USA > South Carolina > Men of mark in South Carolina; ideals of American life: a collection of biographies of leading men of the state, Volume I > Part 24
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Men of Mark Publishing Co. Washington,D. C.
Very truly yours , Hanyama Clilu.
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435
STANYARNE WILSON
a candidate for renomination in 1900, but lost. In congress his ability was recognized by the party leaders, and during his last term he successfully led the Democrats of the house in the fight against the bill framed by South-hating Republicans, providing for a reduction in Southern representation in congress and in the electoral college.
Since returning home from congress he has devoted his time mostly to his law practice and business interests, but has not entirely neglected politics; his friends do not, by any means, regard his political career as closed. He was for several years captain of the Hampton guards, a crack Spartanburg military organization ; is president of the Carolina Mutual Fire Insurance company; a member of the Protestant Episcopal church; a Ma- son, and a member of the Phi Gamma Delta college fraternity.
He rates private study as having been the strongest influence in his career; contact with men in active life next, and thinks the books most helpful in preparing him for it were history and the speeches of eminent English and American statesmen and lawyers. His favorite outdoor recreation is riding; indoor, read- ing. He suggests as a chart by which the young may steer safely through the rough waters of life: "Thoroughness in ground work and details; industry and perseverance; greater concern about the present than for past failures or future hopes; faith in one's self and cultivation of the optimistic; cultivate a good conscience, and fear nothing and no man; accumulate all one can, honestly and without being mean."
On November 25, 1896, he married Hattie W. Hazard, daughter of B. I. Hazard, of Georgetown, South Carolina. Two children have been born to them.
His address is Spartanburg, South Carolina.
CHARLES OTTO WITTE
W ITTE, CHARLES OTTO, merchant, banker, and representative of foreign governments, was born in Blomberg, Principality of Lippe-Detmold, November 23, 1823. His father was Ernst Witte, a graduate of the Univer- sity of Jena with the degree of Doctor of Law, who, in 1848, represented the county of Luneburg in the upper house of the parliament of the kingdom of Hanover, being the only member of that body not a nobleman. His grandfather, also Ernst Witte, was a wealthy merchant of Blomberg and mayor of the city, holding office by life tenure. His mother was Lisette Linnemann, of Hovededissen. The first of the name of whom the family have documentary records was Bernhard Witte, who came with Count Simon de Lippe from Saxony-Weimar and settled at Horn in Lippe-Detmold in the sixteenth century, subsequently removing to Blomberg, where he built a residence. This residence was still in possession of the family when the subject of this sketch came to America.
Charles O. Witte was the third child of a family of ten children-eight boys and two girls. His father, though educated for the law, spent his life as an agriculturist, and during the first eight or nine years of Charles's life was the lessee of the Domain of Blomberg, near Blomberg, having fourteen hundred tenants. He then purchased a farm, called Kleefeld, in the suburbs of the city of Hanover. Here Charles spent his youth, receiving his education in the Hanover lyceum, which he regularly attended until he reached manhood, devoting himself especially to agri- cultural studies, in part under private instructors, and supple- mented, out of school hours and in vacations, by the performance of regular tasks on the farm and in the gardens.
His education completed, he resolved to come to the United States and engage in planting, expecting to put to some practical use his special agricultural training, but soon after he arrived at New York, October 7, 1846, he reached the conclusion that his means were not sufficient to engage in farming under favorable conditions and determined to become a merchant. He found employment in the counting rooms of H. E. Moring, a large
Monof Mark Publishing Co Washington D C
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439
CHARLES OTTO WITTE
commission and exporting and importing house, and rapidly familiarized himself with the details of the business. The next year, 1847, he removed to Charleston, arriving on the last day of the year, under an engagement as clerk for Herman Thierman, a merchant, who needed the services of a man who had some knowledge of the exporting and importing trade, and he has been a resident of Charleston since that time. Two years later Mr. Witte went into the grocery and commission business on his own account. This business included exporting and importing, as well as domestic trade, and was conducted with success until the breaking out of the War between the States, when, of course, it was interrupted. At the close of the war Mr. Witte contemplated retiring from active business. A little later this course was fully decided upon, and on February 15, 1866, he was married to Charlotte Sophia Reeves, daughter of Matthew and Ellen Boune- theau Reeves, of Charleston. He closed his mercantile affairs and the newly married pair at once sailed for Europe, where they remained for a year and a half. Their eldest child, now Mrs. Alice Witte Sloan, was born in Germany during this visit.
