Sampson-Duplin County NcArchives Biographies.....Grady, Henry Alexander 1871 - ************************************************ 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 23, 2008, 11:58 am Author: Leonard Wilson (1916) HENRY ALEXANDER GRADY THERE are two classes of country builders the world over, and in our own country these two classes are perhaps more clearly denned than in any other. The first class is that minority which frequently holds office, gets newspaper notoriety, and takes pains to see that the public is kept thoroughly well informed of its heroic efforts to save the country from destruction, and to bring it to prosperity. Men of this class, never averse to their names being recorded in history, if only for bare mention, understand well the art of advertising. It would not be fair or truthful to say that such men do not render valuable service, but it may be justly observed that professional advertisers are apt to overestimate the value of their wares. The other class is composed of the men who do the day's work. They are not, as a rule, good advertisers. They are not seekers after notoriety. Their ambitions are not unreasonable; they have convictions; they have courage. The great mass of them, after lives of labor, go to their graves unknown outside of the communities in which they have lived and labored. But it is these men who save the nation in every emergency; it is these men who preserve its laws, take care of its moral interests, build up its industries, and are satisfied if, after long and strenuous labor, they can pass on to their children the old institutions preserved, with some little new features of merit added. These men do not get proper recognition always, even from their own generation. It is important, if future historians are to have accurate knowledge of our people and our conditions, that men of this class shall be fairly represented and their merits pointed out in works of permanent character. To this second class belongs the subject of this sketch, Henry Alexander Grady of Clinton, North Carolina. The name indicates its Irish origin, and no family in America has preserved in larger measure certain racial characteristics than these North Carolina Gradys. From this family was descended the noted Henry Woodfin Grady of Georgia, certainly the most eloquent orator the South has produced, who had back of his oratory a great and far-seeing mind, whose orations were not merely beautiful thoughts finely expressed, but were the outcroppings both of a great intellect, which could grasp the most profound problems of our civic life, and of a heart full of love for his fellow men. Dead at thirty-nine, Henry W. Grady, left an imprint upon the American public mind which will never fade away. Henry A. Grady is descended from William Grady or Graddy, who was in North Carolina prior to 1718, for on June 30th of that year James Rutland conveyed fifty acres of land on Deep Creek, in Bertie County, to William Grady. Henry A. Grady himself is responsible for the statement that the name has always been pronounced Graddy in Duplin County. However that may be, the second "d" has long since been dropped. William had a son, John, who moved to Duplin County and settled on a tract of land in the fork of Burncoat Creek and Northeast River, which land is still owned by the Grady family. John married Mary Whitfield, daughter of William Whitfield. Of the children of John, his son, John(2), was killed at the Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge in 1776. Another son, Alexander, participated in the same battle, and afterwards married Nancy Thomas, living the balance of his life on the old Grady plantation. His son Henry, commonly called by the family "Lord Harry," married Elizabeth Outlaw, daughter of James Outlaw, on January 6, 1799, and on February 17, 1800, there was born of this marriage Alexander Outlaw Grady, grandfather of Henry A. Grady. Alexander Outlaw Grady married Anne Sloan, daughter of Gibson and Rachel (Bryan) Sloan, in 1830, and on October 10, 1831, their first son was born, Benjamin Franklin Grady, father of Henry A. Grady. Through his great-grandmother, Rachel Bryan, Henry A. Grady is directly connected with the Bryan family of North Carolina, as well as with Wm. Jennings Bryan of Nebraska; all of said family being directly descended from Lord Needham of Ireland, whose daughter married a Bryan and emigrated to America. Benjamin Franklin Grady was too great a man to be dismissed with a paragraph, so here mention is made only of the facts necessary to complete this family line, and in another portion of this sketch will be dealt with more largely, though it would not be possible in a brief biography of this character to do him full justice. He was married twice: first, to Olivia Hamilton, a grandniece of Alexander Hamilton, and by her had one son, Franklin Grady, now a prominent lawyer of New York City. In 1870, his first wife having died, he married Mary Charlotte Bizzell, eldest daughter of Dr. Henry A. and Celestial (Robinson) Bizzell. She was the