Biography of Natt T. Wagner

Natt T. Wagner manager of the bond department of the First National Bank of St. Louis was born in Asheville, North Carolina, June 12, 1883. His father, J. A. Wagner, is a native of Tennessee, while the latter’s father was a native of Virginia. J. A. Wagner became an architect, devoting his active life to the profession, but is now living retired in Asheville, North Carolina. He has been very prominent in community affairs and during the Civil war served as a captain in the Federal army. He married Emma Brown, who was born in Greene county, Tennessee, and has … Read more

Robert H. Cooke

Musician, Naval; of Buncombe County; son of Rev. J. A. and Julia Cooke. Husband of Christine Cooke. Entered service Sept. 11, 1918, at Asheville. Sent to Hampton Roads. In Naval Glee Club. 1st Tenor, Asst Co. Commander for five weeks at Hampton Roads. Mustered out at Hampton Roads, Feb. 28, 1919.

Samuel Love and Dorcas Bell – Descendants

Samuel Love, of Pennsylvania, married Dorcas Bell, of August County, Virginia, July 3rd in the year 1759. They lived near Tinkling Spring Church, in which later place, their eldest son, Robert, was baptized by the blind Preacher, Waddell(?), a near relative of Dorcas Bell. Mr. Waddell had charge and care of Robert and Thomas Love after the death of their Mother(?). The other children, towit: William, James, Sarah, Mary, Dorcas, and Winifred remained with the Bell family. The Bells opposed the marriage of Samuel Love and Dorcas Bell. Robert Love married, Mary Ann Dilliard, daughter of Genl. Thomas Dilliard, or … Read more

James O. Israel

Corpl., Medical Co. 323 F. H., 81st Div., Regt. 306 Sanitary; of Buncombe County; son of W. L. and Elizabeth Israel. Entered service Nov. 27, 1917, at Candler. Sent to Camp Jackson, S. C. Transferred to Camp Sevier, S. C., from there to Camp Mills. Remaining until sailing for France Aug. 7, 1918. Promoted to rank of Corpl. Sept., 1918. Fought at Vosges, Meuse-Argonne, Verdun. Returned to USA June, 1919. Mustered out at Camp Lee, Va., June 30, 1919.

Jere E. Cocke

1st Lt., Med. Born Sept. 28, 1881; son of Wm. M. and Maria Johnston Cocke, of Buncombe County. Husband of Mrs. Fredrick Brown Cocke. Entered service Oct. 22, 1918, General Hospital No. 16. Transferred to Camp Devens, Mass., Jan. 1, 1919; General Hospital No. 42 June 1, 1919. Mustered out General Hospital No. 42, July 25, 1919.

Genealogy of the Lewis family in America

Genealogy of the Lewis family in America

Free: Genealogy of the Lewis family in America, from the middle of the seventeenth century down to the present time. Download the full manuscript. About the middle of the seventeenth century four brothers of the Lewis family left Wales, viz.: Samuel, went to Portugal; nothing more is known of him; William, married a Miss McClelland, and died in Ireland, leaving only one son, Andrew; General Robert, died in Gloucester county, Va. ; and John, died in Hanover county, Va. It is Andrews descendants who are featured in the manuscript.

Biltmore Mound, Asheville, North Carolina

Biltmore Mound

During the 1980s American scholars suddenly became interested in Spain’s efforts to colonize the North America. For 200 years American history books had generally ignored the Spanish and French presence in North America prior to the English colonies winning their independence. Generations of students here were under the impression that no white man had set foot on the continent until brave Englishmen founded a short-lived colony on Roanoke Island, NC in 1585. Well, while all the history books were being printed in Boston, probably most students had the impression that the first colony was founded by the Pilgrims in 1621 … Read more

Guy E. Brookshire

Private, 1st class, Medical Evac. Hospital No. 14; son of L. D. and Julina Brookshire, of Buncombe County. Entered service April 26, 1918, at Asheville, N.C. Sent to Camp Jackson. Transferred to Ft. Orlethorpe, Ga., then to Camp Jackson, sailed for Brest, France, Aug. 7, 1918. Fought at Meuse-Argonne offensive. Returned to USA May 11, 1919, Newport News, Va. Mustered out at Camp Lee, Va., May 19, 1919.

Address of Col. Allen T. Davidson at Lyceum Asheville, North Carolina

Extract from an Address delivered by Col. Allen T. Davidson, at Lyceum Asheville, N.C. Nov. 7th, 1890. “The most noted characters of the County who were in public life, were John Welch, General Thomas Love and Col Robert Love. These represented the County of Haywood for many years; preserved and maintained a high reputation until their death. Some of these had formerly represented Buncombe County in the Legislature; notably, Thomas Love, who represented Buncombe County from 1800 to 1808 (the sessions of the Legislature were then annual) afterwards served from Haywood form 1808 to 1828, perhaps, the longest service of … Read more

Buncombe County, North Carolina Cemetery Transcriptions

North Carolina Cemetery records are listed by county then name of cemetery within the North Carolina county. Most of these are complete indices at the time of transcription, however, in some cases we list the listing when it is only a partial listing. Following Cemeteries (hosted at Buncombe County, North Carolina Tombstone Transcription Project) Alexander Baptist Church Cemetery Bald Mountain Baptist Church Cemetery Boyd’s Union Chapel Cemetery Chambers Cemetery Hominy Baptist Church Cemetery Mt. Sheba Baptist Cemetery Newton Academy Cemetery O’Kelley Cemetery Pleasant Grove Cemetery Queen Road Cemetery Red-Top Cemetery Stony Fork Cemetery  