Returning to Charleston, the wish of Mr. Witte to escape from active business was not to be gratified. His ability was widely recognized, and the public claimed his services. So it came to pass that on April 13, 1868, he was chosen director of the People's National bank, the first national bank organized in South Carolina, its charter number being 1621, and on February 21, 1870, he was elected its president. He was at the head of this institution until November 27, 1899, and during his admin- istration the bank prospered and became, as it still remains, one of the leading banks in South Carolina. Meanwhile, the Security Savings bank had been organized and he had been chosen its president. This latter position he retained, after selling his interest in the Peoples National, and is still (1907) its president. The offices are at Number 18 Broad street.
After the unification of Germany under William I., Mr. Witte was commissioned consul for the Empire at Charleston, and held the office until November, 1907, having of his own motion tendered his resignation in the April preceding. Upon his retirement the Imperial government conferred upon him the decoration of the Royal Crown, in recognition of merit, making him a knight of the order, fourth class. He long held the offices
440
CHARLES OTTO WITTE
of vice-consul for Sweden and Norway, resigning upon the sepa- ration of those kingdoms. He has long been and still is consul for the Austro-Hungarian Empire. In recognition of services in the protection of the commerce of Sweden during the War between the States, he was given the decoration of Knight of Vase by the king of Sweden. He has also received a decoration of lesser importance from the Austrian Empire. He became a naturalized citizen of the United States a few years after coming to Charleston, when he began to acquire real estate, in which he always had a firm faith as a form of investment, and of which he is a large holder, in Charleston and elsewhere in South Caro- lina and in Florida.
The home of Mr. Witte, Number 172 Rutledge avenue, is one of the handsome places in Charleston; the house, a mansion of colonial type a century old, and the grounds being the object of admiring interest to visitors. He also has a home on Sullivan's Island, where he has for years spent the summers.
Mrs. Witte died in 1892. There are six daughters, all of whom are married and living in Charleston, some of them and their families with their father.
Mr. Witte has always enjoyed vigorous health. His youthful fondness for plants and flowers survives, and he takes a lively interest in his gardens. He is a wide reader, familiar with English as well as German literature, and keeps well informed, especially in the line of international politics. He is fond of the companionship of his friends, and his home is notable for its hospitality. He is a member of the Lutheran church.
His address is Charleston, South Carolina.
& F. Woodward
JOHN FRIERSON WOODWARD
W OODWARD, JOHN FRIERSON, of Bishopville, Lee county, South Carolina, planter, banker, manufacturer, was born near Bishopville October 4, 1845. His father, Jesse Woodward, was a planter, and the son has all his life felt a strong influence for good in the memory of his father's piety and integrity. His mother, Mrs. Nancy (Stuckey) Woodward, interested herself deeply and constantly in the moral welfare and the intellectual progress of her son, as well as in his comfort and happiness; and to her he professes a great debt of gratitude for her influence on him. His ancestors came from England and settled in South Carolina before the Revolutionary period.
He had a healthy and happy boyhood, passed on his father's farm, where he learned to do general farm work, and to direct others in doing it. But he had the good fortune to be one of those boys and young men who enjoy farm-life and find pleasure in their daily duties in the changing round of the seasons with their differing forms of occupation in farm-life. And he began at an unusually early age to be responsible for the management of his father's farm.
The War between the States found him eager to be in the military service of his state and his section; and while a boy of sixteen he entered the Confederate army and served for fifteen months.
The troubles of that period in the history of his state inter- fered with his attendance at school. He did not try to prepare for a course of advanced study, but attended, as he was able, the common schools of the county. In his youth he had access to few books, but then, as in his later manhood, he was an interested reader of the newspapers and of current literature, with a keen desire to "keep abreast of the times" in matters political and social.
At eighteen he began business for himself as a planter. And of the years which followed he writes: "I simply kept on working and waited until assisted by circumstances."
444
JOHN FRIERSON WOODWARD
He was married to Addie J. Wilson, daughter of Hosea and Mary Wilson, on October 14, 1875. Of their two children, one, Hosea Wilson, is living in 1907.
