USA > South Carolina > History of South Carolina > Part 14
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Claude Epaminondas Sawyer regards his good father and mother as the chief source of his in- spiration and the source of all the good he has ex- emplified in his life. His early education was directed at home, his mother teaching him to read and his father and older brother taking his educa- tion in hand until he was thirteen years of age, when he attended his first school. The country teachers were able to do nothing for him, and he went to school only nineteen months. Later, on October 17, 1874, he graduated from East-
Claude Eslawyer
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man's Commercial College at Poughkeepsie, New York. He attended summer schools, Chautan- quas, and had private tutors. Family circum- stances were such that he could not be sent to college. As a youth he acquired the habit of study, which has been persistent with him even to this day. As a boy he studied Ben Pitman's short- hand, became an expert, and served as official ste- nographer of the Second Judicial Circuit thirteen years. He studied law and was admitted to the bar in the Supreme Court, and was serving as solicitor of the Second Circuit, when he resigned to join the army at the time of the Spanish-American war. As a lawyer he stands in the front rank of his pro- fession ; he has deiended. more than a hundred charged with capital offenses, and not one of his clients has ever received the extreme penalty. Some of the cases were exciting to a degrec. His spe- cialty is the law of real property and he has achieved success in that difficult branch of the law. Mr. Saw- yer's legal services have also been employed in pro- moting and handling the legal details of a number of business enterprises, the most important being the Florida Fruit Lands Company, which sold 180,000 acres of land in installments to 12,000 pur- chasers under an agreement that the purchasers should elect three trustees in whom would be vested the ownership of the property and each contractor as he fulfilled his obligation would receive individ- ual deeds from the trustees. Mr. Sawyer was elected such trustee, prepared the form of deeds and helped to make out nearly 12,000 deeds to the value of $3,000,000 worth of land. This was a busi- ness requiring much of his time for several years. One other case deserves mention, as it is said to be the first case on record in which a leper received consideration in a court. This case is reported in the 83 South Carolina Supreme Courts Reports at page 372, and 23 L. R. A. (N. S.), page 1188. Miss Mary V. Kirk, an aged lady of refinement and pro- found learning who had spent all the years of her younger life as a missionary, contracted leprosy. Her physicians, including Doctor Hutchison, a dis- tinguished specialist of London, advised her that it was not contagious, but to keep the fact of her affliction a secret. She mingled with the people of Aiken for twenty years, and at last the fact leaked out and the people became frantic and the board of health, very much excited, attempted to confine her in a loathsome pest house situated outside of the city limits, where only some negroes had been quar- antined with small pox, and Mr. Sawyer, assisted only by Mr. G. W. Croft, a very young attorney just admitted to the bar, enjoined the board. The case was strenuously fought but he won out in the Supreme Court and saved his client, who was also blind.
Mr. Sawyer served in the local militia and was also an aide to Governor Wade Hampton. Though a young man at the time, he took part in the ex- citing campaign to restore white government during the '70s, and was elected in 1876 a member of the Legislature, at the time Wade Hampton was elected governor. He was again chosen in 1880. For a time he served as a director of the State Peniten- tiary. In 1888 he was chosen presidential elector and cast his vote for Grover Cleveland. For many
years past Mr. Sawyer has served as trustee of the State College at Orangeburg and has held many minor offices. Politically he is a democrat with strong prohibition leanings, and has always believed in honesty regardless of party. He has taken a stand against universal suffrage, and in view of recent conditions is opposed to immigration from foreign countries except from England, France, Holland and Belgium. Mr. Sawyer has held every office in his Masonic lodge from steward, except secretary and treasurer, has been district deputy, up to grand master of the state from December, 1894, to December, 1896. He is also a Knight of Pythias. A Unitarian in religious belief, he be- longs to no church, since the nearest organization of Unitarians is at Charleston. Mr. Sawyer has never married. That has not been from a high regard of the marriage tie and an exalted opinion of woman, but rather due to ill health.
