Lewis Hazelius Rothrock served in the Confederate States Army, became a schoolmaster, taught at North Carolina College, and was principal of Mount Pleasant Female Seminary 1876-82.

Birth: Feb. 10, 1839, Rowan County, North Carolina, USA
Death: Jun. 28, 1923, Salisbury, Rowan County, North Carolina, USA

Parents:
Samuel Rothrock (1809 – 1894)
Amelia Rosetta Arey Rothrock (1812 – 1890)

Spouse: Joan Luckey Hearne Rothrock (1848 – 1935)

Children:
Samuel Rothrock (1868-1955)
Carrie Davidson Rothrock Marsh Graf (1873-1967)
Thomas Rothrock (1875-1938)
Helen Amelia Rothrock Rufty (1878-1941)
Josie Hearne Rothrock Pirie (1881-1967)

Siblings:
Milus Luther Rothrock (1840 – 1842)
Charlotte Lucetta Rothrock (1847 – 1851)

Burial:
Chestnut Hill Cemetery, Salisbury, Rowan County, North Carolina, USA

Source: www.findagrave.com, # 61712824.

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“A Rowan Man Worth Knowing,” Salisbury Evening Post (Salisbury, NC), May 9, 1922, 4.

Lewis Hazelius Rothrock was the eldest of three known children of the Rev. Samuel Rothrock (1809-1894) and Amelia Rosetta Arey Rothrock (1812-1890).

Lewis married Joan Luckey Hearne (1848-1935), daughter of Davidson Hearne (1809-1862) (the first Clerk of Court of Stanly County) and Mary Lily Melchior Hearne of Albemarle, North Carolina. They married on 16 Jul 1867 at Albemarle, Stanley County, North Carolina. Lewis and Joan were the parents of five children, three girls and two boys; and fourteen grandchildren. All five of the children lived to maturity.

Lewis was educated at Ebenezer Academy in Iredell County, North Carolina. After finishing at Ebenezer, Lewis’s father Rev. Samuel Rothrock wanted to send his son to Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania, but Lewis wanted to go to Chapel Hill, North Carolina. They compromised by agreeing that the boy should go to Chapel Hill first and then to Gettysburg. However, the upheaval of the 1860s upset both plans and the only sight Lewis ever had of Gettysburg college was at the Battle of Gettysburg and Lewis never went to Chapel Hill. At the age of twenty-one he enlisted in the Confederate Army, being among the first to enlist from Rowan County and served with Company G, 6th North Carolina Regiment, under the command of Colonel Charles F. Fisher of Salisbury. He was by Colonel Fisher’s side in the first battle of the Civil War at Manassas and helped carry his body from the field when Colonel Fisher was killed. At the Battle of Gettysburg, Lewis and two soldiers from eastern North Carolina advanced nearest the Union Lines in their sector of the battle. He fought with his regiment in the Battle of Antietam, near Sharpsburg, Maryland, and was wounded on September 17, 1862. He had two first cousins from Iredell County killed in the same battle and one first cousin injured who died several years later of the injuries he had received in that battle. All three were sons of Benjamin Arey, his mother’s brother. On September 23, Rev. Samuel Rothrock, his father, went to Richmond to visit the troops. On August 25, 1862, he wrote in his diary:

“In Richmond. Found Capt. Beard’s Co. & stayed with it until next day. Heard that Lewis suffered from the explosion of a shell in the battle of Sharpsburg. Preached at night for Capt. Beard’s Co. & other soldiers.”

Lewis Rothrock was granted a furlough until he recovered from his injuries and on August 11, 1863 he was promoted to first lieutenant. On November 7, 1863, Lt. Rothrock was taken prisoner along with 316 other soldiers at Rappahannock Station, Virginia and was sent to the Yankee Prison on Johnson’s Island in Lake Erie, near Sandusky, Ohio, where he was confined for nineteen months. On June 13, 1865 he took the Oath of Allegiance and was allowed to return to his home in Rowan County. Professor Rothrock was proclaimed by comrades as being an excellent soldier, noted for his coolness and bravery.

Some records show he fought with Company G, 6th Louisiana Infantry as a 1st Lieutenant. Is this true? Lewis H. Rothrock, 1st Lieutenant, Company G, 6th Louisiana Infantry, Captured by Union Forces on 07 Nov 1863 at Rappahannock Station, Virginia. Placed in Old Capitol Prison, Washington D.C. on 08 Nov 1863; moved to Johnson’s Island Prison, Ohio on 14 Nov 1863. Released on Oath of Allegiance on 13 Jun 1865. Lived at Rockville, North Carolina, age 26, light hair, blue eyes, height, 5 ft 8 inches.

Professor Rothrock, as he was called, was the superintendent of the Rowan County schools for a number of years. Later he taught at North Carolina College in Mt. Pleasant and was the president of Mt. Pleasant Seminary, a school for young women. These institutions, which are no longer in existence, did a remarkable job of educating large numbers of young people.

In 1900 Professor Rothrock was elected to the Legislature of the State of North Carolina.

The above was written by Lewis’s grandson, Archibald Caldwell Rothrock.

In 1880 the parents and first four children were living at Mt. Pleasant Township, ED36, Sheet 1, Cabarrus County, North Carolina. In 1900 the parents and Josie were living at Gold Hill Township, ED105, Sheet 2, Rowan County, North Carolina. In 1900 the parents and widowed daughter Carrie (and her two Marsh children) were living at Gold Hill Township, 0096, 0107, Rowan County, North Carolina. In 1920 the parents and widowed daughter Carrie (and her two children) were living at Gold Hill Township, ED114, Sheet 2, Rowan County, North Carolina. In 1930 the widow Joan was living with her daughter Josie at Salisbury, ED36, Sheet 9, Page 11, Rowan County, North Carolina.

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The News and Observer (Raleigh, NC), March 24, 1901, p. 23.

REPRESENTATIVE L. H. ROTHROCK OF ROWAN

Hon. L. H. Rothrock was born and reared in Rowan county. Attended an academic school in Iredell county. Went to North Carolina college but before graduating joined Co. Chas. F. Fisher’s Regiment N. C. State Troops at Charlotte, May 29, 1861. Was a prisoner on Johnson’s Island, having been captured at Rapphonnock bridge, Va., Nov. 7thth, 1863, until June, 1865. Married Mr. Davidson Hearne’s oldest daughter in July 1867. Established Franklin academy near Salisbury in 1868. Later on took charge of Mount Amoena Female Seminary located t Mt. Pleasant, Cabarrus county. After a service of nearly seven years became identified with the North Carolina Colleged located at the same place. Finally severed connection with the college and went home to Rowan on account of his aged parents. During this time became superintendent of public instruction for Rowan county, and soon after established Bethany Academy at his home near Gold Hill. Since the death of his parents and because of prolonged affliction in his own family has almost entirely abandoned school work. In the spring of 1900 at the solicitation of his friends he went before the primaries, received the nomination of the county Democratic convention in April for a seat in the House and in August following was elected by a fair majority. He has never had any experience in political life until the campaign of 1900. He proved to be an earnest, able and conscientious member of the House and made many friends. He served on the Committees on Mechanics and Minings, Salaries and Fees, Enrolled Bills, Education.