The Supreme Court of North Carolina. During the war he was a telegraph operator in Western Virginia. He studied law under Judge Battle; admitted to the bar in 1869. He was a member of the Constitutional Con vention of 1875. He was appointed by Gov ernor Jarvis Judge of the Superior Court, August, 1882, and elected by the people the same year. Upon the increase of the Su preme Court to five members, he was elected one of the additional judges, and took his seat Jan. 1, 1879. He resides in Washing ton, N. C. His opinions begin in the 102 N. C. Upon the death of Judge Merrimon he was appointed by Governor Holt, Nov. 16, 1892, Chief-Justice. He was suc ceeded as Associate-Justice by Armistead Burwell. Alphonso Calhoun Avery was born, Sept. 11, 1835, m Burke County; graduated at the University in 1857; studied law under Chief-Justice Pearson; admitted to the bar in 1860; saw service in the army in 1861-64; elected State Senator in 1866 and again in 1 868, but the last time not allowed by mili tary authority to take his seat. He was a member of the Constitutional Convention in 1875. He was elected Judge of the Superior Court in 1878, and re-elected in 1886. Upon the adoption of the amendment to the Consti tution increasing the Supreme Court to five in number, he and Judge Shepherd were elected the two additional judges; and he took his seat, Jan. 1, 1889, for a term of eight years. His opinions begin in the 102 N. C. He resides in Morganton. Walter Clark was born in Halifax County, Aug. 19, 1846; graduated at the University in 1864; saw service in the war (1861-65) except one year while at the University. When the number of Superior Court judges was increased from nine to twelve in 1885, he was appointed by Governor Scales, April 15, 1885, one of the additional Superior Court judges, and was elected in 1886 by the peo ple. Upon the appointment of Judge Merrimon as Chief-Justice, he was appointed by Governor Fowle to succeed him as Associate Justice Nov. 16, 1889, and was elected by
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the people in 1890. His opinions begin in the 104 N. C. He resides in Raleigh. James Cameron MacRae was born in Fayetteville, Oct. 6, 1838. He obtained license to practise law in 1859. He saw service in the war (1861-65). He was a member of the legislature of 1874-75. He was appointed by Governor Jarvis, in July, 1882, Judge of the Superior Court, to succeed Judge Bennett, and was elected by the people the same year. His term expiring in 1890, he returned to the bar. Upon the death of Judge Davis he was appointed by Governor Holt, Aug. 24, 1892, to succeed him, and was elected by the people at the general election, this fall. He resides in Fayetteville, N. C. His opinions will begin in the 111 N. C. Armistead Burwell was born in Hillsboro, Orange County, N. C., Oct. 22, 1839, and is a son of Rev. Robert Burwell, then pastor of the Presbyterian Church at that place. He graduated at Davidson College, 1859, with the first honors. He then engaged in teaching, and was in Arkansas when the war broke out. He served through the war with troops from that State, and was severely wounded in 1864 before Atlanta. He re sumed teaching in Charlotte after the war; studied law, and was licensed to practise in 1869. He located in Charlotte, where he has resided ever since. Since 1877 he has been continuously a State Director in the North Carolina Railroad, being reappointed by each successive Governor. He was State Senator in 1880. Upon the death of ChiefJustice Merrimon, Justice Shepherd being promoted, Judge Burwell was appointed by Governor Holt to be Associate-Justice, Nov. 16, 1892. The work of all courts is in a large meas ure temporary; but there is a still larger part which abides and shapes the future. Our civilization is like the coral islands, built by individual and forgotten workers, on whose labors each successive generation climbs to higher things. The work of the courts is a potent factor in our civilization.
