On This Day in NC | November 14 – 18
November 14, 1892 | Augustus S. Merrimon died. An attorney and influential politician in North Carolina during the 1860s and 1870s, he was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1873. He later…
November 14, 1892 | Augustus S. Merrimon died. An attorney and influential politician in North Carolina during the 1860s and 1870s, he was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1873. He later…
October 31, 1765 | Sons of Liberty protested the Stamp Act in Wilmington. It was a mock funeral of an effigy, “Liberty.” Before the protestors buried it, someone joyfully exclaimed that Liberty still had a…
October 17, 1862 | Shipbuilders contracted to construct the CSS Neuse. The ironclad, one of twenty-four in the Confederate Navy, was completed in April 1864. A good portion of the hull is on…
October 3, 1960 | The Andy Griffith Show first aired. The town of Mayberry was modeled after Griffith’s hometown, Mt. Airy. In all, there were 249 episodes. October 4, 1777 | Brigadier General Francis…
September 26, 1780 – William R. Davie’s militia battled Lord Charles Cornwallis’s troops in Charlotte. Although a small conflict in Cornwallis’s Southern campaign, the Battle of Charlotte showcased the Americans’ resolve. September…
September 5, 1802 John Stanly and Richard Dobbs Spaight dueled in New Bern. After the death of Spaight, the General Assembly outlawed dueling. September 6, 1958 William R. Valentiner passed away. He…
August 29, 1882 A leading female doctor during her career, Connie Guion was born near Lincolnton. She was the first female professor of clinical medicine. She spent an almost fifty-year career…
Today is John Locke’s birthday. The philosopher greatly contributed to the formation of Carolina and influenced the American founding. He penned several notable works. One was The Fundamental Constitutions of Carolina (1669).…
August 22, 1914 | Mary L. Wyche passed away. She was a pioneer in the nursing profession. Educated in Philadelphia, she later worked at Rex Hospital in Raleigh. She formed two…
August 15, 1754 | Benjamin Hawkins was born in Warren County. He became one of North Carolina’s first United States Senators. President George Washington later appointed him Principal Temporary Agent for…
Henry Gatling was born in Hertford County. He invented the flying machine. It had hand-cranked engines with wooden blades in front of each wing. In 1873, the machine made its only…
In 1833, Sir Archie passed away. The thoroughbred was twenty-eight. In 1809, William R. Davie bought the horse for $5,000. The horse dominated competition to the extent that few owners wanted their…