mother of Henry A. Grady, and through her he is related to the Robinsons and Matthews of North Carolina and Virginia. Henry A. Grady was born September 19, 1871, in his grandfather's house in Clinton, North Carolina. At the age of seven his father's health became impaired and he moved out to his farm in Duplin County, where he, his father, his grandfather, and greatgrandfather were all born and buried. Henry was the eldest of a family of nine children, six boys and three girls. He tells the story of that early period in a much more interesting fashion than a grave biographer can do it. He frankly admits that he did not particularly distinguish himself on the farm. His father was County Superintendent of Education, and his great uncle, Stephen Miller Grady, was Chairman of the Board of Education. For several years these two public spirited men went about the county trying to serve their country by advancing the cause of education, while the two crowds of young people were supposed to be running the farm. In 1889 his father was elected to the Federal Congress, serving two terms or four years. Young Henry was in charge of the farm during his absence. In 1893 he went to Chapel Hill and entered the University of North Carolina. After two years there he was called to Washington to act as secretary to his father. While there he completed his law education at Georgetown University. His real qualifications were beginning to appear, as is shown by his election to the Presidency of his class of three hundred and sixty young men. In 1895 Mr. Grady was appointed to a minor position in the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey. In this capacity he went to Alaska, assisted in surveying the boundary line between that country and British Columbia, and also assisted in deep-sea soundings and astronomical work. Returning to North Carolina for a short rest in January, 1896, he located in New York City as law clerk in the office of his half brother, Franklin Grady. Later on he accepted a position with a reform club, and held that position during the exciting free silver campaign of 1896. His next work was as principal clerk in the office of John Sprunt Hill, a distinguished North Carolinian, who was then practicing law at 52 William Street. This firm was later known as Hill, Thompson and Sturke. Mr. Hill was a member of a military organization, Squadron A, which on the outbreak of the Spanish-American War was called to service, and this resulted in Mr. Grady's return to North Carolina where he organized a company, but about the time he had a company thoroughly organized he was notified that no more soldiers were needed. Mr. Grady says it has always been a proverb in the Grady family that its members have no sense until they are forty years of age, and that this striking characteristic was discovered by "Lord Harry," his great-grandfather. To this alleged discovery other people who know the Gradys will take exception. If it is intended merely to refer to the making of money, it would not mean much, because a great many people never at any age get the money sense, but if it is intended to apply to other things aside from that, it does not apply to the Gradys, in view of their record. In 1899 Mr. Grady was again in North Carolina and with his father taught school at Turkey in Sampson County. They taught two sessions, and he says without profit, but with some degree of satisfaction. In the summer of 1900 he took a short law course at the State University, got his certificate from Judge MacRae, and was granted his license to practice by the Supreme Court in September, 1900. He says for three years that he practiced "at the law," the firm being Faison and Grady. Whatever form his practice took in those three years it is certain that he learned how to practice law, for in the intervening twelve years he has traveled far. In 1901 he married Annie Elizabeth Graham, only daughter of Dr. Daniel McLean and Elizabeth (Murphy) Graham. They have three sons, Henry A. Grady, Jr., Franklin McLean Grady, and Graham Montrose Grady. Evidently Mr. and Mrs. Grady have an admiration for James Graham, Marquis of Montrose, the greatest man of the Graham clan, as is shown in the naming of their youngest boy. In 1906 Mr. Grady formed a new law partnership with Archie McLean Graham, his brother-in-law, which firm has been in continuous practice up to date, under the name of Grady and Graham. In 1903 Mr. Grady was nominated by the Democratic minority in Sampson County as its candidate to the General Assembly. He made the race against great odds, and was defeated by the normal Republican majority, as expected. In 1905 he was nominated and elected to the State Senate, where he served one term with marked ability. From 1902 to 1910 he was a member of the State Democratic Executive Committee. He served four years on the staff of Governor Kitchin with the rank of colonel. This is the bald record; now what of the man? In these fifteen years he has climbed solely by his own efforts to the point where he is recognized as one of the foremost