As noted above, Mr. Sawyer took an active part in the campaign of 1876, helping rouse the people of his part of Aiken County to their proper duties. He was nominated for the Legislature and elected, and in the famous legislative assembly that followed he voted against evacuating the State House and camped in the hall of the House four days and nights without sleep or any food except what could be smuggled in. He stood by and supported Gov- ernor Hampton throughout his administration. Everything done in the "Wallace House" had to be decided in the caucus of both houses, and he was appointed one of the secretaries and never missed a caucus. He called the roll hundreds of times, and worked until long after midnight, and then would be in his seat next morning at the beginning of the day's duties. All that time he was a sufferer from chronic appendicitis and frequently had to be lifted from his chair. In later years he was for several terms county chairman of the democratic party of Aiken and presided over county judicial and congressional conventions. He thoroughly opposed to Tillman, and when the Tillman fac- tion became dominant he was deposed from authority. Mr. Sawyer was a member of the national convention that met in St. Louis in 1904, where he voted for Parker, but has always been opposed to Bryanism, but being a demo- crat, he always supported the nominees. In all his political dealings he has been straightforward and outspoken, and this alone has stood in the way of political advancement corresponding with his abilities. As early as 1880, while he was a member of the Legislature, he proposed that the constitution should be amended to require every voter to pos- sess the qualification of being able to read and write, with an additional property qualification, and allow- ing two or three years for the electorate to adjust themselves to such conditions. These were the very provisions carried out by the Tillman constitutional convention of 1895.
When the captain of the National Guard com- pany had failed, Mr. Sawyer took it upon himself to raise a company in 1898, and succeeded, by de- serving the confidence and esteem of his men, in making his company second to none in the regiment. But politics played a part and the regiment was ordered home and mustered out on the 10th day of
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November, 1898. Only five of Captain Sawyer's inen signed the petition, or "round robin," gotten up by the disaffected for discharge, while all the others present drew up another petition without Captain Sawyer's knowledge and sent it to the secretary of war praying that the company be transferred and kept in the service. Captain Sawyer has always regarded that as the best and highest compliment ever. paid him. The company of which he was cap- tain was Company L of the First South Carolina Volunteers, commanded by Col. Joseph Alston, who died in the service.
In 1899 he was appointed by President Mckinley one of two captains from South Carolina and was assigned to the Thirty- Eighth Infantry, commanded by Col. George S. Anderson. Under the plan of organization of that army all the field officers above captain, and some of the captains, were regulars, and all but one in this regiment were West Point- ers, so that the conditions were in all respects those of the regular establishment, and the army was very efficient, so far as the officers and men could make it so, but Congress was derelict in its duty and the soldiers in the Philippines suffered hardships seldom exceeded. Captain Sawyer was in the Philippine insurrection from 1899 to June 30, 1901, during which time he was in many engagements and was recommended by his commanding officers for brevet for his meritorious services. He acted as major, commanded a number of expeditions; and was in command of a fort for two months and commanded a post and large military district for four months, served as provost judge and in his district he or- ganized civil government, established schools and taught the Filipinos the meaning of liberty. Though he turned over his command of the post and left his headquarters, at midnight a large concourse of natives came to see him off, expressed every degree of affection and grief at his departure. Through his experience and intimate contact with the Filipinos Captain Sawyer wrote a letter to Senator McLaurin to oppose the giving up of the Philippines, since the islands and the people needed a long period of education and training before they were ready for self-government. This letter got into public hands and was published, and Roosevelt in his Baltimore speech in 1900 used it as an argument of particu- lar value as coming from a democrat. Then some of the people of South Carolina abused Captain Sawyer and declared he was a republican, and caused his defeat for state senator in 1902.
