Mrs. Exum Clement Stafford
By MRS. a.Ktthbws
T’a|*pr read at memorial service of Asheville Chapter of the
Cnttcd Daughters of the Confederacy
was glad to respond to Mrs.
leleathor's request for a snort
IcH of tlie life of Mrs. Stafford,
thl*. tha Memorial meeting of
Asheville Chapter United
ighter* of the Confederacy.
.'hen I first knew Mrs. Stafford,
was a bright eager faced young
of 16 or 17 years of age, even
a, she gave promise of a very
isual life, and was looking for-
-d with' fond anticipation to a
oer, and, as most young girls
'she dreamed rosy dreams and
re them Into a glorious future
■ I doubt If thoso youthful
ams included one of becoming
austere lawyer. However, she
i our first woman lawyer. A
!'e later on after her school days
! d. she took a business course
;, under Prof. Shockley. It was
re that I learned to kr.nw her
n better, she was so likable and
"Ч
’
lng law under Hon. J. J.
ВгЦ
Prof. Robert Goldstein, of
Asheville High School, and la
practicing, lawyer himself.
In 1916, she stood her law ex
amlnatlon and secured license ti
practice law in the stale pf XortI
Carolina and elsewhere. Thli
brought her at once Into publii
notice, she being the first womat
from Buncombe County to sccun
license to practice law. She im
mediately established and main
talned a law' office of her owi
in Asheville, and In this she wa
unique, being the first woman ii
the South to establish and maintaii
her own
office.
few other women lawyers in ' thi
south, hut they without exception
were incorporated with law firm:
composed ot men. Mrs. Staffori
won her first case.
In 1920. before. Woman Suffragi
was granted, shc was Induced ti
I enter politics,' and was elected i
III of this member of the N. C. legislature b;
•en in ‘I
Hunter, and j Buncombe County. Again was eh-
succeeding the recipient of a high honor, She I
while study- [ being the first woman In the south j
The
ваше.
со
of S
under
to sit In 'the law m aking bod’
hei-v state. She filled the offb-’,
mlrably. acting, very ouietfv
— rnlj. s.
<‘PIsT'i1vvi 14
115 into
Cure
r£ducea and ' _
Bill, des
business in this county dtul .»th
1 putting dairies .under supervise
making them sanitary. thorebl
securing bet ter milk, for all. '
Mrs. Stafford was signally honor¬
ed several times during this eesi
of 1921. being Invited by the
speaker to preside over the legis¬
lature when tlie bill for the 60 mil¬
lion dollar bond Issue for good
roads was passed. She again pre¬
sided when the Educational Bill
was passed, she was also a mem¬
ber. of the extra session of the
Legislature called in 1922.
For four year* before her «l»*\hj
Mrs. Stafford was a member of tft’o |
Board ot Trustees for the State
Hospital at Morganton.
In March. 1922, she was married I
Mr. E. E. Stafford, of North
Wilkeeboro, N. C.. but continued!
the practice of her profession fori
1 3 short while, and then gave !
to assume the new duties • f h‘
Mrs. Stafford was the sec
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. (1.
Clement, of Asheville. In the
о
part of this year, shc contra
pnrutry.'a. passing away on'
third day u. ner illness. She is .
vived by her husband and
Ii. tie daughter two years of agey
also her father, mother, three sis-4
ter^^nd three brother-
•ng \ - -
;C I S Of nvU'v,nc’ ■'■“V4CCCJ. Id.’
l-al nselp ,lness, an<1 modest
al Lhr oegan an under’aklu
... faltered until It we,.
atd She was entirely sincere!
P^he said and did. Her loyalty]
‘Я1
principles and alms anil to
intends was unbounded; she
freely of herseif and what I
*'ud to others. But th« crown
womanhood was her mod-
?r absolutely unspoiled by the I
rs she had won, she. de- 1
herself at all limes? In I
ess, manner, word and deed |
h all 1 becorolngness-
Mrs. Stafford was the registrar
»•
the Aeho.dlle Chapter for l^.ti-
• an«l now 1
\ш
we hftvt ssthcred
ether to do her and diiv tthev
oved dead honor — to bestow I
(last loving goodbye upon them. II
fellow workers in a great 11
■e. we realise afresh what it
Ins to say farewell to the gentle
fed spirit of Exum Clement Staf-
liut «cross the beautiful river
