Names

Frank Armfield Sr. was born in Monroe, North Carolina, on May 24, 1870. A lawyer by profession, Armfield served as a mayor of Monroe and as a one-term state senator representing the twentieth district during Gov. Cameron Morrison's administration. He died in Concord, North Carolina on July 24, 1962.

Charles Alfred Armstrong was born on December 25, 1858, in Australia. Armstrong was an attorney in Troy, North Carolina, who served as county attorney for Montgomery County, North Carolina. He died in Troy on December 30, 1945.

William Armstrong was a resident of colonial Orange County. In an undated petition, Alexander Mebane requested Armstrong be commissioned a captain in the county militia.

James Arnold was a resident in colonial North Carolina. Around 1763, he joined others in signing a letter of petition to royal governor Arthur Dobbs on behalf of William Strother, who had been accused of horse stealing.

William Mobile Ashby was born October 15, 1889, in Carter's Grove, Virginia. Ashby graduated from Yale University with a degree in divinity in 1916 and came to Durham shortly after for a teaching job at the National Training School (now NCCU). He remained at the school only a short time, registering for the draft in Durham in June 1917 before moving to Newark, New Jersey, to embark on a long career of social work and activism. Much of his life is detailed in his autobiography Tales Without Hate.

John Ashe (1725-1781) was a legislator, militia officer, and outspoken Stamp Act critic. He was a staunch Patriot and fought against the British in the Revolutionary War.

Edmond Atkin (1697-1761) was a British politician and trader who served as Superintendent of Indian Affairs for the Southern Department from 1756 until his resignation in 1761.

Attakullakulla (c1712-c1778), also known as Ada-gal'kala or "Little Carpenter" by colonists, was an influential Overhill Cherokee leader, warrior, and diplomat. On behalf of his uncle, Concotocko of Chota, the leading trade commissioner or so-called "emperor" of the Cherokee, Attakullakulla negotiated for the Cherokee to join the British side in the French and Indian War. In exchange, the colonists agreed to build a fort for the Cherokee called Fort Loudoun near the Overhill Cherokee towns.

During the war, Attakullakulla led his people on several raids against the French and their American Indian allies. In 1758, the Anglo-Cherokee War broke out, leading to violent fighting between the Cherokee and British colonists in the backcountry. In May 1760 Attakullakulla attempted to negotiate a peace on behalf of the Overhill Cherokee but was unsuccessful. Meanwhile, Cherokee warriors had laid siege to Fort Loudoun, which the British eventually surrendered in December 1761. When the Cherokee discovered that the British garrison had destroyed guns and ammunition at the fort after the ceasefire, thus violating their agreement of surrender, the Cherokee attacked the retreating British troops. Attakullakulla personally interceded, saving Captain John Stuart's life by buying his ransom. He then used his influence with the colonists to make Stuart the British Superintendent for Indian Affairs. In December 1761, he helped negotiate a peace between the Cherokee and the colonists at Charlestown. He served as the "emperor" of the Cherokee people from 1761-1775 and continued to lead diplomacy efforts between the Cherokee and the British for the rest of his life.

Crispus Attucks was a Black man, a freedom seeker who had escaped slavery to become a sailor and rope maker in Boston, Massachusetts. He was killed by British soldiers on March 5, 1770, in a confrontation that became known as the Boston Massacre. He is widely recognized as the first casualty of the American Revolution.

Augusta of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg (1719-1772) was the daughter of Frederick II, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg and Magdalena Augusta of Anhalt-Zerbst. She became the Princess of Wales upon her marriage to Frederick, Princes of Wales, in 1736. Following her husband's death in 1751, she was referred to as "Princess Dowager of Wales."

Daniel McNair Ausley was born on January 20, 1871 in Robeson County, North Carolina. Ausley was a prominent banker in Statesville, North Carolina. He also served as captain of the Statesville Home Guard, which unit was called out to Charlotte in August 1919 to assist in enforcing order during a labor uprising. Ausley died in Statesville on April 18, 1928.

Samuel Francis Austin was born on September 20, 1869, in Johnston County, North Carolina. Austin was an attorney in Nashville, North Carolina, who served as the chairman of the Nash County Exemption Board during World War I. He died in Nashville (Nash County) on December 23, 1935.

