Evander M. Britt

Evander M. Britt

Evander M. Britt is member of the law firm Britt & Britt at Lumberton, a firm composed of young men but of fine abilities and with many solid achievements to their credit in the professional and public affairs of their home county.

Through several generations the name Britt has been honored and esteemed for its work and respectability in Robeson County. The Britts came originally from England, and some generations back the probability is the name was spelled Bright. There were three brothers who came to America, one of them settling in Virginia, another in Eastern Tennessee and the third in Robeson County, North Carolina. The Robeson County settler arrived prior to the Revolutionary war, and thus for upwards of a century and a half the Britts have had their place and part in this county. The first home of the family was in a locality six or seven miles south of Lumberton, and so prominent was the family there that the township was named in their honor. In nearly all the generations they have been farmers and planters.

Evander M. Britt was born in Britt Township of Robeson County, July 9, 1875, son of Samuel E. and Martha Victoria (Nance) Britt. His mother was a member of the well known Vance family of Bladen County. The paternal grandfather, Eeddin Britt, owned a large tract of land and many slaves before the war. Five of his sons gave valiant service in the Confederate Army, all of them going from Robeson County. Samuel E. Britt, who was born in 1848, lived in Britt Township until the early '80s, when he moved to his present home in Howellsville Township, about ten miles north of Lumberton. There he owns a good farm, and out of its resources he has made most commendable provisions for his family. He and his wife reared twelve children, and realized their cherished ambition to give them all a college education. This achievement should not be lightly passed over. Even in these prosperous times many farmers complain of inability to share in those things which are not fundamentally essential to existence. While the children of Samuel E. Britt were growing up the road of the agriculturist in North Carolina was a hard and thorny one, and all the more honor for that reason is due to the industry and self sacrificing labors of this old time Robeson County farmer and his wife. His home is at Ten Mile Church, of which he is a member. This is one of the historic Baptist churches of the state.

Evander M. Britt grew up on his father's farm in Howellsville Township, attended the country schools, and was a pupil in the Robeson Institute at Lumberton while it was under the direction of Prof. John Duckett. This was followed by both the literary and law courses of Wake Forest College, and he graduated A. B. in 1903 and received his degree in 1904. He was licensed to practice and took up his professional career at Lumberton in 1904, and since then has been eminently successful. He has shown excellent business ability as well as power to handle the law business of others, and has invested judiciously in some good farm lands in the vicinity of his old home in Howellsville Township, acquiring property that is constantly increasing in value. Since returning home from college he has made his influence count for the success of the democratic party, and has enjoyed a number of honors from his fellow democrats. He is now filling the important office of recorder of the district of nine townships, including Lumberton, and the work of that office was never in better hands. He is a member of the Baptist Church.

Mr. Britt married Miss Dorothy Geneva Bowman of Marion, McDowell County. They have one daughter, Janie Malloy Britt.

The junior member of the firm of Britt & Britt is Mr. W. S. Britt, and they have been associated in practice since 1909. W. S. Britt is also a Wake Forest man, a graduate of the law class of 1908. He is a member of the Town Board of Audit and Finance and of the Lumberton School Board. He has alweys been interested in the subject of development of inland waterways, and Governor Kitchin commissioned him a delegate from North Carolina to attend the sessions of the Atlantic Deep Water Conventions held at Richmond and in Washington.

Another of the Britt brothers was the late Rev. D. C. Britt who attained distinction as a Baptist minister.

Source: History of North Carolina, Vol. VI, The Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago and New York ©1919