Short Biographies And Sketches for South Carolina

Washington Allston Washington Allston, probably the greatest American painter, was born in South Carolina in 1779. He was sent to school at the age of seven years at Newport, Rhode Island, where he met Edward Malbone, two years his. senior, and who later became a painter of note. The friendship that sprang up between them undoubtedly influenced young Allston in the choice of a profession. He graduated from Harvard in 1800, and went to England the following year, after pursuing his studies for a year under his friend Malbone at his home in South Carolina. He became a student at the Royal Academy where the great American, Benjamin West, presided, and who became his intimate friend. Allston later went to Paris, and then to Italy, where four years were spent, mostly at Rome. In 1809 he returned to America, but soon after returned to London, having married in the meantime a sister of Dr. Channing. In a short time his first great work appeared, "The Dead Man Restored to Life by the Bones of Elisha," which took the British Association prize and firmly established his reputation. Other paintings followed in quick succession, the greatest among which were "Uriel in the Center of the Sun," "Saint Peter Liberated by the Angel," and "Jacob's Dream," supplemented by many smaller pieces. Hard work, and grief at the death of his wife began to tell upon his health, and he left London in 1818 for America. The same year he was elected an associate of the Royal Academy. During the next few years he painted ''Jeremiah," '"Witch of Endor," and "Beatrice." In 1830 Alls-ton married a daughter of Judge Dana, and went to Cambridge, which was his home until his death. Here he produced the "Vision of the Bloody Hand," "Rosalie," and many less noted pieces, and had given one week of labor to his unfinished masterpiece, "Belshazzar's Feast," when death ended his career July 9, 1843. "A Biographical Record of Boone County, Iowa, 1902, Page 190; Transcribed and submitted by Peggy Thompson" Coleman Livingston Blease BLEASE, Coleman Livingston, a Senator from South Carolina; born near Newberry, Newberry County, S.C., October 8, 1868; attended the common schools; graduated from the law department of Georgetown University, Washington, D.C., in 1889; admitted to the bar the same year and commenced practice in Newberry, S.C.; member, State house of representatives 1890-1894, 1899, and 1900, serving as speaker pro tempore 1892-1894; mayor of Helena, S.C., in 1897; city attorney of Newberry in 1901 and 1902; member, State senate 1905-1909, serving as president pro tempore in 1906 and 1907; mayor of Newberry in 1910; Governor of South Carolina 1911-1915; elected as a Democrat to the United States Senate and served from March 4, 1925, to March 3, 1931; unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1930; unsuccessful candidate for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in 1934 and 1938; elected a member of the State unemployment compensation commission for a four-year term beginning in 1941; died in Columbia, S.C., January 19, 1942; interment in Rosemont Cemetery, Newberry, S.C. "A Biographical Record of Boone County, Iowa, 1902; Transcribed and submitted by Peggy Thompson" Wade Hampton Wade Hampton, a noted Confederate officer, was born at Columbia, South Carolina, in 1818. He graduated from the South Carolina College, took an active part in politics, and was twice elected to the legislature of his state. In 1861 he joined the Confederate army, and commanded the "Hampton Legion" at the first battle of Bull Run, in July, 1861. He did meritorious service, was wounded, and promoted to brigadier-general. He commanded a brigade at Seven Pines, in 1862, and was again wounded. He was engaged in the battle of Antietam in September of the same year, and participated in the raid into Pennsylvania in October. In 1863 he was with Lee at Gettysburg, where he was wounded for the third time. He was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-general, and commanded a troop of cavalry in Lee's army during 1864, and was in numerous engagements. In 1865 he was in South Carolina, and commanded the cavalry rear guard of the Confederate army in its stubborn retreat before General Sherman on his advance toward Richmond. After the war Hampton took an active part in politics, and was a prominent figure at the Democratic national convention in 1868, which nominated Seymour and Blair for president and vice president. He was governor of South Carolina, and took his seat in the United States senate in 1879, where he became a conspicuous figure in national affairs. "A Biographical Record of Boone County, Iowa, 1902, Pages 192 & 193; Transcribed and submitted by Peggy Thompson" Colonel Charles Kilgore Smith Among those who remained in the army after the close of the war was Colonel Charles Kilgore Smith, the second son of Charles K. Smith, of Hamilton, for a long time one of the leading citizens of this county, and the first secretary of the Territory of Minnesota. He was born in Hamilton on the 22d of October, 1834, and was carefully instructed in all the usual branches of education, receiving in addition a course of training at the military academy at West Point, to which he was appointed in 1850. The rigorous requirements of the place enfeebled his naturally weak constitution, and the idea of a military life was abandoned, he thought, forever; but at the beginning of the civil war, prompted by duty and patriotism, be entered a company, and, as first lieutenant, aided in drilling and disciplining the troops, accompanied them to Columbus, and