George was the fourth son of Jacob and Rebecca "Myers" Mordecai. On June 01, 1853, he married Margaret Bain Cameron, daughter of Duncan Cameron and Rebecca Benneham. George and Margaret only had one child, a son who died at birth in 1855.
George was educated at his family's school in Wilmington, NC, and around 1817, he joined his brother, Samuel, as a commission merchant in Petersburg, VA. He quickly returned to Warrenton to teach at the school, replacing his brother Solomon during the latter's illness, [1817-1818]. The school was sold in 1818, and the family moved to Richmond, VA.
George then moved to Raleigh to study law under his brother, Judge Moses Mordecai. He quickly completed his training, but the State at that time, mandated a minimum age of 21 to practice law. So at 19, he rode to Louisville, KY on horseback to oversee the family's tobacco investments.
George became a prominent attorney, practicing in much of Eastern NC, a businessman, Episcopal layman, president of the Raleigh and Gaston Railroad, and in 1859, he was appointed president of the Bank of North Carolina. George also helped organize and became the first president of Oakwood Cemetery.
In 1866, he was appointed by the governor as a superintendent of the Lunatic Asylum in Raleigh, having served in 1849 as one of the commissioners to establish the hospital.
In 1867, George purchased land in California, and flirted with the idea of relocating there, but instead sent his nephews, George W. Mordecai II and Thomas P. Devereux, out to survey it. They established a sheep ranch there. Their letters home described farming conditions, land prices, and settlement in San Joachin County. Thomas returned to NC, but George stayed. He continued to correspond with his uncle about the land purchased and necessary improvements.
George's relationship with his family was very close. He lived with his brother Moses' family after Moses' death, and served as guardian of his children and agent for his widow, Ann (Lane) Mordecai. George was also guardian of the children of his sister, Rachel Lazarus, and of the children of his nephew, Samuel Fox. After the death of his father, Jacob, in 1838, George became more and more involved with the family's financial arrangements, gradually replacing his brother, Samuel, who had served in this capacity with little success.
His home, Mordecai House, was purchased by the City of Raleigh in 1967 after the death of Burke Haywood Little, son of Margaret Lane [Mordecai] Little, and serves as the centerpiece of The Mordecai Historic Park.
George was educated at his family's school in Wilmington, NC, and around 1817, he joined his brother, Samuel, as a commission merchant in Petersburg, VA. He quickly returned to Warrenton to teach at the school, replacing his brother Solomon during the latter's illness, [1817-1818]. The school was sold in 1818, and the family moved to Richmond, VA.
George then moved to Raleigh to study law under his brother, Judge Moses Mordecai. He quickly completed his training, but the State at that time, mandated a minimum age of 21 to practice law. So at 19, he rode to Louisville, KY on horseback to oversee the family's tobacco investments.
George became a prominent attorney, practicing in much of Eastern NC, a businessman, Episcopal layman, president of the Raleigh and Gaston Railroad, and in 1859, he was appointed president of the Bank of North Carolina. George also helped organize and became the first president of Oakwood Cemetery.
In 1866, he was appointed by the governor as a superintendent of the Lunatic Asylum in Raleigh, having served in 1849 as one of the commissioners to establish the hospital.
In 1867, George purchased land in California, and flirted with the idea of relocating there, but instead sent his nephews, George W. Mordecai II and Thomas P. Devereux, out to survey it. They established a sheep ranch there. Their letters home described farming conditions, land prices, and settlement in San Joachin County. Thomas returned to NC, but George stayed. He continued to correspond with his uncle about the land purchased and necessary improvements.
George's relationship with his family was very close. He lived with his brother Moses' family after Moses' death, and served as guardian of his children and agent for his widow, Ann (Lane) Mordecai. George was also guardian of the children of his sister, Rachel Lazarus, and of the children of his nephew, Samuel Fox. After the death of his father, Jacob, in 1838, George became more and more involved with the family's financial arrangements, gradually replacing his brother, Samuel, who had served in this capacity with little success.
His home, Mordecai House, was purchased by the City of Raleigh in 1967 after the death of Burke Haywood Little, son of Margaret Lane [Mordecai] Little, and serves as the centerpiece of The Mordecai Historic Park.
