Alamance County Loses Two “Native Sons”

In the last few weeks, Alamance County has lost two of its “native sons”:

James “Jim” E. Long (center) takes oath of office for North Carolina House of Representatives (representing Alamance County) at a local ceremony in January of 1971.  Pictured with him are State Representative W.S. Harris Jr. (l) and State Senator Ralph Scott (r).
James “Jim” E. Long (center) takes oath of office for North Carolina House of Representatives (representing Alamance County) at a local ceremony in January of 1971. Pictured with him are State Representative W.S. Harris Jr. (l) and State Senator Ralph Scott (r).

This past Monday (February 2) former N.C. State Representative and longtime Insurance Commissioner, James “Jim” Long passed away.  Only two weeks before on January 23, former governor Robert “Bob” Scott also passed away.  Both men were born in Alamance County (Long in Burlington and Scott in Haw River) and came from families with rich traditions of public service to the people of North Carolina.  Images of both Long and Scott can be found in the newly processed Edward J. McCauley Photographic Collection.  This photographic collection contains images taken by Edward J. McCauley, who was a photographer for the Burlington Time-News between the years 1949 and 1974. The Times-News had a special interest in local folks who were elected to state-wide offices.  Selections from the McCauley collection have been digitized, and there are several pictures of former governor Bob Scott (and of his father William Kerr Scott) included in this online presentation from different periods throughout his career.  More images of both men will be added to the digital portion of the collection in the coming weeks.

U.S. Senator Sam Ervin and his wife Margaret Bell walk with family members in procession at W. Kerr Scott funeral, April 19, 1958
U.S. Senator Sam Ervin (r) and his wife Margaret Bell walk with family members in procession at W. Kerr Scott funeral April 19, 1958

In the February 1 edition of the Raleigh News and Observer, political columnist Rob Christensen wrote a piece that evoked the memory of a funeral for another former governor (and U.S. Senator) from Alamance County in 1958: the funeral of Robert Scott’s father, William Kerr Scott.  As one would imagine, McCauley was covering the event for the Times-News and took numerous pictures of the funeral and the reception at the Kerr Scott homestead in Haw River.  A selection of images from the Kerr Scott funeral will also be added to the collection in the coming weeks.