Names

The R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company was a tobacco manufacturing operation in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. It was chartered in 1890 and for a period of time (1899 to 1912) was part of the American Tobacco Company trust owned by James B. Duke. The company has undergone many changes through the years but can still be found today under the name of Reynolds American, Inc.

George Washington Raby was born on April 20, 1870, in Lenoir (Caldwell County), North Carolina. Raby was a practicing physician in Hickory, North Carolina. He died in Hickory on May 31, 1935.

John Pittman Ragan was born on January 6, 1883, in Wadesboro, North Carolina. Ragan was an employee of the Tallassee Power Company plant at Badin, North Carolina, around 1919. He died in Fayetteville, North Carolina on September 26, 1955. He was the brother of Thomas Orell Ragan.

Thomas Orell Ragan was born in Fayetteville, North Carolina, on June 2, 1891. Ragan moved to Badin after being employed by the Tallassee Power Company in February 1918. In July 1919, he provided testimony during an investigation into alleged mistreatment and abuses by the Tallassee Power management. Ragan died in Auburndale, Florida on May 26, 1960.

William Thomas Rainey was born on July 7, 1892, in Salisbury, North Carolina. Rainey was a physician in Badin, North Carolina, when he registered for the draft (World War I) in June 1917. He died in Durham (Durham County) on September 22, 1961.

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

Erwin Mark Randall was born February 22, 1891, in Worley, North Carolina. Randall was a laborer in Hot Springs, North Carolina, when he registered for the draft (World War I) in June 1917. He was subsequently inducted into the service in May 1918 and served with the 156th Depot Brigade and the 316th Field Artillery. He was honorably discharged on March 24, 1919. Randall died in Rhodhiss (Caldwell County) on April 14, 1951.

Stephen A. Randall was a Shaw University student who signed a letter to the governor of North Carolina pledging allegiance and support of the United States following its entrance into World War I. His residences were listed as Raleigh, New York City, and Jamaica. He seems to have died by 1918.

Peter Randolph (1717-1767) was a Virginia-born politician who served as a member of the Council of Virginia from 1752 to 1767 and as Surveyor General for the Southern District of America from 1752 up through 1762.

John C. Rankin was born April 27, 1853, near Mount Holly in Gaston County, North Carolina. Rankin was a prominent textile mill executive, serving as President of Avon Mills in Gastonia, among others. He died on May 3, 1928, in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina.

Watson Smith Rankin was born on January 18, 1879, near Mooresville, North Carolina. Rankin was a physician and professor who served as the state's chief public health officer and secretary of the State Board of Health from 1909 to 1925. He died in Charlotte on September 8, 1970.

James Ransom 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.

James A. Ray was born on August 23, 1872, in Alamance County, North Carolina. On the night of July 19, 1920, he and two others—William W. Phillips and Clem William Bradshaw—were shot by national guard soldiers with the Durham Machine Gun Company when they (the soldiers) opened fire on a lynch mob attempting to jailbreak Black men accused of sexual assault. Ray had been severely wounded; he died later that same night. An official investigation ensued, and the official findings of the investigating committee found that Ray, Bradshaw, and Phillips were not part of the mob but were onlookers who got caught in the crossfire.

John Bispham Ray was born on June 27, 1873, in Yancey County, North Carolina. Ray was a state legislator and judge for the eighteenth judicial district of the superior court. He was known popularly, and signed his name frequently, as "J. Bis Ray." Ray died in Baltimore, Maryland on October 21, 1924.

Adonijah Raynor was born on January 22, 1888, in Cumberland County, North Carolina. At the outbreak of World War I, Raynor was a tenant farmer in Cumberland County, North Carolina. He died in Erwin (Harnett County) on December 14, 1944.

Robert Percy Reade was born on August 5, 1877, in Person County, North Carolina. Reade served for many decades as the attorney for the County of Durham, North Carolina. He died in Durham on August 24, 1961.

James Realy was a resident of colonial Salisbury. Around 1763, William Strother and Oliver Wallace were accused of horse stealing, found guilty, and sentenced to death. In an undated petition, Realy joined others from the Salisbury District in asking royal governor Arthur Dobbs to reprieve both men.

John Ream was a resident of colonial Johnston County. In an undated petition, he joined other members of the Johnston County militia in asking royal governor Arthur Dobbs to commission new captains for their unit.

William Cox Redfield was born on June 18, 1858, in Albany, New York. Redfield, a northern politician affiliated with the Democratic Party, is best remembered for his tenure as the U.S. Secretary of Commerce from 1913 to 1919 under the administration of President Woodrow Wilson. He died in New York on June 13, 1932.

