The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1899-12-20
DEATH OF CAPT. G. w. SHELL.
Author OF the Famous Manifesto in
1900 and Member of Congress Tor
-Four Years.

CEpt. G. w. Shell died suddenly OF
tho Ism inst. a. his home near Lau
rens, after q very brief illness, In til,
Goth yeor OF his age. He was buriec
the next day At Chestnut Ridge Baptis
church, of which he had besn q Nom
Der from early youth. The following
sketch OF his life is copied from The
State
George Washington Shell, the aut uthor
OF the famous Shell manifesto that
marked the inauguration of the TIL.
man revolution, Was born In Laure os
County Nov. l3, 1881. He obtained his
| early education Ia the common schools
and the LEurens academy, attending
tho lAtter one year Al 16 years OF ags =
he came to Columbia, aad for two
years WAS clerk to Andrew Crawford.
lie returned to LRureps and fsrmed
for year, losing hiS wife ut the end Of
that year-1S55. Tho next two years
he engaged in mercantile business In
tho town Of Lnurohe. Then be became
supe rintcndent Of the Laurens railroad
end hold it for q yoar and y bali, re-
signing and going to New York. He
LOOK position IA collector and re-
meined for about elk months, rosurn-
Ing TO his home just prior to she break
ing out Of the war.
He was among the first to enter the
Confederate army, enlietipg IS pri.
vate 10 Co. A Of the Third South Caro-
lina. The FIRST year Of his service he
was private secretary to Con. Bonham,
who commanded the brigade. Then
he became second lieutenant Of his
conpany. The day after his promo
tlon he WAS made quartermaster of
his regiment then commanded by Col.
Nance. He was in this position for
year ard then became division quar-
termaBtcr, serving about tho same
length Of time. Then he was assigned
to duty with the chief quartermnster
OF the Army OF Northern Virginia, ct
Gen. II. +. Ices hesdquarters, serv-
ing there from September, 1864, until
the surrender. He wac entitled to the
rank OF major, but never received that
rank.
After the war Capt. Shell returned
to Laurens and went on the farm
1882 he WAS elected CLERK OF the court
OF his county, holding the Office for
eight years. Then came along the po
Utica revolution OF 1890 In South Ca.
rolina. Capt. Shell wns b. II. Tillman's
chief lieutenant In tho fight, and he it
vas who pcnned the famous "Shell
Manifesto" OF 1889. document that
will ever remain prominent in the po.
litical history OF tho State. Prior to
issuing thss document Capt. She'll had |
been membor OF the State Democrat
ic executive c0mmittee-l8S6-S7 In
1888 he was chosen president OF the |
Farmers Association OF South Caro-
lima, and little later fired tho open
ing gun OF the Tillman campaign in
the shape OF tho manifesto. The po-
lttlcal revolution landed Capt. Smell In
Congress- from the Fourth district In |
1890, and whom his term ended he Was
given another, after which he retired |
to private lifo.
Capt. She'll WAS twice married, first,
In 1851, to Miss Mary Dial OF Lhurens
County. They had ono son, who died.
Mrs. Sholl died In 1855. Cart. Sholl
married ag ain, In 1859, his SO .ond wife |
being Miss Ellen Watts H!il OF Aboe.
Villc County. Tho fruit. of this mar.
riago was 10 children, two Of whom
died this fall. Mr.. She'll WAS tho eld-
ost child Of his parents, he leaves
,ister, Mrs. w. j. Cathcart, Of ColuM-
ota, and brother, Warren, W ho Is now !
very III.