The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1904-10-13
gen. RANSOM DEAD
Prominent Southern Statesman Goes
TO His Reward
WAS LOVED, HONOQED. RESPECTED
The Imperishable Career OF North
Cardinals Most Distinguished Prt
vate Citizen Closes at the 18th Mile,
stone in His Life.

Weldon, n. c., Special-Ex-Senator
Matt W. Ransom, North Caroiinas
foremost citizen, died suddenly Satur-
day morning at his country home in
Northampton county, near Garysburg,
of heart failure.
The end came shortly after I O'Clock
and was the peaceful passing Of
fame which had fiickered but feebly
for some months. 1t was his 18TH
birthday.
Gen. NJ w. Ransom was born on
Oct. s. 1926, in Warren county. He be-
came Attorney General for the State OF
North Carolina in 1859, being only 2s
years of age at the time, thus being the
youngest man to hold this position in
the history of the State. BY reason OF
Gov. Vance being unable to qualify as
Senator after his election, Gen. Ran
som became United States Senator IN
1872, which position he hold constantly
until 1895, Immediately after which he
was appointed United States minister
to Mexico, in which capacity he served
| for two years. He was member oil
the board of arbitration in the Vene-
zuelan troubles with Mexico.
He leaves five sons and one daughter,
and a wife. He was probably the larg-
est landowner in the State, the acre.
age being variously estimated from A.
900 to $4,000, in fact, he recently re-
marked: There is only one person
who knows how much land / own and
that is myself"
The funeral will take place Monday
afternoon at 4:30 o'clock and the inter-
ment will be made in the family bury
ing ground. He will be buried with
Masonic honors
The following is brief life sketch
OF Ex-senator Ransom:
I He was born in Warren county. tnls
State, in 1926, and Is now, therefore
sixty-two years Of age. For more tnan
half lifetime he has been conspicu-
GUS parsonage, and man OF recognized
ability and pronounced influence In
North Carolina. Shortly after his grad
| uation from the University, at Chapei
Hill. in 1S47; he was admitted to the
bar, and FIVE years later he was elected
Attorney General Of the State. Few
men have merited or won such success
so early in life, and fewer have follow
ed it with so continuous a PUBLIC SER
| vice. In 1855 he resigned the Attorney
Generalsnip, and was not again in or
fee until the year 1853, when he was
a Representative in the State Leglsla'
ture. And again, in 1859 and 1869. ne
filed that position. He was sent as
peace commissioner from the State OF
| North Carolina to the Congress oil
Southern States at Montgomery, Ala.
in 1861. On the breaking out OF the
Civil War he entered the Confederate
| army, and rose successiYely through
the positions OF lieutenant colonel, col
onel and brigadier general to that OF
major general. In the last named rank
he served until the close Of the war
and surrendered with General Lees
army at Appomattox. AS soldier
! General Ransom showed himself to DC
a courageous man and a brave and
skillful officer, and he endeared himself
greatly, by his humane management
and courteous bearing, to the men ol
his command. Returning 10 his native
| State at the close OF the war, Genera
Ransom resumed the practice OF the
| law. at the same time being engaged
| extensively as a planter, and it was not
until the year 1872 that he againten-
tered public life. Then, for the first
time. he was elected To the Senate oil
the United States, a position he has
occupied continuously until the present
| time. having been reelected IN 1876
and in 1888. At the expiration of his
present term, in March. 1889. he will
have eighteen years in the highest Of
fee within the gift Of tho people OF his
own State, an honor Of which he and
the State may be proud. Senator Ran.
som was a man Of marked ability and
Of broad culture. Though he has sell
dom made set speeches. in the Senate,
vet his efforts we're characterized by
those qualities Of conservative good
sense, elegance Of expression and
grace of delivery that are peculiarly
his own.