useless. He was a delegate to the Confederate States provisional congress that assembled at Richmond, Va., July 20, 1861, having previously served as a member of the Peace conference at Washington, in February, where his efforts on behalf of peace were recorded by General Scott and President Buchanan. After the war, his estate having been desolated by an army encampment, he again took up his residence in Hillsborough. He was a trustee of the University of North Carolina, 1813?31 and 1842?68; president of the State Agricultural society, 1854?60, and received the honorary degree of LL.D. from the University in 1834. His opinions while on the bench were largely used by the bar of North Carolina, and even the U.S. supreme court, as authoritative. His son, Col. Thomas Ruffin, who occupied a seat on the supreme bench of North Carolina, died May 23, 1889. Judge Thomas Ruffin, Sr., died in Hillsborough, N.C., Jan. 15, 1870.

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