William Thomas Culpepper, III was a Democratic member of the North Carolina General Assembly

North Carolina General Assembly

The North Carolina General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of North Carolina. The General Assembly drafts and legislates the state laws of North Carolina, also known as the General Statutes...

 representing the state's second House district, including constituents in Chowan

Chowan County, North Carolina

- Law and government :Chowan County is a member of the Albemarle Commission regional council of government-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 14,793 people, 5,580 households, and 4,006 families residing in the county. The population density was 84 people per square mile . There...

, Dare

Dare County, North Carolina

-National protected areas:* Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge * Cape Hatteras National Seashore * Fort Raleigh National Historic Site* Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge* Wright Brothers National Memorial-Demographics:...

, Gates

Gates County, North Carolina

Gates County is a small rural county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2010, the population was 12,197. Its county seat is Gatesville. It is part of the Albemarle Sound area of the Inner Banks...

, Perquimans

Perquimans County, North Carolina

-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 13,453 people, 4,645 households, and 3,376 families residing in the county. The population density was 46 people per square mile . There were 6,043 housing units at an average density of 24 per square mile...

 and Tyrrell

Tyrrell County, North Carolina

-Demographics:Tyrrell County was as of 2000 the least populous county in North Carolina.As of the census of 2000, there were 4,149 people, 1,537 households, and 1,055 families residing in the county. The population density was 11 people per square mile . There were 2,032 housing units at an...

 counties. A lawyer from Edenton, North Carolina

Edenton, North Carolina

Edenton is a town in Chowan County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 4,966 at the 2008 census. It is the county seat of Chowan County. Edenton is located in North Carolina's Inner Banks region. In recent years Edenton has become a popular retirement location and a destination for...

, Culpepper was the Chairman of the powerful Rules Committee from 1999 until 2005. Considered the greatest Rules Chairman of all time, Culpepper will be remembered as one of the architects of the co-speakership (James B. Black

James B. Black

Dr. James "Jim" Boyce Black is a member of the North Carolina Democratic Party, and a former Democratic member of the North Carolina General Assembly who represented the state's 100th House district, including constituents in Mecklenburg County...

 and Richard T. Morgan

Richard T. Morgan

Richard Timothy Morgan was a Republican member of the North Carolina General Assembly representing the state's fifty-second House district, including constituents in Moore County, for eight terms. Morgan is an insurance broker and cattle farmer from Pinehurst, North Carolina.In 2003, the House...

) in 2003 and the driving force behind passage of the state's education lottery

North Carolina Education Lottery

The North Carolina Education Lottery is run by the government of North Carolina. It was established after Gov. Mike Easley signed the North Carolina State Lottery Act and the 2005 Appropriations Act....

 in 2005.

Culpepper resigned from the legislature in 2006 when he was appointed by Governor Mike Easley

Mike Easley

Michael Francis "Mike" Easley is an American politician who served as the 72nd Governor of the U.S. state of North Carolina, from 2001 to 2009. He is member of the North Carolina Democratic Party and became the first North Carolina governor to admit to a felony in a deal that halted a lengthy...

 to North Carolina's Utilities Commission.

A graduate of Hampden-Sydney College

Hampden-Sydney College

Hampden–Sydney College is a liberal arts college for men located in Hampden Sydney, Virginia, United States. Founded in 1775, Hampden–Sydney is the oldest private charter college in the Southern U.S., the last college founded before the American Revolution, and one of only three four-year,...

, Culpepper was a third generation member of the North Carolina House of Representatives. He is the father of two sons, William T. Culpepper, IV, an attorney in Charlotte, and W. Gardner Culpepper. He has one grandchild, William T. Culpepper, V.

External links

• NC Utilities Commission