In July, 1902, Mr. Woodward became president of the Bank of Bishopville, which position he still holds. In May, 1903, he was made president of the Lee County Manufacturing company, but he resigned that office in 1904. Since April, 1901, he has also been president of the Bishopville Masonic Hall company.
He is trustee of the Methodist church of Bishopville. He is a Mason, and has been treasurer of the Bishopville lodge since its organization. In politics a Democrat, he has at no time seen any reason to deviate from strict adherence to his party in measures advocated or in support of candidates nominated. It is his lifelong custom to attend regularly to business for the greater part of his working hours, and his only form of recreation he has found in an occasional trip of a few weeks to the moun- tains or the seaside.
It is evident from this sketch that Mr. Woodward believes in close personal attention by every man to the occupation to which he professes to devote his time.
His advice to young men who would succeed in business, after emphasizing the business virtues of promptness, regularity, energy, industry, integrity, sobriety, and unceasing vigilance, is as follows: "Keep every detail systematized. Give personal attention to even the smallest matters."
List of Full Page Portraits
VOLUME I.
FACING PAGE
FACING PAGE
ANSEL, MARTIN F. 3
LUCAS, JAMES J. .
228
HEYWARD, DUNCAN C. 6 MCCULLOUGH, JOSEPH A. . 234
ALDRICH, JAMES
12
MANNING, RICHARD I.
248
BAILEY, THOMAS M. .
18
MEMMINGER, ALLARD
259
BRAWLEY, WILLIAM H.
26
MOISE, MARION
262
BRISTOW, ABNER A.
35
MOOD, JULIUS A.
268
BROWN, FREDERICK G.
38
MOORE, JAMES W.
275
BROWN, JOSEPH N.
45
MORGAN, WILLIAM D.
278
BUIST, GEORGE L.
48
NEWTON, HOPE H.
285
CAPERS, ELLISON
55
OTTS, JAMES C.
293
CARY, JOHN C.
65
PINCKNEY, THOMAS
301
COLCOCK, CHARLES J., JR. . 72
POPE, JOSEPH D.
307
POPE, YOUNG J. .
313
PURDY, ROBERT O.
316
RHETT, ROBERT G. .
327
EMANUEL, PHILIP A.
105
FICKEN, JOHN F.
112
FRETWELL, JOSEPH J.
123
FURMAN, CHARLES M.
126
GLENN, JOHN L. .
138
GOSSETT, JAMES P.
145
HASKELL, ALEXANDER
C. . 150
HASKELL, JOHN C. 156
HENDERSON, DANIEL S. . . 163
HERBERT, DANIEL O.
169
HUDSON, JOSHUA H.
172
IZLAR, JAMES F.
183
JERVEY, THEODORE D.
186
JOHNSON, DAVID B.
191
KAMINSKI, HEIMAN
200
KOLLOCK, CHARLES W.
209
LATIMER, ASBURY C.
212
LEE, RICHARD D.
218
SNYDER, HENRY N.
370
SPENCER, CHARLES E.
374
SPRINGS, LEROY
378
SPRUNT, ALEXANDER 384
STACKHOUSE, JAMES
388
TILLMAN, BENJAMIN R .. . 398 WALLACE, WILLIAM H. . . 413 WANNAMAKER, JOHN E .. . 417 WILLIAMSON, BRIGHT 428
WILSON, STANYARNE
432
WITTE, CHARLES O.
436
WOODWARD, JOHN F.
443
COURTENAY, WILLIAM A. .
78
COWARD, ASBURY .
85
EIDSON, JOHN D. .
101
ROBERTSON, EDWIN W.
333
RODDEY, WILLIAM J. . 339
SCHERER, JAMES A. B. .
. 343
SEIGNIOUS, JAMES M. . .
. 351
SHANNON, CHARLES J., JR. 356
SMITH, JOEL A.
367
Index to Biographies
VOLUME I.
PAGE
PAGE
ANSEL, MARTIN F. 3 GILLAND, THOMAS, McD. . 136
HEYWARD, DUNCAN C. 6 GLENN, JOHN L. . 138
ALDRICH, JAMES .
12
GOSSETT, JAMES P.
145
BAILEY, THOMAS M.
18
HAMER, ROBERT P.
148
BARNWELL, JOSEPH W.
