William Woods Holden, 1818 -1892

W.W. Holden was an important figure for North Carolina in the Antebellum Period. Holden served as editor of the Standard, a North Carolina newspaper, which was used to express and build support for the Unionist.  He was able to use his influence to keep North Carolina from following the other Southern states in an early secession as he helped advocate a “watch and wait” policy which meant North Carolina would give Lincoln a fair chance to save the Union without force.  Holden’s biography gives great insight into the Unionist process in Antebellum North Carolina.