Joseph Adolphus Engelhard was born 1832 in Monticello, Lawrence Co, Mississippi, the only known child of Edward Englehard and his wife, Sarah Benson. The family surname has been found as both Engelhard and Englehard.
His father was born 1799 in Virginia, and removed to MS ca. 1830 where he married Sarah Benson of Greenville, SC. Joseph's father died in 1848 when he was 16 years old, and his mother would later married wealthy planter and widower, Robert Shotwell, originally from Greenville, SC, in 1855.
Joseph was sent north for his education, where he graduated from UNC in Chapel Hill with first honors in 1854, then went on to study law at Harvard Law School. He returned to North Carolina to study law with Judge Battle, and was licensed to practice in 1856.
On September 26, 1855, the 23-year old married 20-year old Margaret Eliza Cotton of Tarboro, daughter of wealthy planter, John Whitaker Cotton.
The couple set up housekeeping in Tarboro, Edgecombe County, where Joseph practiced law. In Tarboro, they would become parents to their first 3 children: Edward Benson Engelhard (1856-1895), Laura Placide Engelhard (1851-1891), and Rosabella Engelhard (1860-1912). His 4th and last child, John Cotton Engelhard (1869-1951), was born after the Civil War in Wilmington, NC, where the family had moved when Joseph took over as editor of the Wilmington "Journal", a newspaper that wielded a powerful influence throughout the state.
When Civil War was declared in North Carolina in May, 1861, Joseph entered the army as a Captain with the NC 33rd, and was promoted to Quartermaster with General Branch's brigade with the rank of Major. He was transferred in 1862 to Pender's Brigade, afterwards Wilcox's Divison, with the rank of Adjutant General, and participated in all the battles fought by this brigade until the end at Appomatox.
In 1876, Joseph was elected Secretary of State, an office he held till his death, and the family relocated once again to Raleigh.
Joseph Adolphus Engelhard died just 3 years after the family arrived in Raleigh, passing on February 15, 1879, just 12 days shy of his 47th birthday. His wife of 24 years never remarried and survived him 16 years, passing in 1895 at age 60.
Of interest is the fact Joseph Adolphus Engelhard has recently been credited with providing the evidence of the use of "Tar Heels" to describe North Carolinians, as well as the nickname for today's NC atheletic teams. One legend has the nickname being applied to the state's residents as long ago as the Revolutionary War. According to this story, the troops of British General Cornwallis were fording what is now known as the Tar River between Rocky Mount and Battleboro when they discovered that tar had been dumped into the stream to impede their crossing. When they finally got across the river they found their feet completely black with tar. Their observation that anyone who waded North Carolina rivers would acquire tar heels led to the nickname first being used. Others say the nickname was acquired during the War Between the States. During one of that war's fiercest battles a column supporting North Carolina troops was driven from the field. After the battle, the North Carolinians who had successfully fought it out alone, happened to meet the regiment which had fled to safety and were greeted with the question, "Any more tar down in the Old North State, boys?" "No, not a bit," shot back one of the North Carolina soldiers. "Old Jeff's bought it all up," he went on, referring to Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederacy. "Is that so? What's he going to do with it?" "He's going to put it on you'ns heels to make you stick better in the next fight." Upon hearing of the incident, Robert E. Lee smiled and said to a fellow officer, "God bless the Tar Heel boys."
A letter found in 1991 by State Archivist David Olson lends credence to another more direct theory. A letter from Maj. Joseph Engelhard describes a fight involving men from North Carolina in which Lee was heard to have said, "There they stand as if they have tar on their heels." The letter, dated August 24, 1864, told the tale of a battle on the outskirts of Petersburg, Va. This letter is from is the very same Joseph Engelhard buried here.
His father was born 1799 in Virginia, and removed to MS ca. 1830 where he married Sarah Benson of Greenville, SC. Joseph's father died in 1848 when he was 16 years old, and his mother would later married wealthy planter and widower, Robert Shotwell, originally from Greenville, SC, in 1855.
Joseph was sent north for his education, where he graduated from UNC in Chapel Hill with first honors in 1854, then went on to study law at Harvard Law School. He returned to North Carolina to study law with Judge Battle, and was licensed to practice in 1856.
On September 26, 1855, the 23-year old married 20-year old Margaret Eliza Cotton of Tarboro, daughter of wealthy planter, John Whitaker Cotton.
The couple set up housekeeping in Tarboro, Edgecombe County, where Joseph practiced law. In Tarboro, they would become parents to their first 3 children: Edward Benson Engelhard (1856-1895), Laura Placide Engelhard (1851-1891), and Rosabella Engelhard (1860-1912). His 4th and last child, John Cotton Engelhard (1869-1951), was born after the Civil War in Wilmington, NC, where the family had moved when Joseph took over as editor of the Wilmington "Journal", a newspaper that wielded a powerful influence throughout the state.
