anyone famous in/from your hometown?

Oculus Spirit [83133]

TigerPulse: 100%

Posts: 80163

Joined: 11/29/99

10 People:

Jan 17, 2017, 12:25 PM

Edgefield County Historical Society

Home of 10 South Carolina Governors

Andrew Pickens (1779-1838). Son of the Revolutionary General, Andrew Pickens “the Wizard Owl,” and father of Francis W. Pickens, one of South Carolina’s Confederate War governors, Andrew Pickens served as governor of South Carolina from 1816 to 1818. He had previously served in the War of 1812. During his term of office Pickens oversaw many of the “internal improvements” which were being made in the state. He moved around quite a bit during his life, but lived at Halcyon Grove in Edgefield and owned Oatlands Plantation some seven miles north of town during the last decade of his life.

George McDuffie (1790-1851). Perhaps one of the most influential leaders of Nineteenth Century America, George McDuffie was the author and principal promoter of the “Nullification Theory,” which postulated that States had the right to nullify a Federal law with which it disagreed. This theory set the South on a course which ultimately led to Secession. Having been born and raised in Georgia, McDuffie came to South Carolina as a young man and was quickly recognized as one of the brightest young men of his time. He studied law and became a partner of Eldred Simkins in Edgefield. In 1820 he was elected to the United States House of Representatives where he served for six terms. It was during his tenure in Congress that he gained national fame as an orator and vigorous supporter of State’s Rights. He served as Governor from 1834 to 1836 and as United States Senator from 1843 to 1846. Having been wounded in a duel in 1822, McDuffie suffered throughout his life from the wound and ultimately died of it in 1851.

Pierce Mason Butler (1798-1847). Scion of the famous Butler Family of the Edgefield District, Pierce M. Butler initially pursued a military career, which took him to the west fighting Indians in the 1820’s. In 1829 he resigned his commission and returned to South Carolina where he became the President of the Bank of South Carolina in Columbia. When war broke out with the Seminoles in Florida, Butler volunteered and served as a lieutenant colonel. In 1836 he was elected Governor of the State. In his role as Governor, he is particularly remembered for advocating universal public education. Following his term as Governor, Butler became U.S. Agent to the Cherokee and Comanche Indians in the Southwest. In 1846 when war broke out with Mexico, Butler was again called on and became Colonel of the Palmetto Regiment. He was mortally wounded on the battlefield at Churubusco.

James Henry Hammond (1807-1864): Born in Newberry District to a schoolmaster from New Hampshire, Hammond grew up in relative poverty in South Carolina. He developed an overpowering ambition to succeed financially and politically. Graduating from the South Carolina College in 1825, Hammond In 1831 he married Catherine FitzSimmons, daughter of the wealthy Christopher FitzSimmons, thus securing his financial future. In 1835 he was elected to the United States House of Representatives and became Governor of the State in 1842. Following his retirement from public life in 1844, Hammond devoted himself to his planting interests which he constantly expanded. In 1855 he built his mansion, Redcliffe, at his Beech Island In 1857 Hammond returned to public life when he was elected to the United States Senate. While in the Senate he coined the phrase, “Cotton is King.” Hammond resigned from the Senate when South Carolina seceded from the Union. He died at Redcliffe in 1864.

Francis W. Pickens (1805-1869). Son of Governor Andrew Pickens, grandson of General Andrew Pickens of Revolutionary fame, Francis Pickens came to Edgefield in 1828 to practice law with his father-in-law, Eldred Simkins. Pickens served in the United States House of Representatives from 1834 to 1843 and in the South Carolina Senate from 1844 to 1845. Active in national Democratic circles, Pickens was offered ambassadorships to England and France, but chose not to accept them. After marrying the beautiful Lucy Holcombe of Texas in 1858 he accepted President Buchanan’s offer to become ambassador to Russia. In 1860 he resigned this post and returned to South Carolina where he was elected Governor, serving in that role until 1862, where he faced the challenges of the Civil War. Pickens was a wealthy planter who dispensed broad hospitality at Edgewood Plantation, the best known of the antebellum plantations of the Edgefield District.

Milledge Luke Bonham (1813-1890). Born in the Edgefield District, Milledge Bonham attended the South Carolina College and began the practice of law in Edgefield. He volunteered and served in both the Seminole campaign in Florida and the Mexican War. Elected to Congress in 1857 following the death of Preston Brooks, Bonham resigned upon the secession of South Carolina in 1860. He was given a commission as Brigadier General in the Confederate army in 1861. Later he served in the Confederate Congress until January, 1863, when he was elected Governor. During his term, Bonham struggled to meet the demands of the Confederate government while providing security for the State against the Union troops who had occupied parts of the low country. During Reconstruction Bonham was actively involved in political affairs and, in 1878, was elected Railroad Commissioner, a post which he held until his death in 1890.

