John Motley Morehead

John Motley Morehead (July 4, 1796 – August 27, 1866) was the 29th Governor of the U.S. state of North Carolina from 1841 to 1845. He is known as "the Father of Modern North Carolina."

Born in Pittsylvania County, Virginia, Morehead was the son of Obedience (Motley) and John Morehead. He moved to Rockingham County, North Carolina at the age of two.

Morehead graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1817. He was also a distinguished member of The Dialectic and Philanthropic Societies at UNC. He served in the North Carolina General Assembly for several sessions and was the first governor inaugurated in the new State Capitol.

During his term in office, Morehead supported the new public school system, the extension of railroad lines, the improvement of rivers and harbors, and the construction of waterways and turnpikes. Morehead was instrumental in raising private funds for a railroad line to accompany $2 million provided by the legislature. The terminus of the railroad, Morehead City, North Carolina, was named after him. For his efforts, Morehead was also elected president of the North Carolina Railroad.

After his term, he returned to his home, Blandwood, in Greensboro, North Carolina, designed by New York architect Alexander Jackson Davis. There, Morehead entertained numerous politicians and personalities of the day, including Dorothea Dix. In 1861, he represented the state at a conference to avoid war. With the failure of the conference and the secession of North Carolina, Morehead served in the Confederate Congress. Morehead died at Rockbridge Springs, Virginia in 1866 and is buried in the Old First Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Greensboro.

Political offices
Preceded by Edward Bishop Dudley	Governor of North Carolina 1841–1845	Succeeded by William Alexander Graham
Confederate States House of Representatives
Preceded by none	Representative to the Provisional Confederate Congress from North Carolina 1861	Succeeded by none

Governors and Lieutenant Governors of North Carolina

Governors	Caswell Nash Burke A. Martin Caswell Johnston A. Martin Spaight Ashe Davie Williams Turner Alexander Williams Stone Smith Hawkins Miller Branch Franklin Holmes Burton Iredell Owen Stokes Swain Spaight Jr. Dudley Morehead Graham Manly Reid Winslow Bragg Ellis Clark Vance Holden Worth Holden Caldwell Brogden Vance Jarvis Scales Fowle Holt Carr Russell Aycock Glenn Kitchin Craig Bickett Morrison McLean Gardner Ehringhaus Hoey Broughton Cherry W.K. Scott Umstead Hodges Sanford Moore R.W. Scott Holshouser Hunt J. Martin Hunt Easley Perdue McCrory (Elect)

Lieutenant Governors	Caldwell Brogden Jarvis Robinson Stedman Holt Doughton Reynolds Turner Winston Newland Daughtridge O. Gardner Cooper Long Fountain Graham Horton Harris Ballentine Taylor, Sr. Hodges Barnhardt Philpott Scott Taylor, Jr. Hunt Green Jordan J. Gardner Wicker Perdue Dalton Forest (Elect)

Authority control	VIAF: 53161840

Persondata
Name	Morehead, John
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	July 4, 1796
Place of birth	Pittsylvania County, Virginia
Date of death	August 27, 1866
Place of death	Rockbridge Springs, Virginia

Famous quotes containing the word motley:

“O that I were a fool!
I am ambitious for a motley coat.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)