History of Raleigh, (Wake County) North Carolina United States of America

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Biographies:

Theophilus Hunter Hill, author, was born near Raleigh, N.C., Oct. 31, 1836; son of Dr. William Geddy and Adelaide Virginia (Hunter) Hill; grandson of William and Sarah (Geddy) Hill and of Theophilus and Martha (Green) Hunter; and great grandson of Capt. Theophilus Hunter, of the Revolution, and of the Rev. Mr. Hill, a chaplain in Washington's army. He was a descendant of one of four brothers who emigrated from Wales and settled in Carolina county, Va., early in the 18th century. He was educated at James M. Lovejoy's academy, Raleigh, N.C.; studied law, and was admitted to the North Carolina bar in 1858, but did not enter the practice. He edited The Spirit of the Age at Raleigh, N.C., 1863, and The Centenary, a literary journal, at Florence, S.C., 1889. He was state librarian for North Carolina, 1871-72, and is the author of Hesper and Other Poems (1861); Poems (1869), and Passion Flower and Other Poems (1883).

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

Fabius Haywood Busbee, lawyer, was born at Raleigh, N. C., March 4, 1848; son of Perrin and grandson of Johnson Busbee, well-known members of the North Carolina bar. His early education was received at the Lovejoy academy at Raleigh, and at the age of fifteen he entered the University of North Carolina, but withdrew in February, 1865, to volunteer as a private in the 71st N. C. regiment. He was a lad of only sixteen years, but his bravery and good conduct so won the admiration of his comrades that they elected him to a lieutenancy. He acquitted himself with credit in the battles of Kinston and the struggle at Bentonville, N. C., on March 19, 1865. After Johnston surrendered, young Busbee re-entered the university, where he was graduated with first honors in 1868. In June of that year he passed examination for admission to the bar, but his license was withheld until the following year as he had not reached legal age. He practised law at Raleigh, and in 1875 was elected attorney for the city, a position he held until 1884. In 1876 he was an elector for the fourth N. C. district on the Tilden and Hendricks ticket. In 1880 he was chosen elector for the state at large on the Hancock and English ticket. During the administration of President Cleveland he was United States attorney for the eastern district of North Carolina. During the years 1885 and 1886 he was grand master of Masons in North Carolina. He received the degree of A.M. from the University of North Carolina in 1869, and a like honor from Princeton college and from Trinity college, Hartford, Conn., in 1871. He was elected in 1892 one of the trustees of the University of North Carolina.

