The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1918-07-10
SKETCH or SENATOR
TILLMhN'S LIFE
Served Four Terms in Scnatc-.is
Chairman. OF Senate Committee ON
Naval Affairs Hc'Did Splendid Wcrk.
(NcwS & Courier)

'ShJ'ihil ~ 'ti lliihuN was corn
in Edgcfcld county on August II,
1877. He received an academic cdu-
cation under the instruction of
George Galphin, at Bethany, not far
from his home, quitting school in
July. 1864, tc join the Confederate
army. He YVES, however, stricken
with severe Illness, which caused the
loss Of his left eye and kept him an
invalid for two years
His father had died when his son
and namcsake was but two years of
age and the future Senator was
brought uo by his mother woman
@ very strong character, whose in
IV1lcncc u1on his life could be com
rarcd only to that Of his wifos. He
h:S. "cc"s3 &c GocI Eccl:3 ard VIC;
m onN:vcrCuS reader. He wGs also
fond Of outdoor sports and g:oy-
in% uo on q plantation Of c!.hty
ilaTcs. had abundant opportunity
70: indulsing his tastes in this a..
rcction.
In 1866, at the age of nineteen.
young Tillman assumed the manage
l!mcnt of his mothers farm in Edge
field county. but shortly afterwards
she bought farm in Florida, to
which he also removed in 1867. The
year following he was married 10
Sally Starks, of Ebert County, Ga.
His devotion to her through the
years has been thing remarked Ey
all who know Him. woman of very
forccful personality, she has taken
the most active and constant inter-
est in all his affairs and in every
crisis he has turned to her for ad-
vice
Senator Tillman is survived nv
Mrs. Tillman and five Of the six
children born Of their union: Ben
1amin Ryan Tillman, Jr., Capt. Hen
~ c. Tillm;@l, Mrs. Iona Tillman
Moore, Mrs; Sophie Tillman Hughes
and Mrs. Sally May l'illman Shulcr.
The eldest daughter, Miss Add.c
Ti!lman. was killed by a stroke of
/ lightning, years ago, while standiny
beneath tree under which she and
several companions had taken shell
ter.
The climate Of Florida no: agree
ing with Mr.. Tillman and h,s health
failing, he returned % C0uti' Caro-
lima to take up farm!nG again in
Edgciic!d. At this ;imn ;he.c VAS
no thought whatever in his n:lnn ~
turning to public lie. III the t;sa-
ties, howcvcr. The price Cr co;,ri.
was so low grnal many fa"wc,H
were in bad way, and Capt. iii
man he had headed militia com
pany for several ycars,-had con
siderable difficulty in Augusta where
he traded, in making financial ar
ran&cmcnta TO carry him On Gnaa;
~ depressed in GoiriG ana wor.:c,i
about the future. he reached lie
conclusion that his real troublr ara
that Of most oC he farmers he knrN
was that they did not know thc:"
Nusincss. "WAat We need" he sail
&c himself, - agricultural cCsca-
ton" and when he got homo lie
Immediately sat down and wrote q
letter TO The News and Courier l,r4-
inS that the state take in hand the
matter OF fitting the farmers OF
South Carolina for doing their work
comDetcntly and looking after their
affairs intclligcntIy, as The quickest
and snrcat means Of promoting the
prosperity Of the Commonwealth.
This was in 1886 and when Cant.
Tillman began his agitation he had
no intention of going into politics.
He had never made a speech and did
not believe that he could make one.
lie could write with good effect, how
ever, ana the conditions OF the times
favored the movement which he had
Initiated. As time passed Caut. TIL
man Cound hm8clr the leader O. an
agitation which w2S nothing Shore !
OF revolutionary in rs scope. It Was
called The "Farncrs Movamcn;"
and in $780, aftcr what was prob f,
ally the most heated campaign the
State had ever Witnessed Capt. Till
man was elected governor. In 1892
he was reelected.
During the entire period Of his
occupancy Of the goye"norsbip The
office was veritablc storm ccntcr,
especially after the passage Of the
State dispcnsary law. Things reach
ed their climax in the Darlington