USA > South Carolina > History of South Carolina > Part 45
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68
-
1
ς
179
HISTORY OF SOUTH CAROLINA
stores at Belton, and then returned to the farm to aid his mother, then growing old, in its work. Again from 1904 to 1909, he was employed as clerk in Belton, but with that exception has handled the home farm and is one of the leading agriculturists in that part of the county. The old homestead is about two miles south of Belton.
Mr. King was elected a member of the State Legis- lature in 1912, serving one term. In June, 1913, hie was appointed county supervisor, and by two re- elections has been in that office ever since. He is a staunch democrat, and he and his family are mem- bers of the Baptist Church.
At the age of twenty-three he married Frances Elizabeth Butler, a daughter of Thomas Butler, who was born in Lancashire, England, in 1841, and died in North Carolina in 1881. Mrs. King, who died in 1909, was the mother of three children, Nancy, Josiah and James LeGrand. The daughter is a successful school teacher in Anderson County.
DARWIN LEON RFID, of Sandy Springs, Anderson County, is a business man of thorough training and experience, was for many years connected with the' Pendleton Manufacturing Company, and latterly has been both merchant and farmer.
He was born at Sandy Springs January 11, 1872, and represents one of the oldest and best known families of Anderson County. His grandfather, Henry Reid, was a native of Wales, and on coming to the United States located in Anderson County, where he marriel Esther Crayton, a native of Ire- land.
Thomas Lytle Reid, father of the Sandy Springs merchant, was born in Anderson County in 1811 and died in 1888. His first wife was Miss Anna Sit- ton, a native of Pickens County and daughter of William Philip Sitton, a native of England. She died in 1870. For his second wife Thomas L. Reid married Mrs. Bettie C. (Rampley) Darby, widow of William Darby.
Darwin Leon Reid was the only child of his father's second marriage, He grew up on his father's farm, and was educated in public schools, Wofford College and a business college. Leaving school, he became a clerk with the Pendleton Man- ufacturing Company and was with that corpora- tion for a quarter of a century, the greater part of the time being assigned the management of the company's stores at Pendleton and Autun. In 1909 Mr. Reid erected a building at Sandy Springs and stocked it with general merchandise. His present partner is Mr. J. S. Heller, and under the name Reid & Heller they handle an extensive trade in general merchandise, and are also furniture dealers and undertakers. Mr. Reid has acquired and devel- oped a large farm, well improved with all facilities and has a beautiful country residence near the Vill- age of Sandy Springs. He is a democrat in politics and is affiilated with the Masonic fraternity. Dur- ing the World war he had the responsibilities of leadership in five school districts for raising all the funds for Liberty Loans and auxiliary war work. In each drive he led these districts over the top.
Mr. Reid married Miss Margie Major in 1900. Mrs. Reid, a daughter of Joseph W. and Margaret E. (Webh) Major, is a graduate of Winthrop Nor-
mal and was a successful teacher before her mar- riage. Mr. and Mrs. Reid have a daughter Mar- garet Elizabeth now a student in Lander College.
CAPT. STEPHEN ERNEST LEVEREIT, a merchant and business man at Iva in Anderson County, earned genuine distinction as an American soldier and officer in the late war. He is in fact a veteran of two wars. At the time of the Spanish-American war in 1898 he enlisted in the United States Vol- unteers and was a first sergeant of his company. Nearly twenty years later, in August, 1917, Captain Leverett entered the officers training camp at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia. At the end of the training he was commissioned a first lieutenant and was as- signed to Company D of the Thirty-eighth In- fantry in the Third Division. With this, one of the regular army divisions, he went overseas in March, 1918, and was in active service nearly ten months. He participated in three of the great drives : Chateau Thierry, to the Vesle and Oreq rivers; St. Mihiel; and the Argonne Forest from September 26th to October 21st. During one phase of that great bat- tle between the Meuse and Argonne he was struck by a bullet from a machine gun, both bones of the right leg just above the ankle being broken. He received this wound October 21st, and the injury kept him in the hospital for five months, part of the time in France and part of the time in the United States. He received his honorable discharge March 5, 1919. Captain Leverett throughout his service was with Company D, which sustained tremendous loss while overseas. The captain of the company was killed at Chateau Thierry and he was promoted to the rank of captain in August, 1918. Up to the date of his wound he had passed unscathed through the tremendous fighting. On July 22d all the com- missioned officers of the company except himself were killed or wounded. In the Argonne Forest one commissioned officer was killed and others wound- ed, and the company lost all of its non-commis- sioned officers except two corporals.
