Johnston-Wayne County NcArchives Biographies.....Rose, David Jeptha 1861 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/nc/ncfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 February 25, 2008, 10:11 pm Author: Leonard Wilson (1916) DAVID JEPTHA ROSE TWO main branches of the Rose family settled in America during the Colonial period, one in Virginia and one in New England. The Virginia family, through its descendants, is now scattered over the Southern States. According to tradition, which seems to be reasonably authentic in this case, the family was founded by a Norman, De Roos, who settled in Nairnshire, Scotland, under King Alexander, in the early part of the thirteenth century, and some genealogists believe that from this Norman is descended both the Rosses and Roses. However that may be, the Nairnshire family is the ancestral line of the Virginia Roses, and first comes to light in an authentic way in the person of Hugh Rose, of Geddes, Nairnshire, who died in 1333. By marriage, this Hugh Rose acquired the lands of Kilravock, which are held by descendants to the present day. The family tradition is that four brothers came to Virginia. This is likely true, but owing to the fragmentary character of the early Colonial documents, cannot be proven. It is certain, however, that John, Thomas and Daniel Rose were in Virginia within thirty years of its first settlement at Jamestown. Among the prominent Christian names appearing in the Virginia family is Hugh, which has been persistently repeated in nearly every generation of the Roses. It was represented in Virginia in 1785 by Hugh Rose, of Amherst County, one of the largest planters of his generation, and earlier by Rev. Robert Rose, rector of St. Ann's and Albemarle parishes. He was a kindly, genial man with the usual prudence of the Scotchman, and a good farmer. In a time of scarcity, being possessed of a good store of grain, he advertised that he would sell to those less fortunate. Many came. He enquired if they had money; some had, some had not, so he divided the crowd into two parts, those who had money and those who had none. Then he smilingly observed to the men who had money that, having means, they could get grain elsewhere, but that the unfortunates who had none could get his. Later one of these Hughs was Doctor Hugh Rose, who served in the War of 1812 as a member of the Hospital Corps. The Virginia Roses made a good record in their new home, and furnished a number of most excellent citizens in every generation. They were widely known and highly esteemed. One of them was killed fighting the Indians in the West. Another Hugh moved to Augusta, Georgia. Another was killed at the Alamo, San Antonio, in 1836, that most heroic incident of American history. Benjamin Rose, a member of this Virginia family, was born in Virginia about the middle of the eighteenth century. He is said to have served in the Revolutionary army. About 1784 he migrated to North Carolina, settling in the Fall Creek neighborhood, Wayne County, where he married Miss Lucy Harper, the bearer of another old and honored Virginia name. Soon after his marriage he moved to Johnston County, where the remainder of his life was spent, and, during the later years of his life, he was a Baptist minister. Nicholas Rose, son of Benjamin and his wife Lucy, was born March 8, 1790, and at the age of twenty-four, on May 5, 1814, married Sarah Rhodes, of Falling Creek, Wayne County, who was only fifteen years of age at the time of her marriage, having been born January 7, 1799. After their marriage they settled in Bentonville township, Johnston County, where the remainder of their lives was spent, Nicholas dying August 19, 1836, and his wife September 24, 1854. George P. Rose, fourth son of Nicholas and Sarah, was born January 26, 1827, and died September 1, 1889. He married Nancy Brunt, who was born February 3, 1835, and died October 5, 1914. David Jeptha Rose, the subject of this sketch, was born near Bentonville, Johnston County, North Carolina, November 27, 1861, the son of George Pinckney and Nancy (Brunt) Rose. D. J. Rose affords an example of what can be done by the man who has industry, capacity, high courage and integrity. It will be remembered that Joseph E. Johnston's army surrendered to Sherman near Bentonville at the close of the Civil War. D. J. Rose was then a little more than three years old. His family faced, in common with all their neighbors, actual want, almost starvation. Only those who went through that terrible year of 1865 can understand what the people in the war-desolated sections of the South had to face. To their credit, be it said, they faced it uncomplainingly, and