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

Leonidas Polk, first bishop of Louisiana and 33d in succession in the American episcopate, was born in Raleigh, N.C., April 10, 1806; son of Gen. William . and Sarah (Hawkins) Polk. He matriculated at the University of North Carolina in 1821, and was graduated from the U.S. Military academy as brevet 2d lieutenant of artillery in 1827. He resigned his commission, Dec. 1, 1827, in order to study for the Protestant Episcopal ministry; was ordained deacon in 1830, priest in 1831; was assistant rector of the Monumental church, Richmond, Va., 1831-32, and rector of St. Peter's church, Columbia, Tenn., 1833-38. He was clerical deputy to the general convention of the P.E. church, 1834-85; served on the standing committee of the diocese in 1835, and was consecrated 1st missionary bishop of Arkansas, Dec. 9, 1838, by Bishops Meade of Virginia; Smith of Kentucky; Mollvaine of Ohio, and Otey of Tennessee. The charge comprised the dioceses of Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana and the Episcopal missions in Texas. In 1841 he was chosen first bishop of Louisiana. He was one of the founders of the University of the South at Sewanee, Tenn., in 1860, and in 1861 joined the Confederate army as major-general. He commanded the territory from the mouth of the Red river to Cairo, on the Ohio, with headquarters at Memphis, Tenn., and engaged in constructing elaborate fortifications at New Madrid, Fort Pillow, Columbus, Ky., Island No. 10, and Memphis, transferring his headquarters to Columbus, Sept. 4, 1861. He commanded the Confederate troops in the battle of Belmont, Mo., Nov. 7, 1861; joined Johnston's and Beauregard's army at Corinth, Miss, and commanded the 1st army corps in the battle of Shiloh, Tenn., April 6, 1862, and the siege of Corinth, Miss., April-May, 1862. He commanded the Army of the Mississippi in the invasion of Kentucky, and at the battle of Perryville, Ky., Oct. 8, 1862, and the armies of Kentucky and Mississippi in the Confederate retreat from Kentucky. He was pro moted lieutenant-general in Octcber, 1862, and commanded the right wing of the Army of Tennessee at the battle of Stone's river, Dec. 31, 1862. In the Chickamauga campaign, through his alleged disobedience of General Bragg's orders, the Federal army was allowed to escape at the battle of Chickamauga, Sept. 20, 1863, and he was relieved of his command and ordered to Atlanta. He later declined President Davis's offer of re-instatement. He commanded the paroled Confederate prisoners at Vicksburg and Port Hudson, and in September, 1863, succeeded General Joseph E. Johnston to the command of the department of Alabama, .Mississippi and East Louisiana. His army combined with General Johnston's in the opposition of Sherman's march to Atlanta, Ga. He was mortally wounded by a cannon shot during the action of Pine Mountain, Ga. General Polk received the honorary degree of D.D. from Columbia college in 1838, and that of LL.D. elsewhere. He died on the battle-field of Pine Mountain, Ga., June 14, 1864; was buried in St. Paul's churchyard, Augusta, Ga., and in 1902 a monument to his memory was erected on the spot where he fell.

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

Theodore Benedict Lyman, fourth bishop of North Carolina and 103d in succession in the American episcopate, was born in Brighton, Mass., Nov. 27, 1815; son of the Rev. Asa and Mary (Benedict) Lyman; grandson of William and Mary (Parker) Lyman, and of Aaron Benedict of Middlebury, Conn., and a descendant of Richard and Sarah (Osborne) Lyman. He was graduated at Hamilton college, N.Y., in 1837, and at the General Theological seminary, New York city, in 1840. He was ordered deacon in Christ church, Baltimore, Md., Sept. 20, 1840, and ordained priest in St. John's, Hagerstown, Md., Dec. 19, 1841, where he was rector, 1841-51. He was rector of Trinity church, Pittsburgh, Pa., 1851-60; and during his residence in Europe, 1860-70, he declined the deanship of the General Theological seminary, New York city. He established and was rector of the American church at Florence, being also the founder of St. Paul's Within the Walls, the American chapel at Rome, Italy. He was rector of Trinity church, San Francisco, Cal., 1870-73, and in the latter year was elected assistant bishop of North Carolina, and was consecrated in Christ church, Raleigh, N.C., Dec, 11, 1873, by Bishops Whittingham, Atkinson and Lay, and on the death of Bishop Atkinson, Jan. 4, 1881, he succeeded to the bishopric as fourth bishop of North Carolina. Bishop Lyman was appointed to take charge of the American Episcopal churches in Europe, as successor to the bishop of Long Island in 1886, but the increasing cares of his own diocese compelled him to relinquish his charge in 1887. The fiftieth anniversary of the bishop's ordination to the priesthood was celebrated in Raleigh, on Dec. 19 and 20, 1891, and the ceremonies were participated in, not only by the clergy and the laity of the church in North Carolina, but by the citizens generally without reference to creed. He was married in June, 1845, to Anna M., daughter of Jacob Albert of Baltimore, Md.; and secondly, Feb. 9, 1893, to Susan B. Robertson of Charleston, S.C. He received the honorary degree of D.D. from St. James college, Md., in 1856, LL.D. from the University of North Carolina in 1887, and that of D.C.L. from Hamilton in 1892. He died at Raleigh, N.C., Dec. 13, 1893.

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