Robert Burwell Redwine was born on July 12, 1860, in Union County, North Carolina. Redwine was a prominent attorney, legislator, and judge in Monroe, North Carolina. During World War I, Gov. Thomas W. Bickett nominated him to serve on the state's western district exemption board; Redwine declined the appointment due to the fact that he was already serving on the exemption board for Union County. He died in Monroe on September 14, 1938.

James Reed (died 1777) was a missionary from England who served as a teacher and minister in colonial-era New Bern and Craven County and, on several occasions, as chaplain for the General Assembly.

Thomas Reed 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 Reed was a resident of colonial Salisbury. Around 1763, William Strother and Oliver Wallace were accused of horse stealing, found guilty, and sentenced to death. In an undated petition, he joined others from the Salisbury District in asking royal governor Arthur Dobbs to reprieve both men.

Frank Murchison Register was born on August 6, 1870, in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Register was the head physician at the state prison farm in Halifax County from about 1902 until his resignation in March 1917. In the months before his resignation, Dr. Register had a falling out with prison officials, namely Captain Cephas N. Christian, over what he considered to be an excessive and cruel use of corporal punishment. He became publicly critical of the state’s prison system and finally determined to leave his position following the passage of a law that would require a prison physician or clergyman to be present during the administration of whippings. He died in Kinston (Lenoir County) on September 28, 1939.

Harry Emmons Reid was born on October 9, 1877, in North Carolina. Reid was the proprietor of the Reid Hardware Company in Lincolnton who served as the chairman of the Lincoln County Exemption Board during World War I. He died in Baltimore, Maryland, on August 21, 1932.

Laura Reilley (née Holmes) was born on November 28, 1861, in St. Louis, Missouri. Reilley was an influential suffrage advocate who helped organize and administer several women's organizations in the state. During World War I, she served on the North Carolina Council of Defense and as chairman of the Committee on Women's Defense Work. Reilley died in Charlotte (Mecklenburg County) on February 25, 1941.

William Preston Reinhardt was born on July 31, 1886, in Burke County, North Carolina. Reinhardt was an employee of the Brookford Mills Manufacturing Company, in Brookford, North Carolina. He died in Hickory, North Carolina on April 21, 1972.

Henry Reins 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.

Thomas Relfe was a longtime representative of Pasquotank County in the colonial Assembly. In 1755, he joined other merchants, traders, and planters in petitioning the Board of Trade for relief on trade restrictions.

John Ellis Remington was born on February 14, 1897 in Durham County, North Carolina. Following World War I, Ellis was a private in the Durham Machine Gun Company, a national guard unit. In July 1920, he deployed with his unit to Alamance County on orders from the governor to protect three wrongfully accused Black men from a lynch mob. By profession, Remington worked as a printer for Seeman Printery from 1928 until his retirement in 1963. He died in Durham on May 29, 1965.

Thomas Respess Jr. (1758-1782) was a politician who represented Beaufort County in the North Carolina Colonial Assembly and later in the North Carolina Provincial Congress. In December 1777 upon finding Daniel Leggett's petition in the road he forwarded it to Governor Richard Caswell.

Beverley Rew (d. 1793) served as a Private in the Craven County Regiment of the North Carolina Militia. In July 1777, he and several others were dispatched under the command of Lt. Shadrack Fulcher to Ocracoke Island, where they were supposed to capture William Brimage, a prominent co-conspirator in the Gourd Patch Affair.

Solomon Rew served as a militia officer in Craven County. In 1755, he joined other merchants, traders, and planters in petitioning the Board of Trade for relief on trade restrictions.

Southy Rew served as a Private in the Craven County Regiment of the North Carolina Militia. In July 1777, he and several others were dispatched under the command of Lt. Shadrack Fulcher to Ocracoke Island, where they were supposed to capture William Brimage, a prominent co-conspirator in the Gourd Patch Affair.

John Reynolds (circa 1713 - 1788) was a British naval officer and government official who served as the first royal governor of Georgia (1754-1758).

William Neal Reynolds was born on March 22, 1863, in Critz, Virginia. Reynolds was the younger brother of Richard Joshua Reynolds, proprietor of the R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company. He served as director of the company from 1890 to 1942 and became president of the company upon his brother Richard's death in 1918, a position he held until 1924. During World War I, Gov. Thomas W. Bickett nominated him to serve on the state's western district exemption board. Reynolds declined the appointment, citing the fact that because of his brother R. J.'s hospitalization, the burden of running the R. J. Reynolds Tobacco company fell completely on him and he couldn't give the exemption board the time it needed. He died in Winston-Salem on September 10, 1951.