Captain Leverett was born at Starr in Anderson County, September 22, 1876, and it should perhaps be noted that he was beyond draft age when he vol- unteered for the World war. He is a son of John B. and Lucy (McGee) Leverett, both natives of Anderson County. His father has followed farm- ing as an occupation. Captain Leverett remained on the home farm, attended public schools and at the age of twenty was appointed station agent for the Charleston and Western Carolina Railroad at Barnes. He remained there ten years, and as the railroad did not require all his services he also established and conducted a merchandise store. In 1912 he removed to Iva and has continued in busi- ness there as a merchant except as his time has been required for patriotic service. In 1903 Captain Everett married Allie E. McGee, a sister of W. Frank McGee, with whom he is now associated in business at Iva. Captain and Mrs. Leverett have five children. He is a Royal Arch Mason and Knight of Pythias and a member of the Baptist Church.
CHRISTOPHER FITZ SIMONS is a veteran in the cot- ton oil industry of South Carolina. Forty years ago he was traveling ahout over the state working
180
HISTORY OF SOUTH CAROLINA
hard to induce the cotton planters to dispose of their cotton seed to the pioneer oil mill he repre- sented. At that time cotton seed was largely a waste product, though to some extent utilized for feed and fertilizer. He was actively interested in bring- about the organization of the Inter-State Cotton Secd Crushers Association, and served as its presi- dent in 1904-5. He also gave effective aid in the organization of the South Carolina Cotton Seed Crushers Association, serving as president of the association in 1907-8, and is at present a member of its executive committee. For a number of years Mr. Fitz Simons has been general manager of the Southern Cotton Oil Company at Columbia since its reorganization . in 1901.
He was born at Charleston January 26, 1856, a son of Dr. Christopher and Susan Milliken ( Barker) Fitz Simons. His family is Scotch-Irish. His father spent his life as a capable and hard-working physician. The son was educated in the public schools and the Carolina Military Institute at Char- lotte, North Carolina. For two years he was a civil engineer, and in 1880 formed his first connection with the cotton oil business. From 1889 to 1901 he was manager at Columbia for the Southern Cotton Oil Company. He negotiated the sale of the South- ern Cotton Oil Company to the Virginia-Carolina Chemical Company. This was one of the largest business transactions ever recorded in South Caro- lina, involving approximately three million dollars. Since the consolidation Mr. Fitz Simons has been retained as division manager at . Columbia.
He is well known in social affairs, being a member of the Columbia and Ridgewood clubs. February 12, 1890, he married Frances Motte Huger of Charleston, daughter of Cleland Kinloch Huger, well known as a planter and merchant. Mr. and Mrs. Fitz Simons have two children, Susan Milli- ken and Christopher, Jr. Christopher, who served during the war as a member of the Aviation Corps, married Natalie Hayward of Columbia in December, 1916. They have a daughter Natalie Hayward Fitz Simons, and a son Christopher, the sixth Christopher Fitz Simons in direct descent.
JOSHUA WHITNER ASIILEY. Throughout the pe- riod of his twenty years as a members of the Legis- lature, and for a much longer time in his own part of the state, "Josh" Ashley was a figure of dominat- ing personality and of power in politics and public affairs. By sheer force of will, ambition and in- dustry he earned all the honors that came to him. He rose from unschooled poverty to wealth, and had the confidence of his fellow men to a degree only given to men of great strength of character.
He was born in Martin Township of Anderson County December 16, 1848, and died at the home of his son Joe M. H. Ashley at Anderson in 1916. He was the seventh of the twelve children of Ed- ward and Elizabeth Ashley and grew up on his father's farm in Anderson County. He attended school only six weeks, and at the time of his mar- riage was unable to write his name. His wife taught him most of his literary accomplishments, and his correspondents report that he could write a good let- ter. Like many successful men, he never thought of success until he had attained it. He did the du-
ties that lay nearest to him, worked at farming, which was the only occupation he knew, and in spite of the handicaps and disadvantages to which the South Carolina farmer of the past generation was exposed he became one of the wealthiest men in the county. Prosperity never changed his dis- position and his sympathizing and friendly attitude to the man in poverty and struggling for a living.
