History of Salisbury, (Rowan County) North Carolina United States of America

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Biographies:

Theodore Franklin Kluttz, representative, was born in Salisbury, N.C., Oct. 4, 1848; son of Caleb and Elizabeth (Moose) Kluttz; grandson of Leonard Kluttz and a descendant of Leonhardt Kluttz, who came from the Palatinate, settling first in Pennsylvania, and removing about 1750 to Rowan county, N.C. He was educated in the public schools, was admitted to the bar in 1881, and began practice at Salisbury. He was married in 1873 to Sallie, daughter of J.P. Caldwell, of Statesville, N.C. He was a Democratic presidential elector in 1880 and 1896; presiding justice of the inferior court in 1884; chairman of the North Carolina delegation to the Chicago national convention in 1896, where he seconded the nomination of William J. Bryan for President; and was elected a Democratic representative from the seventh North Carolina district in the 56th congress in 1898, receiving the largest majority given up to that time to a representative from North Carolina. He was reelected to congress, serving from 1899 to 1905. He was elected president of the Davis & Wiley (state) bank, vice-president of the Salisbury Cotton mills and of the Yadkin Railroad company, and also became identified with other banking and industrial interests.

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

John Steele, statesman, was born in Salisbury, N.C., Nov. 1, 1764; son of William and Elizabeth (Maxwell) Steele; the Maxwells and Steeles came to North Carolina from Pennsylvania. His mother gave a bag of gold and silver to Gen. Nathaniel Greene in 1781 to help the cause of independence. John Steele entered business as a merchant, but later became a planter, and was married, Feb. 9, 1783, to Mary Nesfield of Crow Creek, now Fayetteville, N.C. He was a representative in the house of commons of the state legislature, 1787-88; a member of the convention of 1788 to ratify the U.S. constitution; a Federalist representative in the 1st and 2d congresses, 1790-93, taking his seat in the 1st congress, April 19, 1790. He was returned to the state legislature, 1794-95; was appointed by President Washington first comptroller of the U.S. treasury, July 1, 1796; was reappointed by President Adams, and resigned, Dec. 15, 1802, although urged to remain by President Jefferson. He was a commissioner to adjust the boundary between North and South Carolina in 1806, and served again in the house of commons of the state legislature, 1806, and was speaker of the house, 1811-12. On the day of his death he was elected again to the house of commons. He died in Salisbury, N.C., Aug. 14, 1815.

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

John H. Steele, governor of New Hampshire, was born in Salisbury, N.C., Jan. 4, 1789. His father, a native of north Ireland, immigrated to America at an early age and established himself as a brick-mason in Salisbury. John H. Steele, left an orphan when very young, had little education; was apprenticed to the "chair-making" business in 1803; removed to Peterborough, N.H., in 1811, through the influence of Capt. Nathaniel Morrison, by whom he was employed as a carriage-maker and later as a machinist. He was superintendent of the Bell factory, 1817-24, having put in operation the first power-looms in New Hampshire; had charge of the erection of the Union mill at West Peterborough, and was, its superintendent, 1824-45, and was superintendent of the Phoenix factory, Peterborough, 1830-34. After retiring from the manufacturing business in 1845, he returned to his farm to engage in scientific agriculture, but subsequently abandoned the attempt, as it was not remunerative, and took up his residence in the village of Peterborough. He was a member of the state legislature in 1829; moderator, 1830-38; councillor for the old Hillsbore district, 1840-41; visited England and Ireland in 1842; was governor of New Hampshire, 1844-46, and selectman of Peterborough, 1846. He was married first, Nov. 5, 1816, to Jane, daughter of John Moore, and after her death in 1831, secondly, Jan. 8, 1833, to her sister, Nancy Moore, who died, Feb. 26, 1870. He died in Peterborough, N.H., July 3, 1865.

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

Lucius Eugene Polk, soldier, was born in Salisbury, N.C., July 10, 1833; son of Dr. William Julius Polk of Columbia, Tenn., and grandson of General William Polk . He was liberally educated; was graduated from the University of Virginia in 1852, and in 1861 enlisted in the Confederate army as 1st lieutenant in Captain Patrick R. Cleburne's company, afterward known as the 1st Arkansas. He took part in the capture of Fort Smith; the battle of Shiloh, April 6, 1862, where the regiment was cut to pieces, and assumed command of his company and led them during the two days' fight. He was promoted colonel; was commended for gallantry in General Hardee's official report; served under General Kirby Smith in the Kentucky campaign, and was wounded at Richmond, Ky., and at Perryville. He was promoted brigadier-general, December, 1862, and commanded the 1st (Cleburne) brigade, 2d division, Hardee's corps, in the battle of Stone's river, Tenn., Dec. 31, 1862; Chattanooga, Tenn., Nov. 23, 1863; Missionary Ridge, Nov. 23, 1863; Ringgold Gap, Nov. 27, 1863, where he captured three Union flags, and at New Hope Church, Ga., May 25, 1864, where he was wounded and crippled for life. He returned to his plantation in Maury county, Tenn. He married his cousin, Sallie Moore Polk, and of their children, Rufus King Polk was a representative in the 56th and 57th congresses. General Polk was a delegate to the Democratic national convention at Chicago in 1884, and a representative in the state senate in 1887. He died near "West Brook," Tenn., Dec. 1, 1893.

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