John C. Sheppard (1850-1931). Born in the Edgefield District near Sheppard’s Crossroads some 15 miles north of Edgefield, Sheppard was educated at Bethany Academy and Furman University. Admitted to the bar in 1871 he came to Edgefield to practice where he became active in Democratic politics. He was elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives in 1876 and became Speaker in 1877, being one of the youngest men to achieve this honor. He was elected Lieutenant Governor in 1882 and succeeded to the position of Governor in 1886 upon the resignation of Governor Hugh Thompson. A conservative Democrat he opposed the candidacy of Benjamin Ryan Tillman and in 1892 was the conservative candidate to oppose Tillman. A stalwart citizen, Sheppard continued to be involved in political, business and community affairs in Edgefield until his death in 1931. Among his principal involvements in Edgefield was the Bank of Edgefield and the Opera House.

Benjamin Ryan Tillman (1847-1918). Born at Chester Plantation some ten miles south of Edgefield, Ben Tillman was the youngest child of a remarkable family noted for violence, brilliance and strong wills. He was educated in the plantation schools and at Bethany Academy, and lost an eye at an early age from infection. Following the War, Ben devoted himself to managing part of his mother’s plantation with apparently no thought to politics. However, as a result of the increasingly difficult problems facing farmers in the 1880’s Tillman became keenly interested in agrarian reform. Following a speech which he delivered at an agricultural meeting in 1885, Tillman was widely recognized as the champion of South Carolina farmers. Along the way, because of his devotion to the interests of farmers, he became known as “Pitchfork Ben.” In 1890, never having been elected to public office, Tillman was overwhelmingly elected Governor of the state. He served four years as Governor and was then elected to the United States Senate where he served until his death in 1918. Among his principal achievements were the founding of Clemson and Winthrop Universities and his long service as Chairman of the Senate Naval Affairs Committee.

John Gary Evans (1863-1942). Scion of the prominent Evans and Gary families of South Carolina, Evans was immersed in politics from an early age. The nephew and favorite of Edgefield General Martin Witherspoon Gary, one of the principal leaders of the 1876 Red Shirt movement, he became a member of the S.C. House of Representatives in 1888 and of the State Senate in 1892. In 1894 Evans was elected Governor where he served until 1897. He was Chairman of the 1895 Constitutional Convention. After the outbreak of the Spanish-American War in 1898, Evans was commissioned as a Major and Inspector General. Following the war he was named Civil Administrator of the City of Havana. He was married to Emily Plume of Waterbury, Connecticut in 1897 and had one daughter, Victoria. Evans lived much of the latter part of his life in Spartanburg, but, prior to his death in 1942, he gave his ancestral home, “Oakley Park,” to the Town of Edgefield. He and his wife are buried in Willowbrook Cemetery.

Strom Thurmond (1902-2003). Son of a prominent political leader of Edgefield, Thurmond developed an early interest in politics. Following his graduation from Clemson College, he began his career by teaching school and coaching athletics. In 1929 he was first elected to political office as Superintendent of Education of Edgefield County. In 1929 he read law in his father’s office and was admitted to the bar. In 1933 Thurmond was elected to the State Senate where he served until 1938 when he was ele cted Circuit Judge. In 1942, following the bombing of Pearl Harbor, he entered the Army and participated in the D-Day Invasion. He was one of the most decorated heroes of World War II from South Carolina. In 1946 Thurmond was elected Governor of South Carolina, and two years later became the candidate for President of the States’ Rights Democratic Party. In 1954, in an unprecedented election, he was elected to the United States Senate on a write-in vote. Thurmond served in the Senate for a total of forty-eight years, becoming the longest serving and oldest member of the Senate. He was Chairman of both the Judiciary and Armed Services Committees. Thurmond died in 2003 at the age of 100 and is buried in Willowbrook Cemetery.