George was the fourth son of Jacob and Rebecca "Myers" Mordecai. On June 01, 1853, he married Margaret Bain Cameron, daughter of Duncan Cameron and Rebecca Benneham. George and Margaret only had one child, a son who died at birth in 1855.
George was educated at his family's school in Wilmington, NC, and around 1817, he joined his brother, Samuel, as a commission merchant in Petersburg, VA. He quickly returned to Warrenton to teach at the school, replacing his brother Solomon during the latter's illness, [1817-1818]. The school was sold in 1818, and the family moved to Richmond, VA.
George then moved to Raleigh to study law under his brother, Judge Moses Mordecai. He quickly completed his training, but the State at that time, mandated a minimum age of 21 to practice law. So at 19, he rode to Louisville, KY on horseback to oversee the family's tobacco investments.
George became a prominent attorney, practicing in much of Eastern NC, a businessman, Episcopal layman, president of the Raleigh and Gaston Railroad, and in 1859, he was appointed president of the Bank of North Carolina. George also helped organize and became the first president of Oakwood Cemetery.
In 1866, he was appointed by the governor as a superintendent of the Lunatic Asylum in Raleigh, having served in 1849 as one of the commissioners to establish the hospital.
In 1867, George purchased land in California, and flirted with the idea of relocating there, but instead sent his nephews, George W. Mordecai II and Thomas P. Devereux, out to survey it. They established a sheep ranch there. Their letters home described farming conditions, land prices, and settlement in San Joachin County. Thomas returned to NC, but George stayed. He continued to correspond with his uncle about the land purchased and necessary improvements.
George's relationship with his family was very close. He lived with his brother Moses' family after Moses' death, and served as guardian of his children and agent for his widow, Ann (Lane) Mordecai. George was also guardian of the children of his sister, Rachel Lazarus, and of the children of his nephew, Samuel Fox. After the death of his father, Jacob, in 1838, George became more and more involved with the family's financial arrangements, gradually replacing his brother, Samuel, who had served in this capacity with little success.
His home, Mordecai House, was purchased by the City of Raleigh in 1967 after the death of Burke Haywood Little, son of Margaret Lane [Mordecai] Little, and serves as the centerpiece of The Mordecai Historic Park.
George was educated at his family's school in Wilmington, NC, and around 1817, he joined his brother, Samuel, as a commission merchant in Petersburg, VA. He quickly returned to Warrenton to teach at the school, replacing his brother Solomon during the latter's illness, [1817-1818]. The school was sold in 1818, and the family moved to Richmond, VA.
George then moved to Raleigh to study law under his brother, Judge Moses Mordecai. He quickly completed his training, but the State at that time, mandated a minimum age of 21 to practice law. So at 19, he rode to Louisville, KY on horseback to oversee the family's tobacco investments.
George became a prominent attorney, practicing in much of Eastern NC, a businessman, Episcopal layman, president of the Raleigh and Gaston Railroad, and in 1859, he was appointed president of the Bank of North Carolina. George also helped organize and became the first president of Oakwood Cemetery.
In 1866, he was appointed by the governor as a superintendent of the Lunatic Asylum in Raleigh, having served in 1849 as one of the commissioners to establish the hospital.
In 1867, George purchased land in California, and flirted with the idea of relocating there, but instead sent his nephews, George W. Mordecai II and Thomas P. Devereux, out to survey it. They established a sheep ranch there. Their letters home described farming conditions, land prices, and settlement in San Joachin County. Thomas returned to NC, but George stayed. He continued to correspond with his uncle about the land purchased and necessary improvements.
George's relationship with his family was very close. He lived with his brother Moses' family after Moses' death, and served as guardian of his children and agent for his widow, Ann (Lane) Mordecai. George was also guardian of the children of his sister, Rachel Lazarus, and of the children of his nephew, Samuel Fox. After the death of his father, Jacob, in 1838, George became more and more involved with the family's financial arrangements, gradually replacing his brother, Samuel, who had served in this capacity with little success.
His home, Mordecai House, was purchased by the City of Raleigh in 1967 after the death of Burke Haywood Little, son of Margaret Lane [Mordecai] Little, and serves as the centerpiece of The Mordecai Historic Park.
Family Members
Advertisement
Advertisement
