History of Sampson County North Carolina United States of America

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Marion Butler, senator, was born in Honeycutts township, Sampson county, N. C., May 25, 1863; He received the greater part of his preparatory education from his mother, and was graduated from the University of North Carolina, in 1885. He commenced a law course, but the death of his father obliged him to return home to assist in the support of his mother and his six brothers and sisters. He taught in a local academy, worked the home farm, and saved sufficient money to buy the Clinton Caucasian, a weekly newspaper, the only one published in the county. Later he removed the Caucasian to Raleigh, where it acquired a large circulation and became influential. He was elected a trustee of his alma mater. He joined the Farmers' Alliance movement in 1888, was appointed president of the county ledge, and became prominent in the Alliance work. In 1890 he was elected to the state senate, where he held the Alliance forces, and succeeded in bringing about a number of much-needed reforms. He became the president of the State Farmers' Alliance in 1891, was re-elected in 1892, became first vice-president of the national organization in 1893, and its president in 1894. Immediately after the adjournment of the Chicago convention of 1892 he severed his connection with the Democratic party, and began the work of organizing the People's party, conceiving and carrying out the successful campaign of 1894. He was elected to the United States senate in 1895, and in 1896 was chairman of the executive committee of the People's party at the national convention at St. Louis, July 24, where he declined the nomination as vice-presidential candidate on account of not having reached the legal age.

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

Gabriel Holmes, governor of North Carolina, was born in Sampson county, N.C., in 1769. He prepared for college in his native state and entered Harvard, but left before completing his course, studied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1790. He practised in Clinton, N.C., 1790-1826, and served as a member of the house of commons, 1793-1813. The house elected him governor of the state in 1821, and he served for three years. He was a trustee of the University of North Carolina, 1801-04, and 1817-29, and president of the board of trustees, 1821-24. He was a representative in the 19th and 20th congresses, 1825-29, and was elected to the 21st congress, but did not take his seat. He died in Montpelier, Richmond county, N.C., Sept. 26,1829.

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

William Rufus King, Vice-President of the United States, was born in Sampson county, N.C., April 6, 1786; son of William King. His father was a delegate to the North Carolina constitutional conventions of 1787, 1788 and 1789, to consider the constitution of the United States, and a delegate to the general assembly for several terms. William Rufus was a student at the University of North Carolina in 1801, was a student m the law office of William Duffy at Fayetteville, N.C., and was admitted to the bar in 1806. He was a representative in the state legislature, 1806-10, and was appointed solicitor for Wilmington, N.C. He was a Democratic representative from North Carolina in the l2th, 13th and 14th congresses, serving from Nov. 4, 1811, until 1816, when he resigned to accept the appointment of secretary of legation to accompany William Pinckney, who had been appointed special envoy to Naples and U.S. minister to St. Petersburg, Russia. He returned to the United States in 1818, and settled in Cahaba, Dallas county, Ala., removing in 1826 to Selma, Ala. He was a member of the convention which framed the state constitution, and one of the first U.S. senators, serving, by continuous re-elections, 1819-44. While in the senate, he was chairman of the committees on public lands, commerce and other important committees, and served as president pro tempore of the senate in the 24th, 25th and 26th congresses, 1835-41. He resigned in 1844 to accept the position of U.S. minister to France under appointment of President Tyler, serving, 1844-46. While in France he secured the friendship of Louis Philipe, and prevented the intervention of European powers in the annexation of Texas. He returned to the United States in 1846, and in 1848 was appointed U.S. senator to fill the unexpired term of Arthur P. Bagley, who had resigned to become U.S. minister to Russia. In 1849 he was elected U.S. senator for the full term, to expire in 1855. He was elected president pro tempore of the senate, May 6, 1850, and on the death of President Taylor and the accession of Vice-President Fillmore to the Presidency, he became acting Vice-President of the United States, and served as such until Dec. 20, 1852. He was elated Vice-President of the United States by the Democratic party, with Franklin Fierce as President, in 1852, but did not live to enter upon the duties of his office. In January, 1853, by the advice of his physicians, he went to Cuba, and being unable to return for his inauguration, March 4, 1853, received the official oath at Havana, Cuba, by special act of congress. On April 17, 1853, he returned to Cahaba, Dallas county, Ala, where he died, April 18, 1853.

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

History of Sampson County North Carolina

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