Sunday, March 22, 2020

William Self, Moses Harshaw Have Passed, March 22, 1920

From the Hickory Daily Record, Monday, March 22, 1920

William R. Self Is Dead at Newton

Mr. William Riley Self, veteran of the war between the sections and one of the most highly esteemed citizens of the county, died at his home in Newton yesterday morning at the age of 86 years after an illness of four weeks. The funeral will be held this afternoon at 3 o’clock and will be conducted by Rev. H.A. Fulmer, pastor of the Lutheran church, of which he was a member.

Mr. Self, who celebrated his 86th anniversary on March 2, was one of the most interesting men in the county. Possessed of unusual intellect, which happily he transmitted to his children, he was a delightful companion and a well-posted citizen. His mind also was of an inventive type and he amused himself in later years by working on inventions of various sorts. Up to several years ago he was a farmer and since that time had lived in Newton.

Mr. Self had an unusual war record. He enlisted in Co. E 57th regiment, North Carolina troops, and his first engagement was at Fredericksburg, where he was slightly wounded in the hand. He fought at Chancellorsville and at Gettysburg and was wounded the first day of this battle while carrying the flag and J.C. Bost, seizing the colors, was killed. At Lynchburg he was wounded again slightly and he was in the battled of Winchester, Harper’s Ferry, Culpeper and New Bern. He was taken prisoner at Winchester and four five months he was absent from his company with smallpox.

“The closest place he was ever in,” wrote the late Geo. W. Hahn in the Catawba Soldier, “was Hickory, N.C. He came home from prison in March, 1865; the enemy came through soon after his return. In order to save the stock, he took 13 head of horses of Major Bost’s, his father-in-law, and concealed them in the forest. A few days afterwards Major Bost thought that he should take them home that he might start the plows. To be sure that the enemy was not near, Shelf rode up near Hickory and stopped for a drink of water. On his return to his horse, he looked up the road and saw quite a number of their Yankee pickets; in an instant he was mounted, and ‘halt, bang, bang’ came the balls, but he made his escape untouched, after having been shot at at least 75 times.”

Mr. Self was twice married, the first time to a daughter of Major Bost and to this union were born seveal children, two of whom, Mr. W.A. Self of Hickory and Mrs. Charles Long, who lives near Newton, survive. His second marriage was to Miss Summerow, and she with five children survive. They are Mrs. Robert Cox of Belmont, Mrs. Harvey Carpenter, Mrs. Floyd Yount, Miss Willie Self and Mr. William Riley Self Jr. of Newton.

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Harshaw Burial Will be at Colletsville

Lenoir, March 22—The remains of Moses N. Harshaw, who died at a hospital Saturday night at 9:30, reached here at noon Sunday and the funeral services were held at noon today from the home of his son, J.M. Harshaw. Interment will be made at Collettsville, his boyhood home, 10 miles from here. A special train took the corpse and burial party and friends to Colletsville, leaving here at 1 o’clock.
Mr. Harshaw had been sick only a few days. Early in the week his condition became alarming and Wednesday he was taken to a Charlotte hospital. His condition seemed more encouraging, however Saturday afternoon uremic poisoning set in and the end came within a few hours. For several years he had suffered from diabetes. Two months ago he suffered broken ribs in a fall on ice and it is thought this hastened the end.

Mr. Harshaw was prominent in politics for years and up until the time of his death he was at the head of the Republican party of Caldwell county. His leadership in the party in this entire section of the state was acknowledged and his council was sought in all Republican movements. Twice, in 1907, and in 1909, he represented Caldwell county in the general assembly, and prior to this he had served the district as solicitor. For many years he has held the place of one of the section’s leading attorneys. Recently he had been endorsed by the Republicans of Caldwell and Watauga counties as a candidate for Congress from the eighth district. His friends had already started a campaign to secure for him the nomination.

Mr. Harshaw was born at Collettsville, July 6, 1856, the son of Newton Harshaw, one of the pioneers of this part of the state. He licensed to practice law in 1895, after a long and dogged fight. His career has been marked with hard-fought battles and with success.

He is survived, in addition to his wife, by one son, J.M. Harshaw.

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From the editorial page of the Hickory Daily Record, Monday, March 22, 1920

The death of Moses N. Harshaw of Lenoir in a Charlotte hospital Saturday night removed a man who if he had been privileged to have full advantages would have been the foremost citizen of his section. Mr. Harshaw possessed native ability and wit in abundance and it was a rare treat to hear him talk. Mr. Harshaw was a real character, loveable and charitable, and a force in his community. He became known throughut the state by reason of his serving in the general assembly and it was here that the people of the state came to know of his wit and humor and his inimitable oratorical style. We will never see his like again, for he was one of nature’s own children.


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