Slave Narrative of Sarah Gudger

Interviewer: Marjorie Jones Person Interviewed: Sarah Gudger Date of Interview: May 5, 1937 Location: Asheville, North Carolina Date of Birth: Sept. 15. 1816 Age: 121 Investigation of the almost incredible claim of Aunt Sarah Gudger, ex-slave living in Asheville, that she was born on Sept. 15, 1816, discloses some factual information corroborating her statements. Aunt Sarah’s father, Smart Gudger, belonged to and took his family name from Joe Gudger, who lived near Oteen, about six miles east of Asheville in the Swannanoa valley, prior to the War Between the States. Family records show that Joe Gudger married a Miss McRae … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Thomas Triplett

Thomas Triplett, of Buncombe County, North Carolina, had the follow children James, William, George, John, Rebecca, Nancy, and Lydia. William married Hannah Cox, of North Carolina, and settled in Montgomery County in 1830. He was a blacksmith and wheelwright by trade; and a staunch member of the Baptist Church. It was at his house that Macedonia Church was organized by Jabez Hair, in 1831. His children were Olive, nary, Margaret, Harriet D., Rebecca C., Narcissa J., Lydia, Thomas, Zaccheus, David, Isaac M., and William H. Mary married William E. Wells, who settled in Montgomery County in 1830.

Genealogy of the Davidson family of the Duck River Valley

Genealogy of the Davidson family of the Duck River Valley

This small booklet showcases the authors research on the Davidson family of the Duck River Valley. The genealogy starts with John Davidson of Iredell, North Carolina and advances through his son, the Revolutionary War soldier William Davidson, and his wife Margaret McConnell of Buncombe County, North Carolina. Next in line, and the first to settle the Duck River Valley is John Davidson, the eldest son of William and Margaret. He and his wife Martha Davidson settled near Knob Creek, Bedford County, Tennessee. John’s brother, Hugh, and his wife Jane Vance, settled in the Duck River Valley east of Normandy in at the time, Coffee County, Tennessee. This genealogy treats the Davidson family through several more generations. It is free to read or download.

Asheville, North Carolina History

Copied from an article in the Asheville Daily Citizen of 1898, the same being excerpts from an article by Foster Sondley in the same issue, headed “Asheville’s Centenary” to which reference is hereby made-F.D. Love, ——–o———–o——— In speaking of the Court House, he says “On January 23rd, 1807 deeds were made to the Commissioners, Samuel Murry senr., Thomas Foster, Thomas Love, etc., appointed by the General Assembly of the State (North Carolina) to purchase or receive by donation land sufficient for a Public Square in the Town of Asheville in the County of Buncombe and State aforesaid”. This Thomas Love … Read more

Biography of John S. Cairns

North Carolina has produced many men of genius whose lives gave rich prospects of fame and usefulness, who doubtless would have brought honor and glory to the shrine of the “Old North State;” but when life has seemed most hopeful to them, when their work has begun, as it appeared, to cast upon them the halo of success, they have been snatched away from the merited renown of this world to the rest and greater glory of the Unknown. The lamented Fuller, with his thirty ideal years of a faithful life, and the invalid Gillespie, struggling against the evils of … Read more

Harry Lavitt

Sergt., Inf., Co. K, 22nd Inf. Born in Buncombe County; the son of Mr. and Mrs. D. L. Lavitt. Entered the service at Chicago, Ill., Nov. 1, 1916. Sent to Jefferson Barracks, Mo., then to Camp Douglas, then to Ft. Hamilton, Ellis Island, N. Y., Green Pt., Brooklyn, Syracuse, N. Y. Mustered out at Ft. Jay, N. Y., May 6, 1919. Now located at Asheville, N.C.

Letter from John P. Arthur to Franklin D. Love

Copy of letter from John P. Arthur to me. John P. Arthur Asheville, N.C. April 17th, 1903. Attorney at Law. Franklin D. Love, Esqr., Georgetown, Texas. Dear Sir: Yours of the 14th, inst., to hand. I spoke to Mrs. Hilliard this morning about writing a sketch of the life of her Grandfather, Robert Love, but she says that she is not in a position to give you as much information as I have already furnished, as she was but nine or ten years old when he died, and she has but a faint recollection of him. I suggest that before … Read more

Biography of J. H. Rash

From territorial days until the present the Rash family has been identified with the agricultural development of Oklahoma, and J. H. Rash is worthily sustaining the traditions of the name in this respect, being the owner of a well developed and modernly equipped farm property three miles west and two and one-half miles south of Wann, which in all of its appointments gives evidence of the progressive methods and enterprising spirit of the owner. Mr. Rash was born in Buncombe county, North Carolina, May 4, 1875, his parents being R. T.. and Mary Malinda (Frisbie) Rash, who made their way … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Harold Graham Alexander

Alexander, Harold Graham; treas. National Screw & Tack Co.; born, Cleveland, Sept. 5, 1882; son of W. D. B. and Lida Graham Alexander; educated at University School, Cleveland; Asheville School, Asheville, N. C.; Yale Scientific School (B. S.); married, Cleveland, June 9, 1908, Eleanor Quayle; issue, one daughter, Eleanor May 4, 1910.

Biography of Hon. David Shelton

HON. DAVID SHELTON – Mr. Shelton, one of the very earliest of the pioneers of Washington Territory, who with Mr. L.B. Hastings and F.W. Pettigrove became a founder of Port Townsend, was born in Buncombe County, North Carolina, September 15, 1812. His father, Lewis Shelton, emigrated to the territory of Missouri in the year 1819, and settled in Saline county but kept on the advance wave of settlement, ever moving westward as the state settled up, and died in Andrew county in 1847. In this frontier life young David came to maturity, and on May 30, 1837, was married to … Read more