Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1922-10-10
GOVERNOR PERRY
Served South Carolina as Chief Exec
90 utiye Following ApppGG%Hi aa!tOX.
OPPOSED THE WAR OF SECESSION
Foush. a Duel and Killed Man Be-
lieved to Have Been Set Upon HIM
BY Political .Enemies-seautnui
Letters to His Family On Record.

BENJAMIN +. Perry was one VI 'ho
great men OF this state. He could not
be called brilliant, but his sound Judg-
ment, safe conclusions, reason from
facts, not carried away by zeal or en-
tLusiasm. put. him ahead of his con-
temporaries with the exception OF Pet
igru O,Neall. j. S. Richardson, Alfred
Huger and one or two others.
From a. sketch of his life written by
Mr.. A. b. Williams some years ago.
editor of the Greenville News, these
facts are mostly gathered.
Born November 20, 1906, in what
was then known as Old Pendleton
district, now Oconee county, his father
was a native of Massachusetts,, his
mother, Miss Foster of Virginia, was
connected by blood with Commodore
Oliver Perry His father moved to
Charleston in 1884. Afterwards TO
Greenville, S. c., where he married
Miss Foster. Then he moved to Oco-
nee county, went to farming. where
young Perry was born, was sent TO
school at Asheville, N. c.; at an carly
age he advocated the election of John
c. Calhoun, who was then opposed 70
state rights; went to Greenvijle In
1924 and studied law under Judge
Earle: of the age of 10 years he was
chosen orator at celebration OF the
4th of July in Greenvilie. In 1927 was
admitted to the bar ard in 1882 began
his long and protracted fight for the
preservation of the Union against
great odds. Spartanburg and Green
VILE counties were strong for that
time, and Perry who was then editor
Of the Greenville Mountaineer, led the
opposition to notification and seces-
sion and his paper was regarded as the
leading organ in the up-country. His
political attitude made him many enc
rnies, but he consistently kept up the
fight until his death, although when
the state seeded he did all he could
to aid the cause Of the Confederacy.
There was much bitterness between
tie two parties, especially in the up
country, and Governor Perry was chal-
lenged by Bynum to fight duel. By
mum .was killed. and i have heard was
buried in the churchyQrd of the Old
Stone church in Pendleton. 1t was
cold day when the duel was fought
somewhere on the banks of the Swan
n;.h river. Perry wore an overcoat
l,red with red flannel. Looking down
and seeing a piece of flannel, he
thought he was mortally wounded. 1t
was rumored at the time that Bynum,
who was considered dead sure shot,
was brought to Greerville by Perry's
many enemies for the purpose Of get
ting rid of him. Governor Perry re-
garded this as one of the unfortunate
events of his life anG never afterwards
alluded to it, although in the legisla-
ture he strongly opposed any act to
abolish duels. u.s.
In 1924. he ran for congress against
Warren r. Davis, and was defeated
by only 700 votes out of a total Of ever
1000. In 1886, elected 4 member Of the
legislature without opposition. He
strongly advocated prison reform and
with the cooperation OF Prof. Leiber of
tie S. C. college, worked for tho estab-
lishment Of a penitentiary. He was
most bitterly opposed to the parish
system, q great injustice to the up
country. He advocated the election of
governor and electors by a vote of the
people; was defeated in the legislature,
but was sustained by the people Of
his county. In 1S44 was elected to the
state senate and was the sole member
who voted against the expulsion of
Mr.. Hoar from the state, n vote for
which he was greatly commended by
the Union people and was proud OF
until the day of his death. Governor
Perry boldly proclaimed his opposition
to secession and disunion. He was
very aggressive in his editorials and
addresses and some of his personal
friends advised him that if he contin-
ued neither his life nor his property
would be safe. He always considered
his crowning glory was the position
that he took at this great crisis. No
one living outside of the state can ap-
preciate the excitement of the people
at this dangerous crisis.
Governor Perry's courage, patriot
ism, wisdom and high courtesy won
for him the respect and admiration
even of his opponents.
He was again elected TO the legisla-
ture and he and his two colleagues
from Greenville county were the only
Union men in that body. Was men,
Der of the state convention in 1851,
end as a member of the committee of
y appointed to prepare o report, he
submitted an able minority report, dis
senting from the resolution prepared
and presented by Judge Cheves, Which
defended the right of secession. In
1860. was q member Of the Charleston
convention Of the Democratic body.
The galleries Kissed him every time he
arose to vote and when he arose to
speak, it became so loud and continu-
Gus that he could with difficulty pro-
racJ of thor, rp-,,oi,, NJ. Chair