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Zebulon Vance was born on May 13, 1830, in Buncombe County, North Carolina, the third of eight children. His family is known to have owned some slaves. At age twelve he was sent to study at Washington College in Tennessee, now known as Washington College Academy . The death of his father forced Vance to withdraw and return home at the age of fourteen. It was during this time that he began to court the well-bred Miss Harriet Espy by letter.
In order to improve his standing, Vance determined to go to law school. At the age of twenty-one he wrote the President of the University of North Carolina, former Governor David L. Swain, and asked for a loan so that he could attend law school. Governor Swain arranged for a $300 loan from the university, and Vance performed admirably. By 1852 Vance had begun practicing law in Asheville, and was soon elected county solicitor. By 1853Events January 19 Giuseppe Verdi's opera Il Trovatore premieres in Rome January 21 Russell L. Hawes patents the envelope folding machine January 29 Napoleon III marries the Spanish Countess Eugenie at the Tuileries March 4 Inauguration of US president Fra, he and Harriet Espy were married, and they would subsequently have four sons.
At the age of twenty-four Vance ran for a seat in the State House of Commons as a WhigThe United States Whig Party was a political party of the United States. The party was created in order to oppose the policies of Andrew Jackson and called itself the Whig Party by analogy with the English Whigs, who had opposed the power of the King in R, beating a man twice his age. He was defeated in 1856Events January 8 Borax is discovered ( John Veatch). January 29 Queen Victoria institutes the Victoria Cross February 18 The American Party ( Know-Nothings) convene in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to nominate their first Presidential candidate, former Presi, but went on to win election to the United States House of RepresentativesThe House of Representatives is the larger of two houses that make up the United States Congress, the other being the United States Senate. Members Members of the House are elected for a term of two years. Elections alternately coincide with the president. This was the last time Vance would be defeated in an election.
At the age of twenty-eight, Vance was the youngest member of CongressThe United States Congress is the legislative branch of the United States federal government. The structure and responsibilities of Congress are defined in Article One of the United States Constitution. The United States Congress is bicameral, meaning tha. While in Congress, Vance was a staunch supporter of the Union and states' rights. In March of 1861, however, when indications were that the North Carolina legislature was going to vote for secession, he resigned his seat and returned home.