flag link

military_tech

thumb_down

thumb_up

1.		Sylvia Jefferies Actress, The Notebook
2.		Grainger Hines Actor, The Knick Grainger recently appeared as, Captain August Robertson in the first two season of Steven Soderbergh's, "The Knick" on Cinemax. He also appeared in seasons two and three of the AMC series, "Hell on Wheels" as Doc Whitehead. Rounding out the last few years in period costume, as Secretary of the Navy...
3.		Gilland Jones Actress, God Bless America Gilland is the oldest of four daughters of William Townes Jones IV and Rosann Wilson Jones. She began acting in the Greenwood, South Carolina Community Theater production of The Sound of Music at the age of four. She now lives in Los Angeles with her family and is pursuing acting full time. She has...
4.		Paige Rowland Actress, All My Children
5.		Melissa Holliday Self, Playboy: Voluptuous Vixens Busty and luscious blonde bombshell Melissa Deanne Holliday was born on October 30, 1969 in Greenwood, South Carolina. Melissa competed in numerous beauty contests, acted in stage productions of everything from "Annie" to "Capricious Pearls," and did radio commercials as a kid. Holliday was the Playmate of the Month in the January...
6.		Darlene Mann Actress, East Side Story
7.		Shelley Reid Actor, Dear John Shelley began acting at age twelve on the stage of the historic 'Opera House' in his hometown of Abbeville, South Carolina. His keen interest in music led him to pick up the electric bass in high school. From there, he attended Berklee School Of Music in Boston studying music theory/arranging. In the early eighties...
8.		Melissa Manley Actress, North and South
9.		Ben Coates Self, Super Bowl XXXV
10.		Jeremy Adams Camera and Electrical Department, Room No. 7
11.		Jesse Jennings Visual Effects, Black Stockings Jesse Clint Jennings was born in greenwood south Carolina December 8th 1983 and got discovered during a festival in a local southern town He has been acting on and off for years traveling out of the country for theatre. He now resides in Atlanta Georgia where his family currently resides. He continues to pursue acting and hope to work on more projects.
12.		Trey Brunson Producer, Run the Race Trey Brunson is the Director of Development for Crossings Ministries in Louisville, KY and has previously served as a pastor and church planter in California, Florida, and Texas. He is married to Rachael and the have 2 boys (Wyatt Bear and Judah Knox) and a daughter on the way due in February 2017.
13.		Everett Bradley Actor, UmJammer Lammy
14.		Robert Brooks Self, Super Bowl XXXII
15.		Gaines Adams Self, 2007 NFL Draft
16.		Deanie Gordon Actress, Vogues of 1938 Deani Gordon, was the most charming and vivacious of the Harlem chorines and dancers of the Golden Era of Harlem. With her beauty, charm, and talent, she became one of the most popular dancers, dancing in just about every popular Harlem nightclub, including the Cotton Club, Apollo, The Mimo Club, and others...
17.		Max Runager Self, NFL Monday Night Football
18.		Jake Scott Self, NFL Monday Night Football
19.		Alvetta Smith Actress, Lonely Children
20.		John Gilliam Self, Super Bowl IX

Pee Wee Gaskins***

Florence?***

Close.

Middle of friggin nowhere is not a town***

It's more like a crossroad

Im from Flo County......all crossroads have names***

Yes they do

Greenville.......Charlie Gertz and Nancy Welch.***

Uh, you're forgetting George Koumoustiotis of Stax Omega

Hot tattoo chick from some show

Jane Robelot had tats?***

10 People:

Pete Maravich and Benjy Bronk.***

BEEENNNNNJJJJIIIII***

Coot athletes and Nikki Haley, apparently.

John C Calhoun and Thomas Green Clemson***

Jimmy Howard***

Yes, but we only claim him when he's drinking.***

Adam Gaines

Re: anyone famous in/from your hometown?

that's gotta be the highest per capita we will see ITT***

pretty sure, Shelley is from Abbeville not Greenwood.***

thought so too....

I remember working with Robert's mom

I was in construction.....

lol, I haven't talked to him since the Xavier days.***

He is definitely from Abbeville

Everyone from Greenwood is a celebrity in their own way

Gonna need more detail on Melissa Holiday as listed***

Re: Gonna need more detail on Melissa Holiday as listed***

Clay Aiken

Nope.

You mean besides me right?

Meryl Streep.***

Oh and Trump has a golf course in my town.

Scumpter?***

There was a feller on the front page of tigernet the other

I sniffed Karen Carperter's panties once.***

i heard the moist ridiculous thing ever the other day

slim chance.***

Believe it or not there's a story behind that statement.

good story, but I'm thinking my humor was too subtle....

Actually, it was appreciated.

you sure you got the right KC

It smelled a lot like Richard's richard so I reckon so.

Robbie Caldwell, National Champion***

Re: Ashburn

Nope***

Irmo represent! (Ben Bridwell is ours fluff.)

I've only heard of two of those.

I forgot Donna Rice.

Mackey Piler***

Hold on

tdrake used to live West Ashtray***

I lived there for 6 months

I was there from 92-95, then moved to James Island.

I bought my favorite car ever in West Ashtrayley.

Burnside Dodge was Remount at Rivers, wasn't it?

that sounds correct***

I was there sometime in 2002 or so after leaving Columbia

well, i did say in/from

You missed Bull Murray on SI

she was pregnant when she got married

The high school i graduated from produced

Hey, I thought of a biz name for you.

I'm in

14 minutes a battery ain't bad***

Re: 14 minutes a battery ain't bad***

$21/battery is insane***

point of clarification.....

i'm no aero

oh yeah......missed 3 hours***

Re: point of clarification.....***

No fluff is coorect.

You're a scrapper H8n, a real go-getter. Here's the thing

Im trying to take a nap dood.***

yes, but they prefer to remain anonymous

well he ain't from here but word is sherman got tired on his

Michael Dean and William Perry...