The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-05-17
FIRST CHARLES
TONIAN SINCE
JUDGE MAGRATH
Wilson G.. Harvey Breaks
Long Absence From Gov
errors Chair When He
Takes Office Next
Month
columbia STATED.


DINA, which event will take place
in the very near future, he Will be
the first Charlestonian to warm
said chair since 1865 when Judge
A. G. Magrath Of Charleston was
governor.
The resignation of Gov. Cooper,
who has been appointed on the fed
eral farm loan board OF succeed a.
F. Lever, automatically promotes
Lieutenant Governor Harvey to the
office of governor. When he be-
comes governor, Senator Alan John
stone of Newberry, president pro
tenn of the senate, acts 81 lieuten-
ant governor. When Senator John
stone becomes lieutenant governor,
Newberry county will have no SEN
ator in the state senate, which will
necessitate the election in New
berry county of a senator.
The fact that a man from Char
lesion will be in the gubernatorial
chair has attracted considerable at
tention and has served to arouse in
terest in other ase in which the
lieutenant governor has succeeded
to the governors chair.
In January, 1900, Edward Rut-
ledge of Charleston died and Lieut..
Gov. John Drayton, also of Chan
lesion, succeeded him. At that
time, the legislature met in No
venber, and on the following De-
cember, John Drayton vas elected
by the legislature for the full term
of the Office.
Governor Patrick Noble of Able
vile died April 7, 1860, and was
succeeded by Lieut.. Gov. B. K.
Henagan of Marlboro district.
Gov. Wade Hampton resigned the
Office in February, 1879, in order
to take a seat in the United States
senate in March of that year. He
was succeeded as governor by
Lieut.. Gov. W. D. Simpson Of Lau-
rens
In September. 1880, Governor
Simpson resigned to become chief
justice of the supreme court Of
the state, having been elected to
that Office by the general assembly.
AT this time Thomas 3. Jeter of
Union, who had been president pro
tenn of the senate, became lieuten-
ant governor by reason Of the ad-
vancement Of Mr.. Simpson to the
governorship.
Gov. Hugh S. Thompson of Co
iumbia resigned in 1856 to become
assistant secretary Of the treasury
of the United States under Cleve-
land and John c.. Sheppard Of
Edgefield became governor.
In June, 1899, Gov. w. H. Ell
lerbe Of Marion died and was sue
ceeded by Lieut.. Gov. NJ. B. Nc
Sweeney Of Hampton county.
No more lieutenant governors
became chief executive until Jan
uary Ii, 1915, when c. l.. Blease
resigned and vas succeeded by
Lieut.. Gov. Charles A. Smith Of
Timmonsivlle who held the office
just five days until r. I. Manning
was inaugurated.
first Charlestonian to occupy the
gubernatorial chair in many years,
Charlestonians 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 Of state, and
q list of the early governors reads
almost like a Charleston directory.
Beginning back in 1775, there
was Gov. Henry Laurens of Char
lesion, and John Rutledge also Of
the city. by the sea and Rawlins
Lowndes and then John Rutledge
again when the constitution was
changed. Then came John Math-
ews. also a Charlestonian. j
Following these as governor
came Benjamin Guerard of Char
lesion and William Moultrie Of
Charleston, governor in 1885. Then
there were Thomas Pinckney and
then Charles Pinckney both Char
lestonians, then Governor Moultrie
again and A. Van Horst of Char
lesion and then Edward Rutledge
and John Drayton, so hat from
1775 to 1902, the governors of
South Carolina were from Charles
ton.
Henry Middleton of Charleston
was governor early in the 10th CEN
fury and in 1918 Joseph Aston of
Georgetown was governor: then
came John Geddes of Charleston
and a little later Thomas Bennett
Of Charleston. a Charlestonian
was again governor in 1902
when James Hamilton, Jr., was !
elected. He was followed as gov
ernor by r. Y. Hayne, also of
Charleston.
No more men from Charleston
eel in the governors chair until
1914 when William Aiken was
elected. In 1913 w. b. Seabrooks
Of Charleston was governor. Years
elapsed before another Charleston
ian held the executives office, and
in 1864 A. G.. Magrath was in that
position.
Since that time nc Charlestonian
has been governor of the state.
The center Of population shifted
rapidly as the upcountry became
settled, and upcountry men voted
for upcountry candidates.
Gen. Wade Hampton. it is recall
ed. vas born in Charleston.
At the present time governors
go into" office on the even years:
prior to 1890, they were inaugural
ed on the odd years.
The coming of Mr.. Harvey and
his famiIy TO Columbia is awaited