lawyers of his section of the State. He disclaims being an orator, and yet his direct and pithy speeches always show the highest and best form of oratory. He meekly admits that his longest speech to a jury was only forty-five minutes. One of the greatest lawyers the nation has ever known was William H. Crawford, who would have been President of the United States but for the break-down of his health. Mr. Crawford rarely ever lost a case in court, and it did not matter how great the case was, he was rarely known to go over his limit of thirty minutes in addressing a jury. Mr. Grady therefore has worked out for himself a system practiced by the great jurist who knew how to win law suits. Henry A. Grady has the Irish wit accompanied with a biting tongue, and this, though it may happen often that the pungent speech was not intended in malice, has made him enemies. A glance at the man reveals his character. It is a face full of courage, keen, intelligent, but the face also of a man who does not bear malice, and is willing to meet the other fellow half-way in burying the hatchet. If he was more careful of speech it might be that political preferment would come his way, but would that be an improvement? As it is, he is setting an example, fearless, truthful, honorable, kindly, loyal, a man who can be trusted, a man whose community will in some, let us hope not far distant day, appreciate the value of one who for so many years went in and out among them, doing his duty in every emergency honestly as God gave him to see it. In 1912 Mr. Grady visited Europe with his friend Lauchlin A. Bethune. They traveled over Ireland, Scotland, England, France, Spain, Italy, Austria, Switzerland and Belgium. They visited the old home of Mr. Grady's ancestors in Ireland, where he learned that the name was pronounced Graddy, or as the "a" in father is pronounced. Speaking of this trip Mr. Grady says it was both an education, and also a disillusionment. Literature is one of Mr. Grady's great loves. His father, as scholarly a man as ever lived, first class man in Greek, Latin, French and mathematics at the University, a born teacher, conveyed to the son his knowledge in such a way that the son's education is equal to that of any college graduate. Naturally he has taken to the pen, and has written a good deal, both in prose and poetry. Mr. Grady has in his possession a letter from one of the judges of the Supreme Court, who pronounced one of his poems as equal to any Burns ever wrote. This is high praise coming from a man qualified to speak. If he had not elected to be a lawyer, Mr. Grady could, undoubtedly, have rivalled Henry Woodfin Grady in a literary way, as is evidenced by some matter of his now in the hands of this biographer. It is an interesting fact that Mrs. Grady's great-great-grandfather, Colonel Colin McLean, who commanded a part of the Tory forces at Moore's Creek Battle, was opposed to Mr. Grady's own great-great-grandfather, Alexander Grady, who was in the Whig forces. In this battle John Grady, brother of Alexander, was killed, the only American slain, and to him a monument has been erected on the battle ground. The defeated Tories were killed by hundreds. Mr. and Mrs. Grady are Presbyterians in church relations. In fraternal circles he is a Past Master of Hiram Lodge, No. 98, of the Masonic Order, High Priest of Clinton Chapter, No. 40, Royal Arch Masons, a member of Plantagenet Cornmandery No. 1, Wilmington, North Carolina, and Senior Grand Deacon of the Grand Lodge of North Carolina. He also holds membership in the Knights of Pythias. Mr. Grady's father, the honorable Benjamin Franklin Grady, has been briefly referred to. Henry A. Grady has a profound reverence for the memory of that good father. He says of him that he had the biggest brain of any man with whom he has ever come in contact, and that he was the most modest man he has ever known. He quotes him as a shining illustration of the old saying: "Knowledge is proud that he has learned so much, Wisdom is humble that he knows no more," and says that the latter clause fitted his father in all respects. After his death, on March 6, 1914, in his eighty-second year, the Sillers Chapter of the U. D. C., located at Clinton, printed in the "Southern Cross" an appreciation of him so just that it is here given exactly as printed, with the exception of two paragraphs, the subject matter of which has already been set forth in this sketch. The "Southern Cross" said: "Franklin, as he was called by the family, attended the old field schools, and was prepared for College by Rev. James Sprunt, a Scotch Presbyterian, at Kenansville, North Carolina. He entered the University in 1853 and graduated with highest honors in 1857. Among his classmates were Colonel Thomas S. Kenan, Judge A. C. Avery, Major Robert Bingham, Dr. D. McL. Graham, Captain John Dugger, Hon. John Graham, and many others of a like kind, who have helped to make history honorable in North Carolina. "After his graduation Mr. Grady returned to Kenansville, where he assisted his old preceptor for about a