The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-09-17
CAPT. B. r. TILLMAN.
Interesting Sketch OF His Life and
characteristics.
NeWs and Cou ier.

=,
or of South Carolina, was born IN Edgeheld
County on the llth Of August, lS47. HIS place
OF birth was at the Tillman homestead. Cnes
5ef Which IneN cover about 1000 acres. T6is home
stead has been In the possession OF the laInlly
for more than one hundred and twenty years:
The Tillmans came to America n I,a6 WILD LEhe %ha
name was probably at that early date, speileo
Tilghman, as the well-known general OF thal
name belongs to the family that came over
with Lord Baltimore.
cestors OF the subject Of this sketch was made
on Horse Creek, Edgefeld County. Capt; Ben
Tillman's father was named Benjamin Ryan
Tiiimans, were Whigs and did good service IN
open and guerilla warfare against the Iories
and other followers OF LORD C0rnWaiiis.
They suffered persecution and retaiiateo In
kind, as was the custom in the guerilla war
fare Of those days. On one tract OF the Iiil-
man lands is place known as Shelving ROCK,
which was often the refuge OF the Illimans
and Ryans and other wig iamlitesi hi, az Torv nn
paid the penalty Of his crimes, At third
place is the Murder Field, SO called from the
fact at an ancestor OF Capt Tillman, a Ryan,
,riilman now owns about 1900 acres OF the
original tract and lives at his own homestead,
called "Hlgh View," near Ropers station, on
the Charlotte. Columbia and Augusta haii-
road. " .
Capt. Tillman obtained his elementary edu-
cation at the old field school of George Col.
phin, at which school Senator Butler ana
Mart Carey were prepared for College. ne
prostrated by a severe attack of fever by
which he lost his left eye. This af1iction
made young Tillman an Invalid LOT Two
years. When he recovered ne aPplied oan1G MINI
lay his hands on" His chief delight was In
poetry and novels. In poetry his taste was was
Tor the British classics, Milton, Pope, Dryden
works, including Scott, Bulwer, Dickens and
Thackeray. The library at his home, at High
View, contains q number OF the best books
Of this period and the period OF the others
lust named.
Considering that the bent OF his mind has
been in the direction OF poetry and romance,
1t is somewhat remarkable that his lie VOTE
should have been mapped out as one deVoteo
to political and economic reform: THIS ID all
the more remarkable as Capt. Tillman has
not not read any of the works on politicai
economy or literature related to that suo)ect.
He paid great deal attention, however, 10
the condition of the State, Its finances, needs,
ETC., as he saw them discussed In the news
papers. ,
and on his return TO South Carolina In 1865
married Miss Sallie A. Starke, OF Elbert conn-
ty, Ga. Miss Starke. although living In Geor,
gla, was OF the South Carolina family OF
Stark es who reside In Fairfield County. On
returning to South Carolina he devoted him.
riculture and general reading.
When the revolution OF 1879 was being
brought about Capt. Tillman TOOK an actlVe
part In the organization OF the Democracy el
this section OF Edgeheld. and subsequently
participated in some OF the most perilous un.
dertakings on behalf OF the redemption oi
the State. AS early, however, as 1874, he was
acys eagaasa IN hanSg ssna e Ss Tse
riots of that year. Under Capt. A. T. Butler,
as a member OF the Edgefeld Hussars. he
took part In the Hamburg riot, the history ol
which Is familiar to the country. Again, 81
the time Of the Ellenton riot, he went down
from his township with q company TO the res:
cue, but on reaching Rouse's Bridge he found
that the difficulty had been settled by the
United States troops. The company t, when
he commanded then was armed and equipped
Capt. TilIman followed the fortunes Of the
the Democracy up to the doors OF the state
House in lS76. ut the time of the formation ol
the Wallace House. II was he who took the
message to Hampton inviting him TO attend
the conference or the Straightout party on
the night before the Sta te House was invest
ed by Federal troops. He was one Of the six
or seven thousand who stood 10 tront Of the
Capitol protesting with John q: Sheppard
against the hlgh.handed exclusion OF the
Laurens and Edgeheld delesations. II was a.
this period. rather than any other, In which
he laid the foundation for his personal popu.
larity In his county. He was next heard ol
as delegate u the State Convention In 1852
in which he voted for Gen. Bratton for Gov.
ernor.
In 1885 he made his first speech at Bannetts-
Vile, he never before having appeared before
an audience, and this was the beginning OF
the career which led to bis ,bo 1ot
although the Bennettsville speech was his
first on general political principles, he had nag
held the position OF chairman OF Edgeheld
county In the most troubled period OF Its his
tory, and had doubtless addressed the con.
yentiOna when occasions REQUIRED,
After his well-known letter OF retirement
from politics, which was brought about by
his temporary failure at Bennettsyiiie' ne
Courier the agitation for an Agricultural Col
lege and other reforms In favor OF the farm.
ers. The part which he took In the Farmers
Convention of 1887 is OF too recent q date 70
need comment in detail in this brief sketch
nor is IL necessary to repeat the history Of the
famous March Convention OF 1890, when Capt.
Tillman was put forward as the representa-
tive OF the farming Interests OF the State. @ -,
cussed In public than Capt. Tiilman ana hle
speeches und writings Within the past four
years, and the discussion has given him
Capt. Tillman is about five feet ten inches
In height, and dresses usually in the plain
but substantial garb Of the well.to-do Carroll.
ma farmer. His family consists OF wife and
five chlldren-three daughters aud two sops.
He is considered a very successful farmer, bis
prosperity being due to an undivided atten-
tion TO business, which has only been broken
by the necessities OF his recent canvass oi
the State.
All the lines of his face indicate determi.
nation and independence OF spirit and action
and this impression Is heightened by the
firm set OF his lips and very direct and con-
tinuous gaze when in conversation.
To the casual observer Capt. Tillman ap-
pears to be very ascetic In habit and decided.
ly OF an unsociable nature.
On The contrary he is at times accessible,
n vnt tln hn tn no NJ
and uncivil sarcasm and denunciatlou, that
Is one OF the methods OF argument which 1H
most generally exercised. All OF his argu
ments on the campaign were very remarka
His favorite method In the campaign was the
bold assertion Of the statements from which
he drew the concluslons which became the
real points at issue In the struggle. 1t was
misQuotfng a public record. His construe-
tions and deductions were always the sole
causes OF attack both on the stump and In
the newspapers. It has been conceded that
reckless fight, and was congratulated on the
close Of the campaign by his opponents for
endurance and pissk.
The more notable OF bis faculties In debate
are his aptness In repartee or rejoinder, and
his power OF self control. During the heat OF
debate iu the cBm paign there were, neverthe-
less, several lamentable failures OF his efforts
at selfcontrol, q special instance being the
Dargan Incident during his Anderson speech
The amende honorable, which was subse
quently made 10 Dargan, was the subject o.
compliment in nearly all the papers OF the
State.
In the house OF his friends Capt Tillman IL
type OF the soclahle Carolina farmer. AL
though not communicative, he is Away
courteous to visitors and strangers, and ht
seldom talks politics unless the subject II
broached. In this way he has succeeded ir
retaining the friendship Of many who are op
posed TO him in policy and principle.
The measures which he will advise, asld,
from those to which he has committed him
self on the stump, In all probability will no
be known until the meeting OF the Legisla
ture.