Wyatt P. Exum

Wyatt Patrick Exum (1836 – August 17, 1911) was an American farmer, physician and politician. Born in Wayne County, North Carolina, he studied medicine at Trinity College and served in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. Left impoverished by the war, he resumed his medical practice and eventually made enough money to establish a farm in Wayne County. Exum joined the Populist Party and was nominated as its candidate in the 1892 North Carolina gubernatorial election after the first candidate withdrew. Politically unknown in much of the state, Exum was a poor public speaker and his campaign was marked by several scandals publicized by the Democratic press, including an incident where he attacked Charles B. Aycock with a knife. He placed third in the election, winning a majority of the votes in only three counties. His health declined as he aged and he died in 1911.

Early life Wyatt P. Exum was born in 1836 in Wayne County, North Carolina, United States. His father served in the North Carolina Senate. He was trained in medicine at Trinity College and opened a medical practice shortly before the outbreak of the American Civil War. He served in the Confederate States Army during the war in a cavalry unit under Colonel Thomas Hart Ruffin.

By the end of the war Exum was impoverished. He resumed his medical practice and eventually garnered the funds to purchase land in Wayne County which he cleared and turned into a farm.

Political career Exum was initially a member of the Democratic Party, but became disillusioned with Democratic presidential candidate Grover Cleveland in 1888. A funeral was held form him in Goldsboro two days later.