The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1897-09-15
AN HISTORICAL SKETCH
Or Clarendon County and the Town OF
Manning.


the Town of Manning, if written at
length and as a complete history,
would be a much longer paper than
it is proposed, on this occasion to
produce. A running sketch, at this
time, it is hoped, will suffice.
a history Of Manning is history OF
the County, and recital OF the deeds
of their sons viii be history of them
both. { will be pardoned, then, for
treating them Jointly.
The County OF Clarendon is not
an aged creation, when compared
with the lives of her sisters, and the
Town of Manning is slightly the
junior of the County. Clarendon
County is forty-two years old, and
derived her birth from Sumter Dis
trict. Prior to the year 1855 Sum-
ter District, or perhaps to speak more
accurately, Sumter County, was COM
posed of two Districts of nearly
equal size, commonly known as
CIaremont and Clarendon. Clare
mont comprised the upper portion OF
Sumter County, while Clarendon
comprised the lower or Santee por-
ton. Just why Sumter County was
divided into Districts is not known,
but we suppose that each originally
had its courts OF authority, or Mag
istrate's courts, as, about seven miles
southwest Of Manning, near the place
of the late Capt. 7. J. N. Davis, there
was an old court house, where it is
supposed that cases not capital were
passed upon. 'Court House Branch
derives its name from this old time
s:temple of JUSTICE not a vestige OF
which is now visible.
The origin of the name Claremont
the writer does not know,and as he is
not writing history OF that section
he will not take time to inquire.
But the uuuu SiarruItUu, it is ac-
cepted by the best authorities on his,
tory, was given in honor OF Edward,
Earle of Clarendon, at one time Lord
High Chancellor of England, and one
of the lords proprietors. He received
grants to immense territories on the
newly discovered American CONT
nent. Thus, it will be seen that in
name, if for nothing else, Clarendon
is entitled to a place of distinction.
But this is not all the distinction that
she can claim. During the time that
Clarendon District belonged to Sum-
ter County, and since she was created
a County to stand alone herself, she
has furnished many men who figured
conspicuously in history and politics.
Five Governors have been furnished
South Carolina from within her
borders. In 1902 James B. Richard
son, wealthy planter, from the Clar-
endon District OF Sumter County,
was elected Governor of the COM
monwealth of South Carolina. In
1924 Richard I. Manning, another
planter from almost the same neigh
borhood of the same District, was
elected to the same position. In
1910 John P. Richardson, of Claren-
don District, was made Governor,
and in the year 1852 John L. Man
ming, one Of the most cultured and
polished gentlemen who ever graced
a Gubernatorial chair, was taken
from Clarendon District and given
the reins of the State Government.
In 1885 John Peter Richardson, Of
Clarendon County, was made Gov
ernor and served four years until
1890.
Prior to the year 1855 (the year
that Clarendon was cut off from Sum-
teri there were many reasons which
stirred the people of this section and
made them long for county govern
ment of their own. In addition to
the desire for a new County, in or
der that political ambitions might
be gratifed, that more Offices would
be created, and the same set Of men
could not control the politics OF so
large section, there were other rea-
sons. Persons who lived On the San
tee River, for instance, were put to
great inconvenience in going so far
to the county seat at Sumter to pay
taxes, attend court, and attend to the
ordinary business which people usu-
ally have with county officials Con-
sequently there arose a general de-
mend for separation and a creation
Of the new county, which was granted
by the Legislature.
It is said that quite a fight oc-
Cured in the Legislature over the
separation. Old Mr. A c. Spain,
noted and prominent figure in Sum
ter County, opposed the measure
with all his force, and made the
charge that the effort to cut off the
rev county was only for the purpose
of honoring Governor John L. Man
ming. This the Ex-Governor resented
in strong speech, in which he scored
NJ. Spain very severely, and the
measure was passed, carrying with
it the appointment Of a commission,
composed of several gentlemen, for
the purpose Of locating the county
seat. The writer is not certain that
the following five names compose
s,aa entire commission, but they were
ssapt members of it, and prob
of the commissioners
legislature fer the
NSere the court
Esss'ATera are the