when this company finally crystallized into one of those forming the Twenty-sixth Regiment, he was made quartermaster. He accompanied it to Louisville, its first trip, and was, in conjunction with Colonel E. P. Fyffe, who commanded, highly complimented  by the press for the able manner in which his duties were discharged. His efficiency and eminent abilities soon attracted attention, and he was promoted to a captaincy, acting as chief assistant in the quartermaster's department at Chattanooga before, during, and subsequent to the Atlanta campaign. General Rousseau, an excellent judge of men, placed him upon his staff", and evinced by his conduct that he regarded him as one of the most efficient and trustworthy officers in the service. He followed the army in its vicissitudes and perils during its four years of trials and changes, winning each year higher and higher positions, rising from chief assistant in the quartermaster's department to that of chief quartermaster of the department of Georgia, with the grade of colonel. At this, time he was on the staff of Major-general Steadman, who was in command of that department. He was commissioned major by brevet, March 13, 1865, "for gallant and meritorious services during the war." He did not receive his appointment as major until he had been commissioned a colonel, the appointment of major having been knocked about in the mails for nearly a year before it reached him, owing to the uncertainties of war. While still very young he joined the Free Masons, in Washington Lodge, Hamilton, of which, his father had so long been an ornament, and carried into his everyday life those principles of honor, good faith, and charity there inculcated. He was naturally a Mason. In the army he aided in establishing military lodges, and through his instrumentality in this respect much suffering was alleviated. He was in public life a model of integrity and industry, but it was in private life that he was justly to be estimated. He was most kind and affectionate. In his deportment to his parents he was respectful, dutiful, and warmly affectionate; to his brothers and sisters he was considerate, loving, generous, and just, and to his friends constant and true. He could be depended upon in all the relations of life to do that which was right and becoming, neither turning away from the weak and afflicted because they were under a cloud, nor courting the society of those favored with this world's goods because their influence might be valuable to him. His death, from hemorrhage of the lungs, occurred in Columbia, South Carolina, December 30, 1870, when he had barely entered his thirty-seventh year. It cast a deep shade of sorrow over a large circle of friends, and occasioned the deepest anguish in his family circle. His noble deeds and self-sacrificing devotion have placed his name on the pages of his country's history. "A History and Biographical Cyclopaedia of Butler County, Ohio", Evansville, Ind. 1882 - Submitted by K. Torp Source: American Annual Cyclopaedia and Register of Important Events, Vol. 33 Gregg, Alexander, clergyman, born in Society Hill, S.C., Oct. 8, 1819; died in Galveston, Texas, July 11, 1893.  He was graduated at South Carolina College in 1838, began studing law, was admitted to the bar, and became a candidate for orders in the Protestant Episcopal Church in 1843.  In 1846 he was ordained deacon, and in the following year priest, and was rector of St. David's Church in Cheraw, S.C., till 1859, when he was elected first Bishop of Texas, an office he held till his death.  In 1857-'59 he was a clerical trustee of the University of the South from Soutch Carolina, and for many years he was also its proctor.  In 1874 the diocese of Texas, which had comprised the whole State, was divided, two missionary jurisdictions being sett off, and his diocese reduced to its present dimensions.  His many writings include "History of Old Cheraw" (1867); "A Brief Sketch of the Church in Texas" (1884); two triennial charges; and special sermons and addresses. Magrath, Andrew Gordon, jurist, born in Charleston, SC, Feb. 8, 1813; died there, april 9, 1893.  He was graduated at South Carolina College in 1831, took a course in the Harvard Law School, and was admitted to the bar in 1835.  In 1840 and 1842 he was elected to the Legislature, and then practiced law till 1856, when President Pierce appointed him United States district judge for South Carolina.  He held this office till the electon of Abraham Lincoln, when he resigned, and was elected a delegate to the convention which adoped the ordiance of secession.  From the organization of the Confederate Government till November 1864, he was one of the Confederate judges for South Carolna; then was elected Governor by the Legislature; and after Lee's surrender, in 1865, he was arrested by the Federal authorities, and confined in Fort Pulaski till December.  Since the war he had confined himself to law practice.... , page 562 Mordeoai, Benjamin, philanthropist, born in Charleston, SC in 1809; died in New York city, March 30, 1893.  At the beginning of the civil war he was considered the wealthiest merchant in Charleston.  He supported the Confederacy with great liberality, and organized a series of stores througout South Carolina in which people could buy food and clothing at the cost of importation.  After the war he spent some time in Canada, and, returning to South Carolina, gave his time and the remnant of his wealth to the devlopment of local industries.  Among other enterprises he established the great Kalmia cotton mill plant.

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