When Civil War was declared in North Carolina in May, 1861, Joseph entered the army as a Captain with the NC 33rd, and was promoted to Quartermaster with General Branch's brigade with the rank of Major. He was transferred in 1862 to Pender's Brigade, afterwards Wilcox's Divison, with the rank of Adjutant General, and participated in all the battles fought by this brigade until the end at Appomatox.
In 1876, Joseph was elected Secretary of State, an office he held till his death, and the family relocated once again to Raleigh.
Joseph Adolphus Engelhard died just 3 years after the family arrived in Raleigh, passing on February 15, 1879, just 12 days shy of his 47th birthday. His wife of 24 years never remarried and survived him 16 years, passing in 1895 at age 60.
Of interest is the fact Joseph Adolphus Engelhard has recently been credited with providing the evidence of the use of "Tar Heels" to describe North Carolinians, as well as the nickname for today's NC atheletic teams. One legend has the nickname being applied to the state's residents as long ago as the Revolutionary War. According to this story, the troops of British General Cornwallis were fording what is now known as the Tar River between Rocky Mount and Battleboro when they discovered that tar had been dumped into the stream to impede their crossing. When they finally got across the river they found their feet completely black with tar. Their observation that anyone who waded North Carolina rivers would acquire tar heels led to the nickname first being used. Others say the nickname was acquired during the War Between the States. During one of that war's fiercest battles a column supporting North Carolina troops was driven from the field. After the battle, the North Carolinians who had successfully fought it out alone, happened to meet the regiment which had fled to safety and were greeted with the question, "Any more tar down in the Old North State, boys?" "No, not a bit," shot back one of the North Carolina soldiers. "Old Jeff's bought it all up," he went on, referring to Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederacy. "Is that so? What's he going to do with it?" "He's going to put it on you'ns heels to make you stick better in the next fight." Upon hearing of the incident, Robert E. Lee smiled and said to a fellow officer, "God bless the Tar Heel boys."
A letter found in 1991 by State Archivist David Olson lends credence to another more direct theory. A letter from Maj. Joseph Engelhard describes a fight involving men from North Carolina in which Lee was heard to have said, "There they stand as if they have tar on their heels." The letter, dated August 24, 1864, told the tale of a battle on the outskirts of Petersburg, Va. This letter is from is the very same Joseph Engelhard buried here.
Joseph Adolphus Engelhard was born 1832 in Monticello, Lawrence Co, Mississippi, the only known child of Edward Englehard and his wife, Sarah Benson. The family surname has been found as both Engelhard and Englehard.
His father was born 1799 in Virginia, and removed to MS ca. 1830 where he married Sarah Benson of Greenville, SC. Joseph's father died in 1848 when he was 16 years old, and his mother would later married wealthy planter and widower, Robert Shotwell, originally from Greenville, SC, in 1855.
Joseph was sent north for his education, where he graduated from UNC in Chapel Hill with first honors in 1854, then went on to study law at Harvard Law School. He returned to North Carolina to study law with Judge Battle, and was licensed to practice in 1856.
On September 26, 1855, the 23-year old married 20-year old Margaret Eliza Cotton of Tarboro, daughter of wealthy planter, John Whitaker Cotton.
The couple set up housekeeping in Tarboro, Edgecombe County, where Joseph practiced law. In Tarboro, they would become parents to their first 3 children: Edward Benson Engelhard (1856-1895), Laura Placide Engelhard (1851-1891), and Rosabella Engelhard (1860-1912). His 4th and last child, John Cotton Engelhard (1869-1951), was born after the Civil War in Wilmington, NC, where the family had moved when Joseph took over as editor of the Wilmington "Journal", a newspaper that wielded a powerful influence throughout the state.
When Civil War was declared in North Carolina in May, 1861, Joseph entered the army as a Captain with the NC 33rd, and was promoted to Quartermaster with General Branch's brigade with the rank of Major. He was transferred in 1862 to Pender's Brigade, afterwards Wilcox's Divison, with the rank of Adjutant General, and participated in all the battles fought by this brigade until the end at Appomatox.
In 1876, Joseph was elected Secretary of State, an office he held till his death, and the family relocated once again to Raleigh.
Joseph Adolphus Engelhard died just 3 years after the family arrived in Raleigh, passing on February 15, 1879, just 12 days shy of his 47th birthday. His wife of 24 years never remarried and survived him 16 years, passing in 1895 at age 60.
