Samuel D. Best was born January 3, 1829, in Lincoln county, North Carolina. His parents moved to Tennessee when he was but 18 months old, where he was brought up. He was first married in Blunt county, Tenn., in 1851, and has 15 children, 13 of whom are still living. He is now living with his second wife to whom he was married in the north part of this state a few years ago. In early life he attended school at Perryville, Tenn., where he acquired his education. Mr. Best has quite an interesting war record, having served three years under Stanley and Sheridan. He was in many battles, among which were Perryville, Nashville, Murfreesborough and Knoxville. He was First Lieutenant, Co. D., Second Tenn. Cavalry; was wounded near Murfreesborough in March, 1863, and some time later resigned on account of disability. Mr. Best is a farmer by occupation, and owns a comfortable home on the Pineville and Indian Springs Road.
(History of McDonald County, Missouri, by Judge J. A. Sturges, 1897)

BURTON, Hutchins Gordon, (nephew of Robert Burton), a Representative from North Carolina; born in Virginia in 1782; when three years of age his father died and he was sent to Granville County, where he was reared by his uncle, Col. Robert Burton; moved to Mecklenburg County, N.C., in 1803; studied law; was admitted to the bar in 1806 and practiced; member of the State house of commons in 1809; elected attorney general of North Carolina in 1810 and served until his resignation in November 1816; moved to Halifax, N.C., in 1816, and again elected a member of the State house of commons in 1817; elected as a Republican to the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Congresses, as a Crawford Republican to the Eighteenth Congress, and served from December 6, 1819, until March 23, 1824, when he resigned; Governor of North Carolina 1824-1827; resumed the practice of law in Halifax; was the host of General Lafayette when the latter visited Raleigh during his tour of the United States in 1825; died while on a visit to relatives in Iredell County, N.C., April 21, 1836; interment in Unity Presbyterian Church Cem., Beattys Ford, Lincoln County, N.C.
(Source: Biographical Directory of the United States 1774-present.)