An ardent democrat, he early identified himself with the cause of the late Senator Tillman. In 1892 he was elected a member of the Legislature from Anderson County, and with the exception of two years sat continuously in the Legislature until 1914. He was father of the very first labor law in South Carolina, a bill limiting the hours of labor. While an active adherent of Ben Tillman, he showed vig- orous opposition to the dispensary system proposed and introduced to South Carolina by Governor Till- man and his associates. He fought the dispensary to the very last, though in every sense he was a real prohibitionist. He was a thorough economist and his record shows that lic supported every cause safe- guarding the real rights of the people. He was a inan of great courage, stood by his convictions, and had the power of argument to convince others that he was right. He was a member of the Baptist Church.
Soon after his marriage he established his home in Honca Path Township and lived and reared his family there. He married Mahala. Moore February 18, 1875. Mrs. Ashley, who is still living, was born in Abbeville County, a daughter of David Moore. To their marriage were born the following children : Millie, wife of William H. Canfield, a farmer near Honca Path; Joe M. H. Ashley, of Honca Path; Sa- vannah, wife of James N. Pearman, clerk of court for Anderson County.
CLAUDE C. JONES. For a man in his early forties Claude C. Jones, of Starr, has had an exceedingly busy career and has been engaged in many enter- prises directly related to the welfare and business progress of his community. Mr. Jones is president and treasurer of the Watson Oil Mill, vice president of the Planters Bank of Starr and has a number of other interests in Anderson County.
He was born on his father's farmi near Starr March 31, 1878, son of James Thomas Crayton and Sarah Josephine (McGee) Jones. His grandpar- ents were William and Elizabeth (Dean) Jones, and his great-grandparents, James and Elizabeth (Austin) Jones. This is one of the oldest families of South Carolina. James Jones moved from Green- ville County and settled on a farm at Butlersville, now known as Starr. He was living there when war between the states occurred, and though in advanced years he volunteered his services and did important duty in conveying the bodies of the dead back home for burial. His son William rose to the rank of captain in the Confederate army, and James Thom- as Crayton Jones also served as a soldier in the war. Thus three generations of the family were represented in that great struggle. James Thomas Crayton Jones is now living retired at Anderson. For many years he was a farmer and merchant. His wife was a daughter of Elias McGee, whose
1
I.B. Dikinson.
181
HISTORY OF SOUTH CAROLINA
father, Willis McGee, was a pioneer settler of An- derson County.
Claude C. Jones is one of twelve children, nine sons and three daughters, also still living. Their father, popularly known as "Dock" Jones, was a general merchant at Starr and was also appointed station agent for the Charleston & Western Caro- lina Railroad at that place, Claude Jones had the advantages of the common schools and at the age of fourteen assumed the duties of his father as station agent at Starr. He did all the work, though the transactions were handled in his father's name, and after seven years on attaining the age of twen- ty-one, he was formally appointed station agent and served seven years longer. After leaving the rail- road he was a salesman for Allen & Pruitt, gen- eral merchants at Starr, then for two years was associated with W. L. Mouchet under the name Jones & Mfouchet, merchants, and in the meantime was employed by the Farmers Oil Mill at Ander- son. This firm was succeeded by the Anderson Phosphate & Oil Company, and Mr. Jones continued with it until 1911, when he was made manager of the Watson Cotton Oil Mill. Since 1912 he has been president and treasurer of this important in- stitution at Starr. Upon the organization of the Planters Bank at Starr he was made vice president and cashier, but in January, 1919, was relieved at his own request of the duties of cashier, but is still vice president.
Mr. Jones has a beautiful and modern farm home near Starr and is directly interested in agriculture. He is a director of the Peoples Bank of Anderson. He is a stanch democrat, is a Knight of Pythias and is a member of the Baptist Church and superin- tendent of the Sunday school.
January 18, 1898, Mr. Jones married Rosa Rampy, daughter of D. G. Rampy of Starr. Mr. and Mrs. Jones have four children.
MARTIN AUSTIN CHAPMAN, a native of Georgia, has been a factor in business affairs in South Caro- lina for ten years, and is now cashier of the Plant- ers Bank of Starr, Anderson County.
