Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1922-05-16
CHARLESTON TO FRONT.
Harvey First Governor from Metrop-
oils Since Civil War Days.

Crnor of South Carolina since 1860
will he elevated to that office about
June 1, in the person of Wilson G.
Harvey when Governor Cooper steps
down to become a member of the Fed
eral Farm Loan board When he be-
comes governor, Senator Alan john
stone OF Newbcrry, president pro tenn
of the senate, acts rs lieutenant gov
ernor. When Senator Johnstonc be-
comes Lieutenant governor, Ncwberry
county will have no senator in the
state senate, which will ncCcsstate
the election in Ncwbcrry county of a
senator.
The fact that man from Charles
ton will bc in the gubcrnatorial chair
has attracted considerable attention,
and has served to arouse interest in
other cases in which the lieutenant
governor has succeeded. to the govern
ors chair.
In January, 1900, Edward ,Rutledgc
Of Charleston, died and Lieut.. Gov.
John Drayton, also of Charleston, sue
cccdcd him. At that time, the lCgisla-
ture met in November, and on the fol-
lowing December, John Drayton was
elected by the legislature for the full
term of the office
Governor Patrick Noble Of Able
Vile died April I, 1860, and was sue
cceded by Lieut.. Gov. u. *. Henagan
of Marlboro district.
Gov. Wade Hampton resigned the
office lin February, 1879, in order to
take a seat in the United States SEN
ate in March Of that year. He was
succeeded as governor By Lieut.. Gov.
w. d. Simpson of Laurens.
In September, 1880, Governor Simp-
son resigned to become chief jnstice of
the supreae court of the state. having
been elected to that office by the gen.
eral assembly. At this time Thomas
y. Icter of Union, who had been pres
ident pro tenn Of the sepdte, became
Lieutenant governor by reason of the
advancement of Mr.. Simpson to the
governorship.
Gov. Hugh S. Thompson of Colum-
bia, resigned in 1886 to become assist
ant secretary of the treasury Of the
United States under Cleveland and
John c. Sheppard of Edgefield, be-
came governor.
In June, 1899 Gov. w. H. Ellerbe of
nv
Lieut.. Gov. NJ. b. McSweeney of
Hampton county.
No more lieutenant governors be-
came chief executive until January IA,
1915, when c. l.. Blease resigned and
was succeeded by Lieut. Gov. Charles
A. Smith of Timmonsville, who held
the office just five days until r. /.
Manning was inaugurated.
While Wilson G.. Harvey is the first
Charlestonian to occupy the guberna-
torial chair in many years, Charles
tonians are no strangers to the feel"
of the chair as every one knows, for
in the early days Charlestonians held
in their hands the rudder of the ship
osstate, and list of the early COVER
nors reads almost like Charleston di
rectory.
Beginning back in ITS, there was
Gov. Henry Laurens of Charleston,
and John Rutledge, also Of the city by
the sea and Rawlings Lowndes and
then John Rutledge again when the
constitution was changed. Then came
John Matthews, also a CharlestOnian.
Following these as governor came
Benjamin Guerard of Charleston and
William Moultrie of Charleston, gov
crnor in 1885. Then there were Thomas
Pickney and then Charles Pinck-
ncy, both Charlcstonians, then Gov
crnor MOultrie again and then Ed
ward Rutlcdge and. John Drayton, 50
that from 1775 20 1902, the governors
Of South Carolina were from Charles
ton.
Henry Middleton Of Charleston, was
governor early in the 10Th century
and in 1915 Joseph Aston og George
town was governor; then came John
Gcddcs Of Charleston and n little later
Thomas Bennett of Charleston. A
Charlcstonian was again governor in
1S3O-32 when James Hamilton, Jr.,
was elected. He was followed as gov
crnor by r. Y. iiayne,, also of Char
lesion
40 more mon from Charleston were
liz the governors chair until 1914,
when W. B. Scabrnoks Of Charleston
was governor. Years elapsed before
another CharI"stOnian held the cXccu-
tivc's office. and in 1864 a. G. Nc
Grath was in that position.
Since that time no ChaIl"stonian
has been governor OF the state. The
center Of population shifted rapidly rs
the upcomtry became settled, and up
country men voted for upcountry can
didatcs.
Gen. Wade Hampton, it is recalled,
WAS born in Charleston.
At the present time governors ego
into office" on the even years; prior
to 1890. they were inaUguIatcd on the
odd years.