Julian Shakespeare Carr : a general in the army of the new South

Julian Shakespeare Carr : a general in the army of the new South

Carr, Julian Shakespeare

Durham (N.C.)

North Carolina -- History -- 1865-

Sowards, David Verne

2005

McRae, Elizabeth

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Julian Shakespeare Carr stands out among the North Carolinians of the New South period for his breadth and depth of influence. His strong character, lavish tastes, and abundant philanthropy made him a ubiquitous figure in the Old North State in the years following the Civil War and gave him a platform to shape the lives of millions. His involvement in areas such as Democratic politics and the Methodist church placed him before the public on a regular basis. Throughout his life he relished the opportunity to take his spot behind the podium and his knack for the dramatic phrase made him a much sought after orator. An eighteen-year-old Confederate private, Carr was known for most of his life as ""General Jule"" and he used this honorary rank deftly in the service of the New South. His embodiment of Old Southern traditions, while simultaneously promoting the fantastic possibilities of the future, inspired his fellow citizens, white and black. With the particular passions and uncertainties of the late nineteenth century, times that stretched and often snapped the ties that bind people together, Carr's charisma and familiarity helped bind together a fabled past and a frightening future. Although he was talented as a public speaker, it was in the business world that he made an indelible marie Julian Carr was a leading figure in the creation of the town and county of Durham and helped guide its transformation from a backwater train stop into the center of a worldwide industry. Under his direction, W. T. Blackwell & Co., the maker of the famous Bull Durham brand of smoking tobacco, became an international phenomenon, and a prodigious cash cow. Carr's use of novel business techniques, coupled with a penchant for the modern, helped this son of a Chapel Hill merchant become the wealthiest man in North Carolina. He is credited with mechanizing tobacco manufacturing and his leadership of the tobacco industry brought him a prominent position in the nation's economy. After selling his interest in the Bull, he became a leading figure in the burgeoning textile industry and was an integral part of the industrialization of the Carolina Piedmont. Carr's wealth, prestige, and drive embroiled him in North Carolina politics from the end of Reconstruction through the Wilson administration. While rarely holding political office, he played an important role by using his influence to sway the politicians and the people concerning the issues of the day. Most notably, he was pivotal in the Democratic campaigns to defeat the Fusion legislatures that returned the Party to dominance and established the debilitating one party system that followed. Through his sponsorship of Josephus Daniels and the Raleigh News and Observer, along with his political office holding and behind the- scenes machinations, Carr is to be credited with the Party's success. However, his personal traits also brought him into confrontation with the very ""machine"" he was partly responsible for creating. Carr was ironically instrumental in stifling of popular democracy and a representative of the disputatious elements within the Democratic Party. But Julian Carr was much more than a businessman or a politician. His energy and almost bon vivant flair made him a beloved man. He served the Methodist church both locally and internationally. He was the superintendent of the Sunday schools and men's Sunday school teacher at Trinity Methodist Church. He also served as delegate to conferences and as the sponsor of missions and missionaries. His dedication to education drove him to sponsor students and donate fabulous amounts to schools, colleges, and universities. Even more significant, he was a tremendous public figure famously known throughout the state and the region. The United Confederate Veterans elected him Lieutenant General of the Army of Northern Virginia for his dutiful devotion, both financial and spiritual. The veterans bestowed this great distinction on an ex-private who, many claimed, turned down his comrades when they asked him to take a commission to stay in the ranks. The prestige and influence he enjoyed through his role in these important social institutions cannot be overstated

2014-04-28

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