Robert Brank Vance, M.D.

          Robert Brank Vance was born near Asheville, North Carolina, in 1793.  He was one of the eight children of David Vance and Pricilla Brank.  His father was s teacher and farmer who had served during the Revolutionary War and who was colonel in the local militia.  Vance received his early education at Newton Academy in Asheville and the medical school of Dr. Charles Harris in Cabarrus County, NC.  Be began his own medical practice in 1818 in the area of Asheville, but soon had to stop.  Once of Vance’s legs was six inches shorter than the other and the limp caused by this made it difficult for him to go out to attend patients.  A lucky win of the lottery allowed him to retire and spend his time working in literature, history, and politics. In 1821 Vance ran for the Congressional seat for Burke County but was defeated by Felix Walker, the man who had previously held the seat.  In the 1823 re-election Vance defeated Walker by a small margin.  In Congress Vance pushed for a reform of the North Carolina state constitution and supported an act that allowed for a survey of possible government funded roads and canals.  During his one term he served on the Committee of Revolutionary Pensions.

In 1825 four men ran for the Congressional seat in Burke County and Vance lost his seat to Samuel P. Carson.  Vance was forced into retirement but ran again in 1827.  The electoral race between Vance and Carson was filled with bad feelings on Vance’s part.  In an Asheville speech Vance called Carson a coward and a little while later in Morganton, Carson’s hometown, Vance insulted Carson’s father and his family members who were in the crowd.  Carson won the election by a large margin and then challenged Vance to a duel.  Vance, realizing the danger he was in, divided his property in his will and inventoried his library, leaving it to three friends, “anticipating in a few days a probable exit from this earthly theatre.”¹  The duel was held near Saluda Gap, NC, on November 6^th, and Vance died without even firing his gun.  He was buried in the family burial plot on Reems Creek, near Asheville.

Bibliography

Who Was Who in America.  A component volume of “Who’s Who in American History.”  Historical Volume, 1607-1896.  Revised Edition.  Chicago:  Marquis Who’s Who, 1967. 

Lanman, Charles.  Biographical Annals of the Civil Government of the United States.  During its first century; from original and official sources.  Washington, DC:  James Anglim, 1876.  Reprint.  Detroit:  Gale Research, 1976.

¹Powell, William S., ed.  Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, Volume 1.  Chapel Hill, NC:  University of North Carolina Press, 1979.