Congress (1869-71,) and re-elected to the next Congress.
At the opening of 46th Congress, he was elected Acting Secretary of Senate, which position he now holds.
Mr Shober married May Wheat, daughter of Rev. Dr. Wheat, who is as distinguished in literary and religious society, for his learning and his picty, as his lovely daughter is for her winning manners and her virtues.
This family is well known in North Carolina, distinguished for talent, industry and integrity. Gotleib, (in Legislature 1806,-'08,) established at Salem the first paper manufactory in North Carolina; and Emanuel, who often represented Stokes County from 1819 to 1828.
CHAPTER XLVII.
RUTHERFORD COUNTY.
John Paxton, resided for a long time in this County. He was a native of Virginia, and removed to this State, and settled at Morganton. Here he became a merchant, but was not successful and failed. He was a candidate for Congress in 1817, and defeated by Hon. Felix Walker. He studied law late in life, in this he was more fortunate; and in 1818 he was elected by the Legislature, one of the Judges of the Superior Courts, and was not excelled for integrity, patience and ability. He died whilst returning from the Edenton Circuit in 1826, at Judge Hall's house in Warren County.
Felix Walker, born 1753, died 1828, resided a long time in this County, and was its representative in the Legislature and of this District in Congress. He was a native or Virginia, born in Hampshire County, on the 19th of July, 1753, and was reared to mercantile pur suits. His grandfather, John Walker, emigrated from Derry, Ireland, in 1720, and settled in Delaware, where he married and where his son, John, was born, on arriving at the age of manhood, his father went to Virginia, where he married and resided for a long time. He was a volunteer in the Regiment, commanded by George Washington and was present at the ill-fated battle of Monongehala, (July 9, 755.) He afterward removed to Lincoln, (then Tryon County,) and settled on Seipe's Creek, about ten miles east of Lincoln. About this time, the Cherokee Indians committed many outrages. He joined the army under Col. Grant and marched against the Cherokees. A battle was fought in the fall of 1762, in which Grant was repulsed by the Indians. On his return he settled on Crowder creek, about four miles from King's Mountain. He was a decided friend of American independence, and became a member of the first convention at Hillsboro, in July 1775, and a member of the Provincial Congress held at that place, Aug. 20th, 1775. All his grown sons were active in the war. In August 1775, he was the first to sign a document, which was signed by every freeholder in Tryon County, agreeing to unite in defense of national freedom.*
* This document was found
among the papers of Gen. William Graham of Rutherfordton. It was noticed in
Jones' defense, and copied in Wheeler's History of North Carolina. p. II.
226,
He died in 1796. He had eight sons and no daughters. The eldest of these sons is the subject of this sketch, (who was born, as already stated in Hampshire County, Virginia, on July
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