Hon. Harry W. Stubbs, one of North Carolina’s leading lawyers, was born in Williamston, N.C., February 16, 1860. He is a son of Jesse R. and Mary Ella (Williams) Stubbs, the former a native of Beaufort county, N.C., and the mother of Martin county, N.C. Jesse R. Stubs gained a thorough scholastic training by his own efforts at the Washington academy and prepared for the practice of law. He was a member of the house of commons of the state from Beaufort county, and later represented Martin and Washington counties in the state senate. Immediately after the war he was elected to the United States congress from the First North Carolina district, but was not seated. He wasa a man of great ability, and a brilliat orator. He first affiliated with the whig party, but later became a staunch democrat. His death occured in September 1870. Mr. Stubbs was one of the orginal stockholders in the Williamston and Tarboro railroad company, and was the first president of the company. His wife died in 1864. She was a daughter of Harry Williams, Esq., one of the earliest citizens of Williamston. Two children were born to Jesse and Mary Stubbs, Harry W. and Jessie, wife of D.D. Simmons, of Williamston.
The subject of this biographical mention was given exceptional educational advantages, having been a student of the Horner school at Oxford, and later spending three years in the Hillboro academy, he was graduated from the University of North Carolina, and took up the study of law under the direction of Mr. James E. Moore, and completed his course with Dick & Dillard of Greensboro, N.C. He was admitted to the bar in January, 1881, and began the active practice of his profession in Williamston, in October, 1885, at that time having become associated with Mr. James E. Moore. In 1889, he was elected to the state senate from the Second senatorial district on the inferior court of Martin county, and at one time was mayor of Williamston. His first marriage was in 1882, when Miss Della B. Lanier became his wife. One year later her death occurred. In 1888 he married Miss Carrie L. Sitterson, and one child, Jesse R., has been born to them. Mr. Stubbs is a prominent Royal Arch Mason, and also a member of the I.O.O.F. As a lawyer he excels, being keen and well read.
Mr. Stubbs died July 9, 1934 in Williamston, N.C. An obituary appeared in the July 12, 1934 issue of the Robesonian, newspaper of Lumberton, NC.
Sources
- McCrady, Edward, and Samuel A. Ashe. Cyclopedia of Eminent and Representative Men of the Carolinas of the Nineteenth Century. Madison, Wis: Brant & Fuller, 1892. http://books.google.com/books?id=wkYTAAAAYAAJ
- “[Death notice of Harry W. Stubbs].” Robesonian [Lumberton, NC] 12 July 1934: 1.