their stern courage in due time met with reward. Mr. Rose frankly says that his opportunities for an education were hardly enough to mention. His father was a farmer and the little lad while still young had to do his part of the hard work of the farm. He recalls with great interest the first money of his own that he ever had. When he was sixteen years of age his father consented to his helping a good Quaker neighbor for a few days to chop cotton. The average wages at that time was 40 cents per day, but the good old Quaker paid him 50 cents for each of the four days that he used him. This $2.00, which at that time looked very large, inspired him with the idea that he might make some money for himself without neglecting his father's interests, because he wanted to help all he could in supporting his five sisters and five brothers. Moved by that desire, he learned to mend shoes, and to make cotton baskets and bottom chairs. In addition he was of service in many ways to the family at home, being both capable and willing. Such extra work as this he did mostly at night by torch-light. The neighbors gave him plenty of work and paid him a fair price for it. He denied himself the pleasures of fishing and hunting, so dear to most boys, feeling that he could not spare the time, but on the other hand he always had money with which to help his family and friends. At the age of twenty-five he became convinced that farming was not his true vocation. This decision once made, he left the farm to learn a trade. His first employment was with a carpenter to assist in the building of a two-room house for a widow lady living at a place called "Quaker Neck," on the Neuse River, near Goldsboro, North Carolina. He says tersely that he has been building ever since, and that is true, but his building has been of a magnitude far beyond his conceptions in those early days. In 1891 he began taking contracts on his own account in a small way. In the twenty-four years ensuing he has done an amazing work, and established a reputation as a contractor second to no man in the State. Mr. Rose must have possessed a large measure of natural capacity for this special work, and the building of the little two room house was probably the turning point in his career, and threw him into the exact niche for which he was best fitted. He now stands in the front rank of the notable contractors of the South, his work ranging from Baltimore to South Florida, some of his contracts being for immense sums. He has for years past made railroad and other heavy construction work a specialty. Mr. Rose started out in life with a foundation of sound principles. To those good principles he has tenaciously adhered. In his business transactions he has made it his aim to give everyone his full rights and to take advantage of none. He has accumulated a considerable fortune, and, what is better than money, has made many strong friends. His life is a fine illustration of the truth that strong men do not wait on opportunity but make opportunity. Judged by the standards of business success and good citizenship Mr. Rose deserves full credit as one of the men who is contributing largely to the making of our country. He has been twice married, first on October 5, 1892, to Anna Phillip Woodall, daughter of Seth and Martha Woodall. Of this marriage three children were born: Mary Lucille, Ira Woodall and Vara Durham Rose. The last child died April 3, 1913. Subsequently to the death of his first wife, he was married the second time on April 4, 1900, to Vara E. Benton, daughter of William N. and Susan Ingram Benton, of Smithfield, North Carolina. Of this marriage five children have been born; of whom, at this writing, only one is living, Dillon J. Rose. The description of the Rose family Coat of Arms is as follows: Arms: Or a boar's head couped gules between three water bougets sable. Crest: A harp azure. Motto: Constant and true. Motto above crest: "Audeo"-"I dare." Additional Comments: Extracted from: MAKERS OF AMERICA BIOGRAPHIES OF LEADING MEN OF THOUGHT AND ACTION THE MEN WHO CONSTITUTE THE BONE AND SINEW OF AMERICAN PROSPERITY AND LIFE VOLUME II By LEONARD WILSON, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ASSISTED BY PROMINENT HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL WRITERS Illustrated with many full page engravings B. F. JOHNSON, INC. CITY OF WASHINGTON, U. S. A. 1916 Copyright, 1916 by B. F. Johnson, Inc. Photo: http://www.usgwarchives.net/nc/johnston/photos/bios/rose47gbs.jpg File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/nc/johnston/bios/rose47gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/ncfiles/ File size: 9.6 Kb