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At the time of the World war Captain Sawyer was too old for service, but gave nearly all his time to local work without a cent of remuneration. His law partner, Herbert E. Gyles, was made food administrator and at the time of the second draft became naturalization examiner. The firm's ste- nographer was taken, and in the endeavor to handle the business of the firm and other duties Captain Sawyer was under a strain from which today he is suffering almost physical incapacity. In April, 1917, he organized a patriotic league in Aiken. Many of the qualified leaders of the community were not allowing their voice to be heard on one side or the other, but Captain Sawyer appointed a committee to interview every man and explain
that only two kinds of people could exist in such a national crisis, and each side must show his true colors. Through Captain Sawyer was held the great patriotic parade of May 1, 1917, and after that rousing demonstration men who hitherto had been quiet assumed the conventional leadership and, as is the way with popular opinion, much of the credit for local war work goes to them. Such are some of the more notable facts in the lifetime of a man who will receive greater honor and esteem in after years than in his own immediate genera- tion.
EUGENE MURRELL. PREPLES. One of the worthy native sons of Hampton County, South Carolina, is Eugene M. Peeples, the popular and efficient clerk of courts of Hampton County, who is easily the peer of any of his fellows in the qualities that constitute correct manhood and good citizenship. He is what he is from natural endowment and self-culture, hav- ing attained his present standing solely through the impelling force of his own strong nature. He pos- sesses not only those powers that render men cffi- cient in the material affairs of the community, but also the gentler traits that mark genial and helpful social intercourse. In his daily affairs he manifests a generous regard for his fellows, and he therefore commands the good will of the people of his com- munity, where he has spent his entire life.
Engene Murrell Peeples was born in Hampton County, South Carolina, on October 10, 1871, and is the son of A. McB. and Carrie Julia (Murrell) Peeples. The father, who was also a native of Hampton County, was a man of much local promi- nence and served as treasurer of the old Beaufort District. He followed the mercantile business and was the first settler at Varnville. He erected the railroad depot at that place and was appointed the first railroad agent there. In 1883 he retired from active business on account of the failure of his eye- sight. During the Civil war he was an officer in the Confederate army and was severely wounded at the battle of Pocateligo. His father, W. W. Peeples, was a farmer all his life and lived to the advanced age of ninety-three years. He was born in Cedar Grove, Hampton County, and was of English de- scent. The subject's mother was a native of Charles- ton, South Carolina, and the daughter of Walter Murrell, who was a soldier in the Confederate army during the Civil war and was killed in the service. The subject is the eldest of the nine children born to his parents.
Eugene M. Peeples is indebted to the common schools for his educational training, though he has all through his life been a close reader, a deep thinker and keen observer of men and events, so that today he is considered a well informed man on gen- eral topics. At the age of sixteen years he was appointed station agent at Varnville, also acting as express agent and operator. He held this position for eight years, when he was transferred to Hamp- ton in 1894, and assigned to similar duties. After nine years faithful service in that position Mr. Peeples was appointed postmaster of Hampton, fill- ing the position for seven years to the entire satis- faction of the postoffice department and the patrons of the office. During this period he was also engaged
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in the mercantile business, in which he demonstrated business abilities of high order. In 1911 Mr. Peeples sold his business interests and resigned the post- mastership in order to make the race, for the office of clerk of courts at Hampton County. The elcc- tion in 1912 was in his favor hy a very decided majority, he receiving 1,190 votes out of a total vote of 1,595, which was certainly a very marked and gratifying testimonial to his popularity and the con- fidence of the people in him. At the end of his first term of four years, he was re-elected, his opponent being a former clerk, whom he beat by a majority of over 200. Mr. Peeples has discharged the responsible duties of his official position in so satisfactory a manner that no words 'of criticism have been heard. even in the heat of a political campaign.
Mr. Peeples has for many years taken a very active interest in Sunday school work, and has done some very effective work in stimulating and main- taining popular interest in the cause. He has been president of the Baptist Sunday School convention for the past eleven years, and of the Hampton County Interdenominational Sunday School Asso- ciation, which he organized seven years ago. For the past four years Hampton County has retained the "Gold Star Banner," in this work, being the first county in the state to reach the "gold star" standard in Sunday school work. In connection with this work Mr. Peeples has done a great deal of speaking all over the county and he also "stumped" the county in the interest of the prohibition movement. He served as chairman of the local war board and was chairman of the district Red Cross drive during the days of the World war activities, in which Hampton County made such a splendid record, going way "over the top." He was also chairman of the Young Men's Christian Association drive, which was equally successful. However, as a result of his long-con- tinned activities along these lines, with little or no rest, his health broke down and he was compelled to go to the mountains for a while to recuperate.
