Joseph John Summerell (1819-1893) from Halifax County, NC, was the son of Mary Perry and John Summerell. Joseph entered the University in 1838, became a member of the Philanthropic Society and graduated with second honors in 1842. He received his MD in 1844 from the University of Pennsylvania’s Medical Department, began a medical practice in Salisbury, NC, and served as president of the NC Medical Association (1862-1866). In 1844 he married Ellen Hannah Mitchell (1824-1887), daughter of University faculty member Elisha Mitchell; they were the parents of seven children. Summerell kept a diary from 1840 to 1843, which is housed in collection #5296-z, Southern Historical Collection, Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.