Names

Born in Galveston, Texas, on April 16, 1866. Many years into a well-established career in electrical contracting, Goble was approached by long-time friend and labor union leader Samuel Gompers with an offer of a position as international organizer for the American Federation of Labor. During his seventeen years with the A. F. L., Goble travelled all over the country to attend to various labor disputes, making several stops across the state in support of union organizing in 1919.

He signed a petition on behalf of the residents of Anson County requesting Arthur Dobbs create and appoint a patrol group to provide protection against Native Americans who were raiding their homes and farms.

Born in 1869 in Lincolnton, North Carolina. Robinson was an attorney in Columbia, South Carolina.

Born September 5, 1894, in Seaboard, North Carolina. Crocker was a farmer in Northampton County when he registered for the draft (World War I) in June 1917. 

He served under Captain John Sumner in the Chowan County Militia in 1754. He was also part of the representation of Merchants, Traders, and Planters in North Carolina.

He served as paymaster of the Post Office and later became Commissioner of Stamp Duties.

Born August 18, 1899, in Durham County, North Carolina. Hunt was a student at the University of Virginia when the United States entered the First World War. He joined the university's Student Army Training Corps unit in October 1918 and was honorably discharged from the service in December. In the fall of 1919, Hunt joined a national guard unit known as the Durham Machine Gun Company. The following July, Hunt and his unit were sent to Alamance County by order of Gov. Thomas W. Bickett to protect three African American men from a lynch mob.

Born March 3, 1887, in Graham, North Carolina. Scott was drafted into federal service from the national guard in August 1917 as a major for service during the First World War. He was subsequently promoted to lieutenant colonel (September 1918) and colonel (February 1919). His entire war service was spent with the 120th Infantry, and he saw combat at Ypres-Lys and the Meuse-Argonne. After serving overseas for close to a year, Scott returned stateside in April 1919 and received an honorable discharge in June. In July 1920, Scott (who was at that time commanding officer of the 1st Infantry, North Carolina National Guard) was witness to, and took an active role in putting down, an attempted lynching in his hometown of Graham, North Carolina.

Born April 22, 1892, in Alabama. Smithson was an employee of the Hardaway Contracting Company in Iredell County, North Carolina, when he was ordered to report for military service in September 1917, in support of America's mobilization for World War I. He subsequently argued for exemption from the draft, which status he formally received on October 17, 1917.

Born November 7, 1863, in Laurel Springs, North Carolina. Doughton was a Democratic member of the House of Representatives, representing the Eighth Congressional District of North Carolina from 1911 to 1953.

He signed a letter of petition to Arthur Dobbs on behalf of William Strother ca. 1763.

Principal of the African American school in Badin NC in Dec 1919

Born October 16, 1871, in Putnam County, West Virginia. In 1909, Dudding killed his uncle and began a five-year sentence in a penitentiary in Moundsville, West Virginia. The experience set his life on a new course, and following his release, he established and served as director of the Prisoners' Relief Society. Letters from imprisoned North Carolinians drew Dudding's attention to the state prison system during the administration of Gov. Thomas W. Bickett. State leaders bristled at the "outsider's" criticism of the prison system, leading to many press battles with the Prisoners' Relief Society.

Born May 17, 1870, in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Easby-Smith was an attorney who served as a legal advisor to Provost Marshal General Enoch H. Crowder during World War I. He aided in the revisal of the classification system for the draft.

Born March 4, 1889, in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. An attorney in Charlotte, Pharr served five terms in the North Carolina House of Representatives and was its speaker in 1925.

He signed a letter of petition to Arthur Dobbs on behalf of William Strother ca. 1763.

Born September 7, 1861, in Lynchburg, Virginia. Norvell was an attorney in Murphy, North Carolina, who served as chairman of the Cherokee County Exemption Board during World War I.

Born in Ireland, Edward Brice Dobbs (1729--1803) was the son of Royal Governor Arthur Dobbs and a full-time military man. He accompanied his father to North Carolina in 1754. During the Seven Years War, he served as a captain in the North Carolina militia and commanded two companies in Edward Braddock's maneuvers in Virginia.  As a major, he later commanded three companies in New York.  In 1757, the younger Dobbs became a Royal Councillor (1757-1759), and his father appointed him naval officer of North Carolina.  Even with these positions, Dobbs left North Carolina and never returned. He assumed a military command in Gibraltar.

He signed a petition on behalf of the residents of Anson County requesting Arthur Dobbs create and appoint a patrol group to provide protection against Native Americans who were raiding their homes and farms.

Edward Franklin Rollins, born on March 6, 1876, in Holly Springs, North Carolina. Rollins was widely known throughout A. M. E. Zion circles as "the Blind Preacher;" when he was just five years old, Rollins was accidentally shot in the head by another boy, the bullet severely damaging both eyes and resulting in a loss of sight. Despite the injury, Rollins determined at the age of twelve that he would pursue a career in ministry and set a course to achieve his goal. In 1893, he graduated from the Institution for the Deaf, Dumb and Blind and completed his religious training under Bishop Cicero R. Harris in Wilmington, North Carolina. Rollins served as pastor for a variety of Eastern North Carolina circuits, including a five-year assignment at the Metropolitan A. M. E. Zion Church.

He signed a letter of petition to Arthur Dobbs on behalf of William Strother ca. 1763.

He signed a letter of petition to Arthur Dobbs on behalf of William Strother ca. 1763.

Born June 6, 1866, Brunswick County, Virginia. Travis was a lawyer by training who served as chairman of the North Carolina Corporation Commission from 1911 to 1918, among other civil positions. Notably, Travis served several terms as a legislator in the North Carolina General Assembly.