Mr. Peeples is the only licensed embalmer in this section of the country and does a general undertak- ing business, covering a wide radius of the sur- rounding territory, his place of business being at Hampton. He is a member of the board of trus- tees of Coker College at Hartsville.
Mr. Peeples was married to Emma Johns, who was born in Colleton County, South Carolina, the daugh- ter of Jasper I. and Rebecca E. (Folk) Johns. To their union have been born three children, Aline, nineteen years old, Eugene M., seventeen years old, and Earl F., eleven years old.
Mr. Peeples is a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, the Knights of Pythias and the Junior Order of United American Mechanics, and has held offices in the two first named organizations, He has been successful in business, faithful as a public official, respected in social life and as a neigh- bor he has discharged his duties in a manner becom- ing a liberal-minded, intelligent citizen of a state where the essential qualities of manhood have cver been duly recognized and prized at their true value. . His chief characteristics seem to be keenness of per- ception, a tireless energy, honesty of purpose and motive and every-day common sense, and because of these attributes and his genial disposition he has
long enjoyed the confidence and good will of all who know him.
EDWARD RUTLEDGE, M. D. As a criterion of pro- fessional ability and sure success Dr. Edward Rut- ledge of Charleston proves easily on a plane of fellowship with the leading physicians of South Carolina. He has done much to justify his own worthy ambitions to be a source of usefulness. to humanity, and has been an honored member of the medical fraternity of Charleston for over twenty years.
He was born at Charleston in June, 1870. His father, Benjamin Huger Rutledge, was a native of Statesville, South Carolina, and spent his active career as a lawyer at Charleston, where he died at the age of sixty-three. He was of Irish descent. Doctor Rutledge's mother was a member of the Middleton family of Charleston and died at the age of seventy-three. Doctor Rutledge is the youngest of four living children. He was educated at Peters- burg, Virginia, graduated in 1891 from the Vir- ginia Military Institute, and his M. D. degree from the Medical College of South Carolina in 1896. The following year he spent in California, and then for a year enjoyed the advantages of work and clin- ical attendance in New York hospitals. He re- turned to Charleston in 1899, and since that time has been one of the hardest working local phy- sicians and surgeons. He is a member of the South Carolina and American Medical Associations.
In 1906 he married Miss Lillie Huger Wells, of Charleston. Their three daughters are Anna Wells, Ella Middleton and Eliza Huger.
DR. J. ALEXANDER MELDAU, one of the leading phy- sicians and surgeons of McCellanville, and a man high in his profession, was born in Sumter, South Carolina, November 12, 1858, a son of A. J. and Rebecca L. (Myers) Meldau, natives of Germany and Sumter, respectively. Doctor Meldan was the second in a family of nine children born to his parents.
Growing up in Sumter, Doctor Meldau attended its schools, and then in 1889 began the study of medicine at Reidsville, North Carolina, and at the same time earned his living as a telegrapher. In 1890 he matriculated at the Kentucky School of Medicine at Louisville, Kentucky, and after his. graduation was engaged in practice for one year at Corona, Alabama, from whence he moved to Rock- hill, South Carolina, and was there engaged in prac- tice for six years, and was surgeon for the Three C's Railroad. At the expiration of that period he volunteered for service in the Spanish-American war, but was not accepted. He accepted the appoint- ment as surgeon for the Charleston & Western Carolina Railroad, with headquarters at McCormick, South Carolina. After serving six years as such, he removed to Newberry, South Carolina, leaving there in 1917 for MeClellanville. Believing in the efficacy of professional organizations, he is a member of the South Carolina Medical Society and the American Medical Association. During the great war he volunteered for service in the medical department. But having nearly reached the age limit was not accepted, but was later accepted
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for membership in the Volunteer Medical Service of which organization he is still a member. Fraternally he is a Mason and Odd Fellow, and also belongs to the Red Men, the Knights of Pythias and the Order of Pocahontas. During the years he has been in practice Doctor Meldau has proven himself a man worthy of the highest consideration from the several communities in which he has resided, and his pro- fessional success is well deserved, as it is the logical results of careful training and natural ability. Now at the age of sixty-two he is still actively engaged in the practice of his profession, having made friends of the entire population of Mcclellanville and the surrounding country. His religious conviction is with the Missionary Baptists, but there being no church of this denomination at Mcclellanville he still retains his church connection at the First Church of Newberry.
