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A Look Into
CHATHAM'S PAST
A Girl Scout Gold Award Project
By Ella Sullivan
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 Mildred “Mama Dip” Edna Cotton CouncilMildred “Mama Dip” Edna Cotton Council was born in the Baldwin Township of Chatham County. In her youth, she worked with her parents as sharecroppers; however, she knew from a very young age cooking was her calling. She worked in countless kitchens around Chapel Hill, eventually opening her own restaurant. Her restaurant would go on to receive love from influential people like Michael Jordan and President George W. Bush. Council also published two |  James Iredell WaddellJames Iredell Waddell was born in Pittsboro, North Carolina in 1824. He would go on to become a lieutenant in the Confederate Navy after resigning from his post in the United States Navy. Waddell’s time as captain of the Shenandoah would make him notorious for his continued fighting after the end of the Civil War. |  Mary Myrtle SilerMary Myrtle Siler was North Carolina’s First Female Sheriff. A member of one of Chatham County’s oldest families, she was appointed to finish the previous sheriff’s term by the county’s all-male Board of Commissioners. Her appointment was covered by newspapers across the state. |  Clarence Hamilton PoeClarence Hamilton Poe was born in 1881 and would go on to become a household name within the farming community. He owned the Progressive Farming Company and was editor of the Progressive Farmer for the majority of his life, helping to increase circulation of the magazine from 5,000 to 1,400,000 copies. |
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 Wilkins Perryman HortonWilkins Perryman Horton was born in 1889 in Kansas City, Kansas. By three, the Horton family had relocated to Pittsboro, North Carolina, where Horton would from then on spend most of his life. Horton was a lawyer with different practices in Pittsboro at varying points in his career. He also was a politician, serving as a state senator and as North Carolina’s lieutenant governor from 1937 to 1941 before running for governor. |  Doris BettsDoris Betts was an accomplished writer and short story author who spent her later life in Pittsboro. Born in Statesville, North Carolina, Betts attended but did not graduate from college. Despite not having a degree, she became a distinguished professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and went on to publish many works that received praise across the state and some nationally. |  Charlie DanielsCharlie Daniels was a North Carolina musician who found national success with hits such as “The Devil Went Down to Georgia.” However, Daniels’ teen years were spent in Gulf, Chatham County where he founded his first band, The Misty Mountain Boys, at Goldston High School. |  Francis J. LeClairFrancis J. LeClair was born in Belgium, but later emigrated to the United States. Working in many nurseries across the nation, LeClair developed his horticulture and botany skills. Later, after finding employment with the United States Government, LeClair traveled to North Carolina. During his time in North Carolina, LeClair resided on his farm in the Oakland Township outside of Pittsboro, located now is called Holly Ridge Road. LeClair also worked for the University of North Carolina at Chapel |
 George Moses HortonIn 1797, George Moses Horton was born enslaved in Northampton County. His enslaver relocated to Chatham County during Horton’s childhood. Throughout his life, Horton worked the fields of his enslaver’s tobacco plantation while creating poems in his head. Eventually, Horton journeyed to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and found some allies that would later help him publish his poetry. Throughout his life, he published three collections of poetry. For the last 17 years of his life, |  Jon CondoretJon Condoret moved to Chatham County later in life but prospered during his time in the county. Condoret was a Paris-trained architect who combined North Carolina modern architecture with European sensibility. Condoret is most notably remembered for his work as Chief Architect for Fearrington Village. |  Simon Green AtkinsSimon Green Atkins was born in Haywood, Chatham County to two former enslaved people. He went on to co-found the North Carolina Negro Teachers’ Association. Later, he created Slater Normal and Industrial School which in time would become Winston-Salem State University. |
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