This month marks the death 98 years ago of a distinguished New Bern native for whom a liberty ship was named.  This is the story of diplomat, author, and legal scholar Hannis Taylor. After the Union occupation of New Bern during March 1862, many local families fled the city and found themselves transplanted to other parts of the state or country.  Richard Nixon Taylor, a local merchant, his wife, Susan Stevenson, and six children were one such family. Hannis Taylor, the couples’ oldest son, was precocious and began school at the age of four.  He attended New Bern Academy until his family left the city due to the Civil War.  They eventually resided in Raleigh where Hannis entered the University of North ...