Of interest is the fact Joseph Adolphus Engelhard has recently been credited with providing the evidence of the use of "Tar Heels" to describe North Carolinians, as well as the nickname for today's NC atheletic teams. One legend has the nickname being applied to the state's residents as long ago as the Revolutionary War. According to this story, the troops of British General Cornwallis were fording what is now known as the Tar River between Rocky Mount and Battleboro when they discovered that tar had been dumped into the stream to impede their crossing. When they finally got across the river they found their feet completely black with tar. Their observation that anyone who waded North Carolina rivers would acquire tar heels led to the nickname first being used. Others say the nickname was acquired during the War Between the States. During one of that war's fiercest battles a column supporting North Carolina troops was driven from the field. After the battle, the North Carolinians who had successfully fought it out alone, happened to meet the regiment which had fled to safety and were greeted with the question, "Any more tar down in the Old North State, boys?" "No, not a bit," shot back one of the North Carolina soldiers. "Old Jeff's bought it all up," he went on, referring to Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederacy. "Is that so? What's he going to do with it?" "He's going to put it on you'ns heels to make you stick better in the next fight." Upon hearing of the incident, Robert E. Lee smiled and said to a fellow officer, "God bless the Tar Heel boys."
A letter found in 1991 by State Archivist David Olson lends credence to another more direct theory. A letter from Maj. Joseph Engelhard describes a fight involving men from North Carolina in which Lee was heard to have said, "There they stand as if they have tar on their heels." The letter, dated August 24, 1864, told the tale of a battle on the outskirts of Petersburg, Va. This letter is from is the very same Joseph Engelhard buried here.
His father was born 1799 in Virginia, and removed to MS ca. 1830 where he married Sarah Benson of Greenville, SC. Joseph's father died in 1848 when he was 16 years old, and his mother would later married wealthy planter and widower, Robert Shotwell, originally from Greenville, SC, in 1855.
Joseph was sent north for his education, where he graduated from UNC in Chapel Hill with first honors in 1854, then went on to study law at Harvard Law School. He returned to North Carolina to study law with Judge Battle, and was licensed to practice in 1856.
On September 26, 1855, the 23-year old married 20-year old Margaret Eliza Cotton of Tarboro, daughter of wealthy planter, John Whitaker Cotton.
The couple set up housekeeping in Tarboro, Edgecombe County, where Joseph practiced law. In Tarboro, they would become parents to their first 3 children: Edward Benson Engelhard (1856-1895), Laura Placide Engelhard (1851-1891), and Rosabella Engelhard (1860-1912). His 4th and last child, John Cotton Engelhard (1869-1951), was born after the Civil War in Wilmington, NC, where the family had moved when Joseph took over as editor of the Wilmington "Journal", a newspaper that wielded a powerful influence throughout the state.
When Civil War was declared in North Carolina in May, 1861, Joseph entered the army as a Captain with the NC 33rd, and was promoted to Quartermaster with General Branch's brigade with the rank of Major. He was transferred in 1862 to Pender's Brigade, afterwards Wilcox's Divison, with the rank of Adjutant General, and participated in all the battles fought by this brigade until the end at Appomatox.
In 1876, Joseph was elected Secretary of State, an office he held till his death, and the family relocated once again to Raleigh.
Joseph Adolphus Engelhard died just 3 years after the family arrived in Raleigh, passing on February 15, 1879, just 12 days shy of his 47th birthday. His wife of 24 years never remarried and survived him 16 years, passing in 1895 at age 60.
Of interest is the fact Joseph Adolphus Engelhard has recently been credited with providing the evidence of the use of "Tar Heels" to describe North Carolinians, as well as the nickname for today's NC atheletic teams. One legend has the nickname being applied to the state's residents as long ago as the Revolutionary War. According to this story, the troops of British General Cornwallis were fording what is now known as the Tar River between Rocky Mount and Battleboro when they discovered that tar had been dumped into the stream to impede their crossing. When they finally got across the river they found their feet completely black with tar. Their observation that anyone who waded North Carolina rivers would acquire tar heels led to the nickname first being used. Others say the nickname was acquired during the War Between the States. During one of that war's fiercest battles a column supporting North Carolina troops was driven from the field. After the battle, the North Carolinians who had successfully fought it out alone, happened to meet the regiment which had fled to safety and were greeted with the question, "Any more tar down in the Old North State, boys?" "No, not a bit," shot back one of the North Carolina soldiers. "Old Jeff's bought it all up," he went on, referring to Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederacy. "Is that so? What's he going to do with it?" "He's going to put it on you'ns heels to make you stick better in the next fight." Upon hearing of the incident, Robert E. Lee smiled and said to a fellow officer, "God bless the Tar Heel boys."
A letter found in 1991 by State Archivist David Olson lends credence to another more direct theory. A letter from Maj. Joseph Engelhard describes a fight involving men from North Carolina in which Lee was heard to have said, "There they stand as if they have tar on their heels." The letter, dated August 24, 1864, told the tale of a battle on the outskirts of Petersburg, Va. This letter is from is the very same Joseph Engelhard buried here.
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