year, when he was called to the Chair of Mathematics and Natural Sciences in Austin College, then located at Huntsville, Texas. He held this position until the early spring of 1862, when he volunteered as a private in a cavalry company, which, however, was soon afterwards dismounted, and he served throughout the remainder of the war as orderly sergeant in the infantry. He was twice offered the captaincy of his company, but refused; stating at the time that he preferred to carry a gun. His entire company was captured at Arkansas Post on January 11,1862, and sent to Camp Butler, Ohio, as prisoners of war. The writer has often heard Mr. Grady speak of the cruelties inflicted upon the prisoners by their inhuman captors. At one time he was shot at by a guard, because he refused to take off his cap to a Union officer. "He was exchanged in April, 1862, and sent to Tullahoma, Tennessee, where he joined General Bragg's Army; becoming a member of Granbury's Brigade, Cleburne's Division of Hardee's Army Corps. He participated in many battles, notably those at Franklin, Tennessee, Lookout Mountain, Chickamauga, and Atlanta. He was twice wounded at Franklin-once in the hand, and again in the face. Those who knew him well will recall the deep scar in the outer angle of his right eye-a faithful reminder of that field of carnage, where every officer in Cleburne's Division above the rank of lieutenant was killed, including both Generals Cleburne and Grandbury. "Mr. Grady developed into an expert rifileman, and was often detailed to duty as a sharp-shooter. It was on such an occasion that he witnessed the death of General Leonidas Polk, one of the bravest of Confederate commanders-a man who had resigned a Bishopric to become a soldier in the defense of his country. "On the day before Bentonsville Mr. Grady was taken to Peace Institute in Raleigh, which was then used as a hospital. The War closed while he was delirious with fever, and when he regained consciousness both Lee and Johnston had laid down their arms to the invader. "Without money, ragged, and still suffering from the effects of fever, he wandered back to "Chocolate," the home of his fathers, where he saw his father die of a broken heart; saw the family servants scattered, the farm in ruins, credit destroyed, and his own people in actual want. Two of his brothers had been killed in the war-one at Bristoe Station, and one at Snicker's Gap; while the one remaining brother had lost the use of a hand. He saw that it was necessary to build up a New South upon the ruins of the past. Teaching was his chosen profession, and he believed that in the education of the people lay the salvation of the country. He established a school near the present town of White Hall; afterwards moving to Clinton, where, with the assistance of Prof. Murdoch MacLeod, he founded the Clinton Male Academy. In 1875, his health failing, he abandoned the school room for the farm, and soon afterwards, in 1878, returned to hs own plantation in Duplin County." "Farming was bad in those days, and he started a private school for young men unable to go to college and taught them free. He founded a Sunday-school where he taught the Bible, music, classical literature and the sciences. The school became a great resort and he instructed old as well as young. In 1881 he was selected Superintendent of Public Instruction for Duplin County. He served most efficiently until 1890 when he was elected to Congress from the third district. He served four years in Congress and was known by his colleagues as the "Encyclopaedia." He had one of those minds that never forgot anything. In 1895 he moved to Turkey, in Sampson County, where, with his son, Henry A. Grady, he established Turkey Academy. In 1898 he moved to Clinton where he spent the balance of his life in study and the preparation of his books." According to standard authorities the Gradys and O'Gradys go back in Ireland to the fourth century. Very much, however, of this early family lore is mythical, not only in relation to this family, but with all the families dealt with which go back of the year 1000. Very little British or Irish family history is authentic back of that time. In the later centuries, in 1365, we come upon John O'Grady as Arch Deacon of Cashell; in 1405 another John O'Grady was Bishop of Elfin. This was the Cathedral founded by Saint Patrick in the middle of the fifth century. On May 28, 1803, Standish O'Grady was made Attorney General of Ireland, and later raised to the Bench. On October 5, 1805, he was made Chief Baron of the Exchequer. This branch of the Grady family now holds the title of Viscount Guillamore. The Grady Coat of Arms is thus described: Per pale gules and sable, three lions passant per pale argent and or. Crest: A horse's head erased argent. Motto: Vulneratus non victus. 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/sampson/photos/bios/grady39gbs.jpg File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/nc/sampson/bios/grady39gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/ncfiles/ File size: 21.0 Kb