The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1897-06-03

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JoHN L M'LACkN.
yesrs old and Margaret Is now living N
Marlboro county IS Mrs Grassland
His mother EAs daughter of Col 7. c.
Weatherly, who Was prominent N pub
lie life before the var. he was shc-ii
Of his county and represented il n the
GelerAl Assembly for many years
Whatever Of political ability and taste
thsi Mr.. McLaur;n hss Is from this side
| Of the house, all Of the Weatherlys be-
ing Successful politicians Mr.. Nc
Lsur;n's father while be was IN politics
was elected ai the very early age OF Ss
10 the General Assembly He Was Just
old enough 10 be eligible. On this side
Of the house there was marked intellee-
tuAlity and culture; while they were IN
| politics, they did not care IS much for
them IS for matters Of an intellectual
character. Mr. McLaurin's father was
. fine speaker.
His father died from illness contract
ed from exposure N the army n 1854
In lSs: his mother married Mr.. WI
Lam s MoEry, Of Charleston, S c.
Ny. MoEry Was very wealthy gentle
uaa and the family lived for several
years IN Marlboro county and then
moved Ii 1873 30 Engisvood, \. J.,
shere Mr.. Novry has since thaf time
been very successful member Of the
cotton and stock exchange. Mr.. and
Mrs Novry, and i've half brothers and
sisters are nov living At this place. Al
Mr.. McLIaurin's half brothers are IN
business n New York city.
In those early DAYS the school system
of South Carolina Eas 50 defective that
johnnie and Tonmie" were sent ul
10 the Bethel Military academy near
Warrenton. Va Tommie died while
attending the school and John, the
new Senator Of today, was then taken
on 10 EngleEood and sent TO school
there until he Was Is years of age He
was then sent 10 Svartnoce Collese
near Philsdelphia 4 Quaker school
didn't suit ardent South Carolina tenn
psrsnent and after two years Colonel
Weatherly, Johns grandfather, con
cluded thai 9 military school and Q dis
ciplinArian Ike Col John P. Thomas
we're needed 30 properly -ain and hold
In check the promising young Caro-
linian. He renamed under Col.
Thomas IN his school At Charlotte. y.
c., until he graduated In lSS0 John
Was noted more Is . baseballiSf sad
boxer than As student though his
natural quickneSs and sptness enabled
, him to stand well N his classes. He
then went 10 the University Of Virginia
and took the lar course and In
1892 went 10 Bennettsvllle and hessn
the practice Of sE.
Although Mr.. McLaarin up to this
! time had given very little attention to
! the rsalines Of life and his future pros
pects, having been . r2yrari youth st
college insofar IS respect for rIles and
50 On we're concerned, when he began
the practice Of law be decided to turn
over new leaf and make . name for
himself n his profession. He hung
oui his shins2e. Soon an opportunity
came along II the shape Of cases
brought against thnty-t~o road
haads-fnoSn since IS tie Hebron
road cases. II was kind of te1d IN
the county. The prosecatsoa employed
al the leading aftcraeys n the county,
including the present assistant attorney
general Of South Carolina e1Judse
Townsend Nh. NcLaarin Was alone
for the defense and many hsi advised
the accused TO plead guilty. After i've
days Of legal fighting, NJ. NcLaurin
Won II every case by appeals TO the
jury, the lav and evidence and pceju-
dice of the people being against him.
Judge Townsend Was attracted 10 the
! bright young lawyer and offered to
take him into partnership This CO.
partnership WAS formed In 1888 and
continued until Mr.. NcLaurin's elec-
! tion to congress, TIE frn being recos-
nized Is one ot the strongest In that
section Of the State.
On the 18th Of February, 1885, Mr..
NcLsurin married Miss Nora Rreeaea.
Of Bennettsville. s c., the daughter of
Mr.. I. J. Breeder, ard q niece Of his
Law partner. Judge Townsend They
have SIX children, four girls and two
boys The marriage has been . most
happy and consenia, one and Nh. Nc
Laurin attributes his success IN Law and
politics 10 the influence Of his life part
ner. His friends viii tel al that he
has never taken Al important step In
his life without consulting his wife, and
he has even discussed his Law cases with
her.
Under the former regime IN South
Carolina NJ. NcLAurin frou almost
the time that he began the practice Of
Law rebelled against the existing po!iti-
cal conditions In 1898 he made II his
county q fight such IS Tillmaa led IN
the State IN lSSA He vas defeated only
by the greatest s5o-t and hr TIE combs