23
HASKELL, ALEXANDER C. . 150
BRAWLEY, WILLIAM H. 26 HASKELL, JOHN C. . 156
BRIGGS, HENRY 31
HAYNESWORTH, EDGAR C. . 160
BRISTOW, ABNER A.
35
HENDERSON, DANIEL S. . . 163
BROWN, FREDERICK G.
38
HERBERT, DANIEL O.
169
BROWN, JOSEPH N.
45
HUDSON, JOSHUA H.
172
BUIST, GEORGE L.
48
HUNTER, JOHN P. 177
CAPERS, ELLISON 55
CAREY, JAMES P.
59
JERVEY, THEODORE D.
186
JOHNSON, DAVID B. 191
CARY, JOHN C.
65
JONES, IRA B. .
194
COKER, JAMES L. . 69 JOYNES, EDWARD S. 196
COLCOCK, CHARLES J., JR. . 72
COTHRAN, THOMAS P.
76
KNOX, JOHN P. .
204
KOLLOCK, CHARLES W. 209
COWARD, ASBURY
85
LATIMER, ASBURY C. 212
LEE, RICHARD D. 218
LEWIS, WILLIAM W.
223
DREHER, JULIUS D. . 92 LINDSAY, WILLIAM C. 225
DUNCAN, WILLIAM W. 97
LUCAS, JAMES J. . 228
MCCULLOUGH, JOSEPH A. . 234 239
MCINTOSH, JAMES
McLAURIN, JOHN L.
241
McMANUS, AMOS
244
McSWEEN, JOHN
246
MANNING, RICHARD I.
248
MELL, PATRICK H. . 254
MEMMINGER, ALLARD
259
FURMAN, CHARLES M.
126
MOISE, MARION .
262
GADSDEN, CHRISTOPHER S .. 130
MONTGOMERY, WILLIAM J .. 266
GAGE, GEORGE W.
133
MOOD, JULIUS A.
268
EIDSON, JOHN D. . 101
EMANUEL, PHILIP A.
105
EVANS, JOHN G.
108
FEATHERSTONE, CLAUDIUS C. 110
FICKEN, JOHN F.
112
FOSTER, ALFRED H.
117
FRASER, HUGH W.
119
FRETWELL, JOSEPH J.
123
KAMINSKI, HEIMAN 200
COURTENAY, WILLIAM A. . 78
DAVIS, ZIMMERMAN 87
DEAN, GEORGE R. .
90
IZLAR, JAMES F.
183
CARLISLE, JAMES H. 61
448
INDEX TO BIOGRAPHIES
PAGE
PAGE
MOORE, JAMES W. 275
SNYDER, HENRY N. . 370
MORGAN, WILLIAM D. 278
SPENCER, CHARLES E.
374
NEWTON, HOPE H.
285
SPRINGS, LEROY
378
NICHOLSON, ALLAN
289
SPRUNT, ALEXANDER
384
OTTS, JAMES C. .
293
STACKHOUSE, JAMES
388
PARKER, LEWIS W.
296
STONE, J. THEODUS
392
PINCKNEY, THOMAS
301
TALBIRD, THOMAS .
394
POPE, JOSEPH D. .
307
THORNWELL, JAMES H. .
. 396
POPE, YOUNG J.
313
TILLMAN, BENJAMIN R .. . 398
TOWNSEND, DANIEL A. . . 404
TRACY, CARLOS C. . 406
VEDDER, CHARLES S. .
408
WALLACE, WILLIAM H. . . 413
WANNAMAKER, JOHN E .. . 417
RODDEY, WILLIAM J. .
339
WARING, THOMAS R. . 421
WHITE, HENRY A. .
422
WHITE, JOHN G.
425
SCHUMPERT, OSBORNE L. . 347 SEIGNIOUS, JAMES M. . . . 351 SHANNON, CHARLES J., JR. 356
WHITFORD, REID
426
WILLIAMSON, BRIGHT
428
SHEPARD, CHARLES U.
360
WILSON, STANYARNE
432
SLOAN, BENJAMIN
363
WITTE, CHARLES O. .
436
SMITH, JOEL A.
367
WOODWARD, JOHN F.
443
PURDY, ROBERT O.
316
RAYSOR, THOMAS M.
320
REAVES, GEORGE R.
323
RHETT, ROBERT G. .
327
ROBERTSON, EDWIN W.
333
SCHERER, JAMES A. B. .
.
343
610
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