Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-06-07
THE. NEW GOVERNOR.

i
The Hon. NJ. B. McSweeney, to
whom, on January Is, 1897, was ad-
miuistered the oath of Office as lieu
tenant governor for his first term, and
who now, owing to his reelection in
1898 to that Office, becomes governor
of South Carolina to fill out the unex-
pired term, is good example of what
pluck and perseverance will do for
any one against the most adverse con-
ditions. Young McSweeney was left
fatherless in Charleston at the age of 4
years. His tenth year saw him strug-
Cling for livelihood. He sold news
papers and clerked in bookstore, and
while engaged in the latter occupation
attended night school, where he de-
veloped a fondness for reading.
McSweeney afterwards worked for
Burke & Lord, job printers, and from
there he went to Edward Perry's
where he completed his apprenticeship
as job printer. While employed at
the latter place scholarship at the
Washington and Lee university, of
Lexington, Va, was offered to the
Charleston Typographical union, which
was to be awarded to the most de-
serving young man employed in Char
lesion printing Offices. BY majority
of The votes of the union, young Nc
Sweeney was chosen, and the scholar
ship given to him. After staying at
the university for a part of session.
he was forced to leave for the lack of
means to pay for his board and clothes.
This ended his hopes for college edu-
cution, and be once more applied him
self to his trade. He was union
printer, and served the Columbia
Typographical union as recording se-
cretary and afterwards as president.
While living in Columbia he was also
secretary of the Phoenix Hook and
Ladder company. .-
Mr.. McSweeney has an enviable re-
cord as Democrat. In 1876 he did
excellent service, which is not yet for
gotten by men who stood shoulder to
shoulder with him in those trying days.
1t was about that time that the Rich
land Rifle club was organized, of which
Mr.. McSweeney was charter member.
Mr.. McSweeney's first venture as a
journalist was when he moved to
Ninety Six and began the publication
of the Ninety-six Guardian. His cap
ital was just SOS; but he bought
second. hand outfit for $500, paying $55
in cash. He was energetic, economi-
cal and gave the people newsy paper,
thus enabling him at the end of the
year to pay the last cent of his indebt-
edness.
Mr.. McSweeney's paper, the Hamp-
ton Guardian, made its first appearance
August %, 1879. From the first it has
been we'll managed and we'll edited,
and today ranks foremost among the
county papers of the state.
In all enterprises for the good of
Hampton county, Mr.. McSweeney has
shown himself indefatigable. For five
terms he served as intendant of the
town, and then declined reelection.
For eight years he was president of the
South Carolina Press association Z; has
been a member of the legislature, and
was member of the last constitu-
tional convention. Twice he has been
honored as a delegate to the national
Democratic convention. In 1888 he
voted for Cleveland and Thurman, and
in 1896 he voted for Bryan and Sewall.
For ten years Mr.. McSweeney was
county chairman of Hampton.
He has taken great interest in the
military affairs of the state. During
the last two sessions of the legislature,
before his election as lieutenant gov
ernor, he was chairman of the commit
tee on military and was member of
the governors staff with the rank of
colonel.
Mr.. McSweeney's interest in educa-
tional matters exceeds even his inter-
est in military affairs. He was for
some years trustee of the South Car
olina college.
Mr.. McSweeney was married on the
18th day of July, 1886, to Miss Matte
Miles Porcher, and brings to the exc
cutive mansion with him most in