Sampson County, NC - Obituaries

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by
Stephen Carroll Pearsall <Pearscp@aol.com>

This man was the son of Joseph Dickson Pearsall and Mary Bailey Murphy of 
Sampson County, NC.  His parents are buried at Oak Plains Presbyterian 
Church in Sampson County.  

COL. P. M. PEARSALL DIES IN NEW BERN - Well Known State Politician Succumbs 
to Brief Attack of Pneumonia - 

    New Bern - Feb 20. - Col. Patrick Murphy Pearsall, chairman of the state 
board of elections, former private secretary to Gov. Charles B. Aycock, and 
at one time law partner of Senator F. M. Simmons, died at 12:10 o'clock this 
morning from pneumonia at his home on New street here.

    The funeral will be held tomorrow afternoon from the First Presbyterian 
church, conducted by Dr. J. N. H. Summerell, the pastor, assisted by Dr. Dan 
C. McKinnon, rector of Christ Episcopal church.  Interment will be in Cedar 
Grove cemetery.

    Colonel Pearsall, who had been spending the greater part of his time in 
Raleigh, was taken ill there last Tuesday and on the following day came home. 

    He went to bed immediately and toward the last of the week his condition 
became worse.  Yesterday, it became critical, but he remained conscious until 
early in the evening.  His sister, and one of his two survivors, Miss Kate 
Pearsall, of Morganton, arrived in New Bern 10 minutes after her brother's 
death.

    The deceased was not a native of this city, but during his residence of a 
quarter of a century he became a fixture in its life.  He was born at 
Taylor's Bridge, in Sampson county, 64 years ago, and after brief schooling 
at Warsaw and Wallace, turned his attention to educating himself in law.  
About 1885 he came to New Bern, after he had served as county superintendent 
of schools in Jones county and represented that county in the house of 
representatives of the legislature.

    From 1890 to 1895 Colonel Pearsall was associated with Senator Simmons in 
the firm of Simmons, Gibbs & Pearsall.  Later he became connected with the 
North Carolina railroad in the capacity of counsel, and then with the 
Atlantic and North Carolina.

    Colonel Pearsall was a Master Mason and a member of the Presbyterian 
Church.  In the former affiliation he is remembered by New Bern people in the 
role of Washington as he appeared in St. John's Masonic lodge pageant held 
here a year ago in celebration of the tercentennial of that body.

    Surviving Colonel Pearsall are his sister, Miss Kate Pearsall, of 
Morganton, and his second wife, who, before marriage was Mrs. Maggie Burrus, 
of this city.

Source:  Wilmington Morning Star, Wednesday, February 21, 1923.

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