William George Avant was born on August 16, 1868, in Wilmington, North Carolina. A graduate of Howard University and Payne Divinity School, Avant was a prominent and influential Black minister who resided in New Bern, North Carolina. In addition to his ministerial duties, he was a mason and a member of the Colored Knights of Pythias. Avant died in Durham on September 11, 1942.

Mary Tempie Avera (née Arrington) was born in 1848 in Halifax County, North Carolina. Avera was a longtime resident of Nash County, North Carolina. Her husband was Harlow Dibble Avera. She died in Rocky Mount on June 13, 1925.

Thomas Arrington Avera was born on February 20, 1890, in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. Avera was an attorney and cashier at the Farmers and Merchants Bank in Rocky Mount when he applied for and received exemption from the military draft of World War I. Outraged citizens, who felt he had been given exemption due only to privilege, appealed to the governor who asked the exemption board to take another look at the case. Avera was subsequently inducted into the service in February 1918, serving stateside in administrative roles until his honorable discharge the following November. Avera died in Rocky Mount on April 5, 1952.

Charles Pinkney Aycock was born on April 18, 1861, in Wayne County, North Carolina. Aycock was a farmer and merchant in Pantego, North Carolina. He died on September 29, 1943, in Pantego.

Richard Babey was a resident of colonial Johnston County. In an undated petition, he joined others in asking royal governor Arthur Dobbs to appoint another justice to serve their section of the county.

Anthony Bacon (circa 1717-1786) was a London merchant and industrialist whose appointment as provincial agent for North Carolina by the Assembly caused controversy with royal governor Arthur Dobbs.

Edward Bacon (circa 1712 - 1786) was a British politician who served as a member of the Board of Trade from 1759 to 1765.

Charles Justin Bailey was born June 21, 1859, in Tamaqua, Pennsylvania. Bailey was a West Point graduate and career military officer. During World War I, he served as commander of Camp Jackson in South Carolina from October 1917 to May 1918. In August 1917, Bailey took command of the 81st Division and deployed with them to the front the following November, participating in the St. Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne offensives. He died in Jamestown, New York, on September 21, 1946.

Josiah William Bailey was born on September 14, 1873, in Warrenton, North Carolina. Bailey was a newspaper editor, conservative reformer, and politician. From 1913 to 1921, he served as the IRS collector for the state of North Carolina. In 1930, he unseated the popular and politically powerful Furnifold M. Simmons as a United States Senator from North Carolina, a position he kept until his death. He died in Raleigh, North Carolina on December 15, 1946.

Rufus D. Bailey was born on January 5, 1858 in Statesville, North Carolina. Bailey was a prominent Black merchant and property owner in Statesville. He died there on November 17, 1927.

George Lawrence Todd Baily was born on November 21, 1879, in Mount Kisco, New York. Baily was an organizer of the Hickory Chair Company, for which company he worked forty years, as secretary and treasurer and later as manager. He died in Morganton (Burke County) on October 31, 1951.

Everard Hall Baker was born in December 1871 in North Carolina. He was, for many years, chief clerk of the State Auditor's office. During World War I, he served as paymaster of the North Carolina Naval Militia. He died in Asheville (Buncombe County) on May 8, 1951.

James Marion Baker was born in Lowndesville, South Carolina, on August 18, 1861. Baker served as Secretary of the United States Senate from 1913 to 1919. He died on November 21, 1940.

John Baker was born in North Carolina around 1901. On the night of January 26, 1916, Baker was shot three times by officer Rufus Beck in Raleigh, North Carolina. Baker was allegedly robbing the home of Mr. S. Glass on N. East St. at the time he was shot. He was taken to a hospital and recovered from his wounds. On February 9, 1916, he was found guilty of burglary in the second degree and sentenced to a twenty-year prison sentence. Baker was transported to Halifax County to serve his term at the state prison farm in Tillery. In 1919, he was the victim of alleged torture at the hands of prison officials. A subsequent investigation resulted in no substantive changes to the prison system.

Ned Baker was likely a relative of Hannah Salter Blount, whose first husband was William Baker. In July 1777 Ned Baker was residing at or near Blount Hall in Pitt County alongside Hannah and her second husband Jacob Blount while he recovered from the flux (likely dysentery).

Newton Diehl Baker was born on December 3, 1871, in Martinsburg, West Virginia. Baker served as United States Secretary of War from 1916 to 1921 under President Woodrow Wilson. He died in Cuyahoga County, Ohio on December 25, 1937.