Ош*
Foreign Representatives
Л
article by Mr. Murpliy in which he
give* brief hiwgrnphical sketches of North
C arolinians who have served as diplomats
in foreign countries.
B»/ WALTER (“Pete") MURPHY
I (JIVE you herewith tin* second
article on North Carolinians who
have held important diplomatic
posts in foreign land*. They were men
of whom our state may well feel
proud, for they rendered their coun¬
try valuable service abroad.
Abraham Rencher
Л
member of the national House
of Representatives from North Caro¬
lina from 1828 to 1830; territorial
coventor of New Mexico from 1857
to 1861 : tendered the cabinet office
of Secretary of the Navy by Presi¬
dent Buchanan hut declined;
Г.
S.
Minister to Portugal in 1843-47; was
horn in Wake County near Raleigh in
1 70S ; graduated from the University
of North Carolina in 18**2; a lawyer
of eminence; a planter and financier
after retiring from public life, living
in Pittsboro; died at Chapel Hill in
1853; interred at
РИЫюго.
Ebcn Alexander
Л
distinguished scholar, long a pro¬
fessor of Greek at the l'niversitv of
North Carolina; a graduate of Vale;
came to the University from the Uni¬
versity of Tennessee, where he had
been dean, to accept the chair of
Greek at Chapel Hill; for years he
was dean at U.X.C.; a gentleman
without fault: a man of purest char¬
acter; "his life was gentle, and the
elements so mix’d in him that Nature
might stand up and say (<• all the
world. ‘This is a man !’ "
hr. Alec, as we hoys at Chanel Hill
called him. was probably the best
loved and most popular of the faculty
while he was a member of it. Back in
the ’SO’s and ’90’s when be was ap¬
pointed by President Cleveland as
minister to Greece. Rouinnnin and
Servia in 1883, there was a meeting
of the student body for the purpose of
presenting a testimonial to hr. Alec.
It resulted in every student at the
University making a donation, the
total of which was several hundred
dollars. For some reason or other I
was selected to make the presentation
speech, presenting him with a mag¬
nificent gold watch, properly in¬
scrib'd. as a token of love, real affec¬
tion and devotion to a man whom
Bishop Cheshire might have included
with Judges Connor and Holtr as the
best men he ever knew. In Greece Dr.
Alec was instrumental in helping re¬
vive the Olympic games. Several
Greeks, living at that time and now
residents of America, have told me
that he was the beat-loved of all the
ministers in Greece at that time.
After the termination of hi* office
he returned to the University to re¬
sume bis professorship, which he held
until hi> death in 1810. Hi* memory
and services have been preserved at
Chapel Hill in Alexander Hall, one
of the largest of the new dormitories.
1 1 i' body is interred in Knoxville,
Tulin., the place of his birth.
John Motley Morchcad
I-ate Envoy Extraordinary and Min¬
i-tor Plenipotentiary to Sweden, now-
residing at Rye. New York; a dis¬
tinguished scientist and inventor,
holder of many scientific honors and
degrees; a member of one of the best
known North Carolina families, one
which has at all times been outstand¬
ing in service to the state in varied
field*; was horn in Rockingham
County, educated at Bingham School
and the University of North Caro¬
lina. graduating from the University
in the class of 1881; was appointed
ns Minister to Sweden by President
Hoover in 1030 and served until 1 0:1:5.
Morehend la-longs to practically all
the organizations — social, patriotic,
scientific and otherwise— with the
Eohable exception of the Kii Klux
Ian. He is joint donor of the beau¬
tiful Morehead-Patterson chimes at
the University.
Л
genial, soeiahle.
wlmle.souled fellow is "old Mot”; a
man whom we North Carolinians
have just cause to bo proud of.
Willie Person Mangum, Jr.
A native of Hillsboro; nephew of
Willie P. Mangum. Sr., long a mem¬
ber of the U. S. Senate from North
Carolina; graduate of llm University
of North Carolina in the class of
I4 IS; a lawyer and at one time a
member "f the faculty of Wake For¬
est College; wa« Consul General to
both China and Japan at a time lie-
fore the embassies to those countries
were elevated to the dignity of Min¬
isters. with the Consul General per¬
forming all the duties incident to the
office of Minister. Mr. Mangum held
the office from IStJl to 1881. Hr died
while in office, February 11, 1881.
Richard Pearson
Son of Richmond M. Pearson, for
forty years a meinlier of the Supreme
Court of North Carolina and from
l.s;,s to ls78 its chief justice; was
horn in Yadkin County in 1852;
attended Horner's School and Prince¬
ton College, from which he graduated
as valedictorian of his class: studied
law and was admitted to the bar:
locate*! in Asheville where he entered
politics and serve*! in the General
Assembly ; previously was IJ. S. Con¬
sul at Ycrviere and Liege. Belgium;
elected as a member of the
Г.
S.
House of Representatives in 1884;
served two terms; was elected again
in 1900 and served until March,
1801; appointed I ". S. Consul to
Genoa. Italy, in 1801 bv President
Theodore Roosevelt ; the same year
was appointed to Persia as Envoy
Extraordinary and Minister Plenipo¬
tentiary; ill 1802 was appointed AS
Minister to Greece and Montenegro ;
served until 1807; returned to his
home in Asheville; died and was
buried in that city in 1823.
William Hawkins Polk
A brother of President Polk ; was
U. 8. Minister to the Kingdom of
Naples; resided in Salisbury for n
few years, moving back after that to
his native Tennessee: served in the
legislature ; served in the
Г.
S. Con¬
gress: was Minister to Naples from
March, 1845. to August, 1847: major
of the Third U. S. Dragoons in the