He was born on a farm near Elberton May 27, 1881, a son of John E. and Alice (Turner) Chap- man, both of whom were natives of Georgia and of old and highly respected families of Elberton Coun- ty. Alice Chapman died when her son Martin was fourteen years old, also leaving an older son, Mar- vin E. Chapman. John E. Chapman subsequently married Emma Johnson, of Hart County, Georgia, and several of their children are living. John E. Chapman was a farmer and merchant in Elberton County, but is now living retired at Mountain City in Rabun County, Georgia.
Martin Austin Chapman spent his early life on a farm, had a good practical education in the com- mon schools and later in a business college at At- lanta, Georgia. At the age of seventeen he left the farm, for 21/2 years was a cotton weigher for Brown Brothers at Elberton, then farmed in his native county for two years, and in 1908, left his native state and came to South Carolina. Here he was salesman and bookkeeper for W. A. Wiles, a merchant at Iva, but soon afterward was made bookkeeper for the Farmers Bank at Iva. In 1915
he took the post of assistant cashier of the Plant- ers Bank at Starr, and in January, 1919, was pro- moted to the responsibilities of cashier.
Mr. Chapman, who is one of the well known young business men of Anderson County, is a Mas- ter Mason, and with his wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. He married Georgia Hall, a native of Elberton County, Georgia. They have three children.
HON. JOHN BUFORD ATKINSON, of Spartanhurg, has for many years been engaged in work of inter- est to the public, touching at inany points vital and significant affairs in the community and state. For several years he has been one of the highly capable members of the House of Representatives. He is a very scholarly lawyer, and both before and after his admission to the bar he enjoyed responsible re- Jations with educational interests.
He was born at Chester, Chester County, South Carolina, January 13, 1872, son of Col. E. T. and Eliza (Alexander) Atkinson. His grandfather John Atkinson was a planter in Chester County in ante- bellum days. Colonel Atkinson, also a native of Chester County, during his youth attained the rank of colonel in the state militia, and when the war came on he went out as officer of a company from Chester County and served all through the struggle, chiefly in Virginia. Later his influence and efforts did much to repudiate the negro rule in liis county. While prominent in politics, serving four years as chairman of the democratic executive committee of the county, he was never a personal candidate for office. For thirty-six years he was superintendent of the Sunday school of the First Baptist Church at Chester, and when he died in I911 at the age of seventy-nine he had earned all the tributes and eulogies pronounced over him.
Eliza Alexander, his wife, was a daughter of Sample and Patience Emeline (Buford) Alexander. This is a branch of the prominent Alexander family of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, seven Alex- ander names appearing as signers to the Mecklen- burg declaration of independence and many of them were soldiers and patriots in the war for indepen- dence. The Buford family has also contributed some noted characters to the history of the South and the nation. The Buford ancestry goes back to the Norman conquest of England, and the founder of the American family was John Buford, who came on the ship Elizabeth in 1635 and settled in Middle- sex County, Virginia. The South Carolina branch of the family was headed by LeRoy Buford, who in 1800 settled on Fishing Creek in Chester County.
John Buford Atkinson was reared and received his early education at Chester, attending there the first graded public school in the state, under Prof. W. H. Witherow, who by his work at Chester and elsewhere achieved lasting distinction in the history of South Carolina education. Mr. Atkinson gradu- ated from the Chester school in 1890 and in 1891 entered Furman University at Greenville, where he won the alumni scholarship and graduated valedic- torian of his class. He also took a leading part in debates as a member of the Adelphian Literary So- ciety. His next immediate experience was teaching in Anderson County, and in 1896 he was called to
182
HISTORY OF SOUTH CAROLINA
the principalship of the Central Graded School in the City of Anderson. After a year he resigned to study law in South Carolina College at Columbia, where by taking the regular two years' course in one he graduated with the LL. B. degree in 1897. While in law school he was likewise prominent in debating and oratory, and represented the Clario- sophic Literary Society in debate with the Euphra- dian Society.
