John Heywood Alley Jr.
Col. John Heyward Alley Jr. | |
|---|---|
 Portrait of John Heyward Alley Jr. | |
| State Senator to the North Carolina State Senate | |
| In office 1858–1860 | |
| In office 1854–1856 | |
| Superintendent of Jackson County Common Schools | |
| In office 1853–1854 | |
| Sheriff of Jackson County, North Carolina | |
| In office 1852–1856 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 11 May 1814 |
| Died | 3 December 1902 (aged 88) |
| Party | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Spouse | Sarah Norton (1828-1902) |
| Children | 14, including Felix Eugene Alley |
| Parent | John Heywood Alley |
| Relatives | Alley Family |
| Occupation | |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | |
Years of service |
|
| Rank | |
| Commands | North Carolina Confederate Home Guard |
| Battles/wars | |
Col. John Heyward Alley Jr. was an American politician, military officer, and sheriff who served in several wars during the 19th century. He was an officer under Winfield Scott during the Trail of Tears and also served during the Mexican American War, and the American Civil War, where he commanded the North Carolina Confederate Home Guard.
Early life
John Heyward Alley Jr. was born to John Heyward Alley and Usilla Hampton in 1814. He was a member of the Alley Family and a distant descendant of William Alley.[1]
Later life
He served in the military during the Cherokee Removal and during the Mexican American War, being promoted after the Battle of Chapultepec. He served as the Confederate Home Guard commander in North Carolina, after losing a leg in the first year of the war, and was later, almost executed for treason by Kirk's Raiders until one of his men who served under him in the Mexican American War saved his life.[2] He also held the roles of Sheriff, State Senator, and School superintendent.[3]
References
- ↑ "Historic Sites Survey, Phase Two: Whiteside Cove & Norton Communities, Cashiers" (PDF). North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. Retrieved 6 April 2026.
Colonel John Heywood Alley (1814–1902), a lawyer, arrived in Whiteside Cove in 1835… served as superintendent for the Jackson County Board of Common Schools in 1853 and was a significant early settler with large landholdings.
- ↑ ""Don't Kill Him! He was My Commander in the Mexican War"". nccivilwarcenter.org. Retrieved 6 April 2026.
In 1814 John Haywood Alley, Jr. was born in Rutherford County… served in the Cherokee removal, fought in the Mexican War under General Winfield Scott, was wounded early in the Civil War leading to leg amputation, and later headed the North Carolina Confederate Home Guard.
- ↑ "Report of the Superintendent of the Common Schools [1858]". North Carolina Digital Collections. Retrieved 6 April 2026.
The Report of the Superintendent of the Common Schools lists county superintendents; Alley is documented as serving in that capacity in Jackson County.