NC, Lenoir, Bios, Needham Herring ========================================================= USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. This file was contributed by Martha Marble. February 2001. ========================================================== NEEDHAM HERRING Found in the Collection of Ima Eula Mewborn Mr. Needham W. Herring, who celebrated his Golden Wedding Anniversary two weeks ago has been kind enough to allow your paper the privilege of printing a short summary of his life and early recollections of the Civil War. Before going further with the story, I should like to say that Mr. Herring is one of the most beloved citizens in Lenoir county--having been born and reared on our soil. His life has been a noble one and his clan represents that which is right and uplifting. Mr. Herring was born in October, 1859, (Actually April 10, 1859) just a few years before the south was replanted with a new regime. His earliest recollections of the war made indelible impression on his young mind and he rebukes the Yankees even today, saying that, "I didn't like what they did then and I don't like it now." The old homestead, which lies in Moseley Township, and originally constituted 700 acres, was the birthplace of the father of seven generations, covering a period of 200 years. At the present time, Mr. Herring own 268 acres of the original 500; his nephews own the rest of the land. The ancestral background of the Herring clan is one which any family could point to with pride. The family is of Scotch-Irish descent. In the year of '84 Mr. Herring married Hattie Pearsall but she died the following august of '85. Then on April 10, 1888, he was married to Miss Annie Hardy, who was born in October, 1868, just ten years after his birth. To them nine children were born: seven are living now. One uncle of the Octogenarian was a graduate from the Medical School of Charleston in June, 1838; another uncle represented Duplin County in the Legislature for 16 years. The first state governor of Florida was born on the old plantation which now stands as mute evidence of the seven generations which have been reared in the beautiful old home. His grandfather's sister, Miss Betsy Herring, was the mother of the governor of Florida. As Mr. Herring was talking, he wanted to relate a little incident about "Miss Betsy." William D. Moseley of Moseley Hall was the guardian of Betsy and she loved him very much. S soon Betsy; met a Virginian, Dr. Badin. As the months went by, Dr. Badin asked for Betsy's hand in marriage; and so Betsy directed her lover to William Moseley as he would direct them as best he knew and if he said marriage was impossible, they would have to postpone it. So when the question was put to Mr. Moseley, he asked the Virginian if he could produce the best recommendations from the clerk of the court in his county. Dr. Badin hesitated at first but later gave his consent to get the best recommendations for himself if it meant Mr. Moseley's consent to marriage. Mr. Moseley promised Dr. Badin that should he return with the recommendations that he would provide an elaborate wedding. And so Dr. Badin left the home for his recommendations and returned with them. In keeping his word for an elaborate wedding should the prospective groom return with the recommendations he set out to get, Mr. Moseley entertained 1500 guests in honor of the marriage of his guardian-daughter to Dr. Badin of Virginia. Mr. Herring stated that in those days different class marriages were unheard of and eloping with well-bred girls was an unknown thing.