For a short time he was employed on some legal work in the office of the attorney general at Co- lumbia, and then resumed his former profession as a teacher, being principal of the Ridge Springs High School two years and principal of the Allendale High School two years. In 1903 at Blackville, Mr. Atkinson formed a law partnership with Judge Izlar of Orangeburg, practicing in the Barnwell courts six or seven months. In 1904 Mr. Atkinson moved to Spartanburg, where his talents as a lawyer have borne their best fruit. From 1905 he was in part- nership with Judge T. S. Sease until the latter was elevated to the bench of the Seventh Circuit, and after being alone for a few years he formed his present alliance with Mr. S. T. MeCravy, as Mc- Cravy & Atkinson. For the most part his practice has been general in the State and Federal courts, but since igo7 he has also been local attorney for the Southern Railway in Spartanburg.
After ten years of service as United States com- missioner, Mr. Atkinson resigned in 1916 to make the campaign for the Legislature. He served in the session of 1917 and was re-elected in 1918. In both terms he was a member of the judiciary com- mittee, and in 1919 of the committee on rules. But his legislative experience is specially distinguished by the importance of the measures with which his name is identified. In the 1917 session he was au- thor of and secured the passage of the bill authoriz- ing the expenditure of Spartanburg County of $1,000,000 for building highways. In the fol- lowing sessions he exercised all his influence in be- half of continued encouragement to the good roads program for the state at large. He was also one of the earnest advocates for the adoption of the Federal Amendment to the Constitution securing nation wide prohibition. In the session of 1919, after a determined fight on the floor of the House, he got passed the measure providing a budget system for state finances and for the establishment of . a greater "Citadel." He was also a leader in the compulsory education movement.
Mr. Atkinson served as a delegate to the state democratic convention at Columbia in May, 1918. During the war he was almost constantly, and at much personal sacrifice, in service as a speaker for the Council of Defense of Spartanburg County, be- ing a "four-minute" man in all the Liberty loans and also in other war causes. He is a deacon of the First Baptist Church of Spartanburg. His wife before her marriage was Miss Corinne Searson of' Allendale, South Carolina. They have three chil- dren, Bonita Searson, Lila and Lucia Catherine.
WILLIAM PRINGLE COOK. In point of continued service William Pringle Cook is the oldest business inan of Iva in Anderson County, where he be- came a merchant about the time the village was
established on the newly opened line of the Charles- ton and Western Carolina Railroad. As a general merchant he has done much to make Iva the center of trade for a large and prosperous community, and is one of the real builders of the town.
He was born in Anderson County January 23, IS59, son of Dr. Augustus Gilmer and Mary Alkanza ( Clinkscales) Cook. No family names in Anderson County speak more eloquently of genuine worth and stability than those of Cook and Clinkscales. Dr. Augustus G. Cook, a son of Charles and Sarah (Dickey) Cook, was born in Anderson County and soon afterward his parents moved to the northern part of Georgia. He grew up in Georgia, finished his education at Viney Grove, Tennessee, and tak- ing up the study of medicine graduated at the Col- lege of Physicians and Surgeons at Philadelphia during the forties. The scene of his life work as a professional man was in the country near the Town of Iva, a farm four miles west of that village, and there hie practiced and devoted his best ener- gies to his work until 1886. The Town of Iva is located on land formerly owned by Doctor Cook, and in 1886 he moved to the village, the same year the Charleston and Western Carolina Railroad was completed and put in operation. Though then well along in years, Doctor Cook found many oppor- tunities to promote the interests of the town and lived there busily and happily until his death in 1895, at the advanced age of eighty. He never sought political honors, was a stanch democrat, and a mem- ber of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church. His wife was the oldest child of Abner and Re- becca (Tucker) Clinkscales, and a sister of the late Dr. William Abner Clinkscales. Her grand- parents were John and Frances ( Pyles) Clinkscales. Some other references to this interesting family are published on other pages. Mrs. Cook was a native of Anderson County. She and her husband had five children, and the four to reach mature years are William Pringle, Iva Alkanza, who married David Bryson, Essie R., who became the wife of Foster Bryson, and James Augustus Cook.
William Pringle Cook spent his early life on a farm, finished his education at Erskine College at Due West and for several years looked after farm- ing interests of his father. In 1887 he opened a stock of general merchandise at Iva, his father being associated with him for a time. The business with many additions and development has been con- tinned ever since, and his general store does a vol- ume of business which would do credit to stores in larger cities. He has neglected no opportunity to improve his home community through his influence as a business man, and his name is one that be- speaks real leadership in the community. He is a democrat, a Master Mason and a Methodist.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.