The Civil War in North Carolina



Reminiscences and Memoirs of North Carolina and Eminent North Carolinians

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and they renounced all allegiance to the same, and resolved to support and maintain the independence of the state against the said King."

        This is signed by Henry Cannon, William Dickson, Alexander Gray, Samuel Houston, James Lockhart, Michael Kennon, James Kennon, James Sampson, Edward Toole, and others.

        James Gillaspie was a native of this county. We know but little of him, except from the public records, which inform us that he was often a member of the legislature, and a member from this district in the Third Congress, (1793, '95;) Fourth Congress, (1795,-'97;) Fifth Congress, (1798,-'99;) Eighth Congress, and until his death, which occured while he was in congress, January, 1805, at Washington city.

        A monument marks his grave in the congressional burying ground.

        Owen Rand Keenan, son of Thomas, was born March 24, 1806. Studied medicine, and afterwards law. Member of the legislature 1834,-'35,-'36, and of the confederate congress, 1862.

        Charles Hooks, a native of this county, often represented it in the legislature. In 1817, he succeeded William R. King in congress, and was re-elected to congress in 1821,-'23. He also moved to Alabama.

        Thomas Keenan, also a native of this county, and from whose family the county town derives its name, was, in 1804, in the senate of the legislature, and from 1805 to 1811, represented this district in congress. He removed to Alabama, where he died near Selma, in 1822.

DAVIE COUNTY.

        CHARLES PRICE, late speaker of the house (1876,) resides at Mocksville. He was born in Warren County, July 26, 1847. He read law with Judge Pearson; and after obtaining a license settled at Mocksville, where he soon by his attainments, his pleasant address, and high moral character, won "troops of friends." Such was the appreciation of the people that in 1872, they elected him to the senate. He was also a member of the constitutional convention of 1875, and a member of the house in 1876, of which body, over members of more years, he was chosen speaker; a just compliment to his genius, talents and ability.

        We would do injustice to modest and substantial merit, and solid ability, were we to omit in our sketches the name and services of John Bryan Hussey.

        He is a native of Dulpin County, born January 1, 1846. His family is well known for their ability and integrity. A near relative, John E. Hussey, represented Dulphin in 1815,-'16,-'17,-'18, in the house, and from 1833 to 1836, in the senate.

        John B. Hussey received all the educational advantages of the day. He was educated at the Kenansville academy, the Caldwell institute, and the university. The war prevented his graduating, and at the early age of fifteen he entered the army in the thirty-eighth North Carolina regiment, and was in several engagements around Richmond. In 1863, he was assigned to the signal service at Smithville, and was the signal officer of "The Helen," a Liverpool blockade runner, in which capacity he made many successful trips to Nassau, Bermudas and Halifax. After this service he was assigned to duty on the Cape Fear, and was wounded at the fearful battle of Fort Fisher, taken prisoner and confined at Fortress Monroe and Fort Delaware. The war being over, he was released. He studied law with William
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