LELAND MOORE, president of the Leland Moore Paint and Oil Company, one of the biggest indus- tries of its kind in the South, has been in this line of business, beginning as an employe, for over thirty-nine years.
He was born in Spartanburg, South Carolina, January 8, 1863, and is a member of a prominent family of the state. His father was J. O. A. Moore,. a native of South Carolina, and a member of the Constitutional Convention of the state. His grand- father was Rev. George W. Moore, a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church and a native of Charleston, who died about 1865. Mr. Moore's mother was Eliza Hibbin Leland, also a native of South Carolina and daughter of James Hibbin Leland, who was a son of Rev. A. W. Leland. Rev. A. W. Leland was a minister of the Presby- terian Church and at one time pastor of the old Scotch Presbyterian Church at Charleston when it was built. He also served as president of the Pres- byterian Seminary at Columbia.
Leland Moore was third in a family of seven children. He lived in Marion County until he was six years of age, when his parents eame to Charles- ton and he finished his education in the local pub- lie schools. He spent one year at sea and followed various other occupations until 1881, when he entered the paint and oil business of William E. Holmes as an employe, and in 1886 he was admitted to partnership.
In 1902 he severed his connection with this firm and organized the Leland Moore Paint and Oil Company, of which he is president and treasurer. Under capable and able management the business has steadily increased until today the firm is widely known both as manufacturers of paint, as well as wholesale distributors of paints, oils and kindred products.
In 1914 Mr. Moore was elected democratie county chairman, and in that capacity he did much to reform and improve election methods in the city and state and eliminate some of the evil influences from local politics. Among the most important of these reforms was the adoption of the Australian ballot system, and for this he is deserving of much credit, since its use in the state today is the direct result of earnest and continued effort on his part. He made a thorough and careful study of this
system and practically unaided and alone made the early fight for its adoption. Getting copies of the ballot law, as adopted and used in Massachu- setts, New York and other states, he took the best from each and formulating a measure containing such modifications and additions as were required to best meet the conditions prevalent in South Car- olina, he went before the Legislature and sought the enactment of the necessary legislation to make the measure effective. He was finally granted per- mission to put the system into operation in Charles- ton County. There the great benefits of this secret form of ballot were quickly demonstrated, with the result that it was adopted by the Legislature as the only official system for use in the state primary elections, and thus it may truthfully be said that Mr. Moore is the father of this great reform in South Carolina. He is president of the Young Men's Christian Association. During the war with Ger- many he was distriet fuel director for Charleston, and was chairman of the Registration Board in 1917. He is one of the prominent laymen of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, being chairman of the Board of Stewards of Trinity Church and a director for the South Carolina Conference in the Centenary Missionary campaign. He is vice chairman of the Board of Public Works of Charles- ton and a director of the Chamber of Commerce. Is a director of the Charleston Museum, and a director of the Commercial National Bank. He is a member of the South Carolina Society and in the Masonie order is a member of Orange Lodge No. 14.
In 1885 he married Miss Lillian Alston Weber, daughter of Rev. S. A. Weber. Her father is the oldest minister of the South Carolina Conference in the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. They had two daughters, Elizabeth, who died in infancy, and Dorothy Alston.
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